Trump Withdraws U.S. from UN Human Rights Council Amid Controversy

The United States Postal Service (USPS) has implemented an immediate halt on all package deliveries from China and Hong Kong, according to an update on its website. This decision is attributed to new tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, which eliminated a key import tax exemption for small packages valued under $800. These changes are in response to China's retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods, including coal and liquefied natural gas. The suspension has caused significant turmoil for e-commerce businesses relying on Chinese goods. Daniel, a trucking company owner from Canada, reported that multiple trucks laden with Chinese packages were turned away at the U.S. border. He described the arduous task of identifying and removing these packages due to the variety of goods transported. According to the Customs and Border Protection (CBP), 1.36 billion de minimis packages entered the U.S. in fiscal year 2024. Experts warn that this enforcement may lead to considerable delays in customs clearance and higher costs for consumers reliant on affordable Chinese products.

In a recent statement, US President Donald Trump declared he has instructed advisers to "obliterate" Iran should he be assassinated by the Tehran regime. Speaking on February 5, 2025, Trump emphasized that any such action would result in "nothing left" of Iran and labeled it a "terrible thing for them to do" during the signing of an executive order aimed at intensifying economic pressure on Iran. This order directs the US Treasury to enforce strict sanctions, aiming to reduce Iranian oil exports to zero, in light of prior allegations that Iran attempted to plot against Trump. According to the US Justice Department, a foiled Iranian scheme last year involved orders to surveil and eliminate Trump. Trump's current policy follows his withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018 and reflects his stance that Iran must not develop nuclear weapons. He accused President Biden of failing to rigorously enforce oil export sanctions during his presidency, which he claims allowed Iran to fund militant groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. Trump conveyed a desire to negotiate better relations with Iran, but made it clear that he would not allow their pursuit of nuclear arms.

Salvage crews have successfully recovered the bodies of all 67 victims from a recent plane crash in Washington D.C., following a collision between an American Airlines passenger plane and a U.S. Army helicopter on January 30, 2025. This marks the deadliest aviation disaster in the U.S. in two decades, officials reported on February 5. The passenger aircraft, a Bombardier CRJ-700, was en route from Wichita, Kansas, to Ronald Reagan National Airport when it tragically struck the military helicopter, which was on a routine training mission. All 60 passengers and four crew members aboard the plane, as well as three soldiers in the helicopter, perished, leaving no survivors. Authorities have confirmed that all but one of the bodies have been identified and expressed their condolences to the victims' families, citing this as a "significant step" towards closure. Recovery efforts continue, with crews also focused on retrieving wreckage from the Potomac River, including wings and fuselage segments. The National Transportation Safety Board is expected to release a preliminary report within the next 30 days as the investigation proceeds.