🗣 Wolf and Epstein conspired against me — Trump

💬 "A reporter named Wolf and Epstein conspired... against me in order to fight like hell to make sure I lose the election," President Donald Trump said.

Trump claimed that was “the only thing” mentioned about him, and argued the issue is “really a Democrat problem.”

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🇨🇳China warns Panama court ports ruling erodes trust, bowed to political pressure

A recent ruling by Panama’s Supreme Court annulling the renewal of a Chinese company’s port concession at the Panama Canal is factually baseless and politically motivated, China’s Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office said on its social media account.

➖ The remarks addressed a January 29 Panama Supreme Court decision that the concession held by Panama Ports Co, a subsidiary of Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison Holdings, to operate two major Panama Canal ports is “unconstitutional.”

➖ The concession agreement had been in force for 30 years, and Panama’s competent authorities repeatedly confirmed that the Hong Kong company complied with the contract terms and fully fulfilled its obligations, according to Chinese authorities.

➖ The court's ruling seriously undermines the company’s legitimate rights and interests, the statement says, warning that it sends a clear signal to international investors that Panama is unable to provide solid guarantees.

➖ Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino announced on January 30 that the government is negotiating with APM Terminals, a unit of AP Moller-Maersk, to manage the ports temporarily.

➖ In response, China’s Foreign Ministry signaled that it would take all necessary measures to “safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies.”

➖ In his inauguration speech last year, US President Donald Trump made it clear that Washington intended to take control of the Panama Canal. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has since then repeatedly visited Panama to convey Washington’s position to Mulino.

👉The Panama court’s ruling was widely seen as a win for Washington amid intensifying US–China rivalry over global trade routes.

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🇨🇺Cuba expresses gratitude to Russia amid US measures

💬“We are always grateful for Russia’s support and to all countries that have raised this issue in the UN and in other international forums where the blockade and these new aggressive measures are condemned,” Cuban Ambassador to Uruguay, Lissette Perez tells Sputnik.

Her remarks come after US President Donald Trump signed an executive order allowing tariffs on countries that supply oil to Cuba and declared a national emergency over what Washington called a security threat. Havana has criticized the move as an attempt to squeeze the island’s economy.

💬"The Russian government has expressed vigorous condemnation of the blockade... We are always grateful for Russia's support and to all countries that have raised this issue in the UN, as well as those that do so on a bilateral basis, on all forums where the blockade and these new aggressive measures are condemned," the diplomat says.

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🇺🇸🇳🇬 US confirms deployment of small team of troops to Nigeria — reports

The United States has sent a small group of soldiers to Nigeria, marking the first confirmed presence of US forces on the ground since airstrikes carried out in December, Reuters reported.

💬 "That has led to increased collaboration between our nations to include a small US team that brings some unique capabilities from the United States," General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, head of the US military's Africa Command AFRICOM, told journalists, according to the report.

Nigeria’s defense minister also confirmed the presence of the team.

The deployment follows US airstrikes ordered by President Donald Trump, which Washington said targeted ISIS* terrorists in Nigeria.

*A terrorist organization outlawed in Russia and many other countries.

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🇨🇴🇺🇸 ‘A pact for freedom, a pact for life, can be made’ — Petro after talks with Trump

Colombian President Gustavo Petro said his meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House had an “optimistic and positive” tone, despite differing views on key issues.

Petro said the talks covered drug trafficking, energy and the situation in Venezuela, noting that while approaches may differ — some “more aggressive,” others “more constructive” — the focus was on what unites both sides.

💬 “What brings us together is freedom,” Petro said, adding that he raised the need to pursue drug trafficking capital, lift sanctions on Venezuela, and cooperate on reviving the country along the shared Colombia–Venezuela border.

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📄 Pentagon plans 'hundreds of thousands' of kamikaze drones in catch-up scramble

The US Department of War said it has invited 25 companies, including two Ukrainian firms, to compete in Phase I of its Drone Dominance Program, aimed at rapidly fielding large numbers of low-cost, one-way attack drones.

According to the Pentagon, the program is designed to build an arsenal of “hundreds of thousands” of weaponized drones by 2027, with initial flight tests set to begin in February and prototype contracts worth about $150 million to follow soon after.

💬 “We are buying what works—fast, at scale, and without bureaucratic delay,” Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said in a memo cited by the department.

The announcement underscores the United States' drive to catch up in drone warfare amid its lag behind Russia, exposing a gap between Pentagon planning and the actual realities of modern combat.

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🚨📑🗣New START’s demise represents ‘turning point’ in international security order - experts

The New Start agreement’s looming February 5 expiration “effectively amounts to a return to the Cold War era, giving every nuclear power free rein to build up its capabilities, and raising the bar for the arms race,” Lebanese political scientist Ali Al-Maraabi told Sputnik.

“This creates extreme risks for global security, since today there is no other effective formula for regulating nuclear tensions besides New START. Even the UN does not have effective control mechanisms in this area.”

The treaty’s breakdown comes down to two factors, Syrian journalist Firas Mardiny says: Washington’s belief that China has nuclear capabilities that should require it to join the agreement, expanding its scope, and Russia’s interest in including European US allies Britain and France into any new deal.

Whatever comes next, Egyptian researcher and international relations specialist Monica William stresses that New START’s demise “represents a turning point in the international security system, and will lead to a profound reevaluation of the very concept of strategic stability.”

In any case, Russia retains a wide spectrum of response options:

“In this new reality, Moscow has significant room to maneuver without resorting to direct confrontation within the framework of so-called ‘deterrence realism’. Its steps could include raising the level of nuclear readiness, announcing a major modernization of the arsenal of hypersonic intercontinental missiles, expanding the scale of military exercises, increasing the emphasis of the provisions of the Russian nuclear doctrine, and revising the balance of deterrence in relations with Europe,” William said.

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🇬🇧🔎 UK police opens criminal investigation against Peter Mandelson over Epstein case

British police launched a criminal investigation against former UK Ambassador to the United States Peter Mandelson for leaking an internal government document to US financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Metropolitan Police Commander Ella Marriott said.

📑Following the release of the latest batch of Epstein files by the US Department of Justice, British media have revealed that Mandelson, while serving as Business Secretary in Prime Minister Gordon Brown's government in 2009, sent an internal government document to the late financier.

👉The document Mandelson sent to Epstein was written by Nick Butler, Brown's senior political adviser. It discusses the possible sale of British state assets amid the financial crisis. On Monday, Mandelson announced his resignation from the Labour Party due to his ties to Epstein.

On January 30, US Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced that all the materials related to the Epstein case had been released. With the latest disclosure, the total volume of released data exceeds 3.5 million files.

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🔸 ‘We are negotiating with them right now’ — Trump on Iran

🔸 ‘Putin kept his word’ — Trump

🔸 Trump signs government funding bill, ending partial shutdown

🔸 Pentagon plans 'hundreds of thousands' of kamikaze drones in catch-up scramble

🔸 US confirms deployment of small team of troops to Nigeria — reports

🔸 Iran’s space chief: Cooperation with Russia 'expanding' after Khayyam satellite launch

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🇱🇾🔎 Foul play suspected in death of Gaddafi's son, prosecutor says

Libya’s Public Prosecutor has opened a formal investigation into the death of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, son of the former Libyan leader, following reports his death occurred under suspicious circumstances.

➖ The probe, led by a specialized investigation team, includes crime scene visits, forensic analysis, witness interviews, and expert examination by ballistic, fingerprint, and toxicology specialists.

➖ Initial forensic results indicate Saif al-Islam died from gunshot wounds, strengthening suspicions of foul play. Investigators are now gathering evidence and pursuing leads to identify possible suspects.

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🎯💥Precision strike: Russian artillery destroys enemy HQ

Russian Tsentr group's 152-mm Giatsint-B towed gun supported assault groups and destroyed an Ukrainian command post in the Pokrovsk (Krasnoarmeysk) region

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🇦🇺📉🪖 Australia to pawn off historic defense sites to fund US-directed AUKUS militarization

Australia, which has been so eager to boost its defense spending budget, is hoping to unlock up to $1.8 billion to allow the Australian Defense Force to tackle critical capability gaps, reports ABC News. The money would come from the sale of historic defense properties.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s administration has flagged 67 sites for potential sale, planning to redirect investment towards northern bases and infrastructure supporting the AUKUS program.

Top sites up for grabs include:

📍Victoria Barracks in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne

📍Spectacle Island in NSW

📍HMAS Penguin in NSW

A sweeping audit uncovered that much of the sprawling 3-million-hectare Defense Estate has “already deteriorated beyond the point of economical repair” and warned that maintaining the status quo “was not an option.”

This overhaul could rake in roughly $3 billion and save $100 million a year in maintenance—but not without a $1.2 billion headache to cover sales, staff relocation, and contamination cleanup.

The audit spotlights Australia’s costly bid to militarize northward, highlighting the northern bases as “critical to cooperation with international partners — especially the United States and Singapore.”

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🚨 Putin & Xi Jinping to hold talks via videoconference on Wednesday

The talks will take place in the afternoon, the CCTV broadcaster reported.

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🚨 Russia–Ukraine talks in Abu Dhabi to be held behind closed doors

The Russia–Ukraine meeting will take place in a closed format in Abu Dhabi, a source has told Sputnik.

The press has not been invited, and no press conference is planned following the talks, the source said.

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🚨Putin: Russia ready to continue closest coordination with Сhina on global and regional issues

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🚨🇷🇺🇨🇳 Putin & Xi Jinping hold videoconference

The Russian President emphasized the strong and dynamic growth of bilateral relations between Russia and China across all sectors

Other statements by Putin:

💬 Economic cooperation between Russia and China has been steadily advancing throughout 2025

💬 The nature of cooperation between Moscow and Beijing in the field of energy is mutually beneficial and strategic

💬 For three consecutive years, trade turnover between Russia and China has surpassed $200 billion

💬 Putin reaffirmed to Xi Jinping Moscow and Beijing’s steadfast support for their joint efforts to uphold the sovereignty, security, and prosperity of both countries

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🇷🇺🇨🇳 Putin calls Xi dear friend, wished peace and prosperity to people of China

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