- Saif al-Islam Gaddafi Killed in Libya: The son of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, who was once considered the second most powerful person in the country, has reportedly been killed at age 53.
- Record Missile and Drone Attack on Ukraine: Russia launched a massive strike involving over 70 missiles and 450 drones, targeting energy infrastructure and leaving thousands without heating during -20°C temperatures.
- US Shoots Down Iranian Drone Amid Upcoming Talks: A US fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone that approached the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea, occurring just before scheduled negotiations between US and Iranian officials in Istanbul.
- Trump Proposes Nationalizing US Elections: President Trump stated that Republicans “should take over the voting” and suggested “nationalizing” American elections, which are currently administered by state and local officials.
- US and India Reach Initial Trade Deal: President Trump announced a deal to cut tariffs to 18% and claimed India has agreed to stop purchasing Russian oil in favor of US farm goods and other products.
- Clintons to Testify in Epstein Investigation: Bill and Hillary Clinton have agreed to provide depositions in late February for a House oversight committee investigation into Jeffrey Epstein.
- Norway’s Royal Family Faces Rape Trial: Marius Borg Høiby, the son of Norway’s Crown Princess, has pleaded not guilty to 38 charges, including four counts of rape, as his trial opens in Oslo.
- France Raids X Offices and Summons Elon Musk: Following a yearlong investigation into social media regulation and the Grok platform, French authorities raided X’s premises and summoned Elon Musk.
- Spain Plans Social Media Ban for Under-16s: Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced legislation to ban social media access for children under 16 to protect them from the “digital Wild West.”
- Notepad++ Compromised by State-Sponsored Hackers: The infrastructure hosting the open-source editor Notepad++ was breached by the China-linked “Lotus Blossom” group to deliver a backdoor malware codenamed Chrysalis.