This roundup summarises the most important news stories around the world in the last month (February 2024).

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The human tragedy in Gaza, following Israel’s months-long invasion, has unfortunately persisted, as the death toll exceeded 30,000. For the third time since the invasion, the United States blocked a United Nations resolution for a Gaza ceasefire.

There were other episodes of human tragedy. In Chile, over a hundred people died in fires on its densely populated coast. In Russia, leading opposition figure Alexei Navalny died in prison. Broadly too, as both Japan and the United Kingdom entered a recession. South Korea’s fertility rate – also the world’s lowest – dropped to 0.72 in 2023 (from 0.78 in 2022).

Electoral and political developments

In Asia… In Azerbaijan, president Ilham Aliyev secured a fifth consecutive term in elections. In Indonesia, defence minister Prabowo Subianto is on track to win the presidential election by a large margin. And in Pakistan, former prime minister Imran Khan was sentenced to a decade in prison for leaking state secrets. He and his wife were later sentenced to prison for corruption. Shockingly, despite the military’s efforts to suppress support, his party won the most seats in parliamentary elections. However, the country’s two main parties are set to form a new ruling coalition which excludes Mr. Khan’s allies.

In Europe… Finnish centre-right candidate Alexander Stubb won the presidential election. In Northern Ireland, Michelle O’Neill became the first Irish nationalist to become the institution’s first minister.

And in Latin America… Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro was accused of a coup attempt after the country’s 2022 presidential election. In El Salvador, president Nayib Bukele, known for being tough on crime and criminal gangs – even at the expense of checks and balances and human-rights violations – won re-election.

Russia-focused geopolitical news

After a 19-month block, Hungary endorsed Sweden’s NATO membership.

Ukraine’s top general was removed by president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in the country’s biggest leadership change since Russia’s 2022 invasion. The eastern city of Avdiivka was lost to Russia, marking a major symbolic loss for Ukraine and further eroding morale after last year’s failed counteroffensive. Additionally, hundreds of Ukrainian troops may have disappeared or been captured during the chaotic retreat. Overall, Mr. Zelenskyy said 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed since Russia’s full-scale invasion.

In other news…

• China: A Hong Kong court ordered Chinese real estate giant Evergrande Group – which has sought to avoid bankruptcy since 2021 – to undergo liquidation after multiple failed attempts to restructure its debts.
• The European Union: Hundreds of farmers – calling for higher wages, tax relief, reduced environmental rules, and protection from imports – protested outside the European parliament building, blocking roads with a thousand tractors.
• Greece became the first Orthodox Christian country to legalise same-sex marriage, against strong opposition by the influential Orthodox church.