Major World Events by Morning of February 4 🟠The Wednesday Russian-Ukrainian talks in Abu Dhabi will be held behind closed doors, a source told Sputnik; 🟠‘We are negotiating with them right now,' Trump said regarding the situation in Iran; 🟠South Africa is holding a ceremony, which will result in South Africa achieving Class A shareholder status in Afreximbank; 🟠‘Putin kept his word’ on the partial ceasefire in Ukraine, which ended on February 1, Trump said; 🟠Putin and Xi Jinping will hold a video conference on Wednesday, China Central Television reported; 🟠Muammar Gaddafi's son was killed in Libya, according to officials; 🟠US confirmed the deployment of a small team of troops to Nigeria, according to reports; 🟠Nigerian police charged the former justice minister and his son with five terrorism-related and firearms offenses.

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.

🇺🇸/🇮🇱 U.S. Congress has passed the 2026 Defense Appropriations Bill, allocating over $4 billion in military assistance to Israel This includes approximately $3 billion in direct military aid, and $500 million for joint air defense systems including the Iron Dome. The bill also includes a ban on funding 'international bodies that act against Israel', such as UNRWA, the International Criminal Court, and the UN Human Rights Council.

Two interesting things: 🇷🇺/🇮🇷 WATCH: Newly acquired Russian Mil Mi-28 attack helicopters were seen conducting their first flights in Tehran today. Second is the information on the lost shahed 139 the US says it shot down : 🇮🇷 🇮🇷 IRGC source to Tasnim: 'An IRGC drone was conducting a lawful surveillance operation in international waters, successfully transmitting its information, until it lost contact. We are investigating the cause.'

🇮🇷/🇺🇸After the US shot down a Iranian drone — Iran has immediately sent another drone to monitor the USS Abraham Lincoln.

🇺🇸❌🇮🇷 An Iranian Shahed-139 drone was flying towards the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea and was shot down by a U.S. F-35 fighter jet, according to Reuters.

🇮🇷🇺🇸 Iran has demanded last-minute changes to the venue and format of planned negotiations with the U.S. scheduled for Friday, according to Axios. ➡️ Tehran is backing away from understandings reached in recent days after multiple countries had already been invited to take part. ➡️ Iran now wants the talks moved from Istanbul to Oman and insists the discussions be held strictly in a bilateral format with the U.S.

🇱🇧❌🇮🇱 — Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem: We must say "No" to the enemy (Israel) as much as we can, and not surrender, and confront him, because the pretext of neutralizing power is nothing but a prelude to ending our existence. They are occupying our land, and this land is ours, and this homeland is ours, along with our brothers, our loved ones, and everyone who lives in it. We will not accept giving up the land. The responsibility falls on everyone.

All news concerning Iran and Israel in relations to the US and attack is pure noise and a Psyop at this point. There is no honest independent news or journalism in the west as a source at the moment.

🇺🇸/🇮🇷/🇪🇬/🇹🇷/🇶🇦/🇸🇦/🇵🇰/🇴🇲 The meeting between Iran and the U.S. in Istanbul this Friday will be close to a 'regional summit', with attendance of the Turkish, Egyptian and Qatari Foreign Ministers, as well as Saudi, Pakistani and Omani delegations These countries all seek to prevent escalation between Iran and the United States, and are willing to act as mediators and guarantors of any deal. They have informed the U.S. that if they try to discuss Iran's ballistic missile program, Iran will immediately exit the talks. – Washington Post

🇷🇺 The Kremlin has not received any proposals from Jeffrey Epstein regarding a meeting with Vladimir Putin, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told RTVI in response to an inquiry. “No,” Peskov said. Putin’s name appears repeatedly in the Epstein files, mostly in the context of news articles that Epstein exchanged with various contacts. Epstein’s correspondence also indicates that he made several attempts to meet Putin, including in 2011 and 2014, but failed to secure a meeting.

This is so true, it's just one outrage after the other to destabilize organization of the people to fight back. View quoted note →

🇮🇷Defying earlier western media reports today, Iran's Deputy for International Affairs at the SNSC Ali Bagheri: Iran has no intention of transferring enriched uranium to any country, and the negotiations are not revolving around such a matter at all.

From Macron to British Ambassador: New Revelations in Jeffrey Epstein Case The latest disclosures include a diplomat's resignation, accounts of rituals, and confirmation of prolonged contact with high-profile figures. 🔸Former UK Ambassador to the US Leaves Labor Party: Peter Mandelson announced his departure after being dismissed in September 2025 due to his proven links with Epstein. 🔸Testimony Describes Violent Ritual Practices: Court documents contain an account from a victim who states she was subjected to a ritual involving cuts to her feet with an oriental saber. 🔸Macron and Norwegian Princess Frequently Mentioned: The French president appears over 200 times in the documents, including entire exchanges dedicated to his requests. In one email, Epstein claimed that Macron sought "unusual and elaborate ideas on almost any subject." Crown Princess Mette-Marit is cited over 1000 times. Contrary to official statements from the royal palace assuring all contact had ceased in 2013, her correspondence with the infamous financier continued at least until January 2014. 🔸Victims' Lawyers Seek Removal of Public Documents: They are filing a legal motion to shut down the US Department of Justice website, where the names and personal data of numerous victims are allegedly insufficiently protected. 🔸Trump stated he had "never been to Epstein Island, nor anywhere close," adding that he could not speak for Bill Clinton. ℹ️ On Friday, the US Department of Justice announced the publication of documents related to the Epstein case. The total volume of disclosed data exceeded 3.5 million files in total, including documents, emails, and photo and video material related to the investigation into sex trafficking crimes.

While trump lies and denies knowing Epstein, Europe at least has had 3 resignations so far. They should be going to jail but hey it's the Panama papers all over again. The three resignations are ⚡ Peter Mandelson, he quit the labour party. ⚡🇸🇪 the head of the Swedish Chair of the United Nations Human Rights Council Joanna Rubinstein Miroslav Lajčák (Slovakia): The national security adviser to Prime Minister Robert Fico and former foreign minister resigned on February 1, 2026.

🇮🇱❌🇱🇧– The IDF have begun an experimental operation using agricultural spraying aircraft to eliminate vegetation along the borders with Lebanon and Syria in order to strip away dense plant life that could provide cover for militants or infiltrators near the border fence ➡️UNIFIL forces reported today that the IDF requested they vacate areas near the Blue Line to allow the chemical spraying to proceed

Trump gives Peter Navarro and Steve Bannon praises

🇹🇷🇮🇱🇺🇸 Anti-United States of Israel protests in Istanbul, Turkey.

🇺🇸/🇮🇷/🇹🇷 NEW: After mediation from Turkey, Axios reports that Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi will meet U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in Istanbul this Friday Sources tell MES that a final decision to attend has not been made, as the Foreign Ministry has not yet gotten approval from the SNSC (which decides such matters). The same sources also stated that any negotiations would be purely about Iran's nuclear program; discussing ballistic missiles or support for Hezbollah and other regional groups is out of the question for the Iranians.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot says France refused to sign the new Peace Council Charter because it looks like a replacement for the UN: "It appears to be a substitute for the United Nations Charter. The charter of this Peace Council, of this "Peace Board," does not say "in accordance with the text of the United Nations Security Council, I will concentrate on Gaza." No. It says: "This Council is created forever with the vocation to deal with all issues of peace and security, whether in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, the Great Lakes, etc." So obviously, for us, that is not possible."