“White House envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are expected to meet on Friday in Istanbul to discuss a possible nuclear deal, according to two sources with knowledge. … This would be the first meeting between U.S. and Iranian officials since the collapse of the negotiations and the 12-day war last June. It comes during a massive U.S. military buildup in the Gulf, and with President Trump insisting the only way to avoid military conflict is a swift deal.” {editor’s note: What is the point of “talks” toward a “deal?” There’s already a binding deal that the US regime has been in violation of since 2017 – TLK] (02/02/26)
“Robby Soave delivers radar on Independent Journalist Don Lemon being arrested and charged in connection with his decision to join a group of anti-ICE protesters who entered a church in St. Paul Minnesota.” (02/02/26)
Source: Future of Freedom Foundation
by James Bovard
“In last month’s Future of Freedom article, I explained how the 2016 presidential election made ‘post-truth’ become the Oxford English Dictionary’s word of the year. Americans felt forced to choose between two candidates that most voters despised. The political system’s credibility plummeted in the 2016 campaign. But the 2016 election was actually far more corrupt than it appeared at the time. The FBI sought to cast a veto over the votes of American citizens.” (02/02/26)
Source: Foundation for Economic Education
by Jake Scott
“After nearly two decades of halting, stumbling talks, India and the European Union (EU) have at last concluded a free trade agreement (FTA) that both sides are describing as economically consequential and strategically necessary. Exposure to global volatility has shaped India’s economic geostrategy in 2025 and looks to do so in 2026 just as much, meaning that a reliable trading partner is highly sought after; while the EU has been left feeling bruised over trade relations with the United States.” (02/02/26)
“Planned Parenthood has moved to drop its legal challenge against the Trump administration for cutting off Medicaid funding to its abortion providers across the U.S. Since July, Planned Parenthood’s attorneys have been fighting to block part of President Donald Trump’s tax bill that they argued unfairly targeted their clinics and would leave vulnerable patients with even fewer health care options. However, in December, a federal appeals court ruled that the Trump administration could continue to withhold Medicaid funding from Planned Parenthood and other health centers. … ‘The goal of this lawsuit has always been to help Planned Parenthood patients get the care they deserve from their trusted provider. Based on the 1st Circuit’s decision, it is clear that this lawsuit is no longer the best way to accomplish that goal,’ the organization said in a statement.” (02/02/26)
“Eighteen years ago, when I first moved to the Twin Cities, they had a reputation for being ‘Minnesota nice.’ I sigh now to remember it. Somewhere deep in a dresser drawer, I still have a t-shirt that reads: ‘Keep St. Paul Boring.’ I liked boring St Paul. I admit that things could be worse. Our recent adventures haven’t been nearly as exciting as the ones in 2020. During the George Floyd riots, the chaos spilled over noticeably into surrounding neighborhoods, with columns of black smoke visibly rising into the sky, presumably from burned buildings and cars. … Even without the smoke and shattered windows, these have certainly been Interesting Times, which naturally prompts reflection.” (02/02/26)
“The eldest son of Norway’s crown princess has been arrested, just before his trial opens on charges including rape in a case that has been an embarrassment to the royal family, police said on Monday. Marius Borg Høiby was arrested on Sunday evening and is accused of assault, threats with a knife and violation of a restraining order, police said in a statement. They requested four weeks’ detention on grounds of risk of reoffending. … Ahead of the trial, Friday’s release of the latest batch of documents from the Epstein files shone an unflattering spotlight on Mette-Marit. They contained several hundred mentions of the crown princess, who already said in 2019 that she regretted having had contact with Epstein, Norwegian media reported.” (02/02/26)
