U.S. officials say the United States Armed Forces will withdraw all remaining troops from Syria, formally ending its 12-year military presence in the country.
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February 18, 2026 (Wednesday)
0.8 minutes to read
Armed conflicts and attacks
Disasters and accidents
A gas explosion at a lead mine in Bashar, Plateau State, Nigeria, kills at least 38 miners working underground and injures 27 others.
International relations
Poland bans all Chinese-made vehicles from entering its military sites, citing data security concerns regarding onboard sensors.
Law and crime
Australia issues a temporary exclusion order barring one citizen held in a Syrian detention camp from returning to the country under counter-terrorism legislation, citing the citizen's possible links to Islamic State members.
Politics and elections
Sanae Takaichi is re-appointed Prime Minister of Japan by the House of Representatives after winning the legislative election.
Science and technology
Gabon indefinitely suspends access to social media platforms YouTube and TikTok citing concerns they undermine social cohesion and threaten national security.
February 17, 2026 (Tuesday)
1.7 minutes to read
Armed conflicts and attacks
Three Sloviansk Thermal Power Plant engineers are killed and another is injured in a Russian drone attack on a vehicle in Mykolaivka, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine.
At least six people are injured and buildings and vehicles are damaged in large-scale Russian strikes on Sumy Oblast, Ukraine.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations says a vessel and a skiff exchanged small-arms fire southwest of Aden, Yemen.
Business and economy
Canadian mining firm Sherritt International announces that it will suspend operations in Moa, HolguĂn, Cuba, after planned fuel deliveries were not fulfilled due to the U.S. blockade affecting oil shipments to the island.
Disasters and accidents
At least three servicemen are reportedly killed and several others are injured in an explosion at a military commandant's building in Sertolovo, Leningrad Oblast, Russia.
Eight backcountry skiers are killed, six others are rescued and one is reported missing in an avalanche on the Donner Pass northwest of Lake Tahoe in California, United States.
International relations
Iran partially closes the Strait of Hormuz for several hours due to military exercises and warns the United States to avoid a military escalation.
Law and crime
An 18-year-old is arrested after running towards the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., with a loaded shotgun, multiple rounds of ammunition and a tactical vest.
An Azerbaijani military court sentences former Republic of Artsakh state minister Ruben Vardanyan, who was arrested in 2023 while leaving the region after Azerbaijan regained control, to 20 years in prison for terrorism, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
French police arrest nine people, including an aide to legislator Raphaël Arnault, in connection with the fatal beating of Quentin Deranque during clashes between far-left and far-right groups in Lyon last week.
A man is killed and eight children are injured in a shooting at a park in San Francisco del RincĂłn, Guanajuato, Mexico.
Politics and elections
Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader Tarique Rahman is sworn in as the 11th prime minister of Bangladesh following the party's victory in the recent election.
Science and technology
An annular solar eclipse lasting up to 2 minutes and 20 seconds is visible from Antarctica, for the first time since 2014, the Southern Ocean, and the South Indian Ocean, and partially observed in Africa, Argentina, and Chile.
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