Sitting in a circle the day before opening night, Ukrainian war veterans and drama students took turns reading their lines from a script that traveled centuries to reach them.
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Keeping calm and carrying on, the royal family weathers worst crisis in generations
King Charles III' s brother was under arrest. Police were searching two royal properties, and news commentators were endlessly discussing the details of a sex scandal with tentacles that stretched to the gates of Buckingham Palace.
February 21, 2026
When in Rome: Budapest pizzeria offers time-travel twist with ancient Rome-inspired pie
In Hungary's capital, a city best known for its goulash, a pizzeria is inviting diners to travel back two millennia to a time before tomatoes, mozzarella or even the word ''pizza'' were known in Europe.
February 21, 2026
Buddhist monks rally in Sri Lanka to pressure the government for a wider role in affairs of state
Hundreds of Buddhist monks rallied in the capital of Sri Lanka on Friday to protest alleged government disrespect of their religion and disregard for a long-standing tradition that they be consulted in matters of state.
February 21, 2026
Bad Bunny positioned to consolidate his popularity in Brazil with first-ever performances
While Bad Bunny has dominated global charts, the superstar has not had quite the same success in Brazil, a country notoriously hard for foreign stars to win over due to a devotion to national artists.
February 21, 2026
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5 European nations pledge millions to use Ukrainian know-how to make cheap drone defenses
Five European nations have announced a new program to produce low-cost air defense systems and autonomous drones using Ukrainian expertise hard-won over the past four years of war against Russia.
February 21, 2026
ChatGPT-maker OpenAI considered alerting Canadian police about school shooting suspect months ago
ChatGPT-maker OpenAI said Friday it considered last year alerting Canadian police about the activities of a person who months later committed one of the worst school shootings in the country's history.
February 21, 2026
Ramadan's first Friday prayers are held at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque
Tens of thousands of Palestinians gathered under heavy Israeli restrictions at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque compound for the first Friday prayers of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, including some who were allowed to enter from the occupied West Bank.
February 21, 2026
Venezuela's new amnesty law gets a chilly response from the opposition and detainees' families
Members of Venezuela 's opposition, prisoners' rights groups and relatives of people long detained for political reasons gave a lukewarm reception Friday to an amnesty measure expected to free hundreds of people, including political activists and human rights defenders.
February 21, 2026
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Cuba's health care system pushed to the brink by US fuel blockade, Cuban minister says
Cuba's debilitated health care system has been pushed to the brink of collapse by the U.S. blockading the country's oil supply, a Cuban official said Friday.
February 21, 2026
These shy, scaly anteaters are the most trafficked mammals in the world
They are hunted for their unique scales, and the demand makes them the most trafficked mammal in the world.
February 21, 2026
Galápagos park releases 158 juvenile hybrid tortoises on Floreana to restore the ecosystem
Nearly 150 years after the last giant tortoises were removed from Floreana Island in Ecuador's Galápagos archipelago, the species made a comeback Friday, when dozens of juvenile hybrids were released to begin restoring the island's depleted ecosystem.
February 21, 2026
Israeli strikes in Lebanon kill at least 12 people, intensifying rising regional tensions
At least 10 people were killed and 24 wounded — including three children — in Israeli strikes in Lebanon's eastern Bekaa Valley Friday, the Lebanese Health Ministry reported. Another two people were killed by an Israeli strike on a Palestinian refugee camp earlier in the day.
February 20, 2026
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