Top World News
Ukraine ‘ready to play ball’ on peace deal but Russia ‘creating chaos’ with its attacks, says Nato chief – Europe live
Feb 3, 2026 - World 
Mark Rutte and Volodymyr Zelenskyy hold joint press conference as air alert sirens blare across KyivThe EU’s foreign policy chief, Kajas Kallas, has been speaking as part of a panel on Arctic security. Kallas was asked if the EU was “too cautious” in taking action because of its dependence on the US for security, which has been exposed amid Russia’s war on Ukraine and the Trump administration’s threats on Greenland and erratic behaviour towards its longstanding western allies. Kallas, who has said Nato must “become more European” to maintain its strength, responded:Of course, we are cautions because there is a lot at stake. There is a full-scale war going on the European continent and there are threats coming from economic coercion, big challenges from China that is influencing our economies.If it is influencing our economies, it is influencing jobs and people’s salaries and then it is creating polarisation within our societies and more instability, so it is all very much interlinked. Continue reading...
Jeffrey Epstein's Secret Child? Email From Sarah Ferguson Claims Paedophile Had A "Baby Boy"
Feb 3, 2026 - World 
While more than 100 people have claimed to be Epstein's offspring to seek a share of his estate, it has never been officially established if he had any children.
‘Right’ that Mandelson is to retire from Lords, says No 10, amid Epstein leaks scandal – UK politics live
Feb 3, 2026 - World 
Downing Street spokesperson repeats Starmer’s assertion that former business secretary ‘let country down’The Department for Work and Pensions has named 12 disability experts with “lived experience of disability or long-term health conditions” who will sit on the steering group of the review looking at the future of the personal independence payment (Pip), a disability benefit. Stephen Timms, the minister leading the review, says:Disabled people deserve a system that truly supports them to live with independence and dignity, and that fairly reflects the reality of their lives today.That’s why we’re putting disabled people at the heart of this review – ensuring their voices shape the changes that will help them achieve better health, greater independence, and access to the right support when they need it.* Could we see a crunch point as soon as tomorrow over Mandelson?* Tories have an opposition day debate - could they force a vote on Mandelson vetting disclosure. Shadow cabinet sources tell me they’re thinking about it Continue reading...
Anthropic’s launch of AI legal tool hits shares in European data companies
Feb 3, 2026 - World 
Pearson, Experian and others fall sharply after startup unveils software to automate a range of professional servicesEuropean publishing and legal software companies have suffered sharp declines in their share prices after the US artificial intelligence firm Anthropic revealed a tool for use by companies’ legal departments.Anthropic, the company behind the chatbot Claude, said its tool could automate legal work such as contract reviewing, non-disclosure agreement triage, compliance workflows, legal briefings and templated responses. Continue reading...
Human Rights Watch researchers resign after report on Palestinian right of return blocked
Feb 3, 2026 - World 
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...