The Vatican announces that Pope Francis remains in critical condition, with a new diagnosis of mild kidney failure, along with pre-existing conditions pneumonia and other unidentified respiratory diseases. (AP) 

Three Molotov cocktails are thrown at the Russian consulate in Marseille, France. (France24) 

Tuesday,  February 25th, 2025 

The United Nations General Assembly votes 93–18, with 65 abstentions, to pass a resolution condemning Russia’s war against Ukraine. The 18 countries that voted against include the United States, Russia, Belarus, and North Korea. (NPR) 

German chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz declares the rapid re-militarization of Germany and Europe as a whole to be an immediate priority, in order to provide military support for Ukraine against Russia, as well as to pursue European military independence from the United States and possibly NATO. (BBC News) 

31st Screen Actors Guild Awards At the annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, Timothée Chalamet wins Outstanding Leading Male Performance for his role as Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown, while Demi Moore wins Outstanding Leading Female Performance for her role in The Substance. Political thriller film Conclave wins Outstanding Ensemble Performance in a Motion Picture. (NPR) 

NASA formally announces that asteroid 2024 YR4 now poses “no significant threat” to Earth in 2032 and beyond as the chances of an impact drops to 1-in-59,000 (0.0017%). This means a planetary defense mission to intercept and deflect the object in 2028 during a close flyby of Earth is no longer necessary. (Ars Technica) 

At least twelve people in Queensland, Australia, have been killed by an outbreak of melioidosis caused by standing waters from persistent flooding. (Seven News) 

An elevated part of a highway being built in South Korea collapses, killing 4 workers. (AP) 

Monday,  February 24th, 2025 

Puntland forces capture key locations, including Dararmadobe, Uraar and the Four Corners of Mountains in Gaatir Oodan, which have served as command and defense bases for the Islamic State militias. Troops uncover mass graves, including the bodies of senior Middle East ISIL members killed in UAE and US airstrikes. Vehicles and motorbikes rigged with explosives were found in the Cal Miskaad mountains of Puntland’s Bari Region. (Garowe Online)

The Ryazan Refinery in Ryazan, Russia, suspends operations after an overnight drone attack by Ukraine destroys the main crude distillation unit at the facility. Locals report hearing at least five explosions during the attack. (Reuters) 

Israel states that it will not allow Syrian forces south of Damascus, calling for Quneitra, Daraa, and Suwayda governorates to be demilitarized. (AP) 

Druze militia leaders announce the formation of the Suwayda Military Council as a coalition of southern Syrian forces for promoting regional secularism and democracy. The council accuses the Syrian transitional government of committing ethnic cleansing operations and extrajudicial killings, and vows to prevent Syrian Armed Forces from entering Druze settlements. (El Manshar)

American coffeehouse chain Starbucks announces that is cutting 1,100 jobs across its stores in the United States as part of cost reduction measures. The company also announces that its menu will be “simplified” and shrunk by 33%. (BBC News) 

Over 50 people die after a unknown virus outbreak in northwestern Democratic Republic of the Congo. (CTV News) 

The Department of State Health Services in Texas, United States, places several major cities in the state on high alert due to a measles outbreak that spreads to 99 people in Texas and New Mexico, the third-largest outbreak since it was considered eradicated in the U.S. in 2000. (The Independent) 

The Australian eSafety Commission fines instant messaging service Telegram A$1 million (US$640,000) for delaying its response to inquiries on preventing child exploitation and extremist content. (Reuters) 

Sunday, February 23rd, 2025 

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that he is “ready” to resign from the presidency in exchange for NATO accession as part of a potential peace agreement. (CNN)

The Israel Defense Forces deploy tanks into the West Bank for the first time since 2002, declaring that the 40,000 Palestinians who fled refugee camps in the region cannot return. (PBS) 

Israel launches airstrikes in the Baalbek area in northeastern Lebanon and other areas in the south of the country. (Times of Israel) 

At least three IS–Somalia fighters are killed in a joint Puntland armed forces–U.S. Africa Command airstrike targeting IS militants hiding in the Cal Miskaad mountains of the Bari Region of Puntland, Somalia. (Horseed Media)

At least three ISIS fighters were killed and no civilians were harmed after Puntland armed forces, working with U.S. Africa Command, launched an airstrike targeting ISIS militants hiding in the Cal Miskaad Mountains in the Bari Region of Puntland, Somalia. (Horseed Media) (Hiiraan Online) 

The Sudanese Army recaptures El Geteina, White Nile State, Sudan, after heavy fighting with the Rapid Support Forces. (Sudan Tribune) 

Sudanese officials report that 58 people have been killed and 1,293 people have been affected by a cholera outbreak in Kosti. (AP) 

The University of Newcastle publishes the final findings of its eight-year long attempt to record and map all major massacres of Indigenous Australians during the colonisation of Australia, finding that at least 10,000 were killed. (The Guardian) 

American Airlines Flight 292, flying from New York, United States, to New Delhi, India, is forced to divert to Rome Fiumicino Airport in Rome, Italy, due to an unspecified security concern later deemed to be non-credible. The flight was over the Caspian Sea near Turkmenistan when it diverted back towards Europe. (AP) 

Germans vote to elect the Bundestag. The opposition CDU/CSU wins a plurality, with 28.5% of the vote and 208 seats. The governing Social Democratic Party finishes in third place with 16.4% and 120 seats, while the far-right Alternative for Germany finishes in second place with 20.8% and 152 seats. (DW) 

Germans vote to elect the 630 members of the 21st Bundestag in the fourth snap election in Germany after World War II with the highest turnout since the reunification. The election was scheduled for September 28 but was brought forward due to the 2024 German government crisis. (BBC News)

The joint funeral for Hezbollah leaders Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Safieddine is held at the Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium in Beirut, Lebanon. (AP) 

In cricket under the ODI format, Indian cricketer Virat Kohli becomes the first player to reach the 51 centuries and the fastest player to reach 14,000 runs. (Times of India)

The End

Sunday, February 23rd, 2025 

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that he is “ready” to resign from the presidency in exchange for NATO accession as part of a potential peace agreement. (CNN)

U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announces the removal of multiple senior U.S. officers from their current roles, including the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Charles Q. Brown Jr. and the Chief of Naval Operations Lisa Franchetti. (CNN) 

The United States Department of Defense announces it will jointly lay off 4,500 probationary workers, cutting 5-8% of the civilian workforce. The United States Forest Service also announces it will lay off 2,000 employees. (AP) 

American news agency The Associated Press files a lawsuit for freedom of speech against three Trump administration officials after they banned the news agency from attending presidential press events after the agency refused to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America”. (NPR) 

The European Space Agency announces that the chances of asteroid 2024 YR4 impacting Earth in 2032 has decreased to 1.5% (1-in-67), and is likely to decrease further to less than 1%. (Nature) 

Norwegian drama film Dreams (Sex Love) wins the Golden Bear award at the 2025 Berlin International Film Festival, while Tilda Swinton is awarded the Honorary Golden Bear for her range and legacy. (DW) (Berlinale) 

At least three ISIS fighters were killed and no civilians were harmed after Puntland armed forces, working with U.S. Africa Command, launched an airstrike targeting ISIS militants hiding in the Cal Miskaad Mountains in the Bari Region of Puntland, Somalia. (Horseed Media)

The University of Newcastle publishes the final findings of its eight-year long attempt to record and map all major massacres of Indigenous Australians during the colonisation of Australia, finding that at least 10,000 were killed. (The Guardian) 

Israel launches airstrikes in the Baalbek area in northeastern Lebanon and other areas in the south of the country. (Times of Israel) 

American Airlines Flight 292 is forced to divert to Rome Fiumicino Airport in Rome, Italy, after a bomb threat. The New York – Delhi flight was flying over the Caspian Sea near Turkmenistan when it diverted back towards Europe. (English Jagran) 

Germans vote to elect the 630 members of the 21st Bundestag in the fourth snap election in Germany after World War II with the highest turnout since the reunification. The election was scheduled for September 28 but was brought forward due to the 2024 German government crisis. (BBC News)

Saturday, Februrary 22nd, 2025 

Hamas releases six living hostages, including pre-war hostages Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, both captive for more than nine years. (Times of Israel) 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders the delay of the release of 620 Palestinian prisoners indefinitely, citing the “humiliating” procedure of the hostages’ release. (NBC News) 

A 69-year-old Portuguese man is killed and seven other people are injured in a mass stabbing attack by a 37-year-old man at a market in Mulhouse, France. The stabbing is being treated as a suspected Islamic terrorist attack. (CNN) 

Hundreds of Congolese police officers join the M23 movement in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, as the rebel group consolidates its control of the city. Around 1,800 police officers have surrendered their weapons to the new authorities, according to the Congo River Alliance. (Reuters) 

Houthi forces launch surface-to-air missiles at a U.S. fighter jet and MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Red Sea for the first time with both missiles missing their target. (Reuters) 

The Tuareg independence movement accuses Malian soldiers and Wagner Group mercenaries of killing 24 civilians, which constitutes a war crime. (Al Jazeera) 

The death toll following the structural collapse of a metal roof of the Real Plaza Trujillo in Trujillo, Peru, rises to eight. The La Libertad government announces a period of mourning from February 22–23. (La Republica) 

A bus carrying passengers to a wedding ceremony overturns in Ranhghati, Rajasthan, India, killing two people and injuring 30 others. (The Times of India) 

The Cook Islands signs a five-year memorandum of understanding to collaborate with China in seabed mining, which includes technology transfer, logistics support, and deep-sea ecosystem research. (DW) (The Guardian) 

Two people, including a police officer, are killed and seven other people are injured in a mass shooting at the UPMC Memorial Hospital in West Manchester Township, York County, Pennsylvania, United States. (Fox News) 

One person is killed and another is injured in a shooting at the Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States. The FBI is investigating the shooting but it is believed the incident was not an act of terrorism. (ABC News) 

Mohamed Amra, a French criminal and suspected drug lord known as “The Fly”, is recaptured in Romania, nine months after escaping during an ambush that killed two French prison officers. (Sky News) 

The Vatican City issues a statement informing of the worsening health of Pope Francis after more than a week in hospital due to respiratory problems. Vatican officials say Pope Francis is now in critical condition and that the prognosis “remains guarded”. (Reuters) 

Friday,  February 21st, 2025 

Israel says that forensic testing revealed one of the bodies returned by Hamas yesterday does not match with Shiri Bibas nor with any other hostages. Her sons Ariel and Kfir, as well as Oded Lifshitz, were all positively identified. Israel accuses Hamas of violating the ceasefire and demands the return of her body along with the other remaining hostages. (BBC News) 

Hamas claims that Shiri’s body was “mistakenly mixed” with others who were killed and buried under the rubble in Gaza, and returns an additional body the group says is hers. The identity is soon afterwards positively confirmed by Israel. (BBC News) 

Hamas claim that Shiri’s body was “mistakenly mixed” with others who were killed and buried under the rubble in Gaza. (Al Arabiya) 

The Financial Action Task Force removes the Philippines from its grey list and adds Laos and Nepal to the list. (Reuters) 

At least 6 people are killed and 79 others are injured after a roof collapses at the Real Plaza Trujillo shopping mall in Trujillo, Peru. (Metro) 

Twelve people are killed and twenty-one others were injured in a bus crash in São Paulo, Brazil. (TRT World) 

South Sudan orders the closure of all schools in the country for two weeks due to a heat wave, with temperatures expected to reach 42 °C (108 °F). (DW) 

A norovirus outbreak with a large number of ill passengers is reported on the MS Iona cruise ship in Belgium. (Metro) 

Egypt, Jordan, and the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council meet in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to address possible future developments in the Gaza Strip. (The Times of Israel) 

Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan sign an agreement to delimitate their border, solving a decades-old border dispute that had sparked clashes between different ethnic groups that had killed over a hundred people. (Reuters) 

South Korean police file a case against impeached president Yoon Suk Yeol for obstructing his arrest warrant. (Reuters) 

Veolia Water agrees to pay $53 million in settlement for all remaining active class action lawsuits for the contamination of drinking water in Flint, Michigan, United States, but refuses to acknowledge any fault in the crisis. (WNEM) 

Hadi Matar is found guilty by a U.S. jury of attempted murder and assault for his stabbing attack on author Salman Rushdie in 2022. (ABC News) 

Three people are killed in a shooting outside of a motor vehicle office in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. (The Independent) 

Three people, including two police officers, are killed during a traffic stop in Virginia Beach, Virginia, United States. (The New York Times) 

The Supreme Federal Court of Brazil orders the suspension of online video platform Rumble for refusing to comply to court orders and for refusing to remove the account of Brazilian fugitive Allan dos Santos. (AP) 

A 30-year-old Spanish tourist is seriously injured in a stabbing attack at the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin, Germany. A 19-year-old Syrian man is arrested. (DW) 

One person is seriously injured in a stabbing attack at the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin, Germany. (AP News) 

Demonstrations continue against the government in several cities in Indonesia. Nine students have been arrested and two are injured, along with four injured policemen and two parliament members. (Tempo) (Barron’s) 

The End Sunday 

The End

Above posted Sun 02.23 6:30pm 

Wednesday, January 19th, 2025 

NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies announces that the chances of asteroid 2024 YR4 impacting Earth on 22 December 2032 has increased to 3.1% (1-in-32) following further observations of its orbital trajectory. It has now surpassed the threat of 99942 Apophis which once had a 2.7% chance of hitting Earth during 2004 before later being ruled out. (Live Science) (CNN) 

An attack with an explosive drone in the locality of El Capire, Apatzingán left one National Guard and a police wounded, while they were on reconnaissance rounds in the area. Hours later, two agents of the Attorney General of Mexico were kidnapped and found dead in the town in Cenobio Moreno, located on the outskirts of Apatzingán. (El Debate) (El Universal) 

Rwandan-backed M23 rebels advance on the city of Butembo, North Kivu, and capture Kamanyola in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo after defeating Congolese forces. Local officials say M23 forces are now preparing to advance on Uvira. (AP) 

Following a meeting between Chadian president Mahamat Déby and a diplomatic envoy of Congolese president Félix Tshisekedi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo formally requests military support from Chad in their ongoing conflict against the M23 rebel movement. (Anadolou Agency) 

Puntland police capture several IS–Somalia militants accused of involvement in extortion and bombings in Bosaso, the capital of the Bari Region, amid ongoing military operations in the Cal Miskaad mountains. (Garowe Online) 

At least one person is killed and 14 others are injured in Russian missile and drone strikes across Ukraine, including a large drone attack on energy infrastructure in Odesa that leaves 160,000 residents without heating and electricity. (The Kyiv Independent) 

Former President of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro is formally charged with leading the 2022 Brazilian coup plot. (Reuters) 

Tuesday,  February 18th, 2025 

Brazilian minister of mines and energy Alexandre Silveira announces that the country will join OPEC+. (AP) 

Burundi initiates the withdrawal of its military forces from the eastern DRC following M23 advances. Between 10,000 and 15,000 Congolese civilians cross into Burundi to avoid violence, with several drowning in the Ruzizi River. (Reuters) 

Hamas accuses Israel of carrying out at least 266 attacks in the Gaza Strip since the agreed ceasefire on January 19, killing at least 132 Palestinians and wounding 900 others. (Newsweek) 

Rapid Support Forces militants kill at least 433 people in the villages of Al-Kadaris and Al-Khelwat, White Nile State, Sudan. (Reuters) 

Israel partially withdraws troops from Lebanon as the deadline for their withdrawal expires. (Reuters) 

A joint Egyptian-British archaeological mission announces the discovery of the tomb of King Thutmose II, the first royal Egyptian tomb to be discovered since King Tutankhamun‘s was found in 1922. (CBS News) 

German automotive parts company Continental AG announces it will lay off over 3,000 research and development positions and end operations at its factory in Nuremberg, Bavaria, by 2026. (DW) 

The death toll from flooding in Kentucky, United States, rises to 14, amid the threat of an imminent winter storm in the region. (NBC News) 

The United States and Russia start talks in Saudi Arabia about the war in Ukraine without European or Ukrainian participation. (BBC News) 

The delegations agree to start the negotiating process for ending the war, create high-level teams, and normalize diplomatic and economic ties between the two countries. (AP) 

U.S. President Donald Trump calls for a new presidential election to be held in Ukraine as part of a peace deal with Russia. (The Telegraph)

Russia rules out any peacekeepers from NATO member states being stationed in Ukraine as part of any peace agreement. (BBC News) 

Over 124 people have been killed over the last six weeks from consuming bootleg alcohol, with dozens still hospitalized. Twenty-eight people are arrested in connection with the production and distribution of the alcohol. (CBS News) 

The Welsh Government announces a ban on Greyhound racing in Wales following cross-party calls for a ban on the sport which has been criticized for its animal cruelty. (BBC News) 

An Iranian court charges a British couple who were arrested and jailed last month with espionage. (DW) 

$LIBRA cryptocurrency scandal A judge in Argentina orders investigations into potential fraud by President Javier Milei following his brief social media promotion of a cryptocurrency that collapsed in value hours after promotion. (AP) 

The United States Senate confirms businessman Howard Lutnick as the Secretary of Commerce in a 51–45 vote. (AP) 

The End Wednesday 

Tuesday,  February 18th, 2025 

Israel carried out at least 266 attacks in the Gaza Strip since the agreed ceasefire on 19 January 2025, killing at least 132 Palestinians and wounding 900. (Al Jazeera) 

The U.S. and Russia start talks in Saudi Arabia about the war in Ukraine without European or Ukrainian participation. (BBC News) 

Monday,  February 17th, 2025 

Russia says its forces have captured the village of Fyholivka in Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine. (Reuters) 

Mohammad Shahin, a senior Hamas commander, is assassinated in an Israeli airstrike on a vehicle in Sidon, Lebanon. (Anadolu Ajansı) 

In a coordinated operation, the United States and United Arab Emirates launch joint airstrikes targeting IS–Somalia militants in Bari Region, Puntland, Somalia. (Garowe Online)

American airline company Southwest Airlines announces it will layoff 1,750 jobs, 15% of its corporate workforce, for cost reduction. This is the company’s first mass layoff since it started operating in 1971. (CNBC) 

Ten people are killed and eight others are injured when a three-story residential building collapses in Cairo, Egypt. (Voice of America) 

Eighteen people are injured, including three critically when a Delta Airlines Bombardier CRJ900LR, crashes after catching fire and flipping over at Toronto Pearson Airport in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. (CBS News)

Eight adults and one child are killed in flooding caused by heavy rains in the eastern United States. (DW) 

A bus crashes and falls 800 m (2,600 ft) down a cliff in Yocalla Municipality, Bolivia, killing 31 people and injuring fourteen others. (Reuters) 

Peace negotiations in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Weimar+ 

European leaders gather in France for a summit on Ukraine after the U.S. administration announced the opening of peace talks with Russia on ending the Ukrainian war without European participation. (CNN) 

Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov says that Europe has no role in any peace negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine. (BBC News) 

Syrian security forces arrest three former Assad regime officers responsible for the Tadamon massacre, which occurred in south Damascus in 2013. (The New Arab) 

Demonstrations take place at state capitols around the United States, including at Union Square in Washington, D.C., as part of the 50501 movement to protest against the second administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, the Department of Government Efficiency, Elon Musk, and Project 2025. (NPR)

Student groups and the Civil Social Coalition party launch a protest in several cities in Indonesia against the government. (Tempo) 

The End Tuesday 

Above posted Tue 11:00AM 

above new

Monday,  February 17th, 2025 

German automotive manufacturer Porsche announces it will cut 2,000 jobs over the next five years, reducing its workforce by 15%, primarily affecting its assembly plants in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen and Weissach in Baden-Wurttemberg. (DW) 

Mohammad Shahin, a senior commander of Hamas, is assassinated in an Israeli airstrike against a vehicle in Sidon, Lebanon. (LBC) 

European leaders gather in France for an summit on Ukraine after the U.S. administration announced the opening of peace talks with Russia on ending the Ukrainian war without European participation. (CNN) 

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says that Europe has no role in any peace negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine. (BBC News) 

Singaporean Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh is convicted of two counts of lying under oath to the Committee of Privileges and is fined for S$7,000 per count, but is not disqualified as Member of the Singaporean Parliament. (CNA) 

Students groups and the Civil Social Coalition party launch a protest in several cities against the Indonesian government with a movement called #IndonesiaGelap (#DarkIndonesia) (Tempo English) 

Sunday, February 16th, 2025 

A neutrino detector submerged in the Mediterranean Sea detects a ghost neutrino particle that is 30 times more active than previously found. (AP) 

A crowd crush kills at least 18 people, including three children, and injures ten others at New Delhi railway station in New Delhi, India. (BBC News)

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio leads a delegation that includes National Security Advisor Michael Waltz and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for initial talks with Russia. A Russian source reports that the meeting will occur on 18 February and that the Russian delegation is expected to include Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov, and SVR Director Sergey Naryshkin. 

Local officials and residents report that Rwanda-backed M23 forces have taken over the center of Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu in eastern DR Congo. (Al Jazeera) 

The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo acknowledges the fall of Bukavu to M23 rebels and urges its roughly two million residents to shelter in place. (BBC News) 

Russia launches drone strikes across Ukraine, injuring at least one person and damaging a thermal power station in Mykolaiv, leaving 46,000 people without heat. Ukraine says that it shot down 95 of 143 drones while disrupting 46 others by electronic countermeasures. (Reuters) 

The BAFTAs are held at the Royal Festival Hall in London, England. The Brutalist and Conclave win the most awards, with four each, while the latter also wins Best Film. (Los Angeles Times) 

Saturday, February 15th, 2025 

Muhsin Hendricks, the first openly gay imam, is assassinated by two unidentified assailants while driving near Gqeberha, South Africa. (BBC News) 

Hundreds of White South Africans hold a protest outside the U.S. embassy in Pretoria, South Africa, in support of U.S. President Donald Trump’s claims that the South African government is discriminating against the country’s white minority. (AP) 

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio speak by telephone about the Russo-Ukrainian War, the Gaza war, the sanctions against Russia, and removing restrictions on each country’s diplomatic missions. They also discuss preparations for a high-level summit in Saudi Arabia. This is the first time the U.S. and Russia had contact at the foreign minister level in almost two years. (Financial Times) 

The End