
Australian man dies skiing in Japan days after Queensland snowboarder killed in ski lift accident
The 27-year-old died after reportedly collapsing while skiing with friends near a Niseko ski report A 27-year-old Melbourne man has died at a ski resort in Japan, days after the death of Queensland snowboarder Brooke Day. The man collapsed and suffered a heart attack while skiing with six others in Niseko, Hokkaido, on Monday, according to a spokesperson for a local ski lodge who asked not to be identified. Continue reading...

Collision between Greek coastguard patrol and boat carrying migrants kills 14
Search and rescue operation involving boats, helicopter and divers under way off the eastern Aegean island of Chios A collision between a speedboat carrying migrants and a Greek coastguard patrol vessel off the eastern Aegean island of Chios has killed at least 14 people, the coastguard said. A search and rescue operation involving four patrol vessels, an air force helicopter and a private boat carrying divers was under way for potential missing passengers. Continue reading...

Nato svarer om norske atomvåpen
Nato-topp Radmila Shekerinska advarer mot nordiske atomvåpen og varsler om russisk våpentesting i Arktis.

Outrage in Mexico at Trump praise for ‘legendary’ 19th-century US invasion
The US president’s celebration of the 1847 conquest draws fury from Mexican leaders over ‘imperialist tone’ A message from Donald Trump celebrating the 19th-century US invasion of its southern neighbour – and the subsequent loss of more than half its territory – has touched a historical nerve in Mexico, with some seeing it as a veiled threat for future incursions. Reacting to the US president’s statement, which described the invasion as “a legendary victory”, Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico’s president, said during her morning news conference on Tuesday: “We must always defend our sovereignty.” Continue reading...

US shoots down Iranian drone flying towards aircraft carrier, navy says
Shahed-139 drone approached USS Abraham Lincoln ‘with unclear intent’ as US warships headed towards Iran The US military says it has shot down an Iranian drone that “aggressively” approached the Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea. The Iranian Shahed-139 drone was flying toward the carrier “with unclear intent” when it was shot down by a F-35 US fighter jet, US Central Command said on Tuesday. Continue reading...
Har skutt ned iransk drone som nærmet seg amerikansk hangarskip
Det melder nyhetsbyrået Reuters tirsdag kveld.

Zelenskyj: – Russland tar ikke diplomati på alvor
Ukrainas president sier Russland benyttet den kortvarige pausen i angrepene til å fylle opp lageret av missiler.

French magistrate reportedly summons two French-Israelis over ‘complicity in genocide’
Nili Kupfer-Naouri and Rachel Touitou said to be accused of trying to block delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza A French investigating magistrate has issued summonses to two French-Israeli nationals in relation to “complicity in genocide” over allegations they tried to block the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, French media have reported. The summonses, which reportedly mark the first time a country has considered the blocking of aid “complicity in genocide”, were issued for Nili Kupfer-Naouri and Rachel Touitou in July, Le Monde and Agence France-Presse reported. Continue reading...

Human Rights Watch researchers resign after report on Palestinian right of return blocked
The organization claims the report, which finds Israel’s denial of the right of return is a crime against humanity, is ‘paused pending further analysis and research’ Two Human Rights Watch (HRW) employees who make up the organization’s entire Israel and Palestine team are stepping down from their positions after leadership blocked a report that deems Israel’s denial of Palestinian refugees the right of return a “crime against humanity”. In separate resignation letters obtained by Jewish Currents and the Guardian, Omar Shakir, who has headed the team for nearly the last decade, and Milena Ansari, the team’s assistant researcher, said leadership’s decision to pull the report broke from HRW’s customary approval processes and was evidence that the organization was putting fear of political backlash over a commitment to international law. Continue reading...

Minst åtte sivile drept i droneangrep mot helsesenter i Sudan, ifølge helsekilde
Åtte sivile, hvorav tre barn, er drept i et angrep mot et helsesenter i den sudanske byen Kadugli, opplyser en kilde i helsevesenet.

Expiry of nuclear weapons pact between US and Russia risks new arms race
Ending of New Start treaty will remove mutual limits on the world’s two biggest nuclear arsenals The New Start treaty between the US and Russia will expire on Thursday, removing the last remaining mutual limits on the world’s two biggest nuclear arsenals. The milestone will be a death knell for more than five decades of arms control at a time of surging global instability, contributing to a general collapse of the rules-based international order established after the second world war. Continue reading...

Zelenskyj: Ukraina justerer forhandlingsposisjon etter massivt russisk angrep
Ukrainas president Volodymyr Zelenskyj sier at Ukraina skal justere forhandlingsposisjonen i Abu Dhabi etter det massive russiske angrepet natt til tirsdag.

Trumps Grønland-rådgiver: – Ikke interessert i Svalbard
USA er ikke interessert i Svalbard på samme måte som Grønland, sier Donald Trumps Grønland-rådgiver Thomas Emanuel Dans.

Thousands without heating on icy night in Ukraine as Russia attacks before talks
Zelenskyy says Putin ‘taking advantage of the coldest days of winter to terrorise people’, as Kyiv hits lows of -20C More than 1,000 residential buildings in Kyiv were without heating on Tuesday after a massive Russian air attack during one of the coldest nights of the winter, with temperatures in the capital falling to -20C. Overnight, the Kremlin fired 450 attack drones and more than 70 missiles across the country. The strikes caused damage in five Kyiv districts and injured at least nine people. Flames consumed an apartment on the upper floors of a Kyiv building. Continue reading...
Svensker funnet skyldig i terror i København
To unge svensker er funnet skyldig i terror for å ha kastet håndgranater mot Israels ambassade i København.

Europe and US to pursue coordinated military action if Russia persistently violates future ceasefire, report says – Europe live
A violation of a ceasefire by Russia would result in a response in less than 24 hours, according to the plan We are restarting our live Europe coverage and will bring you the latest news around the continent throughout the day. Under a proposal discussed between Ukrainian, European and American officials, Kyiv has agreed with western allies that repeated breaches of any future ceasefire agreement from Russia would lead to a coordinated US-Europe military response, sources briefed on the discussions have told the Financial Times. Continue reading...

Ukraina raser mot Infantino: – Barn blir drept
Ukrainske myndigheter retter skarp kritikk mot Fifa-president Gianni Infantino etter at han åpnet for Russlands retur til internasjonal fotball.
Slik skal Europa og USA garantere Ukrainas sikkerhet
Koalisjonen av villige, inkludert Norge, skal stå klare til å sette inn en koordinert militær respons om nødvendig.

Australian woman who died after being caught in a Japan ski lift remembered as a ‘vibrant spirit’
Tributes for Queensland snowboarder Brooke Day recall a ‘cherished team mate’ who had an ‘infectious sense of humour’ Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Tributes have poured in for the Australian woman who died in a ski lift accident at a Japanese resort, describing the 22-year-old as kind, talented and possessing a “vibrant spirit”. Queensland snowboarder Brooke Day sustained critical injuries on Friday after her backpack was caught in a ski lift at Tsugaike Mountain resort in Otari, near Nagano. Continue reading...

Good luck Dua Leaper: scientists return frogs wiped out by fungal disease to wild
Researchers dig ‘spas’ and install ‘saunas’ in ACT wetlands to give green and golden bell frogs the best chance of survival Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Scientists have reintroduced green and golden bell frogs to the Australian Capital Territory for the first time since the species became locally extinct four decades ago. The first cohort of 25 frogs was released on Tuesday morning, a milestone for conservation of the animals, whose numbers have been devastated by the chytrid fungal disease that has wiped out 90 amphibian species in 50 years. Continue reading...
Her er nattens viktigste nyheter
Dette skjedde natt til tirsdag 3. februar.

Trump unveils $12bn critical minerals reserve in apparent move to counter China’s dominance
Other countries are expected to join Project Vault, which US president said would ensure that US businesses are ‘never harmed by any shortage’ Donald Trump has announced the creation of a critical mineral reserve worth nearly $12bn, a stockpile that could counter China’s ability to use its dominance of the hard-to-process metals as leverage in trade talks. “Today we’re launching what will be known as Project Vault to ensure that American businesses and workers are never harmed by any shortage,” Trump said at the White House on Monday. Continue reading...

Boy swims four hours through rough seas to save mother and siblings off Western Australia
Teen swims 4km, two without a life jacket, to sound alarm which led to the discovery of his family Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast A 13-year-old boy saved his mother and two younger siblings on Friday evening, swimming four kilometres in fading light and rough conditions, after they were swept out to sea in southwest Western Australia. The family were holidaying in Quindalup, 250 kilometres south of Perth, when strong winds pushed their inflatable paddle boards and kayak offshore from Geographe Bay. Continue reading...
Melding om kraftige eksplosjoner i Kyiv
Natt til tirsdag er det meldt om kraftige eksplosjoner i Ukrainas hovedstad Kyiv, ifølge nyhetsbyrået Reuters.

Mexico’s president pledges to send aid to Cuba despite US efforts to cut oil access
Move from Claudia Sheinbaum comes after Trump signed an order threatening tariffs on countries that sell oil to Cuba Mexico’s president Claudia Sheinbaum has pledged to send humanitarian aid this week to Cuba and said Mexico was “exploring all diplomatic avenues to be able to send fuel to the Cuban people,” despite efforts from Washington to cut off oil to the Caribbean nation. Donald Trump last week signed an executive order allowing the US to slap tariffs on countries sending crude oil to Cuba and on Saturday said that Sheinbaum had agreed to halt shipments of oil at his request – a claim the Mexican leader rejected. Continue reading...

Trump vekker oppsikt: – Vårt Grønland
Om bord i presidentflyet Air Force One lørdag, kom USAs president Donald Trump med en oppsiktsvekkende melding om Grønland.

Snart fire år med fullskala krig: – Sivile lidelser skal begrenses
Er Russlands angrep på energiforsyningen i Ukraina en krigsforbrytelse? Nettavisen spurte ekspert på krigens folkerett.

Iran’s top diplomat says government is ready for talks with US on a nuclear deal
Abbas Araghchi suggests nuclear programme negotiations could begin imminently, as American forces amass in region Iran’s top diplomat has said the government is ready for negotiations with the US as the two countries reportedly prepared to send top envoys to Istanbul for high-stakes talks on the Iranian nuclear programme later this week. As US warships and aircraft have amassed in the region for a potential strike on Iran, the country’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, suggested that talks could take place imminently. Donald Trump on Saturday said Iranians were “seriously talking to us” as he hinted at a deal to avert military strikes against Tehran. Continue reading...

Trump sier India skal slutte å kjøpe russisk olje
– Dette vil hjelpe for å få slutt på krigen i Ukraina, sier den amerikanske presidenten.

Russian captain of ship that hit tanker off UK guilty of killing crew member
Vladimir Motin was on sole watch when his vessel crashed into the Stena Immaculate near the Humber estuary The Russian captain of a ship that crashed into an oil tanker off the Yorkshire coast has been found guilty of killing a crew member in the collision. Vladimir Motin, a 59-year-old from St Petersburg, was on sole watch when his ship, the Solong, collided into the Stena Immaculate oil tanker near the Humber estuary on 10 March last year. Mark Angelo Pernia, a 38-year-old Filipino man, was killed in the wreck. Continue reading...

South Wales council to buy and demolish homes prone to flooding
Residents of 16 houses on Clydach Terrace in Ynysybwl express relief after repeated floods caused by climate crisis A row of homes in a village in south Wales is to be bought by a local authority and demolished as they can no longer be protected from flooding caused by the climate crisis. It will cost Rhondda Cynon Taf county borough council more than £2.5m to buy the 16 riverside properties, pay for legal costs and help to rehouse dozens of residents. Continue reading...

Damning EU report lays bare bloc’s ‘dangerous dependence’ on critical mineral imports
Auditor calls renewable energy targets ‘unrealistic’ unless ‘EU ups its game’ in mining, refining and recycling of metals such as rare earths The EU is struggling to free itself from dependence on China and countries in the global south for critical minerals and rare earths needed for everything from smartphones to wind turbines and military jets. A damning report by the European Court of Auditors (ECA) in Luxembourg found that the bloc’s targets for 2030 were “out of reach” because of lack of progress in domestic production, refining and recycling. Continue reading...

Brazilian influencer who defended US immigration crackdown arrested by ICE
Trump supporter Júnior Pena falsely claimed migrants being rounded up, including Brazilians, were ‘all crooks’ A rightwing Brazilian influencer who claimed Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown only targeted “crooks” has been arrested by ICE agents in New Jersey. Júnior Pena, whose full name is Eustáquio da Silva Pena Júnior, declared his support for the US president in a recent video message to his hundreds of thousands of social media followers. Continue reading...

Mona Juul om Epstein-kontakt: – Burde vært langt mer varsom
I en uttalelse til NTB erkjenner ambassadør Mona Juul at det var «upresist» å beskrive kontakten med Jeffrey Epstein som minimal.
Israelske angrep mot flere mål i Sør-Libanon
Israelske styrker angrep mandag flere mål i Sør-Libanon, blant annet to landsbyer som var blitt advart på forhånd.

Grønlands regjeringssjef med bredside mot Trump
Grønlands regjeringssjef gikk hardt ut mot Donald Trump i sin tale om rikets tilstand i det grønlandske parlamentet mandag.

‘There’s no such thing as a better coloniser’: Indigenous views on Trump’s Greenland push
Demands by the US that it take control of the Arctic island is for many Inuits a reminder of a troubling imperial past On a bitterly cold recent morning in the Canadian Arctic, about 70 people took to the streets. Braving the bone-chilling winds, they marched through the Inuit-governed territory of Nunavut, waving signs that read: “We stand with Greenland” and “Greenland is a partner, not a purchase.” It was a glimpse of how, for Indigenous peoples across the Arctic, the battle over Greenland has become a wider reckoning, seemingly pitting the long-fought battle to assert their rights against a global push for power. Continue reading...

Russland rykker raskere fram i Ukraina
Russiske styrker rykket fram enda hurtigere i januar, viser en analyse tankesmia ISW har gjort på vegne av AFP.

Trump skal lansere minerallager med en prislapp på 12 milliarder dollar
USAs president Donald Trump skal lansere et strategisk lager av kritiske mineraler, i et forsøk på å redusere USAs avhengighet av Kina, sier anonyme kilder til Bloomberg.

UD undersøker Mona Juuls Epstein-kontakt: – Vi tar dette på svært stort alvor
Utenriksminister Espen Barth Eide (Ap) sier nordmennene som har vært i kontakt med Epstein, har utøvd svært dårlig skjønn.

UD undersøker Mona Juuls Epstein-kontakt: – Vi tar dette på svært stort alvor
Utenriksminister Espen Barth Eide (Ap) sier nordmennene som har vært i kontakt med Epstein, har utøvd svært dårlig skjønn.

Manusforfatter i Oscar-nominert film pågrepet i Iran
Mehdi Mahmoudian, en av manusforfatterne i den Oscar-nominerte spillefilmen «Bare et uhell», er pågrepet i Iran, melder mediet Emtedad mandag.

Weather tracker: Cyclone Fytia in Madagascar kills several people and floods homes
Island’s first tropical storm of season may bring 150mm of rain – meanwhile, eastern Europe freezes with possible night-time lows of -30C At least three people have died and nearly 30,000 people have been affected by flooding after Madagascar’s first tropical storm of the season hit over the weekend. Tropical Cyclone Fytia formed to the north-west of Madagascar over the northern Mozambique Channel on Thursday. Continue reading...

Zelenskyj: Russland fokuserer på angrep mot ukrainsk jernbane
President Volodymyr Zelenskyj sa mandag at han har beordret ukrainske styrker til å svare på en økende bølge av russiske angrep mot landets jernbaneinfrastruktur.

Israel agrees to limited reopening of Rafah border crossing in Gaza
Tens of thousands of ill and wounded Palestinians await evacuation as diplomatic efforts inch forward Middle East crisis – live updates The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt has been reopened by Israel for a limited number of people on foot, as fragile diplomatic efforts to stabilise the conflict inch forward. Israeli forces took control of the Rafah crossing – Gaza’s only crossing not shared with Israel – in May 2024, describing it as necessary to prevent weapons smuggling by Hamas. The move isolated the territory, cutting off a critical lifeline for Palestinians seeking access to medical care, travel and trade. Continue reading...

Iranske medier: Iran skal forhandle med USA
Irans utenriksminister Abbas Araghchi skal møte USAs spesialutsending Steve Witkoff, melder offisielle iranske medier.
Russland bekrefter Ukraina-samtaler i Abu Dhabi onsdag
Ukraina, USA og Russland skal møtes til samtaler i Abu Dhabi onsdag og torsdag, bekrefter Kreml.

Fire utlendinger pågrepet i Iran
Iransk statlig fjernsyn opplyser at fire utlendinger er arrestert for å ha deltatt i det de kaller for «opptøyene» i Iran den siste tiden.

Russland-krise: – Balanserer hårfint
Ekspert trekker fram flere faktorer som til sammen gir Vladimir Putin en økonomisk hodepine.

Iran kaller innkaller alle europeiske ambassadører
Iran innkaller alle europeiske ambassadører i landet etter EUs beslutning om å sette Irans revolusjonsgarde på listen over terrororganisasjoner.
Eide: UD jobber med å få oversikt over Mona Juuls Epstein-kontakt
Utenriksdepartementet jobber med å få oversikt over ambassadør Mona Juuls kontakt med Jeffrey Epstein, sier Eide til Dagens Næringsliv.
Fem pågrepet i Tyskland, mistenkt for å ha skaffet Russland industrivarer
Fem personer som er mistenkt for å ha skaffet Russland industrivarer i strid med vestlige sanksjoner, er pågrepet i Tyskland.

Flyktninghjelpen frykter ny katastrofe i Sudan
Sør-Kordofan har blitt det nye episenteret for krisen i Sudan, og sivilbefolkningen står overfor en ny katastrofe, advarer Flyktninghjelpens sjef Jan Egeland.

US shift away from Europe ‘didn’t really start with President Trump,’ says EU’s top diplomat – Europe live
She said that the US shift away from Europe is a “long term” process and the bloc needs to urgently adapt After 378 days, January is finally over, and so welcome to the new year month of February. It’s a Groundhog Day in the US. Although, let’s be honest, you would be forgiven for feeling like you have been living your own personal time loop since 20 January last year lately. “Actually, if we look at the transatlantic policy, or we look at what, what the US administration … the decisions that they have taken. it didn’t really start with President Trump. I think there’s a lot of convergence with the policies of different administrations. So … it might be so easy to think that one personality comes, there are elections, then another one, but I think it’s a long term that we really need to look at.” Continue reading...

Key Rafah crossing into Egypt reopens for limited travel in and out of Gaza – latest updates
Rafah crossing in the south, which has largely been closed since May 2024, has reopened for those travelling on foot Earlier, an Israeli defence official said the crossing could hold between 150 and 200 people altogether in both directions. There would be more people leaving than returning because patients left together with escorts, the official added. Lists of people due to pass through the crossing had been submitted by Egypt and approved by Israel, the official said. Reopening the border crossing was a key requirement of the first phase of the US president Donald Trump’s plan to end the conflict. But the ceasefire, which came into effect in October after two years of fighting, has been repeatedly shaken by rounds of violence. Continue reading...

International law meant to limit effects of war at breaking point, study finds
Report covering 23 conflicts over last 18 months concludes more than 100,000 civilians have been killed as war crimes rage out of control An authoritative survey of 23 armed conflicts over the last 18 months has concluded that international law seeking to limit the effects of war is at breaking point, with more than 100,000 civilians killed, while torture and rape are committed with near impunity. The extensive study by the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights describes the deaths of 18,592 children in Gaza, growing civilian casualties in Ukraine and an “epidemic” of sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Continue reading...

US is in talks with Cuban leadership, says Trump, after blockade threats
US president announces efforts being made to strike a deal having earlier threatened to stop island importing oil Washington is negotiating with Havana’s leadership to strike a deal, Donald Trump has said, days after threatening Cuba’s reeling economy with a virtual oil blockade. “Cuba is a failing nation. It has been for a long time but now it doesn’t have Venezuela to prop it up. So we’re talking to the people from Cuba, the highest people in Cuba, to see what happens,” Trump told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida on Sunday. Continue reading...

Danske Maersk tar kontroll med Panamakanalen
Etter Donald Trumps bråk med Panamakanalen, har kineserne trukket seg ut og danske Maersk tatt over styringen.

Todd Blanche says review of Jeffrey Epstein sex-trafficking case ‘is over’
Deputy US attorney general says victims ‘want to be made whole’ but that doesn’t mean ‘we can just create evidence’ The deputy US attorney general, Todd Blanche, the point person on the Trump administration’s Epstein files release, told ABC News on Sunday that prosecutors’ review of the Jeffrey Epstein-Ghislaine Maxwell sex-trafficking case “is over”. Separately, in comments to CNN about Epstein, Blanche said that “victims want to be made whole” after surviving the scheme attributed to the late convicted sex offender and which led to a 20-year prison sentence for Maxwell beginning in 2022. Continue reading...

C of E bishops criticise UK inaction over Israel’s ‘West Bank de facto annexation’
Three bishops accuse British government of contributing to ‘culture of impunity’ in the occupied territory Three prominent Church of England bishops have accused the UK government of contributing to a “culture of impunity” in which Israel has accelerated its de facto annexation of the West Bank. Guli Francis-Dehqani, the bishop of Chelmsford, Rachel Treweek, the bishop of Gloucester, and Graham Usher, the bishop of Norwich, visited Palestinian Christian communities in the occupied West Bank last week. Continue reading...

Russian drone attack on bus carrying mine workers in Ukraine kills at least 12
Employees of Ukraine’s largest private energy firm, DTEK, were travelling about 40 miles from frontline, says police A Russian drone attack on a bus carrying mine workers in Ukraine’s central-eastern Dnipropetrovsk region has killed at least 12 people, officials said. The bus was driving about 40 miles (65km) from the frontline, according to police. Images published by Ukraine’s state emergency service showed what appeared to be an empty bus, its side windows shattered and windscreen hanging from the front. Continue reading...

Five-year-old Liam Ramos and his father released from Texas detention center
Boy and his father back in Minneapolis after being detained by ICE and held in immigration facility for more than a week A five-year-old boy and his father were back in Minneapolis on Sunday after being released from a Texas immigration detention center where they were held for more than a week, according to US House representative Joaquin Castro. “Liam is now home. With his hat and his backpack. Thank you to everyone who demanded freedom for Liam,” Castro, a San Antonio Democrat, said in a post on X. “We won’t stop until all children and families are home.” Continue reading...

145 separatister drept etter flere angrep i Pakistan
Pakistanske styrker har drept 145 militante separatister i helgen. Bakgrunnen er flere angrep der nær 50 personer er drept i Balutsjistan-provinsen.

15 gruvearbeidere drept i russisk droneangrep mot buss i Dnipropetrovsk
15 gruvearbeidere er drept og sju såret i et russisk droneangrep mot en buss ved Pavlohrad sørøst i Dnipropetrovsk-regionen i Ukraina, opplyser en lokal leder.

Pakistan targets Balochistan separatists after ‘unprecedented’ assaults
Officials say calm restored to province day after dozens killed in suicide and gun attacks in at least 10 cities Pakistan’s security forces have intensified their operations against separatist militants in Balochistan province who launched a majorassault on Saturday in which at least 31 civilians and 17 security personnel were killed. A day after the militants carried out suicide attacks in the heart of the province’s capital, Quetta, the chief minister of the south-western region, Sarfraz Bugti, said 145 people he described as militants had been killed in 40 hours and that their bodies were in the custody of the authorities. Continue reading...

Cuba on the brink as Trump turns up the pressure: ‘There is going to be a real blockade’
Country is already suffering acute fuel shortage; experts say complete cutoff will be ‘catastrophic’ to its infrastructure It’s just gone midday on Linea, one of the main roads through Havana’s Vedado neighbourhood, and Javier Peña and Ysil Ribas have been waiting since 6am outside a petrol station. They’re passing the time fixing a leak on Ribas’s 1955 gold and white Mercury. A tanker has pulled up on the forecourt in front of them, and so the queue behind is growing fast. Although this station only takes US dollars, at a cost far out of reach of most Cubans, Peña says it’s their only choice. “There is no gas in the national pesos,” he says, shrugging. Continue reading...

Preparations begin for reopening of Gaza’s Rafah crossing, officials say
Approximately 20,000 Palestinians expected to leave territory for urgent medical care abroad Preparations to reopen Gaza’s main border crossing into Rafah began on Sunday though it was uncertain if any Palestinians would pass through it before the day’s end, officials have said. Before the war, the Rafah border crossing with Egypt was the only direct exit point for most Palestinians in Gaza to reach the outside world as well as a key entry point for aid. It has been largely shut since May 2024. Continue reading...

US, UK, EU, Australia and more to meet to discuss critical minerals alliance
About 20 countries including G7 states in talks on rare earths including calls for US to guarantee minimum price Ministers from the US, EU, UK, Japan, Australia and New Zealand will meet in Washington this week to discuss a strategic alliance over critical minerals. The summit is being seen as a step to repair transatlantic ties fractured by a year of conflict with Donald Trump and pave the way for other alliances to help countries de-risk from China, including one centred on steel. Continue reading...

Inside Myanmar’s five-year armed resistance – a photo essay
Five years after the junta’s coup, the civil war devastating Myanmar has reached a turning point. The military is carrying out large-scale counter-offensives across the country to reclaim territory seized by pro-democracy rebels of various ethnic and religious backgrounds In Tanintharyi, the southernmost region of Myanmar, the local resistance has managed to contain the military. After five years of guerrilla warfare, the revolutionary youth there remain determined to restore democracy through armed struggle. A long, narrow stretch of land at the southern tip of Myanmar, between the Andaman Sea to the west and Thailand to the east, Tanintharyi region is one of the areas where the resistance challenges the military’s authority. For decades, the region has been home to an armed rebellion led by the Karen ethnic minority, which operated mainly in the peripheral mountains. Soldiers from the Karen National Union (KNU) inspect the ruins of a Buddhist monastery destroyed by a junta airstrike in Myeik district, Tanintharyi region Continue reading...

‘It’s not just about surviving’: the Ukrainian frontline city where life goes on under cover
Whether in streets draped in anti-drone nets or deep in urban basements, Kherson residents go about their everyday activities with the constant threat of Russian bombing Galyna Lutsenko, a crisis psychologist, is moving busily among a small group of children seated around a table in a basement in Kherson, unique in being Ukraine’s only leading city almost directly on the frontline with Russian forces – and one where people live with the daily threat of attack. She dangles a plasticine butterfly on a thread over a playhouse on the table. Her own house in the city, she says, was hit by Russian shelling in 2024, injuring her in the leg and stomach. Continue reading...

Living hell of North Korea’s ‘paradise on Earth’ scheme back in spotlight in Japan
Plaintiffs in case say they were lured from Japan, exploited for labour and cut off from families for generations It has been more than six decades since Eiko Kawasaki left Japan to begin a new life in North Korea. Then 17, she was among tens of thousands of people with Korean heritage who had been lured to the communist state by the promise of a “paradise on Earth”. Instead, they encountered something closer to a living hell. They were denied basic human rights and forced to endure extreme hardship. Official promises of free education and healthcare plus guaranteed jobs and housing had been a cruel mirage. And to their horror, they were prevented from travelling to Japan to visit the families they had left behind. Continue reading...

Trump lover omfattende reaksjon mot Canada
Hvis Canada gjennomfører handelsavtalen som landet har forhandlet fram med Kina, vil det komme en omfattende reaksjon, varsler USAs president Donald Trump.

Trump says Iran ‘talking to’ US and hints at deal to avoid military strikes
US president says Iran ‘negotiating’ as US naval battle group approaches, and says regional allies cannot be told plan Donald Trump has said Iran is “talking to” the US and hinted at a deal to avoid the use of military strikes. “[Iran is] talking to us, and we’ll see if we can do something, otherwise we’ll see what happens … We have a big fleet heading out there,” he told Fox News. “They are negotiating.” Continue reading...

Search for survivors halted after Massachusetts fishing boat lost at sea
One dead and six missing as body and life boat from Lily Jean found after its disappearance from Gloucester port The search for survivors of a commercial fishing vessel that sank off the coast of Massachusetts with seven aboard has been suspended, the US Coast Guard said Saturday. The coast guard had launched a search-and-rescue mission early Friday after receiving an alert from the 72ft Lily Jean about 25 miles (40km) off Cape Ann. Searchers found a debris field near where the alert had been sent along with a body in the water and an empty life raft, the coast guard said. Continue reading...

Children and police officers among at least 30 killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza
Deadly attacks launched day before border crossing due to open as part of ceasefire deal Israel has carried out some of its deadliest airstrikes on Gaza in months, killing at least 30 Palestinians, some of whom were sheltering in tent cities for displaced people. Despite a nominal ceasefire, the Israeli military struck a police station in the Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood west of Gaza City on Saturday, killing 10 officers and detainees, the civil defence said. It indicated the death toll could rise as emergency responders searched for bodies. Continue reading...

‘Keep on dreaming’: could Europe really defend itself without the US?
Nato chief has glibly dismissed prospect of coping without US support, but in the age of Trump the case for autonomy is growing The Nato secretary general, Mark Rutte, was typically blunt when he met members of the European parliament this week. From the dais of the blond-wood committee room in Brussels, he was clear: “If anyone thinks that the European Union, or Europe as a whole, can defend itself without the US, keep on dreaming. You can’t. We can’t.” And if Europe wanted to supplant the US nuclear deterrent, existing spending commitments would have to double, he added – “so hey, good luck!” Continue reading...

UK and EU to explore renewed talks on defence cooperation
Keir Starmer says he wants to ‘go further’ in relations with Brussels as ministers look to restart stalled negotiations The UK and the EU are exploring the prospect of new talks on closer defence cooperation, as Keir Starmer stressed on Friday that he wanted to “go further” in the UK’s relationship with Brussels. Maroš Šefčovič, the EU’s trade commissioner, is due in London for talks next week, with trade, energy and fisheries on the agenda. But diplomatic sources said the UK is keen to discuss restarting negotiations on defence as soon as it can. Talks for the UK to join the EU’s €150bn (£130bn) Security Action for Europe (Safe) defence fund collapsed in November 2025 amid claims that the EU had set too high a price on entry to the programme. Continue reading...

Starmer hopes his China trip will begin the thaw after recent ice age
PM flies out after courting world’s second biggest economy aware of difficult balance of risks and potential rewards The last British prime minister to visit China was Theresa May in 2018. Before the visit, she and her team were advised to get dressed under the covers because of the risk of hidden cameras having been placed in their hotel rooms to record compromising material. Keir Starmer, in Beijing this week, was more sanguine about his privacy, even though the security risks have, if anything, increased since the former Tory prime minister was in town. Continue reading...

French MPs demand explanation over tech firm’s contract to help ICE in US
Revelation that subsidiary of Capgemini is to help trace and expel migrants in US provokes outrage in France French lawmakers have demanded an explanation after one of the country’s biggest tech companies signed a multimillion dollar contract to help the US enforcement agency ICE trace and expel migrants. The revelation that a subsidiary of Capgemini, a multinational digital services firm listed on the Paris stock exchange, had agreed to provide “skip tracing” – a technique for locating targeted people – with big bonuses if successful, has provoked outrage in France. Continue reading...

More than 200 killed in coltan mine collapse in eastern DRC, officials say
Rubaya mine produces about 15% of the world’s coltan, which is processed into tantalum, used in mobile phones More than 200 people were killed this week in a collapse at the Rubaya coltan mine in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Lumumba Kambere Muyisa, a spokesperson for the rebel-appointed governor of the province where the mine is located, told Reuters on Friday. Rubaya produces about 15% of the world’s coltan, which is processed into tantalum – a heat-resistant metal that is in high demand by makers of mobile phones, computers, aerospace components and gas turbines. The site, where local people dig manually for a few dollars a day, has been under the control of the M23 rebel group since 2024. Continue reading...

Trump says he believes Iran wants to make deal as he extols size of US ‘armada’
US president declines to say whether he plans Venezuela-like operation, after Tehran signalled it was ready for talks Killing Khamenei? Hitting military sites? It is unclear what a US attack on Iran would achieve Donald Trump has said he believes Tehran wants to make a deal to head off a regional conflict, as he claimed the US “armada” near Iran was bigger than the taskforce deployed to topple Venezuela’s leader. “We have a large armada, flotilla, call it whatever you want, heading toward Iran right now, even larger than what we had in Venezuela,” the US president told reporters on Friday. Continue reading...

Mexico president says Trump tariffs on Cuba’s oil suppliers could trigger humanitarian crisis
Island country only has oil enough to last 15-20 days, and 12-hour blackouts have become commonplace Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, has warned that Donald Trump’s move to slap new tariffs on countries sending oil to Cuba could trigger a humanitarian crisis on the island, which is already suffering from chronic fuel shortages and regular blackouts. The US president signed an executive order on Thursday declaring a national emergency and laying the groundwork for such tariffs, ratcheting up the pressure to topple the communist government in Havana. Continue reading...

Israel accepts health authorities’ Gaza death toll is broadly accurate, saying 70,000 have died
Israeli military’s U-turn in accepting official figures comes after years of attacking data as ‘Hamas propaganda’ Israel’s military has accepted the death toll compiled by health authorities in Gaza is broadly accurate, marking a U-turn after years of official attacks on the data. A senior security official briefed Israeli journalists, saying about 70,000 Palestinians had been killed by Israeli attacks on the territory since October 2023, excluding those missing. Continue reading...

UK politics: Starmer shrugs off Trump’s criticism of ‘very dangerous’ deal with China – as it happened
Prime minister suggests US president was ‘talking more about Canada’ when asked for reaction to Beijing visit Prominent Hong Kong and Uyghur activists living in exile in the UK have accused Starmer of seeking China’s desperate approval, after the prime minister visited Beijing for the first time in eight years this week. Pro-democracy campaigner and prominent critic of the Communist Party, Finn Lau said the Hong Kong community is disappointed by Starmer’s visit, but unsurprised by the government’s “short sightedness”. “While British citizen Jimmy Lai remains imprisoned and Uyghurs continue to suffer atrocity crimes, we take no comfort in this decision and will not be silenced. We look forward to receiving urgent assurances from the government regarding those who were placed under sanction together with us, and take this opportunity to express our ongoing solidarity with the Uyghur people, whose cause we will not drop. Continue reading...

Islamic State claims attack on international airport and airbase in Niger
Motorcycle-riding militants launch strikes using heavy weaponry and drones, damaging planes belonging to Ivorian carrier and Togolese airline Islamic State in the Sahel has claimed responsibility for an audacious assault at the international airport and adjacent air force base in Niamey, the capital of Niger, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, which tracks jihadist activity and communications worldwide. The attack, which began shortly after midnight on Thursday, reportedly involved motorcycle-riding militants who launched a “surprise and coordinated” strike using heavy weaponry and drones, according to statements released via IS in the Sahel’s propaganda arm, Amaq news agency. Continue reading...

China has lifted sanctions from six serving British MPs and peers, Starmer says
Starmer confirms immediate removal, but it is unclear if sanctions remain on former MP, academic and barrister China has lifted the sanctions it imposed on serving British MPs and peers in a significant sign of warming relations after Keir Starmer travelled to Beijing for landmark talks with Xi Jinping. Nine UK citizens were banned from China in 2021, including five Conservative MPs and two members of the House of Lords, targeted for highlighting human rights violations against the Muslim Uyghur community. Continue reading...

South Africa expels top Israeli diplomat over ‘insulting attacks’ on president
Ariel Seidman declared persona non grata and given 72 hours to leave country after remarks on social media South Africa and Israel have engaged in a tit-for-tat expulsion of senior diplomats, after South Africa ordered Israel’s chargé d’affaires to leave within 72 hours, citing “insulting attacks” on South Africa’s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, on social media. Ariel Seidman, the chargé d’affaires at Israel’s embassy in Pretoria, was declared persona non grata by South Africa’s department for international relations and cooperation (DIRCO) in a statement on its website on Friday afternoon. Continue reading...

Panama supreme court cancels Hong Kong company’s canal contracts
Panama’s president says strategic waterway will operate as normal after ruling that advances US policy aims Panama’s president said ports at each end of the Panama canal would operate as usual after the country’s supreme court ruled the concession held by a subsidiary of a Chinese company was unconstitutional. The court’s decision on Thursday, which helps US attempts to block any Chinese influence over the strategic waterway, immediately drew a sharp rebuke from Beijing. Continue reading...

Trump says ‘very dangerous’ for UK to do business with China, after Starmer hails progress in Beijing
US president warns against closer ties with China during British PM’s trip to secure lower tariffs and better market access Donald Trump has warned the UK against doing business with China, just hours after Keir Starmer lauded the economic relationship during a landmark visit to Beijing. The US president said it was “very dangerous” for the UK to pursue closer ties with the rival superpower as the prime minister’s three-hour talks with Xi Jinping underlined a thaw in previously strained relations. Continue reading...

Palau lawmakers vote to block controversial Trump deal to resettle migrants from US
A plan to resettle third-country nationals from the US to the Pacific nation faces an uncertain future amid unease over the deal A controversial Trump administration deal to relocate deportees from the US to the small Pacific nation of Palau faces an uncertain future, after the senate voted to block the deal as concern about the agreement grows. The deal, which allows up to 75 third-country migrants facing removal from the US to live and work in Palau, was signed by president Surangel Whipps Jr in December. Palau’s lower house now has to consider the deal, and the final decision rests with Whipps Jr. Continue reading...

Niger’s military ruler vows retaliation after gunfire and explosions heard in capital
General Tchiani accuses France, Benin and the Ivory Coast of links to attack near Niamey’s airport and thanks Russian troops for defence efforts Heavy security has been deployed around the main airport in Niger’s capital, Niamey, after overnight gunfire and explosions that the country’s military ruler blamed without evidence on France, Benin and Côte d’Ivoire. The shooting and detonations began shortly after midnight on Wednesday, according to residents of a neighbourhood near the airport, which is next to Base Aérienne 101, a military base previously used by US and then Russian troops. Continue reading...

Hundreds feared dead in attempt to cross Mediterranean during cyclone
Fifty killed in one incident as Italian authorities estimate 380 people may have drowned last week Up to 380 people may have drowned attempting to cross the Mediterranean last week as Cyclone Harry battered southern Italy and Malta, the Italian coastguard has said, as a shipwreck with the loss of 50 lives was confirmed by Maltese authorities. Just one person, who was hospitalised in Malta, survived the shipwreck, which happened on Friday. Continue reading...

Pentagon to reduce its role in deterrence of North Korea
US policy document suggests South Korea take primary responsibility, as Pentagon prioritises defending US homeland The Pentagon foresees a “more limited” role in deterring North Korea, with South Korea taking primary responsibility for the task, a Pentagon policy document released on Friday said, in a move likely to raise concern in Seoul. South Korea hosts about 28,500 US troops in combined defence against North Korea’s military threat and Seoul has raised its defence budget by 7.5% for this year. Continue reading...

US immigration agents detain two-year-old Minnesota girl: ‘depravity beyond words’
DHS detain a toddler and her father on Thursday and fly them to Texas before returning child on judge’s order Federal immigration agents detained a two-year-old girl and her father in Minneapolis on Thursday and transported them to Texas, according to court records and the family’s lawyers. The father, identified in court filings as Elvis Joel TE, and his daughter were stopped and detained by officers around 1pm when they were returning home from the store. By the evening, a federal judge had ordered the girl be released by 9.30pm. But federal officials instead put both of them on a plane heading to a Texas detention center. Continue reading...

New Zealand landslide: rescue efforts called off for at least six people buried in disaster
Rescue efforts at Mount Maunganui site switch to recovery operation that police say could take several days Efforts to rescue at least six people buried by a landslide at a New Zealand holiday park ended on Saturday, with police shifting into a recovery operation. Police Supt Tim Anderson said human remains had been uncovered on Friday night beneath the mountains of dirt and debris that crashed into a campsite in Mount Maunganui on Thursday, adding that it could take several days to locate all of the victims due to the unstable ground. Continue reading...
Ni drept da kokain-lab eksploderte i Colombia
Ni mennesker døde og åtte ble skadet da et kokain-laboratorium eksploderte på Colombias stillehavskyst, nær grensen til Ecuador, opplyser lokalt politi.

US military says it struck vessel in eastern Pacific, killing two people
Since September, military has carried out more than 30 strikes against boats that it alleges smuggle drugs The US military said on Friday that it carried out a strike on a vessel in the eastern Pacific, killing two people. “Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations,” the US Southern Command said in a statement. Continue reading...

German media likens US border patrol official’s coat to ‘Nazi look’
Gregory Bovino’s outwear choice prompts German commentators to compare it to fascist aesthetic A greatcoat worn by the senior US border patrol official Gregory Bovino, who has spearheaded aggressive immigration operations across the country, has raised eyebrows in German media with some commentators saying it resembled a fascist aesthetic. Bovino has been an increasingly recognisable figure during the raids in Minneapolis for the brass-buttoned, calf-length olive green coat, which is unlike the fatigues and body armor worn by many of the federal agents. Continue reading...

Three men charged after ‘highly targeted attacks’ against Pakistani dissidents
Alleged attacks took place in Cambridgeshire and Buckinghamshire against two prominent supporters of jailed former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan Three men have been charged after a series of “highly targeted” attacks against two Pakistani dissidents living in Britain. Police carried out a series of seven raids and arrests this week in London, Essex and the Midlands after four attacks, which began on Christmas Eve. Continue reading...

ICE arrests 100 people three days into Maine immigration crackdown, DHS says
Organizers say ICE agents have been targeting African nationals amid surge focused in Portland and Lewiston People affected by the US visa freeze: share your experience Three days into its immigration crackdown in Maine, the Department of Homeland Security said Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents had arrested “more than 100 illegal aliens”. In a statement to the Guardian on Friday, DHS assistant secretary of public affairs Tricia McLaughlin said some of those taken into custody are “the worst of the worst” and have been “charged and convicted of horrific crimes”, but cited the same four examples it released earlier in the week. Continue reading...