Author: staff
Published on 02/02/2026 – 15:39 GMT+1 When the power goes out at these temperatures, it is not just the lights that die. Without electricity, the water pumps stop working, cutting off water supply. Without heat, the pipes inside buildings freeze and burst, causing long-term damage that can’t be fixed until spring. And electric heaters? They are useless without a grid to power them. And in this war, the energy grid has effectively become the “Fourth Front”. Ukraine’s system is battered. This is the result of Russia’s almost-four-year campaign targeting critical infrastructure. The damage is now so significant that even without…
As it has every year since 1887, Groundhog Day was marked on 2 February, with Punxsutawney Phil seeing his shadow and predicting six more weeks of winter. The announcement came at dawn at Gobbler’s Knob, where handlers translated the groundhog’s verdict for a large crowd. By tradition, a visible shadow means winter lingers, while no shadow signals an early spring. The ritual draws tens of thousands each year and traces its roots to old European farming customs. It gained wider attention after the 1993 film Groundhog Day. Visitors come for the mood as much as the message, dressed in costumes…
“Where Europe has federated, [such as] on trade, on competition, on the single market, on monetary policy, we are respected as a power and negotiate as one,” he said, citing trade agreements recently negotiated with India and Latin America. Draghi’s call comes as Europe struggles to keep pace with the U.S. and China, and is facing Russian aggression in Ukraine plus a transatlantic ally that no longer acknowledges the benefits of its historic European ties. “This is a future in which Europe risks becoming subordinated, divided and de-industrialized at once, and a Europe that cannot defend its interests will not…
Startups and companies find it hard to expand across the EU because they must follow 27 sets of rules. Operating in more countries increases costs. Differences in tax systems, laws, and regulations also make it harder to attract investors. The solution? A de facto “28th regime”, the EU-INC. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen introduced this plan at the World Economic Forum. The goal is to make it easier for startups to compete by reducing regulations and making company operations more efficient and digital. With EU-INC, companies could register online in 48 hours, follow one set of rules, and…
By Euronews Published on 02/02/2026 – 14:43 GMT+1 Police in Oslo detained the stepson of Norway’s crown prince on Sunday, accusing him of assaulting a woman, threatening her with a knife and breaching a restraining order just two days before he faces trial on multiple rape charges. Marius Borg Høiby, 29, will appear in Oslo district court on Tuesday charged with 38 offences including four alleged rapes and attacks on former partners. Prosecutors are seeking to hold him in custody for four weeks, citing concerns he may reoffend. “Oslo Police District can confirm that Marius Borg Høiby was arrested by police…
Trump, in turn, blasted Noah on his social media platform Truth Social as a “poor, pathetic, talentless, dope of an M.C.” who had “better get his facts straight, and get them straight fast.” “Noah said, INCORRECTLY about me, that Donald Trump and Bill Clinton spent time on Epstein Island. WRONG!!!” Trump wrote. “I can’t speak for Bill, but I have never been to Epstein Island, nor anywhere close, and until tonight’s false and defamatory statement, have never been accused of being there, not even by the Fake News Media.” The president added he would “be sending my lawyers to sue”…
Nearly identical AI-generated characters have appeared across corners of X and Facebook all around Europe, promoting anti-immigration and anti-government messages. Versions of the same character have been shared online, such as Dutch-speaking “Emma”, the German “Maria”, and the Irish “Amelia”. Each character has her own national symbols and political references. In Germany, Maria wears a traditional Bavarian dirndl and expresses her love for a “cold beer in our village pub”. She claims her government is no longer protecting her and calls on “brave knights” to defend her homeland from Muslim immigrants. In the Netherlands, an AI creation of Emma insists…
More than 6,000 seafarers were abandoned on 410 ships in 2025, marking the worst year on record for crew abandonment in international shipping, according to figures from the International Transport Workers’ Federation. The 2025 total represents a 32% increase in abandoned seafarers and a 31% rise in ship abandonments compared to 2024, revealing a deepening crisis that labour groups say is being fuelled by the expansion of shadow fleets operating outside international regulations. Abandoned seafarers were owed $25.8 million in unpaid wages, of which the ITF recovered $16.5 million. “It’s not just about statistics. It’s about workers who keep the…
China has been flooding Latin American markets with low-priced exports, especially cars and e-commerce goods, as its exporters adjust to US President Donald Trump’s tariffs and geopolitical moves. The world’s second-largest economy has become a major trading partner for many Latin American nations, seeking access to their abundant natural resources and growing markets while expanding its influence in a region Trump views as America’s backyard. Chinese businesses are facing sluggish demand at home and need new markets for their products as the country ramps up production in many industries. Exports to Latin America, a market of more than 600 million…
By Sharifah Fadhilah Alshahab Published on 02/02/2026 – 12:01 GMT+1 Launched last year, social media platform UpScrolled has already amassed millions of global downloads. Today, the app sits at the top of several app store rankings in multiple countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. Speaking at the opening night of Web Summit Qatar, UpScrolled founder Issam Hijazi pointed to a new age of social media, where he outlined his vision for building a platform that Big Tech won’t. “Big Tech over the last couple of years has proven they’re not really in it for ethics. They prioritise…