Politics

Negotiators meet despite missile strikes

Ukrainian, Russian and U.S. negotiators met in Abu Dhabi for peace talks despite Russia’s overnight missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure.

Negotiators meet despite missile strikes
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Met probes Mandelson over Epstein

Former minister Peter Mandelson resigned from the House of Lords and faced an investigation by London's Metropolitan Police after disclosures suggested he shared confidential government emails with Jeffrey Epstein.

Met probes Mandelson over Epstein
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Trump demands Republicans nationalize elections

President Donald Trump urged Republicans to "take over" and "nationalize" elections in 15 states ahead of November midterms, claiming to block noncitizen voting, a claim experts say is false.

Trump demands Republicans nationalize elections
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Trump scolds reporter over Epstein

President Donald Trump scolded CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins during a public appearance after she asked about the Jeffrey Epstein files, saying, "I don't think I've ever seen you smile."

Trump scolds reporter over Epstein
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Trump urges nationalization of elections

President Trump urged Republicans to "nationalize" U.S. elections, saying federal agents should help count votes—a role the Constitution grants to states—and the White House later walked back the comments.

Trump urges nationalization of elections
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Trump, Petro Tackle Drugs Together

U.S. President Donald Trump and Colombian President Gustavo Petro met at the White House and emerged conciliatory, agreeing to pursue cooperation against drug trafficking.

Trump, Petro Tackle Drugs Together
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Spain bans underage online accounts

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that Spain would ban social media access for children under 16, saying the measure aimed to protect youngsters from harmful content and algorithmic risks.

Spain bans underage online accounts
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US shoots down Iranian drone

U.S. forces shot down an Iranian drone that approached the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea, officials said, days before planned U.S.–Iran talks this week.

US shoots down Iranian drone
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Crackdown killed thousands in Iran

Iran’s security forces killed an estimated 3,000–30,000 people in the crackdown on protests, rights groups said, and monitors reported about 50,000 arrests.

Crackdown killed thousands in Iran
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Brothers demand Congress curb ICE

At a Capitol Hill forum on Feb. 3, the brothers of Renee Nicole Good urged Congress to rein in ICE’s aggressive deportation raids, condemning what they called continued excessive force.

Brothers demand Congress curb ICE
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Trump return worsens democracy worldwide

Human Rights Watch said in its annual report Trump's return to the White House intensified a global democratic recession, and Russia and China were less free than two decades ago.

Trump return worsens democracy worldwide
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Russia strikes Polish power grid

Polish officials said Russia struck the country's power supply, which Warsaw and analysts said amounted to an escalation toward NATO and risked broader energy disruptions.

Russia strikes Polish power grid
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Trump signs bill ending shutdown

President Donald Trump signed a congressional spending bill at the White House, ending the partial U.S. government shutdown after a narrow 217–214 House vote, while DHS funding remained short-term.

Trump signs bill ending shutdown
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Trump's India oil claim questioned

U.S. President Donald Trump said Narendra Modi agreed to stop buying Russian oil, a claim analysts called unlikely as India sourced about a third of its crude from Russia.

Trump's India oil claim questioned
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Caracas Splits After US Capture

A month after U.S. forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in a Jan. 3 operation, Caracas remained divided between pro-Maduro rallies and anti-occupation protests amid reports of ongoing political detentions.

Caracas Splits After US Capture
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European cuts shift cancer policy

European cancer policy shifted as the EU cut health budgets, England pledged £2 billion for NHS cancer services and French campaigners urged municipal prevention ahead of elections.

European cuts shift cancer policy
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Russian military overspending squeezes Kremlin

Germany’s domestic intelligence agency said Russia’s military spending was significantly higher than reported, and falling oil revenues and shrinking export markets deepened the Kremlin’s budgetary strain.

Russian military overspending squeezes Kremlin
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Trump releases rendering, defends size

President Trump released a rendering of the future East Wing and ballroom, saying it would match the mansion’s height and scale amid criticism over its size.

Trump releases rendering, defends size
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US, Iran meet in Oman

US and Iranian envoys were set to meet Friday in Oman, sources said, after Iran requested moving the previously planned Istanbul talks, Turkish reporting had indicated.

US, Iran meet in Oman
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US, Russia scrap nuclear limits

The United States and Russia allowed the New START nuclear arms treaty to lapse, ending limits on their strategic arsenals and raising the risk of a renewed nuclear arms race.

US, Russia scrap nuclear limits
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Petro and Trump ease tensions

Colombian President Gustavo Petro met U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House, and both described the encounter as easing tensions that had risen after clashes and Venezuela’s invasion.

Petro and Trump ease tensions
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BND says Russia concealed spending

German intelligence (BND) said Moscow concealed military spending, hiding budget lines to understate Russia’s true war expenditures, complicating assessments of Kremlin capabilities.

BND says Russia concealed spending
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NATO plans Arctic defense mission

NATO began planning Arctic Sentry, a mission to bolster defense of the Arctic around Greenland in response to recent U.S. threats, NATO spokespeople said.

NATO plans Arctic defense mission
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Families file complaints, accuse police

Victims' families filed complaints with Sweden's ombudsman, alleging police left two to bleed to death and misled relatives after the Risbergska school shooting in Örebro, a book and families said.

Families file complaints, accuse police
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Vannacci quits Lega to run

Roberto Vannacci resigned from the Lega in a Monday evening face-to-face and announced he would join Futuro Nazionale to run in Italy’s upcoming parliamentary elections.

Vannacci quits Lega to run
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Saif Gaddafi killed in Zintan

Saif al-Islam al‑Gaddafi, son of Libya’s late leader Muammar Gaddafi, was shot dead at his home in Zintan, his adviser and local security sources said.

Saif Gaddafi killed in Zintan
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Israel reopens Rafah, thousands stranded

Israel reopened the Rafah crossing with Egypt but allowed only a handful of Palestinians to cross for medical evacuation or return, leaving thousands still awaiting passage.

Israel reopens Rafah, thousands stranded
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US warships arrive off Haiti

U.S. warships arrived off Port-au-Prince, the U.S. embassy said, in a deployment it described as Operation "Southern Spear" ordered by Defense Minister Pete Hegseth amid Haiti's political turmoil.

US warships arrive off Haiti
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Trump Reinstates African Trade Access

President Donald Trump reinstated the African Growth and Opportunity Act with about 30 African countries, restoring duty‑free access for numerous African exports to the United States.

Trump Reinstates African Trade Access
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Ban sought for Le Pen

French prosecutors asked an appeals court on Tuesday to bar far-right leader Marine Le Pen from holding office for five years, but sought no immediate enforcement of the ban.

Ban sought for Le Pen
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Italy curbs knives, expands Daspo

Italy's government sent a security package to the Quirinale and scheduled a Feb. 5 cabinet meeting to approve tougher restrictions on knives and an expanded urban Daspo.

Italy curbs knives, expands Daspo
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Vannacci quits Lega, threatens coalition

Former general and Lega vice chairman Roberto Vannacci quit Italy's right‑wing Lega, deepening a power struggle that weakened Matteo Salvini and risked destabilizing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's coalition.

Vannacci quits Lega, threatens coalition
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EU Commission urges housing action

European Commission urged the EU’s 27 member states to act immediately to address a continent-wide housing crisis, citing short-term rentals and speculation as drivers of rising prices.

EU Commission urges housing action
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Spain funds European EV uptake

The Spanish government unveiled Plan Auto+, a €400 million program to accelerate electric vehicle uptake while prioritizing European-made cars, offering up to €4,500 retroactive to Jan. 1, 2026.

Spain funds European EV uptake
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Aragon leader courts Vox, warns

Jorge Azcón, Aragón's president and the PP's re‑election candidate, said he would not rule out a coalition with far‑right Vox but warned they "do not give stability."

Aragon leader courts Vox, warns
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Former minister seeks video hearing

Former minister José Luis Ábalos submitted medical reports to the Supreme Court seeking to attend the February 12 preliminary hearing by videoconference, citing diabetes, hypertension and depressive‑anxious syndrome.

Former minister seeks video hearing
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Europeans Pivot Away From Washington

European leaders in recent weeks struck new trade agreements outside the United States to reduce strategic dependence on Washington, a deliberate pivot toward greater economic autonomy and geopolitical influence.

Europeans Pivot Away From Washington
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Parliament finds pension raise unapproved

A parliamentary debate in The Hague showed that a government proposal to raise the Dutch state pension (AOW) age had not yet passed the legislature.

Parliament finds pension raise unapproved
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James Deploys Observers Monitoring ICE

New York Attorney General Letitia James announced she would deploy a team of legal observers across New York to document ICE raids and monitor whether enforcement stayed within the law.

James Deploys Observers Monitoring ICE
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Clintons accept depositions, avert contempt

Bill and Hillary Clinton agreed to testify in depositions before a Republican-led House panel in late February about their ties to Jeffrey Epstein, averting a contempt vote.

Clintons accept depositions, avert contempt
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Prosecutors Seek Le Pen Disqualification

French prosecutors asked an appeals court in Paris to impose five years of ineligibility and four years’ imprisonment, three suspended, on Marine Le Pen but without immediate effect.

Prosecutors Seek Le Pen Disqualification
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Washington shoots down Iranian drone

U.S. military said it shot down an Iranian drone as it approached aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea, after Iranian vessels confronted a U.S. tanker near Hormuz.

Washington shoots down Iranian drone
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