Seven police officers were injured in an explosion in Mykolaiv, southern Ukraine, according to local authorities.

Minister for Housing James Browne has reiterated his call for local authorities to zone more land for housing to address the ongoing housing crisis.

Panevėžys district in Lithuania is preparing for its largest flood in 15 years, with local authorities already providing beds and sleeping bags for residents.

Last night, powerful explosions echoed in Russian Belgorod, and local authorities claim that the city was the target of an extensive missile attack that caused significant damage to infrastructure. At the same time, there were

Around 3,200 people marched peacefully on Saturday afternoon to condemn 'the far left,' one week after Quentin Deranque's death. The local authorities reported Nazi salutes and racist and homophobic s

Pakistan announced it carried out several airstrikes against militants in neighboring Afghanistan, with local authorities reporting dozens killed and injured, including children.

Local authorities in England are advocating for 'radical' means testing of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) school transport, warning that costs could reach £3.4 billion by 2030-31 if current unsustainable rates continue.

Local authorities have announced plans to deploy sharpshooters to manage and reduce the deer population within a local park.

Hoiana Resort & Golf collaborated with local authorities and social organizations to provide Tet support activities. Nearly 500 disadvantaged households in Da Nang received gifts during the Tet holiday period.

A Mexican cartel has initiated a wave of violence following the killing of one of its leaders, leading local authorities to urge residents to stay indoors and seek shelter.

SafeTravel has said that New Zealanders in the affected areas should monitor local media for updates and follow the advice of the local authorities.

Housing Minister James Browne stated he would override local authorities to rezone land to accelerate housing delivery if they do not initiate the process themselves immediately.

Rabat – The search for 13-year-old Hiba, a student from Ait Chiker village in Azilal province, ended in tragedy today when her body was found in Bine El Ouidane lake.  Hiba had been missing for nine days, sparking an intense search operation involving local authorities, security forces, and volunteers from nearby villages, according to converging […] The post Search Teams Find Missing Girl Hiba’s Body in Azilal Region appeared first on Morocco World News.

Experts and local authorities weigh in on the likelihood that missing 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie was taken across the Arizona-Mexico border, citing security measures.

Trump Calls In FEMA To Respond To Sewage Disaster In Potomac River Authored by Jill McLaughlin via The Epoch Times, President Donald Trump is directing federal emergency teams to respond to a sewage spill on the Potomac River, calling it a “massive ecological disaster” and blaming local leaders for not handling the crisis, which began nearly a month ago. “There is a massive Ecological Disaster unfolding in the Potomac River as a result of the Gross Mismanagement of Local Democrat Leaders, particularly, Governor Wes Moore, of Maryland,” Trump posted on Truth Social on Feb. 16. Moore’s office didn’t immediately return a request for comment on Trump’s statement. On Jan. 19, a section of the Potomac Interceptor sewer line collapsed, causing the failure of a 60-year-old, 72-inch concrete pipeline along the Clara Barton Parkway in Montgomery County, Maryland. Over 250 million gallons of sewage poured into the Potomac River in one of the largest spills in U.S. history, according to University of Maryland researchers. Water samples collected at the site show high levels of E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus, the bacteria that causes staph infections, researchers reported. “People coming into contact with the impacted water or land are at risk of becoming infected with these bacteria, which can lead to serious health conditions,” said Dr. Rachel Rosenberg Goldstein, a microbiologist and assistant professor at the university. Trump said the spill was the “result of incompetent local and state management of essential waste management systems.” “It is clear local authorities cannot adequately handle this calamity,” Trump stated. “Therefore, I am directing federal authorities to immediately provide all necessary management, direction, and coordination to protect the Potomac, the water supply in the Capital region, and our treasured National Resources in our Nation’s Capital City.” Despite state and local leaders not asking for federal assistance, Trump said he “cannot allow incompetent local ‘leadership’ to turn the river in the heart of Washington into a disaster zone.” The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), will play a key role in coordinating the response, the president stated. FEMA and DHS are facing a partial funding lapse as Democrats in the U.S. Senate demand changes to immigration enforcement. Crews work to keep raw sewage from flowing into the Potomac River after a pipeline rupture, in Glen Echo, Md., on Jan. 23, 2026. Cliff Owen/AP Photo According to Virginia’s health department, the utility DC Water is handling repairs to the pipe, while Maryland has regulatory authority over the Potomac River for recreational advisories, water quality monitoring, and issuing bans on shellfish harvesting. The Virginia Health Department was working with the Maryland departments of Health and the Environment during the crisis. DC Water has stated that drinking water is not affected by the incident. The nearest Virginia location using the Potomac River as a primary source of water is the city of Fairfax, with an intake located several miles upstream of where the sewage spill entered the river, according to Virginia. Tyler Durden Tue, 02/17/2026 - 10:40

A massive sinkhole has appeared in Central Aceh, Indonesia, consuming farmland and endangering the livelihoods of local farmers. Caused by ongoing soil shifts and landslides, the sinkhole has destroyed crops, mainly coffee, chili and sugar canes, and prompted safety measures in the surrounding areas. The sinkhole is also threatening an electricity pylon according to local authorities.

Unidentified drones attacked a critical pumping station in Tatarstan, causing a fire and highlighting the vulnerability of Russia's oil pipeline system. Local authorities confirmed the attack.

Ireland's Housing Minister James Browne has stated he will override local authorities to rezone land if they do not initiate the process themselves, in an effort to accelerate housing delivery.

Three people were killed in Russian overnight airstrikes in the Zaporizhzhia and Odesa regions, local authorities announced today, on the eve of the fourth anniversary of the start of the Russian

A noticeable increase in children begging for alms on the beaches of Kozhikode has sparked concern among local authorities and residents.

A police officer was killed and fifteen people were injured in multiple explosions in the Ukrainian city of Lviv, which local authorities have described as a terrorist attack.

• Amid moving scenes, 23 relatives of the deceased testify before judicial tribunal • Say fire tenders ran out of water, no serious effort made to break walls and windows of the building to rescue people trapped inside KARACHI: Moving scenes were witnessed before the judicial tribunal investigating the Gul Plaza inferno on Monday when 23 relatives of 33 deceased persons narrated their ordeal, pointing fingers at the rescue work, firefighting and slow response by authorities. In their statements before the single-judge tribunal headed by Justice Agha Faisal of the Sindh High Court, they deposed that entry-exit points of Gul Plaza were closed, firefighters arrived late, ran out of water, lacked equipment and skill, while rescue authorities made no efforts to break the walls and windows to rescue people trapped inside. Many of the witnesses broke into tears while testifying before the commission, which heard them at the Deputy Commissioner South Complex. One of the witnesses, Haleem, deposed that his father and brother were inside the building when the fire broke out on Jan 17. He said his father lost his life and brother suffered injuries when he jumped out of the building to save his life. He said firefighters faced a water shortage while the building’s electricity was switched off shortly after the fire broke out. Witness Mohammad Hanif testified that his two sons were killed in the tragic incident. He said rescue officials made no efforts to break the walls and windows to rescue the people. He said police resorted to baton charge him and other relatives of the people trapped inside when they gathered near the plaza. Another witness, Qaiser, whose wife, son and sister-in-law were killed in the blaze submitted before the tribunal that he had asked the recuse and firefighters to break a wall in order to rescue people, but to no avail. He maintained that rescue authorities had lacked proper equipment and machinery. Taj Mohammad, whose father was killed in the incident, blamed the fire and recuse officials for not fulfilling their responsibilities. He said that he, along with a cousin, managed to reach the rooftop of the building, but rescue officials did not brother to reach there in order to save people. One gate of the building was opened and other exit-entry points were closed, he added. Saima, who lost her son in the incident, submitted that she and her daughter-in-law remained present outside the building for nine days, but the authorities did nothing to rescue their loved ones. She deposed that her other sons also participated in the rescue operation. Shahnaz, whose son worked at one of the Gul Plaza shops and lost his life, broke into tears during her testimony. Sanaullah said his sister was killed in the deadly fire and blamed the provincial and local authorities for the tragic incident. Abdul Hafeez, who also lost his son, informed the tribunal that the firefighters were short of fuel and water. Ahsan Ahmed, who lost his brother, also deposed that fire tenders were present on the spot but facing water shortage. Mohammad Hadi said that his son was also killed in the fire, but an assistant commissioner asked him to file an affidavit about the presence of his son in the building at the time of incident. Later, the tribunal provided the witnesses a questionnaire and asked them to submit it at the next hearing. The commission sought reply to 17 questions about the arrival of fire tenders and rescue staff, proper equipment for rescue and firefighting, prompt availability of ambulances, whether police facilitate evacuation or create confusion and the roles of district administration and the management of ill-fated building. The commission will also record the testimonies of various officials of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, Sindh Building Control Authority, Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation, Sindh police, Gul Plaza Shopping Mall Association, K-Eclectic and others on Wednesday (tomorrow). Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2026

Governments are instructing local authorities to enhance safety measures nationwide in preparation for the upcoming Lunar New Year festival. The focus is on ensuring public safety during the holiday period.