Russian representatives joined discussions in Florida aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war and establishing peace. On Saturday afternoon, Kirill Dmitriev, a top economic envoy of Russian President Vladimir Putin, met with US officials to advance President Donald Trump’s proposed peace plan. Dmitriev confirmed his arrival in Miami through a social media post but did not specify which American representatives attended the meeting.

The meeting took place one day before Ukrainian and Russian negotiators were scheduled to meet in Abu Dhabi to continue talks on the US-supported peace initiative. Earlier, Dmitriev had met Trump’s special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Davos in January and held similar discussions in Miami last December. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had recently suggested that the Abu Dhabi talks might be delayed due to the US-Iran crisis.

According to Washington, both sides are close to reaching an agreement, though Kyiv stated that no compromise has yet been found on the key territorial issues of postwar settlement.

Egyptian-American entrepreneur Abdul Elenani has gained attention in New York for his Palestinian restaurant chain 'Ayat', named after his Palestinian-American wife, Ayat Masoud. The first branch opened in Brooklyn’s Bay Ridge in 2020, following the closure of his earlier outlets during the COVID-19 pandemic. The restaurant serves traditional Palestinian and regional dishes, including 'Maqluba', based on recipes from Masoud’s mother.

Since its launch, 'Ayat' has expanded to seven locations in Manhattan and one in New Jersey, with new branches planned in Washington D.C., Dallas, and Philadelphia. The Dallas branch is scheduled to open by the end of January. Elenani said the restaurant aims to share Palestinian culture and cuisine while raising awareness about Palestine’s identity.

According to the report, 'Ayat' became more widely recognized during Israel’s assault on Gaza, as public support for Palestine increased. Many customers who were previously unfamiliar with the term 'Palestine' learned about its culture through the restaurant’s food and story.

Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev stated that European nations have failed to defeat Russia in Ukraine. In an interview cited by TRT World, he said Europe’s attempt to weaken Russia has instead caused severe damage to its own economy. Medvedev remarked that Europe has surprised him by undermining the very foundations of its existence, calling the situation astonishing.

He added that European powers sought to impose a strategic defeat on Russia but achieved nothing in that effort. During the same interview, Medvedev praised U.S. President Donald Trump as a leader who seeks peace. When asked whether Trump is positive or negative for Russia, Medvedev responded that the American people chose him and that Moscow respects that decision.

The comments reflect Russia’s continued criticism of Western policies toward the Ukraine conflict and highlight Moscow’s view that European sanctions and strategies have backfired economically.

The U.S. Department of Justice released millions of new documents on Friday, January 30, related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The files have drawn global attention for naming several influential figures and institutions, including former U.S. President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The revelations have reportedly caused renewed discomfort for the Clintons as the documents detail alleged links between Epstein, his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, and Clinton’s staff.

According to a BBC report cited in the source, the release coincides with preparations in the U.S. House of Representatives to hold a vote on contempt of Congress charges against the Clintons for allegedly ignoring subpoenas in the Epstein investigation. The Republican-controlled House has seen growing debate on the issue, with some Democratic members also reportedly supporting the move.

The documents further claim that Bill Clinton traveled on Epstein’s private jet at least 16 times between 2001 and 2004 and that there were regular communications between Maxwell and Clinton’s staff regarding travel, dinners, and social events.

A training aircraft crashed in Russia’s Orenburg region on Monday, February 2, killing three people, according to the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations. The ministry said the aircraft, a Diamond DA model operated by Saint Petersburg State University of Civil Aviation, went down near the city of Orsk during a training flight. The victims included one instructor and two cadets, all of whom died at the scene.

The ministry’s statement added that the crash occurred in the village of Zhanatalap, near Orsk. When emergency rescuers arrived, there was no fire, but all three occupants had already died. The ministry did not provide any information regarding the possible cause of the accident.

According to the Orenburg governor and the regional government’s press service, local authorities will provide assistance to the families of the deceased.

U.S. President Donald Trump has directed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) not to intervene in protests taking place in Democrat-controlled cities unless those cities formally request federal assistance. The order followed nationwide demonstrations that erupted after two Americans were killed in Minneapolis during an incident involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. Trump issued the directive on Saturday and announced it through a post on his social media platform, Truth Social.

According to the statement, Trump instructed DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to ensure that federal agencies refrain from intervening in local protests unless asked for help. However, he clarified that ICE and Border Patrol officers would continue protecting federal buildings. Trump also warned that any attacks on federal officers, vehicles, or property would face serious consequences, emphasizing that federal courts and facilities must not be harmed.

The directive highlights Trump’s stance on limiting federal involvement in local unrest while maintaining strict protection of federal assets and personnel.

In early January, the United States conducted a special operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, who is now facing trial in a US court. During a Senate hearing on Wednesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the operation, describing it as lawful and strategically necessary. Rubio argued that the mission did not constitute an act of war under the US Constitution and that Maduro’s continued rule posed a major strategic risk to the United States.

Several senators, including Republican Rand Paul, opposed the operation. Paul questioned what the US response would be if a similar action were taken against an American president, such as Donald Trump, and whether such an act would be considered a declaration of war. He asserted that if a foreign power abducted a US president, he would support war despite being anti-war.

The exchange between Rubio and Paul highlighted growing divisions within Congress over the use of military force and regime-change strategies abroad, reflecting deepening debate on the limits of executive power in foreign interventions.

US President Donald Trump said Washington has not shared its plans on the Iran issue with Gulf allies. Speaking to Fox News on Saturday, he stated that the United States cannot disclose its strategy. Trump added that Iran is in communication with the US, and the outcome of those talks remains uncertain.

His remarks were later posted on the social media platform X, where he revealed that Washington is sending a “massive naval fleet” toward the region. According to Trump, this deployment is larger than the force sent before a previous US military operation in Venezuela, during which President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were detained.

Trump acknowledged that discussions with Tehran are ongoing but said it is unclear what results they will yield. He recalled that during earlier talks, Iran’s nuclear program had to be halted by the US, but that effort was unsuccessful, prompting alternative measures.

The United States federal government has entered a shutdown for the second time in three months due to complications in passing a funding bill. According to AFP, the proposed spending package for various government sectors failed to receive final approval before the deadline. The bill passed the Senate but did not reach the House of Representatives by midnight Saturday, triggering the shutdown.

The political standoff comes amid heightened tensions following the death of a U.S. citizen, Alex Pretty, during an anti-immigration operation in Minnesota. President Donald Trump, in his second term since January 2025, had signed executive orders intensifying immigration crackdowns and increasing the Homeland Security budget, moves strongly opposed by Democrats. Republicans hold a majority in the Senate, while Democrats control the House, where opposition leader Chuck Schumer warned against approving the bill without budget revisions.

Political analysts cited in the report suggest that a bipartisan compromise could be reached within the week, potentially ending the shutdown by next week.

The US Department of Justice has released millions of documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, marking the largest public disclosure by the government on the case. The release includes about three million pages, 180,000 photos, and 2,000 videos, coming six weeks after the expiration of a law signed by President Donald Trump. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the publication completed a long verification process to ensure transparency and compliance with the law.

The documents mention Donald Trump hundreds of times, including unverified allegations collected by the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center. The Justice Department stated that some of these claims were false and politically motivated, submitted before the 2020 election. Trump has denied any wrongdoing or knowledge of Epstein’s crimes, and no victims have accused him of offenses. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates was also named in the files, with his spokesperson dismissing related claims as “completely false.”

The release also includes emails between Epstein and British figures, including one believed to be Prince Andrew, though no criminal conduct was indicated. Democrats have alleged that around 250,000 documents remain withheld without justification, despite the Justice Department’s claim that its review process is complete.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that Iran is likely to pursue a negotiated agreement rather than face potential American military action. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump stated that he believes Iran wants a deal and confirmed he has set a timeline for talks, though he declined to share details. He also mentioned the presence of a large U.S. naval flotilla moving toward Iranian waters and expressed hope that an agreement could be reached.

According to AFP, Tehran has warned that its nuclear and missile programs will never be subjects of negotiation. Trump further noted that he had learned Iran recently decided not to execute protesters, a move human rights groups suggested could indicate Tehran’s willingness to engage in dialogue after reports of thousands of deaths during unrest.

The remarks come as both nations maintain a tense standoff, with U.S. military deployments signaling pressure and Iran signaling limits on what it is willing to discuss.

Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Ali Larijani, head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, in Moscow on Friday, according to the Kremlin. The meeting took place as tensions between Iran and the United States continue to escalate. The Kremlin confirmed that Putin welcomed Larijani, while Iran’s embassy in Moscow stated that the two discussed bilateral economic relations and key regional and international issues, though no further details were disclosed.

Russia’s state news agency RIA Novosti reported that the visit had not been announced in advance and that Moscow has offered to mediate between Washington and Tehran. The meeting comes amid heightened friction between the US and Iran, with US President Donald Trump recently announcing that a “massive armada” was moving toward Iran and urging Tehran to return to negotiations.

The undisclosed details of the discussions suggest that Moscow may be seeking a diplomatic role in easing regional tensions, though the immediate outcomes of the meeting remain unclear.

The United States has approved major arms sales worth several billion dollars to both Israel and Saudi Arabia, citing heightened tensions surrounding Iran in the Middle East. Washington announced the decision on Friday. According to the US State Department, the deal with Israel includes 30 Apache attack helicopters valued at $3.8 billion, along with $1.8 billion in joint light tactical vehicles. The approval came shortly after a fragile ceasefire in Gaza. The State Department reaffirmed that ensuring Israel’s security remains closely tied to US national interests.

In a separate agreement, the US also authorized the sale of about $9 billion in weapons to Saudi Arabia, including 730 Patriot missiles designed to intercept aerial attacks. The move follows last year’s Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites and widespread protests in Iran that led to heavy casualties. While Saudi Arabia is not a close ally of Iran, it has maintained a cautious stance to avoid direct conflict. Gulf nations fear that escalating instability could harm their business-friendly image.

Efforts by Saudi Arabia to normalize relations with Israel have stalled amid Israel’s ongoing military operations in Palestinian territories.

Hundreds of US military members, civilians, and their families have filed a civil lawsuit in a federal court in eastern Virginia against British American Tobacco (BAT) and one of its subsidiaries. The plaintiffs allege that BAT secretly supported North Korea for years, indirectly financing Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Hezbollah in developing weapons of mass destruction that caused harm to American citizens.

According to the complaint, BAT began producing cigarettes in North Korea in 2001 through a joint venture with a state-owned company. Although the firm announced its withdrawal in 2007 under international pressure, the US Department of Justice later said operations continued covertly through a subsidiary. A 2005 Guardian investigation first exposed the activity, and in 2023 a US Senate hearing revealed that about $418 million in transactions linked to BAT’s North Korea venture supported the country’s weapons program.

In 2023, BAT and its subsidiary reached a plea agreement with US authorities, admitting to sanctions violations and bank fraud, and agreed to pay $629 million in fines. The lawsuit claims funds from cigarette production and smuggling were used to aid attacks in Iraq and Kurdistan that killed and injured US personnel.

U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order initiating the process of imposing additional tariffs on countries that sell oil to Cuba. The order, reported by TRT World, does not specify the tariff rates or identify the targeted countries, leaving those decisions to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce. According to U.S. authorities, the move aims to pressure Cuba and protect American national security and foreign policy interests.

The executive order grants Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and Secretary of State Marco Rubio the authority to take all necessary steps to implement the tariffs. It also allows Trump to refrain from imposing measures if Cuba or oil-supplying nations take actions consistent with U.S. national security and foreign policy objectives.

Cuba, under U.S. sanctions since 1962, has relied heavily on oil imports from Venezuela. The report notes that the United States has effectively taken control of Venezuela’s oil exports after removing Havana’s key ally, Nicolás Maduro.