North America
A judge temporarily blocked President Trump from placing 2,200 USAID employees on paid leave on Friday (Feb 7), reinstating 500 already affected staff, after unions argued the move violated the U.S. Constitution and harmed workers. Trump, who aims to dismantle the agency as part of broader federal budget cuts, claims USAID, the world’s single biggest aid donor, is corrupt and misuses taxpayer money. Critics warn the cuts will have devastating global consequences, with UNAIDS estimating 6.3 million additional AIDS-related deaths over the next five years.
Source: BBC
President Trump defended Elon Musk’s involvement in government restructuring on Sunday (Feb 9), and announced that a new oversight body would soon investigate military and education budgets. Legal challenges have halted some of these initiatives, with a judge blocking access to financial records on Saturday (Feb 8). Democrats argue that these actions undermine national security and primarily benefit foreign interests. Despite ongoing lawsuits, Trump’s administration continues pushing forward with its policy changes, while others warn of constitutional risks.
Source: BBC
UNICEF reported a sharp rise in child sexual violence in Haiti on Friday (Feb 7), linking it to growing gang influence in the capital. Armed groups now dominate most of Port-au-Prince, displacing over a million people, many of them children. A multinational security force, including Kenyan police, arrived on Thursday (Feb 6) to support efforts against gang violence. However, funding delays and resource shortages have limited the mission’s effectiveness. Children, some as young as eight, are increasingly being recruited into armed groups due to poverty and lack of protection.
Source: Reuters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau privately acknowledged concerns on Friday (Feb 7) that President Trump’s discussions about integrating Canada into the U.S. are serious. Trump recently postponed new trade tariffs for a month, demanding stricter border enforcement on drug trafficking. Trudeau emphasized the need to maintain economic stability while preparing for long-term diplomatic tensions with Washington. He also pointed out that Canada’s internal trade barriers continue to weaken its economic position.
Source: Reuters
Panama’s president dismissed U.S. statements suggesting American military ships could bypass tolls when using the Panama Canal on Thursday (Feb 6). Panamanian authorities reaffirmed that all vessels are required to pay, despite past agreements granting U.S. ships priority access. Washington argues that military exemptions should apply, citing security obligations in the region. Meanwhile, Panama confirmed its withdrawal from China’s global infrastructure initiative, but denied external pressure influenced the decision.
Source: Reuters
Europe
The bloodiest shooting in Sweden occurred at an adult education institution, where eleven people were killed, including the gunman himself (Feb 4). The assault took place on a school site in Orebro, which is roughly 200 kilometres (125 miles) west of Stockholm. According to the police, the accused murderer, who was identified as a 35-year-old unemployed recluse, Rickard Andersson, acted alone. They also believe he took his own life, finding three rifles near his body. Authorities in Sweden have stated that there is now no proof that the shooter, who was unknown to the police, had ideological motivations.. After hiding and barricading themselves in classrooms, survivors had to endure hours of horrible waiting before being freed, passing pooled blood and dead bodies. T Reuters reported that eight of the ten dead were immigrants with roots in Syria, Somalia, and Bosnia, among other nations. Sweden has a high degree of gun ownership in comparison to other European countries, and a recent surge in gang crime has emphasised the prevalence of illegal guns.
Source: Reuters
Ahead of the nation’s general election, over 200,000 demonstrators marched against far-right extremism in Munich, Germany (Feb 8).The far-right and xenophobic party Alternative for Germany, or AfD, is currently in second place in recent surveys, which has led to widespread protests throughout the nation. The demonstration was hosted at Theresienwiese in Munich and the organisers estimate that up to 320,000 people attended. Many of them carried anti-AfD placards with the phrases, “Racism and hatred is not an alternative.” Activist organisations, the Munich Film Festival, churches, and the Munich football teams FC Bayern and TSV 1860 were among those who backed the protest. Protesters also criticised Friedrich Merz, the centre-right leader and leading candidate in the next election, and his Christian Democrats for submitting to parliament last month ideas for stringent new immigration laws which were supported by the AfD.
Source: Washington Post
In an attempt to leverage on US President Donald Trump’s willingness to make a deal, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy disclosed a previously classified map of significant rare earth and other important mineral reserves (Feb 7). A swift conclusion to Ukraine’s conflict with Russia has been a top priority forTrump’s administration. He wanted Ukraine to give the United States rare earths and other minerals in return for financial support for their war effort. Zelenskiy said that Ukraine has Europe’s largest supplies of uranium and weaponry,and titanium. Additionally, Russia had about half of Ukraine’s rare earth deposits and less than 20% of its mineral resources. He also believes that Moscow could give those resources to its allies, North Korea and Iran, who are the United States’ worst enemies. Instead of donating its resources, Zelenskiy emphasised that Kyiv was offering a collaborative, mutually beneficial partnership to develop its resources. According to Trump, Zelenskiy and he will meet next week.
Source: Reuters
Following a string of earthquakes that rocked the well-known tourist island this week and ordered over 10,000 inhabitants and employees to leave, Greece has declared a state of emergency on Santorini (Feb 6). The sea between Santorini and the island of Amorgos has been experiencing hundreds of almost continual tremors since Sunday; the greatest one had a magnitude of 5.2 on Wednesday night. Due to a high risk of landslides in several areas of the island, authorities have closed schools, sent rescuers, and warned citizens to stay away from ports and indoor gatherings. Police, fire, and army troops have been sent to the island. In order to address the requirements of the populace and the effects of the seismic activity, the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection announced that the state of emergency would remain in effect until March 3 2025.
Source: Reuters
For the second major protest in two weeks, thousands of Slovaks flocked to a central square in the capital on Friday to protest Prime Minister Robert Fico’s policy change that aims to bring Slovakia closer to Russia. They also converged in dozens of other cities and towns, chanting “resign, resign” and “Russian agent” as they demanded his resignation. News website Dennik N estimated the gathering in Bratislava’s Freedom Square to be around 42,000 and 45,000 people, citing a business coordinating security during the demonstration. Fico’s government has been attacking progressive opponents, accusing them of trying to overthrow the government and cause instability, heightening tensions in recent weeks. This caused the administration to consider further preventive measures. His administration is under fire for undermining democratic values and shifting its foreign policy away from NATO and the EU and towards Russia. However, he has defended his government’s foreign policy, saying it was successful in every way.
Source: Reuters
As part of a move to strengthen security and deepen the countries’ integration with the European Union, the three Baltic nations, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, disconnected their electrical systems from Russia’s power grid (Feb 8). They will coordinate with the EU grid on Sunday after functioning independently in the meantime and disconnecting from the IPS/UPS joint network. Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, spoke during a ceremony on Sunday to commemorate the adoption of the EU system. Debated for decades, plans to separate the Baltics from the grid of their old Soviet imperial ruler acquired impetus when Moscow annexed Crimea in 2014. After the three nations gained their independence, the grid served as their last remaining connection to Russia. Due to the detachment, Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave—which is situated between Lithuania, Poland, and the Baltic Sea—is left to rely solely on its own power system maintenance.
Source: Reuters
Asia-Pacific
Indian security forces killed at least 31 suspected Maoist rebels in Chhattisgarh’s forests in the year’s biggest encounter on Sunday (Feb 11). Two security personnel also died, and two others were injured in the operation. Hundreds of soldiers launched the raid based on intelligence about a large rebel gathering. Authorities recovered automatic weapons and grenade launchers from the scene. Home Minister Amit Shah hailed the operation as progress toward eliminating Maoist insurgency by 2026. The Maoists, who have waged war against the government since 1967, continue to recruit from poor indigenous communities frustrated by economic neglect.
Source: Al Jazeera
Thousands of protesters in Dhaka demolished and set fire to the home of Bangladesh’s founding leader, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, on Wednesday (Feb 7). The attack was triggered by an online speech from his daughter, ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who called for resistance against the interim government. The protest, led by student activists, was part of a broader movement to dismantle Hasina’s political legacy. Demonstrators also targeted properties linked to her party, the Awami League. The interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, has sought Hasina’s extradition, but India has yet to respond. Hasina remains defiant, urging a UN investigation into last year’s deadly protests that led to her exile.
Source: Al Jazeera
Hong Kong will outlaw public possession and use of e-cigarette cartridges by mid-2026, aiming to curb vaping among youth. Despite a 2022 ban on sales and imports, vaping remains widespread due to illegal supply chains. Health Secretary Lo Chung-mau said on Sunday (Feb 9) that the law would first target outdoor areas before extending indoors. Authorities also plan to ban non-menthol flavored cigarettes as part of broader anti-smoking measures. Hong Kong hopes to reduce smoking rates to 7.8% this year. The crackdown follows concerns that e-cigarettes are being used to inhale illegal drugs like “space oil,” a powerful anesthetic.
Source: CNA
South Korean ministries and police blocked access to DeepSeek, a Chinese AI startup, after it failed to respond to a data privacy inquiry on Thursday (Feb 8). The move follows similar restrictions in Italy and Australia, amid concerns about how the company handles user information. South Korea’s defense ministry cited security risks, particularly for military personnel, while the police and trade ministry also restricted access. China denounced the ban, accusing Western nations of politicizing technology issues. DeepSeek, which developed an AI chatbot using older-generation chips, has disrupted the AI industry with its low-cost model, intensifying global competition.
Source: CNA
Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake marked the country’s independence anniversary on Tuesday (Feb 6) with a commitment to fight corruption and restore economic stability. Unlike past leaders, he scrapped extravagant military parades in favor of a modest ceremony. Sri Lanka recently restructured its foreign debt after defaulting in 2022, and Dissanayake vowed to continue austerity measures introduced under his predecessor. He emphasized that his government is laying the foundation for economic recovery while reforming the political system, which has long been plagued by mismanagement.
Source: CNA
Middle East
The deadline to begin talks on Gaza’s ceasefire ended on Monday (Feb 3), but Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has not made comments about a negotiating team for the talks which will be held in Qatar or Egypt, where Hamas is sending a delegation. The ceasefire which had been in place for two weeks is set to expire on March 1. Under the terms of the deal, talks on the next phase of the truce were supposed to begin latest by Monday. Netanyahu has made it clear that he believes the way forward lies in his meeting with US President Donald Trump. He will be the first foreign leader to hold a meeting with Trump.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/03/middleeast/trump-netanyahu-talks-gaza-ceasefire-intl/index.html
In a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Feb 4), U.S. President Donald Trump doubled down on his plans to evict Palestinians from Gaza and claimed that the US would take a ‘long-term ownership position’ that would bring ‘great stability to the Middle East’. When asked who would live there, he responded ‘The world’s people’, saying it would be as the ‘riviera of the Middle East’. His statements have been met with widespread backlash, with Jordan and Egypt rejecting his proposal, and the UN warning against ethnic cleansing in Gaza.
Israel and Hamas carried out a prisoner swap (Feb 8), the latest exchange under the deal to secure a ceasefire. Hamas released three Israeli captives on Saturday morning, while 183 Palestinians ‘were transferred from several prisons across the country’ before being taken to the occupied West Bank, East Bank and Gaze, according to a statement by Israel’s prison service. This is the fifth exchange that has been made under the truce agreement, which took effect on January 19 2025.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/2/8/gaza-prepares-for-release-of-three-israeli-captives
Saudi Arabia condemned Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s suggestion that the kingdom’s land be used to establish a Palestinian state (Feb 9), while accusing Netanyahu of diverting attention from Israel’s ongoing crimes in Gaza, including ethnic cleansing, stating that ‘The kingdom affirms that the Palestinian people have a right to their land and they are not intruders or immigrants to it who can be expelled whenever the brutal Israeli occupation wishes.’ These statements occur after Netanyahu made a comment to an interviewer saying that the Saudis can create a Palestinian state in Saudi Arabia because they have a lot of land there.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a statement on Saturday (Feb 9) that it is willing to negotiate with the United States but not within the ‘maximum pressure’ strategy by Donald Trump. He stated that ‘the lifting of sanctions requires negotiations’ but within the framework of a maximum pressure policy it ‘would not be a framework but a form of surrender.’ These statements occur after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged the government to not negotiate with the US as it would be a ‘reckless’ approach, referring to the 2015 deal that Iran struck with the US, France, Germany, United Kingdom, China and Russia to regulate its nuclear programme in return for easing international sanctions; however, within his first term in 2018, Trump unilaterally withdrew the US from the agreement ad reinstated heavy sanctions.
Africa
Malawi President ordered the withdrawal of troop from DR Congo (Feb 6). Despite the volatile situation in DR Congo, President Chakwera ordered the withdrawal of troops from the region. The Malawian troops are part of the southern African regional bloc’s military mission (SAMICRC) deployed to DR Congo to help tackle armed groups. President Chakwera said the decision was made to honour the declaration of ceasefire by the parties. The Rawand-backed M23 rebel group had declared a unilateral ceasefire on Monday, for humanitarian reasons, however the fighting had since resumed.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0m1jmdr4jgo.amp
More than 100 female prisoners were raped and burned alive during a jailbreak in the Congolese city of Goma (Feb 5). Hundreds of prisoners broke out of Munzenze prison after fighters from the M23 rebel group began to take over the city. While several thousand men managed to escape the prison, between 165 to 167 women were assaulted by male inmates and then killed by a fire set in the women’s wing. The UN office of the high commissioner for human rights (OHCHR) warned that sexual violence is being used as a weapon of war by rival armed groups in Goma.
Sources: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckgyrxz4k6zo.amp
President Trump signed an executive order (Feb 7) aimed at freezing assistance to South Africa over the controversial land seizure law, which allows the government to seize farmland from ethnic minorities without compensation. Ramaphosa signed a bill into law last month providing new guidelines for land expropriation. Trump claimed the law mistreated certain classes of people and was a ‘human rights violation’. South Africa’s foreign minister said Trump’s order was factually inaccurate and did not ‘recognise South Africa’s profound and painful history of colonialism and apartheid.’
Uganda begins a clinical trial of a vaccine against Sudan strain of Ebola (Feb 3). Uganda had declared an Ebola outbreak in Kampala the previous week and a death of a nurse. This marks the sixth time that Uganda has been hit by an outbreak of the Sudan strain of the virus, for which there is no approved vaccine. The trial began four days after the announcement of the death of the nurse, and on Monday volunteers began to receive the first injections of the Sudan Ebola vaccine.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/2/4/uganda-starts-clinical-trial-to-combat-sudan-strain-of-ebola
Mozambique’s main opposition leader returned after two months of self-imposed exile (Feb 9). At the gates of the Mauto International Airport, he told reporters there that the government was perpetuating a ‘silent genocide’ by abducting and executing members of the opposition party to conceal irregularies in the October 9 election, this resulted in a violent clash between security forces and the thousands of protestors that turned up to show support for him. More than 300 people, including several children, have died in the violence that erupted after the election results declared by the Mozambique Electoral Commission (CNE) to be not free or fair by several independent electoral missions, including the European Union Electoral Observer Mission and the Episcopal Conference of Mozambique, causing Mondlane and other opposition figures to denounce the results and encourage supporters to rise up against Frelimo.
Kurdish officials warned of a potential Islamic State resurgence (Feb 9) if US foreign aid cuts take effect on Monday. This this would cripple essential services for tens of thousands of people detained in tented camps in north-east Syria, including suspected members of IS and their families. Blumont, an aid group responsible for the management of two of Syria’s IS detention camps, al-Hol and al-Roj, was also given a stop-work order in January, which prompted panic in the camps when workers did not show up for work. Three days later Blumont was given a two-week waiver to aid cuts, however the waiver expires on Monday. Jihan Hanan, director of al-Hol camp, said they have no idea what will happen next or whether they would even receive food supplies.
South America
After US Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Guatemala, the country promised to increase the number of deportation flights it receives from the US (Feb 5) . Bernardo Arevalo, the president of Guatemala, also declared during a press conference that his nation would take in foreign nationals provided by the United States. Guatemala has already accepted deportation planes from the United States, including during the previous administration of US President Joe Biden. However, since taking office on January 20 2025. Rubio said that in order for Guatemala to repatriate non-citizens to their countries of origin, the United States will provide financial assistance. The deportation-flight agreement was “very important for us in terms of the migratory situation we’re facing,” he added, praising Arevalo.
Source : Al Jazeera
Panama President Jose Raul Mulino accused the United States of disseminating “lies and falsehoods” after the State Department stated that US government vessels will be able to transit through the Panama Canal without paying (Feb 6). Mulino later announced on social media that he would meet with US President Donald Trump on Friday afternoon. Panama has been in the White House’s crosshairs since Trump said China had effectively taken over the country’s crucial waterway and pledged the US was “taking it back.”. The Panama Canal Authority issued a statement in Febuary 5 2025, disputing the State Department’s claim that Panama’s government has agreed to waive passage fees for US government vessels, a move that would save the US millions of dollars per year.
Source : Reuters
Argentina President Javier Milei had decided to restrict the number of trans women who could be confined in women’s prisons and to outlaw gender change procedures and treatments for minors. Manuel Adorni, the president’s spokesperson, stated at a news conference that the ban would cover hormone therapy and that it was intended to safeguard the mental health of youngsters. This move mirrored similar pushbacks in trans rights legislation in the US, UK, Sweden, and Finland. “Gender ideology taken to extremes and applied to children by force or psychological coercion clearly constitutes child abuse,” according to a statement from the office. This law was announced just days after thousands of Argentineans demonstrated in support of LGBT+ rights. The demonstrations followed Milei’s address in Davos, Switzerland, in which he referred to progressive ideas as a “cancer that must be extirpated.”.
Source : Reuters
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said he is “worried” about the country’s high food costs, but that price increase is expected to moderate in the future, and expressed overall optimism about the economy. Lula stated, “The Brazilian economy is living its best moment,” citing stronger-than-expected growth and claiming that inflation was “under control” while breaching the central bank’s 1.5% to 4.5% goal range. He pointed out that although the Brazilian real was still weak in relation to the US dollar, the exchange rate was “adjusting,” with the local currency rising by more than 6% this year.
Source : Reuters
Ecuadorians are preparing to elect their next president in a race dominated by the country’s security issue and struggling economy (Feb 9). The incumbent, hard-right President Daniel Noboa, has faced 15 challenges since his election 14 months ago. For his main rival Luisa Gonzalez to defeat front-runner Noboa, she will need to significantly surpass pre-election polls. The campaigns emphasise Ecuador’s declining economy and cartel turf conflicts. Noboa claims that the military’s presence in jails and the streets has led to the arrest of significant gang leaders and a drop in prison and violent fatalities. His opponents, however, contend that more needs to be done to address the drug-related crime. Human rights organisations argue that Noboa has violated human rights by using violent force. The security issue has also affected the economy. Consequently, he needed to establish a $4 billion budgetary war reserve by turning to the International Monetary reserve.
Source : Al Jazeera
