Laura Fernández of the Sovereign People party won Costa Rica's presidential election in a landslide victory, marking a shift to the right for the Latin American nation. The right-wing populist secured the presidency after campaigning on a platform of cracking down on rising violence linked to the cocaine trade, according to The Guardian.
Fernández's nearest rival, center-right economist Álvaro Ramos, conceded defeat as the results became clear, The Guardian reported. The election took place on Sunday, February 1, 2026, in San José, Costa Rica.
In other news, former U.S. President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will testify in a congressional investigation into the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to Al Jazeera. A spokesperson for the former president announced the decision on Monday, February 2, 2026. The Clintons' decision to testify could avert a planned vote in the Republican-led House of Representatives to hold them in contempt for refusing to appear before lawmakers, Al Jazeera reported.
FIFA boss Gianni Infantino apologized to British football fans after making a joke about the lack of arrests of British citizens during the World Cup. Sky News reported that Infantino suffered a backlash after joking, "For the first time in history... no Brit was arrested during a World Cup. Imagine! This is something really really special." The Football Supporters' Association criticized the comment as a "cheap joke," according to Sky News. The apology was issued on Monday, February 2, 2026. Infantino also insisted that former U.S. President Donald Trump deserved a peace prize, Sky News added.
The reopening of the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt proved to be more complicated than anticipated. According to Sky News, Israeli authorities initially announced the crossing would be open for civilians at breakfast time on Monday, February 2, 2026, but the first people did not cross until sunset. Adam Parsons, Middle East correspondent for Sky News, reported that of the many thousands of people in Gaza requiring urgent medical attention, only five had managed to reach Egypt for help. Parsons noted, "It was inevitable, of course. How could anyone have thought that the reopening of the Rafah crossing could have been straightforward?"
In the United States, President Donald Trump urged the House of Representatives to quickly end the partial government shutdown. Euronews reported that Trump promised to work in good faith on raised issues and concerns. The shutdown was triggered by Democratic lawmakers demanding changes to immigration operations following the fatal shooting of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis in January, according to Euronews. While Trump brokered a federal funding package with the Senate, neither Republican nor Democrat lawmakers appeared ready to quickly approve it without debating their own demands over immigration enforcement operations, Euronews noted. The President's appeal was made on Monday, February 2, 2026.
Discussion
AI Experts & Community
Be the first to comment