News from January 25, 2025 at 2 PM

Hamas has announced the release of four Israeli hostages on Saturday under the Gaza ceasefire deal, including soldiers Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag. This exchange will free 180 Palestinian prisoners held in Israel, marking the second such swap since the ceasefire took effect last Sunday, following the initial release of three hostages and 90 prisoners. The ceasefire ended the war that began with Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in about 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages taken to Gaza. Over 47,200 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed in Israel's offensive, according to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry. Israeli civilian Arbel Yehud, initially expected to be released, is not on the list, with unclear reasons, though Israeli media speculate Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) is holding her. Hamas is set to provide details on the remaining 26 hostages, including the Bibas family, over the next five weeks. The prisoners to be released are of a more serious category than those in the first exchange, with some serving over 15 years for killings. Israel insists no one involved in the October 7 attacks will be freed. Ariev, Gilboa, Levy, and Albag were captured at the Nahal Oz military base, shown in footage being tied up and pleading for help. The ceasefire, brokered by the US, Qatar, and Egypt, will be implemented in three stages, with the first stage releasing 1,900 Palestinian prisoners for 33 hostages, and Israeli forces withdrawing from Gaza, allowing hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians to return home. The ceasefire aims to permanently end the war in Gaza, with 91 hostages still held, 57 believed to be alive.

Late on Friday, Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump's nominee for US defense secretary, was confirmed by the Senate despite facing multiple misconduct allegations. Vice-President JD Vance cast the tie-breaking vote in favor of Hegseth. During his confirmation hearing, Hegseth denied a sexual assault allegation and addressed issues of infidelity and drinking. He will oversee a department with three million employees and an $849 billion budget. Three Republican senators, including Mitch McConnell, voted against him, citing Hegseth's lack of preparedness to lead such a vast department. Hegseth, a former Fox News host and combat veteran, lacks traditional experience for a national security cabinet position.

The US military planned to use flights to deport over 5,000 immigrants held by US authorities. Mexico refused a request from President Donald Trump's administration to allow US military aircraft deporting migrants to land in the country. On January 24, the US military carried out flights to Guatemala with about 80 migrants each, totaling 265 Guatemalans. Mexico's Foreign Ministry stated it has a good relationship with the US but did not mention the denied landing. Trump's administration relaunched the 'Remain in Mexico' program, requiring non-Mexican asylum seekers to wait in Mexico. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Mexico had not agreed to this. Tensions have risen since Trump declared a national emergency along the border on January 20.

Storm Éowyn has been described by the Met Office as the strongest storm to hit the UK in at least 10 years, leaving hundreds of thousands without power. At its peak, nearly a million properties were without power across the British Isles, with many roads and rail links blocked. A man in Ireland was killed by a falling tree as winds reached a record 114 mph. Widespread property damage was reported in Scotland and Northern Ireland, with Network Rail Scotland logging nearly 400 damage incidents. Strong winds are expected to continue, with parts of England and Wales forecasted to receive up to 80mm of rainfall over the weekend. In Ireland, 625,000 homes and businesses were without power, and 138,000 people without water. Restoration efforts are ongoing, but some areas may face extended outages.

Tens of thousands of people in Slovakia are protesting against Prime Minister Robert Fico's government in about 25 towns and cities. Protesters accuse Fico of undermining the country's institutions, culture, and position in the EU and NATO, particularly his increasing attacks on Ukraine and rapprochement with Moscow. Local newspaper Dennik N estimates that around 100,000 people participated in the protests, with 40,000 in the capital alone. Fico denies opposition claims that he wants to take Slovakia out of the EU and NATO, stating that the country's membership is not in question. Despite Fico's warnings of foreign provocateurs aiming to overthrow his government, the protests remained peaceful with no reports of violence.

On January 24, US President Donald Trump's administration fired 17 independent inspectors-general at various government agencies, including the Departments of State, Defence, and Transportation. The inspectors-general were notified of their immediate termination via emails from the White House personnel director. The dismissals appeared to violate federal law, which mandates the president to provide reasons to both Houses of Congress 30 days in advance. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Senator Elizabeth Warren described the action as a “midnight purge of independent watchdogs,” while former Trump lawyer Sidney Powell defended the decision. Inspectors-general are independent positions responsible for audits, investigations, and inspections into allegations of waste, fraud, and abuse of power.

In January 2025, the presidential election in Belarus is marked by a lack of enthusiasm, with no visible campaign activities in Minsk. Incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko is set to secure a seventh term, hailed by supporters as an exercise in 'Belarusian democracy' but dismissed by opponents as a 'farce'. Following the 2020 election, massive protests erupted but were brutally suppressed, leading to arrests of thousands. The EU, UK, and US do not recognize Lukashenko's legitimacy. Opposition leaders are either imprisoned or in exile. Other candidates in the current election seem more like spoilers, with some even openly backing Lukashenko. There is widespread public fear of instability due to potential change.

On January 24, the Israeli government notified the United Nations that it requires the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to cease all operations in East Jerusalem within six days. Israeli Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, stated in a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that UNRWA must evacuate all its premises in Jerusalem by January 30. This action follows legislation passed by the Israeli Parliament in October banning UNRWA from operating in Israeli territory. UNRWA provides critical aid including food, shelter, healthcare, vocational training, and education to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, especially after the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023. Israel has accused UNRWA of Hamas infiltration, but UN investigations found fewer than 10 out of nearly 13,000 employees were affiliated with Hamas, and they were fired. UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini urged the UN Security Council to intervene, warning that such actions would severely weaken the humanitarian response in Gaza.

Archbishop Anastasios, head of the Orthodox Church of Albania, passed away at a hospital in Athens at the age of 95 on Saturday. He played a crucial role in reviving the church in Albania, an independent branch of the Eastern Orthodox Church, after being elected to lead it in 1992 following the fall of the communist regime. Anastasios was admitted to a hospital in Tirana with flu in early December but was airlifted to Athens for treatment at Evangelismos Hospital due to deteriorating health. The church announced his death from multiple organ failure. Citizens in Tirana lit candles in front of the Orthodox Cathedral and bells tolled continuously. Greek lawmakers observed a minute's silence in parliament. Known for promoting interfaith dialogue and his charitable work in Albania, Anastasios had previously served as a missionary in several African countries. The President of Albania and the Greek Prime Minister expressed their condolences.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that the company plans to invest around $60 billion to $65 billion in capital expenditures in 2025 to continue building its artificial intelligence infrastructure. Zuckerberg stated that 2025 will be 'a defining year for AI' and that Meta is constructing a large datacenter equivalent to a significant part of Manhattan to power its AI offerings. Additionally, Meta will add around 1 gigawatt in compute power and end the year with over 1.3 million graphics processing units. In a Facebook post, Zuckerberg wrote that this massive effort will drive the company's core products and business, unlock historic innovation, and extend American technology leadership. Meta shares closed at a record high of $647.49 on Friday following the announcement. The company has been investing billions in AI and related R&D in recent years, but the fiercely competitive market means it will take time for investors to see returns. Zuckerberg expects a 'multiyear investment cycle' before Meta's AI products become profitable, though he noted the company's 'strong track record' in this area. On Friday, Zuckerberg also said he expects Meta's AI digital assistant to become the leading assistant serving over 1 billion people, and the company is developing an AI engineer to contribute significantly to R&D efforts.

British retailer WH Smith has announced it is considering selling its high street arm. In a statement on Saturday, the company said it is exploring strategic options for this profitable and cash-generative part of the group, including a potential sale. Over the past decade, WH Smith has transformed into a focused global travel retailer, with over 1,200 stores in 32 countries. The first of its more than 500 stores opened 230 years ago. Currently, the travel retail business, operating from airports, train stations, and hospitals, accounts for over 85% of its profit, with the high street business contributing the remainder. The statement added that there is no certainty of any agreement being reached, and further updates will be provided as appropriate.

On January 24, the Trump administration's Interior Department announced the official renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, and the Alaskan peak Denali back to Mount McKinley. These name changes were part of a series of executive actions signed by President Donald Trump shortly after his inauguration on January 20, fulfilling a campaign promise. The peak had previously been named Mount McKinley in honor of former President William McKinley, but was renamed Denali in 1975 at the state's request. The Interior Department stated that these changes reaffirm the nation's commitment to preserving its extraordinary heritage. While Trump can direct the US Geological Survey to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico, such a change is unlikely to be recognized internationally. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum had earlier jokingly suggested renaming North America to 'Mexican America'.

On November 20, 2024, the U.S. retail giant Target announced the termination of its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, including goals aimed at making its workforce and merchandise better reflect its customer base. Kiera Fernandez, Chief Community Impact and Equity Officer, communicated this decision in a memo to employees. Target will end its three-year DEI goals, cease reporting to external diversity-focused groups like the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index, and halt a program supporting products from Black- or minority-owned businesses. This move aligns Target with other companies like Tractor Supply, Meta, Walmart, and McDonald's that have dropped DEI commitments. Previously, Target had strengthened its diversity initiatives following the George Floyd incident in 2020 but faced conservative pressure. While Target's workforce has become more diverse in recent years, its leadership diversity still lags behind.

According to the Financial Times, President Donald Trump's call with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen last week over Greenland was described as a 'cold shower' by European officials, highlighting the US's serious intention to take over the Arctic island. On January 15, Frederiksen stated she had a 45-minute call with Trump, reiterating that Greenland's independence is its own decision but expressing openness to increased US military presence in Greenland. The call dashed Europe's hopes that Trump's claims were merely a negotiating tactic. Sources said Trump was very firm, leaving the Danes in 'crisis mode' and 'utterly freaked out.' The Danish prime minister's office declined to comment on the interpretation of the conversation by anonymous sources.

The British Museum partially closed to visitors after a former employee allegedly shut down parts of its IT network. The contractor, dismissed last week, trespassed into the museum and disabled several systems before being arrested by police. This led to the closure of some galleries and temporary exhibitions on Friday, with limited capacity this weekend, prioritizing members and ticket holders. The museum, which saw 5,820,860 visitors in 2023 and was named the top UK visitor attraction, is working to restore full operations. Temporary exhibitions, including Silk Roads and Picasso: Printmaker, remain closed over the weekend, with ticket holders notified and refunds offered.