News from March 12, 2025 at 2 AM

On March 11, the Philippine President's Office announced that former President Rodrigo Duterte was detained at Manila International Airport upon his return from abroad, following an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Duterte's anti-drug campaign during his tenure sparked controversy, leading to a preliminary investigation by the ICC in 2018 and a formal investigation in 2021. The Philippine government stated it would cooperate with the ICC. Duterte questioned the legality of his detention, drawing widespread attention in the Philippines. According to ICC procedures, suspects are typically transferred to The Hague for trial. Duterte's detention could impact Philippine politics, especially with midterm elections approaching soon.

On October 10, an oil tanker and a cargo ship collided in the North Sea east of East Yorkshire, UK. The UK Coast Guard reported that 36 crew members were rescued, while one remains missing. The involved vessels are the US-military chartered 'Stena Perfect' oil tanker and the Portuguese-flagged 'Goodbye' container ship. Heavy fog and low visibility prevailed at the time of the incident. The collision caused both ships to catch fire and explode, prompting some crew members to abandon ship. As of the morning of October 11, rescue teams were still working to extinguish the fires. The incident may have a significant impact on the North Sea's ecosystem, with aviation fuel leaking from the tanker and toxic chemicals in the cargo ship's containers. The cause of the accident is under investigation, and the UK Prime Minister's Office stated it will continue to monitor the situation.

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.

The UN human rights office reported that entire families, including women and children, were killed in recent violence in Syria's coastal region. The UN has verified the killing of 111 civilians since last Thursday, but the actual figure is believed to be significantly higher. Many cases were summary executions, predominantly targeting Alawite areas. Gunmen supporting the Sunni Islamist-led government are accused of carrying out revenge killings. A monitoring group reported over 1,200 civilian deaths in Latakia, Tatous, Hama, and Homs provinces, mostly Alawites. Syria's interim President promised to form an independent investigative committee. This violence was the worst since Assad's overthrow in December. Security forces launched an operation in the coastal town of Jableh, leading to escalating violence.

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.

The office of Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa announced that the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have joined the security forces of Syria's new authorities. The relevant agreement was signed during a meeting between al-Sharaa and SDF commander Mazloum Abdi. The document stipulates that all civilian and military facilities in northeastern Syria will be integrated into the centralized state administration system controlled by the authorities in Damascus, including all checkpoints in Kurdish territories, an airport, and oil and gas fields. Additionally, the agreement envisages a ceasefire across Syria and guarantees the Kurdish population all constitutional rights, including citizenship. In return, the Kurds pledge to support the new Syrian authorities in their fight against supporters of former President Bashar Assad and other threats to Syria's security and unity. The agreement is set to be implemented by the end of this year. A national dialogue conference was held in Damascus on February 24-25, attended by over 600 delegates from various regions, but no representatives from the Kurdish autonomy or the SDF were invited. They criticized the conference and stated they would not implement its resolutions. On February 27, Mazloum Abdi announced that the Kurds would organize their own national dialogue on the country's future. Kurdish units control approximately 25% of Syria's territory, including significant parts of Raqqa and al-Hassakah governorates and northeastern parts of Deir ez-Zor governorate, where oil fields are located. Since 2015, the United States has established at least nine military bases in SDF-controlled territories.

On March 11, 2025, the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, D.C., passed a six-month temporary funding bill to prevent a government shutdown at the end of the week. The bill was approved by a vote of 217 to 213, with all Republicans except Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky supporting the continuing resolution, and one Democrat voting in favor. The measure now moves to the Senate, where its fate is uncertain. Republicans hold 53 seats, and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., has firmly opposed it, meaning at least eight Democratic senators would need to support the bill to reach the Senate's 60-vote threshold and send it to President Donald Trump for signing. The government is set to run out of money late Friday. Senate Democrats criticized the partisan approach of House Republicans on the funding bill ahead of the vote, but a significant number remained open to supporting it. House Democratic leaders strongly objected to the bill, arguing it gives the Trump administration too much discretion in spending certain funds.

The US Department of Education announced on March 11 that it would lay off nearly half of its staff to meet President Donald Trump's March 13 deadline for submitting plans for a second round of mass layoffs. Affected employees will be placed on administrative leave starting March 21. Education Secretary Linda McMahon stated that the reductions would enhance efficiency and accountability. The union representing over 2,800 education department workers vowed to fight the 'draconian cuts.' Other agencies, including the Office of Personnel Management, Social Security Administration, and Department of Health and Human Services, are offering early retirement programs with lump-sum payments up to $25,000 to meet the deadline. The Trump administration has faced numerous lawsuits following its initial wave of mass layoffs.

Argentine football legend Diego Maradona died of a heart attack at his home in 2020 at the age of 60, while recovering from surgery for a brain blood clot. Prosecutors allege medical negligence by his treatment team, claiming his death could have been prevented. The defendants argue Maradona refused further treatment and should have stayed longer in the hospital post-surgery. They face 8 to 25 years in prison if convicted of 'homicide with possible intent'. The prosecution plans to submit solid evidence that the team failed to fulfill their duties. Investigators have classified the case as culpable homicide. Over 100 witnesses will testify in the trial, expected to last until July.

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.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that it is 'unacceptable' for the US to issue orders and make threats. On March 11, Iranian state media reported that Pezeshkian declared Iran would not negotiate with the US under threat, telling President Donald Trump to 'do whatever the hell you want.' Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also said on March 8 that Tehran would not be bullied into negotiations. While expressing openness to a new nuclear deal with Tehran, Trump has reinstated his 'maximum pressure' campaign to isolate Iran economically and reduce its oil exports. In a Fox Business interview last week, Trump mentioned two ways to handle Iran: militarily or through a deal to prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons. Iran has consistently denied seeking nuclear weapons, but the IAEA has warned that Iran is significantly accelerating uranium enrichment to 60% purity, close to weapons-grade levels. Iran has accelerated its nuclear work since 2019, a year after Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear pact with six world powers and reimposed sanctions that have crippled the country's economy.

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.

On March 11, the European Commission proposed allowing member countries to establish 'return hubs' in non-EU countries to address the issue of deporting rejected asylum seekers. The plan aims to create unified deportation regulations across the EU to ensure rejected migrants leave. Despite a 38% drop in illegal EU entries in 2024, the proposal has faced criticism from rights groups, arguing it could lead to human rights violations. Eve Geddie of Amnesty International stated it compromises to anti-human rights governments. The proposal also permits member states to detain individuals posing a security risk for up to two years.