Libre News of The World Express Edition. Saturday the 1st of March 2025

On this episode of Libre News of The World Express Edition, we take you on a whirlwind tour through today’s most pressing global headlines. In Slovakia, internal rifts within Prime Minister Robert Fico’s coalition have surfaced after the government supported a UN resolution condemning Russian aggression, drawing criticism from nationalist allies. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Washington, urging President Trump for firm security guarantees, even as Trump continues to push for greater European responsibility in Ukraine’s defense. In economic news, India and the European Union have set a year-end goal to finalize a long-stalled free trade agreement, aiming to boost trade and cooperation in technology and defense sectors.

In financial oversight, Switzerland’s attorney general has fined Morgan Stanley’s former Swiss branch $1 million for failing to prevent money laundering tied to a former Greek defense minister. Environmental concerns also made headlines, as a whale entangled in fishing nets off Poland’s Baltic coast was successfully freed by rescuers in a rare operation highlighting increasing threats to marine life. Over in Iceland, economic growth accelerated in the final quarter of 2024, driven by surging investment in construction and business infrastructure, though consumer spending showed signs of strain.

On the cultural front, Nordic gins are making a splash in the global spirits market, with distillers across Scandinavia drawing international attention for their bold use of local botanicals. In Russia, the FSB claims to have disrupted an alleged Ukrainian plot to assassinate a high-profile Orthodox cleric close to President Putin. Human rights controversies also loom, with Saudi border forces accused of killing hundreds of Ethiopian migrants at the Yemen border. Finally, Catalonia plans to double its tourist tax, aiming to fund affordable housing amid mounting public frustration over tourism’s impact on local communities.