HRW: US, China & Russia Weaken Global Human Rights System

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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias on Greek version of the Iron Dome:

Achilles Shield is a much more holistic approach than anything that exists. It is far more comprehensive than Iron Dome or the Golden Dome because it includes everything—every kind of challenge, whether coming from space, cyberspace, the sea, under the sea, the air, ballistic missiles, or cruise missiles.

Whatever the threat, we are working with Israel on this. We are asking Israel for help and assistance, but not as was done in the past by simply purchasing platforms or weapon systems. We are not going to do that.

We are going to produce at least 50 percent of these systems ourselves, while also acquiring the know-how. We want the extremely efficient and successful Israeli innovation ecosystem to work together with our own ecosystem.

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Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias on Eastern Mediterranean:

I believe the United States system is committed to the “three plus one.”

I think this commitment reflects the U.S. system itself, what some sometimes call the “deep state,” which understands the necessity of the U.S. presence and the cooperation of the United States with Israel, Greece, and Cyprus.

And I always underline one important point: this is not an understanding against anybody.

It is not a “three plus one” against a fourth party, whether that is Türkiye or someone else.

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Polish Foreign Minister Sikorski:

Russia has waged war, occupied us, wiped us off the map for over a century.

When they threaten us, we believe them.

They’ve now spent longer than the Soviet Union fought the Nazis trying to conquer Ukraine.

By our estimates, they’ve already suffered opportunity costs of a trillion dollars.

They’ve lost more than a million dead and wounded soldiers.

President Putin seems to be demanding even territories that he can’t conquer.

Polish Foreign Minister Sikorski:

Europe is now financing the war entirely.

We’ve spent roughly 200 billion euros.

Success will come only when Putin recalculates whether he can achieve his aims at an acceptable cost.

Nancy Pelosi:

America is in a crisis of conscience.

We have a President who has crowned himself king, a Congress which has abolished itself, and a Supreme Court that has gone rogue.

German airline Lufthansa has formally acknowledged that its original company was “clearly part of the Nazi system”, admitting deep involvement in rearmament, the war economy, and the exploitation of forced labor during National Socialism.

Former MI6 Chief Richard Moore:

We thought that the Ukrainians would struggle to hold back the Russians.

We had underestimated just how bad the Russian Army would prove to be on the battlefield.

Former MI6 Chief Richard Moore:

China will impact the United Kingdom over the next 50 to 100 years more than any other state.

Former MI6 Chief Richard Moore:

The Iranian regime has lost all legitimacy. It has nothing to offer its own people.

They have been prepared to kill thousands of unarmed protesters. We may never know how many people were slaughtered on the streets.

Eventually, it will fall.

The regime has an opportunity to pivot to diplomacy. Regime change is notoriously difficult.

There is an unavoidable element of uncertainty and mystery.

NEW: Iran’s IRGC says it seized two oil tankers in the Persian Gulf carrying about one million liters of smuggled fuel and around 15 foreign crew members.

Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) signed an MoU with U.S. energy giant Chevron to explore and produce oil and natural gas.

Keir Starmer to Epstein victims:

I am sorry. Sorry for what was done to you.

Sorry that so many people with power failed you.

Sorry for having believed Mandelson's lies and appointed him.

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The last remaining nuclear arms control treaty between the US and Russia, known as New START, has expired, raising fears of a new global arms race.

Keir Starmer:

Our reforms to migration will boost integration and restore trust.

Our reforms will help return us to a situation where the migration policy cannot be exploited by people who think that whiteness is the same thing as Britishness.

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Keir Starmer:

It is not hard to support the just cause of a Palestinian state without being antisemitic.

Millions of people do that, and I am one of them. It is the policy of this country to recognize Palestine.

And yet, on the marches that supposedly support that cause, you will often see racist banners and antisemitic hate.

BIG: The U.S. and Iran made small concessions, agreeing to hold talks in Oman, meet directly, focus on the nuclear program, and also discuss missiles and militant groups toward a possible deal.

Source: NYT

NEW: Three Chinese lawmakers linked to the defense and nuclear sectors were removed from their posts on Feb. 4 as part of China’s military anti-corruption drive.

The move targets figures tied to aviation and nuclear weapons research and is widely seen as part of Xi Jinping’s broader crackdown on corruption in the PLA and defense industries.

NEW: Reports claim U.S. forces have begun withdrawing from the Al-Shaddadi base in northeast Syria, with convoys moving toward Erbil in Iraq.

The move appears to be part of a broader U.S. drawdown from Syria following SDF–Damascus integration deals.

Greek media report that Athens is increasingly denying residence permit extensions for members of the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ).

According to Kathimerini, Greek authorities rejected extension requests from 44 Turkish citizens in 2025 on national security and public order grounds, up from just two in 2024.

The Greek City Times also reported a sharp decline in asylum approvals for Turkish nationals, dropping from 60.9% in 2023 to 4.7% in 2025.

Authorities are reportedly reviewing previously approved asylum cases linked to FETÖ and the PKK.