Thursday, February 5, 2026

World

Son of Norway’s Crown Princess gives evidence as rape trial continues

Marius Borg Høiby, the son of Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit, has given evidence in a high-profile rape trial where he faces 38 charges, including the alleged rape of four women. This ongoing case has drawn global attention and placed...

Ghana suspends citizenship process for people of African descent

Ghana has temporarily suspended citizenship applications for people of African descent, aiming to overhaul the process to make it more accessible and user-friendly. This move, announced by the Ministry of the Interior and the Diaspora Affairs Office, addresses complaints...

Shanties in a Lagos Lagoon: Bulldozed and Burnt

In a controversial urban clearance operation, the Lagos State government has demolished and set fire to thousands of waterfront shanties in the historic Makoko community, displacing over 10,000 residents and sparking outcry over alleged human rights abuses. The demolitions began...

Business & Economy

Disney names Josh D’Amaro as new chief executive

The Walt Disney Company is on the verge of appointing Josh D'Amaro, the head of its lucrative theme parks division, as the new chief executive officer, marking a significant leadership transition as longtime CEO Bob Iger prepares to step...

Gold and silver prices fall but FTSE 100 hits record high

Gold and silver prices plunged sharply on Monday, reversing a recent rally that had pushed them to record highs, while the UK's FTSE 100 stock index shrugged off the turmoil to close at a new record high. On Monday, gold...

Disney warns of hit from flagging foreign visits

Disney has cautioned that its U.S. amusement parks will face challenges in the coming months due to declining international visitors, but the company expects to offset this through domestic marketing and still projects modest growth in its parks business....

Entertainment & Culture

First Baby Elephant Born at Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Nearly 25 Years

In a landmark event for wildlife conservation, the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C., has welcomed its first Asian elephant calf in nearly 25 years. The female calf was born on February 2, 2026, at 1:15 a.m., to parents...

Melinda French Gates Reacts to Ex-Husband Bill Gates’ Epstein Files Allegations

Melinda French Gates has publicly responded to new details about her ex-husband, Bill Gates, in the recently released Jeffrey Epstein files, expressing profound sadness and calling for accountability from those involved. Her comments came in a preview of an...

Bald Jonah Hill is unrecognizable as he shows off beard and slim figure in new movie with Keanu Reeves

Jonah Hill has unveiled a striking new look, appearing slim and blond on the set of his latest film 'Cut Off,' a transformation that highlights his evolving career as a director and actor while reigniting conversations about body image...

Politics & Society

Who is Peter Mandelson, and why have his Epstein ties shaken the British establishment?

Peter Mandelson, a prominent British politician and former ambassador to the United States, has stepped down from the Labour Party following the release of new documents linking him to financial transactions with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, intensifying scrutiny...

Why is no-one being prosecuted over the Epstein files?

The U.S. Department of Justice released millions of pages from the Jeffrey Epstein files this week, sparking renewed scrutiny over why more individuals haven't been prosecuted for their roles in the sex trafficking scheme. Despite the trove of documents...

The Trump administration’s narrative on Alex Pretti killing collapses

The Trump administration's rushed account of the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a Minneapolis nurse, has unraveled as video evidence and subsequent official statements contradict initial claims that he was a domestic terrorist posing an imminent threat to federal...

Health & Environment

The Crown’ star Claire Foy says she had internal parasites for ‘at least five years’

Actress Claire Foy, best known for her role in 'The Crown,' recently revealed that she battled internal parasites for at least five years, a health ordeal that led her to quit caffeine entirely. She made the disclosure during an...

Why a beauty spot in South Africa could be about to run out of water

The picturesque town of Knysna, a jewel on South Africa's famed Garden Route, is facing an imminent water catastrophe that could see taps run dry within weeks. A combination of severe drought, crumbling infrastructure, and decades of neglect has...

Europe’s most closely watched town

Puerto Naos, a town on La Palma in Spain's Canary Islands, has become Europe's most closely monitored location due to an extensive network of over 1,300 carbon dioxide sensors installed after a volcanic eruption released hazardous gas levels. This...

Sports

NBA trade grades: Porzingis to Warriors for Kuminga, Davis to Wizards

The NBA trade deadline delivered blockbuster moves as the Golden State Warriors acquired Kristaps Porzingis and the Washington Wizards landed Anthony Davis in separate deals, reshaping the league's competitive landscape. The Warriors sent Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to...

Grading every NBA trade: Which teams have fared best?

As the NBA trade deadline approaches on Thursday, February 5, 2026, a series of significant transactions has reshaped team rosters, with analysts from ESPN and Yahoo Sports grading each deal to assess which franchises emerged as winners. The flurry...

Detroit Tigers Sign Framber Valdez to Three-Year, $115 Million Deal

The Detroit Tigers have made a significant splash in MLB free agency by signing left-handed pitcher Framber Valdez to a three-year, $115 million contract, a move that instantly upgrades their rotation as they aim to contend for the American...

Technology & Science

China bans hidden car door handles over safety concerns

China has officially banned hidden car door handles on electric vehicles, making it the first country to implement such a safety regulation. The move, finalized on February 2, 2026, requires all new EVs sold from January 1, 2027, to...

AI ‘slop’ is transforming social media – and a backlash is brewing

The rapid influx of AI-generated low-quality content, often called "slop," is fundamentally altering social media experiences, with a mounting backlash from users who are increasingly vocal about the prevalence of fake and unconvincing videos and images. This trend, driven...

BBC journalist on breaking up with her AI companion

BBC journalist Nicola Bryan's recent decision to end her interaction with an AI companion has highlighted the unexpected emotional depth of human-AI relationships. After several weeks of conversing with an AI named George, Bryan found herself surprisingly nervous about...