News from February 5, 2025 at 2 PM

U.S. President Donald Trump announced at a White House press conference that the United States will take over the Gaza Strip and relocate approximately 2 million Palestinians to other Middle Eastern countries, a proposal rejected by Arab nations. Trump envisioned Gaza as the 'Riviera of the Middle East,' potentially bringing peace. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu supported the idea but did not clarify the legal basis. Negotiations on the second phase of a Gaza ceasefire are ongoing between the U.S., Israel, and Arab countries. The Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned Trump's remarks, stating they violate international law.

A shooting at an adult education campus in Orebro, Sweden, resulted in approximately 10 deaths, marking the worst school shooting in the country's history. Police believe the gunman is among the deceased. The incident occurred at 12:33 local time on Tuesday, prompting teachers and students to flee or hide. Authorities locked down six schools and a restaurant in the area, advising people to stay away or remain indoors. The police are still working to identify the victims and investigate the details of the attack.

Thousands of residents are fleeing the Greek island of Santorini due to a wave of seismic activity, with around 6,000 people leaving by ferry since Sunday. Authorities have closed schools and warned against large indoor gatherings, while Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis urged calm. More than 300 earthquakes have been recorded in the past 48 hours, including a magnitude 4.7 tremor northeast of the island early Tuesday. Despite no major damage reported, emergency measures are in place. Aegean Airlines added three emergency flights, expecting 2,500 to 2,700 passengers to fly to Athens on Monday and Tuesday. Local tour guide Kostas Sakavaras, who left with his family, plans to return once schools reopen.

Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa stated after talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that Syria seeks to develop strategic partnership relations with Turkey in all spheres, including security. He emphasized that the two countries currently enjoy special brotherly relations and aim to transform them into a comprehensive strategic partnership. Al-Sharaa also mentioned that they discussed existing security threats, particularly in Syria's eastern and northern regions, and expressed a desire to enhance cooperation in cultural, economic, and commercial sectors. The talks were held at the presidential compound in Ankara, with delegations from both countries including foreign ministers and intelligence chiefs. Al-Sharaa was accompanied by his wife, Latifa al-Daroubi.

Billionaire philanthropist and spiritual leader Aga Khan passed away peacefully in Lisbon, Portugal, at the age of 88. He was the 49th hereditary imam of the Ismaili Muslims, born in Switzerland with British citizenship and residing in a chateau in France. King Charles is deeply saddened by his death, as the Aga Khan was a friend to both him and the late Queen Elizabeth II. His charities operated hundreds of hospitals and educational and cultural projects globally. His successor will be announced soon. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres paid tribute to his legacy in poverty alleviation, healthcare, and education.

On February 5, a shooting incident occurred at the central Clemenceau metro station in Brussels, leading to the closure of several metro stations. The Belgian prosecutor's office stated that no injuries were reported. According to sources close to the investigation, the suspects fled into the metro tunnels after the shooting, and police are searching for two suspects. The incident is believed to be drug-related, sources said. Images on VRT's website showed two individuals entering the station and opening fire, but these images have not yet been verified by Reuters.

According to Reuters, the EU will increase customs checks on goods directly shipped to the EU by e-commerce retailers like Temu and Shein to ensure fair competition and product safety. The directive, expected to be released on February 5, primarily targets these two Chinese e-commerce platforms. Temu is the cross-border e-commerce platform of Pinduoduo, while Shein is a fast-fashion retailer headquartered in Singapore. The EU accuses them of undercutting European competitors with ultra-low prices and benefiting from duty-free regulations for goods under 150 euros, giving them an unfair advantage. The EU will prioritize controlling online products with significant safety risks and calls on member states to participate. Last year, 91% of online goods under 150 euros entering the EU came from China, totaling $4.6 billion. The EU will also investigate Shein for potential violations of consumer protection regulations.

On February 4, a politician from Italy's Veneto region, Andrea Zanoni, reported Donald Trump Jr to authorities for allegedly killing a protected species of duck while hunting in the Venice lagoon. Zanoni cited an online video from Field Ethos, which showed Trump Jr and others killing various ducks, including a rare Ruddy Shelduck, protected under the EU Birds Directive and Italian wildlife laws. Zanoni stated that killing the protected bird is a crime and has filed a query with regional authorities regarding potential sanctions. The video was filmed in the Pierimpie’ valley south of Venice, a special conservation area protected by European regulations. The regional council indicated it would respond to the query in due course.

The alliance of rebel groups in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, including the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels, has declared a humanitarian ceasefire starting on Tuesday, citing 'humanitarian reasons.' The UN reports that at least 900 people have been killed and 2,880 injured in recent fighting in and around Goma, the largest eastern city. The G7 nations and the EU have condemned the offensive as a blatant violation of DR Congo's sovereignty. The rebel alliance, known as the Congo River Alliance, accuses the Congolese military of bombing areas it controls and states it will not seize further territory. Over the past three years, regional fighting has displaced hundreds of thousands, with over 400,000 people forced from their homes since the start of 2025. Rwandan President Paul Kagame, also commander-in-chief of the Rwanda Defence Force, expressed uncertainty about Rwandan troops in DR Congo. Human rights groups are calling for increased pressure on Rwanda. DR Congo's communications minister, Patrick Muyaya, urges international sanctions on Rwanda. The presidents of both countries are set to attend a regional peace summit in Tanzania on Friday, with negotiations expected to last for months.

According to Asahi Shimbun, the boards of Honda and Nissan are set to meet soon to discuss terminating their merger talks. Following the news, Nissan's shares rose by 7.4% and Honda's shares climbed by 4.2%. The report stated that Honda had proposed making Nissan a subsidiary, an idea opposed by Nissan, leading to unexpected difficulties in the talks. Karl Brauer, an executive analyst at iSeeCars, noted that the higher stock prices reflect reduced near-term uncertainty for investors, but the long-term outlook for both companies remains uncertain. The companies had announced official merger negotiations in December last year, with discussions scheduled to conclude in June this year. The proposed merger would have made them the world's third-largest carmaker by sales. Nissan's strategic partner, Mitsubishi, was also invited to join the merger, with a decision expected in mid-February or later. Analysts had previously suggested that the merger was proposed due to Nissan's financial difficulties and the restructuring of its long-standing alliance with France's Renault. In its second-quarter report, Nissan revealed plans to cut 9,000 jobs and reduce its global production capacity by 20%. The rise of electric vehicles has disrupted the global auto industry, posing significant challenges to traditional automakers. Nissan has faced particular difficulties in its largest market, the U.S., as well as in China and other emerging markets, with operating profits falling by 90% and net income declining by 94% in the first half of fiscal year 2024 compared to the same period last year.

Ecuadorian leftist candidate Luisa Gonzalez plans to increase social welfare and impose stricter penalties on criminals, challenging incumbent President Daniel Noboa. Gonzalez, who lost to Noboa in the 2023 snap election, is now the candidate for the Citizens' Revolution party led by former President Rafael Correa. Polls suggest a possible April runoff between Gonzalez and Noboa. Gonzalez proposes military operations against crime, pursuing corrupt judges and prosecutors, and promoting renewable energy and small business credit. Correa, convicted of corruption, might return if Gonzalez wins. Supporters believe Gonzalez can lead the country out of its current crisis.

Novo Nordisk reported a 29% annual increase in net profit to 28.23 billion Danish kroner in Q4, surpassing expectations. Full-year net profit rose 21% to 100.99 billion Danish kroner. Wegovy sales soared 107% year-on-year but slightly missed analyst forecasts. The company's shares rose 3.1%. CEO Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen stated that Novo Nordisk plans to submit its oral weight loss pill for U.S. regulatory approval within months, aiming for a 2024 launch. The company forecast slower sales growth of 16%-24% for 2025, citing higher competition and pricing pressures, but emphasized continued steady growth. Market analysts see significant potential in the obesity drug market.

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) reported fourth-quarter results on Tuesday, exceeding Wall Street expectations for both sales and earnings. However, the stock fell about 6% in extended trading due to a miss in its key data center segment. Q4 earnings per share were $1.09 on revenue of $7.66 billion, with Q1 sales forecast at $7.1 billion. Data center sales reached $3.86 billion, up 69% year-over-year, contributing to a 94% full-year increase. AMD anticipates strong double-digit revenue and EPS growth in 2025. Client revenue rose 58%, while gaming GPU revenue declined 59%.