News from March 28, 2025 at 2 PM

On March 28, 2025, a powerful earthquake in Myanmar caused tremors in Bangkok, leading to the collapse of a 33-storey building under construction in the Chatuchak district. Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt reported three deaths, some rescues, and 83 trapped construction workers. Myanmar declared a state of emergency with local media reporting several deaths. Bangkok City Hall warned of potential aftershocks and is assessing damaged areas. The Stock Exchange of Thailand suspended trading, major malls and the BTS metro closed, and Nissan halted operations in Thailand. Bangkok's airports continued normal operations.

US President Donald Trump has ordered a 25% tariff on imported vehicles and parts, set to take effect on April 3. Germany and Japan have opposed the move and are considering retaliatory measures. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney declared the traditional relationship with the US is over. Experts warn of higher vehicle costs, with Ferrari planning to increase prices for US-bound models. Global stock markets plummeted, with automakers' stocks leading the decline. The American Automotive Policy Council cautioned that tariffs should not raise consumer prices. Trump threatened larger surcharges if Canada and the EU collaborate against the US.

South Korea is facing its largest wildfires in history in the southeastern region, which have burned through 35,810 hectares as of Thursday, killing 27 people and displacing tens of thousands. Experts attribute the rapid spread to strong winds, dry conditions, and dense pine forests, with pine resin intensifying the fires. Climate change and unusually high temperatures have also exacerbated the situation. A 73-year-old firefighting pilot died in a crash, and several firefighters have been killed. Most of the deceased are elderly, facing difficulties in evacuation. Historical relics, including ancient temples, have been destroyed.

A tourist submarine named Sindbad sank near the resort town of Hurghada in the Red Sea, Egypt, killing six passengers, including two children, all of whom were Russian tourists. The incident occurred around 10:00 local time, with 45 passengers and five crew members on board; 39 passengers and all crew were rescued, and nine people were injured, four critically. The cause of the accident remains unclear. The Red Sea governor stated that passengers were from Russia, India, Norway, and Sweden. An investigation is ongoing, with the Association of Tour Operators of Russia suggesting the submarine hit a reef and lost pressure. This marks the second such incident in the Red Sea in about six months.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on March 28 that a national election will be held on May 3, kicking off a five-week campaign primarily focused on cost-of-living pressures. Albanese's Labor Party won a majority in the last federal election in 2022, but recent opinion polls indicate a tight race with the opposition Liberal-National Coalition. During a press conference, Albanese stated that the government has chosen to tackle global challenges in an Australian way—assisting people under cost-of-living pressure while building for the future. He emphasized that due to the strength and resilience of the Australian people, the country is turning a corner, and on May 3, voters will choose the path forward. Earlier, Albanese met with Governor-General Sam Mostyn to seek permission to call the nationwide federal election.

On March 28, 2025, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order targeting the Smithsonian Institution, which operates over 20 museums and research centers. The order directs Vice-President JD Vance to eliminate 'improper, divisive, or anti-American ideology' from the institute's museums, centers, and the National Zoo in Washington. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum is instructed to restore federal properties, including parks, memorials, and statues, that have been 'improperly removed or changed' in the last five years. This move is part of Trump's effort to shape American culture. The order, titled 'Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,' states that Congress should not fund Smithsonian exhibits and programs that 'divide Americans by race.' It criticizes the developing American Women's History Museum for planning to 'recognize men as women' and singles out the National Museum of African American History and Culture for portraying 'hard work,' 'individualism,' and 'the nuclear family' as aspects of 'White culture.' The Smithsonian museums, which offer free entry to 15 to 30 million visitors annually, operate 21 museums in Washington, Virginia, and New York. Additionally, the order instructs the Interior Secretary to complete 'restorations and improvements' to Independence Hall in Philadelphia ahead of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

BBC correspondent Mark Lowen was deported from Istanbul, Turkey, on March 27. Lowen had been reporting on ongoing protests sparked by the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who is charged with corruption but denies the allegations and is seen as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's main political rival. After being detained for 17 hours, Lowen was deported for 'being a threat to public order.' BBC News CEO Deborah Turness expressed concern and vowed to make representations to the Turkish authorities. Human Rights Watch's Turkey director, Emma Sinclair-Webb, expressed shock at the deportation. Protests across Turkey have led to over 1,400 detentions, with protesters claiming Imamoglu's arrest is politically motivated. President Erdogan has labeled the demonstrations 'evil' and blamed the opposition for disturbing the peace. Several journalists, including a photojournalist from Agence France Presse, were arrested but many were released on Thursday. The main opposition party, the Republican People's Party, plans a rally in Istanbul on Saturday.

Britain's King Charles was briefly hospitalized on March 27 due to side effects from cancer treatment. He has been undergoing treatment since being diagnosed with an unspecified form of cancer in February 2024. Buckingham Palace stated that the king had returned to Clarence House and, as a precaution, his engagements for March 28 would be rescheduled. He was scheduled to receive credentials from ambassadors of three nations that day and attend four public engagements in Birmingham the next day, expressing his regret and apologies. A royal source noted that the king's recovery is progressing positively, and he remains in good spirits, continuing to work from his study. His state visit to Italy in April with Queen Camilla is expected to proceed as planned.

On March 27, 2025, a stabbing incident occurred near the central Dam Square in Amsterdam, resulting in five injuries, including two Americans, a Polish man, a Belgian woman, and a Dutch woman, ranging in age from 19 to 73. The suspect, who has been arrested, was subdued with the help of bystanders and taken to the hospital with a leg injury. Police stated that the motive is under investigation and they are considering the possibility of random targeting. Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema said a police investigation is underway, hoping to uncover more details soon. The injured include a 67-year-old American woman, a 69-year-old American man, a 26-year-old Polish man, a 73-year-old Belgian woman, and a 19-year-old Dutch woman. Police received multiple reports of the stabbing just before 15:30 local time and quickly found five injured people in and around Sint Nicolaasstraat in the city center. With the help of bystanders, the suspect was apprehended shortly after the incident, and a large area around the Royal Palace in Dam Square was cordoned off.

Iran has officially responded to US President Donald Trump's letter to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei through the mediation of Oman, according to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. The response was sent yesterday in the appropriate form. Araghchi stated that the reply consists of two documents: one outlining Iran's views on the current geopolitical situation, and the other analyzing and commenting on Trump's remarks. On March 7, Trump proposed negotiations on Tehran's nuclear program on his Truth Social page. In response, Khamenei dismissed the offer, stating that Iran would not engage in dialogue with the US as Washington is solely concerned with its own interests.

On the evening of March 26, the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) confirmed that South Sudan's First Vice President Rick Machar was placed under house arrest in the capital Juba, calling for restraint from all parties. UNMISS head Nicholas Haysom warned that ignoring the conflict resolution agreement could plunge the nation back into war. An official from Machar's opposition group, SPLM-IO, stated that the Defense Minister and National Security Service Director led forces into Machar's residence and issued an arrest warrant. The government forces have yet to respond. Recently, clashes between government troops and the opposition near Juba have raised concerns over deteriorating political and security situations.

On March 27, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem approved the final readings of a Bill granting politicians greater influence in selecting judges. The Bill alters the composition of the nine-member Judges Selection Committee by removing members chosen by the Israel Bar Association and replacing them with representatives selected by the government and opposition. Opposition parties, criticizing the Bill as a blow to a cornerstone of Israeli democracy, boycotted the final vote. Justice Minister Yariv Levin stated that the new law, set to take effect under the next parliament, would ensure a 'balanced and representative' selection committee and prevent the exclusion of worthy candidates due to differing views. However, the measure was denounced by opposition politicians and protesters already不满 with the government over issues ranging from the resurgence of the Gaza war to the recent dismissal of the domestic intelligence chief. Roni Mamluk, attending a protest in Tel Aviv, described it as a critical day where a cornerstone of democracy was turned into a political issue. The Bill passed on March 27 was part of a package of measures that sparked massive protests in Israel in 2023. The government argued that these measures, which would also have curbed the powers of the Supreme Court, were necessary to prevent judicial overreach into parliamentary affairs, but critics viewed them as an attempt to undermine the authority of the justice system.

A spokesperson for the US Armed Forces stated that the Pentagon cannot confirm reports of four US soldiers dying while returning from a military exercise at a training range in Lithuania. The search for the missing soldiers is ongoing. The M88 armored recovery vehicle they were operating has been found submerged in a body of water in the training area. Lithuanian Defense Ministry's Dovile Sakaliene said the search operation would continue through the night.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan emphasized the importance of cooperation with Russia on the Syrian issue in a phone conversation with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on March 28. He stated that Turkey and Russia must collaborate to ensure lasting peace and stability based on Syria's territorial integrity, and work together to eliminate efforts that fuel ethnic and sectarian discrimination aimed at destroying Syria's unity. Erdogan also highlighted the necessity of dismantling the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces operating in northern Syria, which is linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party in Turkey. He stressed that Syria should no longer be a safe haven for terrorist organizations and that Syria's resources should be controlled by the Syrian administration.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban stated during a morning program on Kossuth Radio that EU leaders are preparing for a military conflict with Russia without any justification. He finds these sentiments alarming and ridiculous, reflecting Brussels' own war preparations. Orban dismissed the notion that the Ukrainian conflict could spread across the continent. He emphasized that Hungary remains neutral and will not participate in any conflict. He assured Hungarian families that there is no threat of war, and Hungary will stay on the side of peace.