The week showcased extreme weather contrasts across America.Initially, numerous regions in the United States experienced severe blizzards and prolonged freezing temperatures, attributed to increasingly frequent jet stream deviations. Subsequently, California faced devastating wildfires, with strong winds propelling flames through drought-affected areas, resulting in Los Angeles' most severe wildfire incident on record.The situation intensified when leading meteorological organisations verified that 2024 surpassed all previous temperature records globally. More concerning was the announcement from four of six monitoring agencies that Earth had exceeded a crucial warming limit for an entire year, a threshold considered vital for preventing severe climate change impacts.Scientists indicate this intense week of weather extremes exemplifies the ongoing climate emergency, with similar events expected to continue.
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The White House disclosed that the US paid around $6 million to El Salvador for accepting 238 deported gang members of the Tren de Aragua. Trump invoked the 1798 Alien Enemies Act for the deportation, which a judge halted but the Trump administrated went ahead with the deportation claiming that planes already left the US territory by the time the order came.
Donald Trump signed an order targeting college accreditation. This move intensifies conflict with universities like Harvard. The order aims to curb ideological overreach and promote intellectual diversity. It allows easier switching of accreditors. The Education Secretary can hold accreditors accountable. Other actions include AI training and HBCU initiatives. Harvard faces scrutiny over international student records.
Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia's case has ignited a legal and diplomatic battle involving immigration policies and gang affiliation claims. Despite a judge's order, Abrego Garcia was mistakenly deported to El Salvador and is now held in a maximum-security prison. The Trump administration's refusal to comply with a Supreme Court directive to bring him back has intensified the standoff.
The Lebanese army said it received on Thursday a soldier taken by Israel last weekend, after Israel handed over four other detainees earlier this week. "The army through the International Committee of the Red Cross received (on Thursday) the soldier who was kidnapped by the Israeli enemy" on Sunday, the army said on X, adding that he had been transported to a hospital for treatment.
Social media users condemned Lauren Sanchez's outfit at Donald Trump's inauguration, calling it inappropriate and disrespectful. "WTF is Lauren Sanchez wearing at the Presidential inauguration?! Visible lingerie," one said. "Lauren Sánchez is wearing a corset bra under her jacket. Wild outfit for the Trump inauguration," another wrote.
A Twitter spat erupted as Elon Musk called Senator Mark Kelly a 'traitor' following Kelly's Ukraine visit and support for US assistance in the conflict. Kelly defended his stance, emphasizing the importance of standing with Ukraine for freedom. This incident highlights ongoing tensions over US foreign policy towards Ukraine and Russia.
A statue of Wayne Gretzky in Edmonton was vandalized with feces, coinciding with criticism over his political support for Donald Trump. The defacement follows public discontent, highlighted by an online petition and public booing. Authorities are examining surveillance footage to identify the perpetrator.
North Korea rejected criticism from the US and its allies regarding its military support for Russia in the Ukraine conflict. North Korean troops are reportedly fighting alongside Russian forces. Several hundred North Korean casualties have been reported. The US and allies urged North Korea to withdraw troops and cease assisting Russia.
On his return to the White House, Donald Trump signed orders rolling back climate policies, targeting wind energy, and cutting clean power funding. Despite economic growth in the renewable sector, the EPA revoked $20 billion in green grants, citing alleged fraud. Federal court challenges and economic analyses question the sustainability of Trump's actions.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemns Elon Musk's 'erratic' comments and support for the extreme-right AfD party. Scholz, in an interview, emphasizes that Germany's actions align with citizens' wishes, not those of an American billionaire, stressing the importance of staying calm ahead of the snap elections on Feb 23.