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Former French culture minister Jack Lang has resigned as president of the Institut du monde arabe after newly released U.S. justice department files detailed his past connections with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The documents, part of a recent tranche of Epstein-related disclosures, show extensive correspondence between Lang and Epstein, including requests for private transport and expressions of gratitude for the financier’s «generosity.» In one 2017 message, Lang thanked Epstein and asked to borrow a chauffeur-driven car for a private event.

Lang, 86, has denied any knowledge of Epstein’s criminal history at the time of their association, saying...

South Korea’s intelligence agency has concluded that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has effectively designated his teenage daughter Kim Ju Ae as his successor, marking a significant shift in the country’s dynastic politics.

Lawmakers briefed by Seoul’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) said Kim Ju Ae has moved from being described as «in training» to the «successor-designate stage,» and is now considered the de facto second-highest figure in the regime. The assessment follows her increasingly prominent appearances at state events and indications she has begun offering input on policy matters.

Kim Ju Ae first appeared publicly in...

Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram at Meta, testified in a major Los Angeles trial that he does not believe people can be clinically addicted to social media, pushing back against a key argument made by plaintiffs seeking to hold platforms responsible for harm to children.

The case centers on a 20-year-old plaintiff identified as «KGM,» whose lawsuit is seen as a bellwether for thousands of similar claims against social media companies. Meta and Google’s YouTube are the remaining defendants after TikTok and Snap reached settlements.

During testimony, Mosseri distinguished between clinical addiction and what he described as «problematic...

Germany’s hard-Right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party will attend this year’s Munich Security Conference after a two-year absence, prompting concerns from mainstream politicians about potential security risks.

The summit at Munich’s Hotel Bayerischer Hof is Europe’s leading defence forum, where sensitive discussions between global leaders often take place. Critics from the Greens, SPD and CSU have warned that AfD delegates could misuse access to confidential briefings, citing the party’s pro-Russian stance.

The AfD has rejected accusations of Kremlin ties as politically motivated. Its delegation will include MPs Rudiger Lucassen, Anna Rathert and Heinrich Koch, though co-leaders Alice Weidel

U.S. President Donald Trump’s $10 bn defamation lawsuit against the BBC will go to trial next year after a federal judge in Florida rejected the broadcaster’s bid to dismiss the case.

Court filings from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida show Judge Roy K Altman has scheduled the trial to begin on February 15, 2027. The lawsuit stems from a 2024 episode of Panorama that featured edited footage of Mr Trump’s January 6, 2021 speech.

The programme appeared to show Mr Trump urging supporters to march on the Capitol, using...

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc topped the timing sheets as second day of Bahrain pre-season testing concluded under the floodlights at Sakhir. The Monegasque driver’s morning benchmark of 1m 34.273s remained unbeaten throughout the afternoon and evening sessions, signalling a strong start for the Scuderia’s 2026 campaign.

While Ferrari enjoyed a smooth programme, the narrative elsewhere in the paddock was defined by reliability struggles and marathon stints. Lando Norris finished second fastest for McLaren, just over half a second adrift of Leclerc, but the reigning World Champion’s headline statistic was his mileage. Norris completed a staggering 144 laps, proving the durability...

Ukraine’s Vladyslav Heraskevych has been disqualified from the 2026 Winter Olympics after refusing to remove a helmet paying tribute to athletes killed in the war with Russia.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) ruled that the design breached Rule 50.2 of the Olympic Charter, which prohibits political demonstrations at Olympic venues. Heraskevych, 27, had insisted he would not «betray» those who lost their lives, even if it meant sacrificing his Olympic dream. His accreditation has been revoked.

Speaking after the decision, Heraskevych described a feeling of «emptiness,» arguing that other athletes had been allowed personalised helmet designs.

Charles Leclerc set the pace in the opening half of day two of Formula 1 pre-season testing in Bahrain, as several leading teams encountered reliability concerns under the new 2026 regulations.

The Ferrari driver, running solo for the full day, posted a best time of 1m 34.273s to finish half a second clear of reigning World Champion Lando Norris. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly was a distant third, with Oliver Bearman and Alexander Albon completing the top five.

Ferrari strong, McLaren busy

Ferrari enjoyed a smooth and productive morning, with Leclerc completing 62 laps and comfortably surpassing race distance. The...

Uzbekistan’s medal tally at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics has received a boost after the International Skating Union revised its Olympic quota allocations, confirming Daniil Eybog’s participation in the 1500 metres.

The decision grants Uzbekistan an additional Olympic licence, with Eybog now set to compete in two events at the Games.

The 1500m race featuring the Uzbek skater is scheduled for February 14. Eybog had already secured qualification for the 500m distance, meaning he will represent his country in both sprint and middle-distance competitions in Milan and Cortina.

Kursiv also reports that Canada’s Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume...

A female teacher has died following a school shooting in Hat Yai district, southern Thailand, officials confirmed on February 12.

The teacher, Sasiphat Sinsamosorn, who also served as the school’s director, was shot by a 17-year-old student at Patongprathankiriwat School in Songkhla Province on February 11. The teenager used a firearm stolen from a police officer before being detained by authorities. A female student was also injured, though her condition has not been disclosed.

Sasiphat was taken to an intensive care unit for surgery but died around 2 am from internal injuries and severe blood loss, according to the...

EXO-CBX members Chen, Baekhyun and Xiumin have had assets worth a total of 2.6 bn Korean won provisionally seized by SM Entertainment as part of an ongoing legal dispute over contracts and individual activity payments.

The seizure, carried out over two days on February 9 and 10, covers Chen’s housing deposit receivables, Baekhyun’s apartment in Acheon-dong, Guri City, and Xiumin’s apartment in Hannam-dong, Seoul. SM claims 300 mln won from Chen, 1.6 bn from Baekhyun and 700 mln from Xiumin. The measure prevents the trio from disposing of these assets and preserves claims tied to 10% of individual activity...

Uzbekistan has claimed 17th place out of 143 countries in the 2025 public safety ranking published by the World Justice Project, marking the highest result among Central Asian nations.

Kazakhstan ranked 42nd, followed by Kyrgyzstan in 61st place. Turkmenistan and Tajikistan did not appear in the survey. The top spots globally were held by Luxembourg, Singapore and Ireland, while Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan ranked lowest at 141st, 142nd and 143rd respectively.

The World Justice Project is an independent international organisation that evaluates the rule of law worldwide. Its annual Rule of Law Index draws on surveys of citizens and...

While representing Team U.S.A. on the ice at the 2026 Winter Olympics, ice hockey player Aerin Frankel is also scoring points off the rink for her love of Caesar salad. Frankel runs a side Instagram account, @painbyromaine, with nearly 6,000 followers, where she reviews Caesar salads from around the world.

Her judging criteria are precise: well-dressed lettuce, generous cheese, and anchovies that complement the dish without overpowering it. Frankel’s reviews show Caesar salad can take many forms, from pizza to hot dogs, demonstrating that the classic dish is as versatile as it is beloved.

Fans of her home team, the...

Sanrio has announced that the role of Hello Kitty designer will pass from Yuko Yamaguchi, the third-generation designer, to a fourth-generation successor. Yamaguchi has led the character’s creation since 1980, making this the first designer change in 46 years.

Yamaguchi, who also serves as Sanrio’s Executive Director and Head of Character Creation, has been central to the development of Hello Kitty and other popular characters including Dear Daniel and Charmmy Kitty. She has actively engaged with fans through signings and collaborations with domestic and international artists, helping Hello Kitty become a beloved global icon.

The handover to the new...

Canada’s Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron claimed ice dance gold at the Milano Cortina Olympics on February 11, edging Americans Madison Chock and Evan Bates in a story of reinvention less than a year after forming their partnership.

Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron, who became the first ice dancer to win back-to-back Olympic titles with different partners after Cizeron’s 2022 gold with Gabriella Papadakis, scored 135.64 in their free dance for a total of 225.82 points. Chock and Bates, three-time world champions undefeated this season, settled for silver with 224.39 points.

Canadian Team Achieves Milestone

Piper Gilles and Paul...

James Van Der Beek, the actor who rose to fame as Dawson Leery in the hit U.S. teen drama Dawson’s Creek, has died at the age of 48 following a battle with bowel cancer.

In a statement shared on his social media accounts, his family said:

«Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning. He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace.»

Van Der Beek, a father of six, was diagnosed with stage three colorectal cancer in the latter half of 2023. He made the diagnosis public in November...

An 18-year-old woman with a history of mental health interventions killed her mother and stepbrother before attacking her former school in western Canada.

The suspect, Jesse Van Rootselaar, died by suicide after the attack in Tumbler Ridge, a remote British Columbia town of about 2,400 people. Authorities revised the death toll to nine, including the suspect, down from an initial figure of 10.

Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said Van Rootselaar had previously been detained under the province’s Mental Health Act. Police had responded to the family home several times in recent years...

Current World Champion Lando Norris began his title defence in style on February 11, topping the timesheets on the opening day of pre-season testing in Bahrain. As Formula 1 ushered in a radical new generation of regulations, it was a familiar battle at the front between McLaren and Red Bull.

The afternoon session took place under optimal conditions, with clear skies and temperatures hovering around 22 degrees Celsius before the floodlights illuminated the Sakhir circuit.

Champions set the pace

Norris, embarking on his eighth season in the sport, wasted little time getting to grips with his 2026 challenger...

Uzbekistan is pivoting its national strategy from natural resources to human capital. As of February 9, 2026, the government has invested $9.6 mln to reimburse international exam fees for 58,247 young people, according to Alisher Sadullaev, Director of the Youth Affairs Agency.

The initiative targets youth scoring 70%+ on exams to build a globally competitive workforce.

Key Data:

Formula 1’s new era began as pre-season testing for 2026 got underway at the Bahrain International Circuit. The first of six days of running across two weeks began with a busy four-hour morning session that offered the paddocka glimpse of radically revised machinery.

With teams limited to one car per day, drivers are sharing duties across the test. Four teams opted to run a single driver throughout Wednesday’s opening session, including Red Bull with Max Verstappen, Racing Bulls with rookie Arvid Lindblad, Aston Martin with Lance Stroll and Haas with Esteban Ocon.

Active aero and energy tactics

The...

A follow-up to the Formula 1 drama F1, starring Brad Pitt, is officially in development, producer Jerry Bruckheimer has confirmed to BBC.

Speaking to the BBC at the Academy Awards luncheon in Los Angeles, Bruckheimer said the team is «working on a sequel», ending months of speculation. He did not provide a production timeline or confirm whether Pitt, 62, will return as veteran driver Sonny Hayes, though he said he would be involved in casting decisions.

The original film, co-produced by seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, earned four Oscar nominations this year including best picture. Released last summer...

Viewers watching the figure skating on February 10 evening may have done a double take as French coach Benoit Richaud appeared rinkside wearing different national team jackets within minutes of each other.

The 38-year-old coach and choreographer is working with 16 skaters at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, representing 13 different countries. Seven of his athletes competed in the men’s short programme on February 10, although the official Olympic schedule listed him as coach for only four.

Quick Changes Between Competitors

Because he supports skaters from multiple nations competing in the same event, Richaud was seen swapping...

In his address, Kamchybek Tashiev said that his dismissal from office came as a «surprise» to him. The text was published on social media by his supporters.

According to Kamchybek Tashiev, he travelled abroad with the President’s permission for medical examinations following a previous operation. The decision to relieve him of his post, he noted, was unexpected. At the same time, Kamchybek Tashiev stressed that the decision of the head of state must be respected in any case.

«I served our state, the people and the President honestly and I am proud of this...

Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime performance, dubbed the «Benito Bowl» by fans, attracted an average of 128.2 mln viewers on February 8, according to Nielsen. That figure surpasses this year’s Super Bowl average of 124.9 mln viewers, but falls short of Kendrick Lamar’s record 133.5 mln viewers last year, which had overtaken Usher’s 2024 performance.

Social Media and Streaming Surge

The show also shattered social media records for the NFL. The top three most-viewed NFL posts ever came from Bad Bunny’s performance: his «Only Thing More Powerful Than Hate Is Love» clip garnered 181 mln Instagram views...