Australia: Pauline Hanson issues partial apology for suggesting there are no ‘good’ Muslims<\/a><\/span> Cambodia: Cambodia-Thailand border spat gains global attention at Board of Peace meeting<\/a><\/span> China: Germany\u2019s Merz the latest European leader to visit China amid tensions with US<\/a><\/span> Japan: Takaichi sets sights on altering Constitution, imperial law<\/a><\/span> Japan: Takaichi wins second term, races to pass delayed budget<\/a><\/span> Myanmar: Myanmar junta ally pushing high-school students into military training<\/a><\/span> North Korea: Kim Jong Un formally deploys 50 new tactical nuke launchers at ceremony<\/a><\/span> Palau: Palau States Challenge U.S.-Linked Radar Projects as Ngaraard Files TACMOR Lawsuit<\/a><\/span> Papua New Guinea: US to expand economic role in PNG<\/a><\/span> Philippines: Think tank: Sara Duterte\u2019s early presidential bid may be tied to impeachment<\/a><\/span> Singapore: 231 people under investigation for involvement in scams, with losses of over $6 million<\/a><\/span> Solomon Islands: Solomon Islands and Saudi Fund Enters into Landmark Agreement<\/a><\/span> South Korea: Yoon Suk Yeol sentenced to life for leading insurrection<\/a><\/span> Taiwan: Calls for Six Assurances law after Trump Taiwan arms comments<\/a><\/span> Denmark\/Greenland\/United States: Greenland says \u2018no, thanks\u2019 to Trump\u2019s US hospital boat<\/a><\/span> France: France will summon Ambassador Charles Kushner over US comments on activist\u2019s death<\/a><\/span> Germany: German soccer club cancels planned U.S. trip amid immigration concerns<\/a><\/span> Hungary: Hungary foreign minister says country will block key EU loan to Ukraine until Russian oil shipments resume<\/a><\/span> Lithuania: Lithuania begins rail project to speed NATO troop movement<\/a><\/span> Poland: Poland pulls out of treaty banning antipersonnel mines, says it will use them to defend against Russia<\/a><\/span> Slovakia: Slovakia threatens to cut electricity to Ukraine over Russian oil spat<\/a><\/span> Ukraine\/Russia: At least one killed in wide-scale Russian attacks on Ukraine\u2019s energy sector<\/a><\/span> United Kingdom: Police search former Prince Andrew\u2019s home after arrest<\/a><\/span> Iran: Satellite images show Iran repairing and fortifying sites amid US tensions<\/a><\/span> Iran: US military preparing for potentially weeks-long Iran operations<\/a><\/span> Palestine: Hamas is reasserting control in Gaza despite its heavy losses fighting Israel<\/a><\/span> Palestine: Trump pledges $10 billion for Board of Peace in inaugural meeting on Gaza<\/a><\/span> Palestine: Palestinians in Gaza say \u2018Board of Peace\u2019 will further occupation<\/a><\/span> Syria: US to withdraw troops from Syria as tensions mount with Iran<\/a><\/span> Qatar: Qatar pledges $1bn for Gaza peace mission<\/a><\/span> Burkina Faso: Insurgent Attack ‘Major Setback’ for Ghana and Burkina Faso Trade<\/a><\/span> Cameroon: Yaounde: Journalists, Lawyers Beaten for Interviewing Trump\u2019s Deportees<\/a><\/span> DR Congo: Ceasefire in eastern DR Congo raises hopes for peace<\/a><\/span> Ethiopia: Ethiopian troops mobilise on Tigray border<\/a><\/span> Gabon: Facebook, TikTok suspended in Gabon under regulator\u2019s order<\/a><\/span> Kenya: Kenyan families demand return of loved ones recruited into Russian army<\/a><\/span> Kenya: Oburu vs Sifuna: Battle taken to Orengo\u2019s Siaya doorstep as tensions rise ahead of Kakamega rally\u202f<\/a><\/span> Mozambique: Cyclone Gezani kills four in Mozambique as Madagascar assesses damage<\/a><\/span> Nigeria: Tested on Palestinians: Epstein, Israel\u2019s Barak pushed spy tech in Nigeria<\/a><\/span> Nigeria\/Ghana\/Sierra Leone: Cocaine trafficking through West Africa fuels local addiction<\/a><\/span> Somalia: UN emergency food aid in Somalia may halt by April amid severe hunger<\/a><\/span> Somalia: What’s behind Somalia-Saudi Arabia military deal?<\/a><\/span> South Africa: South Africa mulls using military to combat organized crime\u00a0<\/a><\/span> Sudan: Three aid workers killed, 4 wounded in RSF drone attack in Sudan\u2019s Kordofan<\/a><\/span> Uganda: Bobi Wine says entire family has fled Uganda<\/a><\/span> Afghanistan: Flawless Asphalt, Empty Homes: A 300-Mile Drive Through Afghanistan<\/a><\/span> Bangladesh: Bangladesh referendum: The big post-election flashpoint?<\/a><\/span> Bhutan: Bhutan PM warns against ‘unbridled’ AI development, urges stronger guardrails<\/a><\/span> Kazakhstan: Tokayev said Kazakhstan is ready to send troops to Gaza, Akorda\u2019s information did not mention this<\/a><\/span> India: World leaders discuss AI future at India’s global summit in New Delhi\u00a0<\/a><\/span> Maldives: SC ruling affirms PNC\u2019s Guraidhoo Council President seat<\/a><\/span> Sri Lanka: Buddhist monks rally in Sri Lanka to pressure the government for a wider role in affairs of state<\/a><\/span> Tajikistan: “Sign.” A group’s complaint against detained Tajik drivers in Russia<\/a><\/span> Turkmenistan: The President of Turkmenistan reshuffled the government and local authorities. Full overview<\/a><\/span> Uzbekistan: Afghanistan and Uzbekistan Sign $300 Million in\u202fTrade Agreements<\/a><\/span> Uzbekistan: U.S. to\u202fBuild Gas Station Network in\u202fUzbekistan and Introduce Sprinkler Irrigation Technologies<\/a><\/span> Brazil: The Country\u2019s Department of Foreign Affairs has Issued a Warning to its Brazilian Citizens Against Joining Foreign Conflict <\/a><\/span> Brazil: U.S. Supreme Court Justice Shoots down the Trump\u2019s Administration Tariffs<\/a><\/span> Bolivia: Ousted former President Evo Morales is Seen Amid Being on the Run from Authorities as He is Charged with Alleged Human Trafficking Charges<\/a><\/span> Colombia: Colombian President Enters Talks with the Country\u2019s Long-Standing Rebel Group to Open up a Commission to Investigate the Group\u2019s Alleged Drug Ties<\/a><\/span> Cuba: U.S. oil embargo has begun to severely affect the island<\/a><\/span> Dominican Republic: DEA Agent Involved in U.S. Visa Scheme<\/a><\/span>
\nABC (Australia)\u00a0<\/em>
\nPauline Hanson has issued a partial and heavily qualified apology for suggesting that there are no “good” Muslims. The One Nation leader said she would not apologize for speaking out against radical Islam and the threat she believed it posed to Australia.<\/p>\n
\nThe Khmer Time (Cambodia)\u00a0<\/em>
\nThe international community is intensifying its oversight of the territorial dispute between Cambodia and Thailand following high-level diplomatic engagement in Washington, the Royal Government\u202fspokesperson said on Friday.<\/p>\n
\nSouth China Morning Post (Hong Kong)\u00a0<\/em>
\nGerman Chancellor Friedrich Merz will visit China from Wednesday, shortly after the Lunar New Year holiday, according to the chancellor\u2019s\u00a0spokesman.<\/p>\n
\nThe Asahi Shimbun (Japan)\u00a0<\/em>
\nSanae\u00a0Takaichi, who was re-elected prime minister in the Diet on Feb. 18, expressed strong determination to pursue revisions to the Constitution and the Imperial House Law, two long-standing goals of her Liberal Democratic Party.\u202f \u201cAs the LDP, we intend to tenaciously work to create an environment in which a (constitutional) amendment proposal can be initiated as soon as possible and lead to a national referendum,\u201d\u00a0Takaichi, the LDP president, told a news conference after inaugurating her second Cabinet.<\/p>\n
\nThe Asahi Shimbun (Japan)\u00a0<\/em>
\nFresh off a landslide election victory, Sanae\u00a0Takaichi\u00a0was re-elected as Japan’s 105th prime minister on Feb. 18 during a special Diet session. She is\u202fset to\u00a0immediately\u00a0reappoint her Cabinet as she prepares to use her party’s supermajority to push a delayed national budget through parliament. Given that her administration is only four months old,\u00a0Takaichi\u00a0plans to reappoint all the ministers.<\/p>\n
\nMyanmar Now (Myanmar)\u00a0<\/em>
\nLocals say the Shanni Nationalities Army has restricted travel in Kachin State\u2019s\u00a0Mohnyin\u00a0Township to prevent students from leaving.<\/p>\n
\nNK News (South Korea)\u00a0<\/em>
\nNorth Korean leader Kim Jong Un officially deployed 50 new launch vehicles for the country’s\u00a0600mm\u00a0rocket system at a ceremony on Wednesday, according to\u202fstate media, a type of missile primarily targeting South Korea that allegedly \u201cincorporates artificial intelligence (AI)\u201d and can be equipped with nuclear warheads.<\/p>\n
\nIsland Times (Palau)\u00a0<\/em>
\nNgaraard\u00a0State is asking the Palau Supreme Court to halt construction of a U.S.-linked TACMOR radar facility, arguing that permits, impact\u00a0fees\u00a0and environmental safeguards were bypassed. The case follows a similar lawsuit from\u00a0Angaur\u00a0State \u2014 setting up a major legal test over state authority, environmental\u00a0oversight\u00a0and Palau\u2019s expanding security partnership with the United States. The court\u2019s decision could shape how future defense and infrastructure projects move forward across the country.<\/p>\n
\nThe National (Papua New Guinea)\u00a0<\/em>
\nThe U.S. will increase its economic presence in Papua New Guinea as the country offered key investments for the US especially in critical minerals, says official. In a briefing yesterday, the U.S.\u2019s secretary senior official to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Casey Mace highlighted that the US offered transparent economic partnership and cooperation which would also boost PNG\u2019s economy.<\/p>\n
\nABS-CBN (Philippines)\u00a0<\/em>
\nA think tank on Thursday said Vice President Sara Duterte\u2019s early\u202fannouncement of her presidential bid\u202fcould be strategic as she faced impeachment complaints.\u202fDuterte announced her presidential bid on Wednesday, two years before the 2028 election campaign period and on the same day a fourth impeachment complaint\u202fagainst her was filed in the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
\nThe Straits Times (Singapore)\u00a0<\/em>
\nA total of\u202f231\u202fpeople\u00a0are\u00a0assisting\u00a0with investigations for their suspected involvement in\u00a0scams, which have resulted in losses\u00a0totalling\u202fover $6.35 million. This follows a two-week operation from\u202fJan 30 to Feb 12\u202fby officers from the Commercial Affairs Department and the seven police land divisions, the police said in a statement on Feb 13.<\/p>\n
\nSolomon Times (Solomon Islands)\u00a0<\/em>
\nThe Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) has signed its first-ever development cooperation agreement in the Pacific region with the Government of Solomon Islands (SIG), marking a historic milestone in bilateral relations between the two nations.<\/p>\n
\nThe Korea Herald (South Korea)\u00a0<\/em>
\nThe Seoul Central District Court on Thursday sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to life imprisonment, finding him guilty of leading an insurrection.<\/p>\n
\nFocus Taiwan (Taiwan)\u00a0<\/em>
\nU.S. President Donald Trump’s suggestion that he is negotiating Taiwan arms sales with Beijing has raised concerns and prompted calls for Congress to codify the 1982 security pledges, known as the “Six Assurances,” into law.<\/p>\nEurope & Eurasia<\/h3>\n
\nThe Guardian (United Kingdom)\u00a0<\/em>
\nAfter President Trump claimed he would dispatch a hospital ship to the autonomous territory of Greenland, officials of both Denmark and Greenland\u00a0stated\u00a0they did not\u00a0require\u00a0medical\u00a0assistance\u00a0from other countries.<\/p>\n
\nAP News (United States)\u00a0<\/em>
\nFrance will summon the US Ambassador to protest comments by the State Department\u2019s Counterterrorism Bureau on X, which says \u201creports, corroborated by the French Minister of the Interior, that Quentin\u00a0Deranque\u00a0was killed by left-wing militants, should concern us all.\u201d\u00a0Deranque, a far-right activist, died of brain injuries last week from a beating in Lyon.<\/p>\n
\nMPR News (United States)\u00a0<\/em>
\nWerder Bremen cancelled a planned trip to the US in May due to uncertainty over which players would be allowed to enter the country under stricter immigration policies. The team was supposed to play in Minnesota, where recent ICE operations have caused unrest.<\/p>\n
\nPBS News (United States)\u00a0<\/em>
\nHungary will block a planned a loan equivalent to $106 billion until the flow of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline resumes. Russian oil shipments have been interrupted since Ukrainian officials said a Russian drone attack damaged the pipeline.<\/p>\n
\nDefence\u00a0Blog (Poland)\u00a0<\/em>
\nLithuania has begun constructions of a new rail connection to the\u00a0Rudninkai\u00a0military training area to improve troop and equipment transport in support of a German brigade deployment.<\/p>\n
\nNBC News (United States)\u00a0<\/em>
\nPoland has pulled out of the 1997 Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Treaty, claiming the potential necessity of the devices in a defense from Russian military actions.<\/p>\n
\nAl Jazeera (Qatar)\u00a0<\/em>
\nSlovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has issued Ukraine a two-day deadline to resume the pumping of Russian oil through its territory, threatening to cut off electricity to the war-torn country if this demand is not met.<\/p>\n
\nAl Jazeera (Qatar)\u00a0<\/em>
\nRussia has launched dozens of missiles and hundreds of drones at Ukraine, killing at least one person, according to Ukrainian officials. The most powerful attacks were reported in the regions of Kyiv, Odessa, and Kharkiv, the officials said on Sunday.<\/p>\n
\nUSA Today (United States)\u00a0<\/em>
\nThe home of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was searched by authorities after the former prince was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office.<\/p>\nNear East<\/h3>\n
\nReuters (United Kingdom)\u00a0<\/em>
\nSatellite images show that Iran has recently built a concrete shield over a new facility at a sensitive military site and covered it in soil, advancing work at a location reportedly bombed by Israel in 2024 amid tensions. The U.S. Images also show that Iran has buried tunnel entrances at a nuclear site bombed by the U.S. during Israel’s 12-day war with Iran last year, fortified tunnel entrances near another, and has repaired missile bases struck in the conflict. They offer a glimpse of Iranian activities at some of the sites at the center of tensions with Israel and the U.S., as Washington seeks to negotiate a deal with Tehran on its nuclear program while threatening military action if talks fail.<\/p>\n
\nReuters (United Kingdom)\u00a0<\/em>
\nThe U.S. military is preparing for the possibility of sustained, weeks-long operations against Iran if President Donald Trump orders an attack in what could become a far more serious conflict than previously seen between the countries.<\/p>\n
\nBBC (United Kingdom)\u00a0<\/em>
\nFour months since a US imposed ceasefire halted the Gaza War last October, Gazans say Hamas is again extending its control over security, tax revenue, and government services, raising questions about its long-term strategy, and whether it is prepared to give up its weapons and authority, as now required under the second stage of Donald Trump’s peace plan.<\/p>\n
\nAxio (United States)\u00a0<\/em>
\nThe inaugural meeting of the Trump-led Board of Peace included a\u00a0$10 billion\u00a0pledge from Trump and\u00a0$7 billion\u00a0in\u00a0additional\u00a0pledges for relief and reconstruction in Gaza. The package of steps announced on Thursday, which also included plans to deploy thousands of soldiers and police for new security organizations in the enclave, appears to be the most ambitious U.S.-led security and humanitarian effort in the\u00a0Israeli-Palestinian\u00a0conflict in at least a decade.<\/p>\n
\nAl Jazeera (Qatar)\u00a0<\/em>
\n\u201cAnother gateway to the occupation of Palestine,\u201d says one displaced Palestinian. Many Palestinians in Gaza reacted to the inaugural meeting of Donald Trump\u2019s so-called \u201cBoard of Peace\u201d with deep\u00a0scepticism, seeing it\u00a0as a way to\u00a0further Israel\u2019s illegal occupation of the territory. The \u201cBoard of Peace\u201d has no Palestinian representatives.<\/p>\n
\nBBC (United Kingdom)\u00a0<\/em>
\nThe US is preparing to\u00a0largely withdraw\u00a0its remaining troops from Syria over the next few months according to a senior White House official. The official said the Syrian government had agreed to take the lead combatting terrorism within its borders and US military presence “at scale” was no longer\u00a0required.<\/p>\n
\nAl Jazeera (Qatar)\u00a0<\/em>
\nQatar has pledged $1 billion to support the Board of Peace\u2019s mission in Gaza, with Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani backing Donald Trump\u2019s 20-point plan and reaffirming support for Palestinian statehood and Israeli security.<\/p>\nSub-Saharan Africa<\/h3>\n
\nallAfrica\u00a0(United States)\u202f\u00a0<\/em>
\nSeven Ghanaian traders were killed and others injured during an ambush by armed insurgents in northern Burkina Faso while they were conducting routine business. In response to the tragedy, the Ghana National Tomato Traders and Transporters Association has suspended all imports from Burkina Faso, citing severe safety risks. President John Mahama ordered the evacuation of injured survivors for medical treatment, but the attack\u00a0represents\u00a0a significant blow to cross-border economic stability.<\/p>\n
\nCameroon News Agency (Cameroon)\u00a0<\/em>
\nCameroonian police physically assaulted several journalists and lawyers who were\u00a0attempting\u00a0to interview individuals deported from the United States. One journalist\u00a0reportedly collapsed\u00a0in custody from his injuries, and authorities confiscated electronic equipment from the group despite their professional status. The incident has drawn condemnation from media unions and raised\u00a0serious questions\u00a0about government transparency\u00a0regarding\u00a0the treatment of deportees held in Yaound\u00e9.<\/p>\n
\nDW News (Germany)\u202f\u00a0<\/em>
\nA US-brokered ceasefire under the 2025 Washington Accords is set to begin in eastern DR Congo, despite significant skepticism from analysts\u00a0regarding\u00a0its long-term viability. While the US has threatened sanctions against violators to protect its economic interests in the region’s mineral resources, over\u00a0120 armed\u00a0groups like the M23 continue to destabilize the area. The African Union continues to promote “African solutions” to the conflict, as seen in the mediation efforts of the Luanda Process led by Angolan President Joao Lourenco.<\/p>\n
\nAhram Online (Egypt)\u00a0<\/em>
\nTensions are rising as the Ethiopian federal army and Tigrayan forces\u00a0mobilise\u00a0large numbers of troops along their borders, threatening the fragile peace\u00a0established\u00a0after the 2020-2022 civil war. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has called for urgent de-escalation measures before the situation deteriorates further into renewed conflict. Relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea have also deteriorated, with the Ethiopian government accusing Eritrea of supplying Tigrayan rebels with weapons.<\/p>\n
\nAl Jazeera (Qatar)\u00a0<\/em>
\nGabonese authorities have imposed an indefinite suspension on Facebook and TikTok, citing risks that social media content could stoke conflict and undermine national stability. The media regulator accused the platforms of spreading “hateful and insulting content” that undermines human dignity and the honor of citizens during a period of social unrest. This blackout occurs amid widespread strikes by teachers and civil servants, raising concerns about the government’s approach to dissent following the 2023 military coup.<\/p>\n
\nAl Jazeera (Qatar)\u00a0<\/em>
\nAn official intelligence report revealed that more than 1,000 Kenyan citizens were lured into fighting for the Russian army in Ukraine under false promises of high-paying jobs. Families in Nairobi have protested to demand government action for the repatriation of their relatives, many of whom are missing or hospitalized on the front line. The recruitment\u00a0reportedly involved\u00a0a network of rogue state officials and trafficking syndicates who\u00a0facilitated\u00a0travel via third countries to bypass tightened surveillance.<\/p>\n
\nDaily Nation (Kenya)\u00a0<\/em>
\nKenya\u2019s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has fractured into two warring factions, with one group supporting government cooperation and another led by James Orengo fiercely resisting it. Tension has escalated as both factions plan competing rallies in Siaya and Kakamega, with allegations of government-backed plots to disrupt the meetings. Dr. Oburu Oginga’s “Linda Ground” initiative aims to douse the influence of the Orengo-led camp by\u00a0consolidating\u00a0support and publicly challenging the rebels’ stance.<\/p>\n
\nAl Jazeera (Qatar)\u00a0<\/em>
\nCyclone\u00a0Gezani\u00a0struck Mozambique’s southern Inhambane province, killing four people and cutting power to thousands shortly after killing at least 41 people in Madagascar. In Madagascar, the storm caused an estimated $142 million in damage and destroyed about 75 to 80 percent of the city of\u00a0Toamasina. Humanitarian organizations like the World Food\u00a0Programme\u00a0described the scale of destruction as overwhelming as the region continues to suffer from weather disasters\u00a0exacerbated\u00a0by climate change.<\/p>\n
\nAl Jazeera (Qatar)\u00a0<\/em>
\nAn investigation revealed that Jeffrey Epstein and Ehud Barak used surveillance technology developed in occupied Palestinian territories to secure lucrative resource and\u00a0logistics\u00a0deals in Nigeria. The pair\u00a0reportedly leveraged\u00a0Nigeria’s struggle with Boko Haram to market “field-proven” biometric systems and cybersecurity infrastructure to government officials. These security deals often\u00a0served\u00a0as a pretext for deeper commercial involvement in the energy sector and port management, highlighting a complex web of global elite interests.<\/p>\n
\nThe Africa Report (France)\u00a0<\/em>
\nLarge-scale cocaine smuggling from Latin America through West Africa to Europe is causing a local addiction epidemic in countries like Nigeria, Ghana, and Sierra Leone. The region lacks adequate treatment facilities, with Nigeria only able to support about\u00a010,000 people\u00a0annually out of the estimated three million who need rehabilitation. This trafficking route also entrenches systemic corruption and shifts local drug markets toward more dangerous substances like “red” tramadol and synthetic cannabinoids.<\/p>\n
\nAl Jazeera (Qatar)\u00a0<\/em>
\nThe World Food\u00a0Programme\u00a0warned that its life-saving food\u00a0assistance\u00a0in Somalia could end by April due to a critical lack of funding. Currently,\u00a04.4 million people\u00a0face crisis-level food insecurity, yet funding shortfalls have already forced the agency to reduce its reach to just one in seven people in need. Health organizations report a worrying rise in preventable diseases and malnutrition among children as the humanitarian situation deteriorates further.<\/p>\n
\nDW News (Germany)\u202f\u00a0<\/em>
\nSomalia has signed a defense agreement with Saudi Arabia focused on military training, intelligence sharing, and enhancing maritime security. Analysts view this deal as a strategic move to counter regional influence from the UAE and Israel following the latter’s recognition of the breakaway region of Somaliland. The partnership provides Somalia with critical political backing and military\u00a0assistance\u00a0to professionalize its national army in the ongoing fight against al-Shabab insurgents.<\/p>\n
\nDW News (Germany)\u202f\u00a0<\/em>
\nPresident Cyril Ramaphosa announced plans to deploy the national defense force to support police in fighting South Africa’s severe organized crime and homicide crisis. The deployment will target high-violence areas like the Cape Flats and illegal mining operations, though some critics view it as an expensive form of political appeasement. Analysts argue that long-term safety requires a complete overhaul of the police service, which has been weakened by corruption scandals and political interference.<\/p>\n
\nAl Jazeera (Qatar)\u00a0<\/em>
\nA drone attack by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on a humanitarian convoy in South Kordofan killed three aid workers and injured four others. The Sudan Doctors Network condemned the incident as a violation of international law that threatens the safety of essential humanitarian operations in the war-torn country. This escalation occurs as a UN mission warns that RSF actions in North Darfur bear the hallmarks of genocide against non-Arab communities.<\/p>\n
\nThe Independent (United Kingdom)\u202f\u00a0<\/em>
\nUgandan opposition leader Bobi Wine revealed that his wife and children have fled the country due to fears for their lives following military raids on his home. He characterized Uganda as a “violent military dictatorship” and alleged widespread election rigging and violence orchestrated by President Museveni and General Muhoozi\u00a0Kainerugaba. Speaking from hiding to the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy, he urged the international community to impose sanctions on the Ugandan government while committing to non-violent resistance.<\/p>\nSouth & Central Asia<\/h3>\n
\nNew York Times (United States)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/em>
\nHighway 1 was once among the most dangerous, and damaged arteries in Afghanistan. Since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, they have worked to replace the violence that defined this highway, and the country, with strengthened security and administration. This is the Afghanistan that the Taliban government has rebuilt over the past four and a half years, after the United States withdrawal. It is what the Taliban wants the world to see as they try to attract foreign investment and recognition. There are orders, security, and signs of an economic rebound, they say.<\/p>\n
\nAl Jazeera (Qatar)\u00a0<\/em>
\nAlongside last week\u2019s parliamentary election in Bangladesh, voters also cast their ballots in a national referendum on important constitutional reforms proposed for the country following the July 2024 uprising and ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. But that vote has now exposed a schism between the victorious Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Tarique Rahman, and the opposition, led Jamaat-e-Islami. This article breaks down what the national referendum in Bangladesh was all about, why the country is divided on it and what happens next.<\/p>\n
\nChannel News Asia (Singapore)\u00a0<\/em>
\nArtificial intelligence development must not be allowed to run \u201cunbridled\u201d,\u00a0warned Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, calling for stronger guardrails and responsible oversight as countries race to harness the fast-evolving technology.<\/p>\n
\nAzattyq\u00a0(Kazakhstan)\u00a0<\/em>
\nPresident Tokayev confirmed Kazakhstan government\u2019s plan to provide doctors and observers in Gaza but verbally included providing \u201csupport [for] the International Security Assistance Force [for Gaza] by sending military units\u201d,\u00a0which was not aforementioned or discussed in Kazakhstan\u2019s government nor parliament.<\/p>\n
\nAl Jazeera (Qatar)<\/em>
\nThe fourth, and most high-profile day of a global artificial intelligence summit in India is under way. The huge gathering in New Delhi is fourth in a series of international AI meetings that have been taking place since 2023 in France, South Korea, and the UK and is the first global AI meeting held in a developing country. This has provided India with an opportunity to boost its position in the booming sector.<\/p>\n
\nThe Edition (Maldives)\u00a0<\/em>
\n\u201cFollowing Supreme Court’s ruling on the candidacy of the independent candidate contesting for the K.\u00a0Guraidhoo\u00a0Council President position, the seat has been confirmed uncontested for ruling People’s National Congress (PNC).\u201d<\/p>\n
\nAP News (United States)\u00a0<\/em>
\nHundreds of Buddhist monks rallied in the capital of Sri Lanka on Friday to protest alleged government disrespect of their religion and disregard for longstanding tradition that they be consulted in matters of state. The protest passed without any reported violence.<\/p>\n
\nOzodi\u00a0(Tajikistan)\u00a0\u00a0<\/em>
\nA group of truck drivers from Tajikistan say they have been in a detention center in the Russian city of Kirov for\u00a0nearly four\u00a0months and are now being forced to go to war against Ukraine.<\/p>\n
\nTurkmen News (Netherlands)\u00a0\u00a0<\/em>
\nOn February 13-14, Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov carried out a series of reshuffles in the Cabinet of Ministers and local administrations. After summing up the results of 2025, he replaced three deputy prime ministers, six ministers and equivalent positions, and 13\u00a0khyakims, many of whom were extremely toxic. The president’s elder sister\u00a0Oguljakhan\u00a0Atabaeva, contrary to observers’ predictions, was not included in the new government.<\/p>\n
\nFergana News (Moscow)\u00a0<\/em>
\nWith 25 new memorandums of trade agreements, Uzbekistan is expanding bilateral ties with neighboring countries to increase their political and economic efforts on the international stage.<\/p>\n
\nFergana News (Moscow)\u00a0<\/em>
\nWith the United States and Uzbekistan strengthening their economic relations, the U.S. has been approved to partake in the construction of a new network of gas stations throughout Uzbekistan with a $50 million investment and the creation of approximately 3,000 jobs.<\/p>\nWestern Hemisphere<\/h3>\n
\nBrazil Reports News (Brazil)\u00a0<\/em>
\nOn February 12th, the Minister of Foreign Affairs issued a statement warning Brazilian citizens against joining foreign overseas wars as many are joining to fight in the Russo-Ukraine war and dying. They cite that those who commit war crimes will be fully held to the law in Brazil and in international courts. As well as detailing that it is a long and\u00a0hard process\u00a0to de-enlist.<\/p>\n
\nBrasildeFato News (Brazil) – [Originally in Portuguese]\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/em>
\nOn February 20th, the U.S. Supreme Court overruled the Trump Administration\u2019s Tariffs on worldwide allies, including Brazil, but there is some caution. The professor of International Relations from the University of Saul Paulo, Regian Bressan, warns that they cannot celebrate a permanent victory as there are still presidential mechanisms to put tariffs on specific sectors and products. The professor cites that the Trump administration has proved to be unpredictable if not to be a consistent objector to the international game.<\/p>\n
\nWTOP News (United States)\u00a0<\/em>
\nOn February 20th, footage shows the fugitive and former President, Evo Morales, addressing supporters in the rural region of Chapare. He denounced U.S. imperialism, endorsed regional candidates coming up in local elections, and addressed rumors he was going to be leaving the country. He has been in hiding for the past year and evading arrest by the current right-wing President, Rodrigo Paz, for alleged human trafficking crimes.<\/p>\n
\nJuristNews (United States)
\nAs of February 15th, President Gustavo Petro is once more in talks again with the country\u2019s rebel group, the ELN [The National Liberation Army], after peace talks broke down last year after a disastrous attack that took the lives of dozens of people, and thousands more were forced to flee their homes. The ELN has asked for a commission to investigate possible alleged drug ties that the group may have that the current sitting President Gustavo Petro has accused them of profiting off that the President has agreed to administer.<\/p>\n
\nCNN News (United States)
\nThe Trump administration has cut off the flow of oil to Cuba, through military intervention in Venezuela and threats of tariffs on Mexico. Negotiations, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, are ongoing, but the island is beginning to suffer. Hospitals, ambulances, and airports have begun to slow down due to running out of fuel; schools, workplaces, and businesses are closing to preserve the little energy they have left.<\/p>\n
\nAP News (United States)<\/em>
\nOn February 12th, the DEA Office in the Dominican Republic was shut down after a DEA supervisor was caught in a U.S. Visa\u00a0scam. Partnered with a popular Dominican music promoter, the scheme involved\u00a0submitting\u00a0applications to get individuals, who paid $10,000, U.S. Visas on the grounds of them\u00a0possibly working\u00a0as confidential informants in the U.S. The supervisor was arrested and is set to appear in court on March 6th, 2026.<\/p>\n