UK Unemployment Hits Five-Year High; Tensions Rise in Middle East
LONDON - February 18, 2026 - The UK's unemployment rate climbed to its highest level in nearly five years, reaching 5.2% at the end of December 2025, according to official figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Simultaneously, international tensions are escalating as the United States and Iran navigate complex negotiations, and US forces conducted strikes on alleged drug smuggling boats in the Pacific and Caribbean, resulting in 11 fatalities.
The ONS reported that the rise in unemployment, up from 5.1% in November, is particularly affecting young people, with the unemployment rate for those aged 16 to 24 soaring to 16.1%, the highest in over a decade. While wages are still increasing faster than prices for those employed, the growth rate is slowing. Many businesses have also slowed hiring, citing measures in recent budgets.
In the Middle East, the situation remains volatile. Iran and the United States held fresh talks in Geneva, Switzerland, and reached an understanding on "guiding principles" regarding Tehran's nuclear capabilities, according to Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi. While an immediate agreement is not expected, Araghchi stated that "the path has started." Oman's foreign minister, Badr Albusaidi, described the talks as "constructive" and noted "good progress." However, tensions are still high. Donald Trump has stated that failure to reach a deal could lead to US strikes, while Iran has responded with military exercises, leaving "little doubt of its capabilities," according to Sky News.
Adding to the global unrest, US forces launched strikes on three alleged drug smuggling boats. Two vessels in the eastern Pacific Ocean were hit, each carrying four people, and a third boat in the Caribbean Sea, with three people on board, was also struck. US Southern Command confirmed the operations, stating that intelligence indicated the vessels were "engaged in narco-trafficking operations."
In other news, a UK investor, Richard Fisher, who invested £12,000 in Brewdog, is concerned that he may have lost his entire investment. Fisher, a former small business advisor, invested in the "Equity for Punks" scheme, but now fears the investment has failed. "Maverick, independent, to a certain extent rebellious - it was all good stuff," he said.
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