News from March 15, 2025 at 2 AM

US President Donald Trump praised the talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the US-proposed ceasefire deal in Ukraine as 'good and productive'. Following a meeting between Putin and US envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow, the Kremlin expressed 'cautious optimism' about the peace process. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Putin of trying to prolong talks to continue the war, while UK PM Sir Keir Starmer insisted Putin could not be allowed to 'play games' with ceasefire proposals. Ukraine has accepted the US-proposed ceasefire, but Russia has yet to agree. Putin set tough conditions for peace, which Zelensky labeled 'manipulative'. Zelensky criticized Putin for sabotaging diplomacy. Sir Keir will host a video call to advance a peacekeeping mission. The White House believes the sides have 'never been this close to peace'. Trump urged Putin to spare Ukrainian troops, while Ukraine denied its forces were encircled. G7 members in Quebec supported the US ceasefire proposal and called for a ceasefire with 'no conditions'.

The U.S. Senate was poised on Friday to pass a stopgap spending bill to avert a partial government shutdown, after Democrats conceded in a standoff fueled by anger over President Donald Trump's campaign to reduce the federal workforce. The Republican-controlled House of Representatives had earlier passed the measure, which maintains spending at approximately $6.75 trillion for the fiscal year ending September 30. Democrats expressed frustration with the bill, which would cut spending by about $7 billion and fails to halt Trump's initiative, led by Elon Musk, to curtail congressionally mandated spending and eliminate tens of thousands of jobs. These actions coincide with Trump's ongoing trade war with key U.S. allies, which has triggered a significant stock market sell-off and heightened recession fears. Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer, despite his dislike for the bill, stated that the consequences of a government shutdown would be a worse option. Democratic senators struggled with whether to block the bill in protest of its spending priorities or risk government shutdown. Republicans, holding a majority in both chambers, did not view Democratic threats to vote against the measure as serious. Post-shutdown negotiations, Republicans plan to focus on extending and expanding Trump's 2017 tax cuts, boosting border security funding, and cutting other spending, which Democrats warn could endanger the Medicaid program. They also need to raise the debt ceiling by spring or summer to avoid a catastrophic default on the federal government's nearly $36.6 trillion debt.

According to CNN, former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte attended his first hearing at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague via video link on September 14. Duterte, located in the ICC detention center, briefly confirmed his identity. Presiding Judge Motosuke informed him of the charges of murder, constituting crimes against humanity, allegedly committed in the Philippines between November 1, 2011, and March 16, 2019. Duterte's lawyer claimed he was kidnapped and unable to participate due to health issues, but court doctors deemed him fit. His daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, arrived at the ICC to support him and requested a postponement of the hearing, which was denied. Under ICC rules, suspects can request temporary release or challenge prosecutorial evidence, with the trial process potentially lasting months or years.

US influencer Sam Jones faced widespread criticism after being filmed taking a wild baby wombat from its mother in Australia. The video shows Jones picking up the joey by the roadside and running to a car, with the mother in pursuit. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese strongly condemned the act. Jones apologized on Instagram, claiming she intended to keep the animals safe. She also criticized Australia's animal culling laws. The incident sparked outrage, leading Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke to consider revoking her visa, though Jones reportedly left the country voluntarily. Jones, who goes by Samantha Strable, has nearly 95,000 Instagram followers and describes herself as an outdoor enthusiast and hunter.

On March 11, Palestinians passed by the rubble of destroyed houses in Gaza City. On March 14, Hamas announced that it had received a proposal from mediators to restart Gaza ceasefire negotiations and had agreed to it. Hamas also stated that it agreed to release Mr. Edan Alexander, an Israeli American hostage, and will release the bodies of four other hostages.

On March 13, United Nations experts released a report accusing Israel of systematically destroying Palestinian women's healthcare facilities during the Gaza conflict and using sexual violence as a war strategy, constituting genocidal acts. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the report as biased and antisemitic. The report stated that Israeli authorities partially destroyed the reproductive capacity of Palestinians in Gaza, leading to a surge in maternal deaths, amounting to crimes against humanity. It also accused Israeli forces of using forced public stripping and sexual assault against Palestinians following the Hamas-led attacks in October 2023. Israel denied the accusations, emphasizing that the IDF has clear directives prohibiting such misconduct. In January, the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to prevent acts of genocide, and South Africa has filed a genocide case against Israel at the court.

An American Airlines Boeing 737-800 flight made an emergency landing at Denver International Airport in Colorado on March 13 and caught fire, prompting the evacuation of 178 people on board. The plane, originally scheduled to fly from Colorado Springs Airport to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, diverted due to engine vibrations. The engine caught fire upon landing, resulting in 12 people sustaining minor injuries and being hospitalized. Passengers evacuated through emergency exits, and the fire has been extinguished with flight operations resuming normally. The FAA will investigate the incident.

Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa signed a constitutional declaration for a five-year transitional period on March 14, 2025. The declaration designates Islam as the president's religion and Islamic jurisprudence as the main source of legislation, while ensuring separation of powers, judicial independence, women's rights, and freedom of expression. UN special envoy Geir Pedersen welcomed the move, but the Kurdish-led administration in northeastern Syria criticized it for contradicting Syria's diversity. In January, rebel commanders named Sharaa president, abolished the 2012 Assad-era constitution, and dissolved former regime institutions. Last week, gunmen supporting Sharaa were accused of revenge killings against Assad's Alawite sect in the western coastal region, resulting in nearly 1,500 civilian deaths. UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that Syria's future remains uncertain.

The United Nations has reported that Iran is using drones and intrusive digital technology to suppress dissent, particularly targeting women who refuse to comply with the Islamic republic's strict dress code. Investigators say Iranian security officials are encouraging people to use specialized phone apps to report women for alleged dress code violations in private vehicles. The report highlights the increasing use of drones and security cameras to monitor hijab compliance in Tehran and southern Iran. Women who defy the laws face severe consequences, including arrest, beating, and even rape in custody. The report also mentions the death in custody of Mahsa Amini in 2022, which sparked ongoing protests. Facial recognition software has been installed at Amirkabir University in Tehran, and surveillance cameras on major roads are used to find women not wearing the hijab. The report will be presented to the Human Rights Council on March 18.

The U.K.'s economy unexpectedly contracted by 0.1% month-on-month in January, according to official figures from the Office for National Statistics, primarily due to a contraction in the production sector. Economists polled by Reuters had anticipated a 0.1% GDP growth. Following the data release, the British pound fell by around 0.15% against the dollar to $1.293. Yields on 20-year and 30-year U.K. government bonds rose by 2 and 4 basis points, respectively. Service sector output increased by 0.1% month-on-month in January but slowed from December's 0.4% rise; production output fell by 0.9%, and construction output declined by 0.2%. Last month's data showed a 0.1% GDP growth in the fourth quarter, beating expectations. The U.K. Treasury's 'Spring Statement' on March 26 will provide an update on economic plans. Markets expect the Bank of England to keep rates steady at 4.5% next week. The impact of U.S. President Donald Trump's trade tariffs on the U.K. economy is already evident.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is set to announce a cabinet reshuffle in the coming days amid mass protests over a deadly 2023 train crash. Finance Minister Kostis Hatzidakis and Transport Minister Christos Staikouras are expected to step down. The reshuffle, anticipated by Saturday, follows widespread demonstrations by hundreds of thousands demanding justice for Greece's worst rail disaster, which killed 57 people, mostly students. The largest protest in years has shaken Mitsotakis' center-right government, which has seen declining poll numbers and narrowly survived a no-confidence vote last week. Despite promising railway reforms after the 2023 crash, progress has been slow. A state inquiry last month revealed that safety gaps remain unaddressed two years later, and no convictions have been made. A separate judicial investigation is ongoing and expected to conclude this year.

On March 14, 2025, a 79-year-old British man, Edgar Charles Frederick, was killed in a hit-and-run incident involving a vehicle in the motorcade of Kenyan President William Ruto on Ngong Road in Nairobi, Kenya. The driver was detained by police but later released on bail. Police spokesman Michael Muchiri stated that Frederick was visiting Kenya to see his sister and nephew. The victim's family has been informed, and a post-mortem is expected to be conducted on Friday. The incident has sparked outrage on social media, with some questioning the size and speed of the convoy. The UK High Commission said it was aware of the reports and seeking further information.

Polish President Andrzej Duda calls on the United States to deploy nuclear weapons in Poland, discussing the issue with US President Donald Trump's special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg. Duda stated that since NATO's borders moved east in 1999, NATO infrastructure should also shift east 26 years later, believing it would be safer if those weapons were in Poland. In 2022, Duda proposed a similar initiative to the Joe Biden administration, but it failed. Previously, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Poland should seek access to nuclear and other non-conventional weapons, including participating in French President Emmanuel Macron's nuclear umbrella initiative. Poland will hold presidential elections in May, with Duda, who has served two terms and is ineligible to run again, being replaced by his party's nominee, Karol Nawrocki.

The European Parliament is embroiled in a bribery scandal, with Belgian and Portuguese police detaining suspects accused of lobbying for Chinese tech giant Huawei. None of those detained are EU parliamentarians. On Thursday, about 100 police officers conducted 21 raids in Belgium and Portugal, investigating Huawei's activities in Brussels since 2021. Suspicions include Huawei lobbyists bribing MEPs with football tickets, luxury goods, and expensive trips to China. Fifteen former and current MEPs are under scrutiny. Huawei has stated a zero-tolerance policy on corruption and pledged to cooperate with the investigation. This case echoes the 'Qatar Gate' scandal that hit the EU Parliament over two years ago.