News from March 11, 2025 at 2 PM

On March 11, 2025, former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by police upon his arrival at Manila airport from Hong Kong. The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant accusing him of crimes against humanity over his deadly 'war on drugs' during his presidency. The 79-year-old Duterte questioned the basis for his arrest. His former spokesperson, Salvador Panelo, criticized the arrest as 'unlawful,' noting the Philippines' withdrawal from the ICC in 2019. Human rights activists, however, called it a 'historic moment.' Duterte had been in Hong Kong campaigning for the upcoming May 12 mid-term elections, planning to run again for mayor of Davao. Filipino political scientist Richard Heydarian said Duterte's arrest marks the 'beginning of a new chapter in Philippine history.'

On March 9, 2025, White House Senior Advisor Elon Musk arrived at the White House in Washington, DC, with President Donald Trump. Musk stated that he is running his businesses with great difficulty as Tesla's stock suffered its worst drop in five years and his social media company X experienced several outages. He also mentioned that he expects to remain in the Trump administration for another year. Since joining the administration as head of the Department of Government Efficiency, Tesla's market capitalization has decreased by over 50%, equivalent to nearly $800 billion. Musk predicted $1 trillion in savings unless hindered, though his estimates have been challenged and some purported savings were removed from DOGE's website. Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows a 10,000-job reduction in federal government employment since DOGE's efforts began. On Monday, Tesla shares closed down 15.4%, and Musk attributed X's outages to a cyberattack from Ukraine, without providing evidence. Additionally, Musk engaged in a Twitter spat with Democratic Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, who反驳ed Musk's attack.

On March 10, 2025, former Bank of England governor Mark Carney was elected as Canada's Prime Minister. In his acceptance speech, he strongly opposed Donald Trump's policies, referring to the US as bringing 'dark days' and expressing pride in Canadians resisting the US 'with their wallets'. Carney vowed to maintain retaliatory tariffs until the US shows respect for Canada. He反驳ed Trump's suggestion of making Canada the 51st state of the US, asserting that Canada will never be part of America. Carney has experience in handling acute political-economic crises and has regularly attended G20 meetings. He plans further tariff retaliation to impact US inflation and interest rates. The Canadian election is due in October, but Carney might call an earlier one. His election has significant implications for the UK, as he aims to diversify trade with 'more reliable' partners.

On March 10, 2025, a US-flagged oil tanker, the Stena Immaculate, and a Portuguese-flagged cargo vessel, the Solong, collided and caught fire in the North Sea off the coast of East Yorkshire, UK. One person is missing and over 30 have been rescued. Both ships remained on fire late Monday, with environmental impact still being assessed. The tanker was carrying military jet fuel, some of which leaked into the sea. The cargo vessel held 15 containers of sodium cyanide, posing potential environmental risks. The cause of the collision remains unclear.

The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, in Geneva, accused Israel of weaponizing humanitarian aid by blocking goods and electricity into Gaza, warning of a renewed hunger crisis. Israel halted all aid at the start of the month and cut electricity, actions condemned by the UK and Germany. Initially, aid supplies increased tenfold during the ceasefire, easing food shortages and restoring some health services. Now, with aid blocked and a major desalination plant's electricity cut, UN Secretary-General António Guterres's spokesman said this would significantly reduce drinking water availability in Gaza. Israel has not ruled out cutting water supplies. Lazzarini criticized Israel's moves, noting a rapid deterioration in Gaza's humanitarian situation. Israel banned UNRWA, alleging staff support for Hamas, while other aid agencies are also blocked from entering.

According to the European News Network, the autonomous territory of Greenland, Denmark, will hold its parliamentary election on the 11th. The election has drawn significant attention amid US President Trump's claims of wanting to acquire Greenland and not ruling out the use of force. Approximately 80% of Greenland is covered by permanent ice and snow, with a total population of about 56,000, mostly Inuit. All five political parties in Greenland unanimously oppose Trump's takeover plan but see global attention as an opportunity to advance their long-standing efforts for independence. Greenland gained self-rule in 1979 and voted overwhelmingly for greater autonomy in a 2009 referendum. Experts suggest that true independence for Greenland could take 10 years or longer.

Mr Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestinian protest leader at Columbia University, was arrested over the weekend. On March 10, US President Donald Trump stated this was “the first arrest of many to come,” accusing Columbia and other universities of harboring students involved in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, and anti-American activities. Khalil, a prominent figure in last year's protests against Israel's war in Gaza, was detained by immigration officials. The Department of Homeland Security cited support for Trump's executive orders against anti-Semitism and coordination with the State Department. Khalil, a Columbia graduate, held a permanent residency green card at the time of his arrest. Trump threatened further action against campus protesters, alleging some were “paid agitators.” The American Civil Liberties Union condemned the arrest as “unprecedented, illegal, and un-American,” while the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's spokesman emphasized the importance of respecting freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. US campuses, including Columbia, saw widespread protests against Israel's war in Gaza following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, sparking accusations of anti-Semitism.

On March 11, Pakistani military sources confirmed to Xinhua that a train carrying over 400 passengers in the southwestern province of Balochistan was attacked. Gunmen have taken some passengers hostage. The exact number of casualties remains unclear, and local security forces have launched a rescue operation.

Canada's most populous province, Ontario, has announced a 25% retaliatory surcharge on electricity exported to the US in response to President Donald Trump's tariffs on Canadian goods. Ontario leader Doug Ford confirmed the move in a Monday news conference, stating it will increase costs by about $10 per megawatt-hour for US customers. Approximately 1.5 million American homes in northern border states will be affected. Ford said the surcharge will remain until US tariff threats are completely removed. Canada's federal government has also imposed dollar-for-dollar reciprocal tariffs on $30bn worth of US exports. Trump has threatened a blanket 25% tariff on all Canadian exports, which economists warn could lead to job losses in Canada and higher prices for Americans. Last week, Trump temporarily spared carmakers from tariffs until April 2 and granted exemptions for some goods under the USMCA agreement. Market tensions due to the trade war have caused the S&P 500 index to plunge to its lowest since September.

On Tuesday, gunmen attacked a hotel in the town of Baladweyne in central Somalia where local elders and government officials were meeting. Federal lawmaker Dahir Amin Jesow reported that at least four people had been killed, with casualties still being counted. The Islamist militant group Al Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack, stating they had killed over 10 people. Witness Ali Suleiman described hearing a huge blast followed by gunfire and another explosion. Parts of the Qahira Hotel were reduced to rubble as government troops exchanged fire with the gunmen. Resident Halima Nur noted that gunfire continued intermittently during the ongoing siege.