The world’s most famous Kansas City Chiefs fan will make it to see beau Travis Kelce play in the Super Bowl, even though she is performing in Tokyo the night before, Japan’s US embassy said Friday.

EU states approve landmark AI rules
The decision to rein in artificial intelligence comes after two years of negotiations. The EU’s new rules are said to be the most comprehensive on governing the use and safety of AI.

In Gaza, fears are growing of a new Israeli assault on the south of the territory. Israel’s military has suggested it now plans to advance toward Rafah, close to the Egyptian border. According to the UN, more than half of Gaza’s population is taking shelter there.

According to a CNA report on Friday the United States slapped charges on the Iran linked oil trafficking network.

The United States on Friday (Feb 2)announced terrorism and sanctions-evasion charges and seizures linked to a billion-dollar oil trafficking network that it says finances Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and other militant groups.

The cases are in response to a series of aggressive actions by Iran over several years, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said. In August of 2022, for example, the US charged an IRGC member with plotting to murder John Bolton, who served as US national security adviser under former President Donald Trump.

Actions by Iran-backed militants, including the Oct 7 attack on Israel by the Palestinian group Hamas and the attack over the weekend in Jordan that killed three US soldiers, have increased the focus on Iran’s oil trade, the DOJ said.

“The Justice Department will continue to use every authority we have to cut off the illegal financing and enabling of Iran’s malicious activities, which have become even more evident in recent months,” US Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.

The DOJ seized more than US$108 million that it said China Oil & Petroleum Company Limited attempted to launder through accounts at US financial institutions. The DOJ said China Oil & Petroleum is an IRGC front company.

The DOJ said it also seized more than 520,000 barrels of Iran’s oil aboard the crude tanker Abyss that were covered by US sanctions.

Seven defendants, including Sitki Ayan, who is a Turkish national and chairman of the ASB Group, Morteza Rostam Ghasemi, who is the son of a former IRGC commander and Iranian petroleum minister, and Behnam Shahriyari, who is an IRGC Quds Force official, were char

According to abc news:

BBC ADDS

We have some confirmed details now from the US Central Command (CENTCOM).

They say American forces launched airstrikes in Iraq and Syria against Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force and affiliated militia groups at 16:00 EST (21:00 GMT).

• More than 85 targets were hit.
• Numerous aircraft, including long-range bombers flown from the United States, were involved.
• More than 125 precision munitions were used.

Targets included command and control operations, centres, intelligence centres, rockets, and missiles, and drone storage sites, and logistics and munition supply chain facilities of militia groups.

The U.S. on Friday began retaliatory strikes in the Middle East, likely against Iran-backed militants for a drone strike on an American base in Jordan last Sunday that killed three U.S. service members.

Dozens of other American troops were wounded in the drone attack on the Tower 22 base near Jordan’s border with Iraq and Syria. The U.S. says Iran is responsible for funding and arming the militants while Iran has denied involvement.

President Joe Biden had quickly warned that America would respond, escalating involvement in the Middle East after months of trying to contain tensions from boiling over into a broader war in the region.

Latest headlines:

• US military strikes have started in Syria, official says
• Blinken, in coming Middle East visit, to continue work on preventing wider conflict
• Biden attends dignified transfer ceremony for fallen troops
• What we know about the drone attack on US base in Jordan
• US will have a ‘multi-tiered’ response

Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern.

Feb 02, 9:22 PM

US military strikes have started in Syria, official says

U.S. military strikes in retaliation for a deadly attack on a U.S. base in Jordan have begun in Syria, a U.S. official confirms.

-ABC News’ Luis Martinez

Feb 02, 9:08 PM

Blinken, in coming Middle East visit, to continue wor

Tyson Fury’s undisputed heavyweight title fight against Oleksandr Usyk has been postponed after the Fury, 35, was cut in sparring at his training camp in Saudi Arabia on Friday in preparation for the bout on 17 February in Riyadh. sustained a “freak” cut in training.

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According to the media reports in US and UK the Trump followers are trying to float many throies on various social media platforms which include that
Ahead of an election that could see Trump once again go head to head with Biden, Republicans are suggesting that the biggest pop star in the world is at the centre of a psyop aimed at keeping Biden in the White House.
The conspiracy theory has even reached the Super Bowl, which is widely considered to be one of the biggest sporting events of the year in the US.
The New York Times reported that Swift is on Biden’s wish list of potential surrogates (people who publicly endorse political figures or parties).
And it’s no surprise, as Swift’s influence is unmatched: Time’s Person of the Year 2023 has broken several records in the past year, with her Eras Tour and the release of 1989 (Taylor’s Version).
She also has 279 million followers on Instagram, a platform where she rallied more than 35,000 people to register to vote.
While she openly backed Biden and Harris in 2020, and previously endorsed Democratic candidates in 2018, Swift has not yet publicly spoken about the 2024 election.
Despite this, Rolling Stone reported that Trump believes he is more popular than Swift and has more fans than she does.
His campaign senior adviser Jason Miller told the outlet: “Joe Biden might be counting on Taylor Swift to save him, but voters are looking at these sky-high inflation rates and saying, ‘We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together’.”
What is the Super Bowl conspiracy theory about?
Swift has been closely linked to the NFL (National Football League) in recent months, due to her romance with tight end Travis Kelce. She has attended a number of games, receiving backlash from football fans upset with how often the cameras cut to her.
Now, Republicans are pushing a conspiracy theory that suggests the NFL’s Super Bowl, which takes place on February 11, has been rigged to ensure that the Kansas City Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers.
They believe that a win for the Chiefs – and more crucially – Swift’s boyfriend Kelce, will result in an appearance on the pitch from Swift, where they believe that she will endorse Biden for president.
Kelce has already been under fire from the Republicans for promoting Pfizer’s Covid vaccine and beer brand Bud Light, the latter of which angered right-wing Americans when it collaborated with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
Among the Republican figures pushing the theory is former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.
“I wonder who’s going to win the Super Bowl next month. And I wonder if there’s a major presidential endorsement coming from an artificially culturally propped-up couple this fall,” he said on X.
“Just some wild speculation over here, let’s see how it ages over the next 8 months.”
Which Republicans have attacked Swift?
Republicans are set to amp up the culture war surrounding Swift, framing her as a Democrat elite.
Trump’s lawyer Alina Habba reposted an Instagram post to her Stories, which asked: “Who thinks this country needs a lot more women like Alina Habba, and a lot less like Taylor Swift?”
Fox News Host Sean Hannity also speculated about Swift endorsing Biden.
“Does Taylor realise the guy that they want her to endorse is a kind of stumbling, bumbling mess, doesn’t have the energy to even give a 30-minute speech, let alone perform a three-hour concert like she does?” he asked.
“He also is kind of very creepy. She may want to check out those creepy videos, they’re online.”
Meanwhile, the Pentagon has dismissed the conspiracy theory. A spokesperson for the Pentagon, Sabrina Singh, said in a statement, “as for this conspiracy theory, we are going to shake it off,” referencing one of Swift’s biggest hits.

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The measure, which has sparked massive protests from farmers, is part of the government’s financial plans for 2024. Lawmakers have now finally approved the national budget after a month long delay.

The Lebanon-based Shia militant group Hezbollah has expressed its determination to continue resistance to Israel unless the country ends its attacks in the Gaza Strip.

A senior official of Hezbollah’s political arm, Hussein al-Hajj Hassan, told NHK on Thursday that Israel has failed to produce any results in Gaza and is heading toward defeat.

The Boston Celtics were favourites going into their clash with the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night in their NBA regular season match-up, but they suffered a disappointing 115-104 defeat to a team without either Anthony Davis or LeBron James. Speaking to TNT Sports after the match, both Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley bemoaned the lack of ruthlessness from the Celtics.