North Korea-South Korea Relations
Raiding South Korean Intelligence Services
South Korean police have carried out raids on the country's intelligence services, AFP writes. The raids are linked to the scandal that is developing after a drone was shot down in North Korea in January.
Seoul has denied any involvement, but three military personnel and an employee of the intelligence service are now being investigated. Three civilians have previously been arrested and charged.
The incident risks damaging President Lee Jae-Myung's attempts to improve relations with North Korea, according to the news agency.
Putin's Russia
Russia tightens control over messaging apps
The Telegram and Whatsapp apps will be increasingly restricted in Russia. The state communications agency Roskomnadzor announced this on Tuesday, Bloomberg reports.
The apps are allegedly used for planning crimes and terrorist acts, state-run Russian media writes according to AFP. Roskomnadzor believes that the companies are doing too little about it and wants to force them to store user data inside Russia.
Video calls via Whatsapp and Telegram have been blocked in Russia since August last year. This is what the independent news site Meduza writes, and advises readers to use several different messaging apps and to use encryption services to bypass the blocks.
Climate threat Global challenges
Europe's coldest January since 2010 – warm globally
The past month was Europe's coldest January since 2010, according to the EU's climate service Copernicus. The average temperature was 2.34 degrees. It was also cold in the United States.
But overall, this year's January was the fifth warmest ever recorded on Earth, a total of 1.47 degrees above pre-industrial levels. The average was driven by the southern hemisphere, according to Copernicus.
– January 2026 provided a clear reminder that the climate system can sometimes simultaneously produce very cold weather in one region and extreme heat in another, says Samantha Burgess, strategic climate manager at the European Meteorological Institute ECMWF.
tisdag 10 februari 2026
TOP NEWS
Epstein affair
British connections
Analysis: The reputation of the entire royal family is at stake
The fact that the British court is coming out and saying that they are ready to work with the police if they proceed with their investigation into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's connections to Jeffrey Epstein is a very big deal. That's according to Sky News court reporter Rhiannon Mills.
The statement comes at the same time as Prince William lands in Saudi Arabia and in connection with diplomatic trips, the court usually does its utmost not to interfere, she says.
- But now they felt that they have heard too much about the Epstein files and that something had to be said on their part. Ultimately, it is the reputation of the entire royal family that is at stake, she says.
BBC court reporter Helena Wilkinson reacts to the court talking about King Charles' "deep dismay" over what continues to emerge about his younger brother. She also calls it “extraordinary” and that the court reminds us that Charles has already taken measures that are “unprecedented”, namely to strip Andrew of his princely title.
– The statement shows that the court realizes that the Epstein connection to Andrew will not disappear on its own, she says.
Investigation
Member: Several suspected perpetrators “mysteriously” masked
At least six men who “probably” were involved in Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes have had their names masked in the Epstein documents. This is what several members of Congress who have been given the opportunity to review the documents say, according to Axios, among others.
One of the men is said to have been high-ranking in another country’s government.
– There is nothing in our legislation that allows them to mask the names of these men, says Republican member Thomas Massie.
Democrat Jamie Raskin says that he has seen many names that have been masked for “mysterious, puzzling or inscrutable reasons”. He also says he has seen names of victims that were not redacted at all.
Massie and his Democratic colleague Ro Khanna suspect that the FBI or prosecutors redacted the documents before they reached the Justice Department.
Congressmen review Epstein documents
- Congressmen from both the Democratic and Republican sides have been given the opportunity to review the documents.
- The unmasked documents will be available to members on four specific computers at the Justice Department.
- Members must register at least one day in advance to gain access.
- They are not allowed to bring electronics, but they are allowed to take notes.
- Some members have said they may release the names to Congress.
Trump's USA
Voices on the threat
Macron: Europe should be ready for more fights with the US
Europe should not mistake the pause in the chaos from Washington as a lasting change in the relationship between the EU and the US, French President Emmanuel Macron tells several European newspapers.
– When the crisis subsides, a kind of cowardly relief sets in. Suddenly Washington backs down and we think it's over. But don't believe it for a second, he tells Le Monde.
Despite Trump's calm over Greenland and trade tariffs in recent weeks, Macron believes the conflict will flare up again soon.
– The US will attack us over digital regulation in the coming months. That's for sure.
The future of the US
Experts: Trump's USA is not the leader of the free world
Under Donald Trump's rule, the US has abandoned its role as the leader of the free world. This is what European security experts write ahead of the Munich Security Conference, according to the New York Times.
The report discusses several security threats facing Europe. It mentions that Trump's US is working to destroy the world order that the country has worked so hard to build since the end of World War II.
The most "shocking example", according to the authors, is Trump's attempt to take control of Greenland from Denmark.
US NATO Ambassador Matthew Whitaker rejects this description of reality and says that Trump's goal is to force Europe and NATO to strengthen their own military capabilities.
US Venezuela attack New regime
New US attack on so-called drug boat
Two people have been killed in another attack on a boat that the US military claims is used to smuggle drugs. The US military stated this in a post on X.
One person is said to have survived the attack.
So far, at least 128 people have been killed in US attacks on so-called drug boats. Tonight's attack is the second since the abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
Climate Policy
Sources: Trump to tear up crucial climate framework
US President Donald Trump is tearing up the research that forms the basis of much of the country's climate policy this week, sources tell the Wall Street Journal. According to the newspaper, it will be Trump's most extensive withdrawal of American climate policy to date.
It is the research findings in the "endangerment finding" from 2009 that will end up forming the basis for US federal climate policy. The report, which states that six greenhouse gases threaten the health of Americans, has been the starting point for several federal climate programs.
Throwing the report in the trash in turn paves the way for a significant loosening of climate policy. The fossil fuel industry has long complained about extensive bureaucracy and is set to be the big winner of the change, writes WSJ.
But similar attempts have been made before and have met with legal resistance. Environmental groups promise to appeal and the case is likely to end up in court for years.
Middle East Crisis
Netanyahu Reportedly Knew of Hamas Plans in 2018
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received information about Hamas' plans for a terrorist attack several years before October 7, 2023, according to information in the Israeli newspaper Ynet.
After the outbreak of the war, the Prime Minister has denied knowledge of both the content of the plan and its existence, writes Haaretz. According to Ynet, however, Netanyahu was informed of the plan as early as 2018 and was informed again in 2022 in connection with a briefing with the military.
Other media have previously reported that Israel had detailed information about the impending attack.
The Prime Minister's Office has not commented on Ynet's new information.
Indonesia is preparing to send up to 8,000 peacekeepers to Gaza as part of Donald Trump's "peace plan," Indonesian army chief Maruli Simanjuntak told the Times of Israel.
According to Simanjuntak, the exact size of the force or where in Gaza it will be stationed has not yet been decided.
The information has not been confirmed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office.
International Criticism of Israel's Expansion in the West Bank: "Wrong Direction"
The United States is criticizing Israel after the country adopted rules that strengthen Israeli power over the occupied West Bank, reports the Times of Israel.
"President Trump has been clear that he does not support Israel annexing the West Bank," a White House statement said.
The EU called the new rules "a step in the wrong direction" and several Muslim countries called them "a dangerous escalation."
Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are due to meet on Wednesday, but according to several media outlets, the meeting will mainly focus on Iran.
4,500 suspected IS members transferred to Iraq
More than 4,500 suspected IS members held captive in Syria have been transferred to Iraq, AFP reports.
The transfer began in January and includes around 7,000 prisoners in total. The US military decided to carry out the transfer after Syrian government forces took control of areas previously controlled by the Kurdish SDF.
People from Syria, Iraq and Europe are among the prisoners.
