South Africans tricked into fighting for Russia in Ukraine return home

On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Four South African men, reportedly lured into fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine’s Donbas region, have returned home after being trapped there, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) reported. […]

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Russia jails four Jehovah’s Witnesses in latest religious crackdown

On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Four Jehovah’s Witnesses have been jailed in Russia this past week, convicted of extremist activity. The convictions reportedly followed covert video recordings by spies who infiltrated their prayer sessions, […]

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Three dead after avalanches in Austria

Winter sports enthusiasts were buried and fatally injured in an avalanche on a closed ski route in Fiss in the Tyrolean district of Landeck on Wednesday morning, February 18, 2026.Image: APA/APA Feb 18, 2026, 7:17 p.mFeb 18, 2026, 7:17 p.m According to police, three people have died in dozens of avalanches in Austria. Among them […]

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The insider guide to ECB musical chairs – POLITICO

De Cos restored the Bank of Spain’s reputation after years of muddled and politically compromised leadership. However, building that reputation involved criticizing Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s government for its timid pension reform, which may cost him political support in Madrid. Also, moving De Cos from the standard-setting body in Basel might cost Europe a prestigious […]

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