Ukrainian and Russian negotiators wrapped up the first day of new US-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, seeking to advance efforts to end Europe’s biggest conflict since World War Two as fighting raged on. The two-day trilateral meetings come after Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russia had exploited a US-backed energy truce last week to stockpile munitions, attacking Ukraine with a record number of ballistic missiles on Tuesday. A source told Reuters on Wednesday evening that talks had ended for the day and would continue on Thursday. Photographs released earlier in the day by the United Arab Emirates’ foreign…
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At least 40 people have died in southern Spain after a high-speed train derailed and collided with an oncoming one on Sunday night in one of the worst railway accidents in Europe in 80 years. Twelve were in intensive care after the accident near Adamuz in the province of Cordoba, about 360 km (223 miles) south of Madrid, according to emergency services. Experts say a faulty rail joint might be key to determining the cause of the crash. “The train tipped to one side… then everything went dark, and all I heard was screams,” said Ana Garcia Aranda, 26, who…
The United Nations Development Programme will move close to 400 staff from its New York headquarters to Germany and Spain, it said late on Monday, following funding cuts by the United States. “The move is part of an ongoing effort to adapt to an evolving financial and development landscape, strengthen partnerships, and maximize UNDP’s ability to support the world’s most vulnerable people,” the organisation said. Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said in a separate release that the move, which will be carried out over two years, shows confidence in German diplomacy as “the UN system and multilateral principles are under…
The International Monetary Fund again edged its 2026 global growth forecast higher on Monday as businesses and economies adapt to US tariffs that have eased in recent months and a continued AI investment boom that has fueled asset wealth and expectations of productivity gains. The IMF in its World Economic Outlook update forecast global GDP growth at 3.3 percent in 2026, up 0.2 percentage point from its last estimate in October. That’s even with 3.3 percent growth in 2025, which will also beat the October estimate by 0.1 percentage point, the IMF said. The global crisis lender forecast 2027 growth…
We had a cordless landline telephone in the house. Whenever it rang, I would run over and check the tiny screen for the number. From the number alone I would try to figure out who it was. Then I would pick up the phone and see whether I got it right. Like most kid’s games, ‘Guess Who Called’ wasn’t the most complex or deep. Still, I remember how proud I was at being correct most of the time. Even when I got it wrong and belted out a cheery hello to the wrong person, it felt like learning something and…
A love note, a gladiatorial combat scene, a barrage of insults and everyday confessions have emerged on a wall in Pompeii, thanks to new imaging technology that has revealed nearly 80 previously unseen inscriptions. The once-thriving city of Pompeii, near Naples, was buried in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, preserving buildings, objects and graffiti under metres of ash. Rediscovered in the 18th century, it is now one of the world’s most significant archaeological sites. The latest discoveries were found etched into the plaster of a long corridor connecting Pompeii’s theatres to the city’s busy Via Stabiana that…
Bulgarian President Rumen Radev said on Monday he will resign, fuelling speculation that he will form his own political party to run in upcoming parliamentary elections after the previous government quit last month. Radev, who was due to hold the largely ceremonial post until January 2027, said he will submit his resignation to the Constitutional Court on Tuesday. If approved, he will be replaced by Vice President Iliana Iotova until presidential elections in November. Radev, who has expressed scepticism about Bulgaria’s recent move to join the euro and has taken Kremlin-friendly positions on the war in Ukraine and on sanctions…
New Zealand’s preparations for the Twenty20 World Cup suffered a setback with fast bowler Adam Milne and all-rounder Michael Bracewell sustaining injuries ahead of the global showpiece taking place in India and Sri Lanka from Feb 7. Milne injured his left hamstring while bowling for the Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the SA20 on Sunday and is currently being assessed, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) said in a statement on Tuesday. Bracewell suffered a left calf strain while fielding in the third and final one-day international against India in Indore on Sunday. “Bracewell will be treated and monitored over the coming days…
Makers of the new Netflix series “Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials” hope to introduce a new generation to the queen of crime, the iconic author of more than 60 mystery novels. The three-part show debuting Thursday is based on Christie’s 1929 novel “The Seven Dials Mystery” and stars “How to Have Sex” actor Mia McKenna-Bruce as a bright young aristocrat, Lady Eileen “Bundle” Brent. When a guest dies in suspicious circumstances during a glitzy gathering at her country mansion, Bundle takes it upon herself to find out what happened. Her wits, determination and seven clocks left on the scene lead Bundle…
A dramatic reset of government pay is on the table. Minimum salaries could more than double, senior officials would see major gains, and allowances would stay untouched. For 1.5 million government employees, the National Pay Commission’s move will potentially lift the minimum salary to Tk 20,000 and the top echelon to Tk 160,000. Existing allowances and benefits would continue alongside the revised structure. Despite this unprecedented recommendation, uncertainty clouds its rollout under the interim government. Funds have been allocated in the revised budget — an additional Tk 220 billion earmarked — but full implementation may depend on the next administration.…