76: A devastating fire at Turkey’s Grand Kartal Hotel ski resort killed 76 people and injured scores of others on Tuesday. The blaze began at 3:30 a.m. on the restaurant floor of the 12-story building, quickly engulfing it and forcing desperate guests to jump from windows or attempt escapes using bed sheets.
17: President Donald Trump revoked John Bolton’s Secret Service protection hours after taking office on Monday, despite ongoing threats against Bolton from Iran. Bolton, who served as Trump’s national security advisor for 17 months and had previously lost protection after leaving the administration but had it restored by Biden, expressed disappointment but not surprise. The move comes amid documented Iranian assassination plots against Bolton and follows Trump’s revocation of Bolton’s security clearance.
95: Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi JinpingcelebratedDonald Trump’s first official day in office by reaffirming their “no-limits” partnership on Tuesday in a joint televised meeting that lasted 95 minutes. Though Trump was not directly named, the timing suggests that the two world leaders may be pursuing a coordinated response to the new president, which has threatened to levy tariffs on China and end Russia’s war with Ukraine.
8: A historic polar vortex-related snowstorm is hitting the Gulf Coast, bringing record-breaking snow to Texas and Louisiana. The National Weather Service issued its first-ever blizzard warning for Lake Charles, Louisiana, while Lafayette, Louisiana, already has 8 inches. With the region ill-equipped for winter weather, travel disruptions and service outages are expected to last for days. Remarkably, New Orleans received more January snow than Anchorage, Alaska.
When Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi called snap elections last month, it was a big gamble. Holding a winter election just four months into her tenure with no real policy record to run on?
Tune in on Saturday, February 14th at 12pm ET/6pm CET for the live premiere of our Global Stage from the 2026 Munich Security Conference, where our panel of experts takes aim at the latest global security challenges.
Microsoft unveiled a new set of commitments guiding its community‑first approach to AI infrastructure development. The strategy focuses on energy affordability, water efficiency, job creation, local investment, and AI‑driven skilling. As demand for digital infrastructure accelerates, the company is pushing a new model for responsible datacenter growth — one built on sustainability, economic mobility, and long‑term partnership with the communities that host it. The move signals how AI infrastructure is reshaping local economies and what people expect from the tech shaping their future. Read the full blog here.
The Israeli government unilaterally passed measures that allow Jewish settlers to purchase land in the West Bank, overriding past laws that effectively banned the sale of property there to anyone other than Palestinian residents.