News from February 28, 2025 at 2 AM

On the 27th local time, US President Donald Trump met with British Prime Minister Boris Stamer and held a joint press conference. Trump stated that the upcoming US-Ukraine mineral agreement with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will form the basis of bilateral relations and revealed a meeting with Zelensky on the 28th. Trump claimed a peace agreement to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict is possible but must be swift. Stamer expressed the UK's readiness to deploy troops to assist in the Ukrainian peace agreement. The two countries are negotiating a bilateral trade agreement, with Trump noting that tariffs on the UK would be unnecessary if an agreement is reached.

On February 27, 2025, controversial influencers Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan arrived in the US after facing charges, including human trafficking, in Romania, which they deny. The Tate brothers, who hold dual US-UK citizenship, claim to have made millions from their social media empire. They had been under a travel ban in Romania for over two years but were recently allowed to leave, flying to Florida on a private jet. Romanian prosecutors stated that investigations are ongoing and the brothers are expected to return. The Tates have a significant US following and are popular among some American right-wing groups. They also face separate charges of rape and human trafficking in the UK, which they deny.

On February 27, 2025, Turkey's jailed militant leader Abdullah Ocalan called on his Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) to lay down arms and disband, a move that could end its 40-year conflict with Ankara and have significant political and security implications for the region. Ozgur Ozel, head of Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), supported the call and hoped it would be acted upon. Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Commander Mazloum Abdi welcomed the call but clarified it applied only to the PKK. Nechirvan Barzani, President of Iraq's Kurdistan Region, warmly welcomed the message and offered support. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also welcomed the call, seeing it as a crucial step towards peace. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office expressed support for Turkey's peace process and encouraged all parties to engage in constructive dialogue.

The Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office in New Mexico, U.S., announced on Thursday that legendary actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead at their home, aged 95 and 64 respectively. Deputies were called to a residence on Old Sunset Trail at around 1:45 p.m. on Wednesday, where they discovered the bodies of Hackman, Arakawa, and their dog. While foul play is not suspected, the exact cause of death has not been determined. Hackman, who won an Oscar for 'The French Connection,' had a distinguished career in film, including notable roles in 'The Conversation' and 'Superman.' He survived a minor bike accident in Florida in 2012.

South Korean media reported that North Korea dispatched between 1,000 to 3,000 additional combat personnel, including mechanized infantry, engineers, and electronic reconnaissance troops, to the Kursk front in Russia from January to February this year. This marks the second large-scale deployment since October 2024, aimed at addressing the shortage of front-line forces. Previously, the Ukrainian military stated that North Korean troops had withdrawn in mid-January and reappeared on February 7. South Korea's National Intelligence Service confirmed on February 27 that North Korean forces returned to the Kursk front in the first week of February. It is reported that out of the initial 11,000 North Korean troops sent in October last year, over 4,000 have been casualties. Analysts believe that North Korea's additional deployment is due to a severe shortage of front-line troops, and that the Russian military may continue to use North Korean forces as 'cannon fodder'.

Pope Francis's condition showed slight improvement as Catholics prayed for his health beneath St Peter's Basilica for a third night. Nuns, tourists, and student priests joined the prayers in the Vatican, led by a cardinal. The nightly gatherings began after the 88-year-old Pope's health deteriorated dramatically at the weekend. Latest updates indicate he can sit, eat normally, and do light work. Admitted to Gemelli hospital on February 14 with double-pneumonia, a CT scan shows normal lung evolution. Despite the improvement, no prognosis has been given. Vatican officials have relaxed their tone but caution the Pope is not out of danger. Speculation about his potential resignation persists, though he has said he would consider it if unable to fulfill his duties.

According to South Korea's Yonhap news agency, North Korea launched a strategic cruise missile in the Yellow Sea. The move was aimed at testing the country's nuclear deterrence capabilities. The launch occurred on February 28, following a previous missile test on February 26, as reported by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). This latest test has drawn attention from the regional and international community.

A massive power outage struck Chile on Tuesday afternoon, plunging most of the country into darkness and affecting millions of people. Public transportation in some areas was disrupted, mobile phone services were interrupted, and nearly 300,000 students were unable to attend school. President Boric stated that 8 million households were affected, with 4.15 million gradually regaining power, and blamed the incident on the private company managing the grid. The government declared a state of emergency, imposed a curfew from 10 PM to 6 AM the next day, and deployed armed forces. By February 26th, 94% of the national grid had been restored. The Minister of the Interior attributed the outage to a disruption in a high-voltage transmission line in the central-northern region, ruling out cyber-attacks. The blackout impacted copper mining operations, affecting the global metal market, marking the largest such incident in 15 years.

King Mohammed VI of Morocco called on citizens to abstain from slaughtering sheep for Eid al-Adha this year due to a significant decline in livestock numbers caused by consecutive droughts. Eid al-Adha, commemorating Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son, is scheduled for June. Official figures show a 38% decrease in Morocco's cattle and sheep herds since the last census. The King, also the country's supreme religious leader, emphasized that performing the rite under current circumstances would harm many, especially those with limited income. This year's rainfall is 53% lower than the 30-year average, leading to pasture shortages, reduced meat production, and higher prices and imports. Morocco recently signed a deal to import up to 100,000 sheep from Australia and suspended import duties and VAT on livestock and red meat in its 2025 budget to stabilize prices.

President Donald Trump has proposed a new investment visa program requiring overseas wealthy individuals to pay $5 million for U.S. permanent residency and a path to citizenship. Experts note that the program includes a tax loophole, offering gold card holders a tax benefit unavailable to U.S. citizens. The initiative is expected to attract numerous high-net-worth individuals, particularly from countries like China and India. Currently, U.S. citizens and permanent residents are subject to worldwide income tax, a requirement that gold card holders would be exempt from. If implemented, the program would significantly alter the residency path for global rich in the U.S. and potentially trigger major tax policy changes.

Pop star Katy Perry will participate in an all-women space flight aboard Blue Origin's New Shepherd rocket. She will be joined by Blue Origin owner Jeff Bezos's fiancee Lauren Sanchez, CBS presenter Gayle King, former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, and film producer Kerianne Flynn. This marks the first all-women space flight since the Soviet Union's Valentina Tereshkova's solo mission in 1963. The launch date is not specified but is scheduled for this spring. Katy Perry is set to be on her Lifetimes Tour from April 23 to November 11, so the trip is expected to occur before then. The NS-31 mission will be the 11th human spaceflight for the New Shepherd rocket and the 31st in its history, having launched 52 people into space. Blue Origin credited Lauren Sanchez for orchestrating the mission, aiming to challenge perspectives of Earth and inspire future generations.

Late on Thursday, Russian forces launched mass strikes on energy targets in the Kharkiv region in northeastern Ukraine. Governor Oleh Syniehubov, writing on Telegram, stated that air defenses were heavily engaged in repelling the attacks, with emergency services on site. He provided few details on the targets and urged residents not to disclose information. Syniehubov reported one man injured in a Russian attack on the town of Balakliya, southeast of Kharkiv. Ukraine's Air Force reported threats of attacks by glide bombs and drones in various parts of the region. Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, resisted capture by Russian forces in the early stages of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022 and has since been a frequent target of Russian airstrikes.

In 2024, Japan's newborn population decreased by 5% year-on-year to a record low of 720,988, marking the ninth consecutive year of decline. The death toll reached 1.62 million, indicating more than two deaths for every birth. The COVID-19 pandemic's impact on marriage rates is a primary cause, along with young people's reluctance to have children. The government's 3.6 trillion yen childcare subsidy policy has had limited effect. A labor shortage of 11 million is projected by 2040, with public debt reaching 232.7% of GDP. The number of pension contributors has decreased by 3 million, while recipients have increased by nearly 40%, adding pressure to the pension system. Neighboring South Korea also faces severe aging issues, with a fertility rate of just 0.72 in 2023.

European Council President Antonio Costa stated that the upcoming emergency summit will focus on issues such as increasing defense spending by member countries, new commitments to supply arms to Ukraine, and potential security guarantees for the country. According to Bloomberg, the EU plans to discuss the appointment of a special envoy to represent the bloc in Ukraine peace talks at an emergency summit in Brussels on March 6. Ukraine had previously urged the EU to swiftly name a representative for the negotiations.