Spain has launched an investigation into the social media platforms X, Meta, and TikTok on suspicion of distributing child sexual abuse material generated by artificial intelligence. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced this on February 17, 2026. The government formally requested the country's Attorney General's Office to investigate possible crimes...
Poland has officially banned Chinese-made vehicles from entering military bases
Poland has banned vehicles manufactured in the People's Republic of China from entering military bases and protected military structures. This was announced by representatives of the General Staff of the Polish Army on Tuesday evening. The decision was made based on an analysis of the risks associated with the increasing...
Unemployment in the UK rose to its highest level in almost five years
The unemployment rate in the UK rose to 5.2% for the October-December period 2025, the highest level in almost five years. This is according to official data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), published on February 17. Compared with the previous quarter (July–September 2025), unemployment increased by 0.2 percentage...
In Germany, a member of the far-right Alternative for Germany party was fined for a Nazi salute on an election poster
The Frankfurt (Oder) Regional Court sentenced Wilko Möller, a member of the Brandenburg State Parliament from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) to a fine of €11,600. The sentence was handed down for using the symbols of unconstitutional organizations. The court found that the politician's 2024 election poster depicted a gesture...
Minister Simons under question over Labour Together report
A major political scandal has erupted in the UK surrounding Labour Together, an influential Labour think tank closely associated with Prime Minister Keir Starmer. According to investigations by The Sunday Times, BBC, and The Guardian, the center paid the American consulting company APCO Worldwide at least £30,000–£36,000 in 2023 to...
Germany introduces age limits on social media
In Germany, there is active discussion about introducing strict restrictions on social media use by children and adolescents. The ruling coalition is promoting initiatives aimed at protecting minors from harmful content, cyberbullying, addiction, and psychological abuse. On February 16, 2026, the Social Democrats published a position paper proposing a differentiated...
Keir Starmer’s government is actively discussing accelerating military spending growth
The UK government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, is considering significantly accelerating the increase in defense spending, the BBC reports, citing Downing Street sources. Earlier last year, Starmer promised to increase military spending to 2.5% of GDP by April 2027 and also outlined an "ambition" to reach 3% of...
The number of crewed “ghost ships” in the world’s oceans increased by 31% in 2025
According to the International Transport Workers' Federation, 2025 will be a record year for the number of cases of crew abandonment on board ships, so-called "ghost ships" with living but abandoned sailors. According to published ITF statistics, 410 abandonment incidents involving 6,223 seafarers were recorded during the year. Compared to...
The Polish Foreign Ministry called on citizens to leave Russia immediately
The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued an official warning strongly recommending that all Polish citizens currently in the Russian Federation leave the country as soon as possible. A statement published on the Polish Foreign Ministry's website emphasizes that the recommendation is based on several key factors: ongoing Russian...
The heads of Britain’s top banks are beginning to create an independent payment system
The heads of leading UK banks will gather on February 19 for the first official meeting dedicated to the launch of a national payment system, which is intended to become an independent alternative to American giants Visa and Mastercard. The meeting will be chaired by Vim Maru, CEO of Barclays...