News from February 6, 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 school shooting in Eskilstuna, central Sweden, has resulted in 11 deaths, including the gunman. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson described it as the country's deadliest mass shooting in history. The gunman, a 35-year-old man, is suspected to have committed suicide. The affected school is a municipal adult education institution with a capacity of around 2,000 students. Preliminary police investigations suggest the gunman acted alone, with no apparent terrorist motives. The Swedish Parliament, Government, and Royal Family lowered flags to half-mast in mourning, and the King and Queen plan to visit the site. From 2010 to 2022, there have been 7 fatal violent incidents in Swedish schools, with 391 shooting incidents recorded in 2022 alone.

Ahead of the Spring Festival, Chinese AI company DeepSeek released its open-source model DeepSeek-R1, achieving performance close to OpenAI's GPT-o1 at a lower cost. Within days, DeepSeek topped the free app charts in both China and the US, with tech giants announcing integration. President Trump called it a wake-up call for the US AI industry. Western media speculated on its implementation and highlighted its significance. China's Permanent Representative to the UN, Fu Cong, emphasized China's scientific prowess and called for US-China cooperation. Texas banned DeepSeek on government devices, sparking controversy. Multiple overseas tech giants announced integration with DeepSeek, with OpenAI CEO Altman praising its performance. DeepSeek's emergence is reshaping the AI landscape and driving industry progress.

A strong earthquake occurred between the Greek islands of Amorgos and Santorini, leading to the evacuation of over 11,000 people from Santorini, with 7,000 leaving by ferry and 4,000 by air. A 5.2 magnitude earthquake struck at 21:09 local time (19:09 GMT) on Wednesday, with a depth of 5km. This was followed by a 4.7 magnitude quake at 07:50 local time on Thursday. No major damage has been reported, but authorities are taking precautions. Seismic activity remains intense, with experts indicating no signs of subsiding. Schools on Santorini and neighboring islands will remain closed until Friday. Firefighters and medical personnel have been reinforced, and all hospital staff are on standby. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis urged calm and cooperation with authorities.

Since the capture of Goma in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo by the M23 rebel group on January 26, at least 2,900 people have died. Vivian van de Perre, Deputy Special Representative for Protection and Operations in the UN Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO), stated that 2,000 bodies have been found on the streets of Goma and another 900 are in the morgue in recent days. Previously, the UN reported 900 deaths and 2,880 injuries in Goma. M23 spokesman Lawrence Kanyuka claimed that 2,500 Congolese servicemen and pro-government fighters were killed in the fighting, with no official figures from the army command. Mass burials are underway in Goma and surrounding areas to prevent epidemic outbreaks. The rebels now fully control the city, where normal life is gradually resuming. Shops and markets are open, and streets are busy with traffic. Local authorities representing the M23 have ordered the reopening of educational institutions this week.

On February 5, 2025, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner announced the government's decision to dismantle Grenfell Tower during a meeting with bereaved relatives and survivors. The 24-storey tower in west London caught fire in June 2017, resulting in 72 deaths. The decision follows years of debate over the tower's future, with some wanting it preserved as a permanent reminder of the tragedy and others advocating for a new memorial. A formal announcement is expected on Friday. Kimia Zabihyan, representing Grenfell Next of Kin, said Rayner was clear that the decision was based on engineers' recommendations. While Zabihyan agreed with the decision, many expressed dissatisfaction. A spokesperson for Grenfell United criticized the decision, stating that the voices of the bereaved had been ignored. The fire, caused by a faulty fridge, spread rapidly due to flammable cladding. A public inquiry concluded that the disaster resulted from multiple government failures and the construction industry's neglect of flammable material risks.

On February 5, protesters gathered outside the Michigan Capitol in Lansing to oppose US President Donald Trump and Elon Musk. US government workers are weighing whether to accept a buyout offer from the Trump administration ahead of a February 6 deadline. Federal worker unions urged their members not to take the offer and sued to block it, with a court hearing scheduled for 1pm Eastern time on February 6 (1am Singapore time, February 7). At least 20,000 workers have reportedly accepted the deal, about 1% of the government's 2.3 million civilian workforce. Trump has tasked billionaire advisor Elon Musk to lead the overhaul, sparking protests and accusations from opposition Democrats. As the deadline approaches, the Trump administration has repeatedly warned that most federal agencies are likely to be downsized, pressuring workers to accept the buyout. Employees at the General Services Administration are bracing for mass layoffs, while those at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are experiencing fear and confusion. Musk's team is reviewing personnel records at various agencies, raising security and privacy concerns. Trump defends Musk's actions, arguing that the federal bureaucracy is bloated and filled with opponents of his political agenda.

In the early hours of February 6th, a shooting occurred near the Clementine Metro Station in Brussels, Belgium, injuring one person. This was the second shooting in the vicinity of the metro station within 24 hours. The Brussels Prosecutor stated that three shootings took place in Brussels within 24 hours, two near the Clementine Metro Station and one in the Saint-Josse-ten-Noode district. The investigation is ongoing to determine if the three incidents are related.

On February 4, hundreds of Mexican soldiers were deployed to the border with the United States as part of an agreement that suspended US tariffs on Mexican imports, contingent on Mexico cracking down on fentanyl trafficking. The Mexican troops will be stationed in high-risk border areas with high rates of illegal migration and drug and weapons trafficking, including the states of Baja California, Sonora, and Tamaulipas. The plan, announced on February 3, involves deploying a total of 10,000 Mexican soldiers, in response to which US President Donald Trump paused his threat of 25% tariffs on Mexican imports. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated that the United States has also pledged to stop the flow of high-powered weapons into Mexico from the US. Some analysts warn that the significant concentration of Mexican troops at the border could leave other vulnerable areas of Mexico without adequate security.

Since 2024, egg prices in the US have surged by more than 50%. On February 5, Pennsylvania State Police were searching for thieves who stole about 100,000 organic eggs from a wholesaler's warehouse over the weekend, valued at over US$40,000 retail. State Trooper Megan Frazer, investigating the case, said it was her first encounter with egg theft in her 12 years on the force. The theft occurred in Greencastle, Pennsylvania, about 105 km southwest of the state capital, Harrisburg. The national egg shortage has caused prices to spike. Farmers are grappling with a bird flu outbreak, leading to the culling of millions of hens. More than 13 million hens have been slaughtered or lost since December. By late January, the average cost of eggs was US$5.29 a dozen, up from around US$3.50 in the same period in 2024. Some store shelves are empty, and the breakfast chain Waffle House has imposed a 50-cent surcharge per egg, as reported by multiple media outlets.

A severely burnt scroll from the Roman town of Herculaneum has been digitally 'unwrapped', providing the first glimpse inside in 2,000 years. The document, charred by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, is too fragile to be physically opened. Scientists have used X-ray imaging and artificial intelligence to virtually unfurl it, revealing rows and columns of text. Project lead Stephen Parsons of the Vesuvius Challenge stated that while more work is needed to make the scroll fully legible, the results are promising, with confidence in reading almost the entire scroll. The scroll is believed to be a work of philosophy. The University of Oxford's Bodleian Library holds several such scrolls, previously thought unreadable. A hi-tech solution prompted the team to retrieve one scroll for X-ray scanning at Diamond Light Source in Oxfordshire, creating a 3D reconstruction and using AI to detect ink, making the text visible. Last year, a Vesuvius Challenge team read about 5% of another Herculaneum scroll, which discussed Greek Epicurean philosophy.

The Australian Parliament passed a series of amendments to hate crime laws on Thursday, imposing mandatory jail terms of one to six years for displaying hate symbols or performing a Nazi salute. This follows a wave of high-profile antisemitic attacks in the country. Described as the toughest hate crime laws in Australia's history, the amendments have sparked criticism for the Labor Party's deviation from its policy against mandatory sentences. Recent incidents include the discovery of an explosive-laden caravan with an antisemitic note in Sydney, a childcare center near a Jewish school set on fire, and a synagogue in Melbourne being set alight. Former Labor senator Kim Carr criticized the move as a breach of the party's platform, while opposition parties accused Labor of dragging its feet on the amendments.

The White House proposed a voluntary departure plan to 2 million federal employees last week, with over 20,000 preparing to accept the terms. On February 4th, the Federal Employees Union sued the Trump Administration, alleging the plan violates federal law by failing to guarantee sufficient funding and considering the consequences of mass resignations. The White House previously offered a 'buyout plan' aimed at 100,000 to 200,000 voluntary departures, with about 20,000 accepting so far, accounting for 1% of the federal workforce. The White House Personnel Management Office defended the plan's legality, stating it underwent extensive legal review and is entirely voluntary. Additionally, the Trump Administration hired six young software engineers to enhance government efficiency, sparking widespread criticism.

On February 5, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that contacts between various Russian and US departments are intensifying, but declined to provide details. Previously, US President Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and mentioned ongoing constructive talks with Russia and Ukraine. On the same day, Ukrainian President Zelensky expressed willingness to join negotiations with the US, Europe, and Russia if it could bring peace to Ukraine.

French Minister of the Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu stated that Ukrainian pilots have been trained in France to operate Mirage 2000 fighter jets. On June 6, 2024, French President Emmanuel Macron announced the plan to send Mirage 2000 aircraft to Ukraine. The first batch of these jets has now arrived in Ukraine, as confirmed by Lecornu on X. He noted that the Ukrainian pilots received training in France. In early June, Macron indicated that Paris would begin training Ukrainian pilots and also intended to approve the transfer of Mirage 2000-5 jets to Kiev. The training program was expected to take five to six months, with the jets arriving later in 2024. In October, Lecornu shared that the aircraft delivery was scheduled for the first half of 2025. While Lecornu did not specify the number of aircraft delivered, La Tribune previously reported that France could send up to six fighter jets to Ukraine.