SYDNEY, Feb 15, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Australia unveiled AU$3.9 billion (US$2.8 billion) in spending on Sunday as a "down payment" on a new facility to build nuclear submarines under the tripartite AUKUS security pact with Britain and the United States. The AUKUS pact aims to arm Australia with a fleet of cutting-edge submarines from the United States and would provide for cooperation in developing an array of warfare technologies. In the long term, an estimated AU$30 billion is expected to be spent on the facility. "The transformation underway at Osborne shows Australia is on track to deliver the sovereign capability to build our nuclear-powered submarines for decades to come," he said. The investment in the Submarine Construction Yard "is critical to delivering Australia's conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarines", Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a statement.

WASHINGTON, United States, Feb 15, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - American athletics prodigy Cooper Lutkenhaus broke the world junior indoor 800-meters record on Saturday with a victory in 1min 44.03secs at the Sound Running meet in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Lutkenhaus erased the under-20 world record of 1:44.35 set in January 2000 by Russian Yuriy Borzakovskiy, who won 800m Olympic gold in 2004 at Athens. Lutkenhaus was a stunning runner-up at last year's American championships at Eugene, Oregon, to earn a berth in the 2025 World Championships at Tokyo. Also in the Winston-Salem meet, Paris Olympic 1,500m champion Cole Hocker won the mile in 3:45.94 with fellow American Cooper Teare second in 3:50.49. Hocker clocked the second fastest world indoor mile time in history behind the world record of 3:45.14 set by Norway's Jakob Ingebrigtsen last February in France.

WASHINGTON, United States, Feb 15, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Former US president Barack Obama on Saturday condemned the operations of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in Minnesota, comparing their behavior to conduct seen "in dictatorships." Thousands of federal agents including ICE agents carried out weeks of sweeping raids and arrests in what the Trump administration claims were targeted missions against criminals, until the operation was ended this week. Obama had criticized the actions of ICE agents as unlawful last month, but went further in an interview with left-wing political commentator Brian Tyler Cohen released Saturday. "The rogue behavior of agents of the federal government is deeply concerning and dangerous," he said. He called the behavior of federal officers, which included two fatal shootings that sparked mounting pressure on President Donald Trump's mass crackdown, as the sort that "in the past we've seen in authoritarian countries and we've seen in dictatorships."

Australia to spend $2.8 billion on new facility to build nuclear subs: PMSYDNEY, Feb 15, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Australia unveiled on Sunday AU$3.9 billion ($2.8 billion) in spending as a "down payment" on a new facility that will build nuclear submarines under the tripartite AUKUS security pact with Britain and the United States. "Investing in the Submarine Construction Yard at Osborne is critical to delivering Australia's conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarines," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a statement. The AUKUS pact aims to arm Australia with a fleet of cutting-edge submarines from the United States and would provide for cooperation in developing an array of warfare technologies.

PARIS, France, Feb 15, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The Paris prosecutor's office on Saturday announced it was setting up a special team of magistrates to analyse evidence that could implicate French nationals in the crimes of the convicted US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The new team will work closely with prosecutors from the national financial crimes unit and police with a view to opening investigations into any suspected crimes involving French nationals, the Paris prosecutor's office told AFP. The prosecutor's office said it had been asked to look into three new specific cases involving a French diplomat, a modelling agent and a musician. "An investigation is underway to gather various pieces of evidence that could substantiate this report," the prosecutor's office stated. The prosecutor's office has also received a complaint filed by a Swedish woman against Daniel Siad, a model recruiter with close ties to Epstein.

PAPEETE, Feb 15, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - French authorities said Saturday they had seized 2.4 tonnes of cocaine from a vessel in the Pacific during a joint operation with the United States, as officials step up interceptions in Polynesian waters. "In accordance with practices applicable under international law... the vessel and its crew resumed their voyage," the High Commission in French Polynesia said in a statement. Over the past month, French authorities have seized nearly 12 tonnes of cocaine around Polynesia, including three that were between two and five tonnes each. The United Nations has said in recent years that organised criminal groups trafficking cocaine and methamphetamine have expanded their presence in the Pacific. In 2025, the French navy seized a record 87.6 tonnes of drugs worldwide, including 58 tonnes of cocaine.

PARIS, France, Feb 15, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Lens reclaimed the lead atop Ligue 1 on Saturday with a Wesley Said-inspired 5-0 romp over Paris FC, while a late penalty condemned Marseille to a draw with Strasbourg. Braces by Said and Rayan Fofana, either side of a Florian Thauvin penalty, moved Lens to 52 points, while struggling PFC remain in 15th place, eight points above the relegation zone. "Whenever we have the opportunity, we will do everything we can to take first place and keep it," Thauvin told L1+. The late collapse condemned Marseille to remaining in fourth place, 11 points off the pace. Panichelli stepped up and dispatched the resulting spot-kick in the 97th minute to ensure the spoils were shared at the Velodrome.

LONDON, Feb 15, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Larry the cat, the UK's most famous feline, marks 15 years on Sunday as the country's chief mouser patrolling the corridors of power around number 10 Downing Street. - Humble roots -Recruited to deal with a rodent problem, Larry arrived at the prime minister's official residence on February 15, 2011. Unlike prime ministers. "Farewell old friend x," Larry posted on his X account, brushing aside rumours of rivalry between the pair. Under former US president Bill Clinton, the black-and-white cat Socks took up residence in the White House from 1993 to 2001.

WASHINGTON, United States, Feb 15, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Jamaican sprinter Elaine Thompson-Herah, a five-time Olympic champion, competed in her first race since June 2024 in Saturday's Camperdown Classic at Kingston, Jamaica. It was an encouraging return for Thompson-Herah, who has been hampered by injuries for several years, including an Achilles injury in 2024. Thompson-Herah has not competed in an individual international championship since the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, where she took bronze in the 100m and silver in the 4x100m relay. She settled for the relay at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest and had only competed in two races in 2024. Thompson-Herah won Commonwealth Games gold at 100 and 200 meters in 2022 at Birmingham.

WASHINGTON, United States, Feb 15, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Former US president Barack Obama criticized a lack of shame and decorum in the country's political discourse, responding Saturday for the first time to a post on Donald Trump's social media account that depicted him and first lady Michelle as monkeys. Obama responded to the video for the first time in an interview with left-wing political podcaster Brian Tyler Cohen released Saturday. Without naming Trump, Obama responded by saying the majority of Americans "find this behavior deeply troubling." Obama predicted such messaging will hurt Trump's Republicans in midterm elections, that "ultimately, the answer is going to come from the American people." Trump has told reporters he stood by the thrust of the video's claims about election fraud, but that he had not seen the offensive clip at the end.

US cattle farmers caught between high costs and weary consumersASHLAND, United States, Feb 15, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - In rural Virginia, dozens of young cows belonging to Chris Stem graze by a frozen pond. Despite soaring beef prices as the US cattle population hit a 75-year low, farmers like Stem are feeling the squeeze from steeper business costs, budget-conscious consumers and President Donald Trump's trade policy. "The cost of doing business is almost outpricing (our ability) to continue to raise cattle," Stem told AFP. - 'State of crisis' -Steeper beef prices have become a symbol of high living costs in the world's biggest economy, which has fueled voter frustration. Beef and veal prices were up 15 percent year-on-year in January while ground beef prices, which hit a new high in December, have continued climbing.

Son of Iran's last shah urges US action as supporters rally in MunichMUNICH, Germany, Feb 15, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The exiled son of Iran's last shah said he was ready to lead the country to a "secular democratic future" at a rally in Munich on Saturday, after US President Donald Trump said a change of power would be the "best thing". "Javid shah" (long live the shah)," the crowd chanted as they waved green-white-and-red flags with a lion and a sun -- the emblem of the toppled monarchy. "The Iranian regime is a dead regime," a 62-year-old protester originally from Iran who gave his name only as Said told AFP. Help them," Pahlavi had earlier told reporters gathered at the Munich Security Conference. - Iranian opposition divided -When Iran began its crackdown, Trump initially said the United States was "locked and loaded" to help demonstrators.

He told Merz that China hoped to work with Germany to bring the "all-round strategic partnership to a new level", according to a readout from Beijing's foreign ministry. With Berlin's support, Beijing also wanted to "prepare for the next stage of high-level exchanges", Wang added. Merz is reportedly preparing to make his inaugural visit to China this month, with a pressing issue being how to navigate evolving commercial ties. "China also expects Germany to become a... stabilising anchor for strategic relations," he told Merz. An earlier visit to China by Wadephul had been cancelled at the last minute, with Germany saying that meetings with key officials could not be arranged.

'Me, myself and I': Britain's Ryding hones in on Olympic slalomBORMIO, Italy, Feb 15, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - "Old fox" Dave Ryding's career in elite alpine ski racing will culminate in Monday's slalom in his fifth Olympics. "I had the right qualities built into me by my parents, and I was pretty good on the dry slope and the one thing that no one was thinking about was how much experience I had on dry slope in a race situation." - Work ethic -Ryding credits his parents, gas fitter Carl and hairdresser Shirley, with instilling in him a proper work ethic. "It shows that you can do these things even coming from a dry slope background," he said. "This year I'm really trying to better what I've done before, which was ninth in Pyeongchang.

Top seed Fritz, ranked seventh in the world, reached his 20th career ATP final and first since last September's Japan Open. "I think I generated good opportunities to grab a break on him but he played really well, served really well on all the break points." Shelton, a 23-year-old left-hander, seeks his fourth ATP title after winning the 2023 Japan Open, 2024 US Clay Court Championships and last year's Canadian Open. He had a lot of chances to break serve and I came up with the goods. Fritz and Shelton are 1-1 in their ATP rivalry, Fritz winning at Indian Wells in 2023 but losing in last year's Canada semi-finals.