….Also accused of planning to poison incumbent president Lula Jair Bolsonaro and 33 other suspects were hit with five charges over the alleged bid to prevent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva from taking office after a bitter election race. The Supreme Court will now weigh the charges and decide whether to initiate proceedings. Brazil’s attorney general on Tuesday, February 19, formally charged far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro and 33…

….Says ‘You shouldn’t have started it’ President Donald Trump has laid the blame squarely on Ukraine for “starting” the seemingly never-ending three-year-old war with Russia, saying, “You should have never started it. You could have made a deal.” The United States President spoke as talks between the US and Russia over the war in Ukraine kicked off in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. Representing the US at the meeting were…

EU capitals have unanimously agreed on a new sanctions package aimed at increasing pressure on Moscow while enhancing support for Ukraine. This development comes despite a rapid initiative by U.S. President Donald Trump to negotiate an end to the ongoing war in Ukraine. The latest measures specifically target Russia’s aluminium and oil exports, signaling the EU’s commitment to maintaining a robust response in the face of evolving geopolitical dynamics. Brussels…

The Russian president thinks he is a better poker player Vladimir Putin appears closer than ever to achieving his objectives in the war against Ukraine. Despair has settled among Europeans as President Donald Trump disrupts the post-1945 transatlantic alliance, incorrectly assigning blame to Ukraine for the conflict. “You should have never started it,” Trump declared on February 18th from Mar-a-Lago, Florida. Yet, three years following Putin’s invasion, the definition of…

Iran has charged British couple, Craig and Lindsay Foreman with espionage, accusing them of collaborating with Western intelligence services, following their arrest last month, the judiciary said Tuesday. Judiciary spokesman, Asghar Jahangir said the pair were alleged to have entered Iran “posing as tourists” and gathered information before their arrest in the southeastern province of Kerman. The judiciary’s Mizan Online website quoted Kerman chief justice Ebrahim Hamidi as saying the…

Hamas has said it is ready to exchange its remaining Israeli hostages all at once with Palestinian prisoners during the Gaza truce’s second phase as a step leading to a “permanent ceasefire” and the full withdrawal of Israel’s forces from the enclave. The militant group is attempting to hold onto its two longstanding demands as Israel’s security cabinet has a stated war goal of removing Hamas, designated a terrorist group…

Brazil’s Mines and Energy Minister has announced that the country has joined the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC+) two years after the group extended an invitation, adding, however, that its membership will not be binding with regard to production cuts. Alexandre Silveira, the Mines and Energy Minister, after announcing the Brazilian government’s decision to join the group, described OPEC as “a forum for discussing strategies among oil-producing countries.” The…

Trump and Putin push for Ukrainian elections before a peace deal, sparking outrage from Zelensky. U.S.-Russia talks exclude Ukraine, fueling geopolitical tensions. WASHINGTON, D.C. – President Donald Trump has called for Ukrainian presidential elections, arguing that Volodymyr Zelensky lacks the legitimacy to negotiate on behalf of the Ukrainian people. Trump cited Zelensky’s declining approval ratings and his use of martial law to remain in power. The demand has sparked intense…

The Russian president thinks he is a better poker player Judged by the din of Russian propaganda, Vladimir Putin has never been closer to winning his war on Ukraine. Yet three years after his invasion, it is not clear what “win” means. His goals are elusive. His “special military operation” was planned in secret. His government was kept in the dark, as were the Russian people. Mr Putin talks of defending…

Russia and the United States have agreed to “lay the groundwork for future cooperation” aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and ultimately resolving the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. This agreement follows the first high-level discussions about the war since the early days of President Vladimir Putin’s invasion. The negotiations took place in Riyadh on Tuesday and extended over four-and-a-half hours. The U.S. State Department announced that both nations would appoint “high-level…

Turkish police detained nearly 300 PKK suspects individuals allegedly connected to the outlawed militant group, the government announced on Tuesday. Among those apprehended are journalists, politicians, and academics, highlighting the broad scope of the crackdown that has drawn widespread concern. Over the past five days, police raids have targeted various locations across the country, reflecting the Turkish government’s intensified efforts to dismantle alleged networks associated with the PKK. This surge…

Lebanon has formally demanded that Israel withdraw all its military forces from Lebanese territory, stressing that any remaining troop presence would constitute an “occupation.” This urgent call comes as Tuesday marked the deadline for Israel to complete its withdrawal under a U.S.-brokered agreement aimed at ending a devastating offensive in southern Lebanon. The conflict, which began in September, followed months of cross-border skirmishes between Israel and the militant group Hizbollah.…