Election Shifts and Global Tensions: Merz Leads in Germany, China Dismisses Australian Complaints, and U.S. Agencies Push Back Against Musk’s Federal Job Cuts Plan

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Exit polls from Germany’s national election show Friedrich Merz’s conservatives leading, the AfD making historic gains, and Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats suffering their worst postwar result, leaving coalition formation uncertain, China's defense ministry dismissed Australian complaints over recent live-fire naval drills as exaggerated and unfounded, while Australia and New Zealand expressed concerns over inadequate notice and potential safety risks, and key U.S. agencies are resisting Elon Musk’s demand that federal employees justify their work or face termination, sparking legal challenges, union opposition, and bipartisan concerns over the legality and impact of mass government job cuts.

Top Stories

● German exit polls give Merz’s conservatives the lead and put far right on strongest postwar showing (AP)

● China accuses Australia of 'hyping' Chinese naval drills (Reuters)

● Key federal agencies refuse to comply with Musk’s latest demand in his cost-cutting crusade (AP)

● Beijing embraces DeepSeek to lead AI adoption as it looks for new growth drivers (CNBC)

● Israel won’t allow Syria military forces south of Damascus: Netanyahu (AJ)

United States and Canada

● States threaten fines and jail time for local officials who resist Trump’s immigration crackdown (AP)

● Trump says he will ‘recommend’ rather than force Gaza expulsion plan (AJ)

● Trump administration eliminating 1,600 USAID jobs in the US (Reuters)

● Trudeau, Trump discuss the war in Ukraine, fentanyl (Reuters)

● Dan Bongino tapped for FBI deputy director (CBS News)

● Hegseth Defends Trump’s Firing of Joint Chiefs Chairman (NYT)

Latin America

● Brazil judge suspends Rumble platform after 'censorship' spat (Reuters)

● Mexico reviewing request from cartel leader jailed in the US to be sent back (AP)

● Brazil's Lula to tap Padilha as health chief, CNN Brasil reports (Reuters)

● Streamlined charges against Bolsonaro may speed case ahead of 2026 Brazil vote (Reuters)

Africa

● South Africa faces severe power cuts (AN)

● RSF signs 'Peace' deal amid Sudan’s civil war and crisis (AN)

● Sudan’s military breaks paramilitary group’s siege of crucial city (AP)

● Congo president plans unity government in response to eastern crisis (Reuters)

● 47 ships rerouted to Suez Canal this month, chairman says (Reuters)

● DR Congo: Rwanda protests U.S. sanctions against top official (AN)

Middle East

● Israel delays release of Palestinian prisoners, citing ‘humiliating’ handovers of hostages (AP)

● EU and Israel to discuss Gaza's future, regional politics (Reuters)

● Massive crowds mourn Hezbollah's slain leader Nasrallah (Reuters)

● Israel expands West Bank offensive, says troops to remain ‘for next year’ (AJ)

● No injuries from Israeli bus explosions in suspected militant attack, police say (AP)

● Syrian national dialogue to begin on February 25 (Reuters)

Indo-Pacific

● Hundreds of Chinese airlifted home after crackdown on Myanmar scam centres (AJ)

● French aircraft carrier stages combat drills with Filipinos in disputed sea and visits Philippines (AP)

● North Korea says it sees more US 'military provocations' under Trump (Reuters)

● Philippine, Japan ministers look to further build defence partnership (Reuters)

Europe

●  Ukraine’s Zelenskyy offers to leave office in exchange for peace, NATO (AJ)

● American Airlines says its flight diverted to Rome after security concern (Reuters)

●  Pope Francis in critical condition with early kidney failure but remains alert as prayers pour in (AP)

● Australia fines Telegram for delay in answering child abuse, terror questions (Reuters)

● Ecumenical Orthodox patriarch backs Ukraine’s sovereignty in Mass marking 3 years of war (AP)

● After 9 months on the run, a French fugitive who staged a deadly escape faced court in Romania (AP)

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