Week In Review (WIRE) News 2.2.2026
- LJS Exec
- 1 day ago
- 9 min read
Asia and the Pacific
Written by Jesse Vu
Top Diplomats Discuss Myanmar's Recent Election
Top diplomats of ASEAN countries met in Cebu, Philippines, on Wednesday, January 28th, to attend their annual retreat and discuss all the critical issues in the region. These issues include the ongoing border war between Thailand and Cambodia, the recent military-run election held in Myanmar, and the tense disputes of the South China Sea. Of all the urgent issues discussed on the first day, the Myanmar election stood out as the top priority issue.
The ASEAN regional bloc includes eleven South-East Asian countries, including Myanmar as a member state. Nonetheless, since the military coup in 2021 that resulted in the rule of Myanmar's Junta government, member states have refused to recognize this government, even after the country held its first election in years last week. Due to the fact that this election was held by Myanmar’s Junta government and excluded many major opposition parties from participating, the Philippines' Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro stated that ASEAN members had not “endorsed the three phases of the election that were held” and continued to deny the legitimacy of Myanmar’s government.
Myanmar’s election unsurprisingly elected the military-backed candidate of the Union Solidarity and Development Party. Even though China backed the election, members of ASEAN did not recognize it as legitimate, and Myanmar still faces punishing sanctions from the United States, U.K., and others. With inflation reaching 30% last year, Myanmar’s economy is unstable, and harder times are likely to follow as the country continues to face sanctions from the West.
Central America and the Caribbean
Written by Gabriella Ramirez
Violence, an Election, and a Right-Wing Wave in Central America and the Caribbean
In Haiti’s capital, health clinics are treating triple the number of sexual abuse cases than in the past four years. These abuses occur during kidnappings and territorial takeovers, and are an instrument used by gangs to control humanitarian aid. Displaced individuals and those living in makeshift shelters face a particular risk. Additionally, fear over reporting sexual abuses persists due to stigma and a lack of faith in the justice system, resulting in unwanted pregnancies and untreated HIV in patients. Médecins Sans Frontières, or MSF, urges Haiti’s government to allocate more funds towards this crisis, creating systems for victims to safely report violence and receive medical attention.
Meanwhile, the presidential election in Honduras faced controversy due to U.S. President Donald Trump’s support for businessman Nasry Asfura, leading competitors to call the election fraudulent. Asfura pledged to create jobs, crack down on crime, and improve education and healthcare services. Additionally, he promised to “confront insecurity head-on,” indicating he will act quickly and directly against gang violence. Asfura is from the same political party as former President Juan Orlando Hernández, who was pardoned and freed from a U.S. prison by President Trump. Hernández faced a 45-year sentence for his role in a drug trafficking operation that moved hundreds of tons of cocaine into the U.S.
At the moment, Honduras and Haiti depict a greater issue of gang violence and criminal activity in the region, which destabilizes nations and contributes to an alarming shift in the political climate. In Haiti, gangs and criminal groups have overrun the nation, essentially eliminating any semblance of a justice system, and providing for a precarious situation in the transition of power. In Honduras, the election of Asfura parallels similar events rippling throughout Latin America as a result of dissatisfaction with left-wing governments, economic instability, and overwhelming violence. The current affairs in Haiti and Honduras represent common struggles throughout the region and the reactionary movement spreading across populations desperate for a solution and respite from their struggles.
Europe
Written by Ethan Joyce
European Union Considers Issuing a Ban on Russian Soldiers Who Served in Ukraine
The European Union is set to consider a proposal that would completely prevent Russian soldiers from emigrating to the Schengen Zone, a visa-free travel zone, citing security concerns over the utilization of asymmetric warfare tactics as fighting between Russia and Ukraine continues. The proposal, submitted by representatives from Estonia, suggests it is a necessity that there be a common immigration policy at the EU level to systematically blacklist Russian veterans, especially in a post-war context.
Earlier this month, Estonia began enforcing this same policy domestically, as it barred 261 Russian veterans from entering the country. Representatives of the interior ministry issued a statement that this was “just the start” of a much broader wave of enforcement. President Putin stated in December that roughly 700,000 Russian troops are actively fighting in Ukraine, while casualty estimates currently sit at close to 1.5 million Russian soldiers.
The European Commission is the institution charged with coordinating visa policies, should it be approved. In mid 2025, the European Commission adopted rules to stop holders of Russian passports from obtaining multiple-entry visas (as opposed to single-entry visas) to the Schengen area. Today, Vice President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas, appears more resolute that in a post-war situation the EU “need[s] to prepare” for an influx of Russian soldiers emigrating.
Middle East and North Africa
Written by Ansley Hovater
The United Arab Emirates Broadcast Latest AI Model
On January 27, 2026, the Mohamed Bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) in the United Arab Emirates released its latest Artificial Intelligence model. The new AI model, dubbed K2 Think V2, is an enhanced edition of the previous model that MBZUAI released last year, K2 Think. Researchers place K2 Think V2 at a similar level to the U.S. OpenAI and Chinese DeepSeek, and the United Arab Emirates continues to contribute to the global AI revolution. The open data structure of K2 Think V2 provides others with valuable AI resources, but could also lead to the development of sophisticated malware without strong safeguards.
The United Arab Emirates enthusiastically joined the international challenge of developing the most efficient and widely used AI model last May with the production of the Falcon 2 series. The first of many AI models to originate in Abu Dhabi, Falcon 2 paved the way for the later release of K2 Think in September of 2025, followed by the newest edition, K2 Think V2. Each AI model that the United Arab Emirates unveiled for the world originated at the Mohamed Bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, one of the leading universities in AI development in the Middle East.
Along with the release of K2 Think V2, MBZUAI also released all of the pre-training data, post-training data, and information about the actual curation of the AI model. The lab that produced the model included the algorithms and code in the release as well. K2 Think V2 is the first AI model to exhibit unabridged transparency. As the public service industry and civil engineers begin to implement this recent development into infrastructure and services, the openness of the model will prove critical in producing holistic and efficient work.
K2 Think V2 challenges public perception concerning AI. Not only does this model place the United Arab Emirates–and consequently the Middle East–in the race for global technological development, but the open and accessible information about the formation of the model promotes trust among its users. However, should pernicious users gain access, they could take advantage of the transparency and use the software for malicious intent, potentially threatening international security. In addition, the UAE enters the international debate about the ethics and boundaries of AI and draws attention to a new area of the technology worth discussion: its development.
North America
Written by Justin Cohen
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Fights Concerns Over American Arrest of Alleged Drug Kingpin
This past week, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum fought to counter claims from United States Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel that Mexican and American forces conducted a joint operation on Mexican soil. Director Patel posted last Friday that “Our FBI [Hostage Rescue Team] teams executed with precision, discipline, and total professionalism alongside our Mexican partners to bring Ryan James Wedding back to face justice.” Wedding is a former Canadian Olympic snowboarder turned alleged drug trafficker who had been hiding in Mexico for more than a decade.
President Sheinbaum, seeking to defuse political tensions stemming from the appearance of foreign intervention on Mexican soil, stated U.S. authorities informed Mexican forces that Wedding surrendered voluntarily. Wedding’s lawyer refuted his characterization, telling the Wall Street Journal, “[Wedding] was arrested, he didn’t surrender.” The FBI added Wedding to its Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list last year, offering a $15 million reward for his apprehension.
U.S.-Mexico relations have struggled throughout the last year. U.S. President Donald Trump routinely pushed for military action in Mexico, recently increasing his pressure on President Sheinbaum to allow Special Operations troops or Central Intelligence Agency officers to join Mexican troops on raids of suspected cartel fentanyl labs. The Wedding incident exacerbated Mexican fears that the United States may take additional action with or without proper authorization.
South America
Written by Trinity de Lima
Venezuela Opens Its Oil Sector to Private Firms
On Thursday, Venezuela's National Assembly opened its oil sector via legislative overhaul. Venezuela's oil industry was initially nationalized in 1976 under then-President Carlos Andrés Pérez. Following nationalization and increased state control over oil production, many foreign firms such as Exxon Mobil and ConocoPhillips pulled out of Venezuela in reaction to laws such as the hydrocarbons law passed in 2006 by former President Hugo Chávez. The hydrocarbons law limits private equity in joint ventures and gives the national oil company PDVSA a monopoly over operational decisions, contracts, purchases, and control of the oil trade. Despite Venezuela possessing the largest oil reserves in the world, it has struggled to generate wealth due to years of corruption, under-investment, and heavy sanctions by the U.S. as the country shifted towards authoritarianism.
The interim leader of Venezuela after Nicolás Maduro’s capture by U.S. forces in early January is former Vice President Delcy Rodríguez. Following demands from the Trump administration that Venezuela’s oil industry open up, Rodríguez immediately complied to avoid the same fate as Maduro. The U.S. Department of the Treasury then began easing economic sanctions after the signing to further open up the industry.
The overhaul reverses much of the nationalization of oil projects set by Chávez and will likely boost the Venezuelan economy by 15% if investments materialize. It will also improve Venezuela’s regulatory quality by allowing for independent arbitration of disputes, ensuring that disagreements aren't limited to settlements in Venezuelan courts controlled by the ruling party. This change will make investment less risky for foreign entities, which could help to attract more investors.
Despite the benefits of the overhaul, there remain critics of the recent decision. Former energy minister Rafael Ramírez stated, “In a single stroke, this wipes out nearly 70 years of our national achievements and seeks to cancel the country's nationalist oil ideology.” In addition, some foreign companies will still be very reluctant to invest in Venezuela due to its legacy of political instability. Norma Mozeé, a diplomat who led the charge in drafting up the U.S. recovery plan for Venezuelan oil under the first Trump Administration, stated, “Investors are looking for political stability as well as legislative and legal stability, and this current regime, which is the remnants of the Maduro regime, does not have a track record of protecting outside interests. That rebuilding of trust is going to take time.”
Much of the overhaul’s success rests on the willingness of oil giants such as ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips to reinvest in Venezuela. The change in the regulatory environment is certainly appealing, but considering that both companies are still seeking significant compensation from the former nationalization, it may not be an immediate turnaround. Regardless, the new laws are set to be implemented starting January 30th, 2026.
Sub-Saharan Africa
Written by Alex Whirley
South Africa Conducts Controversial Naval Drills with Iran, China, and Russia
From January 9th to 16th, South Africa hosted the “Will For Peace” joint naval operation with Iran, China, Russia, and other BRICS nations with the stated objectives of enhancing maritime security and protecting shipping lanes. The exercise has been met with harsh criticism from the U.S. Embassy in South Africa, accusing South Africa of “cozying up with Iran.” Pretoria said that China organized the drill, and that South Africa simply hosted them in its waters.
These drills are further evidence of the growing tension and dissent between President Ramaphosa and his military. The pro-Western Democratic Alliance, an allied party to Ramaphosa, said the exercises "contradict our stated neutrality" and that BRICS had "rendered South Africa a pawn in the power games being waged by rogue states on the international stage.” Lieutenant Colonel Mpho Mathebula, acting spokesperson for joint operations, rejected this claim. Additionally, back in August, the South African military’s top general visited Tehran, where he spoke glowingly of the relationship between the two states. According to his office, Mr. Ramaphosa did not know about or approve of the visit.
South Africa has long struggled to balance its relationship with international powers. And, while many South African officials view the country’s BRICS membership as a crucial step in fulfilling its ambitions of greater economic independence. However, the BRICS bloc has more aggressively positioned itself against U.S. economic hegemony in more recent years as BRICS leaders developed a new global currency to counter the dollar. Relations between Washington and Pretoria are already at their lowest point since the end of apartheid rule in 1994. And since returning to the office a year ago, President Trump has stopped American aid to South Africa and spread false claims about an Afrikaner Genocide. The future of American-South African relations remains unclear in an era of growing great power competition.
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