Global Updates

February 4: Sweden

In what the Swedish prime minister called the “worst mass shooting in Swedish history,” 11 people were killed, including the assailant. The 35 year old shooter targeted an adult educational center in Sweden, where people learn vocational and workforce skills and take language classes, providing essential services for migrants and refugees. The shooter had gun licenses for his four weapons, unused munitions, and has not been identified with any ideological motives. He was a former student at the school he targeted (Cable News Network and British Broadcasting Channel).

February 6: USA

The Department of Government Efficiency appointed multiple college-age students as senior advisors to multiple government departments, including the Office of Personnel Management, Environmental Protection Agency and United States Agency for International Development. These individuals include Akash Bobba, Edward Coristine, Luke Farritor, Gautier Cole Killian, Gavin Kliger, and Ethan Shaotran (New York Post).

February 8: Israel/Palestine

Israel and Hamas completed the fifth hostage-prisoner swap. Three Israeli hostages and 183 Palestinian prisoners were released. Before the exchange, which was mediated by the Red Cross, the Israeli hostages were forced to read speeches thanking Hamas militants. Palestinian prisoners were medically evaluated by the Red Cross; many allege abuse and starvation. After the exchange, Hamas released a propaganda video featuring the three hostages (CNN).

February 9: New Orleans, Louisiana

The Philadelphia Eagles won the 59th Super Bowl defeating the Kansas City Chiefs in a rematch from two years ago. It was a mark of domination as the Chiefs failed to score points within the first half of the game, letting the Eagles romp to a 24-0 lead. Despite a spirited effort in the final stages of the game, the Eagles won it out at a scoreline of 40-22. This win breaks what would have been the first three-peat in NFL history and marks the Eagles’ second win. Kendrick Lamar’s, the half-time performer, produced an extravagant and politically-charged show which included SZA, Samuel L. Jackson and Serena Williams (CNN).

February 12: Munich, Germany

President Trump started war talks with Putin, supporting a quick end to the ongoing war in Ukraine. He had a nearly half hour long phone call, and met with Zelensky in Munich, on February 14th (BBC).

February 16: Democratic Republic of the Congo

M23, a rebel paramilitary group with Rwandan support, captures the Democratic Republic of Congo’s town of Bukavu, the provincial capital of South Kivu with a population of over one million. Goma, the provincial capital of North Kivu was captured in January. Despite denying official support, the Rwandan president, Paul Kagame was absent in a December peace talk which was to be led by the Angolan president (The Guardian).

February 20: Boston, Massachusetts

Team Canada beat Team USA in the 4 Nations Face Off Final, with a score of 3-2 in overtime in a packed stadium, after losing their first match against the U.S. ( ESPN)

February 23: Germany

German polls finished as the former government coalition consisting of the Social Democratic, Green and Free Democratic Parties collapsed, caused by incumbent chancellor Olaf Scholz’s dismissal of the Minister of Finance, who belonged to the FDP. The German president called for a dissolution of the parliament, and a premature election was called. The conservative Christian Democrats lead with 28.5 percentage points, and far-right, populist Alternate for Germany (AfD) Party in second place, with 20.8 percentage points, doubling their previous count in 2021. Current chancellor Scholz’s party, the Social Democrats, sit in third with 16.8%, after losing more than 9 percentage points from 2021. As the exit polls results came in, Christian Democratic Union Leader Freidrich Merz will be the new chancellor (The Guardian).

February 24th: Washington DC, USA

President Trump and French president Emmanuel Macron met at the White House to discuss the Russia-Ukraine War and approaches to peace. In contrast to Trump, Macron advocated for a deliberate method cession in the fighting and future security guarantees, and also firmly called Putin out, stating that he had violated the peace. The two agreed on implementing European peacekeeping forces, a suggestion that Putin also was willing to accept (Reuters).

February 28: Washington DC, USA

In a heated conversation between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump, Trump repeatedly told Zelensky that he has no negotiating cards and was not in a position to request anything from the U.S. Zelensky originally traveled from Kyiv to Washington D.C to finalize a deal granting the U.S limited access to Ukraine’s natural resources. Instead, the deal fell apart as Trump kicked Zelensky out of the White House and threatened to cut of U.S aid to Ukraine entirely. This comes at a time when the U.S President has been more sympathetic to Moscow than to Kyiv after generations of U.S presidents standing staunch against Kremlin aggression (CNN).