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Exactly 50 years after Hong Kong was handed over from Britain to China under a special “one nation, two systems” status, Hong Kong is now fully integrated into China.

US President Donald Trump and several other world leaders signed the Gaza ceasefire agreement during the summit in Egypt. Immediately beforehand, Trump hailed “the historic dawn of a new Middle East” in a speech to the Israeli parliament. This came after Hamas returned the 20

Sharm el-Sheik, Sinai, Egypt. The Gaza agreement has been signed. Khalil al-Hayya, a prominent Hamas figure, claims to have received assurances from the United States and mediators involved in the peace talks with Israel that “the war is completely over.” In his statement, Hayya states

Moscow, Russia. After the promising US-Russia summit and the urgent alignment meeting between Americans and Europeans, including Ukrainians, the Russian president has dashed expectations: he considers a meeting between himself and Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, premature.

Washington, D.C.—Following the US-Russia summit between Trump and Putin, which attempted to jumpstart negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, a second urgent alignment summit was held in the American capital between the US and its European allies and the Ukrainians. But just a few

Alaska. Trump and Putin hold a US-Russia summit to try to launch negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. The summit concludes with great hope from the American president. The next day, there is talk of an urgent alignment with European allies and the Ukrainians,

Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the United States have signed a trilateral agreement. Part of the agreement includes granting the United States exclusive rights to develop the Zangezur Corridor, known as the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), for the next 99 years. The goal

Washington, DC, United States. The peace agreement between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, also known as the Washington Accord, is signed. Long-standing tensions between the two African nations reignited in early 2025 when a Rwandan government-backed rebel group, the M23, seized a

The United States and China agreed to reduce their sky-high tariffs by 115 percentage points after two days of talks. The de facto trade embargo between the world’s two largest economies had created domestic and global economic pressure that seemed on the brink of disaster.

Rome. Pope Leo XIV, Latin: Leo PP. XIV, English: Leo XIV, Spanish: León XIV (born Robert Francis Prevost; Chicago, September 14, 1955), is the 267th Pope of the Catholic Church and Bishop of Rome, ninth Sovereign of the Vatican City State, and Primate of Italy,

Rome. Pope Francis (Latin: Franciscus – born Jorge Mario Bergoglio) dies. He was the 266th pope of the Catholic Church and Bishop of Rome, the eighth sovereign of the Vatican City State. An Argentine citizen, he was the first pope from the Americas. He belonged

The tariffs imposed by Donald Trump’s second presidency take effect, applying to nearly all goods imported into the United States. The weighted average tariff on US trade has risen from 2% to approximately 24%, the highest level in over a century. Trump escalates the ongoing

United States. A shocking information leak by senior American officials exposes their blatant incompetence and inexperience. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and CIA Director John Ratcliffe (recently appointed by President Donald Trump) accidentally included a journalist in a group chat involving senior American officials discussing

Washington, DC. The Trump administration is suspending all U.S. military aid to Ukraine, blocking billions in crucial shipments, as the White House pressures Kiev to seek peace with Vladimir Putin. The decision affects deliveries of munitions, vehicles, and other equipment, including shipments agreed upon when

Washington, DC. Ukrainian President Zelensky is visiting the White House. US President Trump and his vice president, Vance, provoke and insult him, and finally blackmail him. An unprecedented pillory. He is accused of being “ungrateful,” of “either signing or the US is out.” Even “not

United States. During the mass layoffs of public employees implemented by DOGE Elon Musk on behalf of the US government, the Trump administration fired 17% of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) workers, who manage America’s nuclear weapons. These workers perform sensitive tasks, such as

Marseille, France. Italian President Sergio Mattarella gave a speech at the University of Marseille, on the occasion of receiving an honorary degree, in which he reasoned: “The strategy of appeasement didn’t work in 1938. Why should it work today? An abandonment of responsibility led those

Washington, DC. Outgoing US President Joe Biden said in his closing address: “Today, an oligarchy of extreme wealth, power, and influence is taking shape in America that threatens our entire democracy.” After four years in the White House and 52 in politics, the outgoing president

Qatar. A truce has been reached in the conflict between Hamas and Israel in the Gaza Strip. The first phase of the ceasefire agreement, which will last 42 days, will involve Israeli forces positioned along the Gaza border, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al

United States. Outgoing President Joe Biden has removed Cuba from the blacklist of states that sponsor terrorism, and Cuba says it is ready to release 553 prisoners held for “various crimes.” In a statement to Congress, the outgoing administration of US President Joe Biden officially

Venezuela. Maduro is sworn in as the new president after proven and documented fraudulent elections in July 2024. Maduro has ruled Venezuela authoritarianally since 2013. The opposition’s main demonstration, a peaceful march, is held in the country’s capital, Caracas. Among them was opposition leader María

Donald Trump has been sentenced to a four-year prison term without penalty following his conviction in the Stormy Daniels bribery case. Presidential immunity does not carry prison time, but his criminal record remains blemished. Trump’s conviction for bribing porn actress Stormy Daniels (to conceal their

Jimmy Carter dies at the age of 100. He died adhering to the values he grew up with among the peanut fields of Georgia: hard work, a sense of duty, faith in God, dignity, and equality. Jimmy Carter, the 39th American president who succeeded in

Tennis. Italy wins the Davis Cup in Malaga, Spain. This is their third Davis Cup triumph, following Panatta’s in 1976 and the previous year (2023), which Sinner had already clearly dominated. It’s also the first time since the Czech Republic won the double in 2012-2013,

Republican Donald Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States, having previously served as the 45th president. He defeated Democrat Kamala Harris, who had replaced outgoing President Joe Biden as his running mate.

Ankara, Turkey. A major prisoner swap between Russia and Belarus on one side and the United States and Western countries on the other. It is coordinated by Turkish intelligence. A total of 26 prisoners are involved. Moscow has released Wall Street Journal correspondent Evan Gershkovich;

Paris Olympics. The United States finished with 40 gold, 44 silver, and 42 bronze medals, for a total of 126 medals; China with 40 gold, 27 silver, and 24 bronze, for a total of 91 medals; and Japan with 20 gold, 12 silver, and 13

US President Joe Biden withdraws from the race for the White House for a second term, and launches the candidacy of his vice president: Kamala Harris.

France. The left-wing alliance wins the most seats in a dramatic parliamentary election, dealing a severe blow to Marine Le Pen’s far-right party. Macron’s Liberals emerge as the second-largest party. Le Pen’s National Rally had come out on top in the first round a week

Iran. The only admitted reformist candidate, Masoud Pezeshkian, wins the second round of elections. Seventy-three other candidates were rejected and not even admitted to the first round, as they were deemed anti-regime.

Great Britain. In the 2024 UK general election to elect 650 members of Parliament to the House of Commons, the lower house of the UK Parliament, the governing Conservative Party, led by Rishi Sunak, was defeated by a landslide by the opposition Labour Party, led

Claudia Sheinbaum, an engineer and physicist from the progressive Morena coalition, was elected Mexico’s first female president in a historic and landslide victory.

Georgia’s “foreign agents” bill, which sparked protests and a presidential veto over concerns about media freedom and EU membership aspirations, is being championed by the ruling Georgian Dream party, but still faces calls for its withdrawal from the EU and the United States.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, 63, dies in a helicopter crash. Raisi was traveling from the northeastern border regions to the city of Tabriz in East Azerbaijan Province, where he was scheduled to inaugurate an oil refinery. Also killed on board the same aircraft were Iranian

Madonna held a free concert in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with financial support from Banca Itaú (to celebrate her centenary), the Rio city prefecture and state government, and Heineken. The event attracted over 1.6 million people, becoming the largest concert of her career, the

Sweden formally joins NATO as the transatlantic military alliance’s 32nd member, ending decades of post-World War II neutrality and centuries of broader non-alignment with major powers, as security concerns in Europe escalate following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. US President Joe Biden congratulated Sweden

Taiwan. Pro-independence Democrat William Lai wins the election. Taiwanese voters chose Lai as their president in an initially controversial election, cementing an increasingly divergent path from China.

Henry Kissinger dies at the age of 100. He was an American politician who served as National Security Advisor and Secretary of State under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. He played a significant role in shaping US foreign policy during his tenure. Kissinger was

Corriere della Sera published the story (on its “Culture” page), which was then relaunched on CNN’s front page: Pope Pius XII, during the war, knew details of the Nazi attempt to exterminate the Jews during the Holocaust as early as 1942, according to a letter

Fulton County, Georgia, USA. Inmate No. P01135809, better known as Donald Trumpo, stares into the camera for the booking photo, his face stone-faced. It’s impossible to know what Trump is feeling. But the image, taken after his motorcade entered the Fulton County Jail, doesn’t radiate

Manhattan, New York. In a first-of-its-kind criminal indictment against former President Donald Trump, Manhattan prosecutors are accusing Trump in court of falsifying corporate records with the intent to conceal illegal conduct related to his 2016 presidential campaign. The criminal charges stem from Manhattan District Attorney

Brussels, Belgium. Finland becomes NATO’s newest member after depositing its instrument of accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization with the United States at NATO Headquarters in Brussels. NATO allies signed Finland’s accession protocol on July 5, 2022, after which all 30 national parliaments voted

The Hague, The Netherlands. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Children’s Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova. The ICC claims that Vladimir Putin is responsible for war crimes during the war in Ukraine, including the illegal deportation of children

Kyiv, Ukraine. U.S. President Joe Biden arrives in Kyiv by train from Poland, on an unannounced trip. He meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a defiant display of Western solidarity with a country still fighting what he called “a brutal and unjust war,” just

Prague, 61-year-old former general Petr Pavel, a decorated veteran of NATO operations in the Balkans, is elected president of the Czech Republic, defeating former prime minister and millionaire Andrej Babus. Pavel receives 57% of the vote.

Palermo. Italy’s most wanted mafia boss, Matteo Messina Denaro, is arrested in Sicily after 30 years on the run. He was in a private clinic in the Sicilian capital, Palermo, where he was receiving treatment for cancer. He is a boss of the infamous Cosa

Several weeks have passed since the Chinese government abruptly reversed its “zero case” COVID-19 policy. This sudden opening has had the opposite effect: British health data firm Airfinity has estimated that approximately 14,700 people in China are dying from COVID-19 every day, with at least

Washington, DC. Volodomyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, visits the United States. During his visit, Zelenskyy met with US President Joe Biden and addressed a joint session of Congress. Three hundred days after Ukraine was invaded by Russia, Zelensky flew to Washington, DC, for talks on

The Chinese government suddenly abandoned its “Zero Covid” strategy and lifted quarantines. This was likely in response to widespread protests, but also to revive the national economy.

United States. In the midterm elections, the Democratic Party retained (narrowly) control of the Senate and kept its losses in the House very limited. This is unusual, as midterms should be the time for the opposition party to shine. This should be especially true when

Ethiopia. A surprise agreement has been reached in the Ethiopian civil war, with both sides agreeing to halt their two-year conflict that has led to thousands of deaths and famine. Ethiopian government officials and representatives of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) have signed a

Israel. Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his allies won a clear majority of seats in the Knesset. These allies include the far-right Religious Zionism/Jewish Power bloc, which more than doubled its number of seats.

Brazil. With 50.9% of the vote, Lula returns to the presidency, defeating incumbent President Bolsonaro (40.9%). Bolsonaro gained support in deforested areas, while municipalities with large indigenous populations overwhelmingly voted for Lula, who won 13 states in the north and northeastern part of the country.

London. Rishi Sunak has been announced as Britain’s new prime minister, having prevailed in a chaotic Conservative Party leadership race. The son of Indian immigrants, Mr. Sunak, 42, won the race to replace the ousted Liz Truss, who resigned under pressure after her economic agenda

Beijing, China. Xi Jinping wins an unprecedented third term as leader. Xi Jinping has extended his rule over the Communist Party and will lead China for a second decade, having pushed his rivals out of retirement and positioned loyalists for promotion to the top echelons

Rome. Giorgia Meloni takes office as the first female Prime Minister, and the first right-wing Prime Minister.

London. Liz Truss, who replaced Boris Johnson just six weeks earlier, announces her resignation. In her wake, she leaves behind an economic crisis accelerated by a “growth plan” rife with unfunded tax cuts and a Conservative Party that may be in charge but certainly doesn’t

Balmoral Castle, Scotland, Great Britain. With the death of Queen Elizabeth II, a chapter of history has closed. The United Kingdom, the countries of the former British Empire, and the world are deeply mourning the passing of the record-breaking queen, who passed away at the

Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev (Михаил Сергеевич Горбачёв) dies. The last General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 to 1991, he championed the reform processes associated with perestroika and glasnost, and played a key role in the chain of events that led

Piero Angela dies. He began his career as a radio reporter, later becoming a correspondent and subsequently establishing himself as a RAI news anchor. However, he remains best known as the creator and host of Anglo-Saxon-style popular science and technology programs, with which he pioneered

Taipei, Taiwan. Nancy Pelosi, 82, Democratic Speaker of the House of Representatives, the third-ranking official in the state after the president and vice president, is making an official visit to Taiwan, considered part of the People’s Republic of China by Beijing, sparking official protests and

Rome. The Draghi government falls due to the lack of support from the League, Forza Italia, and the Five Star Movement.

London. Boris Johnson resigns as Prime Minister. In his speech closing his mandate, he provides hopes and suggestions for his successor: “stay close to the Americans, stick up for the Ukrainians, stick up for freedom and democracy everywhere” “Cut taxes and deregulate where you can

Washington, DC, United States. The Supreme Court (a rare occurrence) overturns its own half-century-old decision on abortion, leaving it up to individual states to decide whether or not to allow abortion. It does so by overturning the 1973 Roe vs. Wade ruling, which the same

Kyiv, Ukraine. Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and French President Emmanuel Macron are traveling to Kyiv for their first visit to Ukraine since the Russian invasion began on February 24. They arrive in Poland at the Ukrainian border by plane and

Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson also declared her country’s intention to join NATO, just a few days after Finland formally requested membership.

Finnish Minister Sauli Niinisto, along with Prime Minister Sanna Marin, announces Finland’s application for NATO membership “without delay.” “Being a NATO member would strengthen Finland’s security. As a NATO member, Finland would strengthen the alliance as a whole,” Niinisto and Marin state. “Finland must apply

G20 Summit in Rome, Italy. Prime Minister Mario Draghi welcomes US President Joe Biden (who also visited Pope Francis), who tells him, “Mario, you’re doing an extraordinary job. We need to demonstrate that democracies can work and that we can produce a new economic model.

Colombia announced that drug trafficker Dairo Antonio Usuga, better known as Otoniel, the country’s most wanted man, will be extradited to the United States after being captured in a raid, a joint operation by the army, air force, and police. He led the country’s largest

The Tokyo Olympics conclude. The United States overtakes China in the medals table at the last minute, finishing with 39 gold, 41 silver, and 33 bronze (113 medals); China with 38 gold, 32 silver, and 18 bronze (88 medals); Japan with 27 gold, 14 silver,

Tokyo Olympics. Italy unexpectedly won gold in the men’s 100 meters (Lamont Marcell Jacobs) and the men’s high jump (Gianmarco Tamberi). They finished within ten minutes of each other. A few days later, the Italian 4×100 relay team won gold, again ahead of the British

Wembley Stadium, London. Italy – England: 4-3. Italy wins the European Football Championship on penalties at the temple of English football.

Tulsa, Oklahoma. US President Joe Biden apologizes to the black community for the events of a century earlier. On May 31, 1921, a 19-year-old black man, Dick Rowland, was accused of assaulting a white woman in an elevator. He was arrested, and a thousand white

Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. The remains of 215 children buried in a mass grave were found next to a Native American school. The school operated until 1978, when it closed. Incidents of child abuse were already known.

Germany officially recognizes its responsibility for the genocide of the Namibian people during the German occupation in the early 20th century (1884–1915). Germany pledges to compensate Namibia with 1.1 billion euros.

Canada. President Trudeau publicly apologizes for the treatment of Italian immigrants after 1939, interned in concentration camps during the Second World War, for fear that they might act as spies for the fascist government. Something similar had already happened, with an apology to the 22,000

France, represented by President Macron, acknowledges its responsibility and asks for forgiveness for Mitterrand’s role in supporting the Hutu government of Rwanda in 1994, which led to the genocide of 800,000 people, mostly Tutsis (but also Hutus), in the space of 100 days, using machetes.

Brazil. In a joint operation between the Carabinieri, the DEA, the U.S. FBI, and the Brazilian Federal Police, Rocco Marabito and Vincenzo Pasquino were captured. Marabito, a prominent figure in the ‘Ndangheta, had been wanted since 1994 as the second fugitive after Matteo Messina Denaro

Minsk, Belarus. A Ryanair passenger plane carrying Belarusian political dissident Roman Protasevich is informed by Belarusian authorities of a false report of a bomb on board. It is then flanked by a MiG-29 and forced to land in Minsk. KGB officers board the plane, take

Nigeria. The leader of the Islamic extremist group Boko Haram, Abu Mohammed Abubakar bin Mohammad al-Sheikawi (also known as Darul Akeem wa Zamunda Tawheed, or Darul Tawheed; “the Abode of Monotheism”), kills himself with an explosive vest.