With a defiant inauguration address, President Trump begins his first term, leading the USA on what could be a radically different path compared to previous administrations. The speech reiterated opposition to global trade and the deindustrialisation in the 80s & 90s. Despite large protests around the world and in Washington, the event was a calm and orderly affair. It is expected that President Trump will be signed a series of executive orders in the next few days, following through on his promise to end TPP, abolish or renegotiate NAFTA, end immigration from majority Muslim countries, and remove the Affordable Care Act.

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation has asked Myanmar for unconditional aid access to the Rohingya Muslism in Rakhine State. This follows an exodus of 66,000 fleeing to Bangladesh resulting from a brutal military crackdown. The Myanmar government argues that they the killing, detention of citizens, and burning of villages is part of a counter-insurgency operation. The crackdown by the army began in October after nine policemen were killed in attacks along the border. Despite living in Myanmar for generations, an estimated 1 million Rohingya are barred from citizenship in the nation of 50 million, and instead live as some of the world's most persecuted people.

In the last days of the Obama administration, the United States and Cuba have signed a memorandum of understanding to further cooperation between the two countries or law enforcement and information sharing. These agreements specifically refer to counternarcotics, money laundering, fraud and human smuggling, and counterterrorism. This follows agreements a few months earlier on creating frameworks for cooperation in meteorological science, climate research, and on cancer research.

In 2014 Mozambique was host to the MIF’s Africa Rising Conference, when the economy was buoyant, having grown at about 7% for a year for the past decade. Offshore gas promised riches, and investors were optimistic. In 2013 $850 million of bonds were issued by a state owned tuna fishing company, offering high yields. It is likely that the government is going to default on the debt payment due later this month. The downturn in global commodity prices caused economic growth to slump to 3.4% last year, though it should pick up this year. The government’s troubles, however, are rather due to incompetence and fecklessness.

Former Italian Air Force officer Antonio Tajani has been elected President of the European Parliament. After four rounds of voting Mr Tajani was victorious, receiving 351 votes and beating his fellow countryman Giani Pitella who achieved a total of 202. In total six candidates put themselves forward, and took part in televised debates – the first time this has occurred when selecting an EP President. The 53-year- old is a member of the European People’s Party (EPP), a pro-European centre-right political party whose current leader is Jean-Claude- Juncker, the president of the European Commission.

Thailand’s military-backed parliament voted on Friday to make amendments to the constitution after request from the new king, likely delaying the election scheduled for later in the year. The draft constitution was approved in a referendum last year and has been awaiting endorsement by King Maha Vajiralongkorn, who took the throne in December after the death of his father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who commanded immense respect from Thais during his 70-year reign.