Europe

• Ukraine: thousands without electricity as peace talks continue 5 February 2026
  Renewed Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure have left millions without power during freezing winter conditions. Volodymyr Zelensky said more than two hundred repair crews are working around the clock in Kyiv, where over 1,100 apartment buildings remain without electricity. Elsewhere, cluster munition strikes in eastern towns such as Druzhkivka…
• Norway: crown princess’s son on trial for rape 5 February 2026
  The trial of Marius Borg Høiby, who is the son of crown princess Mette-Marit, has opened in Oslo, drawing national attention. The court heard emotional testimony from the first woman who alleges she was raped at a party in 2018, describing fragmented memory and distress at being drawn into a…
• Greece: smugglers blamed for fifteen deaths after speedboat collision 5 February 2026
  The deaths of fifteen Afghan and Moroccan migrants after a speedboat collision on 3 February with a coastguard boat have raised troubling questions about accountability at sea. The Greek authorities were quick to blame smugglers, saying the migrant vessel ignored warnings and manoeuvred dangerously. Yet critics urge caution, pointing to…
• Russia: new report estimates over one million casualties in Ukraine war 29 January 2026
  A new report from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies estimates that around 1.2 million Russian troops have been killed, wounded or gone missing since the invasion of Ukraine nearly four years ago. Despite this enormous human cost, Russia has expanded its control of Ukrainian territory by only about…
• Russia: the Arctic is both opportunity and threat for Putin 29 January 2026
  The Arctic occupies a central place in Vladimir Putin’s strategic thinking, combining vast natural resources with critical military importance. Russia controls more than half of the Arctic coastline and sees the Northern Sea route as a future rival to the Suez Canal, especially as melting ice opens new shipping lanes.…