As of early February, at least 25 lawmakers had surpassed 100,000 subscribers, the threshold required to receive YouTube’s “silver play button.” It has become an unlikely status symbol in politics , in the country and a way to appeal to the grassroots.

Most of the lawmakers with silver play buttons are from liberal or left-leaning parties, though several conservatives have also built sizable audiences. Subscriber numbers appear to depend less on seniority and more on timing, messaging style and online engagement.

YouTube allows politicians to communicate unfiltered, respond quickly to controversies and mobilise younger voters who consume news primarily online. Lawmakers can livestream debates, post commentary and shape narratives without relying on mainstream broadcasters.

However, politicians have been cautioned that online popularity does not always reflect public support or voting .

One such moment occurred in Belgium and remains one of the most unusual political gaffes involving a national anthem.

In 2007, Yves Leterme , then Belgium’s prime minister-designate, was asked during an interview to sing the Belgian national anthem, La Brabançonne. Instead, he sang La Marseillaise, the national anthem of France.

The moment was broadcast publicly and quickly spread across international media. What might have been a minor slip became a symbol of deeper political tensions within Belgium.

Why the mistake struck a nerve

Belgium is a country with long-standing linguistic and cultural divisions, primarily between Dutch-speaking Flanders and French-speaking Wallonia. The national anthem itself exists in three official languages and represents a fragile sense of national cohesion.

Singing France ’s anthem, even unintentionally, was seen by some as symbolic rather than merely accidental.

The reaction was swift. Belgian media debated the meaning of the incident, while opposition figures questioned Leterme’s suitability for leadership. Supporters argued it was a human error blown out of proportion.

Leterme later acknowledged the mistake and attempted to downplay it, reportedly joking that it proved how well Belgians know their neighbours. However, the episode remained attached to his political image for years.

Washington’s departure follows a formal notification of intent submitted by President Donald Trump one year earlier, as required under U.S. law. The move makes the U.S. the first country in WHO history to withdraw its membership.

The Trump administration justified the exit by citing disagreements with the WHO’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, accusations of political bias, and dissatisfaction with pandemic policies.

Senior U.S. officials argued the country would continue to engage in global health through bilateral agreements and existing partnerships outside WHO structures.

"The Trump Admin is working to make sure that we have those bilateral agreements in place for that kind of health cooperation — but we don't need the WHO as an intermediary essentially to push Chinese interests on the American people," National Institutes of Health's Director Jay Bhattacharya told Fox News.

That rationale echoes what Argentinian President Javier Milei has stated in his decision to also withdraw Argentina from the WHO , a move scheduled to take effect on March 17, 2026.

The Milei government has framed its exit as a defence of national sovereignty and a response to what it describes as “deep differences” with WHO policies, especially concerning the management of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Argentina’s annual financial contributions to WHO have been comparatively small , and Buenos Aires has claimed that its withdrawal will not disrupt domestic health services.

Critics, however, warn that leaving a global coordination platform could limit access to information sharing, vaccine procurement mechanisms and technical cooperation that support responses to outbreaks and endemic diseases.

Why WHO matters

The World Health Organisation is the specialised health agency of the United Nations. Its core mission includes:

Nearly all United Nations member states have traditionally been members of the WHO. As of early 2026, with the U.S. exit complete, the organisation retains 193 members, the vast majority of the world’s nations.

“They really tried to break me but it built me,” he wrote. “They wanted me gone but I’m here, all glory to GOD!!!”

Vitaly, 33, was deported to Russia on January 17 following a detention that began in April 2025, after his livestreamed pranks in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) — a major business and leisure district in Taguig — triggered public backlash and legal action. 

His videos showed him grabbing a security guard’s cap, attempting to seize another guard’s firearm and threatening to rob a woman, incidents prosecutors said amounted to criminal harassment.

Philippine immigration authorities said the Bureau of Immigration’s Board of Commissioners ordered his deportation after three counts of unjust vexation filed against him in Taguig courts were settled. 

Another foreign vlogger deported

Vitaly’s case has become a reference point for a broader crackdown on foreign vloggers accused of harassing Filipinos for online content. 

This month, authorities arrested 34-year-old Estonian national Siim Roosipuu, who ran a YouTube channel called Pro Life Traveler. 

Roosipuu was detained on January 15 in a joint operation involving immigration intelligence officers, police and local officials, and now faces deportation.

Authorities said Roosipuu gained notoriety for harassing locals, with social media users alleging that his videos included chasing people and posing highly inappropriate questions to underage women. 

Local officials in Negros Oriental formally declared him persona non grata (unwanted person), citing complaints of unauthorised filming, harassment and offensive remarks.

“This is another Vitaly case — different person, same behavior,” Immigration Commissioner Joel Viado said. “A foreign vlogger comes here, disrespects Filipinos, violates our laws and thinks he can hide behind a camera and a social media following. That ends here.”

“The Philippines is not a content playground,” he added. “We welcome tourists and legitimate creators, but anyone who exploits our people for views, clicks, or profit will face arrest, deportation and blacklisting.”

According to official results from Portugal’s Ministry of Internal Administration, only António José Seguro of the Socialist Party and André Ventura, leader of the right-wing Chega party, finished first or second in every region of the country, locking in their places in the runoff.

Seguro, the centre-left Socialist candidate aligned with the S&D group in Europe, finished first overall with 31% of the national vote , leading in almost every municipality and all but two regions. His support base stretches across much of mainland Portugal, reflecting the continued strength of the Socialist Party in both urban centres and large parts of the interior.

Ventura followed in second place with 24%, marking another breakthrough for Chega. The party won outright in two regions and placed second everywhere else, confirming its transformation from a protest movement into a nationwide political force.

Liberal Initiative candidate João Cotrim Figueiredo also secured 16%, placing third in most autonomous regions, while Henrique Gouveia e Melo, running as an independent backed by the conservative PPM, finished with 12%, also claiming third place in several areas.

Neither came close to challenging the two front-runners nationally, underscoring how polarised the race has become.

The upcoming runoff will determine who succeeds President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, whose role, while largely ceremonial, carries significant influence through veto powers and the ability to dissolve parliament.

With Portugal facing economic pressures and broader European uncertainty, the second round is expected to draw sharp contrasts between Seguro’s institutional continuity and Ventura’s populist challenge.

This time, it’s different.

Right now, one of the most visible Americans across Africa isn’t a politician, an athlete, or a pop star. It’s a YouTuber.

IShowSpeed, real name Darren Jason Watkins Jr. has become a constant presence on African timelines, phones, and conversations, not because of a concert tour or a state visit, but because he is livestreaming his way across the continent in real time.

Speed is one of the biggest digital creators in the world . He has more than 48 million subscribers on YouTube, nearly 44 million followers on Instagram, over 46 million on TikTok, and millions more across Facebook and Twitch. Altogether, his audience comfortably passes 100 million people worldwide.

Speed is currently in the middle of Speed Does Africa, a continent-wide livestream journey expected to span about 20 countries. From city streets to local hangouts, he streams everyday life as he encounters it unscripted, unfiltered, and live.

So far, his stops have included Angola, South Africa , Botswana, Eswatini, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Morocco and Kenya. In many of these places, crowds have gathered within minutes of his arrival, local media have followed his movements, and livestream clips have spread rapidly online.

In a few countries, the attention has gone beyond social media . Tourism boards and government-linked institutions have publicly reacted to or engaged with conversations around his visit, a sign that what started as internet content is now registering at a national level.

More stops are still expected, including Ghana , Nigeria, Senegal, Egypt, Ivory Coast, and others.