Trump wants U.S., China and Russia to cut military spending in halfTrump is looking to convince the U.S. adversaries to cut their defense spending while also getting them to commit to denuclearization. "We're all spending a lot of money that we could be spending on other things that are actually, hopefully much more productive," Trump said from the Oval Office. he president said he's going to meet with China and Russia, "and I'm going to say there's no reason for us to be spending almost a trillion dollars on military."
https://www.axios.com/2025/02/13/trump-china-russia-military-spendingUkraine rejects Trump bid to take rights to half its mineral reservesTreasury Secretary Scott Bessent offered Zelenskyy the deal during a visit to Kyiv on Wednesday, which came after President Donald Trump suggested the US was owed half a trillion dollars’ worth of Ukraine’s resources in exchange for its assistance to the war-torn country.
https://www.ft.com/content/b08b7258-7ae0-4bae-9499-e6d3183d5894https://archive.ph/opFK8Simcox out as counter-extremism commissioner in Home Office shakeupIn a statement on Friday, the Home Office also said it had abolished the role of independent adviser on political violence and disruption. That post had been held until recently by Lord Walney (John Woodcock), a former Labour MP now sitting as an independent peer in the House of Lords.
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/simcox-out-counter-extremism-commissioner-home-office-shakeup100,000 protest in Brussels against Arizona coalition’s austerity and attacks on rights 100,000 people, led by trade unions, took to the streets of Brussels on Thursday, February 13, to protest the anti-worker policies of the newly appointed Arizona coalition government. The demonstrators demanded respect for labor rights, including pension policies that ensure dignified lives, as well as the protection of the right to protest. They called for a society built on solidarity, peace, and social progress, rejecting the “every-man-for-himself” mentality promoted by the government.
https://peoplesdispatch.org/2025/02/14/100000-protest-in-brussels-against-arizona-coalitions-austerity-and-attacks-on-rights/Four released Palestinians in critical condition, hospitalised in RamallahWhile the Israeli captives have generally appeared in good condition throughout the ceasefire exchange since last month, many Palestinians appeared to have lost an enormous amount of weight while in custody and some were seen struggling to walk due to their poor physical condition and physical torture.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/2/15/it-was-hell-released-palestinian-prisoners-in-poor-health-conditionshttps://archive.ph/K0m1lLebanon says 25 arrested after attack on UN peacekeepersUN and Lebanese officials have condemned Friday's attack, which came as Hezbollah supporters for a second night blocked the road to the country's only international airport over a decision barring two Iranian planes from landing there.
https://www.newarab.com/news/lebanon-says-25-arrested-after-attack-un-peacekeepersControversy over popular mainland Chinese ID cards in Taiwan prompts crackdownTaipei is intensifying its crackdown on Taiwanese who apply for mainland Chinese identity cards in its latest effort to counter Beijing’s growing influence on the island’s population. … In addition to reiterating the legal consequences – which include the revoking of an offender’s voting and other civil rights – Taiwan is launching an extensive investigation to tackle the issue.
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3298706/controversy-over-popular-mainland-chinese-id-cards-taiwan-prompts-crackdownhttps://archive.ph/DrdMxRwandan-backed M23 rebels enter Bukavu in eastern DRCBukavu previously fell to soldiers who deserted the Congolese army in 2004 and the capture of the city would in effect give the M23 total control of the Lake Kivu area. Its capture would represent an unprecedented expansion of territory under the M23’s control since the latest insurgency started in 2022, and deal a further blow to Kinshasa’s authority in the east.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/14/rwanda-backed-m23-rebels-seize-key-drc-airport-bakavu-congoWhite South Africans gather in support of Trump and his claims that they are victims of racismMany were from the Afrikaner community that Trump focused on in an executive order a week ago that cut aid and assistance to the Black-led South African government. In the order, Trump said South Africa’s Afrikaners, who are descendants of mainly Dutch colonial settlers, were being targeted by a new law that allows the government to expropriate private land.
https://apnews.com/article/trump-south-africa-white-afrikaners-b41aa729360af4d1d090ea1ac1e22cceCuba tells non-essential workers, students to stay home in latest blackoutOnly six of the country's 15 oil-fired power plants are in operation, according to government reports, and a dire fuel shortage has made it impossible to run smaller clusters of diesel-fired generators that typically back up the system.
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/cuba-tells-non-essential-workers-students-stay-home-latest-blackout-2025-02-14/Haiti’s Main Hospital Destroyed by Fire Amid Gang ViolenceThe Hospital of the State University of Haiti, the main medical facility in Port-au-Prince, was set on fire following clashes between criminal gangs, leaving the institution almost completely destroyed. This hospital was the only place in Haiti where patients could access essential medical care, including dialysis treatments, and is now in dire conditions.
https://www.telesurenglish.net/haitis-main-hospital-destroyed-by-fire-amid-gang-violence/Milei Pushes Crypto Token, Then Deletes Post Amid Fears of ScamEven before Friday’s token drama, headwinds were building in Buenos Aires. US President Donald Trump’s tariffs stand to disproportionately hit Argentina, while Nissan is cutting back car production and Mercedes-Benz is leaving the country after more than 70 years. Argentina’s economic lifeline, the Rio Parana that carries most of the country’s farm exports, faced a setback after Milei’s government canceled an auction to dredge it deeper after receiving just a single bid as ships struggle to navigate narrow waters.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-15/milei-pushes-crypto-token-then-deletes-post-amid-fears-of-scamhttps://archive.ph/v629a