Dear readers, as another week in 2025 comes to a close, here’s your Sunday Summary—your essential recap of the week’s biggest events.
United States
The Trump administration informed Congress that it believes President Trump has the constitutional power to summarily fire administrative law judges at will, as they claim a law protecting such judges from arbitrary removal is unconstitutional and an invasion on presidential authority.
President Trump signed an executive order aiming to withdraw federal funding from educational institutions enforcing COVID-19 vaccine mandates, claiming the requirements these schools have regarding the vaccines infringes on the personal freedom of students since they are coerced. As much as the impact is expected to be minimal, as most schools have already lifted these requirements by now, the remaining schools face the dilemma of compromising student safety or losing federal funding.
A harsh winter storm resulted in the deaths of nine people across the U.S., including eight in Kentucky who were victims of flood. The storm brought significant challenges, including power outages and dangerous travel conditions for many and while the threat persists, Trump has declared a disaster emergency for Kentucky to speed up search and rescue operations.
International politics
Diplomatic discussions between the U.S. and Russia commenced in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, focusing on resolving the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, without any representative from Ukraine present. A second meeting between representatives of Russia and the United States is planned for the next two weeks, the RIA state agency reports. Both nations statedly expressed a commitment to work towards ending the war, showing a significant shift in international relations is a possibility.
Beginning on February 17, 2025, student-led anti-government protests, known as the #IndonesiaGelap protests started in multiple Indonesian cities. The protests are driven by demands for reforms in budget cuts, police conduct, energy access, and public welfare. The movement has gained significant traction, with thousands participating nationwide.
Economy
Wall Street experienced a significant setback following Walmart's poor sales and profit forecasts, largely attributed to unstable political and trade conditions. This is assumed to have been a result of uncertainty about President Trump's rapid policy initiatives, including spending cuts and tariffs.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) revealed their projections on global economic growth at 3.2% for 2024 and 2025, maintaining the pace of 2023. They expect advanced economies to experience slight acceleration, while emerging markets may see a slowdown.
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