East Asia & the Pacific
Australia: Bushfire warning downgraded for blaze in Darlington, Helena Valley in Perth’s eastern suburbs
ABC (Australia)
Authorities have downgraded a bushfire in Perth’s hills from emergency level to watch and act, with firefighters saying the blaze was stationary. Multiple aerial water bombers were sent to battle the bushfire on Friday afternoon after it had put lives and homes under threat.
Cambodia: Police arrest more than 400 in major human trafficking crackdown
Khmer Times (Cambodia)
National and Military Police dismantled hundreds of human trafficking and sex exploitation rings throughout 2025, leading to the arrest of 410 suspects, the Ministry of Interior announced. Ministry spokesman Touch Sokhak said at a news conference on Wednesday that authorities intervened in 272 separate cases.
China: 2 Chinese in France suspected of spying from Airbnb are under investigation
South China Morning Post (Hong Kong)
Two Chinese nationals suspected of trying to intercept satellite communications from a base in an Airbnb rental property in southwestern France have been placed under formal investigation, the Paris public prosecutor’s office said on Thursday.
Japan: Japan’s Takaichi Wins Snap Election by Landslide: What You Need to Know
Time Magazine (United States)
Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and the Liberal Democratic Party won a landslide victory in the nation’s snap election. The LDP won 316 of the 465 seats in the parliament’s lower house, the largest win margin in the party’s history. She campaigned on a platform of a stronger stance toward China, expanding the Japanese military, tightening immigration, and major economic reform.
Laos: Vientiane Capital Surpasses 2025 Revenue Target by 31 Percent
The Laotian Times (Laos)
Vientiane Capital collected more than LAK 14 trillion (approximately USD 650 million) in 2025, surpassing its annual target by 31 percent, according to the Department of Finance of Vientiane Capital. Speaking at the 2025 Annual Financial Review Meeting and the 2026 Planning Conference, Viengsaly Inthaphom, Head of the Department of Finance of Vientiane Capital, said total revenue collection reached 130 percent of the approved plan, marking a year-on-year increase of 31 percent, or approximately LAK 3.3 trillion (approximately USD 153 million).
Malaysia: Bukit Aman: Three drug rings busted in Klang Valley, RM208m haul; suspects remanded
Malaymail (Malaysia)
The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) dismantled three drug distribution syndicates and seized various drugs, worth RM208.25 million, in several raids conducted from January 30 to February 3 in the Klang Valley. Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) director Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said they also managed to arrest the leaders of all three syndicates, together with nine members.
Myanmar: Junta airstrikes cause casualties across four states, regions over two days
Myanmar Now (Myanmar)
Air raids hit regions and states where the military is continuing to battle anti-junta forces, but appeared to target areas inhabited by civilians where there had been little recent fighting.
Niue: Germany recognises Niue as a sovereign state by formalising diplomatic relations
Pacific Media Network News (New Zealand)
Germany has formally recognised Niue as a sovereign state, signing a declaration to establish diplomatic relations between the two countries. Niue’s Prime Minister Dalton Tagelagi and Germany’s Foreign Minister Dr Johann David Wadephul met in Auckland to formalise the arrangement. The recognition is part of Germany’s wider policy to strengthen relations with Pacific Island countries, particularly members of the Pacific Islands Forum.
North Korea: Ukraine says North Korean troops are still carrying out strikes from Russia
NK News (South Korea)
North Korean troops continue to participate in combat operations against Ukraine despite the return of several thousand soldiers to the DPRK, carrying out artillery strikes from Russia’s Kursk region, according to Kyiv’s military intelligence.
Philippines: Sotto: Not enough votes to make Legarda Senate president
ABS-CBN (Philippines)
Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Friday said the majority did not plan to give the Senate presidency to Senator Loren Legarda to prevent a “coup”. According to Sotto, there would not be enough votes to make it happen. Sotto said the “coup plotters” never had enough numbers as he explained how leadership changes in the Senate are usually done.
Taiwan: CSBC aims to deliver first submarine prototype before end of June
Focus Taiwan (Taiwan)
Taiwan announces their goal to “deliver the first domestically built submarine prototype, Hai Kun, before the end of June”.
Taiwan: Cabinet to seek cross-party support for U.S. trade pact, MOU: Source
Focus Taiwan (Taiwan)
Taiwan is required to send the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) to the “opposition-controlled legislature”, as well as the memorandum of understanding, pledging “$250 billion USD in investment in the United States by Taiwanese semiconductor, electronics manufacturing service”.
Thailand: Thailand and Hungary strengthen relations
Bangkok Post (Thailand)
The Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister of Hungary, Péter Szijjártó, visited Thailand to strengthen foreign relations between the two countries. During the visit, Mr. Szijjártó signed two memorandums of understanding on the field of scholarship and economic cooperation.
Vietnam: The Party ‘only discusses, does not backwards’ the Resolution of the 14th Congress – what is noteworthy?
BBC News (United Kingdom)
General Secretary To Lam signed a directive to immediately implement the “Resolution of the 14th National Congress”, consisting of 18 laws and 272 topics to be prioritized between 2026 through 2030.
Europe & Eurasia
Armenia/Azerbaijan: Vance heads to Armenia, Azerbaijan as US Pushes Peace, Trade, And Minerals Strategy
Radio Free Europe (Czech Republic)
US Vice President JD Vance will visit Armenia and Azerbaijan to reinforce a US-brokered peace deal and advance a strategic transit corridor Washington sees as central to reshaping trade, energy, and influence across the South Caucasus.
France: Former French minister Lang quits plum job over Epstein ties
Politico Europe (Belgium)
Jack Lang, a former French culture and education minister, tendered his resignation from his position as the president of the Paris-based Arab World Institute after the latest revelations about his and his family’s financial ties to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, which included an offshore fund jointly held by Epstein and Lang’s daughter.
Germany: German FA official wants World Cup boycott talks
BBC (United Kingdom)
Ahead of this summer’s World Cup, during which 78 games will be hosted by the US, Oke Gottlich, president of Bundesliga club St Pauli, urges other officials to consider a boycott of the games in response perceived American hostility towards European countries.
Greece: Collision between migrant speedboat, Greek coast guard vessel leaves at least 15 dead
AP News (United States)
A collision between a speedboat carrying migrants and a Greek coast guard patrol vessel off the eastern Aegean island of Chios has killed at least 15 people, while a search and rescue operation involving patrol boats, a helicopter and divers was underway for potentially missing people.
Italy: Italian police arrest protestors after clash in Olympic host city Milan
BBC (United Kingdom)
Thousands of protests took to the streets in Milan on Saturday to protest against the Olympics’ environmental and social consequences, including concerns over excessive public spending and ecological damage.
Italy: Suspected saboteurs hit Italian rail network near Bologna, police say
Reuters (United Kingdom)
Saboteurs damaged rail infrastructure near the northern Italian city of Bologna on, disrupting train journeys on the first full day of the Winter Olympic Games. Officials suspected purposeful sabotage and even terrorism.
Poland/United States: US cuts ties with Polish speaker of parliament over ‘insults’ against Trump
NBC News (United States)
The American ambassador to Poland announced that the US will have no further communication with the speaker of the lower house of Poland’s parliament after he criticized President Trump’s foreign policy and claimed that he does not deserve the Nobel Peace Prize.
Serbia: Serbia seeks EU gas deals as it reduces Russian supplies, says President Vucic
Reuters (United Kingdom)
Serbia, one of Europe’s few remaining buyers of Russian natural gas, is diversifying its energy supply away from Russia and is already in talks to buy natural gas via a European Union purchasing mechanism.
Spain/Portugal: Thousands forced to evacuate as Storm Marta batters Spain and Portugal
Sky News (United Kingdom)
As a “storm train” of consecutive winds and rains has led to thousands being forced to evacuate amid fears of more flooding, while nearly 170 roads have been closed across Spain and Portuguese rail services have been disrupted.
Near East
Egypt: Turkey signs $350 million arms deal with Egypt
Business Insider Africa (Nigeria)
Turkey has signed a $350 million defense agreement with Egypt, Africa’s top-ranked military and the world’s 19th strongest, highlighting Cairo’s expanding defense ambitions and Ankara’s deepening strategic push into African security markets.
Iran: Iran says talks with US in Oman ‘a good start’, more discussions expected
Al Jazeera (Qatar)
Iranian authorities described the latest talks with the United States in Oman as “positive”, while US President Donald Trump said the indirect discussions were “very good”, but the mediated negotiations in Oman have yet to offer a roadmap to alleviate growing fears of a US attack. Iran’s team at the indirect talks in Muscat was led by Araghchi, while Washington sent special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Iraq: US transfers ISIL detainees to Iraq as northeast Syria base draws down
Al Jazeera (Qatar)
US forces transported a third group of ISIL (ISIS) detainees from Ghwayran prison in Syria’s Hasakah province to Iraq by land, as activity around a US military base in the region points to possible operational changes, an Al Jazeera correspondent reports. Iraq so far has received 2,250 ISIL prisoners.
Israel: Netanyahu said to warn Egypt’s military is ‘getting stronger,’ Israel must keep an eye on it
The Times of Israel (Israel)
In a closed-door meeting with the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee today, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly warned that the Egyptian military has been “getting stronger” and said Israel needed to keep an eye on it to ensure it didn’t go too far.
Lebanon: Israeli air attacks on Lebanon reach highest level since ceasefire
Al Jazeera (Qatar)
Israel is carrying out a “clear and dangerous” surge in air attacks on Lebanon, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) has said, with its warplanes conducting more attacks on its neighbor in January than in any previous month since the ceasefire. The humanitarian organization said on Thursday that Israeli warplanes had carried out at least 50 air raids on Lebanon last month – about double the number of the previous month.
Libya: Thousands gather in Libya for funeral of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi
Al Jazeera (Qatar)
Thousands of people have attended the funeral of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s most prominent son, who was shot dead this week. Saif al-Islam Gaddafi was killed on Tuesday in his home in the northwestern city of Zintan. His office said in a statement that he had been killed during a “direct confrontation” with four unknown gunmen who broke into his home.
Syria/Saudi Arabia: Syria and Saudi Arabia sign multibillion-dollar investment deals to boost economy
AP News (United States)
Syria and Saudi Arabia signed multibillion-dollar investment agreements on Saturday, including a major telecommunications project, a low-cost joint airline and an international airport in northern Syria. Most of the Western sanctions on Syria were lifted after a new leadership took power following the ouster of former President Bashar Assad in December 2024, opening the way for investments to flow into the country.
Yemen: New Yemen government formed with Shaya Mohsin al-Zindani as prime minister
Al Jazeera (Qatar)
Yemen’s Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council has issued a decree to form a new government, with Shaya Mohsen al-Zindani confirmed as the country’s prime minister. Al-Zindani will also continue to serve as foreign minister, the state-run news agency Saba reported on Friday.
Sub-Saharan Africa
Africa: Aid cuts could lead to ‘catastrophic consequences’ in Africa, study warns
Semafor (United States)
Cuts to global foreign aid are impacting sub-Saharan Africa the hardest, with a new Lancet Global Health report warning they could cause an additional 22.6 million deaths by 2030. The study found that 38 African countries face especially severe risk, potentially driving sharp rises in preventable child and adult mortality. Following the Trump administration USAID cut, the situation has worsened, contributing to cuts already made by other Western donors, including the UK, France, and Germany.
Africa: Russian Recruiters Target Africans as Fodder for War
Africa Defense Forum (United States)
African men continue to be recruited and deceived into fighting for the Russian army. Polina Azarnykh, formerly a teacher helping foreign students study in Moscow, is accused of handling such recruitment following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. By allegedly promising compensation, citizenship, and non-combatant roles, recruiters send recruits to the front line with minimal training and misleading contracts. A BBC investigation has linked her to hundreds of foreign recruits, many of whom have either ended up dead or missing, as Russia continues to target vulnerable and unemployed youth in Africa.
Kenya: Kenyan court lifts ban on lesbian love story
Semafor (United States)
A ban on Rafiki, a Kenyan film portraying lesbian love in 2018, has been declared unconstitutional and removed. This film was the first from Kenya to be selected for the Cannes Film Festival and to have a worldwide screening, yet it was prohibited in Kenya.The decision is seen as a meaningful shift that could make it harder to censor African films depicting same-sex relationships, especially as their international recognition continues to grow.
Nigeria: Court Holds British Govt Liable for 1949 Nigerian Mine Killings
allAfrica (South Africa, Kenya, Senegal, Nigeria, Liberia, United States)
An incident that led to 21 killed and 51 injured during a protest by miners seeking better working conditions and against wage discrimination in Nigeria in 1949 has led the Enugu High Court to rule that the British government must pay U.S. $27 million to each of the 21 coal miners’ families. In a landmark step towards accountability for abuses committed during the colonial period, the court seeks a formal apology and diplomatic action against the colonial administration.
Nigeria: Dozens Killed as Armed Attackers Raid Nigerian Villages
allAfrica (South Africa, Kenya, Senegal, Nigeria, Liberia, United States)
Nigerian officials are blaming extremist groups like Boko Haram and an Islamic State-linked faction for the attack that rights groups have claimed to have resulted in over 170 people killed. Initial reports estimated at least 35 deaths in the villages of Nuku and Woro in Kwara State, following the armed attacks.
Rwanda: Kagame Says Rwanda Not to Blame for DR Congo Instability
allAfrica (South Africa, Kenya, Senegal, Nigeria, Liberia, United States)
At the National Umushyikirano Council in Kigali, President Paul Kagame stated that Rwanda cannot be held responsible for the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s internal problems, asserting that each nation must address its own issues. He rejects claims that Rwanda is fueling conflict in Eastern DRC, but instead is taking action to thwart the threat that the FDLR poses to Rwanda. Kagame believes that the international community’s blame of Rwanda evades responsibility from President Félix Tshisekedi and encourages further instability.
South Africa: Historic Africa-Led HIV Vaccine Trial Begins in South Africa
allAfrica (South Africa, Kenya, Senegal, Nigeria, Liberia, United States)
The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) is conducting a trial following the launch of the BRILLIANT 101 HIV vaccine development in 2025. This initiative to develop an HIV vaccine is a significant milestone for African-led HIV vaccine research and increases the possibility of its development for African populations.
Sudan: Investigation Reveals RSF Atrocities Against Civilians in El Fasher
Africa Defense Forum (United States)
Following the RSF seizure of El Fasher in October 2025, investigations have revealed widespread abuses, which INL used mass detentions and graves, kidnappings for ransom, and sexual violence. Survivor accounts reveal the detention of most adult men in makeshift prisons, women giving birth without care, and men escaping while hiding among the women. The takeover has triggered a humanitarian catastrophe while tens of thousands of people, mostly women and children, flee to escape the daily shelling.
South & Central Asia
Afghanistan: ISIS Claims Deadly Mosque Bombing in Pakistan’s Islamabad
The Khaama Press News Agency (Afghanistan)
Islamic State group ISIS in Afghanistan officially too responsibility for the suicide bombing at a Shia mosque in Islamabad killing 31 people and injuring 169 others.
Afghanistan: 14 Afghan Citizens Freed from Azerbaijan Prisons
The Khaama Press News Agency (Afghanistan)
14 Afghan citizens were released from Azerbaijan’s prisons despite being unaware of their initial crimes.
Bangladesh: Law and order is the key issue in Bangladesh election
Al Jazeera (Qatar)
As Bangladesh begins voting for the 2026 election, national police are becoming a major source of worry for the country due to ineffective activity since the 2024 revolution.
Bangladesh: Trade advisor says deal with US before election
Jugantor (Bangladesh)
Bangladesh travel advisor Sheikh Bashiruddin suggests the government confirm US aircraft trade deal before election in hopes to reduce tariffs on Bangladesh exports.
Kazakhstan: Week in Kazakhstan: Discuss the Constitution, but in silence
Vlast (Kazakhstan)
The government has plans to implement stricter measures of censorship among foreign and local entertainment leading critics to label the acts as repressive.
Kyrgyzstan: A new ban on fuel exports from Russia: what consequences await the Kyrgyz market
Kaktus Media (Kyrgyzstan)
Russia has extended their temporary ban on gasoline exports, indirectly raising prices the country has been working to reduce.
Pakistan: Deadly Islamabad bombing sharpens focus on cross-border attacks in Pakistan
Al Jazeera (Qatar)
A suicide bombing took place in the Khadija Tul Kubra Mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan, leading analysts to imply this event as a “broader attempt to inflame sectarian tensions in the country”.
Tajikistan: CSTO to supply advanced weapons to Tajik border troops amid rising clashes
Asia Plus TJ (Tajikistan)
The “Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization” has publicly confirmed they will be sending advanced weaponry to Tajikistan’s borders after a firefight between border guards and suspected drug traffickers from Afghanistan.
Uzbekistan: Uzbek Senators Approve Law Introducing Islamic Banking in the Country
Fergana News (Russia)
“The Senate of the Oliy Majlis (the upper house of Uzbekistan’s parliament) has approved a law amending existing legislation to introduce Islamic banking in the country.”
Western Hemisphere
Costa Rica: Presidential Conserative-Populist Candidate, Laura Fernandédez, Wins National Presidential Election
NPR (United States)
On February 2nd, on the promise of being tough on crime, far-right conservative and populist, Laura Fernandez, won the national presidential election with 48.3% of the total 96.8% polling vote against her challenger, economist Alvaro Ramos of the National Liberation Party with 33.4%.
Cuba: Nation-Wide Blackouts Amid U.S. Blockade Leads President Miguel Diaz-Canel to Come Up with a New Plan
Al Jazeera (Qatar)
As of February 5th, as the U.S. tightens its grip on the Cuban economy as tensions escalate with the Trump administration, Havana is pursuing a new plan to ramp solar generation and use renewable resources to stabilize electrical grids across the country. Especially for vital services, including hospitals, elderly care centers and isolated regions.
Cuba: U.S. announces additional $6 million in Aid as the Island Faces a Deepening Energy Crisis
Los Angeles Times (United States)
As of February 5, the Cuban President accused the U.S. of an “energy blockade” as the U.S. has decided to send aid mostly meant to support those living in the Eastern region who were slammed late last year by hurricane Melissa. Other supplies include rice, beans, pasta, cans of tuna and solar lamps that will be delivered by the Catholic Church and Carida according to senior State Department Official, Jeremy Lewin.
Mexico: Mexican Authorities Discover the Remains of One of 10 Kidnapped Miners
Reuters (United Kingdom)
On February 6, the Mexican authorities said on Friday they found one of 10 bodies in a Clandestine grave that were kidnapped from a mine in northern Sinaloa state late last month after receiving threats from organized crime groups. The Attorney General’s office affirmed they are following standard procedure to confirm the victim’s identity and collect evidence in Concordia, where the remains were found. Police are yet to identify any of the other bodies.
Panama: President Jose Raul Mulino Stands Ground Against a Chinese Threat After Evicting Two Hong Kong Based Companies from the Panama Canal
Al Jazeera (Qatar)
As of February 5th, after two Chinese based companies were evicted in Panama following a Panamanian Supreme Court decision from the Panama Canal’s ports, Beijing responded with saying Panama would pay a “heavy price.” In response, Panama City said they strongly reject the Chinese government’s threat to the country. Panama City insists it follows the rule of law and has an independent court system unlike Beijing.
The SHU World Review is produced by the Student Research Assistants of the DiploLab at the School of Diplomacy and International Relations at Seton Hall University. Some summaries may be copied from article text. Back issues are available in Seton Hall’s repository.