US and Iran agree to more talks as Trump admin rolls out additional oil sanctions

From CNN's Kylie Atwood
Fri February 6, 2026

The US and Iran have agreed to hold follow-on discussions after consultations with their capitals following today’s indirect talks in Oman, an outcome cautiously viewed as a positive result by both sides, according to source familiar.

Israel Launches Deadly Strikes on Gaza, Saying Militants Attacked Its Soldiers

Gaza officials said the Israeli airstrikes killed at least 21 Palestinians. Israel said one of its soldiers was critically wounded in the attack by Palestinian gunmen

By David M. Halbfinger and Natan Odenheimer

Halbfinger reported from Jerusalem 

and Odenheimer from Tel Aviv

Feb. 4, 2026

Russian general shot several times in Moscow

Paul Kirby

Europe digital editor

A high-profile general in Russia's military has been shot several times and wounded in Moscow.

Lt Gen Vladimir Alexeyev, 64, was taken to hospital after the attack in a residential block of flats in the north-western outskirts of the capital, and is believed to be in a serious condition. The attacker fled the scene.

Trump takes down racist Truth Social post showing Obamas as apes after blowback

Politics
Published Fri, Feb 6 2026
Kevin Breuninger@KevinWilliamB
Dan Mangan@_DanMangan

WATCH LIVE
Key Points

• The Truth Social account of President Donald Trump removed a racist image showing former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama portrayed as apes after outrage over the post.
• The White House initially defended Trump’s post: “Please stop the fake outrage.”
• South Carolina Republican Sen. Tim Scott, who is Black and a close ally of Trump, said, “Praying it was fake because it’s the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House.”

No suspects and a new reward: Family pleads for Nancy Guthrie’s return as search enters sixth day

Where things stand

• No suspects, new reward: There are still no suspects named as the search for Nancy Guthrie, mother of “Today” host Savannah Guthrie, enters a sixth day. The FBI, now working jointly with local authorities, announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of the 84-year-old, who authorities believe was abducted from her home near Tucson, Arizona, over the weekend and is without critical medication.

Top government figures to be forced to hand over messages with Mandelson

Summary

• Senior government figures are preparing to hand over their electronic communications with Lord Mandelson ahead of the release of evidence about his appointment as US ambassador
• It comes after Keir Starmer apologised to Jeffrey Epstein's victims and said he was "sorry for having believed Mandelson's lies"
• He has accused Mandelson of lying during the vetting process before his appointment as US ambassador in 2024, saying he gave the impression he "barely knew" the disgraced financier
• The BBC understands Mandelson's view is that he answered questions about his relationship with Epstein in the vetting process accurately
• Some Labour MPs have suggested Starmer should consider his position as PM, with others calling for his chief of staff Morgan McSweeney to leave No 10

Trump rejects call from Russia’s Putin to extend cap on nuclear deployments

Nuclear Weapons
U.S. President says that he wants to negotiate a replacement for the strategic nuclear deployment treaty that recently expired.

By Al Jazeera and News Agencies
Published On 6 Feb 2026

United States President Donald Trump has shot down an offer from Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin proposing a voluntary extension of recently-expired limits on the deployment of strategic nuclear weapons.

Shadow Diplomacy: A Meeting of Macron and Putin's Aides

efsyn.gr
EUROPE
05.02.26 22:46

What is happening behind the scenes of the trilateral US-Russia-Ukraine meetings?

As trilateral negotiations on the Ukrainian issue in Abu Dhabi reached a "deadlock," quiet diplomatic action was underway behind the scenes on a different... front.

This black hole “burps” with Death Star energy

that’s not a burp, that’s a space station

Dubbed “Jetty McJetface,” the tidal disruption event’s energy keeps getting brighter and should peak in 2027.

Jennifer Ouellette – Feb 5, 2026 
Back in 2022, astronomers were puzzled by a so-called “tidal disruption event” (TDE), dubbed AT2018hyz, that had faded when it was first noticed three years earlier, only to unexpectedly reanimate and burp out extremely bright radio waves. University of Oregon astrophysicist Yvette Cendes, a co-author of that 2022 paper, dubbed the black hole “Jetty McJetface” (a nod to the 2016 online British competition to name a research vessel Boaty McBoatface).

Nuclear Arms Control Era Comes to End Amid Global Rush for New Weapons

Administration

• liveUpdates
  21m ago
• Epstein Files
• ‘Neoroyalism’
• Kennedy Center Renovations
• Policy Lawsuits
• Tariff Tracker

Beijing, Moscow and shaken American allies are seeking new warheads as President Trump ends more than a half century of nuclear arms control with Russia.

By David E. Sanger and William J. Broad

David E. Sanger and William J. Broad have covered nuclear proliferation and arms control for The Times for more than four decades.

• Feb. 5, 2026Updated 8:45 a.m. ET

Ombudsman Intervenes in Chios Tragedy

 

NEWSROOM

The Greek Ombudsman, in an announcement, highlights to the Hellenic Coast Guard Headquarters the need for an impartial and thorough investigation of the collision incident between a Coast Guard vessel and a migrant boat in Chios, which resulted in 15 deaths, and stresses that it will review the completeness of the inquiry once it concludes with its report.

Don’t Look Now, But Dems Are Winning the DHS-Funding Fight

Whether they’ll recognize it as a victory is another question.
Andrew Egger and Jim Swift'

Feb 04, 2026

If you’re stressed out at work this week, console yourself that you’re handling it a bit better than Justice Department attorney Julie Le, who told a Minnesota federal judge yesterday she’s been so overwhelmed by the immigration-related habeas corpus motions assigned to her that she’d like to be held in contempt just so she could get some sleep. “The system sucks,” she said, according to local news. “This job sucks.” That’s something we can all agree on. Happy Wednesday.

US, Iran to hold talks in Oman on Friday

CONFLICTSIRAN

Dmytro Hubenko with AFP, Reuters

Deutsche Welle 7 hours ago7 hours ago

Despite disagreements over the possible agenda, US and Iranian officials confirmed that the countries will hold talks in Oman.

Iranian and US officials confirmed on Wednesday that a meeting between their countries would be held in Muscat, the capital of Oman, on Friday.

Supreme Court allows California to use new voting map boosting Democrats

Lisa Lambert

The US Supreme Court has cleared the way for California to use a new voting map that favours Democrats, paving the way for the party to gain up to five congressional seats this year.

Welcome to the Resistance, Public School Parents

Opinion

Feb. 4, 2026, 9:00 a.m. ET

By Jessica Grose

Opinion Writer

The terror for children, parents, and teachers in Minnesota started even before Operation Metro Surge sent thousands of heavily armed, masked federal agents into the streets. The school year began with a shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in South Minneapolis, where two children died and at least 24 others were injured. Local families barely had time to process those deaths — only five years after the killing of George Floyd rocked their city — before their daily lives were upended by the chaotic presence of federal officers harassing citizens under the guise of immigration enforcement.

‘We Are Going to Live With Scars’: Yair Golan’s Battle for a Two-State Solution

To many Israelis, he’s a war hero. To others, he’s a traitor guilty of “blood libel.” Can Yair Golan change politics in Israel?

By Ruth Margalit

Feb. 4, 2026

Updated 1:06 p.m. ET

On a sweltering day last August, the Israeli politician Yair Golan hopped onto a makeshift stage perched on a van outside the Knesset building in Jerusalem. Golan, 63, is a slim man with cropped hair that has recently turned white and deep-set eyes that constantly dart around. He has the straight-armed, straight-backed gait of a former general, which he is. Around him, hundreds of red-faced protesters had assembled in the heat, shouting slogans that displayed the various demands of the Israeli opposition: “Enough killing!” “Democracy!” “Hostages above everything!” Golan appeared to be the only person who had not broken a sweat.

'We are ready to talk' - US news anchor Savannah Guthrie pleads for return of her abducted mother

Christal Hayes
US news anchor Savannah Guthrie has posted a video message tearfully pleading for the return of her abducted mother and seeking proof from her captors that the 84-year-old is still alive.

In Counting the Dead in Iran, a Picture of Ferocity

Opinion

Guest Essay

Feb. 4, 2026, 1:00 a.m. ET

By Scott Anderson

Mr. Anderson is the author of "King of Kings,” an account of the Iranian revolution.

It’s been a trying time for the Islamic Republic of Iran

Over the past two years, its regional proxy allies have been severely weakened by the Israeli military. Add to that a 12-day bombing campaign against Iran conducted by the United States and Israel in June. The regime suffered a body blow last month when large-scale street protests over the nation’s economic collapse quickly transformed into calls for the government’s overthrow. For a moment, it appeared the protesters might be gaining the upper hand. Then came the state’s brutal crackdown.