Libre News of The World Express Edition. Wednesday the 5th of March 2025

On this episode of Libre News of The World Express Edition, we take you on a global tour of today’s most pressing stories. India’s financial regulators are shifting gears as new leaders at SEBI and the Reserve Bank of India embrace pro-growth policies, signaling a move toward economic expansion over strict oversight. Meanwhile, in France, the government is calling for higher defense spending to bolster European security, especially as uncertainty looms over U.S. commitments to the region. Across the Atlantic, U.S. military aid to Ukraine has been paused by President Trump, a decision the Kremlin cautiously welcomed, calling it a potential opening for peace talks — though European allies remain uneasy.

In Slovakia, investigators are pushing for terrorism charges against the suspect behind last year’s assassination attempt on Prime Minister Robert Fico, a case that has heightened political tensions in the country. Economic shifts are also making headlines, with Italy’s economy growing slower than expected in 2024, while Saudi Aramco reported a 12% drop in profits, driven by weaker oil prices. Over in Europe, Eurostar announced ambitious plans to connect the UK directly to Germany and Switzerland, strengthening cross-border rail travel, while Scotland’s Rosyth port is preparing to reopen ferry service to France, re-establishing a crucial maritime link after more than a decade.

On the cultural front, Icelandic authors were celebrated with nominations for the Nordic Council Literature Prize, and after half a century, a stolen Brueghel painting resurfaced in a Dutch museum, reigniting conversations around art recovery. In the environmental sphere, the UN scheduled an additional session to finalize the global plastics treaty, while Ireland faces a potential €27 billion climate bill if it fails to meet EU emissions targets. We also covered devastating floods in the Canary Islands and Valencia, along with ancient rituals revived during Greece’s Distomo Carnival, where history and celebration collide.