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Audio By Vocalize U.S. President Donald Trump holds up the Ratepayer Protection Pledge after signing it during a roundtable meeting in the Indian Treaty Room at the White House on March 04, 2026 in Washington, DC. [AFP] Taiwan’s main opposition party said Thursday it will back Sh1.4 trillion in special funding for US weapons purchases and left the door open to more acquisitions, but insisted it will not write a “blank cheque” for the government. Taiwan has spent billions upgrading its defences as China increases military pressure on the island, which Beijing claims is part of its territory and has…

Audio By Vocalize Military band members rehearse before the opening session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 5, 2026. [AFP] China announced a seven percent boost to its defence budget for 2026 on Thursday as it steadily increases spending to counter the United States and enforce its claims over Taiwan and the South China Sea. The latest rise keeps China’s spending at a third of that of the United States, but the Asian power is working to close the gap. Beijing plans to spend 1.9096 trillion yuan ($276.8 billion)…

Audio By Vocalize A boat approaches the St Kitt’s and Nevis-flagged container ship Marsa Victory while cruising in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Khasab in Oman’s northern Musandam peninsula on June 25, 2025. [AFP] Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said Wednesday they had “complete control” of the crucial Strait of Hormuz and Israel launched new strikes on Iranian and Lebanese targets as the Middle East war continued into its fifth day. Here are the latest developments: Guards claim control of Hormuz The Revolutionary Guards said Iranian forces had “complete control” of the Strait of Hormuz, a…

Audio By Vocalize Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa (right) and US Southern Command chief Gen. The President, on March 2, announced the launch of joint operations with the US to combat drug trafficking. [AFP] The US military command responsible for strikes on alleged drug smuggling boats in the Caribbean and the Pacific confirmed on Tuesday it had started joint operations with Ecuador to combat drug trafficking. US Southern Command (SOUTCHOM) said both countries had launched operations against “designated terrorist organizations” in Ecuador. “The operations are a powerful example of the commitment of partners in Latin America and the Caribbean to combat…

Audio By Vocalize This frame grab from AFPTV video footage taken on March 4, 2026 shows people at the lobby of Comfort Hotel after it was hit by an Israeli strike in Beirut’s eastern suburb of Hazmieh. [AFP] Israel launched fresh strikes on Iran and Lebanon, where state media reported a residential building was hit on Wednesday, as Iran’s Guards said they had sealed off one of the world’s most vital shipping routes for energy. Governments scrambled to evacuate citizens stranded in the Middle East, where Iran expanded a retaliatory missile and drone barrage on the fifth day of a…

Audio By Vocalize Israeli security forces and emergency personnel stand next to the wreckage of cars at a site struck by a projectile in Ramat Gan near Tel Aviv on March 3, 2026. [AFP] Two Turkish journalists in Israel to cover the Iran war were detained in Tel Aviv on Tuesday while filming a live broadcast, Turkish officials and Israeli police said. Burhanettin Duran, Turkey’s presidential communications chief, said in a post on X that CNN Turk reporter Emrah Cakmak and cameraman Halil Kahraman had been detained in Israel. They were arrested while shooting a live broadcast in Tel Aviv…

Audio By Vocalize A man reacts while walking past collapsed and damaged buildings near Ferdowsi square in Tehran on March 3, 2026. [AFP] Asylum applications to the EU dropped by almost 20 per cent in 2025, the bloc’s asylum agency said Tuesday — warning however that a crisis in Iran could result in refugee movements of “unprecedented magnitude”. Turmoil in the Islamic republic risked upending a downward trend in requests for protection, the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) said, in a report written before the outbreak of the US-Israel war with Iran. “With a population of approximately 90 million,…

Audio By Vocalize A woman walks past a heavily-damaged building near Ferdowsi square in Tehran on March 3, 2026. [AFP] A lengthy Middle East conflict and sustained drop in energy supplies could trigger a “spike” in eurozone inflation and hit regional growth, the European Central Bank has warned. “A jump in energy prices puts upward pressure on inflation, especially in the near term,” ECB chief economist Philip Lane said in an interview with the Financial Times published Tuesday. The conflict would also be “negative for economic activity”, he said, according to a transcript of the interview released by the central…

Audio By Vocalize The warming El Niño weather phenomenon could return later this year as its cooling opposite, La Nina fades away, the United Nations said Tuesday. The UN’s World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) said the recent, weak La Nina was expected to give way to neutral conditions, which could then swing into El Niño before the end of 2026. La Nina is a naturally occurring climate phenomenon that cools surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. It brings changes in winds, pressure and rainfall patterns. The WMO said there was a 60-per cent chance of neutral conditions…

Audio By Vocalize In front of a large portrait of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s surface-to-surface Shahab-2 (L) and two Sayyad-1 surface-to-air missiles (C) and Zelzal (R) missile are on display on September 26, 2007. [AFP] It has been nearly 50 years since the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini recorded speeches calling for an Islamic revolution from a country home in an affluent village west of Paris. But the inhabitants of Neauphle-le-Chateau have still not got over their famous guest, as the US-Israeli war against Iran puts the spotlight back on the ayatollah’s legacy. Khomeini, the original spiritual guide of…

Audio By Vocalize Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburbs on March 3, 2026. [AFP] US President Donald Trump hosts Germany’s Friedrich Merz on Tuesday for his first visit with a  foreign leader since joining Israel in strikes on Iran that have dragged the Mideast into war. The long-scheduled White House meeting was supposed to focus on the war in Ukraine and rocky EU-US trade relations, part of a wider effort to salvage frayed transatlantic ties. But Trump’s signal that airstrikes against Iran could go on for weeks has upended the global agenda, with…

Audio By Vocalize Demonstrators hold placards as they rally during a protest against military action in Iran outside of City Hall in Los Angeles, California, on March 2, 2026. [AFP] The US State Department said Tuesday it has ordered non-emergency personnel to leave Bahrain, Jordan and Iraq, as Iran retaliates against US-Israeli strikes. The department, in posts on X, said it had updated travel advisories for Bahrain and Jordan “to reflect the ordered departure of non-emergency US government personnel and family members of government personnel.” In a separate post, the department said its Iraq travel advisory was updated to reflect…

Audio By Vocalize People hoist signs during a “Stop the War on Iran” protest in Times Square in New York City on February 28, 2026. The US and Israel launched an attack of unprecedented scale against Iran earlier on Saturday. [AFP] The US-Israeli strikes launched on Iran Saturday could become an extended operation, with strategic goals both multiple and complex — aiming to decapitate the Islamic Republic and eviscerate its security capabilities. In the 12-day war in June last year, the Israelis, backed by the Americans, carried out targeted strikes aimed at destroying key Iranian nuclear sites. This time, “we are…

Audio By Vocalize In this screen grab obtained on February 29, 2026 from video released by the US Central Command, shows an Iranian facility during strikes carried out by US and Israel against Iran earlier in the day. [AFP] Flights across the Middle East were cancelled Saturday as several countries closed their airspace after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran. Iran, Iraq, Israel, Syria, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates all announced at least partial closures of their skies in the hours after smoke began rising over Tehran and Iran began retaliatory attacks in the region. Iranian…

Audio By Vocalize   Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei waves as he attends a gathering of Basij militia forces in Tehran on November 26, 2007. [AFP] Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that there are signs Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in an attack on his compound as part of US-Israeli strikes. “This morning, in a powerful surprise strike, the compound of the tyrant Ali Khamenei was destroyed in the heart of Tehran,” Netanyahu said in a televised statement. “For more than three and a half decades, this cruel tyrant has spread terror across the…

Audio By Vocalize People hold signs as they take part in a “March 4 Democracy” protest in Washington, DC, on February 28, 2026. [AFP] Two people were killed on Saturday in air strikes on an Iraqi military base housing the powerful pro-Iran group Kataeb Hezbollah, which has threatened the US with a response. The United States and Israel launched a campaign against Iran early on Saturday, which retaliated with a barrage of missiles targeting Gulf states and Israel. Iraq warned against being drawn into the war and closed its airspace. But warplanes and missiles were seen flying over several areas.…

Audio By Vocalize An incoming projectile explodes over the water in the bay of Haifa off of the northern Israeli coastal city on February 28, 2026. [AFP] The United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Saturday, with Israel’s public broadcaster reporting that supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been targeted, as the Islamic republic retaliated with barrages of missiles at Gulf states and Israel. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, the ideological arm of the Islamic republic, said they had targeted the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, other American interests in the Gulf and Israel. Iran’s regionwide missile salvo could be…

Audio By Vocalize Palestinian Abu Mustafa displaced family sits together as they break the dawn-to-dusk Ramadan fast during Iftar in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip on February 26, 2026. [AFP] Israel’s Supreme Court decided in a ruling published on Friday to freeze a government ban on 37 foreign NGOs working in Gaza and the occupied West Bank pending a final decision. “Without taking any position, a temporary interim order is hereby issued,” the court said in a ruling responding to a petition from more than a dozen NGOs, seeking to reverse the ban after Israel’s government…

Audio By Vocalize The wreckage of the car carrying the seven aid workers and a guide who were killed in a terror attack on Sunday, August 9, 2020. [AFP] Local sources in western Niger said “terrorists” killed 25 members of a militia in several villages near the Mali border. “Twenty-five self-defence militia fell on Thursday in terrorist ambushes,” a former mayor in the commune of Anzourou told AFP — a toll confirmed by a leader from a local civil association. “There were 25 young self-defence fighters who lost their lives and three others who were wounded and evacuated” to hospitals…

Audio By Vocalize A photo showing a firefighter extinguishing a fire in a damaged house following a Russian attack in Kharkiv, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 26, 2026. [AFP] Some 55 Ghanaians have been killed while fighting in Ukraine, the country’s foreign minister said on Friday, promising a crackdown on illicit recruitment schemes luring citizens to Russia under false pretences. A growing number of African countries have in recent months begun to discover that their citizens have been duped into fighting for the Russian army, and either killed or captured on the battlefield. Ghana’s Foreign Minister Samuel…

Audio By Vocalize Vehicles drive in a traffic jam in downtown Tehran on February 25, 2026. [AFP] The United States authorised the departure of non-emergency embassy staff from Israel on Friday, as it threatened strikes on Iran and pressed its biggest military build-up in the Middle East in decades. The move came a day after a round of Oman-mediated talks between Iran and the US seen as a last-ditch bid to avert war, though initial optimism was tempered by Tehran warning Washington must drop “excessive demands” to reach a deal. As the world’s largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R.…

Audio By Vocalize Former President Bill Clinton speaks onstage during the Clinton Global Initiative September 2025 Meeting at New York Hilton Midtown on September 24, 2025 in New York City. [AFP] Former US president Bill Clinton denied wrongdoing at a Congressional panel Friday on his well-documented links to Jeffrey Epstein, as Democrats seek to shift focus toward Donald Trump’s own ties to the convicted sex offender. Clinton features prominently throughout the Epstein files, but he insists that he broke ties well before the disgraced billionaire’s 2008 conviction for sex offenses. “I saw nothing, and I did nothing wrong,” Clinton said…

Audio By Vocalize Palestinian men gather during the funeral of two men killed in an Israeli military strike, in the city of Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip on February 27, 2026. [AFP] Gaza’s civil defence agency said Israeli strikes killed at least seven people on Friday, with the military confirming strikes throughout the territory in response to a “ceasefire violation” in the south. It is the latest violence in the Palestinian territory to come despite a US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas which came into effect in October. The civil defence agency, which operates as a rescue force…

Salah may be experiencing the worst goal drought of his Premier League career but Liverpool boss Arne Slot believes the Egypt striker is paying the price for his own high standards. Published Date: 2026-02-27 14:40:38 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Real Madrid and Manchester City will face off in a Champions League knockout tie for the fifth season running after being drawn to play each other in the last 16 Published Date: 2026-02-27 14:37:12 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Premier League leaders Arsenal face a title test from London rivals Chelsea on Sunday. Manchester City can keep the pressure on Arsenal with a win at Leeds Published Date: 2026-02-27 13:19:52 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Man United’s decision to sack Ruben Amorim as their manager could end up costing the Premier League giants almost £16 million ($22 million) Published Date: 2026-02-27 13:12:23 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Snoop Dogg was welcomed with a blaze of whirling white towels and a guard of honour on Tuesday in his first visit to Swansea since becoming a co-owner of the Welsh club. Published Date: 2026-02-26 11:37:35 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Man United CEO Omar Berrada highlighted the “positive financial impact of our off-pitch transformation” after the club recorded a profit increase following their recent job cuts. Published Date: 2026-02-26 11:24:39 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni said his team’s 2-1 win against Benfica on to reach the Champions League last 16 was a victory for “everyone who is against racism”. Published Date: 2026-02-26 11:17:54 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Juventus were left wondering what might have been after coming close to mounting an incredible comeback against Galatasaray with 10 men before eventually being knocked out Published Date: 2026-02-26 11:13:05 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

FIFA president Gianni Infantino says he is very reassured about Mexico hosting matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup despite recent violence following the killing of a drug cartel leader. Published Date: 2026-02-25 12:39:21 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Jose Mourinho has not set foot in the Santiago Bernabeu since leaving Real Madrid in 2013, but his Champions League homecoming with Benfica on will be complicated. Published Date: 2026-02-25 12:07:52 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Audio By Vocalize India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi (right) and Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva before their meeting at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi on February 21, 2026. [AFP] India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi flew to Israel on Wednesday for a two-day visit to deepen ties with a key trade and defence partner, stirring criticism at home. “Our nations share a robust and multifaceted strategic partnership,” Modi said in a departure statement, saying he will meet his counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu and address the Knesset, Israel’s parliament. “Ties have significantly strengthened in the last few years.” New Delhi…

Audio By Vocalize An aerial view of the coastline of Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco state, Mexico, on February 24, 2026. [AFP] The roar of machine guns and drone of helicopters shook the luxurious resort where Mexico’s most-wanted cartel boss hid on Sunday, plunging tourists enjoying the picturesque western Mexican town of Tapalpa into panic. Nemesio Oseguera, the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) leader known as “El Mencho,” attempted to flee the audacious Mexican military operation in the mountainous area of the Jalisco state but was wounded during the escape and died while in transport to a hospital. “It was terrifying……

Audio By Vocalize Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi answers questions from Yuichiro Tamaki, head of the Democratic Party for the People, during a plenary session of the House of Representatives in Tokyo on February 25, 2026. [AFP] Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was under pressure Wednesday after it emerged she gave congratulatory gift catalogues to lawmakers from her ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) following its landslide election victory this month. More than 300 lawmakers were given the option to choose an item from the catalogue “as an expression of appreciation for their success at this very tough election”, Takaichi wrote…

Audio By Vocalize US President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address in the House Chamber of the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on February 24, 2026. [AFP]  US President Donald Trump on Tuesday claimed Iran is seeking to develop missiles that can strike the United States and accused Tehran of working to rebuild a nuclear program that was targeted by American strikes last year. The United States and Iran are engaged in high-stakes negotiations over Iran’s atomic program and other issues including missiles, with Trump saying he prefers diplomacy but is willing to use force if talks…

Audio By Vocalize India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi. [AFP] India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi flew to Israel on Wednesday for a two-day visit to deepen ties with a key trade and defence partner, stirring criticism at home. “Our nations share a robust and multifaceted strategic partnership,” Modi said in a departure statement, saying he will meet his counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu and address the Knesset, Israel’s parliament. “Ties have significantly strengthened in the last few years.” New Delhi has steadily expanded cooperation with Israel across the defence, agriculture, technology and cybersecurity sectors while balancing diplomatic interests in the Middle East. Talks…

Audio By Vocalize US President Donald Trump and Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court John Roberts during the State of the Union address in the House Chamber of the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on February 24, 2026. [AFP] For the first State of the Union address of his second term, US President Donald Trump decided to go long, broaching everything from the economy to Iran during his one hour and 47 minute speech to Congress. Here are five key moments from the longest-ever State of the Union address: Supreme Court tension  Upon entering the US Capitol, Trump shook…

Audio By Vocalize Sri Lankan security personnel walk past dead bodies covered with blankets amid blast debris at St. Anthony’s Shrine following an explosion in the church in Kochchikade in Colombo on April 21, 2019. [AFP] Sri Lanka’s criminal investigators arrested the country’s former intelligence chief on Wednesday in connection with the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings that killed 279 people, including 45 foreigners. Police said retired Major General Suresh Sallay was taken into custody at dawn in a suburb of the capital, Colombo in the most high profile arrest in the long-running investigation. “He was arrested for conspiracy and aiding…

Audio By Vocalize Flooding has left houses underwater. [AFP] Torrential rains in southeastern Brazil have left at least 20 people dead and dozens missing in flooding and landslides, officials said Tuesday. More than 400 people have been forced to flee their homes in the state of Minas Gerais since Monday’s violent downpour. The municipality of Juiz de Fora recorded 16 deaths, while four people died in the city of Uba, about a two-hour drive away. The tragedy included a river overflowing its banks, landslides and buildings collapsing. Juiz de Fora’s mayor, Margarida Salomao, declared a state of emergency. The municipality…

Audio By Vocalize British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (right) and Britain’s Ambassador to the US Peter Mandelson during a welcome reception at the ambassador’s residence on February 26, 2025 in Washington, DC. [AFP] The UK government said Tuesday it supported the release of documents on ex-prince Andrew’s past role as a trade envoy, hours after a veteran politician was quizzed by police in the widening Jeffrey Epstein scandal. US authorities last month published millions of files related to late sex offender Epstein, containing revelations which have rocked British political and royal circles. It has ramped up pressure on Labour Prime…

Audio By Vocalize People visit a memorial for the fallen Russian soldiers, including Russia’s Wagner paramilitary group fighters, in Moscow on February 24, 2026, on the fourth anniversary of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. [AFP] President Volodymyr Zelensky marked the four-year anniversary of the Ukraine war by accusing Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin of trying to take over Ukraine, saying he had failed to achieve this and other war goals. In a video address that showed Ukrainians carrying out acts of resistance against Russian soldiers in the opening days of the conflict, Zelensky added that Ukraine was ready to do “everything” it…

Audio By Vocalize Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un, attends a reception in the Great Hall of People following a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II, in Beijing on September 3, 2025. [AFP] Kim Yo Jong, the younger sister of Kim Jong Un, has emerged as one of the most powerful figures in North Korea, playing a leading role in the nation’s diplomatic efforts and nuclear posturing. Long seen as one of her brother’s most trusted lieutenants, Kim Yo Jong has now been elevated…

Audio By Vocalize Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi attends a plenary session of the House of Representatives in Tokyo on February 24, 2026. [AFP] China imposed export restrictions on 40 Japanese companies on Tuesday, citing national security concerns, as Beijing escalated a months-long row that has seen Chinese tourism to Japan plummet. The spat between Asia’s top two economies was sparked by comments by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in November that Japan could intervene militarily in any attack on self-ruled Taiwan. The measures announced on Tuesday cover exports of “dual-use” items — which can have civilian and military uses –…

Audio By Vocalize A South Korean protester holds up a banner as he condemns Russia’s invasion of Ukraine near the Russian embassy in Seoul on February 24, 2026, on the 4th anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine war. [AFP] Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine is a “triple failure for Russia”, President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday to mark the four-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of the Western-backed country. Hundreds of thousands have died since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, unleashing the deadliest war on European soil since World War II. “This war is a triple failure for Russia: militarily, economically…

Mourinho cannot sit in the dug-out for the play-off second leg after being sent off during his team’s 1-0 first-leg defeat in Lisbon last week. Published Date: 2026-02-24 11:00:00 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao will meet in a long-awaited rematch of the highest-grossing clash in boxing history this September at the Sphere in Las Vegas Published Date: 2026-02-24 10:06:17 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Manchester United boss Michael Carrick praised the impact of super-sub Benjamin Sesko after the Slovenian’s cool finish earned a 1-0 win at Everton on Monday night. Published Date: 2026-02-24 10:02:38 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Audio By Vocalize Britain’s Prince Andrew, Duke of York (R) arrives at Westminster Abbey in central London on May 6, 2023, ahead of the coronations of Britain’s King Charles III and Britain’s Camilla, Queen Consort. [AFP] Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday backed calls to remove Andrew from the royal line of succession amid investigations into the disgraced former prince’s ties with Jeffrey Epstein. In a letter to UK counterpart Keir Starmer, Albanese said: “My Government would agree to any proposal to remove him from the line of royal succession”. “These are grave allegations and Australians take them seriously,”…

Police are investigating “abhorrent” racist abuse directed online at four Premier League footballers last weekend. Published Date: 2026-02-23 17:06:33 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Igor Tudor believes there is still enough time for his Tottenham Hotspur side to avoid relegation from the Premier League provided they “stay humble”. Published Date: 2026-02-23 16:53:32 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Multiple Mexican football games were suspended Sunday due to an outbreak of violence in the aftermath of the army killing a top cartel leader, Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Published Date: 2026-02-23 16:23:46 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Mikel Arteta said Arsenal’s 4-1 demolition of north London rivals Tottenham was a cathartic release for his Premier League leaders after 72 hours in hell. Published Date: 2026-02-23 12:06:07 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Audio By Vocalize This handout photograph taken and released by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine on February 23, 2026. [AFP] Russia fired scores of missiles and drones at targets across Ukraine Sunday, crashing into energy and rail infrastructure and residential buildings, just two days before the fourth anniversary of Moscow’s all-out invasion. The capital Kyiv, which Russia has regularly hit with missiles and drones since the start of the full-scale invasion, has faced waves of overnight strikes in recent weeks as Moscow has intensified assaults amid freezing winter temperatures. “Moscow continues to invest in strikes more than in diplomacy,”…

Audio By Vocalize The Greenlandic flag (Erfalasorput) flies on the roof of Tivoli Castle in Copenhagen, on January 8, 2026. [AFP] Denmark and its territory Greenland on Sunday rejected Donald Trump’s offer to send a naval hospital ship to the Arctic island coveted by the US leader. A day earlier,  Trump said he was sending “a great hospital boat to Greenland to take care of the many people who are sick, and not being taken care of there”. But Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, who heads the autonomous territory’s government, wrote on his Facebook page: “That will be ‘no thanks’ from…

Published Date: 2026-02-22 00:00:00 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Audio By Vocalize Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. [AFP Police were Friday searching the former home of ex-prince Andrew for a second day, as his sensational arrest tipped the British monarchy into a crisis unprecedented in its modern era. The disgraced royal, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was “released under investigation” late Thursday after hours of questioning, as police probe misconduct claims over his links to the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. During around 11 hours in custody, officers raided his current home on the private Sandringham Estate belonging to his brother, King Charles III, and his previous residence in Windsor, west…

Audio By Vocalize South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol attends a hearing of his impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court in Seoul on February 13, 2025. [AFP] A South Korean court declared former president Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law bid in 2024 an insurrection, sentencing the disgraced leader to life in prison on Thursday. Yoon abruptly declared martial law in a televised address in December 2024, saying drastic measures were needed to root out “anti-state forces”. Although Yoon’s bid to impose military rule lasted just six hours, it triggered widespread panic in a nation seen as a beacon of…

Audio By Vocalize UK police arrest former Prince Andrew on suspicion of misconduct, over alleged sharing of information with Jeffrey Epstein while he was Trade envoy. [AFP]  Britain’s former prince Andrew was arrested Thursday on suspicion of misconduct during his time as a trade envoy, as UK police investigations into allegations emerging from the Jeffrey Epstein files gathered pace. The arrest of a royal family member is unprecedented in Britain’s modern era, as police said they were also searching two properties — in eastern England and west of London — as part of their probe. It was a humiliating new…

Sevilla coach Matias Almeyda has been banned for seven matches after his red card last weekend during a La Liga draw with Alaves. Published Date: 2026-02-19 12:03:55 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

All 104 matches of the 2026 World Cup will be “sold out,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino says, even though tickets are still available ahead of the June 11 kickoff. Published Date: 2026-02-19 12:00:14 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Norway’s Bodo/Glimt stunned Inter Milan in the Champions League, beating last season’s runners-up 3-1 in the first leg of their knockout phase play-off tie Published Date: 2026-02-19 11:55:19 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Mikel Arteta admitted Arsenal deserve criticism for the self-inflicted wounds that threaten to ruin their Premier League title bid after the leaders blew a two-goal lead Published Date: 2026-02-19 11:48:26 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Audio By Vocalize Meta CEO and Chairman Mark Zuckerberg (2-L) leaves the Los Angeles Superior Court after testifying in the social media trial tasked to determine whether social media giants deliberately designed their platforms to be addictive to children, in Los Angeles, on February 18, 2026. [AFP] CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Wednesday he regretted Meta’s slow progress in identifying underage users on Instagram, as he faced stinging criticism at a landmark social media trial over accusations that his company deliberately hooked children. Asked to comment on complaints from inside the company that not enough was being done to verify whether…

Audio By Vocalize A member of the Salhab family weeps as he sits on the on the rubble of apartment building after it was demolished by Israeli bulldozers near the Israeli settlement of Hagai, south of the occupied West Bank city of Hebron, on February 18, 2026. [AFP] Israel’s increased attacks and forcible transfers of Palestinians “raise concerns over ethnic cleansing” in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, the United Nations said Thursday. The UN human rights office said the cumulative impact of Israel’s military conduct during the war in Gaza, plus its blockade of the territory, had inflicted…

Audio By Vocalize Vendors sell dates at a marketplace ahead of the Islamic holy fasting month of Ramadan in Quetta on February 18, 2026. [AFP] Israel announced that it will cap the number of Palestinian worshippers from the occupied West Bank attending weekly Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in east Jerusalem at 10,000 during the holy month of Ramadan, which began Wednesday. Israeli authorities also imposed age restrictions on West Bank Palestinians, permitting entry only to men aged 55 and older, women aged 50 and older, and children up to age 12. “Ten thousand Palestinian worshippers will be permitted…

Audio By Vocalize Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (second left) and Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (second right) at the National Palace in Addis Ababa on February 17, 2026. [AFP] Kurdish fighters who have laid down their arms should be reintegrated into society, Turkish lawmakers urged in a key report released Wednesday, while ruling out an “amnesty”. The recommendations of the cross-party parliamentary commission are meant to prepare the legal groundwork for peace moves between Turkey and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Last year the PKK formally renounced its armed struggle against Turkey after four decades of violence that…

Vitor Pereira said he trusts Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis despite becoming the fourth manager of the Premier League side this season. Published Date: 2026-02-18 13:42:52 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

The Mexican military is preparing to confront the potential threat of unauthorised drones in stadiums used for this summer’s football World Cup. Published Date: 2026-02-18 13:35:45 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Arteta believes Arsenal and England “get the benefit” from the friendly rivalry between Bukayo Saka and Noni Madueke as the duo battle to start for both club and country. Published Date: 2026-02-18 13:25:36 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Barcelona winger Raphinha lashed out at perceived refereeing double standards in La Liga on Tuesday after his side fell to a 2-1 defeat at Girona. Published Date: 2026-02-18 13:20:56 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Tottenham’s new interim manager Igor Tudor says the club’s perilous position in the Premier League is unacceptable as he aims to ward off a relegation battle. Published Date: 2026-02-18 13:13:42 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Trent Alexander-Arnold hit out at “disgusting” alleged racist abuse directed at Vinicius Junior, whose wonder goal gave Real Madrid a crucial 1-0 Champions League play-off first leg victory Published Date: 2026-02-18 13:08:28 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Audio By Vocalize Daily Iranian newspapers are fronted with the image of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other headlines, displayed at a kiosk in Tehran on February 18, 2026. [AFP] Iran and Russia will conduct naval manoeuvres in the Sea of Oman on Thursday, following the latest round of talks between Tehran and Washington in Geneva, Iranian media reported. On Monday, the Revolutionary Guards, the ideological arm of Iran’s military, also launched exercises in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a challenge to US naval forces deployed in the region. “The joint naval exercise of the Islamic Republic of…

Match-winner Vinicius Junior hit out at “cowards” after accusing Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni of racially abusing him during Real Madrid’s 1-0 Champions League win Published Date: 2026-02-18 10:35:00 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Dutch midfielder Noa Lang scored a brace as Galatasaray thumped Juventus 5-2 in a pulsating contest in Istanbul on Tuesday in the first leg of a Champions League playoff. Published Date: 2026-02-18 10:26:57 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Serhou Guirassy scored a goal and laid on another as Borussia Dortmund beat Atalanta 2-0 at home in the first leg of their Champions League knockout phase play-off tie. Published Date: 2026-02-18 10:18:38 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Audio By Vocalize Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte arrives at a press conference to announce her intention to run for the country’s presidency in 2028 in Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, on February 18, 2026. [AFP] Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte announced Wednesday she will run for president of the Southeast Asian nation of 116 million in 2028. Duterte, who is embroiled in a bitter feud with President Ferdinand Marcos, was impeached last year only to see the country’s Supreme Court throw the case out over procedural issues. Her announcement comes just days before her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, begins a…

Audio By Vocalize Protesters hold banners as a new round of talks between Russian, Ukrainian and US negotiators aimed at finding a solution to four years of fighting in Ukraine, takes place in Geneva on February 17, 2026. [AFP] Ukrainian and Russian negotiators were to resume a second round of peace talks in Geneva on Wednesday, as Washington’s top envoy signalled optimism in its bid to end Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II. The talks are the latest diplomatic bid to halt the fighting which has killed hundreds of thousands, forced millions to flee and decimated much of eastern…

Audio By Vocalize An Oil tanker in parking. [File, Standard] Oil prices rose Tuesday after US President Donald Trump ramped up threats towards large crude producer Iran, as the two countries met in Geneva for talks over the Islamic republic’s nuclear programme. West Texas Intermediate jumped 1.5 percent per barrel, while international benchmark Brent North Sea crude edged higher. “There’s speculation that Iran could agree to dilute its most highly enriched uranium in exchange for the full lifting of financial sanctions, but it’s not clear if that will be enough to seal a deal between the two parties,” noted Aarin Chiekrie, analyst…

Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams is set to miss several weeks with a groin problem and has no fixed return date, a concerning development for Spain ahead of the World Cup. Published Date: 2026-02-17 13:21:01 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

PSG coach Luis Enrique dismissed any suggestions of dressing room disharmony as the reigning European champions prepared to put their continental title on the line Published Date: 2026-02-17 13:12:38 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Spanish champions Barcelona fell to a damaging 2-1 defeat at Girona on Monday to leave them trailing Real Madrid by two points at the top of La Liga. Published Date: 2026-02-17 11:42:15 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Tyson Fury said the deaths of two of long-time rival Anthony Joshua’s friends in a car crash in December prompted his return to boxing. Published Date: 2026-02-17 11:27:01 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

League One Mansfield were handed a home draw against Premier League leaders Arsenal in the FA Cup fifth round draw on Monday as Newcastle face Manchester City. Published Date: 2026-02-17 11:13:52 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Audio By Vocalize  Cancer cells: Cancer of the colon and rectum a silent killer. [File, Standard] The death of US actor James Van Der Beek was just the latest reminder that colorectal cancer has been surging among people under 50 in recent years and no one knows why. The “Dawson’s Creek” star died last week aged 48 after being diagnosed with colorectal cancer, also known as bowel cancer. Fellow US actor Chadwick Boseman of “Black Panther” fame died from the same disease in 2020 at the age of 43. The rate of people under 50 being diagnosed with this cancer…

Audio By Vocalize The X (former Twitter) logo appears on a smartphone screen in this photo illustration in Athens, Greece, on January 20, 2026. [AFP] Elon Musk-owned social network X was failing to show posts to users in many countries Monday, monitors said, the latest in a series of interruptions. X appeared to be suffering “international outages,” connectivity monitor Netblocks posted on the open-source social network Mastodon. The breakdown was “not related to country-level internet disruptions or filtering”, added Netblocks, which regularly flags technical issues with popular online services and sites, as well as interference by national governments. Its most…

Audio By Vocalize Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban shakes hands with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (L) after a joint press conference following talks during a visit in Budapest, Hungary, on February 16, 2026.[AFP] US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has arrived in Hungary for talks with Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Monday, ahead of elections where the nationalist leader faces a significant challenge from the opposition. Rubio’s visit is the final stage of a whirlwind trip to Europe that also saw him address the Munich Security Conference and visit another right-wing ally, Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico. US…

Audio By Vocalize People standing by Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s grave at the Borisovo cemetery in Moscow on October 22, 2024. [AFP] Five European countries, including Britain, France and Germany, said Saturday that Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was killed by a “rare toxin” from a dart frog and that the Russian state was the prime suspect. Navalny, a staunch critic of President Vladimir Putin, died in a Russian prison on February 16, 2024, while serving a 19-year sentence. “The UK, Sweden, France, Germany and The Netherlands are confident that Alexei Navalny was poisoned with a lethal toxin,” the…

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s Real Madrid career has not got off the ground yet but, fit again after injury, the England right-back could be crucial for the Spanish giants Published Date: 2026-02-13 13:16:38 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

LeBron James nabbed another NBA record, becoming at 41 the oldest player to record a triple-double as he propelled the Lakers to a 124-104 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. Published Date: 2026-02-13 10:50:47 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Former Arsenal footballer Thomas Partey has been charged with two further counts of rape. Published Date: 2026-02-13 10:32:26 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice said his side cannot be distracted by talk of Manchester City closing in at the top of the Premier League after the Gunners were held 1-1 at Brentford Published Date: 2026-02-13 10:27:24 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Arsenal missed the chance to extend their Premier League lead to six points as Brentford rattled the Gunners in a 1-1 draw to give Manchester City hope in the title race. Published Date: 2026-02-13 10:24:00 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said his players did not work as a team and were taught a lesson in the first half of the 4-0 Copa del Rey semi-final first leg defeat by Atletico Madrid Published Date: 2026-02-13 10:23:23 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Audio By Vocalize The BBC headquarters in London, United Kingdom. [AFP] The BBC said Thursday it expects to make further savings of around 10 percent of its costs over the next three years in answer to “substantial financial pressures”. The British broadcaster did not specify the amount it aims to save, but other UK media reported it was up to £600 million ($817 million) and would involve job losses and some programming cuts as it copes with squeezed funding. “In a rapidly changing media market, we continue to face substantial financial pressures,” a BBC spokesperson said in a statement. “As…

Audio By Vocalize The BBC headquarters in London, United Kingdom. [AFP] The BBC said Thursday it expects to make further savings of around 10 percent of its costs over the next three years in answer to “substantial financial pressures”. The British broadcaster did not specify the amount it aims to save, but other UK media reported it was up to £600 million ($817 million) and would involve job losses and some programming cuts as it copes with squeezed funding. “In a rapidly changing media market, we continue to face substantial financial pressures,” a BBC spokesperson said in a statement. “As…

Audio By Vocalize US Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott before a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee in an oversight hearing at the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, DC on February 12, 2026. [AFP]  [AFP] President Donald Trump’s pointman on Thursday announced the end of an aggressive immigration operation in Minnesota that triggered large protests and nationwide outrage following the killing of two US citizens. Thousands of federal agents including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers conducted weeks of sweeping raids and arrests in what the administration claims were targeted missions against criminals. “I have proposed…

Audio By Vocalize French police have detained a woman in her fifties after two newborn babies were found dead in a freezer in eastern France. [File, Standard] French police have detained a woman in her fifties after two newborn babies were found dead in a freezer in eastern France, sources close to the case told AFP on Thursday. The case is the latest suspected instance of infanticide to emerge in France in recent years. According to one source, a man alerted police on Tuesday after finding the body of a newborn in his freezer at his home in the eastern town…