Author: staff
Published on 17/02/2026 – 17:08 GMT+1 Syria has begun evacuating the remaining residents of Al-Hol camp — home to the relatives of suspected fighters from the so-called Islamic State (IS) group — as authorities move to clear the formerly Kurdish-controlled facility, according to officials. Al-Hol, which is located in a desert region of the northeastern Hasakeh province, had been Syria’s largest camp housing family members of suspected IS militants. Government forces captured the camp from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) last month as Damascus extended its control across swathes of Syria’s northeast. Since then, thousands of relatives of foreign…
Published on 17/02/2026 – 15:57 GMT+1•Updated 15:57 France said on Tuesday that it had released an oil tanker suspected of belonging to Russia’s sanctioned “shadow fleet” after its owner paid a fine worth millions of euros. The vessel — named the Grinch — was seized by French forces in the Mediterranean Sea on 22 January on suspicion of shipping oil in violation of sanctions against Russia. It had set sail from Murmansk in northern Russia and was flying under a false Comoros flag, according to French authorities, which diverted the ship to the port city of Marseille. On Tuesday, French…
By Mohammad Shayan Ahmad with AP Published on 17/02/2026 – 15:08 GMT+1 Chinese tech firm ByteDance has said it will place restrictions on a controversial AI (artificial intelligence) powered video creation tool, following copyright complaints from major media companies. Seedance 2.0, the latest model of the AI video generator released on February 12, which is only available in China, went viral and allows users to create realistic images and videos of famous actors and cartoon characters in short text prompts. One of these images showed Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise in a fight. The AI has been praised by many online for its…
The EU executive suspects the marketplace breached the law because it didn’t properly assess and mitigate the risks of illegal goods being sold on the platform, a senior Commission official said in a briefing with journalists. These goods also include unsafe toys and cosmetics. The Commission is also investigating the addictive design of Shein’s platform — specifically its bonus point programs and the gamification of the shopping experience — which may harm consumers’ mental and physical wellbeing, the official said. The scrutiny also extends to Shein’s recommender system and its transparency. Shein takes its “obligations under the Digital Services Act…
The European Union will not “shy away” from adopting a full ban on maritime services for Russian oil tankers if G7 allies fail to reach a deal, Valdis Dombrovskis, the European Commissioner for the Economy, has said as negotiations continue between member states on a fresh round of economic sanctions against the Kremlin. Brussels wants the 20th package of sanctions to be approved by the time the full-scale invasion of Ukraine reaches its grim fourth anniversary on 24 February. If the proposed ban on maritime services is enacted, the price cap on Russian oil that the G7 has been operating…
Iran stepped up its warnings to the US over its military presence in the region, as Tehran said it will close the Strait of Hormuz for several hours for live military exercises. Tehran announced that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) started a drill early Monday morning in the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, all crucial international shipping routes. It marked the second time in recent weeks that Iran has held a live-fire drill in the Strait of Hormuz. However, it is the first time Iran has closed the critical maritime corridor since the…
With powerful nations rolling back climate protections and temperatures soaring ever closer to dangerous thresholds, it’s hard not to feel worried about the state of the planet. As green journalists, climate anxiety, climate doom and even environmental existential dread are a daily presence. These terms all describe the negative feelings, such as stress, fear, anger and grief, that confront us when the reality of a warming Earth hits home. With almost daily stories of destruction and loss of life due to extreme weather, it’s impossible to escape the impacts of climate change. Rather than being paralysed by helplessness, though, experts…
Sébastien Lecornu lève le voile sur la programmation énergétique, un document structurant pour les filières énergétiques attendu depuis deux ans, sur lequel les quatre derniers gouvernements se sont cassé les dents. Retour sur un parcours d’obstacles. Feb 11 10 mins read
Published on 17/02/2026 – 13:39 GMT+1 Belgium summoned the US ambassador on Tuesday after a dispute unfolded on social media over accusations of antisemitic prosecution of the Jewish community in the country. The debate was sparked by the news that the Belgian authorities are investigating whether three men in Antwerp were performing circumcisions without certified medical training, according to media reports. Belgian law states that all medical procedures must be performed by licensed professionals — a rule Belgium believes extends to mohels, who perform circumcision according to Jewish rites. US Ambassador to Belgium Bill White said in a post on…
In late 2024, commuters in Stockholm gained a novel way to cross the Swedish capital: a ‘flying’ electric ferry. Just over a year later and the project has been declared a resounding success by the Swedish Transport Administration following an evaluation of its pilot route. Built across 14 islands, Stockholm is naturally suited to waterborne transport. Yet relatively slow journeys and infrequent departures lead many to navigate via the city’s more than 50 bridges instead. Still, diesel-run ferries account for nearly half of the region’s total public transport emissions. The introduction of the hydrofoiling Candela P-12 Shuttle – described by…