PAPUA NEW GUINEA - Papua New Guinea has been rocked by a huge 7.5 magnitude earthquake just moments after a smaller seismic event struck Japan, increasing fears of a natural disaster impacting the dangerous region dubbed the 'Ring of Fire'. The 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck the heart of the island near the Southern Highlands area, with tremors felt across the nearby region. The phenomenon hit at a depth of two kilometres at roughly 4am local time (6pm GMT). It is currently unclear if any damage or injuries were caused by the substantial seismic event. The quake follows another seismic event in Japan, where a 5.5 magnitude earthquake struck just hours before.

GERMANY - German influence is rising within the EU after Martin Selmayr was appointed to the post of secretary-general of the European Commission, meaning the country now holds the position in three of the bloc’s most powerful institutions.

SAUDI ARABIA - Saudi Arabia is moving swiftly to become the next country in the Middle East with nuclear power. The Kingdom is on the verge of striking a deal with the US for the purchase of nuclear reactors despite concerns over its refusal to accept stringent restrictions against the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

MIDDLE EAST - Top globalists, communists, and Islamists from around the globe gathered this month on the Arabian Peninsula for the World Government Summit — yes, that is the confab's real name — to push for what they called a “new world order.” More than a few speakers made clear that liberty, self-government, and the “America First” agenda were in the crosshairs.

UK - Theresa May’s health secretary has snubbed Christian campaigners and backed the use of sex-change drugs for children under the age of 18. The Department of Health and Social Care, led by Jeremy Hunt MP, said that young people have a right “to determine what happens to their own bodies,” including consenting to drug treatments that can sterilise them and stunt growth. It comes as the Government considers a 2016 parliamentary report demanding “trans issues” are “mandatory” on school curriculums, 16-year-olds can change their gender without parental consent, and calling for “fast-tracked” sex changes.

USA - An estimated 77 million Americans have a debt that has been transferred to a private collection agency. Thousands have ended up in jail over debts as small as $28, with African-Americans and Hispanics the most affected. The findings come from a new report by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) spanning 26 states and Puerto Rico, published on Wednesday. The practice violates many US state and federal laws, which prohibit the jailing of debtors. In one case cited in the report, a disabled woman who wears a prosthetic leg was shackled by her waist and feet by two armed US marshals before being put in jail overnight. While debtors’ prisons were outlawed by Congress almost two hundred years ago, in reality the practice seems to live on.

USA - Managing editor of left-leaning publication Snopes Brook Binkowski attempted to discredit a Marjory Stoneman Douglas student in a now-deleted tweet for calling in on The Alex Jones Show the day after the shooting took place. However, records reveal the student, Jalen Martin, does in fact attend Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school. Bear in mind, this is the same “fact-checking” publication tech giants Google and Facebook rely on to vet what’s real and fake news to their users.

UK - Britain is set to be plunged into sub-zero temperatures over the next 24 hours as crippling winds from Siberia make their way towards the UK. The freezing temperatures are “likely” to cause widespread snowfall next week, according to the Met Office. Met Office Meteorologist Aidan McGivern said: “There is even colder weather on the way into next week. And with those very cold temperatures, some places are at risk of seeing disruptive snowfall.” The UK is expected to remain in bitterly cold temperatures with widespread frost and wintery conditions into early March. “Over 65s, those with conditions like heart and lung diseases and young children, are all at particular risk in cold weather as their bodies struggle to cope when temperatures fall.”

UK - An article in the Spectator last week points out a curious anomaly about life in Great Britain: the bizarre unwillingness to discuss unborn human life while more and more laws safeguarding animals are passed. Writer Ross Clark notes that Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has recently launched his manifesto for pets, including a ban on foie gras, a requirement for motorists to report having run over and killed a cat, and a “law giving tenants the right to keep a pet.”

USA - In the United States, there are one million children under the age of six on psychiatric drugs. This number is particularly disturbing, considering the horrifying side effects and ineffectiveness of a good number of these types of harmful drugs. One in six Americans overall regularly take some type of medication in this category. However, children are now being swept up in Big Pharma’s desire to make money, not improve health.

GERMANY - Shortfalls in the German army's personnel and equipment are "dramatically" hindering its readiness for combat, according to a new report.  No submarines or large transport planes were available for deployment at the end of last year, the report says.  It also points to failures in planning and leadership that have exacerbated existing problems in the military. 

UK - Theresa May was accused of "Brexit betrayal" by Ukip on Wednesday after she asked the European Union to consider a longer transition period. EU freedom of movement and the supremacy of European judges over British courts could drag on even longer after Brexit, following the UK's request. But Gerard Batten,  a Ukip MEP and the party's interim leader, said: “This is Brexit betrayal at its contemptible worst. It’s time for May to go and for a genuine Brexiteer to step up for role of Prime Minister.” 

MIDDLE EAST - The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will be the first state to operate a nuclear reactor (made in South Korea). Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Sudan, Tunisia and Algeria are expected to follow in its footsteps, having declared their intention to build nuclear reactors. Each of these countries is in the process of implementing the plan.  Saudi Arabia, will be the second Arab country in the Persian Gulf with nuclear energy. Dr Shay believes the information collected as part of the research supports Israel's claim that the fear of a nuclear Iran is prompting Middle Eastern countries to acquire knowledge and nuclear technology. This trend is particularly evident among Iran's rivals — Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Jordan and the Persian Gulf countries.

IRAN - A New York Times investigative report published Monday revealed the scope and depth of Iranian entrenchment in Syria. Iran, through its presence in Syria, was "redrawing the strategic map of the region," as per the paper. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cautioned this week that Iran was "trying to take over Syria" and "moving its army into Israel's backyard." The American newspaper mapped out Iranian bases and posts inside Syria, presenting a high concentration of Iranian outposts along the border with Israel. Iran has trained and continues to finance powerful militias comprised of thousands of Iranian-trained guerrillas on Syrian soil, according to the Times' report.

EGYPT - A new dam on the Nile could trigger a war over water - unless Ethiopia can agree a deal with Egypt and Sudan.