Day: February 16, 2026

Duvall died “peacefully” at his home in Middleburg, Virginia on Sunday, according to a statement sent by his public relations agency on behalf of his wife, Luciana, News.Az reports, citing CNN.
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Duvall memorably played the Corleone family consigliere, or key adviser, in Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather,” earning his first of seven Academy Award nominations for the 1972 film before reprising the role two years later in “The Godfather Part II.”
Born in San Diego, California – his father was a career naval officer – Duvall played a wide variety of roles, from cowboys to military men.
He attended Principia College in Illinois and served in the army during the Korean War before moving to New York and studying drama under famed acting coach Sanford Meisner. During that period, he shared an apartment with Dustin Hoffman and hung out with Gene Hackman, another young actor who would go on to great success. Hackman died last year.
Duvall appeared in a number of plays before being cast in the film version of “To Kill a Mockingbird” in the small but pivotal of Arthur “Boo” Radley in 1962. (He later named one of his dogs “Boo.”)
An array of film roles followed, among them the bad guy opposite John Wayne in Wayne’s lone Oscar-winning performance, “True Grit”; the part of Major Frank Burns in the Robert Altman movie “M*A*S*H”; and the lead in “Star Wars” director George Lucas’ dystopian 1971 sci-fi directing debut, “THX 1138,” in which Duvall (and everyone else) sported shaved heads.
That came out the year before “The Godfather,” and his role as Corleone family attorney Tom Hagen propelled Duvall into another echelon. The actor worked constantly thereafter, playing a network executive in the satire “Network,” and migrating to television in the blockbuster TV miniseries “Lonesome Dove.”
Duvall won an Oscar for portraying a country singer in the 1983 movie “Tender Mercies,” in which he did his own singing.

He also earned Academy Award nominations for playing a marine at odds with his family in “The Great Santini,” and as Lt. Col. Kilgore in the Vietnam War epic “Apocalypse Now,” which reunited him with Coppola and featured him delivering the oft-quoted line, “I love the smell of napalm in the morning.”

Duvall noticeably skipped appearing in the long-delayed “The Godfather Part III” in 1990, due to a pay dispute with Coppola, telling Bob Costas that Al Pacino was going to be paid five times the amount he was offered, which was “totally unacceptable.”
Later, in an interview with Larry King, Duvall called his decision not to appear in the third “Godfather” movie “a matter of principle.”
Roles in other Westerns were also a part of his oeuvre, such as “Open Range” opposite Kevin Costner, and his Emmy-winning role in another miniseries, “Broken Trail.”
Duvall also became a filmmaker, writing, directing and costarring in the 1997 movie “The Apostle,” about a troubled preacher, and later directing the films “Assassination Tango” and “Wild Horses.” He was again nominated for an acting Oscar for his work in “The Apostle.”
He remained active well into the 2010s, earning his final Oscar nomination at 84 for “The Judge” in 2014, and appearing in such films as “Jack Reacher” and “Widows.”
Duvall also played a number of historical figures during his career, including Robert E. Lee (“Gods and Generals”), Joseph Stalin (in the HBO movie “Stalin”) and Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann (“The Man Who Captured Eichmann”).
Married four times, Duvall’s last marriage was to Argentinian actress-director Luciana Pedraza.

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Hundreds of ski enthusiasts from across the country were seen climbing the rugged, snow-covered terrain in the mountainous region to enjoy a skiing competition on challenging slopes amid cold weather, supporting their favorite teams in the national race that concluded Sunday, News.az reports, citing CNN.
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“I am very happy to attend the ski competition in Bamiyan. It is a suitable place for winter sports, and I feel proud to be here,” said Azim Arefi, a contestant from Kabul.
Describing skiing as a popular sport among youth in post-war Afghanistan, Arefi said the winter sport is gaining popularity. He called on relevant organizations to support skiing and other winter sports.
“I want the authorities to support this sport so it can flourish to a level where Afghan youth can attend international competitions. It is our hope that Afghanistan, particularly Bamiyan, can host international winter sports tournaments in the future,” the young athlete said.
Ignoring the chilly weather, hundreds of skiing fans encouraged the competitors with cheers on the snow-blanketed mountain at an altitude of about 2,500 to 3,000 meters. However, unlike in the past, the race was held without female contestants.
“I came from Wardak province to attend the ski competition. Teams from four provinces – Kabul, Ghazni, Wardak and the host Bamiyan – competed today,” Rahimullah Haidery told Xinhua from the snow-covered hilltop.
Haidery, who has been skiing for the past four years, lamented the shortage of facilities to properly continue the sport. “My dream is to compete in international ski competitions outside my country one day,” he said with determination.
Assadullah Batory, the chief executive of the Afghanistan Ski Federation, praised the participation of Afghan youth in the tournament. He said the eighth edition of the winter sports tournament, with the participation of hundreds of athletes and fans, formally opened Saturday amid hope and joy.
Aimed at supporting athletes and promoting winter sports, a total of 80 skiers from Kabul and Ghazni, Wardak and Bamiyan provinces competed.
Skiing is gaining popularity among youth in Afghanistan, Batory said, adding that the winners would be honored and the best would be chosen to compete in overseas competitions.
“International winter competitions were held in China last year and are scheduled for Saudi Arabia in 2028. Afghanistan has been invited, and we are getting ready to attend,” Batory said.
Batory also described sports and their promotion as necessary for a healthy society, noting, “The message of sport is to fight drug addiction, depression and illness to have a sound and healthy society.”

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In a statement, the AL denounced the Israeli move “in the strongest terms,” saying the step is “a null and void unilateral measure” aimed at imposing new facts on the ground and serving as a preparatory step toward the annexation of the occupied Palestinian territories, News.az reports, citing ABC News.
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Entrenching the policy of illegal settlement activity undermines the prospects for achieving a just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution, it added.
The continuation of these policies would exacerbate tensions and threaten security and stability in the region, leading to further violence and instability, the AL warned, calling for an urgent intervention by the international community, especially the UN Security Council.
Israel on Sunday approved a plan to register West Bank land as “state property,” a move that could strengthen Israeli claims and facilitate settlement expansion. The plan, submitted by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Justice Minister Yariv Levin, and Defense Minister Israel Katz, was approved by the cabinet, according to a joint statement.
For the first time since the 1967 Middle East war, which brought the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza under Israeli control, the cabinet authorized a land registration process in the West Bank. The Land Registry and Settlement of Rights, a government authority under the Justice Ministry, will carry out the process with dedicated staff and budget.

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The BNGRC said more than 420,000 people were affected across 25 districts in five regions in eastern and central Madagascar. The cyclone also damaged more than 49,000 houses and destroyed over 25,000 houses, News.Az reports, citing Aljazeera.
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Authorities are continuing to assess damage and carry out relief operations in the affected areas, while assistance to impacted populations is underway.
The Malagasy government declared a “state of national disaster” on Feb. 11 in response to the widespread devastation caused by Cyclone Gezani.

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The event was held to mark the upcoming Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year – the most important traditional holiday in China and a time for family reunions, News.Az reports, citing CNBC.
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At Heathrow, a Spring Festival send-off ceremony featured red lanterns, spring couplets and intricate paper-cut window decorations, all traditional elements associated with the holiday. Staff distributed holiday gift packs and cultural souvenirs to travelers, while many passengers stopped to learn about Spring Festival traditions and take photos.
Organizers said the event aimed to allow foreign travelers to experience the festive spirit before arriving in China, while also creating a warm holiday atmosphere for overseas Chinese communities.
The lively celebration comes amid growing interest in travel to China. For an increasing number of international travelers, visiting China has become part of their travel plans, driven by curiosity about the country’s rich culture, modern cities and diverse landscapes.
Thomas Berger, a French national working in the United Kingdom, was embarking on his first trip to Asia. His itinerary includes five Chinese cities – Beijing, Xi’an, Chengdu, Zhangjiajie and Shanghai – combining historical landmarks, modern urban life and natural scenery. Chengdu, he said, was the destination he most looked forward to, particularly for its cuisine.
Berger said much of his travel planning was based on online resources, especially short-form travel videos. In recent years, content tagged “China Travel” has gained popularity across global social media platforms, where foreign bloggers and tourists document their experiences and share practical tips.
Despite traveling to China for the first time, Berger said he felt reassured after hearing from others that the country is “super safe,” an impression echoed by several travelers interviewed at the airport.
Emil Ive, a retail manager making his first trip outside Europe, planned to visit Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing and Sichuan. Chongqing held particular significance for him, as he would meet a Chinese friend there for the first time after connecting online through a shared interest in each other’s cultures. He said communication had been facilitated by translation functions on the messaging app WeChat.
For project manager Kaelan Meehan, the journey carried personal meaning. His destination included Qiqihar in northeast China, the hometown of his wife. The trip marked his fourth visit to China and his first experience of winter in the country’s northeast. He said he looked forward to spending time with family amid the snowy landscape.
To further facilitate cross-border travel, China will extend its visa-free policy to ordinary passport holders from Canada and the United Kingdom starting Feb. 17, 2026, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Sunday.
The announcement was welcomed by Meehan and his wife, who said they hoped to bring his parents on a future visit so both families could reunite.
Some travelers have already spent extended periods in China. Lucas Richman, a Chinese-language student at Durham University currently on exchange at Zhejiang University, boarded a flight to Shenzhen before continuing by high-speed rail to Hangzhou. Speaking fluent Mandarin, he said he seeks to explore widely and interact with local residents to deepen his understanding of Chinese culture. During the Spring Festival, he planned to celebrate with fellow international students at a guesthouse in Moganshan in east China’s Zhejiang Province.
Zhang Li, director of the China National Tourist Office in London, said the Spring Festival serves not only as an emotional symbol for the Chinese people but also as an important window through which the world can better understand China.
“Hosting send-off events at overseas airports allows travelers to feel the festive atmosphere from the very beginning of their journey,” Zhang said.

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