United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned that human rights are under full-scale attack worldwide, often led by the most powerful figures. Speaking on Monday at the opening session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, he said the rule of law is being replaced by the rule of force and that these assaults are happening openly, not from the shadows.

Guterres criticized Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, noting that more than 15,000 civilians have been killed in four years of violence, and called for an immediate end to the bloodshed. He also highlighted blatant violations of human rights, human dignity, and international law in the occupied Palestinian territories, warning that the situation is undermining prospects for a two-state solution. He urged the international community not to allow such trends to continue.

He emphasized that human rights are being deliberately and strategically sidelined worldwide and called for urgent collective action to protect the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and international human rights law without compromise.

China has called on the United States to unilaterally withdraw tariffs following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that invalidated some of former President Donald Trump’s imposed duties. The court, in a six-to-three decision on Friday, ruled that Trump lacked the authority under the 1977 law to impose sudden tariffs on multiple countries. The verdict has had a significant impact on global trade. In response, Trump expressed anger and announced a new 10 percent global import tariff under a different legal authority, later raising it to 15 percent, effective Tuesday for up to 150 days with some exemptions.

China’s Ministry of Commerce said Monday it is conducting a comprehensive assessment of the ruling’s impact and urged Washington to remove the tariffs, warning that trade wars have no winners and protectionism leads nowhere. The Chinese Foreign Ministry added that it is closely monitoring potential U.S. actions such as trade investigations and will safeguard its interests.

The ruling is seen as a major setback for Trump, whose economic policies were often upheld by the judiciary. The decision has also unsettled global trade systems, prompting the European Union and other nations to review the developments.

Barcelona regained the top spot in the 2025/26 La Liga season after a commanding 3–0 victory over Levante. The Catalan side dominated from the start, with young midfielder Marc Bernal opening the scoring in the fourth minute. Frenkie de Jong doubled the lead in the 32nd minute, and Fermín López sealed the win in the 81st minute. The three points lifted Barcelona one point ahead of Real Madrid, strengthening their position in the title race.

In the English Premier League, Liverpool secured a dramatic 1–0 win against Nottingham Forest away from home. Despite being under pressure for much of the match, Liverpool’s defense and goalkeeper held firm. In the final moments, Alexis Mac Allister scored from close range after a rebound to secure the victory. The result moved Liverpool to sixth place in the league table with 45 points from 27 matches, boosting their push for a top-four finish. Arsenal also won 4–1 against Tottenham to remain at the top of the standings.

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva has warned that artificial intelligence (AI) could impact around 40 percent of jobs worldwide. In an interview, she described the coming transformation as a “tsunami” for the labor market, with advanced economies potentially seeing up to 60 percent of jobs affected and India about 26 percent. Entry-level positions are expected to face the highest risk as many routine tasks become automated, raising concerns among new graduates. Georgieva noted that global policy frameworks remain behind in addressing these rapid changes.

She added that if used effectively, AI could contribute an additional 0.7 percent to India’s annual GDP, helping the country achieve long-term development goals. Georgieva emphasized the need for education reform to foster adaptability and lifelong learning alongside technical skills.

In Bangladesh, where many young workers depend on freelancing, IT, and the garment sector, AI’s impact is expected to be multifaceted. Experts warn that demand for basic coding, graphic design, and data entry work may decline unless workers quickly upskill. However, AI could also bring opportunities, such as improving agricultural productivity through precision farming.

Amazon is planning to launch a 'content marketplace' aimed at supplying materials for artificial intelligence (AI) training, according to The Information. The initiative would allow publishing houses to provide their news, articles, and other materials to AI companies under specific licensing terms. The company has reportedly held meetings with senior executives from several publishing firms to discuss the creation of such a marketplace or hub.

Market analysts cited in the report suggest that a dedicated marketplace for licensed content could enable technology companies to legally access reliable information in exchange for payment. This approach would formalize the process of obtaining training data for AI models, potentially reducing disputes over content usage.

However, Amazon has not yet provided any definitive details or timeline regarding the launch of the content licensing marketplace.

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has claimed that, according to the Bible, Israel holds rightful authority over the entire Middle East. His remarks, made during an interview with host Tucker Carlson, included references to territories such as Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and parts of Saudi Arabia and Iraq. The statement has triggered widespread condemnation across the Muslim world.

A joint declaration issued by the United Arab Emirates’ Foreign Ministry and signed by the UAE, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine, as well as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Arab League, and the Gulf Cooperation Council, denounced Huckabee’s comments. The statement said the remarks undermine the UN Charter and efforts to end the Gaza war. Iran accused the United States of supporting Israel’s expansionist policies.

Saudi Arabia called the comments extremist and unacceptable, demanding clarification from the US State Department. Jordan described them as an attack on regional sovereignty, while Kuwait, Oman, and Egypt labeled them violations of international law and threats to peace and stability. The Arab League warned that such baseless claims could inflame religious and national sentiments.

Scientists under Microsoft’s Project Silica have developed a revolutionary method to store massive amounts of data in a small piece of glass. According to a report published in the journal Nature titled “Laser Writing in Glass for Dense, Fast and Efficient Archival Data Storage,” the team has used a special laser to encode information inside glass by creating three-dimensional pixels called voxels. A 12-square-centimeter glass piece, only 2 millimeters thick, can hold up to 4.84 terabytes of data—equivalent to about two million books or five thousand 4K movies.

The Independent reported that this glass-based storage can endure temperatures up to 290°C and remain intact for around 10,000 years, potentially even longer at room temperature. However, it may be vulnerable to mechanical stress or chemical corrosion. Researchers Feng Chen and Bo Wu noted that large-scale implementation of this silica technology could mark a milestone in the history of knowledge preservation, comparable to ancient scripts, parchment, or modern hard drives.

If successfully scaled, this innovation could transform how humanity preserves cultural and scientific knowledge for millennia.

Authorities in Libya and Greece have recovered the bodies of eight refugees following separate maritime incidents. Five bodies were found washed ashore near Tripoli, Libya, while three others were recovered off the coast of Crete, Greece. Residents of Libya’s coastal town of Qasr al-Akhyar discovered the bodies on Saturday, and local police said more may still be floating at sea.

The Libyan incident occurred just weeks after a rubber boat carrying 55 migrants sank off Zuwara, leaving about 53 people dead or missing, including two children. In Greece, the Athens News Agency reported that a wooden boat carrying migrants and asylum seekers capsized near Crete. Authorities rescued at least 20 survivors, mostly Egyptian and Sudanese nationals, including four minors.

According to ERT, survivors said around 50 people had been on the wooden boat, and another vessel carrying about 40 migrants was spotted nearby, prompting a new rescue operation.

Elon Musk, currently the world’s richest person, is projected to become the highest individual taxpayer in history. According to his own statement, he expects to pay more than 500 billion dollars in taxes over his lifetime. Musk’s total wealth now stands at about 852 billion dollars, placing him far ahead of other billionaires.

The surge in Musk’s wealth follows the recent merger between his rocket company SpaceX and artificial intelligence firm xAI, which created a new entity valued at 1.25 trillion dollars. The merger alone added 84 billion dollars to Musk’s personal fortune in a single day. Responding humorously on social media platform X, Musk said he had already paid over 10 billion dollars in taxes and joked that he deserved a small trophy for it.

Musk currently leads the race to become the world’s first trillionaire, with his closest rivals holding between 100 and 250 billion dollars. The source notes that if Tesla’s new incentives and stock targets are achieved, his wealth could multiply further over the next decade.

More than 7,000 languages are spoken globally, but at least 3,000—around 40 percent—are endangered, according to Ethnologue. Of the 7,159 known living languages, 3,193 are endangered, 3,479 are stable, and 487 are institutional, meaning they are used by governments, schools, and media. About 88.1 million people speak an endangered language as their mother tongue, and just 25 countries account for 80 percent of these languages. Oceania has the highest concentration of endangered languages, followed by Asia, Africa, and the Americas.

Examples include Yugambeh in Australia, which is being revitalized through community programs and learning apps; Ainu in Japan, a critically endangered language with very few speakers; Ongota in Ethiopia, spoken by only a handful of elders; Louisiana Creole in the United States; Leco in Bolivia; and Cornish in England, which was revived after being declared extinct. Languages become endangered when communities shift to more dominant tongues, often passing them to younger generations as second languages.

The data highlight the global urgency of language preservation, with revitalization efforts emerging in some regions to sustain cultural identity and linguistic diversity.

President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he will raise global tariffs on imported goods to 15 percent after the United States Supreme Court struck down his previous trade measures. The ruling has triggered widespread concern and responses from governments and markets, as countries assess the legal and economic implications of the decision and Trump’s new tariff plan.

In South Korea, the presidential office said it would review its trade deal with the US, while India faces uncertainty over a recently signed framework agreement that includes major purchases in defence, energy, and artificial intelligence. China’s response was muted, though analysts said the ruling could ease tariff pressure on its exports. Canada and Mexico both welcomed the court’s decision but noted that some tariffs remain in place. European leaders, including those from France and Germany, emphasized the importance of legal checks and signaled coordinated responses within the European Union.

Legal experts described the Supreme Court’s ruling as a landmark moment, asserting that the court acted to reaffirm constitutional limits on presidential authority rather than to decide on economic policy.

Meta has announced that the standalone Messenger.com website will stop operating from April 6, 2026. After that date, users attempting to access Messenger.com will be automatically redirected to facebook.com/messages. This means that web-based messaging will only be available through Facebook’s main site. The Android and iOS mobile Messenger apps will continue to function as usual without any changes.

The company had previously discontinued the Messenger desktop applications for Windows and Mac, and this latest move extends that consolidation to the web version. Users who relied on Messenger.com without a Facebook account will now need to log in to Facebook to view or send messages. Small businesses, community groups, and individuals who preferred using the browser-based Messenger will have to switch to Facebook’s main desktop interface for chatting.

Meta’s decision marks another step in its broader integration strategy, bringing Messenger more tightly under the Facebook platform. Desktop users are advised to have their Facebook login credentials ready, as logging in will become mandatory for web-based messaging once the change takes effect.

Apple is developing three new artificial intelligence–based devices, including smart glasses, a pendant, and camera-equipped AirPods, according to a Bloomberg report cited by Amar Desh Online on February 21, 2026. The devices will feature built-in cameras and connect with iPhones to interpret the user’s surroundings and perform contextual tasks. Production is targeted to begin in December this year, with Apple’s first smart glasses expected to reach the market in 2027.

The report states that Apple will design its own frame for the glasses, emphasizing premium build quality and advanced camera technology. Unlike Meta’s Ray-Ban partnership model, Apple’s glasses will not include a built-in display but may feature speakers, microphones, and high-resolution cameras. Users will be able to make calls, interact with Siri, and listen to music.

The glasses will analyze the environment to provide information such as identifying food ingredients, recognizing landmarks for navigation, and offering reminders. Earlier prototypes required a cable connection to an iPhone, but newer versions integrate components within the frame. The AI-powered pendant and AirPods will also work with iPhones to enable Siri to respond to visual context in real time.

On February 21, 2026, as International Mother Language Day was observed, a report highlighted the alarming global decline of linguistic diversity. According to UNESCO, around 40 percent of the world’s approximately 7,000 languages are now endangered, with one disappearing every two weeks. The loss of a language signifies not only the death of words and sounds but also the extinction of cultural knowledge, traditional wisdom, and ancestral identity.

The article traces this crisis to historical and modern forces of forced assimilation, colonial education systems, and the dominance of global languages such as English, Mandarin, and Spanish. Examples include the suppression of Indigenous languages in North America, Australia, and Japan, and the marginalization of regional tongues in India, Ireland, and Latin America. Climate change and urbanization are also accelerating the erosion of linguistic heritage.

Despite the grim outlook, the piece notes hopeful signs like the revival of Maori in New Zealand, official recognition of Tamazight in Morocco, and the UN’s 2022–2032 Decade of Indigenous Languages. It calls for political will and global solidarity to protect endangered languages and preserve humanity’s cultural diversity.

Global oil markets experienced volatility following heightened tensions between the United States and Iran and a temporary closure of the Strait of Hormuz. According to Reuters, on Thursday, February 19, Brent futures rose by 24 cents or 0.3 percent to reach $70.59 per barrel. At the same time, US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude increased by 28 cents or 0.4 percent to $65.47 per barrel, later climbing by $1.16 or 1.8 percent to $66.35 per barrel.

Analysts noted that about 20 percent of the world’s oil supply passes through the Strait of Hormuz, making it a critical route for global energy transport. Any disruption in this waterway could significantly affect global supply. Hiroyuki Kikukawa, chief strategist at Nissan Securities, said that while tensions remain, a full-scale armed conflict is unlikely. He added that US President Donald Trump does not favor a sharp rise in crude prices and that any military action would likely be limited and short-term.

Iran’s state media reported that the country had closed the strait for several hours on Tuesday as part of a military exercise. It remains unclear whether normal operations have fully resumed.