News from January 26, 2025 at 2 AM

On January 25, 2025, the Palestinian militant group Hamas released four Israeli female soldiers in Gaza City in exchange for approximately 200 Palestinian prisoners, as part of a ceasefire agreement aimed at ending the 15-month-old conflict in Gaza. The four soldiers, surrounded by armed Hamas men on a stage, waved and smiled before being transported to Israeli forces by Red Cross vehicles. Their families watched the live handover from a nearby military base, emotional and joyful. However, the joy was tempered by the non-release of an expected female civilian hostage, which Israel deemed a breach of the truce. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Palestinians in northern Gaza would not be allowed to return until the issue is resolved. This exchange marks the second since the ceasefire began on January 19.

On January 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that he and US President Donald Trump should meet to discuss the Russia-Ukraine war and energy issues. Putin described Trump as smart and pragmatic, doubting Trump would impose sanctions on Russia. This marks the Kremlin's first strong indication of wanting to resume high-level contacts with Western leaders. Previously, Trump expressed his desire to meet Putin soon to end the Russia-Ukraine war at the World Economic Forum, noting millions have died. Putin also supported Trump's claim about the 2020 US election, suggesting the Ukraine crisis might have been avoided if Trump had won. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded, accusing Putin of trying to manipulate Trump's peace efforts but believed such manipulation would fail.

Pete Hegseth, 44, a former Fox News personality and decorated veteran, was confirmed as the US Secretary of Defense by the Senate on Friday. Hegseth plans to strengthen the American defense industry and deterrence capabilities, aiming to rebuild the military by matching threats to capabilities. This includes reviving the defense industrial base, reforming the acquisition process, passing a financial audit, and rapidly fielding emerging technologies. He emphasized reestablishing deterrence by defending the homeland and working with allies to deter aggression in the Indo-Pacific by Communist China. Vice President JD Vance cast the decisive vote to break a tie during the confirmation process.

The US State Department has halted nearly all existing foreign assistance and paused new aid, according to an internal memo, following President Trump's executive order for a 90-day pause in foreign development assistance for a review of efficiencies and policy consistency. The US, the world's largest international aid donor, spent $68bn in 2023. The memo exempts only emergency food aid and military funding for Israel and Egypt. Former State Department officials warn of a significant impact on US-funded aid programs globally, affecting critical development projects. Rubio justified the freeze by the need to assess the effectiveness and policy alignment of existing aid commitments.

On January 24, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump arrived at Los Angeles International Airport to tour areas impacted by the southern California wildfires with California Governor Gavin Newsom. Trump pledged to work with Newsom to respond to the fires, despite earlier suggesting the elimination of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Trump criticized California's wildfire response and accused Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass of 'gross incompetence.' Water shortages caused some hydrants to run dry, hindering the initial response. Experts believe that abolishing FEMA would require Congressional action. This visit was Trump's first since reclaiming the presidency, following his earlier tour of Hurricane Helene-devastated areas in North Carolina, where he vowed to overhaul or eliminate FEMA.

On January 25, US tech billionaire Elon Musk delivered a video address to a campaign rally of Germany's anti-immigration far-right AfD party in Halle, Germany. Musk told thousands of AfD supporters that their party was 'the best hope for the future of Germany.' His actions have raised concerns from some mainstream leaders, accusing him of interfering in European politics through comments on his social platform X about politicians in countries including Germany and Britain. This week, Musk also faced criticism for making a public hand gesture seen by some as resembling a Nazi salute. In his address, he described the German people as 'an ancient nation' and urged supporters to 'fight, fight, fight' for their country's future. The AfD advocates for 'more self-determination for Germany and for the countries in Europe and less from Brussels,' referring to European Union authorities. Musk is a close associate of US President Donald Trump, who has appointed him to head a new department of 'government efficiency' in his administration. Like Trump, the AfD opposes immigration, denies climate change, rails against gender politics, and has declared war on a political establishment and mainstream media it condemns as censorious. Ahead of Germany's February 23 elections, the AfD is polling at around 20%, a new record for a party that has already shattered a decades-old taboo against the far right in post-war Germany.

New CIA Director John Ratcliffe has long favored the lab leak hypothesis regarding the origins of Covid-19. The CIA previously stated it lacked sufficient information to determine whether the pandemic emerged naturally from a wet market in Wuhan, China, or from an accidental lab leak. However, a new assessment this week indicates analysts now favor the lab leak theory, based on available reporting, though natural origins remain plausible. Ratcliffe believes the virus likely originated from the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Officials assert the new assessment was not influenced by the new director and had been in development. In the final weeks of the Biden administration, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan ordered a classified review of the pandemic's origin. Former Director William Burns told analysts to take a stance on the origins, without favoring either theory. The analysis relies on existing evidence, including a closer examination of conditions in high-security labs in Wuhan. Both theories have logical support, but no decisive intelligence has been found.

On May 27, 2024, Israel bombed Palestinian tents and shelters in Rafah, Gaza. A White House source told Reuters that President Donald Trump's administration has instructed the U.S. military to lift a hold imposed by the Biden administration on the supply of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel. The hold was put in place by then-President Joe Biden due to concerns over the impact these bombs could have in Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza. A ceasefire has recently been agreed upon. The Biden administration's particular concern was the use of such large bombs in Rafah, where over one million Palestinians had taken refuge.

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.

The head of the U.N.'s refugee agency stated that nearly 30% of Syrian refugees in Middle Eastern countries wish to return home within the next year following the fall of President Bashar al-Assad, a significant increase from nearly zero last year. This shift is based on a U.N. assessment in January, weeks after Assad was ousted by Islamist rebels, ending a 13-year civil war. Approximately 200,000 Syrian refugees have already returned, in addition to around 300,000 who fled back from Lebanon during the Hezbollah-Israel war. The new Syrian administration aims to repatriate the roughly 6 million Syrians abroad and millions internally displaced, despite the war's devastation leaving cities in ruins and widespread poverty. The U.N. is providing some cash aid for transportation and assistance with food and home reconstruction. More aid and reconsideration of sanctions are needed, with the U.S. having granted a six-month sanctions exemption for some sectors, but Syrian leaders call for further relief.

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.

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.

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.

On January 24, 2025, an Israeli drone strike on a vehicle near Qabatiya in the West Bank killed two people, marking the fourth day of a large-scale Israeli operation in Jenin following the ceasefire in Gaza. The Israeli military stated that the airstrike targeted a 'terrorist cell' inside the vehicle but provided no further details. The operation, aimed at cracking down on Iranian-backed Palestinian militant groups, has resulted in at least 12 Palestinian deaths, including two claimed by Hamas's armed wing. The military also arrested 20 wanted suspects and seized weapons. Thameen Al-Kheetan, spokesperson for the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, expressed deep concern over the use of unlawful lethal force, raising serious concerns about unnecessary or disproportionate force in the Jenin operation. Fighting in Gaza has halted for the start of a six-week ceasefire phase backed by the United States. Israeli officials say the Jenin operation is part of a multifront war against Iranian-backed groups in the West Bank, southern Lebanon, and Yemen.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk threatened Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban with consequences if he vetoes the extension of sanctions against Russia. Tusk stated that if Orban blocks EU sanctions at a critical moment, it will be clear he is siding with Russian President Vladimir Putin. On January 24, Orban demanded that Ukraine meet three conditions before the sanctions discussion on January 27: restore transit of Russian gas, cease attacks on the TurkStream pipeline, and guarantee not to end oil transit. He made it clear that Budapest's stance on extending sanctions will depend on the reactions from Kiev and Brussels.

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'.

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is working on a plan for software company Oracle and a group of outside investors to take control of TikTok's global operations. Under the deal being negotiated by the White House, TikTok's China-based owner, ByteDance, would retain a minority stake, but Oracle would oversee the app's algorithm, data collection, and software updates. Oracle already provides the foundation of TikTok's Web infrastructure. The deal would give American investors a majority stake in TikTok, though terms are still being finalized. Oracle and White House officials met on Friday to discuss the potential deal, with another meeting scheduled for next week. Oracle is interested in a stake worth tens of billions, but other details remain in flux. Appeasing Congress is seen as a key hurdle by the White House.