Hamas Forms Alliance with Pakistani Militant Groups Jaish and Lashkar

The Darien Gap, a treacherous 97-kilometer stretch of jungle between Colombia and Panama, has become a critical passage for migrants trying to reach the United States. With the U.S. recently deporting 104 Indian migrants following a crackdown on illegal immigration, more individuals are resorting to the perilous 'donkey route' through Central America, according to reports from NDTV. Migrants face extreme conditions in the Darien Gap, including steep mountains, swamps, and threats from criminal groups. In 2023, over 520,000 individuals crossed the gap, marking a dramatic increase from previous years, as stated by Reuters. The journey is fraught with risks such as food shortages, disease, and violence from organized crime syndicates that often exploit desperate migrants. The region has seen a significant humanitarian crisis, with hundreds reported dead or missing since 2015, and ongoing issues with overcrowded shelters and lack of essential resources. As more people travel through this dangerous corridor, the local communities and fragile ecosystems suffer from the increased strain.

On February 6, 2025, ChatGPT, a widely-used artificial intelligence tool developed by OpenAI, experienced a significant global outage, leaving millions of users unable to access the service. Many users took to social media platform X, reporting difficulties in logging in and receiving unresponsive commands from the AI, indicating the issue was widespread across various countries. According to Downdetector, a website that tracks online outages, there was a notable spike in complaints related to ChatGPT, with nearly 90 percent of users reporting problems with both the app and the website. While service has reportedly been restored, the outage has prompted users to express their frustrations, sharing humorous anecdotes and memes about the experience. This incident is not isolated; ChatGPT faced similar disruptions on January 23, 2025, when it was also inaccessible to users. As of now, OpenAI has not issued an official statement regarding the cause or scope of the recent outage.

India is facing significant backlash after a video surfaced showing the US Border Patrol deporting 104 Indian migrants while shackled and handcuffed. The footage, shared by USBP Chief Michael W. Banks, depicted the migrants being loaded onto a military transport plane under distressing circumstances. Banks claimed this represented the "farthest deportation flight yet" and served as a warning against illegal crossings into the United States. The migrants, many from Punjab, recounted harrowing experiences of paying agents large sums of money for illegal passage to the US, only to face perilous treks through South America. Jaspal Singh, one deported individual, stated he paid around ₹30 lakh (approximately $36,000) for a failed journey that exposed him to life-threatening situations. In response to the government's handling of the deportations, opposition leaders, including Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, criticized the inhumane treatment and demanded a parliamentary discussion. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is set to make a statement on the issue. Sources indicate the Indian government is considering a new law aimed at ensuring migrants' safety.