Pope Francis falls ill
Pope Francis is in critical condition after suffering from asthma and having to breathe high-flow oxygen on February 22. The Vatican confirmed he was still conscious but in pain and had been given a blood transfusion to relieve anemia.
On February 28, the papers suddenly had difficulty breathing, and had to use a ventilator to inhale vomit. He did not have to have an endotracheal appointment but was not out of danger. Doctors continue to closely monitor. This is the longest hospitalization of Pope Francis since taking office in 2013.
US fighter jets attacked in the Middle East
US officials confirmed that the Houthi forces have attacked a Reaper MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and an F-16 fighter in recent days.
Fox News reported that the F-16 attack occurred in the Red Sea but the missile did not hit the target. Previously, on February 19, the MQ-9 UAV was attacked while operating in Yemen's airspace.
US officials said the attacks showed the Houthis were improving their firing capabilities. The Houthis have carried out more than 100 attacks on ships off the coast of Yemen since November 2023.
Russia-Ukraine conflict marks 3 years
February 24, 2025 marks three years since Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine. During this time, Ukraine has lost about 11% of its territory and millions of people have been displaced.
The US has provided about $95 billion in aid to Ukraine. US and Russian officials have negotiated in Saudi Arabia without the participation of Ukraine.
On February 28, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the White House to meet US President Donald Trump with the intention of signing a mineral cooperation agreement, but the meeting was unsuccessful after a heated debate between the two sides.
According to the United Nations, more than 40,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed or injured since 2022.
US B-52 Flight Fortress appears near Russian Border
On February 24, the US B-52H strategic bomber flew near the Russia-Belarus border, coinciding with the 3rd anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The B-52H appeared in tallinn (estonia) during the National Day celebration and then moved east, sometimes only about 80km from the Russia-estonia border. When it returned, the plane flew over Poland and was only 16km from the Belarus border.
Analysts said this was a smart move by the US amid regional tensions that have not cooled down.
France may deploy nuclear weapons in Germany
France is said to be ready to expand its nuclear deterrence capabilities to EU countries, including deploying nuclear-weapone fighters in Germany.
The report was published by the Telegraph on February 24, in the context of the CDU - the party that just won the election in Germany - calling on France and the UK to strengthen nuclear protection.
A French official said the move was not too difficult and would send a strong message to Russia. However, German diplomatic sources said that there have been no official negotiations on this issue so far.
Military plane crashes into a house in Sudan, 46 people killed
On the evening of February 25, a Sudan military plane crashed into a residential area in Karrari district, Omdurman city, killing 46 people and injuring 10.
According to Al Jazeera, the Antonov plane crashed while taking off from Wadi Seidna military airport. Among the dead were Major General Bahr Ahmed and several soldiers.
Local people heard a loud explosion, many houses were damaged and had no power. The Sudan military has not yet released the cause of the incident, but military sources suspect a technical error.
