COGNICURRENT

The second day of conflict in the Middle East saw increased tensions following the death of Iran's Supreme Leader, with Iran asserting its stance against US interventions.

U.S. President Donald Trump claims that Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is likely dead and asserts he could escalate or conclude the ongoing war within days.

US President Donald Trump claimed he has multiple options regarding the military campaign against Iran, indicating he could escalate or end it quickly during a recent interview.

The article discusses the prominence of two films about Russia and Ukraine in the current film awards season, highlighting the success of 'Mr. Nobody Against Putin' over '2,000 Meters to Andriivka.'

A 2,200-year-old bone discovered near Córdoba, Spain, may provide the first direct archaeological evidence of war elephants used by Carthaginian general Hannibal.

A recently discovered 2,200-year-old elephant bone in Córdoba, Spain, may provide direct evidence of the use of war elephants by Hannibal during the Second Punic War.

Both Russia and Ukraine are facing severe manpower shortages in the ongoing conflict, with allegations that Russia is trafficking foreign nationals from Africa and Asia to bolster its forces.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that 2,000 children have returned to Ukraine since the start of the war, while thousands still remain in Russian captivity.

An expert highlights the unprecedented troop losses suffered by Russia during the ongoing war in Ukraine, estimating casualties to be as high as 1.2 million soldiers.

Britain plans to double its stationed soldiers in Norway from 1,000 to 2,000 due to increasing threats from Russia.

The article discusses how Nazi spies, particularly General Reinhard Gehlen, deceived the CIA by selling fabricated intelligence before the end of World War II.

A shocking investigation reveals that the Israeli army used internationally banned weapons that vaporized the bodies of over 2,842 martyrs in Gaza.

Ukraine has successfully conducted three offensive operations in 2025, including two within Russian territory, as reported by Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development announced it will provide a record 2.9 billion euros to Ukraine in 2025, focusing on the war-affected energy sector.

Russian forces launched an attack on Ukraine using two Iskander missiles and 183 different types of drones, with Ukrainian air defenses successfully taking down 156 of them.

A Russian drone strike in Zaporizhzhia on February 3 resulted in the deaths of two 18-year-olds and injuries to at least eight others, including three children, while damaging a residential building and nearby infrastructure.

A Russian attack on February 2-3 damaged the hall of fame at the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in World War II, located near the Motherland Monument in Kyiv.

Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have mixed feelings of hope and indignation as the Rafah crossing, the only route in and out of the territory not controlled by Israel, reopened for pedestrians after more than two years of war.

The Battle of Stalingrad, concluding on February 2, 1943, marked a pivotal shift in World War II, leading to the defeat of German forces and changing the balance of power in Europe.

The Kremlin has rejected a U.S. think tank's estimate of 1.2 million Russian casualties in the Ukraine war as unreliable.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz praised the ongoing destruction of buildings in Gaza by the IDF since the end of the war, highlighting that over 2,500 buildings have been demolished and reaffirming the goal of targeting Hamas's underground infrastructure.

Russian drone strikes on Dnipropetrovsk Oblast resulted in two injuries and significant infrastructure damage.

A World War II bomb was discovered near Exmouth Marina, leading to the evacuation of up to 2,500 homes in Devon.

A committee of fifteen technical experts will meet for the first time in Cairo to govern Gaza in the post-war phase, as part of the U.S. plan led by Steve Witkoff.

China's trade surplus rose to a record $1.2 trillion in 2025, driven by a shift in exports to Southeast Asia and Europe due to the impact of the trade war initiated by President Donald Trump.

The UN reports that 2025 was the deadliest year for Ukrainian civilians since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, with considerable casualties including 2,514 deaths and 12,142 injuries.

In 2025, France will experience a negative natural balance for the first time since World War II, with more deaths than births and a 2.1% decline in births.

A report indicates that 2025 was the most lethal year for Ukrainian civilians, with at least 2,500 fatalities resulting from Russian assaults, predominantly in Ukrainian-controlled areas.

Russian forces attacked an ambulance in Semenivka, Chernihiv Oblast, injuring two medical workers as the vehicle returned from a call.

Beijing has launched an official investigation into Meta's approximately $2 billion acquisition of the AI startup Manus, citing national security concerns amidst rising tensions in the tech cold war with Washington.

A Ukrainian drone strike caused a fire at an oil depot in Volgograd, while Ukraine reported a significant increase in Russian military casualties since the start of the war, totaling over 1.2 million.

Recent Russian attacks across Ukraine resulted in the deaths of at least 2 civilians and injuries to 15 others, with significant drone activity reported.

Donald Trump reveals a plan to secure Venezuelan oil, announcing that transitional authorities will deliver between 30 and 50 million barrels of high-quality, non-sanctioned oil to the U.S. valued at approximately $2.8 billion.

European governments are criticized for continuing to import Russian liquefied natural gas, contributing an estimated €7.2 billion to Vladimir Putin's war efforts in Ukraine last year, despite a pledge to ban such imports by 2027.

Eurozone inflation has stabilized at 2% by the end of 2025, achieving the European Central Bank's target, despite challenges from a trade war initiated by the United States.

Ukraine's General Staff reports that Russia has lost over 1.2 million troops in Ukraine since its invasion began on February 24, 2022, with additional casualties totaling 900 in just the last day.

The BBC is airing 'The Guns of Navarone', a classic war adventure film featuring a team of WW2 Allied saboteurs, notable for its extensive sets and strong performances.

Japanese forces occupied Manila on January 2, 1942, marking the beginning of a three-year occupation characterized by famine and resistance efforts until liberation in 1945 after the Battle of Manila.

The siege of Port Arthur, a pivotal event in the Russo-Japanese War, lasted from February 8, 1904, until January 2, 1905, marking a significant shift in the conflict.

In 2025, Russia launched 60,000 aerial bombs, approximately 2,400 missiles, and about 100,000 drones against Ukraine, with air raid alarms sounding at least 19,033 times.

The article discusses Russia's use of drones to conduct over 2,500 attacks weekly in Kherson, targeting civilians, animals, transport, and infrastructure, while the UN classifies these actions as crimes against humanity for forced displacement.