CHINA-EUROPEAN UNION
As U.S. President Donald Trump stirs up tensions with Europe and further raises tariffs with Beijing, Chinese diplomats are making moves across the Old Continent with a message: "Your best friend has abandoned you, let’s jointly support the multilateral order." This was reported by the South China Morning Post, which mentions meetings held in recent weeks in Brussels, Dublin, Munich, and Paris.
VIETNAM
Vietnam has pledged to support the repatriation of several dozen illegal Vietnamese immigrants detained in the United States and quickly handling new expulsion requests following U.S. threats of trade tariffs and visa sanctions. This was stated to Reuters by a lawyer familiar with the matter. This move is part of a broader series of concessions the country is considering to avoid tariffs that could cripple its economy, which is the most dependent on exports to the U.S. among all of America's major trading partners.
UN-ISLAM
"In this holy month, let us embrace our shared humanity to build a fairer and more peaceful world for all". This was written by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a message to Muslims worldwide who are about to begin Ramadan. "I stand with all those who are suffering. From Gaza and its region, to Sudan, the Sahel, and beyond," he added. The first day of fasting during the holy month will be on Saturday, March 1, or Sunday, March 2, depending on the sighting of the new moon in various regions of the world.
INDIA
Fish markets remained closed and fishermen took to the streets yesterday for a 24-hour "coastal hartal" (strike) across Kerala against the Indian federal government’s decision to auction five offshore blocks off the state's coast for the extraction of sand and other minerals from the sea. Fishermen's organizations stated that these activities would have repercussions on the marine ecosystem, particularly on seafood products, thus harming the livelihoods of workers in the sector.
NORTH KOREA-UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Lazarus Group, a North Korean state-sponsored hacking group, is believed to have carried out what experts say is the largest financial heist in history. The target was Bybit, a Dubai-based company that claims to be the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume. The operation is said to have taken place on February 21, leading to the theft of $1.5 billion.
RUSSIA
Amendments to "modernize election legislation" are being completed at the State Duma in Moscow, with new rules for electronic voting both at polling stations and remotely, as well as the registration of all Russians abroad in a single federal register. From this register, they will only be able to vote for candidates on party lists. By 2026, "elections for the Russian world" will be held globally.
TURKMENISTAN
The brutal police crackdown on an elderly disabled man begging on the street in Turkmenabat, Turkmenistan, has sparked many negative reactions from bystanders, during a period when law enforcement across the country is conducting thorough checks on vendors and beggars, often with excessive violence.
