Family Tragedy

Business

Alibaba Bets Big on AI with $431 Million Lunar New Year Push, Escalating Tech Rivalry

Alibaba Group has announced a massive 3 billion yuan ($431 million) campaign to promote its Qwen AI app during the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday, significantly outpacing similar efforts by rivals Tencent and Baidu. The move intensifies a high-stakes battle for user adoption in China's rapidly evolving artificial intelligence sector.

Feb 2, 2026

US

Stephanopoulos Grills DOJ's Blanche Over WSJ Report on Trump-Linked Crypto Firm's $500M Deal With UAE Adviser

In a tense Sunday interview, ABC's George Stephanopoulos confronted Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche about a Wall Street Journal investigation revealing a major investment by a UAE security official into a cryptocurrency company founded by Donald Trump.

Feb 2, 2026

US

Pope Leo XIV Urges Dialogue as Tensions Rise Between U.S. and Cuba

The American-born pontiff has issued a public plea for peace amid reports of a covert U.S. plan to destabilize Cuba's government, marking his latest critique of Trump-era foreign policy.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Latin America's Trade Dilemma: Balancing Consumer Demand and Industry Survival Amid Chinese Export Surge

As Chinese exports, from electric vehicles to e-commerce parcels, flood Latin American markets, governments are walking a tightrope between protecting domestic industries and satisfying consumer demand for affordable goods, all while navigating deepening economic ties with Beijing.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

HSBC Doubles Down on Hong Kong Investment Banking Amid Strategic Pivot

HSBC Holdings is aggressively rebuilding its investment banking operations in Hong Kong and key Asian hubs, reallocating senior talent and capital to capture growth in IPOs and capital markets, as its strategic focus shifts decisively eastward.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Pakistan Launches Major Counter-Insurgency Operation After Coordinated Balochistan Attacks Leave Dozens Dead

Pakistani security forces have killed 145 militants in a large-scale, two-day military operation across Balochistan, officials said Sunday. The offensive was launched in response to a wave of coordinated assaults by separatist fighters that killed nearly 50 people, marking one of the deadliest escalations in the restive province in recent years.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Swiss New Year's Bar Fire Death Toll Climbs to 41 as Teenager Succumbs to Injuries

The death toll from a devastating fire at a New Year's Eve bar in the Swiss Alps resort of Crans-Montana has risen to 41 after an 18-year-old victim died from his injuries, marking one of the nation's worst peacetime tragedies.

Feb 2, 2026

World

When Venus Became a Target: The WWII Incident Where the U.S. Navy Mistook a Planet for a Japanese Balloon Bomb

Amid the tense atmosphere of World War II, a routine night watch escalated into a bizarre engagement when U.S. Navy gunners, convinced they were under attack by a Japanese balloon weapon, opened fire on an unexpected celestial intruder: the planet Venus.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Portugal Unveils €2.5 Billion Lifeline for Storm-Battered Communities

The Portuguese government has launched a massive financial aid package, combining loans and direct support, to accelerate recovery from the deadly Storm Kristin which left a trail of destruction across the country last week.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Judge Orders Release of Five-Year-Old Detained by ICE, Condemns 'Cruel' Pursuit of Deportation Quotas

A five-year-old boy and his father have been released from immigration detention after a federal judge sharply criticized ICE's tactics, accusing the agency of a 'perfidious lust for unbridled power' in a case that has ignited national outrage.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Khartoum Airport Reopens for Scheduled Flights After Two-Year War Hiatus

A Sudan Airways flight from Port Sudan touched down in the capital, marking a tentative step toward reconnecting a nation fractured by conflict.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Rafah Crossing Reopens for Limited Traffic After Two-Year Shutdown, Marking Fragile Ceasefire Milestone

The vital Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt has partially reopened for a trial period, allowing a restricted number of Palestinian civilians to cross. This move implements a key provision of the U.S.-mediated ceasefire, though severe limitations and high costs cast doubt on its immediate humanitarian impact.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Venezuela Frees Rights Activist Javier Tarazona in Sweeping Prisoner Release Initiative

Prominent Venezuelan human rights defender Javier Tarazona has been released after over four years in detention on charges widely condemned as politically motivated, as the government announces a new amnesty law and the U.S. re-engages diplomatically.

Feb 2, 2026

World

West Bank Tensions Escalate as Israeli Forces Order Bedouin Expulsion, Settlers Target Schools

Israeli authorities have issued expulsion orders to a Bedouin community near Ramallah, while settler attacks on schools and homes intensify across the occupied West Bank, further constricting Palestinian living space.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Minnesota Boy, 5, Returns Home After ICE Detention Sparks Legal and Political Firestorm

A five-year-old boy and his father are back in Minnesota following their release from a Texas immigration detention facility, a case a federal judge called the result of an 'ill-conceived' pursuit of deportation quotas that traumatizes children.

Feb 2, 2026

World

U.S. Accuses Cuba of Harassment After Protesters Confront Top Diplomat

Washington has formally accused Havana of orchestrating intimidation tactics against its chief envoy, following a series of heated public confrontations that underscore escalating bilateral tensions.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Rafah Crossing to Partially Reopen Monday Amid Lingering Fears and Unmet Aid Needs

Israel announces a limited, security-heavy reopening of Gaza's Rafah crossing with Egypt, allowing some medical evacuations while concerns mount over aid access and the safety of returnees.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Costa Rica Votes Amidst Rising Crime and Disillusionment: A Nation's Social Fabric at a Crossroads

As Costa Ricans cast their ballots this Sunday, the election is defined by unprecedented security fears, economic inequality, and widespread political disenchantment, challenging the country's long-held identity as a peaceful and stable democracy.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Venezuela Frees Over 30 Detainees Amid Amnesty Push, Rights Groups Report

Venezuela has released more than 30 individuals classified as political prisoners, according to a leading rights organization. The move follows the government's announcement of a proposed amnesty law and comes amid mounting international pressure and domestic calls for faster action.

Feb 2, 2026

US

Lawsuit Alleges Elite Brooklyn School Ignored Warnings About Predatory Teacher

Two teens have filed a federal lawsuit against Saint Ann's School, claiming administrators failed to act on multiple red flags about a former teacher who coerced nude photos from them and later threatened to distribute the images.

Feb 2, 2026