News from March 3, 2025 at 2 PM

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced that the UK and France will assist Ukraine in developing a ceasefire plan, which will then be discussed with the United States. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to attend a European leaders' summit two days after a heated exchange with US President Donald Trump at the White House. Sir Keir, aiming to act as a 'bridge' between the two leaders, called Trump and Zelensky the same night to refocus on central issues. He emphasized the need for collective efforts towards lasting peace, trusting Trump and Zelensky but not Russian President Vladimir Putin. He urged European nations to increase defense spending and form a 'coalition of the willing' for security guarantees. Previously, Sir Keir's decision to cut foreign aid to boost defense funding led to the resignation of his International Development Minister.

Israel decided on Sunday to temporarily halt humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip for the first time in over a year, signaling a zero-tolerance stance against Hamas after it refused to extend a ceasefire. Prime Minister Netanyahu stated in a cabinet meeting that Hamas is mistaken if it thinks the ceasefire can continue without releasing hostages. Supported by the Trump administration, Israel is unlikely to soften its stance unless Hamas compromises. The UN and several countries expressed concern, accusing Israel of violating international law. The blockade has led to soaring prices in Gaza.

A large-scale wildfire has recently occurred in Ofunato City, northeastern Iwate Prefecture, Japan. As of the 3rd, the fire had burned nearly 21 square kilometers and was still spreading. The wildfire has destroyed multiple houses and extensive forest areas, resulting in one death. Local authorities have urged 4,500 people to evacuate to temporary shelters, setting up 12 such locations, with about 1,200 people already relocated. Currently, approximately 1,700 firefighters and 19 helicopters are involved in the firefighting efforts.

U.S. space startup Firefly Aerospace successfully landed its unmanned probe, Blue Ghost, on the Moon for the first time, aiming to explore the lunar environment and prepare for future human landings. Blue Ghost landed in the Mare Crisium basin on the northeastern part of the Moon's near side at 3:34 AM EDT on March 2, transmitting the first lunar image post-landing. The probe, about the size of a small car, carries 10 scientific instruments from NASA and is set to complete various scientific tasks within 14 days. Firefly Aerospace became the first commercial company to achieve a fully successful lunar landing, marking a significant milestone in commercial space exploration. In February last year, another U.S. private firm's lunar lander mission ended prematurely due to a landing mishap.

On March 3, the Vatican reported that Pope Francis, on the 18th day of hospitalization for double pneumonia at Rome's Gemelli Hospital, had rested well overnight and was in stable condition. The 88-year-old pontiff no longer requires mechanical ventilation and has been fever-free. He was admitted on February 14 with severe respiratory issues that quickly escalated to double pneumonia. Since February 28, when the pope experienced a respiratory constriction similar to an asthma attack, the Vatican's updates have become more positive. However, doctors maintain a 'guarded' prognosis due to the complexity of his condition, indicating he is not out of danger. Pope Francis has faced several health issues in the last two years and is prone to lung infections, having had pleurisy and part of a lung removed in his youth. He has not been seen in public since his hospitalization, marking his longest absence since assuming the papacy in March 2013.

On March 2, 2025, the Academy Awards ceremony took place in Los Angeles. The film 'Anora' swept the most honors, including Best Picture and Best Director. Mikey Madison won Best Actress for 'Anora', while Adrien Brody took home Best Actor for 'The Brutalist'. Zoe Saldaña and Kieran Culkin won Best Supporting Actress and Best Supporting Actor, respectively. Other award-winning films included 'Conclave', 'Wicked', and 'Emilia Pérez'. The Brazilian film 'I'm Still Here' won Best International Feature.

On March 3, 2025, Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen presided over the swearing-in ceremony of a new government at Hofburg Palace in Vienna, appointing Christian Stocker, leader of the People's Party (OeVP), as the new Chancellor. The new government, comprising the People's Party, Social Democrats (SPO), and the liberal Neos, marks the first three-party coalition since World War Two, ending Austria's longest-ever wait for a new administration. Despite the far-right Freedom Party (FPO) winning about 29% of the vote in September's parliamentary election, it failed to form a coalition. The new government faces challenges in policy negotiations, with the FPO expected to continue exerting pressure.

The Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) announced a ceasefire on March 1, responding to calls from its imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan to lay down arms and disband. Turkish President Erdogan views this as a new phase in anti-terrorism efforts but warns of renewed military action if the PKK reneges. In recent years, Turkish forces have launched large-scale operations against the PKK, forcing it out of major southern cities and significantly weakening it. Collaborative efforts by Iraq, Turkey, and Syria to eradicate the PKK have intensified, with Syrian political turmoil further complicating the PKK's situation. Previous agreements in 2009 and 2013 failed to materialize, raising doubts about the effectiveness of this ceasefire in resolving the Kurdish issue. Founded in the late 1970s, the PKK seeks an independent state and is designated a terrorist organization by several countries. Despite Ocalan's arrest and weakened activities, Turkey continues its eradication efforts.

U.S. Defense Secretary Hegges has ordered the U.S. Cyber Command to halt offensive cyber operations against Russia, aiming to facilitate negotiations on the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The order was issued before the White House meeting between President Zelensky and President Trump, but its specific scope and duration remain unclear. This move raises concerns that it may make the U.S. more vulnerable to Russian cyber attacks. The Pentagon declined to comment on the reports. The U.S. Cyber Command, established over a decade ago, has previously conducted secret operations to limit Russian influence on U.S. elections. National Security Adviser Wolz denied any change in cyber policy and emphasized various means to promote peace talks. Former officials describe this move as a significant gamble, hoping Russia will cease its 'shadow war' against the U.S. and its European allies.

Iranian Vice President Zarif submitted his resignation to President Raisi on the evening of March 2, but Raisi has not yet responded. Zarif confirmed his resignation on social media on March 3, citing insults and threats over the past six months. Judiciary Chief Ejei suggested Zarif return to university teaching, which Zarif accepted. Fars News Agency reported that Zarif's appointment was deemed 'illegal' due to his children's dual Iranian-American citizenship. Meanwhile, the Iranian parliament impeached Economy Minister Abdulnasser Hemmati over economic issues such as high inflation and currency devaluation.

US President Donald Trump has revealed the names of five cryptocurrencies he wants included in a new strategic reserve to make the US 'the Crypto Capital of the World': Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Solana, and Cardano. Following the announcement, the market prices of these coins surged. On Sunday, Trump posted on social media that he had signed an order directing the Presidential Working Group to move forward on a Crypto Strategic Reserve including XRP, SOL, and ADA. He later added that BTC and ETH would also be central to the Reserve. The first three coins he mentioned jumped by up to 62% on Sunday, while Bitcoin and Ethereum each rose by over 10%. Earlier in his presidency, Trump signed an executive order tasking the group with evaluating the creation of a national digital asset stockpile. Despite previously criticizing cryptocurrencies, Trump and his wife Melania have recently launched their own cryptocurrencies, sparking accusations of profiting from his White House policies.

In the second round of Abkhazia's presidential elections, Badra Gunba secured 54.73% of the votes, defeating his opponent Adgur Ardzinba, who garnered 41.54% of the votes. On March 2, Dmitry Marshan, Chairman of the Central Election Commission of the Republic, announced these preliminary vote count results to journalists. According to the vote results, Badra Gunba Zurabovich was elected President. Marshan added that Gunba won the majority of votes in the second round of the elections.

Swedish police announced on Monday they are investigating suspected sabotage of a water pump on the island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea. On Sunday, the water and sewage unit for Gotland's municipality received a fault alarm at 1630 GMT. According to Swedish daily Aftonbladet, the potential sabotage could have left the entire island without water if not discovered in time. Police stated in an emailed statement that technicians found an electrical cabinet had been opened and a cable pulled out, cutting power to the pump. The pump is now operational again, and no arrests have been made in the case.

A fire broke out on Monday at the Ufimsky oil refinery, one of Russia's largest, due to technical issues. Russia's emergency ministry stated the fire has been extinguished and the refinery continued operations. Bashneft's press service said the fire did not affect the main production facilities. The refinery, located about 1,500 km east of the Ukraine border, has a capacity of 168,000 barrels per day. Bashkortostan's leader, Radiy Khabirov, reported no drone traces and normal production. A video verified by Reuters showed the refinery in Ufa on fire. Around 100 firefighters battled the blaze, which was put out by 8 a.m. Reports of an explosion preceding the fire could not be independently verified. Ukraine has not yet commented on the incident.

Japan has developed an AI-powered humanoid robot named AIREC to address the severe shortage of caregivers. The robot can assist with tasks such as sitting up, putting on socks, frying eggs, and doing household chores. Professor Shigeki Sugano of Waseda University stated that AIREC is expected to be deployed in care and medical services by 2030, with an initial price of at least 10 million yen. Despite global advancements in humanoid robots, few can safely interact with humans. Japan, the world's most aging society, will see a large portion of its post-WWII 'baby boomer' generation reach 75 and older by the end of 2024. As of December 2023, the ratio of job seekers to positions in the care industry was 1 to 4.25, far exceeding the national average of 1 to 1.22. The government's efforts to import foreign workers have only accounted for less than 3% of the total care workforce.