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France PM Pushes 2026 Budget Through Without Vote

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French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu announced that he will use Article 49.3 of the Constitution to pass the 2026 budget without a parliamentary vote, after securing enough support to survive an expected no-confidence motion. Lecornu expressed regret for going back on his previous promise to avoid this procedure but said it was necessary to finalize the centrist government’s deficit-cutting budget. The lower house is expected to approve the income side of the legislation before it moves to the Senate.

To gain Socialist backing while keeping conservatives from opposing, the government has increased support for low-income households, extended affordable university meals, and promised more affordable housing. Measures to fund these initiatives include extending a corporate surtax on large companies, projected to raise €8 billion. Socialist leader Boris Vallaud indicated that these concessions might prevent the need for a no-confidence vote.

France has faced political instability over the budget, losing two governments and risking a snap election. While neither major party is fully satisfied with the proposals, they are reluctant to trigger early elections ahead of the presidential vote. Hard-left France Unbowed has promised to file a no-confidence motion, though analysts say the final budget, with higher taxes and increased spending, may weigh on investment and economic growth in 2026.

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Russian Strikes Cut Heating to Thousands in Kyiv Amid Freezing Cold

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Russian drone and missile attacks early Tuesday knocked out power and heating to thousands of apartment buildings in Kyiv, leaving residents exposed to freezing temperatures as low as –15°C, Ukrainian officials said. Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that 5,635 multi-storey residential buildings lost heating, while water supplies were disrupted on the city’s left bank, and one person was wounded as debris damaged a school.

The strikes represent the second major attack on Kyiv’s energy infrastructure this month, with repair crews working continuously to restore services. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called for urgent support from allies, including energy aid and air defence systems, describing the attacks as a “wake-up call” to world leaders. Many of the buildings affected in the latest strike had already suffered damage during previous attacks.

Beyond Kyiv, Russian attacks damaged critical energy and infrastructure across multiple regions, including Vinnytsia, Dnipro, Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, Poltava and Sumy, and wounded two people in Dnipropetrovsk. With the war nearing its fourth year, diplomatic efforts to end the conflict have yielded little progress, leaving Ukrainians facing repeated power and heating disruptions during harsh winter conditions.

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German Investor Confidence Hits Nearly Five-Year High on Growth Hopes: ZEW

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German investor confidence jumped sharply in January to its highest level since August 2021, according to the ZEW economic research institute, signalling rising optimism about Europe’s largest economy. The ZEW expectations index climbed to 59.6 points, far exceeding market forecasts of 50.0 and up from 45.8 in December, as investors grew more hopeful that 2026 could mark a turning point for Germany.

Economists attributed the improved sentiment partly to the government’s expansive fiscal package, which includes higher public spending on defence and infrastructure aimed at reversing the economic slowdown. While expectations improved, ZEW President Achim Wambach cautioned that reforms are still needed to enhance Germany’s attractiveness as a business location and ensure sustainable long-term growth.

Despite the upbeat mood, risks remain. Trade tensions, particularly concerns over potential U.S. tariffs on German and other European exports, could weigh on the outlook. The ZEW’s assessment of the current economic situation improved but stayed deeply negative, highlighting that while confidence is recovering, Germany’s economy is not yet out of the woods.

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Valentino Garavani, Legendary Italian Couturier Who Defined “Valentino Red,” Dies at 93

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Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani, the founder of one of the world’s most celebrated luxury houses and creator of the iconic “Valentino red,” has died at the age of 93, his foundation said on Monday. Known across the industry as the “emperor” of haute couture, Valentino passed away at his home in Rome. The cause of death was not disclosed.

Rising to prominence in the late 1950s, Valentino became the first Italian designer to show on Paris’ elite haute couture runways and helped cement Italy’s global fashion reputation. His romantic yet meticulously detailed designs dressed generations of leading women, from Jackie Kennedy and Elizabeth Taylor to Oscar winners Sharon Stone and Penelope Cruz. A signature red gown featured in every collection, reflecting his belief that red symbolised strength, beauty and timeless elegance.

Valentino built a global fashion empire under his own name before retiring in 2008, following a farewell couture show in Paris. Alongside his lifelong partner Giancarlo Giammetti, he remained active in supporting the arts, most recently through the PM23 gallery in Rome. Revered as one of the last great couturiers of a pre-commercial fashion era, Valentino leaves behind a legacy defined by craftsmanship, glamour and an enduring devotion to beauty.

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Record Snowfall Paralyzes Russia’s Far East, Bringing Fun and Frustration

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Russia’s Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula has been hit by its heaviest snowfall in six decades, leaving cities buried under massive snowdrifts several metres high. In the port city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, extreme winter storms have blocked building entrances, submerged cars and disrupted daily life, according to visuals and data from weather monitoring stations.

Officials said more than two metres of snow has fallen in the first half of January alone, following 3.7 metres recorded in December. Reuters images showed vehicles almost completely buried, with four-wheel drives struggling to move through thick drifts, while residents were forced to dig narrow paths to access apartment buildings and roads.

Despite the disruption, locals have tried to find moments of humour amid the chaos. Videos on Russian media showed people walking along towering snowbanks beside traffic lights, while some jumped off the drifts for fun. “The car has been parked in a snowdrift for a month,” said local photographer Lydmila Moskvicheva, capturing both the frustration and surreal beauty of the historic snowfall.

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Medvedev Ends Grand Slam Drought with Australian Open Win

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Daniil Medvedev snapped a 370-day wait for a Grand Slam victory by beating Dutchman Jesper de Jong in the first round of the Australian Open, ending a run of three consecutive first-round exits at majors in 2025. The 7-5 6-2 7-6 (7-2) win in Melbourne extended his unbeaten start to the season to 6-0, following his title triumph at the Brisbane International earlier this month.

The former world number one said he has been making a conscious effort to stay more positive on court after a turbulent year marked by emotional outbursts and inconsistent form. Medvedev admitted his struggles last season were largely mental rather than physical, as tension crept into his game during matches, affecting his serve and groundstrokes.

Now ranked 11th and working with new coaches Thomas Johansson and Rohan Goetzke after splitting with long-time mentor Gilles Cervara, Medvedev appears to have found renewed stability. The 2021 US Open champion, a three-time Australian Open runner-up, will next face France’s Quentin Halys as he looks to build momentum in Melbourne.

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Trump Tells Norway He No Longer Feels Bound to Pursue Only Peace

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U.S. President Donald Trump told Norway’s prime minister that he no longer feels obliged “to think purely of peace,” citing his failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize, while again pressing his demand for U.S. control of Greenland. The remarks were made in a written response to a message from Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb, who had urged de-escalation and sought talks after Trump threatened tariffs on European allies over the issue.

In his message, Trump complained that Norway had not awarded him the Nobel Peace Prize despite what he described as his role in stopping multiple wars, and said he would instead focus on what is “good and proper” for the United States. Støre responded by reiterating that the Nobel Peace Prize is decided by an independent committee, not the Norwegian government. Trump has openly campaigned for the award, which was last given to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.

Trump also questioned Denmark’s sovereignty over Greenland, arguing it could not adequately protect the island and disputing its historical claims, despite longstanding treaties and U.S. recognition of Danish authority. He concluded by asserting that U.S. and global security depended on “complete and total control” of Greenland, again linking the issue to NATO burden-sharing and U.S. strategic interests.

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Deadly High-Speed Train Collision Kills 39 in Southern Spain

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At least 39 people were killed and more than 120 injured after two high-speed trains collided late Sunday near Adamuz in Spain’s southern Cordoba province, marking the country’s deadliest rail disaster since 2013. One train derailed before crashing into an oncoming service, with around 400 passengers believed to be on board the two trains operated by Iryo and state-run Renfe.

Rescue efforts were hampered by the remote location, accessible only by a single-track road, delaying ambulances and heavy equipment. Survivors described scenes of chaos and severe injuries as emergency crews worked through the night. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez cancelled an international trip to visit the site, while authorities opened a DNA identification centre for victims’ families as the death toll was expected to rise.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation, though railway officials said human error was unlikely. One train reportedly lost a wheel before derailing, and the second train collided with either the rear carriages or debris on the track seconds later. The track had been renovated last year at a cost of €700 million, renewing scrutiny of infrastructure reliability on Spain’s extensive high-speed rail network.

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Avalanches Claim Eight Lives in Austrian Alps

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A series of deadly avalanches struck the Austrian Alps on Saturday, claiming eight lives amid heavy snowfall and hazardous conditions. Five people were killed in two avalanches in the Pongau area near Salzburg, according to local mountain rescue officials. The incidents involved seven ski tourers near Finsterkopf mountain, four of whom died and one was seriously injured, while another female ski tourer was buried and killed in open alpine terrain.

Later in the day, three Czech skiers were killed after being buried by an avalanche in Pusterwald, about 110 km from Salzburg. Emergency crews were able to partially dig out the victims, but all three were pronounced dead despite immediate rescue efforts. Other avalanches in the region were reported on Saturday, but no additional injuries were recorded.

The fatalities follow a particularly deadly week across the Alps. Neighboring Switzerland and France also reported multiple avalanche-related deaths, including six skiers in France, a 58-year-old skier in western Austria, and a 13-year-old Czech boy in Austria’s Bad Gastein resort. In Switzerland, one German man was killed and four others injured while cross-country skiing. Authorities continue to warn of dangerous conditions throughout the region.

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Europe Stands Firm as Trump Threatens Greenland Tariffs

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Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen declared that “Europe won’t be blackmailed” in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat of tariffs over Greenland. Trump warned that eight U.S. allies—including Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, and the U.K.—would face new taxes starting February 1 if they opposed his proposed acquisition of the autonomous Danish territory. European leaders emphasized the importance of sovereignty and territorial integrity, issuing joint statements in solidarity with Denmark and Greenland.

Trump has justified his actions by citing Greenland’s strategic significance for U.S. security, and he has not ruled out acquiring it “the easy way” or “the hard way.” The threatened tariffs start at 10% and could increase to 25% until a deal is reached. European nations and NATO members, including the U.K., France, and Germany, condemned the coercive approach, stressing that the Arctic’s security is a shared transatlantic interest and that dialogue should be based on respect for sovereignty.

Public opposition in Denmark and Greenland has been strong, with protests calling for Greenland’s right to self-determination. Polls indicate that both Greenlanders and Americans largely oppose U.S. control of the island. European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and German officials, are coordinating their responses and preparing contingency measures, including invoking EU anti-coercion instruments if the tariffs are implemented.

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