News headlines in February 2026

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, February 24 (IPS) - As wars drag on and the international order grows increasingly unstable, Abu Dhabi has been offering a different kind of narrative. It sought to recognize early efforts at reconciliation, bring religious leaders into the same space, and place former adversaries under the same spotlight. At the heart of the February 4, 2026 Zayed Award for Human Fraternity ceremony was an attempt to make visible, in a public setting, the choice of moving in the direction of easing conflict.

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay, February 24 (IPS) - The Islamic Republic of Iran has put down another uprising, with a ferocity that makes previous crackdowns seem restrained. The theocratic regime has survived, but it has done so by substituting violence for the economic security it cannot provide and the political legitimacy it no longer has. Its show of force is also an admission of weakness.

GENEVA, February 24 (IPS) - A fierce competition for power, control and resources is playing out on the world stage at a rate and intensity unseen for the past 80 years.

PORTLAND, USA, February 24 (IPS) - Loneliness is a significant health concern on planet Earth. It affects virtually every aspect of human wellbeing and development worldwide.

BRATISLAVA, February 24 (IPS) - “We have a saying here in Ukraine now – ‘young people meet at their friends’ funerals rather than at weddings.’ It’s sad, but very true.”

MOSCOW, February 24 (IPS) - Despite consistent criticisms over its operations down the years, Russia still finds it difficult to leave the World Trade Organization (WTO), and instead assessing the opportunities and broad benefits of membership. WTO is not just an organization, but a multilateral bridge for strategic trade engagement and securing results-oriented partnerships. Certainly, unlocking and accelerating trade initiatives should be the key focus in the changing world.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, February 24 (IPS) - President Donald Trump has shaken up the world economy and the rule of international law in the first year of his second term – ostensibly to make America great again, particularly by reviving US manufacturing jobs.

The international community must “use every diplomatic tool” to bring an end to the war in Ukraine, a senior UN official told the Security Council on Tuesday as Russia’s full-scale invasion entered a fifth year.

Children in Gaza are voicing their demands for the future through a UN-run initiative that seeks to amplify their voices and restore the “fundamentals of childhood”.

Concerns have been raised about the “coercive” repatriation from Tanzania of Burundian refugees, many of whom do not want to return to their home country.