Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced a nationwide ban on social media for children under 16, making Spain the first European country to implement such comprehensive restrictions. This groundbreaking decision positions Spain as a pioneer in child protection legislation within Europe, addressing growing concerns about social media's impact on young people's mental health, well-being, and development. The ban represents a significant regulatory shift in how European nations approach digital safety for minors. While similar restrictions have been discussed across various countries, Spain's decisive action sets a new precedent for the continent. The move follows global debates about children's online safety, with countries worldwide grappling with balancing digital access against protection from potential harms associated with social media platforms. (PC: BBC)

Two centuries after cricket arrived in Italy, the Azzurri make their ICC World Cup debut against Scotland in Kolkata on Monday. Herbert Kilpin's 1899 Milan Foot-Ball and Cricket Club spawned football giant AC Milan, but cricket developed slowly. Italy's stunning second-place finish behind Netherlands at July's European qualification, including a shocking 12-run victory over heavily-favored Scotland, secured their T20 World Cup 2026 berth. The 15-player squad mixes home-based players with Australian, South African, and English talent qualifying through Italian heritage. Coach Kevin O'Brien targets Super Eight qualification, drawing parallels to Ireland's 2007 debut. Leg-spinner Crishan Kalugamage, who moved from Sri Lanka at 15, embodies Italy's cricket journey, balancing his pizza chef job with 700-kilometer round trips for matches. (PC: Reuters)

India achieved a major technological breakthrough on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, when DRDO successfully demonstrated Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet technology from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, off Odisha's coast. This success places India among an elite group of nations possessing this advanced propulsion technology, crucial for developing long-range air-to-air missiles providing tactical advantage. Unlike conventional solid-propellant rockets, ramjets draw oxygen from the atmosphere during flight, eliminating heavy oxidizer requirements. This drastically enhances missile range with higher average speeds while enabling larger payloads. All subsystems including nozzle-less booster, ramjet motor, and fuel flow controller performed as expected. The technology will power the Astra Mk-3 missile with 350-kilometer range capability, strengthening India's indigenous defense capabilities.

The US military shot down an Iranian drone that “aggressively” approached the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea, saying the action protected the carrier and its crew. The Iranian Shahed-139 drone was intercepted by a US F-35C fighter jet in self-defence amid heightened US-Iran tensions and ongoing pressure over Tehran’s nuclear programme. Iran then demanded the venue for upcoming talks be moved to Oman and narrowed to nuclear issues, complicating diplomacy. The incident follows harassment of a US-flagged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz and comes as both sides weigh negotiations vs. confrontation. (PC: HT)

For the third consecutive year, India’s Supreme Court has not upheld any death penalty imposed by lower courts, continuing a trend of rejecting capital punishment confirmations. Instead, the top court acquitted nine death-row prisoners and commuted five others to lesser sentences, reflecting growing judicial reluctance to validate death sentences amid concerns about fair trials and procedural errors. The pattern highlights a shift in how appellate courts scrutinise capital punishment cases, emphasising due process and mitigation before affirming the ultimate penalty. This ongoing trend contributes to debates on death penalty practices within India’s criminal justice system. (PC: The Hindu)

The US Department of Justice has taken down thousands of Jeffrey Epstein–related documents after victims said flawed redactions exposed their identities. The files, part of a congressionally mandated release of millions of records, reportedly included visible names, email addresses, banking details and images that could identify survivors. Lawyers called the disclosure an unprecedented violation of victim privacy, saying nearly 100 survivors were affected, some receiving threats. The DOJ blamed technical or human error, said all flagged documents were removed, and pledged further review and redaction. Survivors criticised the handling, calling it retraumatising and dangerous. (PC: Reuters)

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington to strengthen India-US strategic ties, a day after a new trade deal was announced between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump. They discussed cooperation on trade, energy, nuclear, defence, technology and critical minerals, including formalising joint efforts in exploration, mining and processing. Both leaders welcomed the tariff reduction deal and agreed on early meetings to advance shared interests. They also reaffirmed commitment to expanding bilateral and multilateral collaboration, including through the Quad, to support economic opportunities and energy security. (PC: NDTV)

The ICC has warned Pakistan Cricket Board of potential legal action from T20 World Cup broadcasters if Pakistan boycotts the February 15 match against India in Colombo. The ICC could withhold Pakistan's entire annual revenue share of approximately $35 million to compensate broadcasters. A PCB source confirmed the board is preparing for significant repercussions, noting that appeals to the ICC Dispute Resolution Committee would likely fail. The source emphasized broadcasters would be within their rights to sue both PCB and ICC for major contract breach, as the four-year broadcasting deal was based on Pakistan-India matches. Pakistan hasn't officially informed ICC despite following government directives to boycott. (PC: AFP)

India's Ministry of External Affairs strongly condemned the theft of a 426-kg bronze Mahatma Gandhi statue from the Australian Indian Community Centre in Rowville, Melbourne, demanding swift action and recovery. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed India raised the matter firmly with Australian authorities. The statue, gifted by India's ICCR and inaugurated by former PM Scott Morrison in 2021, was stolen by three unidentified individuals around 12:50 am on January 12. CCTV footage partially captured the theft showing a white van and balaclava-clad suspects. Victoria Police's Knox Crime Investigation Unit is investigating and has alerted scrap metal dealers. The incident has triggered concern within Melbourne's Indian-Australian community.

Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal defended the India-US trade deal Tuesday, stating India secured the "best possible" agreement compared to neighboring countries under PM Modi's leadership. Goyal explained the US announced tariff reductions first because they imposed reciprocal tariffs initially, which dropped from 50% to 18%. He emphasized agriculture and dairy sectors remain protected, countering Opposition claims that farmers' interests were compromised. Goyal highlighted benefits for MSMEs, textiles, IT, and leather sectors. He sharply criticized Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for "disgraceful behaviour" during Lok Sabha disruptions, preventing government presentations. Goyal credited Modi's personal relationship with President Trump for finalizing the deal after months of negotiations between both teams.