Wednesday, March 1st, 2023 

A two-year investigation by seven U.S. intelligence agencies concludes it is “very unlikely” that Russia or another country was responsible for the “Havana syndrome” that affected U.S. diplomats and spies. Instead, “medical, environmental and social factors can explain” many symptoms. (AP) (Reuters) 

Romanian Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă unveils an AI-run “honorary advisor” named Ion, which will synthesize submissions by Romanians relating to their “opinions and desires”. Ciucă says that this makes Romania the first country in the world to have an AI government advisor. (Politico.eu) 

The Finnish Parliament votes 184–7 to formally approve the country’s accession to NATO, and to adopt the military alliance’s founding documents. Only Hungary and Turkey are yet to approve Finland’s membership. (Euractiv) 

Greek Transport Minister Kostas Karamanlis resigns in response to last night’s train wreck in Tempi that killed about 40 people. (ABC News) 

Thousands of users of Twitter worldwide report issues on using the platform including the inability to view new posts on their main timelines. (Wall Street Journal) 

Tuesday,  February , 28^th 2023 

An Israeli-American man is killed in a drive-by shooting on a highway in Jericho, in the West Bank. (Al Jazeera) 

The Taliban kill the leader of operations and intelligence of Islamic State – Khorasan Province during a raid in Kabul. (The Express Tribune) 

Grocery inflation in the United Kingdom reaches a record high of 17.1%, according to market research group Kantar Worldpanel, amid high levels of inflation, supply chain issues and high energy costs impacting the economy. (Sky News) 

A passenger train and a freight train collide in Tempi, Larissa, Thessaly, Greece, killing 36 people and injuring more than 100 others. (BNO News) 

Finland began constructing a border barrier on the Finland–Russia border due to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. (BBC News) 

Opposition parties call for a rerun of this year’s presidential election after the Independent National Electoral Commission projected Bola Tinubu of the incumbent All Progressives Congress to be the next president, claiming voting irregularities and electoral violence. (BBC News) 

Lori Lightfoot loses her re-election bid as Mayor of Chicago, becoming the first one-term mayor in 40 years. (BBC) 

Canada bans social media platform TikTok from all government-issued devices, citing “an unacceptable level of risk to privacy and security” from the Chinese-owned app. (BBC News) 

Monday,  February 27th, 2023 

M23 rebels seize the town of Rubaya and the Rubaya coltan mines in North Kivu, DRC, after government forces withdraw from the area. (Anadolu Agency) 

One person is killed and 69 others are injured by a magnitude 5.6 aftershock in Yeşilyurt, Malatya, Turkey. (Al Jazeera) 

The United Kingdom and European Union agree a deal on post-Brexit trade arrangements for Northern Ireland, following high-level talks between UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in London. (Reuters) 

Egyptian foreign minister Sameh Shoukry visits Syria and Turkey for the first time in a decade following strained relations with both countries. (AFP via France 24) 

The End

Sunday, February 26th, 2023 

Belarusian opposition partisans launch a drone attack on Russian aircraft at the Machulishchy air base. (Yahoo! News) 

Refiner PKN Orlen announces that Russia has suspended oil exports to Poland via the northern branch of the Druzhba pipeline. (Reuters) 

Four people are killed and 14 others are injured in a bombing at a market in Barkhan, Balochistan, Pakistan. (Al Jazeera) 

Two Israeli settlers are shot and killed in Huwara, Nablus Governorate, West Bank. During revenge attacks by Israeli settlers, 1 Palestinian is killed and multiple others are injured. (CNN) 

Manchester United defeat Newcastle United 2–0 at Wembley Stadium to win the 2022–23 EFL Cup, and their first competitive trophy since 2017. It is also the first match to allow safe standing in a major domestic English men’s final in 34 years. (BBC Sport) 

Saturday, February 25th, 2023 

Nigerians head to the polls to elect their new president and members of the National Assembly. (Reuters) 

Nineteen athletes are injured by small explosions during the Mount Cameroon Race of Hope in Buea, Southwest Region, Cameroon. The Ambazonia Defence Forces claim responsibility for the incident. (Reuters) 

On the Adamant wins the Golden Bear at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival. (Variety) 

Thirteen people are killed and several others are injured when a bus collides with a van in Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab, Pakistan. (AP) 

Mexico says that it will maintain its ambassador in Peru despite the latter withdrawing its ambassador from Mexico in protest of Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador‘s support of former Peruvian President Pedro Castillo. (Reuters) 

The End

Friday,  February 24th, 2023 

China unveils a 12-point position paper on ending the war in Ukraine, ahead of an expected speech by Xi Jinping on the conflict. Ukraine says it hopes China can urge Russia to withdraw its troops in response to the paper. (The Guardian) 

A Russian Air Force Su-25 jet crashes in Orekhovo, Belgorod Oblast, Russia, while returning to its base, killing the pilot. (The Moscow Times) 

Iran publicly acknowledges the International Atomic Energy Agency accusation it has enriched uranium to 84%, bringing it close to developing a nuclear weapon. The Iranian government maintains its nuclear program is “completely peaceful”. (AP) 

Germany expels two employees of the Iranian embassy in response to Iran sentencing pro-monarchist dual German-Iranian Jamshid Sharmahd to death over a 2008 bombing in Iran. (Reuters) 

Oman opens its airspace to Israeli airlines for the first time. Israel’s Foreign Minister Eli Cohen calls the decision historic. (Haaretz) 

State Minister Ruben Vardanyan of the unrecognized Republic of Artsakh is dismissed by President Arayik Harutyunyan after less than four months in office. (Meduza) 

The European Commission bans Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok from corporate devices used by its staff, citing data protection concerns. (Euractiv) 

Thursday, February 23rd, 2023 

Cambodia’s Ministry of Health reports 12 more suspected cases of H5N1 influenza in Prey Veng province following the death of a 12-year-old girl, the first confirmed death from the virus since 2014. (Khmer Times) 

The Colombian government “condemns the arbitrary actions carried out by the Ortega regime against its opposition” and offers Colombian citizenship to those facing political persecution. (Cancilleria de Colombia) 

At least nine people are killed and 14 others are injured following a riot in Wamena, Indonesia, after rumours circulated on social media that a child had been kidnapped. The Indonesian military has been deployed to the town to support local police. (Al Jazeera) 

Philippine authorities confirm that all four people aboard a Cessna 340 aircraft that crashed on February 18 on Mayon Volcano, Albay are dead. Retrieval operations have begun. (The Philippine Star) (CNN) 

At least five people are killed and 48 others are reported missing following a collapse at a coal mine in Alxa League, Inner Mongolia, China. Search and rescue operations are underway. (Reuters) 

The End

Thursday, February 23rd, 2023 

Germany expels two employees of the Iranian embassy in response to Iran sentencing pro-monarchist dual German-Iranian Jamshid Sharmahd to death over a 2008 bombing in Iran. (Reuters) 

Iran publicly acknowledges the International Atomic Energy Agency accusation it has enriched uranium to 84%, bringing it close to developing a nuclear weapon. The Iranian government maintains its nuclear program is “completely peaceful”. (AP) 

Oman opens its airspace to Israeli airlines for the first time. Israel’s Foreign Minister Eli Cohen calls the decision historic. (Haaretz) 

The European Commission bans Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok from corporate devices used by its staff, citing data protection concerns. (Euractiv) 

At least five people are killed and 48 others are reported missing following a collapse at a coal mine in Alxa League, Inner Mongolia, China. Search and rescue operations are underway. (Reuters) 

Philippine authorities confirm that all four people aboard a Cessna 340 aircraft that crashed on February 18 on Mayon Volcano, Albay are dead. Retrieval operations have begun. (CNN) 

The End