Politics

Reforms coming into force in April will make unpaid additional maternity, shared parental and adoption leave automatically pensionable and will require statutory reporting of gender pension gap data for the Local Government Pension Scheme, affecting nearly seven million members.

Federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment naming journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort over reporting on a January 18 protest at a St. Paul church; a federal magistrate judge had previously declined to sign an arrest warrant for Lemon and a judge said there was no evidence he engaged in criminal behavior.

Officials said multiple suicide and gun attacks across Balochistan left at least 33 people dead while security forces reported killing 92 assailants; the Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility.

London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway transferred to public ownership on 1 February, marking the halfway point toward the planned launch of Great British Railways; they join c2c, South Western Railways and Greater Anglia.

New polling finds 45% of parents prioritise primary schools that offer free breakfast clubs, and over 300,000 children are set to benefit from the Best Start programme in April.

Five-year-old Liam Ramos was seized by ICE on January 20, 2026 as he left school; a federal judge later ruled the detention unconstitutional and he and his father were released.

Egyptian and Israeli officials said the Rafah crossing reopened on Monday for a small number of passengers, with about 50 Palestinians allowed to cross in each direction on the first day and no goods permitted to enter.

Thousands of immigrant parents in Minneapolis say they are staying home and arranging Delegations of Parental Authority after federal immigration officers were deployed; a judge ordered the release of a detained five-year-old boy.

Hospitals in Gaza reported that Israeli strikes killed at least 12 people, including women and children. The strikes occurred a day before a southern border crossing is expected to open.

A Russian drone strike hit a bus carrying mineworkers in Dnipro, killing at least 12 people and injuring seven, authorities and the company DTEK reported; the same day, Ukraine said US-brokered talks with Russia were delayed until 4–5 February in Abu Dhabi.

Erfan Soltani, 26, who was arrested on January 8 on charges including propaganda and acting against national security, has been released on bail after about three weeks and reportedly had his belongings returned.

Ukrainian officials said a Russian drone strike killed at least 12 miners, and Kyiv has rescheduled trilateral peace talks while planned outages strain the power grid amid severe cold.

Erfan Soltani was reported to have been released on bail after earlier reports said he faced a possible death sentence; Iran's judiciary denied a death sentence and said he faces security-related charges carrying prison terms only.

Hundreds of Minnesota businesses closed in a coordinated economic strike and organised rallies to protest the presence and operations of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement; the Department of Homeland Security says thousands of federal officers have been deployed and has reported about 10,000 arrests.

Erfan Soltani was released on bail after his 8 January arrest, his lawyer told AFP; a two billion toman bail was paid for his release.

Forty-six families have launched a civil case after allegations about a nursery worker led to a Metropolitan Police inquiry; around 700 children who attended the nursery during the period have been contacted and are receiving specialist support.

A five-year-old boy and his father who had been detained by US immigration authorities have returned to Minnesota after being released from the Dilley detention center in Texas, a congressman said; a US judge ordered their release on Saturday.

Officials reported a Russian drone struck near a shuttle bus carrying DTEK mine workers in Dnipropetrovsk region, killing at least 12 and wounding seven.

Javier Tarazona was released from prison after Venezuela's government announced an amnesty bill to free political prisoners; rights groups say about 310 people have been freed so far while roughly 700 remain detained.

Prosecutors say seven deaths at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital are under investigation after a public inquiry heard evidence of serious infections; the Crown Office has pledged to keep families informed.

Pope Leo called for "sincere and effective dialogue" to avoid violence after President Trump announced planned tariffs on imports from countries supplying Cuba with oil.

The Justice Department released about 3 million Epstein-related files while saying some pages were withheld; survivors' attorneys say flawed redactions have exposed victims' identities and are demanding further review.

A federal judge ordered the release by 3 February of five-year-old Liam Ramos and his father, who were held by ICE in San Antonio; the family says they came from Ecuador in 2024 to seek asylum.

Federal immigration raids in Minneapolis have led one Mexican family to remain inside their home for weeks, and the article reports earlier fatal incidents involving federal agents during the recent operations.

Exiled Tibetans in 27 countries began voting for a government-in-exile to select parliamentary candidates and a leader, with a final round set for April 26 and results due May 13; China condemned the elections as a "farce."

More than five million Afghans have returned since September 2023, and in Bamiyan families were given new houses financed by UNHCR on land provided by local authorities but lack running water, nearby services and steady work.

A US envoy said he held constructive talks with a Russian envoy in Florida; Ukrainian and Russian negotiators were due to meet in Abu Dhabi the next day to discuss a US-backed plan.

A federal judge ordered the release of five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father from an ICE family facility and barred their transfer pending release; their immigration case will continue in federal court.

Stephen A. Smith criticized the arrest of journalist Don Lemon and framed it as a threat to press freedom. Lemon was released without bail after being federally indicted over a January church protest and his lawyers say he will plead not guilty.

The Scottish Government has announced an additional £3.4 million to improve access to neurodevelopmental support for children, young people and families, including more than £1 million for direct family support and digital services.