Here’s What Happened Around The World In February 2025
Here’s What Happened Around The World In February 2025
1. Trump openly called for ethnic cleansing in Gaza during an interview with Netanyahu
Netanyahu had traveled to the US to meet with Trump on Tuesday Feb. 4, becoming the first world leader to meet with Trump after he assumed the presidency.
During the interview, Trump said that Palestinians should be moved out of Gaza to other countries like Egypt and Jordan, adding that he would help Palestinians live somewhere nice, in a place other than Gaza.
Hamas officials called Trump’s calls for Palestinians to leave Gaza as “expulsion from their land.”
2. Rwanda-backed rebels seized a strategic city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, raising fears over a regional war
The DRC government has called Rwanda’s support for M23 “a declaration of war” and suspended all diplomatic relations.
On Tuesday, Feb. 4, the M23 announced that it was declaring an unilateral ceasefire for humanitarian reasons.
The DRC government has yet to comment on the ceasefire, and it remains unclear if the DRC military will also pause fighting.
3. Trump and JD Vance had a huge argument with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on live TV
The meeting on Friday, Feb. 28 was scheduled before the US and Ukraine were set to sign an agreement that would have given the US access to rare earth minerals from Ukraine used in technology and weapons.
Tension escalated after Vance said that the Trump administration was engaging in diplomacy to obtain peace unlike other administrations.
Zelenskyy tried to object before being cut off by Trump, who said, “You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people. You’re gambling with World War III.”
The three then yelled at each other for several minutes as Trump and Vance repeatedly argued that Zelenskyy was not grateful to the US and that Ukraine would be in a worse position without the US’ support.
The meeting ended abruptly, with Zelenskyy departing the White House shortly after without signing the minerals agreement.
4. Germany’s far-right party came second in the national elections, the biggest far-right win since WWII
Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has come second in the election, losing the elections but still securing a record number of votes.
The AfD’s result marks the strongest performance by a far-right party in Germany since World War II, signaling a significant shift in voter sentiment.
As no party has won the absolute majority, the conservatives must now hold talks with other parties to form a coalition government.
5. Sweden will tighten its gun laws after a gunman killed 10 people in the country’s worst mass shooting
After a gunman killed 10 people at a public school in the worst mass shooting in Sweden’s history, the Swedish government has announced plans to tighten gun laws.
The government said on Friday, Feb. 8 that it would push for a stricter vetting process for people applying for gun licenses and limit access to some weapons.
Sweden’s prime minister Ulf Kristersson said that they have to “ensure that only the right people have guns in Sweden.”
6. Canada has announced it is placing its own tariffs on the US to retaliate against Trump’s tariffs
On Saturday, Feb. 1, Trump announced a 25% tariff, a tax on imported goods, on goods from Canada and Mexico and a 10% tariff on all imports from China, set to take effect from Feb. 4.
Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau then announced a matching 25% tariff on $155 billion Canadian dollars (US$107 billion) worth of US goods, including beer, wine, fruit juice and household products.
Trudeau said US tariffs would not only hurt Canadians but also have "real consequences" for Americans, urging Canadians to buy local products and take vacations within Canada.
7. After Google renamed the Gulf of Mexico, Mexico’s president asked it to show a "Mexican America" map
On Monday Jan. 27, Google announced it would rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America on Google Maps after US President Donald Trump signed an executive order to change the body of water.
In response, Mexico’s first woman president Claudia Sheinbaum sent a letter to Google, which she presented to the press on Thursday, Jan. 30, asking that the name not be changed.
At the end of the letter, Sheinbaum also asked Google to display a map from 1607 where North America is labeled as Mexican American when users Google search for “Mexican America”.
8. The world’s first openly gay imam was shot and killed in South Africa
Muhsin Hendricks, 57, the world's first openly gay imam, publicly came out as gay in 1996 after ending his marriage to a woman, according to AP.
He actively advocated for LGBTQ rights within the Muslim community by challenging interpretations of Islamic teachings that generally prohibit same-sex relationships.
Hendricks was shot on Saturday while he was visiting Gqeberha on Saturday, Feb. 15.
Political parties and LGBTQ groups say they believe the attackers had targeted Hendricks for founding a mosque for LGBTQ people, according to AP.
9. The death toll in Gaza has reached nearly 62,000 as thousands of missing Palestinians are now presumed dead
Gaza authorities announced on Sunday, Feb. 2, that the official death toll in Gaza became 61,709.
That number is made up of 47,487 people killed who reached hospitals and another 14,222 people missing under the rubble or on the streets out of reach and now presumed dead.
Israel’s genocide in Gaza has killed at least 2,092 entire families, wiping them off completely from the civil registry, according to Gaza authorities.
More than 17,881 children have been killed with 214 infants born and killed during the war.
10. Trump used a translator to translate English to English during a meeting with India’s prime minister
During the meeting on Friday, Feb. 14, a reporter with an Indian accent asked Trump in English about the US’ role in Bangladesh’s regime change during the Biden administration.
However, Trump had to have a translator repeating the question back to him, also in English, before he could answer it.
11. Hamas postponed the release of some of the Israeli hostages after Israel violated several ceasefire terms
Hamas said in a statement on Monday, Feb. 10, that it will not release the hostages that it was supposed to on Saturday, Feb. 15, until further notice due to Israel’s repeated violations of the ceasefire agreement.
AP reported that Israeli defense minister Israel Katz said Hamas’ delay of the next release of hostages was “a complete violation” of the ceasefire agreement and that he instructed the Israeli military to be on the highest level of alert.
Meanwhile, Israel opened fire on Palestinians in several areas in Rafah on Tuesday, Feb. 11, killing one man, Wafa news reported.
12. Netanyahu threatened to end the Gaza ceasefire after Hamas delayed returning the hostages
Hamas said on Monday, Feb. 10, it will not release the next batch of Israeli hostages on Saturday, Feb. 15, until further notice, due to Israel’s repeated violations of the ceasefire agreement.
Netanyahu then said in a video statement on Tuesday, Feb. 11, that the Israeli cabinet had agreed that if Hamas doesn’t release the hostages, the ceasefire will end and the Israeli military will return to “intense fighting (in Gaza) until Hamas is finally defeated”.
Netanyahu also said the cabinet welcomed Trump’s “revolutionary vision for Gaza’s future”.
13. Spain’s ex-football president was found guilty of sexual assault for forcibly kissing a woman player
Former Spanish football president, Luis Rubiales, caused a public uproar when he kissed Spanish woman player Jennifer Hermoso on the lips without her consent at the medal ceremony after the team’s World Cup win on Aug. 20, 2023.
On Thursday, Feb. 20, a Spanish court found Rubiales guilty of sexual assault.
The court didn’t sentence Rubiales to prison but it fined him €10,000 (about US$10,434).
The judge ruled that due to the “sporadic” nature of the kiss, Rubiales did not need rehabilitation or imprisonment for the crime, but a monetary penalty would suffice, according to Reuters.
14. A scene of a man named Montoya crashing out on a Spanish reality TV show is being hailed as peak cinema
A viral two-minute video from the Spanish reality TV show La Isla de las Tentaciones, the Spanish version of Temptation Island on social media showed contestant José Carlos Montoya, a 30-year-old man, standing on a beach watching on a screen as his girlfriend, Anita Williams, started having sex with another man in a villa.
Montoya then got distraught and ran across the beach with a thunderstorm in the distance toward the villa where Williams was, with the host shouting “Montoya, por favor!” meaning “Montoya please!” as she tried to stop him.
It sparked a series of memes on social media platforms with people calling it “peak cinema” due to its dramatic nature.
15. This 24-year-old South Korean actress was found dead in her home in Seoul
South Korean actress Kim Sae-ron was found dead in her home in Seoul on Sunday, Feb. 16, with police saying her death will be ruled a suicide.
She was one of South Korea’s most promising actresses, but she was forced to step away from acting after she was caught drunk driving in May 2022.
People pointed out Kim was unfairly condemned for her drunk driving incident compared to other male stars who have also been caught driving under the influence or been convicted of sexual harassment and other crimes.
“Too much media bullying and society perspective lead to this. Totally sad, Even the last post about her on Pann is filled with these. Knetz are really ruthless. Rest in Peace Kim Saeron,” a fan wrote.
16. Israel finally released a video of the director of Gaza’s Kamal Adwan Hospital it detained after two months
Israeli media have released a video of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in north Gaza, in Ofer Prison in the Israeli-occupied West Bank after arresting him in December 2024.
Abu Safiya said that he was a pediatrician and he was working as the hospital director of Kamal Adwan for a temporary period, adding that everything he did was in coordination with the Israeli army.
His arrest led thousands of doctors and medical workers worldwide as well as human rights organizations calling for the release of Abu Safiya.
Following the release of the latest video, Abu Safiya’s family said in a post on his X account that the video is a “form of psychological terrorism, adding to the torture he has endured over the past two months.”
17. The US voted against A UN resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
On Friday, Feb. 20, the US proposed a draft UN General Assembly resolution that called for “a swift end to the conflict” between Russia and Ukraine, but failed to address Ukraine’s sovereignty and Russia’s role in starting the war.
The UK, France and other members of the European Union then proposed a rival resolution titled, “Advancing a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine”, that demanded Russia to “immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces” and reaffirmed Ukraine’s sovereignty.
On Monday Feb. 24, the rival resolution passed with 93 votes in favor, with the US voting against it, alongside 17 other countries, including Russia and North Korea.
The US’ original resolution was passed at the Security Council with failed attempts from western European countries to also change it, according to the UN.
“A simple, historic statement from the General Assembly that looks forward not backward. A resolution focused on one simple idea: ending the war,” Shea said.
The shift comes at a time when Trump is openly accusing Ukraine of starting the war.
18. This American woman traveled to Pakistan to marry a young man, got stranded and became a huge meme
Onijah Andrew Robinson is a 33-year-old American woman who reportedly traveled to Pakistan to marry a 19-year-old she met online .
She had apparently catfished Memon using filters that made her look like a blonde white woman when she is, in fact, Black.
Robinson refused to leave Pakistan and instead started holding press conferences on the streets of Karachi over several months.
Since then, Robinson has become an internet sensation known as the "American Woman In Pakistan".
19. This Mexican director took revenge on "Emilia Pérez" by making a French film entirely without a French cast or crew
“Emilia Pérez”, a musical thriller, was directed by French filmmaker Jacques Audiard and tells the story of a cartel boss in Mexico, who leaves the life of crime and drugs to become her true self, Emilia Pérez, a trans woman.
Despite the movie's acclaim among critics in Europe and North America, the film has been criticized for not including any Mexican actors and crew members, as well as its stereotypical and superficial representation of people in Mexico.
The buzz surrounding “Emilia Pérez” prompted one Mexican trans woman director named Camila Aurora to create a parody of the film to illustrate its insensitivities.
On Jan. 25, she released a short film titled “Johanne Sacreblu” on YouTube as a “homage to Emilia Pérez”.
Viewers have described “Johanne Sacreblu” as a “masterpiece” with people from Latin America joking that it truly represents France.
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