News from March 30, 2025 at 2 AM

A devastating earthquake in Myanmar has resulted in over 1,600 deaths. The quake flattened much of Mandalay, the country's second-largest city. Rescuers pulled a woman alive from a 12-storey apartment block 30 hours after its collapse. Limited equipment and communication issues are hampering rescue efforts. The UN's OCHA reported severe transport disruptions and shortages of medical supplies. Despite international aid arriving, the worst-hit areas remain underserved. The junta stated that over 1,500 buildings in the Mandalay region were damaged, with power restoration expected to take days. Meanwhile, the junta continues airstrikes against ethnic armed groups, drawing international condemnation.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance visited Greenland on March 27, as President Donald Trump renewed his calls for U.S. control over the semi-autonomous Danish territory. Vance's original plan, which had been opposed by authorities in both Greenland and Denmark, was scaled back. He was expected to visit the U.S. military base at Pituffik in the north of the Arctic island, as per a 1951 agreement allowing the U.S. access with prior notification. Trump's comments sparked anger among some residents in the Greenland capital, Nuuk. Meanwhile, Greenland is set to announce a new government on Friday. Trump stated that both the U.S. and the world need Greenland. The Danish Defense Minister condemned Trump's escalated rhetoric. Russian President Vladimir Putin noted the intensification of geopolitical rivalries in the Arctic and Moscow's enhancement of military capabilities in the region.

The Palestinian militant group Hamas has expressed support for a new ceasefire plan for Gaza that would release five more hostages to Israel in exchange for a 50-day truce. Khalil al-Hayyam, the highest-ranking Hamas leader outside Gaza, stated that the group has approved the draft deal proposed by Egyptian and Qatari mediators. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office confirmed receipt of the plan and submitted a counter-proposal. If agreed upon, the limited ceasefire could align with the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr. These discussions occur amid ongoing Israeli airstrikes across Gaza and a ground operation in Rafah, following the breakdown of a January ceasefire earlier this month. In the first phase of that deal, Hamas released 33 hostages and is believed to still hold 59, though not all are reportedly alive. Hamas had insisted on adhering to the original deal, but negotiations for the second phase never commenced. Israel and the US proposed extending the first phase of the ceasefire, which expired a month ago, without a clear end to the war. Israel accused Hamas of rejecting the extension and resumed its military offensive in Gaza on March 18, resulting in over 900 deaths, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Netanyahu's office stated that the Israeli counter-offer was agreed upon with the US but provided no details. Meanwhile, protesters in Israel accuse Netanyahu and his government of endangering the remaining hostages by breaking the ceasefire. One hostage, Elkana Bohbot, was shown in a new Hamas-posted video pleading for release. The conflict was triggered by Hamas's attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed about 1,200 people and took 251 captives to Gaza. Israel responded with a massive military offensive, resulting in over 50,000 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry.

Hundreds of thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators have taken to the streets of Istanbul, Turkey, in support of jailed Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, seen as the main rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Imamoglu was arrested on corruption charges last week, sparking mass protests. He denies the charges, claiming political motivation. Saturday's protest was so large that it spilled into a neighboring park. The chairman of Imamoglu's Republican People's Party (CHP) read a letter from the jailed mayor, who is in solitary confinement. Imamoglu's wife, Dilek, vowed to continue fighting. Protesters waved Turkish flags and chanted for rights and justice. Imamoglu, mayor since 2019 and a landslide winner in last year's elections, is the CHP's presidential candidate for 2028. Erdogan, in power for over two decades, cannot run for president again after 2028. Mass protests have rocked Turkey since Imamoglu's arrest, with nearly 2,000 people, including journalists, arrested. Erdogan labeled the protests as 'street terrorism' and accused demonstrators of attacking police and damaging property. Concerns remain about Imamoglu receiving a fair trial, while the government denies political motives behind the arrest and insists on the independence of Turkish courts.

American citizen Faye Hall, who was held by the Taliban in Afghanistan for two months, has been released and is set to return home soon, according to former US envoy to Kabul, Zalmay Khalilzad, who announced the news on X. Hall, currently in the care of Qatari officials, was detained along with a British couple in their seventies and their interpreter. The couple ran training programs for women and girls and remained in Afghanistan after the Taliban regained control in 2021. The Afghan authorities have not publicly stated the reason for their arrest. Khalilzad thanked Qatar for its role as a mediator between the US and Afghanistan. Hall is the fourth US citizen released by the Taliban since January following a Qatari-brokered agreement. Days earlier, they freed another American, George Glezmann, who had been held for two years, citing 'humanitarian grounds' and a 'goodwill gesture'. These releases followed high-level direct talks between US officials and the Taliban in Kabul, the first since President Trump's inauguration. Trump's agreement to end the US war in Afghanistan by withdrawing troops within a 14-month deadline was criticized for excluding the Western-backed Afghan government, leading to the Taliban's swift takeover during the chaotic US withdrawal in 2021. The British couple remains in detention, with their daughter appealing for their release due to her father's severe medical issues.

On March 29, 2025, the Red Cross expressed grave concern over the fate of nine Palestine Red Crescent ambulance crew members who have been missing for seven days in the Gaza Strip's Rafah. The organization has had no contact with the crew since they came under heavy fire in the early hours of March 23. The Red Cross emphasized the necessity of information and access to ensure the safe return of these humanitarians to their families. According to U.N. data, at least 1,060 healthcare workers have been killed since Israel launched its offensive in Gaza following Hamas' attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Hamas killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took over 250 hostages. Health authorities in Gaza report that more than 50,000 people have died in the territory, the majority being civilians. The Israeli military stated it strives to minimize civilian harm and questioned the death toll provided by health authorities in the Hamas-controlled area.

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.

On March 28, Israel bombed Beirut for the first time since the fragile four-month-old truce with Hezbollah. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam described the attack as a 'dangerous escalation,' and French President Emmanuel Macron called it an 'unacceptable' violation of the truce. The health ministry reported no casualties from the Beirut strike but stated that Israeli attacks in the south killed five people. This was the second time rockets had been fired at Israel from Lebanon since the November ceasefire, with Hezbollah denying involvement both times. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that 'the equation has changed' and that Israel would enforce the ceasefire with force against any threat. The attack marked the first in Beirut's southern suburbs since the ceasefire, following a military warning for residents to evacuate. The strike targeted a Hezbollah site used to store UAVs. Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported that Israel also bombarded around a dozen areas in the south, killing three people in Kfar Tebnit near Nabatieh and two in nearby Yohmor.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his fiancee, journalist Lauren Sanchez, are set to wed in Venice at the end of June. On March 29, Venice authorities issued a statement dispelling rumors of large-scale disruptions, emphasizing that only 200 guests will be invited, ensuring no disturbance to the city. The authorities noted that wedding planners have not booked an excessive number of gondolas or water taxis, aiming to maintain normal city operations. Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro welcomed the couple's decision, highlighting the expected million-dollar economic impact, while also stressing the need to respect the city's fragility and uniqueness.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has confirmed his plan to visit Russia in May to participate in the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War. He stated this at a press conference following his state visit to Vietnam. Lula also mentioned his intention to discuss the potential peaceful settlement in Ukraine with Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit. He emphasized that he will address the issue of peace in Ukraine during his visits to both Russia and China, with Brazil and China expecting the start of the negotiation process between Russia and Ukraine.

According to the rebel-controlled Al Masirah TV channel, the United States has launched at least 14 strikes on Yemen's Saada governorate. The attacks resulted in one civilian death and four injuries in Saada. Additionally, Yemen's capital, Sana’a, has been shelled and attacked at least eight times. Over the past two days, the US military has conducted 72 strikes on Sana’a, as well as the governorates of Amran, Saada, Al-Jawf, Marib, and Hodeidah.