Donald Trump met with Colombian President Gustavo Petro at the White House, setting aside months of hostile remarks to reach an agreement to tackle drug trafficking, according to the US president. The meeting, which followed a period of trading insults between the two leaders, concluded with warm words and the exchange of autographs and a Maga cap.
Meanwhile, a new report from Human Rights Watch (HRW) indicated a global "democratic recession," with almost three-quarters of the global population living under autocratic rulers, levels not seen since the 1980s. The report cited abuses led by President Trump, along with those in Russia and China, as threats to the global rules-based order. Trump also launched his Board of Peace in Davos last month, which includes several far-right leaders, such as Argentina's Javier Milei and Hungary's Viktor Orbán.
In other news, a small number of sick and wounded Palestinians were permitted to cross into Egypt through the Rafah border post, marking a limited reopening after more than 20 months of closure by Israeli forces. According to Egyptian officials, about 150 people were expected to leave the territory and 50 to enter. However, Reuters reported that by nightfall, Israel had only permitted 12 Palestinians to re-enter.
Madagascar was hit by Tropical Cyclone Fytia, resulting in at least three deaths and affecting nearly 30,000 people due to flooding. The storm, the island's first tropical storm of the season, may bring 150mm of rain, and it is estimated that more than 40,000 homes could be flooded over the next few days, according to the Red Cross Malagasy.
In a separate development, prediction markets are gaining traction, allowing individuals to bet on catastrophic world events. One instance involved someone placing bets on Donald Trump ousting Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela shortly before it happened, netting them nearly $500,000.
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