AnewZ Morning Brief - February 7th, 2025

Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for February 7th, covering the latest developments you need to know.

1. Search underway for missing flight in Alaska with 10 aboard.

A Bering Air plane traveling from Unalakleet to Nome with 10 people on board was reported missing on Thursday, according to Alaska State Troopers. The aircraft, carrying nine passengers and a pilot, was overdue at 4 p.m., prompting search and rescue efforts to locate its last known coordinates.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is monitoring the situation.

2. Trump imposes sanctions on International Criminal Court.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday authorized economic and travel sanctions targeting people who work on International Criminal Court investigations of U.S. citizens or U.S. allies such as Israel, repeating action he took during his first term.

The move coincides with a visit to Washington by Israel's Prime Minister Benajmin Netanyahu, who - along with his former defense minister and a leader of Palestinian militant group Hamas - is wanted by the ICC over the war in the Gaza Strip.

3. Countries staying committed to climate plans after US Paris pact exit, UN climate chief says.

Countries are staying committed to their national climate plans and looking to lead the clean energy transition, as the United States plans to exit the Paris climate agreement, the UN's top climate official said in his first speech of the year on Thursday.

Simon Stiell, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, laid out priorities ahead of annual climate talks in November, and encouraged countries to prepare stronger national climate plans this year, even after U.S. President Donald Trump said he will remove the world's second-biggest greenhouse gas emitter from the Paris agreement.

"A country may step back, but others are already stepping into their place to seize the opportunity, and to reap the massive rewards: stronger economic growth, more jobs, less pollution and far lower health costs, more secure and affordable energy," Stiell said in a speech in Brazil's capital Brasilia, alongside COP30 President Ambassador André Corrêa do Lago.

4. Zelenskyy says he is ready to meet with Putin to end conflict.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday expressed his readiness to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss political and diplomatic ways to end the conflict in Ukraine.

Speaking at a news conference in Kyiv following a meeting with Odile Renaud-Basso, the president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Zelenskyy accused Putin of being "afraid of talking" to him about ending the war.

5. Netherlands bans civil servants from using DeepSeek.

According to local media reports, the Netherlands has prohibited civil servants from using DeepSeek, a Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot.

Public broadcaster NOS reported Wednesday evening that State Secretary for Kingdom Relations and Digitalization, Zsolt Szabo, implemented the ban due to concerns over potential espionage.

6. Russia seeks diplomatic solution to "Russian House" closure in Baku.

Russia remains hopeful for a favorable resolution regarding the registration of the Russian Cultural Center, known as the "Russian House," in Baku, according to Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova.

Speaking at a briefing on February 6, Zakharova stated that Azerbaijan has officially notified Russia of the termination of the Russian House's activities. In response, Russia has expressed its willingness to take the necessary steps to finalize the registration process in compliance with Azerbaijani law.

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