News from March 29, 2025 at 2 PM

On March 28, an earthquake with a magnitude ranging from 7.7 to 7.9 struck Myanmar, followed by a 6.4 magnitude aftershock. The disaster has resulted in 144 deaths and 732 injuries. Myanmar's Prime Minister Min Aung Hlaing stated that the country is ready to accept aid from any nation and has accepted offers from India and ASEAN. In a televised address, he urged foreign countries to provide assistance and warned that the death toll could still rise. Thailand was also affected by the earthquake, with at least eight deaths and over 110 missing in Bangkok, where residents of multi-story apartment buildings were evacuated.

On March 28, 2025, US Vice-President JD Vance visited Greenland, accusing Denmark of failing to adequately protect the island from alleged incursions by China and Russia. He urged Greenlanders to sever ties with Denmark, which has controlled the territory for over 300 years, assuring that the US would not use military force to take the island. A majority of Greenlanders oppose annexation, and both Greenland's prime minister and Denmark's King Frederik rejected the US plan. Vance pledged increased US investment in Greenland but no immediate expansion of military presence. President Donald Trump emphasized Greenland's importance for international security, while Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen countered that Denmark has boosted defense spending and is ready to cooperate with the US.

On March 29, tens of thousands gathered in Istanbul to protest the arrest of Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, President Tayyip Erdogan's main rival. Nationwide, hundreds of thousands have taken to the streets since Imamoglu's detention last week on graft charges. The protests have been mostly peaceful, but nearly 2,000 people have been detained. The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), other opposition parties, rights groups, and Western powers argue the case is a politicized effort to eliminate a potential electoral threat to Erdogan. The government denies judicial influence, claiming court independence. On March 23, the CHP endorsed Imamoglu as their presidential candidate, calling for early elections. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya reported nearly 1,900 detentions since the protests began, with 260 jailed pending trial. Erdogan dismissed the protests as a 'show' and warned of legal consequences. Imamoglu's arrest has caused financial turmoil in Turkey.

Elon Musk's xAI artificial intelligence firm has acquired his social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, for US$33 billion (approximately S$44 billion). The all-stock deal, announced on March 28, consolidates two of Musk's major companies, including automaker Tesla and SpaceX, potentially aiding his ability to train the AI model known as Grok. With US$12 billion in debt, the deal is valued at US$45 billion. Musk announced the transaction on X, stating the combined entity would be worth US$80 billion. The specifics of the deal, such as investor approval and compensation, remain unclear. Musk has also consolidated power in Washington, DC, by overseeing cost-cutting efforts under the Trump administration. His xAI startup, launched less than two years ago, recently raised US$6 billion, valuing the company at US$40 billion. In February, Musk's US$97.4 billion bid for OpenAI was rejected. xAI is expanding its data center capacity, with its supercomputer cluster in Memphis, Tennessee, claimed to be the world's largest. On March 28, a US judge rejected Musk's bid to dismiss a lawsuit alleging he defrauded former Twitter shareholders.

King Charles III was briefly hospitalized on Thursday due to temporary side effects from cancer treatment, Buckingham Palace announced. He returned to Clarence House to continue working on state papers. The King cancelled his planned tour of Birmingham on Friday, following medical advice. The palace first disclosed his cancer diagnosis in February 2024. Thursday's meetings with three ambassadors were also affected. The palace expressed the King's disappointment at missing the Birmingham engagements, hoping they can be rescheduled. The incident was described as a minor setback amid an otherwise positive health outlook. Queen Camilla attended an event in north London and did not join the King at the hospital.

The Palestine Red Crescent Society earlier stated that the fate of nine doctors detained by Israeli troops remained unknown. Hamas announced in a Telegram statement that the bodies of several missing medical workers were found in southern Gaza, lying next to destroyed ambulance vehicles. They were killed after entering the Tel al-Sultan neighborhood in Rafah during an Israeli bombardment. The Red Crescent had previously accused the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) of attacking an ambulance and illegally detaining doctors, losing contact with four medical teams heading to Rafah. On March 18, the Israeli military resumed operations in Gaza, conducting intensive strikes. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office cited Hamas's rejection of mediator and US Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff's proposals as the reason. The Israeli authorities aim to secure the release of all hostages in Gaza, while Hamas blames Israel and the US for the resumption of military activities.

The Federal Aviation Administration will investigate a near-miss incident that occurred on Friday between a Delta Air Lines flight and a U.S. Air Force jet near Reagan Washington National Airport. This follows a mid-air collision on January 29 near the same airport involving a passenger jet and a U.S. Army helicopter, which resulted in 67 deaths, marking the first deadly U.S. passenger airline crash in 16 years. A series of troubling near-miss incidents over the past two years has raised concerns about U.S. aviation safety and the strain on understaffed air traffic control operations. On Friday afternoon, Delta Flight 2389, an Airbus A319 bound for Minneapolis, received a cockpit collision warning as it was cleared for takeoff around 3:15 p.m. ET, while four U.S. Air Force T-38 Talons were inbound to nearby Arlington National Cemetery for a flyover. Air traffic controllers issued corrective instructions to both aircraft. Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota called the incident 'unbelievably dangerous' and thanked God for no casualties. The Pentagon is aware of the reports but has not commented yet. Delta Air Lines, with five crew members and 131 passengers on board, stated that the flight crew followed procedures to maneuver the aircraft as instructed and will cooperate with regulators in any review. The January collision raised questions about the military's failure to use the key safety system ADS-B on helicopter training flights. The FAA has since imposed permanent restrictions on non-essential helicopter operations around Reagan and barred helicopters and passenger jets from flying near each other.

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.

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.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Friday that the large law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom has agreed to provide at least $100 million in pro bono legal services during the Trump administration and take other steps aligned with the president's concerns about hiring. The agreement, seen as a form of 'settlement,' prevents Skadden, Arps from becoming the sixth elite law firm targeted by a Trump executive order imposing various penalties. The deal came five days after Trump advisor Elon Musk tweeted, 'Skadden, this needs to stop now,' in response to a social media post by Dinesh D'Souza. Previously, Trump rescinded an executive order against the law firm Paul, Weiss after it agreed to perform $40 million worth of pro bono legal work for causes supported by the president. Earlier on Friday, law firms WilmerHale and Jenner & Block filed federal lawsuits against the Trump administration over the executive orders targeting them. Earlier this month, Perkins Coie sued the administration over a similar order. Skadden, Arps Executive Partner Jeremy London stated that the agreement is in the best interests of their clients, people, and the firm.

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.

On March 28, 2025, CoreWeave Inc. debuted on the Nasdaq but underperformed, closing at $40, with a market cap similar to its private valuation a year ago. The IPO coincided with a 2.7% drop in the Nasdaq, which has fallen over 10% in 2025. President Donald Trump's tariffs and government spending cuts have fueled market concerns, worsening consumer sentiment. Despite CoreWeave's 700% revenue growth last year, its reliance on Microsoft for over 60% of sales and a net loss of $863 million, coupled with $8 billion in debt, raised market doubts. Other tech companies like Hinge Health and Klarna are also awaiting their market debuts.