NABLUS, Palestinian Territories, Feb 17, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - At an hour when Ahmad and Mohammed should have been in the classroom, the two brothers sat idle at home in the northern West Bank city of Nablus. The Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority's deepening budget shortfall is cutting through every layer of society across the West Bank. But nowhere are the consequences more stark than in its schools, where reduced salaries for teachers, shortened weeks and mounting uncertainty are reshaping the future of around 630,000 pupils. - 'Systemic emergency' -For UN-run schools teaching around 48,000 students in refugee camps across the West Bank, the picture is equally bleak. In the northern West Bank, where Israeli military operations in refugee camps displaced around 35,000 people in 2025, some pupils have lost up to 45 percent of learning days, Fowler said.

Trump says Cuba, a 'failed nation,' should make a deal with USABOARD AIR FORCE ONE, Feb 17, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - President Donald Trump on Monday said Cuba was a "failed nation" and called on Havana to make a deal with the United States, though he dismissed mounting a regime change operation. "Cuba is right now, a failed nation," the US leader told reporters aboard Air Force One. However, when asked if the United States would oust Cuba's government, as Washington did when it raided Venezuela and captured president Nicolas Maduro, Trump said: "I don't think that will be necessary." The island is facing major fuel shortages and blackouts as Trump intensifies the decades-long US embargo on the country and presses other countries to stop sending Havana oil. "It's a humanitarian threat," Trump admitted of the fuel shortages biting the country.

Maldives President arrives to join oath taking ceremony of new cabinetForeign Adviser M Touhid Hossain received Maldivian President Dr Mohamed Muizzu at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka. Photo : MoFADHAKA, Feb 17, 2026 (BSS) – Maldivian President Dr Mohamed Muizzu arrived in Dhaka today to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Bangladesh’s new cabinet led by BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman, marking a significant diplomatic engagement between the two countries. Foreign Adviser M Touhid Hossain received President Muizzu upon his arrival at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the capital. The Maldivian President is visiting Bangladesh to participate in the official oath-taking ceremony of the newly formed government following the 13th National Parliamentary Election held on February 12. His presence at the ceremony underscores the close and friendly bilateral relations between Bangladesh and the Maldives, reflecting continued cooperation in areas of mutual interest, diplomatic sources said.

× Expand Image courtesy of Hoover Public LibraryHoover Public Library will launch its annual Southern Voices Festival on Thursday, Feb. 19, with an artist talk and reception featuring Christina Renfer Vogel. The artist talk begins at 6 p.m. in the Library Theatre, followed by a reception. Based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Vogel holds a Master of Fine Arts from the Massachusetts College of Art and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Tyler School of Art at Temple University. Vogel has participated in artist residencies at the Vermont Studio Center, the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts and JSS in Civita in Italy. The evening marks the official opening of this year’s Southern Voices Festival, celebrating regional artists and creative voices.

DHAKA, Feb 17, 2026 (BSS) - The government has reduced the overall VAT on Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) in a move aimed at stabilising the market and keeping the essential commodity within consumers' purchasing capacity. Instead, a 7.5 percent VAT has been imposed at the import stage of LPG. This means that the tax will be collected only once at the import stage, eliminating multiple layers of VAT previously applied throughout the supply chain. Officials concerned believe that the decision will help maintain price stability in the LPG market, ensure uninterrupted supply, and provide relief to consumers, particularly middle- and lower-income households who rely heavily on LPG for cooking and other daily needs. The move is also expected to support industrial users by reducing cost pressures and enhancing overall market efficiency.

HANOI, Vietnam, Feb 17, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Vietnam confirmed on Tuesday that its top leader To Lam will attend the first meeting of President Donald Trump's "Board of Peace" in the United States this week. Two sources briefed on the trip told AFP last week that Lam would travel to the US to join the meeting of world leaders. Lam accepted Trump's invitation to join the "Board of Peace" as a founding member state, Hanoi said last month. Lam said he was committed to working with the US and the international community to make "positive contributions" toward Middle East peace, state media said last month. Vietnam and the US are currently negotiating a trade deal after Washington imposed 20 percent tariffs on Vietnamese goods last year.

Benfica coach Jose Mourinho insisted he is capable of saying no to Real Madrid president Florentino Perez as he played down rumours of a return to the Spanish giants on Monday. Mourinho's Benfica host Real Madrid in a Champions League play-off round clash on Tuesday, before the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu next week. "I gave everything to Real Madrid, everything that I had, I did good things, I did bad things, but I gave absolutely everything and that's all," said Mourinho. "I think he's a coach with a lot of capability and a boy who has Madrid within him, and with the personality to coach Madrid, which isn't something anyone can do." "The Real Madrid I expect tomorrow is the Real Madrid who are number one favourites to win the Champions League," added Mourinho.

At least two killed in northeastern US ice rink shootingPAWTUCKET, United States, Feb 17, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - At least two people were killed and three wounded in a shooting at an ice rink in the northeastern US town of Pawtucket on Monday, authorities said, with social media footage showing frightened teenagers fleeing the sound of gunshots. Mass shootings are common in the United States, where lax gun control laws mean that access to weapons is relatively easy. Monday's shooting, which occurred at a high school ice hockey game, came two months after a mass shooting at Brown University, located just 3.5 miles (5.6 kilometers) away. Footage shared on social media, which has not been verified by AFP, showed players, students and spectators at Pawtucket's Dennis M Lynch Arena fleeing for cover as shots rang out over the indoor ice rink. At least 12 shots can be heard on the social media footage, which appears to have been taken from a livestream of the game.

Los Blancos beat Real Sociedad on Saturday to overtake the Catalans and Hansi Flick's side could not defeat Girona in an gripping derby clash to reclaim the lead. "In the end Girona deserved it, they had a lot of chances, we defended very badly," admitted Flick. Ferran Torres fired a good chance wide for Barca and Raphinha drove against the upright as Flick's side pushed for the opener. "The (officials) do their job, sometimes it's not a good job, but they are on the same level as we played, so it's maybe not a good level." "Three points against Barca are more than three points, normally they beat almost all teams," said happy Girona coach Michel Sanchez.

According to DMP’s media wing, vehicular movement will remain restricted on Manik Mia Avenue and in the Lake Road area from 8am to 7pm. 2) Dhanmondi to FarmgateVehicles from Dhanmondi-27 will travel via Asadgate – Protibedha Gap (right turn) – China-Bangladesh Friendship Conference Center – Urojahaj Crossing – Bijoy Sarani Crossing, then turn right towards Farmgate Crossing. 3) Asadgate to Farmgate CrossingFrom Asadgate, vehicles will turn left and proceed through Ganabhaban Crossing (July Smriti Museum) – Protibedha Gap (right turn) – China-Bangladesh Friendship Conference Center – Urojahaj Crossing – Bijoy Sarani Crossing, then turn right to reach Farmgate Crossing. Guidance for Elevated Expressway usersTo avoid congestion during the ceremony, drivers have been advised to use the FDC (Hatirjheel) ramp instead of the Farmgate exit ramp. The DMP has urged all motorists to avoid Manik Mia Avenue and Lake Road between 8am and 7pm and to follow the designated alternative routes.

SYDNEY, Feb 17, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Australian resources giant BHP reported Tuesday a jump in half-year net profit boosted by demand for copper to meet the world's need for electrical power. BHP says it is the world's largest copper producer after raising output by about 30 percent in the past four years, including from its vast Escondida mine in Chile. "This is allowing us to maximise increased earnings from the recent run up in copper prices as well as gold," BHP chief executive Mike Henry said. The red metal is now the biggest contributor to overall earnings at BHP, Henry said. "With four compelling growth options across Chile, Argentina, Arizona and South Australia, we are well positioned to capture the forecast higher long term copper prices," he said in a statement.

MILAN, Italy, Feb 17, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Japan's Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara pulled out the best performance of their careers to move from fifth overnight to grab Olympic figure skating pairs gold on Monday. Their routine earned the Japanese personal best scores in both the free skate (158.13 points) and overall, with 231.24 points. Miura, 24, and 33-year-old Kihara had helped Japan win team silver for the second consecutive Olympics earlier in the Games. Yesterday they were heartbroken," the Japanese pairs' coach Bruno Marcotte told journalists. Their free skate route at the Milan-Cortina Games was, in fact, meant to illustrate their struggle against these difficulties.

Ahead of Russia-Ukraine talks, Trump says Kyiv must negotiate 'fast'ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE, Feb 17, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - US President Donald Trump said Monday he hopes Ukraine reaches a deal with Russia "fast" ahead of Tuesday's Washington-brokered talks in Geneva between Moscow and Kyiv. "Ukraine better come to the table, fast," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One while en route to Washington. Trump is pushing to end the conflict, unleashed when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, but two previous rounds of US-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi did not yield any signs of a breakthrough. Moscow has stuck to its demands in the talks for sweeping territorial and political concessions from Ukraine -- rejected by Kyiv as tantamount to capitulation. Rustem Umerov -- the head of Ukraine's National Security Council -- will represent Kyiv, along with a host of other officials.

GUATEMALA CITY, Feb 17, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - UN experts on Monday called for an investigation into Guatemala's Attorney General Maria Consuelo Porras for possible involvement in illegal adoptions of Indigenous children in the 1980s, during the country's civil war. The allegation came in a statement released in Geneva on Monday, the same day that Porras, whose term as attorney general ends in May, failed in her bid to be elected to Guatemala's Constitutional Court. The UN experts said they had received information about "at least 80 Indigenous children who were subjected to illegal international adoptions" after "their capture and forced disappearance between 1968 and 1996." The experts called for independent investigations into the allegations that public officials, including Porras, were allegedly involved in the adoptions. The attorney general has also been accused by the government and NGOs of protecting criminals, which she denies.

MEXICO CITY, Feb 17, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Hundreds of Canadian business leaders visited Mexico on Monday, aiming to deepen commercial ties despite the recent kidnapping and killing of several employees of a Canadian mining firm. About 400 Canadian industry representatives -- billed as one of the largest-ever Canadian delegations to visit Mexico -- were joined by a senior minister in Mexico City. Ottawa is pushing hard for deeper trade ties with other mid-sized economies to pivot away from its dependence on the United States. But the Canadian visit was overshadowed by deep security concerns. Just weeks ago, ten miners working for a Canadian firm in Mexico were kidnapped.