Libre News of The World. Monday the 2nd of February 2026

Subscribe today so you never miss an episode! Today on Libre News of The World we covered a wide global sweep of developments: Canada faced renewed unity tensions after Alberta separatist discussions with U.S. officials (https://www.ft.com/content/7e8af6ea-6c04-4782-a19a-2708364a56e6), while the United States advanced a critical minerals trade pact with El Salvador reshaping regional supply chains. Central America saw alarm in Honduras after Donald Trump’s pardon of former president Juan Orlando Hernández (https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/feb/01/honduras-human-rights-environment-activists-impunity-juan-orlando-hernandez-pardon-trump). Chile battled deadly wildfires prompting a state of catastrophe, Argentina balanced deepening China ties amid reform pressures (https://www.batimes.com.ar/news/economy/milei-at-davos-hails-argentinas-china-ties-in-defence-of-trade.phtml), and China’s expanding global influence continued to reshape diplomacy (https://www.china-briefing.com/news/eu-china-relations-after-the-2024-european-elections-a-timeline/). Australia reached a renewable energy milestone (https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/australia-hits-new-renewable-milestone-over-50-2026-01-29/), New Zealand responded to a maritime emergency, and Japan prepared for a snap election. South Korea passed landmark AI regulation (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/29/south-korea-world-first-ai-regulation-laws), Vietnam set ambitious export targets (https://news.tuoitre.vn/vietnam-eyes-4546bn-in-monthly-exports-in-2026-amid-global-headwinds-103260130155313308.htm), and Africa confronted overlapping crises including mine collapses and political crackdowns. Turkey pushed energy expansion (https://www.dailysabah.com/business/energy/turkiye-plans-sweeping-energy-expansion-in-2026), Saudi Arabia adjusted Vision 2030 ambitions (https://www.arabnews.com/node/2629860/business-economy), Iran faced protests and international sanctions (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2026/1/29/live-iran-warns-of-quick-retaliation-as-trump-revives-us-threats), and Israel remained central to shifting Middle East security dynamics (https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/us-approves-major-new-arms-sales-israel-worth-129722092). Egypt assumed leadership of the African Union Peace and Security Council (https://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2026/01/31/egypt-assumes-au-peace-and-security-council-presidency-in-february-with-focus-on-sudan-somalia), France reset ties with Chad (https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2026/01/31/chadian-president-mahamat-idriss-deby-returns-to-paris_6749998_4.html), Italy and Spain were recognised for small retail innovation (https://www.brusselstimes.com/1943185/cities-in-italy-portugal-spain-named-2026-european-capitals-of-small-retail), and Spain welcomed the possibility of a future UK return to the EU (https://euroweeklynews.com/2026/01/31/spain-says-it-would-welcome-uk-back-into-european-union/). Portugal reeled from Storm Kristin (https://www.euronews.com/2026/01/29/six-dead-as-storm-kristin-wreaks-havoc-in-portugal-with-202-kmh-winds), Azerbaijan expanded energy exports to Europe (https://www.euronews.com/business/2026/01/26/azerbaijan-secures-two-new-energy-deals-with-europe), the United Kingdom entered an election-shaping year (https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-56123407), Scotland revived independence debate (https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-politics-64428002), Ireland boosted child benefits (https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2026/01/29/ireland-to-increase-child-benefit-payments-amid-cost-of-living-pressures/), Germany increased AI and defence spending (https://www.dw.com/en/germany-boosts-ai-tech-spending-and-defence-budget/a-61495872), Scandinavia showcased sustainable fashion leadership (https://www.vogue.com/article/6-key-takeaways-from-copenhagen-fashion-week), Iceland monitored volcanic risk at Svartsengi (https://www.icelandreview.com/news/reykjanes-eruption-could-begin-at-any-time-says-volcanologist/), Uzbekistan pursued growth and regional cooperation (https://trend.az/business/4148315.html), Russia expanded military positioning (https://united24media.com/latest-news/russia-appears-to-prepare-escalation-near-ukraine-what-satellite-images-reveal-15519), Ukraine endured winter outages while preparing peace talks (https://apnews.com/article/c4c3799925b83c2772bc49ca05d63140), and India sealed a landmark trade agreement with the European Union (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/1/27/india-eu-agree-on-mother-of-all-trade-deals). These news summaries were written using AI technology. While every effort has been made to ensure factual accuracy, occasional mistakes or omissions may occur. Your understanding is appreciated, and we warmly welcome any feedback to help us continue improving the quality of our reporting. Thank you for being part of our journey. Ad free episodes available at https://www.patreon.com/LibreNewsofTheWorld.