DAILY NEWS Stream – February 9, 2025

“The cycle has to be broken”: Australian defense expert Peter Jennings backs US President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan, in which the US would take ownership to establish a safe and peaceful region for displaced Palestinians to return to. Mr. Jennings says this proposal should be “welcomed” (Sky News Australia)

US President Trump says Israel would hand over Gaza to the US after fighting is over, with no US troops needed, as Israel’s Defense Minister Katz tells army to create plan for “voluntary departure” of Gaza residents (Reuters)

US Secretary of State Rubio says Palestinians will have to relocate in “interim” while Gaza is rebuilt, saying it is currently “not habitable” due to dangers such as unexploded weapons (Reuters)

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu gifts US President Trump a “golden pager” in reference to a targeted attack on Hezbollah terrorists in September 2024, with a golden plaque reading “To President Donald J. Trump, Our greatest friend and greatest ally”; in return, President Trump gave the Prime Minister a photo of the two of them from his visit with the dedication: “To Bibi, a great leader” (Sky News Australia)

President Trump withdraws US from UN Human Rights Council and permanently ends funding to UNRWA [United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East], citing “anti-Israel bias” and saying the UN “has to get its act together” (The Times of Israel)

Following US, Israel says it will halt participation in UN Human Rights Council, as Foreign Minister Sa’ar alleges it has focused on “attacking a democratic country [Israel] and propagating antisemitism, instead of promoting human rights” (Reuters)

President Trump imposes sanctions on International Criminal Court [ICC] investigators, freezing their US assets and barring them and their families from visiting the United States, during White House visit by US ally, Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu (Reuters)

US President Trump seeks “Verified Nuclear Peace Agreement” with Iran and says the two nations should begin working on it “immediately.” This comes shortly after the President ordered a “maximum pressure” economic campaign on the Middle Eastern nation and warned that if Iran were to assassinate Him, He has told His advisers to “obliterate” the country (Semafor)

US President Trump and “no one else” can end the Ukraine-Russia war, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjártó says (Fox News)

US President Trump suggests Ukraine offer critical rare earth minerals to the US in exchange for military aid; Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy says he’s open to the idea, calling it “absolutely fair” (Fox News)

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development [EBRD] plans to invest at least US$1.56 billion in Ukraine’s war-hit economy in 2025 (Reuters)

Poland calls for individual sanctions on captains of ships who damage Baltic undersea cables to deter such acts, aiming to add them to the next, 16th package of sanctions against Russia (Reuters)

US says Defense Secretary Hegseth and Panama’s President Mulino agree to expand military cooperation, including joint safeguarding of the Panama Canal (Reuters)

Greenland’s ruling Siumut party plans a vote on independence from Denmark after upcoming general election on March 11 – an issue made urgent by US President Trump’s expressed interest in acquiring the island (Reuters)

US President Trump’s team considers demanding World Health Organization [WHO] reform, having withdrawn US involvement because of the body’s “mishandling” of the COVID-19 pandemic and “undue influence” from other nations that “take advantage” of the US, which is the biggest donor. The President has suggested the US could return if the WHO was “cleaned up,” which potentially includes putting an American in charge after the current WHO chief leaves in 2027 (Reuters)

Argentina’s President Milei follows US President Trump, ditches the World Health Organization [WHO], citing mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic (Fox Business)

“Bring religion back”: President Trump announces Department of Justice taskforce to “eradicate anti-Christian bias” in federal institutions, headed by Attorney General Pam Bondi. The President made the announcement at the National Prayer Breakfast, during which he also announced he will establish a White House Faith Office, led by Pastor Paula White, and shared more on how the assassination attempts on His life made Him closer to God, saying: “It changed something in me, I feel even stronger. I believed in God, but I feel much more strongly about it, something happened” (Sky News Australia)

US Senate confirms President Trump’s budget director pick Russell Vought (The Indian Express)

President Trump says He’s “proud to be the president to save women’s sports” after NCAA [National Collegiate Athletic Association] bans transgender athletes, following the President’s new executive order “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” with the President now encouraging the International Olympic Committee to do the same (Fox News)

President Trump’s administration disbands task force targeting Russian oligarchs, switching focus to border and drug cartels (Reuters)

President Trump’s administration cuts environmental justice programs at Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] and Department of Justice, removing Biden-era restrictions and “woke” DEI [diversity, equity, and inclusion] initiatives (Reuters)

US Efficiency Commissioner Elon Musk creates new power base in Washington DC with takeover of US agencies, allowing him and his team to execute President Trump’s cost-cutting initiative to reduce the size of the US government (Reuters)

US Vice President Vance slams US bureaucracy for its “corrupted” aid programs to foreign nations, citing recent revelation that the government had funded a program to promote atheism [disbelief in God or gods] in Nepal. The speech, given at the International Religious Freedom Summit in Washington DC, came shortly after President Trump and Efficiency Commissioner Elon Musk shut down USAID [United States Agency for International Development] and the President absorbed it into the State Department for better oversight (Fox News)

US: Democrats who called President Trump a “threat to democracy” are now threatening democracy, delaying key cabinet appointments and vowing at Washington DC protests to “blow this place up” (Fox News)

Australian state lawmaker Ben Dawkins legally changes his name to “Aussie Trump,” inspired by the US President, to protest against Australia’s ruling center-left Labor Party (Reuters)

As French cocaine seizures more than double in 2024, new campaign targets users to make them “aware of their responsibility” for violent crimes tied to the industry, warning: “Every day, people pay the price for the drugs you buy” (Reuters)

Six dairy herds in Nevada [US] test positive for bird flu – a newer strain of the H5N1 virus, D1.1, that’s been associated with severe infections in humans, but has never been detected in cows before, with scientists warning it’s a sign the virus may be “here to stay” (CNN)

Canadian scientists call for more research into COVID vaccine side effects after unexplained spike in heart conditions (Daily Mail)

Australia: Infectious disease that spreads from animals to humans, Q fever, strikes Victoria state, with “significant increase” in cases reported in 2024 compared to last five years (Daily Mail)

Greece: State of emergency declared in Santorini following several days of consecutive earthquakes, as more than 11,000 people have already left the popular tourist island after tremors began in late January (Sky News Australia)

Half a degree rise in global warming will triple area of Earth that is “too hot for humans,” new study warns (The Independent)

Baghdad [Iraq] hosts “Environmental Pollution and Global Warming” art exhibition at Iraq’s Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Antiquities (Xinhua)

New research documents global warming acceleration during the past 15 years that risks shutting down a key ocean current, the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Current [AMOC], by 2050 (Inside Climate News)

UK animal welfare coalition Cut the Chase urges Wales’ government to ban greyhound dog racing before the 2026 election, citing the 359 dogs who died from the dangerous sport in 2023 – an increase of 47% from the previous year (Hope Rescue)

Tamil Nadu State [India] to set up eco-clubs in all schools to advance climate education (The Hindu)

Jet fuel gets green twist: Lignin fuel [derived from plants] now stores and releases hydrogen for zero-emission power, developed by Washington State University [US] team (Interesting Engineering)

Czech organization Prevent Prachatice provides emergency “igloo” shelters made with silver heat-trapping material to homeless folks in freezing temperatures (Good Good Good)

Coastal town of Wilmington [North Carolina, US] invites 31 homeless folks who are unable to reach complete independence to live in tiny home village: “They are welcome to stay in their home – forever” (Good Good Good)

French Council of State strikes down ban on meat terminology for vegan/vegetarian foods, thus allowing terms like “steak” and “sausage” to continue being used for plant-based products (NHF)

Czech Republic calls on EU to ban cages in egg-laying hen-raising operations for improved animal welfare (aviNews.com)

Analysis: Warsaw [Poland] has become the unlikely vegan capital of Europe, with abundant vegan bakeries, restaurants, and delis, and vegan options in most traditional restaurants, as the people of Poland fuse their plant-based roots with modern vegan favorites (The Guardian)

Plant-Based Foods of Canada [PBFC] set to host its 3rd Annual Conference on February 13, 2025, in Mississauga [Ontario] to explore growth and innovation in Canada’s plant-based foods (Vegconomist)

The shell shock is real – America’s egg crisis from bird flu epidemic breeds culinary creations based on popular vegan egg substitutes, such as silken tofu, mashed bananas, aquafaba [chickpea water], ground flax seeds, chickpea flour and Burmese tofu, and apple cider vinegar (Fine Dining Lovers)

Cautionary quote of the day: “The more one judges, the less one loves.” – Honoré de Balzac