U.S. Secretary of State Rubio says U.S. and Europe 'belong together' at Munich Security Conference
“The United States and Europe, we belong together,” Marco Rubio declared on the second day of the Munich Security Conference on Saturday (14 Febru...
Thousands of local residents and international visitors have gathered in northern Thailand for the 49th annual Chiang Mai Flower Festival, one of the city’s longest-running contemporary events.
The three-day festival (13–15 February) features elaborate floral displays, cultural performances and community activities across the city.
Festival zones including Nong Buak Haad Park, Thapae Gate and Nawarat Bridge have been transformed with vibrant blooms, orchids and tulip gardens, live music, art competitions, and stalls selling local crafts and food.
The highlight, a floral parade along Nawarat Bridge, took place on Valentine’s Day morning, featuring elaborately decorated floats, performers in traditional Lanna dress, and city-wide decorations.
Once the parade ends, the floats are parked at Buak Hat Park in the southwest corner of the Old Town for display, while surrounding streets are closed and converted into a “walking street market” filled with food vendors, entertainment stages, and flower and plant stalls.
Special events are also being held at the Three Kings Monument and the plaza in front of Thapae Gate, hosting music concerts, beauty contests, and regional performances over the festival weekend.
Floral arrangements also adorned the gates of Chiang Mai’s walled Old City, adding colour throughout the area.
The festival, which began in the 1970s, has grown from a small local event to an international attraction while retaining its regional identity, with strong support from districts across Chiang Mai province.
Organisers said the festival combines northern Thai culture, family-friendly activities, and romantic Valentine’s weekend experiences for tourists and residents alike.
Visitors stroll through parks drenched in blooms, and sampled local delicacies or shop for handcrafted souvenirs.
Europe heads into the Munich Security Conference, on Friday (13 February), amid deepening unease over U.S. policy, as President Donald Trump’s hard-line stance on defence, trade and territory fuels doubts about Washington’s long-term commitment to transatlantic security.
American figure skating star Ilia Malinin endured a dramatic collapse in the men’s free skate on Friday night, falling twice and tumbling out of medal contention at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics as Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov surged to a surprise gold medal.
“Respected and feared globally,” U.S. President Donald Trump told troops at Fort Bragg on Friday, framing America’s renewed strength as a backdrop to mounting pressure on Iran amid stalled nuclear talks.
Türkiye and Greece signalled renewed political will to ease long-standing tensions during high-level talks in Ankara on Wednesday (11 February). Maritime borders, migration and trade topped the agenda as both leaders struck a cautiously optimistic tone.
Stalled U.S.–Iran talks and mounting regional tensions are exposing a growing strategic rift between Washington and Tel Aviv over how to confront Tehran, political analyst James M. Dorsey says, exposing stark differences in approach at a critical moment.
More than 100 couples tied the knot at a mass civil ceremony in Lima, Peru on Thursday, ahead of Valentine’s Day. The Lima Metropolitan Municipality regularly holds community weddings to make civil marriage more accessible to local couples, provide legal protection and speed up the paperwork.
Egyptian archaeologists have uncovered a major prehistoric site in South Sinai dating back around 10,000 years, revealing layers of human activity carved into rock across millennia. South Sinai is the least populated governorate of Egypt.
James Van Der Beek, who rose to fame as Dawson Leery in the hit teen drama Dawson’s Creek, has died aged 48 following a battle with stage 3 colorectal cancer.
A Japanese city near Mount Fuji has cancelled its annual cherry blossom festival, saying growing numbers of badly behaved tourists are disrupting daily life for residents.
The Netherlands has returned a 3,500-year-old Egyptian sculpture to Egypt, after an investigation confirmed the artefact had been looted and unlawfully removed from the country.
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