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January and February are the cruellest months in Ukraine. For the past week, temperatures in Kyiv have hovered between lows of -19°C and highs of -6°C. The Ukrainian capital gets about nine hours of daylight per day. And the relentless Russian bombardment of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure has meant that, for the most part, people are shivering in the dark in the coldest winter in a decade.

At one point in January, things were so bad that Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, ordered anyone who could to leave the city to leave and find refuge in places with alternative sources of power and heating.

There are conflicting reports as to whether the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, honoured the commitment he reportedly made to Donald Trump to order a one-week pause on attacks on Ukraine’s power infrastructure. The US president insisted he had, Ukrainians said he hadn’t and that, in any case, Russia was attacking so many Ukrainian targets that it was hard to tell when the “power truce” actually began and when it ended.

At the time, Kremlin mouthpiece Dmitry Peskov said that the goal was the “creation of favourable conditions for holding talks”. It’s no coincidence that the nights before both recent rounds of three-way talks between Russian, Ukrainian and American negotiators saw massive Russian bombardment of critical civilian infrastructure in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.

And, once again, the talks have failed to achieve very much. After the most recent day of negotiations in Abu Dhabi, some progress has been made on prisoner swaps, but little else of any substance has been agreed. As Stefan Wolff notes, the two sides are so far apart in their negotiating positions that there’s little or no chance of seeing a meaningful peace agreement any time soon.

Wolff, an expert in international security at the University of Birmingham who has written regularly for The Conversation since the full-scale invasion nearly four years ago, sees a series of potholes on the road to peace, many of which Trump has helped to dig.

For example, on the vexed issue of territory, Putin takes as his starting point what has become known as the “Anchorage formula”, apparently agreed with the US president when the pair met in Alaska last August. This holds that in return for security guarantees from Kyiv’s allies (the coalition of the willing in Europe, but – of course – principally the US), Ukraine will withdraw from the portion of the Donbas that it still holds after four years of bitter fighting.

Zelensky, for his part, remains adamant that this is a non-starter. Meanwhile Putin is equally adamant that he will not accept non-Ukrainian boots on the ground as guarantors of a ceasefire. Add to that, Trump’s mercurial approach to security guarantees and his apparent desire to link any peace deal to some sort of business upside for the US, and you understand why Wolff concludes that: “Any claims of progress in the negotiations in Abu Dhabi are therefore at best over-optimistic and at worst self-deluding.”

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Farcical peace talks continue in Abu Dhabi as Ukraine shivers under Russia’s winter onslaught

Take Putin’s stipulation that Kyiv must withdraw its military from the rest of the Donbas. This, write Rod Thornton and Marina Miron of King’s College London, would be tantamount to suicide for Ukraine. The “Donbas line” has held up Russia’s westward advance for the best part of four years.

It comprises a row of fortified cities linked by a line of seven distinct defensive layers which Russian troops would need to overcome to move further into central Ukraine.

Given the rate of attrition, particularly on Russia’s side (at last count, estimates are that Russian casualties have mounted to 1.2 million killed, inured or missing – more than double those of Ukraine) you can understand why Putin’s military planners are so keen to avoid their troops having to face these sophisticated killing zones.

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Trump wants Ukraine to give up the Donbas in return for security guarantees. It could be fatal for Kyiv

To sum up: the post-second world war order is in disarray, Nato is looking shakier by the week, a major war is raging in Europe and the Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, is reportedly becoming increasingly insistent about China’s claim over the future of Taiwan in his recent phone call with the US president. So now’s a good time to note that the New Start nuclear arms control treaty has just expired, prompting speculation on all sides as to the likelihood of a new nuclear arms race.

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New Start’s expiration will make the world less safe – even if it doesn’t spark another nuclear arms race

Xi’s military purge

Talking of China, reports emerged recently that Xi has purged another of his top generals. The removal of Zhang Youxia, vice-chair of China’s central military commission (CMC), which is chaired by Xi, means that all but one of the members of that powerful body have lost their positions in the past three years.

China-watcher Kerry Brown, of the Lau China Institute at King’s College London, tracks XI’s record of purging senior officials since his early days in charge. When considering what this might mean for Taiwan, it’s worth noting that Zhang was the last remaining senior military commander with actual combat experience, having fought in the war against Vietnam in the late 1970s. This may mean that China will need to regroup and reorganise before it could consider mounting any aggressive action against Taiwan. All eyes will be on who replaces Zhang.

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Why Xi purged China’s top military general

Competing visions for Gaza

On the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos the other week, shortly after the US president launched his Board of Peace, the dignitaries who had signed up to the board were given a presentation on the future of Gaza by two members of the board’s executive committee: Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

It was a similar vision to one publicised by the US president last year and featured gleaming office towers, data centres, luxury beachfront resorts and modern transport hubs. Like a similar plan unveiled by Israel last year, it’s not immediately clear what part the 2.1 million residents of Gaza may play in the reconstruction of their homeland.

Timothy J. Dixon, an expert in urban futures at the University of Reading, has run his ruler over the competing visions for the future of Gaza and spells out some of the considerable challenges that lie ahead for anyone taking on this gargantuan task.

Not the least of them is doing something with the estimated 61 million tonnes of rubble under which there is likely to be large amounts of unexploded ordnance and human remains.

Whether there is any justice in this for the people of Gaza themselves remains to be seen. One plan for reconstruction, the Gaza Phoenix plan, was developed by a consortium of local and regional planners and “preserves Gaza’s identity, its heritage and its people”. Or at least, that’s the aim. It sounds optimistic, but as Dixon points out, the most successful plans for large-scale reconstruction – most notably the Marshall plan for the rebuilding of Europe after 1945 – “involved close engagement with civil society and local communities to achieve success”.

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Craig David is set to return to York Racecourse this summer with his acclaimed TS5 DJ set.

The singer-songwriter will perform at the Knavesmire venue on Friday, July 24, as part of the 2026 Music Showcase.

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He is the final confirmed artist for the 2026 season, with Becky Hill set to perform on June 27 and Tom Grennan to take to the stage on July 25.

James Brennan, head of marketing and sponsorship at York Racecourse, said: “Having experienced the atmosphere that Craig David brought on his previous visit, music and racing fans are in for a treat.

“There is something special about our only evening and a DJ set with its light show promises to be a highlight of a popular summer schedule.”

The evening will include six races, featuring a £70,000 Listed contest for fillies supported by the European Breeders Fund.

Craig David’s TS5 show blends R&B, garage, house, and bashment, and has previously been performed to more than 100,000 fans on Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage, as well as selling out two O2 arenas earlier on in the year.

Grandstand and Paddock enclosure tickets start at £42 per person for groups of six, with no booking fees and free parking.

Tickets go on general sale from February 13 at 10am via www.yorkracecourse.co.uk, with early access available through selected fan clubs via the Ticketmaster platform.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — In some ways, 10-year-old Giancarlo is one of the lucky ones. He still goes to school.

Each morning, he and his family bundle up and leave their Minneapolis apartment to wait for his bus. His little brother hefts on his backpack, even though he stopped going to day care weeks ago because his mom is too afraid to take him.

As they wait behind a wrought-iron fence, Giancarlo’s mother pulls the boys into the shadow of a tree to pray. It’s the only time she stops scanning the street for immigration agents.

“God, please protect my son when he’s not at home,” she says in Spanish. She spoke with The Associated Press on condition of partial anonymity for the family, because she fears being targeted by immigration authorities.

For many immigrant families in Minnesota, sending a child to school requires faith that federal immigration officers deployed around the state won’t detain them. Thousands of children are staying home, often for lack of door-to-door transportation — or simply trust.

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The fear has turned into reality. Many parents and some children have been detained, including 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos, who with his father, originally from Ecuador, was taken into custody in the Minneapolis suburb of Columbia Heights as he was arriving home from school. They were sent to a detention facility in Texas but returned after a judge ordered their release.

Schools, parents and community groups have mobilized to help students get to class so they can learn, socialize and have steady access to meals. And for those who are still sending their children, the trip to and from school is one of the only risks they’re willing to take.

“I don’t feel safe with him going to school,” Giancarlo’s mother said, shaking her head. “But every day he wakes up and wants to go. He wants to be with his friends.”

School remains a haven in a time of tumult

Giancarlo’s Minneapolis elementary school is the best thing going for him these days. There’s soccer to play at recess. The recorder to learn. Giancarlo has set his eyes on learning the flute next year when fifth graders choose an instrument. He has “demasiado” — “too many” — best friends to name.

But his mother and brother’s home confinement weighs on him. He saves half the food he gets at school breakfast and lunch to share with them, and he’s lost four pounds this year. He takes extra care to bring pizza or hamburgers, treats the family used to eat in restaurants when his mom, an asylum-seeker from Latin America, was still working and they felt safe leaving the house. Giancarlo has also applied for asylum and his brother, Yair, has U.S. citizenship.

Sometimes only seven of Giancarlo’s classmates show up when there should be close to 30. “The teachers cry,” he said. “It’s sad.”

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Under longstanding guidance that was thrown out by the Trump administration, schools and other “sensitive places” such as hospitals and churches previously were considered off-limits for Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and other immigration officials. Children, no matter their immigration status, have a constitutional right to attend public school.

This winter, school absenteeism and the demand for online learning have surged as immigration officers showed up in school parking lots.

In St. Paul, over 9,000 students were absent on Jan. 14, more than a quarter of the 33,000-student district, according to data obtained by the AP. In Fridley, a Minneapolis suburb, school attendance has dropped by nearly a third, according to a lawsuit the district filed this week trying to block immigration enforcement operations near schools.

Kids sent letters to St. Paul Superintendent Stacie Stanley begging her to offer online learning. Her voice shook as she read a letter from an elementary school student: “I don’t feel safe coming to school because of ICE.”

When the district introduced a temporary virtual learning option, over 3,500 students enrolled in the first 90 minutes. That number has since risen to more than 7,500 students.

An escort from school — and assurance for a small girl

After school on Wednesday, around 20 teachers and a retired principal packed into the front office at Valley View Elementary School — where Liam Conejo Ramos attends prekindergarten — for a briefing before walking home children who live nearby. School officials say several other students and over two dozen parents have been detained.

“We live in a place where ICE is everywhere,” said Rene Argueta, the school’s family liaison. Argueta, himself an immigrant from El Salvador, organized the teachers walking and driving students to and from their homes.

The day before, the group had run into federal officers in the neighborhood at dismissal time. Argueta felt it necessary to calm some of the teachers upset by the encounter.

“Your only goal is to bring the students home, no matter what you see,” he told the group. “We don’t approach ICE. We don’t take out our phones.”

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After distributing walkie-talkies, Argueta and two other teachers met a group of 12 kids waiting for them in the hallway. Argueta took the hand of the youngest child, a boy in prekindergarten, and led the group outside.

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Toward the back of the line, second grade teacher Jenna Scott chatted with a former student, now a third grader. She tried to keep the conversation light.

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“I’m so excited to see your house,” Scott told her.

“Have you signed up for parent-teacher conference?”

“No, miss. ICE,” the girl said.

“I know. Tell your parents you can do it online this time.”

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The third grader then ran to her home. Afterward, Scott said the 10-minute walk is a delicate dance. “You don’t want to scare the kids, but you also want them to walk quickly.”

The day before, Argueta said, they were walking the students home when they heard cars honking to warn that immigration agents were nearby. One little girl who was walking ahead started to panic and ran back toward Argueta.

“ICE viene,” or “ICE is coming,” she yelled.

He took her hand and kept walking. She asked if he was afraid.

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No, he said.

She asked if he had papers, if he was in the country legally. Argueta has a green card and permission to work, but he lied. He told her he didn’t, so she wouldn’t feel alone.

Her hand relaxed in his. She smiled again.

He held her hand until they got to her doorstep and she went inside with her mother.

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The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

ONE of the UK’s first ever American-style shopping centre is set to be demolished after 43 years in business.

The space, which contains multiple vacant units, will be torn down to make way for a new development featuring housing, green spaces, and leisure facilities.

Ridings Shopping Centre in Wakefield will be demolished as part of a city centre revamp, with the local council agreeing to buy the site.

The centre, which first opened in 1983, is now less than two thirds occupied, with the site’s M&S recently announcing its relocation.

Wakefield Council said it also expected Primark to announce plans to leave the site.

Deputy council leader Jack Hemingway explained the authority wanted to create “an economy that’s sustainable and has a future, and that’s why the Ridings has got to change.”

MALL FALL

‘Another blow’ for busy UK shopping centre that’s set to be DEMOLISHED

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SHOPPING MAUL

Retro 60s shopping centre in ‘lifeless’ English town is BULLDOZED

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He revealed the government was providing £17.9 million towards “a once in a generation opportunity to transform the city centre”.

“The Ridings is looking dated now, it’s a shopping centre from the 1980s and high streets are changing and it’s right that we look at that,” he said.

The development to the city’s Cathedral Quarter will include a new public square and green spaces, as well as a cinema, library, museum, and car parking.

In addition to the shopping centre’s demolition, 260 separate flats will also be knocked down.

The council previously backed out of a deal to buy the centre in 2023, when it was purchased by Zahid Iqbal, who has now agreed to sell it for an undisclosed amount.

Regeneration specialist Muse is said to lead the development, which also includes 1,000 new sustainable, affordable, and private homes.

The development is expected to take 10 years to complete, with no date confirmed for the closure of the shopping centre.

Businesses within the shopping centre have been told the council will help them find alternative premises if they plan to stay in Wakefield.

The new Reform councillor was previously a member of the Conservative Party

Reform UK has taken a seat from Plaid Cymru in the party’s north Wales heartlands in a council by-election. Reform now has its first councillor on Isle of Anglesey County Council after Celfyn Furlong was elected as the new councillor for the Ynys Gybi ward.

It comes after Nigel Farage announced Reform’s leader in Wales in Newport on Thursday. Dan Thomas, a former Tory leader of a greater London council who was born in Blackwood, was named as the person who will be leading Reform into May’s Senedd election.

Celebrating his party’s “sensational” by-election victory overnight, the new leader said Reform will be fighting for every single vote “from the former Labour heartlands to the former Plaid heartlands.”

It was a comfortable victory for Reform, with candidate Celfyn Furlong receiving 603 votes compared to Plaid Cymru candidate Bethan Pari Jones’ 343. The turnout for the election was 33.3%.

According to the Isle of Anglesey County Council website, Mr Furlong was a registered member of the Conservative Party from January 1 to May 31, 2025.

The by-election was triggered after long-serving Plaid Cymru councillor and Football Association of Wales (FAW) president Trefor Lloyd Hughes MBE died in November.

In a post made after his victory, newly-elected councillor Furlong paid tribute to Mr Hughes and said that the result sends a “clear message” that “people want change”. Always keep on top of the latest Welsh news with our newsletter

He said: “Before anything else, I want to pay tribute to the late Trefor Lloyd Hughes MBE. A man who gave Ynys Gybi, Ynys Môn and indeed Wales, years of service. A talisman that will never be forgotten. Tonight I accept this seat with respect for his legacy, and with determination to serve the people as he did.

“I am absolutely humbled and honoured to have been elected to represent Ynys Gybi. Thank you to everyone who put their trust in me and to everyone who came out to vote for me.

“This result sends a clear message. People want change, and people want common sense back in local politics.

“A huge thank you to my campaign team, supporters, family and all polling staff. None of this would be possible without you.

“Now the real work begins. I will work hard every day to stand up for our community.

“Ynys Gybi voted Reform. Ynys Gybi will have Reform”

Mr Thomas, the new leader of Reform Wales, said: “This is a sensational victory for Reform, and it shows that we can win absolutely anywhere here in Wales. From the former Labour heartlands to the former Plaid heartlands, we are fighting for every single vote so we can deliver the change Wales desperately needs.”

Here are the full results of the Ynys Gybi by-election:

• BOUNDS, Nick, Green Party: 118
• FURLONG, Celfyn Wyn, Reform: 603 ELECTED
• JOHN, Margaret Fredericka, Conservative: 112
• JONES, Bethan Pari, Plaid Cymru: 343
• ROBERTS, Mary Elizabeth, Labour: 171
• WILLIAMS, Robert, Independent: 26

A WhatsApp “vulnerability” was discovered recently by Google’s Project Zero team, where a malicious media file is automatically being downloaded to users’ phones.

Hackers create group chats on the app, and once a user accepts the invitation, the file is sent to their device without them even knowing it.

Malwarebytes adds: “The bug affects WhatsApp on Android and involves zero‑click media downloads in group chats.

“You can be attacked simply by being added to a group and having a malicious file sent to you.”

WhatsApp launches new privacy protection feature

WhatsApp has now launched a new, lockdown-style feature called Strict Account Settings.

If you turn this feature on, it will lock certain account settings on the app to the most restrictive.

WhatsApp explained: “It will limit how your WhatsApp works in some ways, like blocking attachments and media from people not in your contacts.”

How to turn on Strict Account Settings on WhatsApp

Strict Account Settings began rolling out on WhatsApp late last month.

To activate, head to settings, click privacy, then advanced. And that’s it, easy as that.

WhatsApp added: “Strict Account Settings is one of many ways we’re working to protect you from the most sophisticated of cyber threats.

“We’ve also rolled out a programming language called Rust behind the scenes to help keep your photos, videos, and messages safe from things like spyware, so you can share and chat with confidence.”

Your WhatsApp messages are private. We use the open-source Signal protocol to encrypt them.

•⁠ ⁠Encryption happens on your device
•⁠ ⁠Messages are encrypted before leaving your device
•⁠ ⁠⁠Only the intended recipient has the keys to decrypt messages
•⁠ ⁠The…

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— WhatsApp (@WhatsApp) January 27, 2026

It continued: “At WhatsApp, we think you should be able to have a private conversation online, just like you would in-person.

“We will always defend that right to privacy for everyone.”

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Other ways to protect against ‘malicious’ WhatsApp bug

Another way to prevent unwanted files from being downloaded onto your phone via bugs on WhatsApp is to switch off auto-download (for media), according to Malwarebytes.

To do that, head to settings and click chats, then switch off ‘Media visibility’ (Android) or ‘Save to Photos’ (Apple iOS).

A cordon is in place in Northern Moor, Manchester, this morning

A teenager has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a man was killed on a Wythenshawe street. Officers were called out to Southwick Road, in Northern Moor, at around 11.35pm on Thursday night (February 6).

The Manchester Evening News understands a man in his 20s was stabbed. Greater Manchester Police says it received reports of a man seriously injured in the street.

He tragically died at the scene. A 19-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in police custody for questioning this morning (Friday).

Two forensic tents are in place at the scene today, with a silver car partially covered. A second car was seen being removed from the scene earlier this morning, witnesses told the M.E.N.

Residents living close to the scene saw a large police presence overnight. Forensics investigators have been seen gathering evidence.

One neighbour told the M.E.N.: “I came out this morning to take my partner to the tram stop and I saw the tent up. I knew straight away someone had died. You could just tell. I just can’t believe it. Nothing ever happens here. I’m just shocked. Really shocked. It’s a bit scary as well.”

Another resident living close to the scene added: “I didn’t see or hear anything last night. I just came out this morning with the kids and saw it all here. I had to ask if I was allowed out to take them to school… I’m stunned. It’s really scary.”

Witnesses are being urged to come forward with any information as the murder investigation takes shape. A GMP spokesperson said: “At around 11.35pm last night (Thursday, February 6 2026), we were called to reports of a seriously injured man on Southwick Road in Northern Moor, Wythenshawe.

“Officers attended the scene and located a man in his 20s, who sadly died at the scene. A 19-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in police custody for questioning. Investigations are ongoing.”

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact GMP on 101 or online using Live Chat, quoting log number 3832 of February 5, 2026. Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

The Six Nations got under way on Thursday night and the media were unimpressed by the Irish

France have blown the Six Nations wide open on night one – and if this is the standard, the rest may be playing for second.

Fabien Galthié’s side tore Ireland apart 36-14 in Paris, running riot in a first half that left Andy Farrell’s men 22-0 down and clinging on. From London to Dublin to Paris, the verdict was emphatic: France were irresistible, Ireland were overwhelmed.

Here’s how the media reacted.

Daily Mail – France deliver ‘iron fists wrapped in velvet gloves’

Nik Simon painted a picture of a French side out for revenge and brimming with swagger.

“Woe for Ireland. The sorry men in green looked like a team who felt the force of iron fists wrapped in velvet gloves from the Champs Elysees.”

France’s blend of brutality and brilliance left Ireland reeling, with Simon adding: “Ireland looked like a shadow of their former selves. Their confidence is tumbling and their team lacked gravitas, losing the physical battle in almost every area.”

On Antoine Dupont’s return, the tone was ominous for the rest of Europe: “If the French can master the science of the 80-minute performance then nobody in Europe will be able to stop them in this form.”

The Times – ‘Sliced and diced’ in a ‘merciless’ Parisian execution

Alex Lowe described it as a calculated killing.

“France killed off Ireland with a devastating display… sliced and diced by Les Bleus.

“They carved open Andy Farrell’s men with the precision of a surgeon’s knife. It was merciless.”

France’s skill level was hailed as “other-worldly” as they surged 29-0 ahead, denying Ireland “a foothold in the game”. By the time Ireland rallied, it was cosmetic.

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The Guardian – ‘Ravenous hosts’ serve up a treat

Robert Kitson suggested Irish fans might have preferred not to watch at all.

“Irish fans would probably have preferred a total 80-minute blackout… instead those back at home had to watch the visitors being repeatedly sliced and diced by seemingly ravenous hosts.”

He warned the championship: “It is going to take a seriously good team to beat France in Paris.”

France’s attacking play was labelled “sublime”, while Ireland were left with “bruised pride” despite a “gallant response”.

Midi Olympique – ‘A resounding no!’ to Irish revenge

In France, the tone was triumphant.

Pierre Sarniguet dismissed any notion of Irish payback:

“Would they be up to the task of defeating Dupont’s team? We now have the answer: no, and a resounding no!”

The first half was described as near-perfect: “Not a single penalty conceded, not a single missed tackle… incisive runs tore the Irish defence apart.”

The stats underlined the dominance – 860 metres gained, 19 line breaks, 41 defenders beaten – as Jalibert was hailed as “imperious”.

L’Equipe – Ireland ‘spin-dried by the French machine’

Karim Ben Ismail delivered perhaps the most brutal metaphor of the night.

“The Irish rugby players we saw… resembled those glasses that have lost their shine… Spin-dried by the French machine.”

He warned that Ireland’s struggles may run deeper: “Unable to reinvent themselves since the 2023 World Cup, the Irish team appears to have begun a worrying decline.”

For a nation that has set the benchmark in recent seasons, that is a stinging assessment.

The Telegraph – ‘Blitzkrieg’ brilliance ends the rivalry – for now

Gavin Mairs declared the rivalry on hold.

“France have laid down an intimidating, brilliant marker… such was the blitzkrieg manner in which they swept Ireland away.”

He suggested the balance of power has shifted decisively: “The days of the compelling French-Irish rivalry in the championship appear to be over for now.”

And from Shaun Edwards came the line that will echo across Europe: “When we are on it in attack, it is a joy to watch.”

Irish Independent – ‘Humiliating defeat’ narrowly avoided

Back home, Cian Tracey admitted Ireland were staring into the abyss.

“At 29-0 to the good, the French party was under way, and Ireland were staring down the barrel of a humiliating defeat.”

While the fightback offered “positives in this Jekyll and Hyde performance”, the early damage was too severe.

Irish Examiner – ‘Irresistible French rugby’

Simon Lewis called it a “rugby masterclass”.

“At times the 2023 and 2024 champions could not compete with some irresistible French rugby.”

France were “simply too clinical” and left Ireland “chasing shadows”.

Chinese New Year is celebrated in communities all over the world

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The Chinese New Year celebration is all about saying goodbye to the old and the negative, and embracing the new and the positive. This significant event is marked by Chinese communities worldwide.

It signifies the end of winter and heralds the promise of new beginnings. Unlike the Western New Year, which follows the Gregorian calendar, the Chinese New Year is based on the Chinese lunar calendar, resulting in a different date each year. In 2026, Chinese New Year will be celebrated on February 17.

This date will bring in the Year of the Fire Horse, a period associated with optimism and opportunity, with robust public and investor confidence indicating potential economic growth. In Chinese culture, the Horse is recognised for its dynamic and energetic characteristics. It embodies vitality, speed, and determination.

According to horoscope predictions, the year of the Horse will bring in financial gains for four signs.

Tiger

Expect career and travel opportunities. Adaptability and openness to new surroundings will be key. Maintaining emotional balance and clear communication will enable you to capitalise on this active phase.

The Tiger holds the title of king amongst all creatures in China, symbolising strength, courage and the power to ward off evil. Youngsters often wear tiger-themed hats or footwear to attract good fortune.

Come 2026, those born under this sign can expect a flourishing financial outlook, featuring consistent earnings, backing from supporters, and fortunate windfalls. Your professional life will flourish this year, with your leadership abilities driving impressive progress and results.

Your growing influence will help you shine and capitalise on chances for advancement and pay rises.

Rabbit

This year brings tremendous backing from celestial forces including “Tian De”, “Fu Xing,” and “Ba Zuo” ushering in supportive connections and financial prospects. Through consistent work and prudent spending habits, you can gradually strengthen your financial reserves.

Regarding money matters, winter or spring present promising investment windows, with spring proving especially favourable for monetary gains, whilst surprise financial blessings may materialise as the year concludes. Despite healthy earnings, frivolous expenditure should be avoided.

Career-wise, 2026 promises steady progression for you, though autumn may bring some uncertainty, demanding sustained dedication.

Goat

Throughout 2026, your monetary outlook will flourish owing to the correspondence of your birth year with the present year, alongside the fortune of the favourable Green Dragon star.

Beyond standard earnings, you’ll additionally witness considerable profits from secondary investments. Earlier investments in property and shares will yield substantial dividends, delivering tremendous satisfaction.

During 2026, your professional life will enjoy consistent progression. Whether you’re employed or self-employed, your earlier dedication and commitment will deliver notable benefits.

Rooster

Your monetary circumstances in 2026 are anticipated to strengthen. Your standard income possibilities appear encouraging, with opportunities for pay rises and multiple bonuses.

Business owners amongst you will witness significant earnings. You’ll manage to advance your company’s achievements and secure acknowledgement and career elevation.