News from March 1, 2025 at 2 PM

On the 28th local time, US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had a heated争吵 at the White House, leading to Zelensky's early departure. The planned joint press conference was canceled. Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said Zelensky received a 'severe blow' during the meeting, while Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova noted that Trump and Vice President Pence restrained themselves during the争吵. Trump criticized Zelensky on social media for not being ready to achieve peace, while Zelensky thanked the US for its support and emphasized Ukraine's need for justice and lasting peace.

Pope Francis, 88, has been hospitalized at Rome's Gemelli Hospital for two weeks since being admitted on Feb 14 with a severe respiratory infection. On Feb 28, he experienced an 'isolated breathing crisis,' marking a setback in his recovery. Despite receiving non-invasive mechanical ventilation, he remained alert and well-oriented. Previously, the Vatican had reported slight improvements in his condition. Doctors are evaluating the impact of this episode on his clinical status. The Vatican announced that Francis will not lead the annual Church service next week. Nonetheless, he continues to oversee Vatican affairs from the hospital.

The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has declared a ceasefire with Turkey and called for its dissolution following an appeal by its jailed leader Abdullah Ocalan. Ocalan, who has been in solitary confinement since 1999, urged an end to the four-decade armed struggle in southeastern Turkey this week. The ceasefire announcement follows an initiative by Devlet Bahceli, leader of Turkey's ultra-nationalist MHP party, to end the conflict. Ocalan met with pro-Kurdish MPs on Imrali Island in the Sea of Marmara. The PKK executive committee stated that no armed action would be taken unless attacked. The PKK, which has waged an insurgency since 1984 for a Kurdish homeland, is designated as a terrorist group by Turkey, the EU, UK, and US.

A Hamas spokesman stated that there are currently no talks for a second phase of the ceasefire in Gaza. The first phase of the Israel-Hamas truce is set to end on March 1, but negotiations on the next stage, aimed at securing a permanent ceasefire, have been inconclusive. The ceasefire, which took effect on January 19, ended over 15 months of conflict sparked by Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. During the initial six-week phase, Gaza militants released 25 living hostages and the bodies of eight others in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. The second phase was supposed to secure the release of dozens more hostages, but Israel has been accused of delaying the process. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged all parties to spare no effort to avoid a breakdown of the deal, as the war has caused significant civilian casualties and infrastructure damage in Gaza.

The Russian Foreign Ministry announced on February 28 the appointment of Alexander Darchiev as the new ambassador to the United States, filling a position that has been vacant since last year. The appointment followed talks between the US and Russia in Istanbul, Turkey. During the talks, Russia proposed resuming direct flights between the two countries, a suggestion made in the context of the US and Europe halting flights and imposing sanctions on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The Russian Foreign Ministry did not disclose the US response, but Russian airline stocks rose by 3.8%. The two countries also discussed resolving outstanding issues left by the previous US administration, ensuring unimpeded funding for their embassies and normal diplomatic work. The US Department of State stated that the Istanbul talks covered embassy staffing and visa issues. Prior to the Istanbul meeting, US President Trump and Russian President Putin had a phone call on February 12, followed by a meeting between the US and Russian foreign ministers in Saudi Arabia on February 18.

The U.S. State Department approved the potential sale of nearly $3 billion worth of bombs, demolition kits, and other weaponry to Israel on Friday, as announced by the Pentagon. The emergency notification to Congress bypassed the usual review process. The sale includes 35,529 general-purpose bomb bodies and 4,000 bunker-busting bombs by General Dynamics, with some possibly delivered immediately. A second package, valued at $675 million, consists of five thousand 1,000-pound bombs and guidance kits, expected in 2028. A third notification involves $295 million worth of Caterpillar D9 bulldozers. This marks the second emergency arms sale approval to Israel by the Trump administration this month, a practice also used by the Biden administration. On Monday, the Trump administration rescinded a Biden-era order requiring reporting on potential international law violations involving U.S.-supplied weapons, and significantly reduced U.S. humanitarian aid. Last month's ceasefire between Israel and Hamas ended 15 months of fighting but mutual accusations of ceasefire violations have cast doubts on the second phase of the deal.

Romania's Justice Minister Radu Marinescu has called for a public explanation regarding why controversial social media influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate were allowed to leave the country. The brothers, currently facing charges including human trafficking in Romania, had been under a travel ban for over two years before it was lifted, enabling them to fly to the US. Marinescu has asked the special prosecution service, Dilcot, to conduct necessary investigations. Andrew, 38, and Tristan, 36, strongly deny the allegations against them. The dual US-UK citizens were first arrested in Romania in 2022, accused of human trafficking, forming an organized group to sexually exploit women, and Andrew also faces rape charges. In the US, they face a civil case alleging coercion into sex work and defamation. They also face separate charges in the UK. After several months under house arrest in Romania, prosecutors lifted the travel ban and returned their US passports on Thursday, despite ongoing investigations and an expectation to return. Their departure has sparked concerns about potential political pressure from the Trump administration. The justice minister warned of pre-trial detention if they fail to return, hinting at extradition mechanisms between the US and Romania. This comes amid public concern in Romania about unequal treatment under the law for the rich and influential versus ordinary citizens.

Microsoft announced on Friday that Skype, the 21-year-old calling and messaging service, will shut down on May 5, encouraging users to migrate to its free Teams app. Skype gained popularity in the 2000s for offering free calls, but struggled in the mobile era and did not see a major resurgence during the pandemic. Jeff Teper, president of Microsoft 365 collaborative apps and platforms, said Skype's learnings have been integrated into Teams, and focusing on Teams will drive faster innovation. Over the next few days, users will be able to sign in to Teams with Skype credentials, with contacts and chats transferring over. Launched in Estonia in 2003, Skype was acquired by eBay for $2.6 billion in 2005 and by Microsoft for $8.5 billion in 2011. In 2023, Skype had 36 million daily active users, down from 40 million in March 2020.

President Donald Trump has announced he will grant a full pardon to baseball legend Pete Rose, who holds the record for the most hits in baseball history but was banned from the sport by Major League Baseball (MLB) for gambling on games as a player and manager. Trump stated on his social media platform that he would sign a “complete pardon” for Rose in the coming weeks, noting that Rose “shouldn’t have been gambling on baseball, but only bet on HIS TEAM WINNING.” Rose, who died in 2024 at the age of 83, was sentenced to five months in federal prison in 1990 for filing false income tax returns. He was banned from baseball in 1989 while managing the Cincinnati Reds and subsequently declared ineligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame. Despite initially denying it, Rose later admitted to regularly betting on baseball. Trump’s pardon does not extend to the Hall of Fame’s rules or the baseball writers association and committees that select its inductees.

On March 1, mass rallies both in support of and against the impeachment of South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol took place in Seoul. Conservative and religious organizations held a pro-president rally in downtown Seoul, with an estimated 60,000 participants according to unofficial police estimates. Another rally organized by conservative circles in the Yeouido District attracted around 28,000 people. A third rally demanding Yoon's removal from power began near the Constitutional Court at 2:00 p.m. local time, with a larger protest led by five opposition parties expected to draw 100,000 participants. The Constitutional Court held the final hearings in Yoon's impeachment case earlier this week, with a verdict expected by mid-March. A Gallup Korea poll released on Friday showed 59% of respondents support the impeachment, while 35% oppose it.