Author: staff
By Quirino Mealha with AP Published on 16/02/2026 – 12:22 GMT+1 Japan’s economy barely expanded at a 0.2% annual pace in the last quarter, with private consumption rising by 0.4% between October and December. The minor growth in consumption was offset by a 1.1% drop in exports, according to the latest seasonally adjusted preliminary data. Growth for all of 2025 came in at just 1.1% as Japan’s export-reliant economy has been shaken by US President Donald Trump’s tariffs. On a quarterly basis, the economy grew only 0.1%, the Japanese government reported. The country narrowly avoided a technical recession which is defined by two…
By Farnoush Amiri, Edith M. Lederer and Matthew Lee with AP Published on 16/02/2026 – 12:20 GMT+1 A tiny Pacific island nation is pushing the United Nations to secure climate reparations from countries that fail to act on emissions. Vanuatu’s bid, set for a vote by the end of March, has the Trump administration scrambling to stop it. In guidance issued this week to all US embassies and consulates abroad, the State Department said it “strongly objects” to the proposal being discussed by the UN General Assembly and that its adoption “could pose a major threat to US industry”. The US is urging…
By Euronews Published on 16/02/2026 – 11:17 GMT+1 The Austrian developer behind the viral AI personal assistant software OpenClaw is joining OpenAI. Peter Steinberger built OpenClaw as an open source project designed to build AI assistants that “actually do things.” Agents built through the platform can manage calendars, book flights, or join a social media network full of other AI assistants without human assistance. It also powered Moltbook, the controversial social media platform specifically built for AI bots. Steinberger said he’s joining OpenAI because his next mission is to “build an agent that even my mum can use.” “That’ll need…
Published on 16/02/2026 – 11:54 GMT+1 YouTube content creator and WWE wrestler Logan Paul has entered the history books by selling an extremely rare Pikachu Illustrator card for a world record $16.5 million at auction. Widely known as the ‘King of Collectables’, the Pikachu Illustrator Pokemon card is regarded by some as the holy grail because it’s the single most expensive card of its kind and only about 40 copies are believed to exist. Paul bought it back in 2021 at a private sale for $5.2 million, setting another world record at the time as the most expensive Pokémon card…
“To conceal his involvement, two companies were created in the Marshall Islands, integrated into the structure of a trust registered in Saint Kitts and Nevis. The high-ranking official’s ex-wife and four children were registered as beneficiaries of the companies,” NABU said in a statement Monday. NABU did not name Galushchenko directly, but described him as Ukraine’s energy minister in 2021-2025 in its official communication about the case. Galushchenko was the only energy minister serving from 2021 until July 2025. Detectives, with the help of anti-corruption authorities from 13 countries, established that money was transferred out of the fund to accounts…
French government officials have blamed the “ultra-left” for the death of a far-right activist in Lyon, after he was attacked on the sidelines of a conference by hard left France Unbowed (LFI) MEP Rima Hassan. Quentin D, 23, died in hospital from a traumatic brain injury on Saturday evening. Supporters said he was providing security at a protest against Hassan’s appearance at the Science Po university when he was assaulted by rival activists. “It was clearly the ultra-left that killed him,” said Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin, accusing hard-left politicians — including those from LFI, the largest left-wing faction in the…
“It says, basically, if you want to pollute, you pay. If you don’t want to pay, innovate. And this is what happened,” Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in response to the ETS criticism after Thursday’s summit in Alden-Biesen. The ETS requires companies to hold a permit for each ton of CO2 they emit. They can buy and trade them on the market, while the number of permits gradually falls over time, slashing total possible emissions. This mechanism, besides shifting the costs of dealing with climate damage from society to those who cause it, encourages investments in clean manufacturing. …
Published on 12/02/2026 – 11:27 GMT+1 Level 1. During the 2012 financial crisis, Mario Draghi famously promised to do “whatever it takes” to save the euro. And he saved the currency you now use every day. But the price was high. Draghi was the face of austerity. And if you are from southern Europe, you know exactly the meaning behind cuts, unemployment, and a legendary battle with his nemesis, Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis. Varoufakis wanted to end the belt-tightening, but Draghi pulled the plug on Greek banks to force a deal. Level 2. Fast forward to 2026. The EU…
Published on 16/02/2026 – 10:22 GMT+1•Updated 10:22 Ukraine’s former energy minister Herman Halushchenko was charged with money laundering and involvement in a criminal group as part of the country’s corruption investigation around the state nuclear power company Energoatom, authorities announced on Monday. In a statement by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), it was confirmed that two anti-graft watchdogs have “expanded the circle of suspects in the Midas case”. “The former minister of energy (2021–2025) has been exposed for money laundering and participation in a criminal organisation,” the statement said. According to the investigation, which…
Published on 16/02/2026 – 9:17 GMT+1•Updated 10:03 The backlash to Bad Bunny’s historic Super Bowl performance can’t seem to die down, as certain political circles in the US apparently unable to get over how a halftime show could be sung exclusively in Spanish. Or how awful the MAGA alternative show was. Following Donald Trump’s bellyaching on the matter, a number of Republican congressmen called for a probe accusing the Puerto Rican superstar of potentially violating broadcast decency standards – despite the fact he censored or omitted his most explicit lyrics from the show. Conservative lawmaker Andy Ogles called for a…