Politics

Thursday, February 12th 2026 - 22:20 UTC
UK cabinet chief removed after Epstein-linked backlash

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday agreed that Sir Chris Wormald would step down as Cabinet Secretary and head of the Civil Service, the most senior administrative role in the British state, as political pressure intensified over the Epstein controversy and the appointment of Lord Peter Mandelson.
Thursday, February 12th 2026 - 21:54 UTC
Chile announces humanitarian aid for Cuba as Boric condemns U.S. embargo

President Gabriel Boric’s government said on Thursday it will send humanitarian aid to Cuba, as the island faces a deepening economic and energy crisis.
Thursday, February 12th 2026 - 12:50 UTC
Argentina’s Senate approves Milei’s labour reform amid protests and clashes

Argentina’s Senate gave initial approval to President Javier Milei’s labor reform bill after a marathon session that ran for more than 14 hours and unfolded amid street protests outside Congress. The draft cleared the upper chamber by 42 votes to 30 and will now move to the Lower House (Chamber of Deputies) for final consideration.
Thursday, February 12th 2026 - 09:09 UTC
Hundreds of tractors roll into Madrid as farmers protest CAP cuts and EU-Mercosur accord

Thousands of farmers and ranchers, alongside hundreds of tractors, rallied in central Madrid on Wednesday to protest expected cuts in the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and to denounce the European Union’s trade agreement with Mercosur, according to organisers and authorities.
Thursday, February 12th 2026 - 04:10 UTC
US signals easing of energy restrictions after energy secretary’s Caracas visit

Venezuela’s acting President and Oil Minister Delcy Rodríguez met on Wednesday at Miraflores Palace with US Energy Secretary Chris Wright to discuss what the Venezuelan government described as “an energy agenda that benefits both nations,” as bilateral contacts continue to reopen.
Thursday, February 12th 2026 - 04:00 UTC
Venezuela reopens airspace as flight links restart after months of disruption

Venezuela said it has reopened its commercial airspace after restrictions that had disrupted international routes since late 2025, a shift that airlines are beginning to translate into a phased return of flights to and from Caracas.
Thursday, February 12th 2026 - 00:00 UTC
Petro removes police general Urrego after alleging plot to sabotage Trump meeting

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has ordered the removal from active duty of Brigadier General Edwin Masleider Urrego Pedraza, who had been serving as police commander in Cali, after accusing him of involvement in an alleged attempt to sabotage Petro’s recent meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Wednesday, February 11th 2026 - 23:34 UTC
Poland and Italy decline to join Trump’s Board of Peace, citing doubts and constitutional limits

Poland and Italy said they will not join U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, adding to the list of Washington allies that are staying on the sidelines, at least for now.
Wednesday, February 11th 2026 - 12:43 UTC
Netanyahu rushes to Washington to press Trump on Iran: missiles and proxies on the agenda

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is traveling to Washington to meet U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday, with Iran at the top of the agenda, after pushing to move the meeting forward from its originally planned date.
Wednesday, February 11th 2026 - 12:33 UTC
Canada: 10 dead, dozens hurt in shooting at secondary school

At least 10 people were killed and dozens were injured in a shooting at a secondary school in Tumbler Ridge, in Canada’s British Columbia province, police said.