The Week in Review: February 15-21, 2025

M23 Captures Congolese Provincial Capital, US Nuclear Agency Mass Firings, and more

This week saw M23 militants capture a key provincial capital in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and continue their territorial expansion, while Hamas returned the remains of several October 7th hostages. In Sudan, the military strengthened its position in Khartoum and moved to strengthen its authority. The Trump administration faced backlash after firing hundreds of nuclear security personnel, and a significant change in US diplomatic language regarding Taiwan independence prompted immediate protests from Beijing.