ACTUAL NEWS: Tuesday, March 18th 2025 Recap
- Olga Nesterova
- Mar 18
- 10 min read
"Today in History" and the Latest National and Global News
QUICK HITS
Schumer responds to criticism: "Here’s what I say - I’m the best leader for the Senate. I am the best at winning Senate seats"
Q: Can you guarantee there's not gonna be a recession?
Bessent: I can't guarantee anything. I can't guarantee that the journalist who asked me the question that her news program is gonna be on in a year.
Chief Justice Roberts rebukes Trump for his call to impeach judges who rule against him:
“For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision. The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose.” Roberts said in a statement.
TRUMP-PUTIN CALL
Kremlin Readout (summarized)
President Putin informed President Trump that on Wednesday, Russia and Ukraine will conduct a prisoner exchange following a 175-for-175 formula
Putin told Trump that Ukraine must halt mobilization and the rearmament of its Armed Forces in the event of a ceasefire.
The key conditions for preventing escalation should be the complete cessation of foreign military aid and the provision of intelligence to Kyiv.
Russia will continue massing troops near Ukraine's borders.
Putin supported Trump’s idea of a mutual 30-day halt ONLY on strikes against energy infrastructure by Russia and Ukraine and has given the order to the military
He is ready to work with American partners on exploring possible ways to resolve the war and will establish expert group
White House Readout
Trump Statement
More from Kremlin via RIA News:
KREMLIN CALLED COMPLETE END OF FOREIGN MILITARY AID AND INTELLIGENCE TO Kyiv THE KEY CONDITION FOR RESOLVING THE CONFLICT IN UKRAINE PEACEFULLY
PUTIN CONFIRMED TO TRUMP THAT THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION WILL GUARANTEED THE LIFE OF UKRAINIAN SOLDIERS IN THE EVENT OF SURRENDERING - KREMLIN
"Donald Trump supported Vladimir Putin's idea to organize hockey matches in the United States and Russia between Russian and American players playing in the NHL and KHL," the statement said.
"The joint vote of Russia and the United States in the UN on the resolution regarding the Ukrainian conflict is a positive example of cooperation between the countries, the Kremlin press service said."
"The leaders also discussed the need to stop the spread of strategic weapons and will work with other countries to ensure that these measures are applied as broadly as possible," the document states.
It is also noted that both leaders expressed a common view that "Iran should not be in a position to allow the destruction of Israel." So Russia is publicly going against Iran despite helping Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah reg. Israel.
Summary credit: (RIA): Olga Lautman
TODAY IN HISTORY
1766: The British Parliament repealed the Stamp Act of 1765 after violent protests from American colonists, including a group known as the Sons of Liberty.
1871: The Commune of Paris, an insurrection of Parisians against the French government, began and lasted until May 28.
1902: Italian operatic tenor Enrico Caruso, one of the first musicians to document his voice on the gramophone, made his first phonograph recording.
1906: The first monoplane, constructed by Romanian inventor Trajan Vuia, made a flight of 12 meters (40 feet).
1965: Soviet cosmonaut Aleksei Leonov, after passing through an airlock on the spacecraft Voskhod 2, became the first man to walk in space.
1974: Seven member countries of OPEC lifted a five-month oil embargo against the United States.
1990: In what was considered the world's biggest art heist, two men pretending to be police officers stole 13 works, including paintings by Rembrandt and Johannes Vermeer, from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston; the stolen art was never recovered.
2000: Chen Shui-bian, a leader of the pro-independence movement that sought statehood for the Republic of China (Taiwan), was elected president of Taiwan, breaking the Nationalist Party's 55-year rule.
2012: Tongan King Tupou V died and was succeeded by his younger brother, Crown Prince Lavaka, who took the name Tupou VI.
QUICK ACTUAL NEWS
NATIONAL
The Trump administration plans to dismantle the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) scientific research division, potentially terminating up to 1,155 chemists, biologists, and other scientists.
Following a standoff involving police, Elon Musk’s DOGE team entered the headquarters of the U.S. Institute of Peace—an independent government agency—and forcibly removed its officials.
The Department of Veterans Affairs has suspended most transgender medical treatments, citing an executive order issued by President Trump.
President Trump has privately advised auto industry executives to brace for operations under new tariffs, signaling potential trade policy shifts.
The Trump administration has requested information from 20 prominent law firms regarding their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) hiring practices, suggesting such policies may have discriminated against white candidates.
Elon Musk’s satellite internet service, Starlink, is now accessible throughout the White House complex, expanding its federal integration.
U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts issued a rare rebuke of President Trump on Tuesday after Trump suggested impeachment as a way to resolve a judicial dispute. “For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision. The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose,” Roberts stated.
The Trump administration has ordered the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to remove a 2024 advisory from the former U.S. surgeon general that classified gun violence as a public health crisis.
Starting Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will accept applications from farmers seeking economic relief due to low commodity prices. The aid was approved by Congress last year, an agency official confirmed.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) unveiled a series of actions on Tuesday aimed at ensuring the safety, quality, nutritional adequacy, and resilience of the domestic infant formula supply.
The U.S. Justice Department has directed certain national security lawyers to urgently review records related to the assassination of former President John F. Kennedy, which are set for release on Tuesday, according to an email obtained by Reuters.
For the first time, the Trump administration has admitted in court filings that it fired nearly 25,000 recently hired federal workers. The administration stated that agencies are now working to reinstate them after a judge ruled their terminations were likely unlawful.
GLOBAL
Taiwan will strengthen military cooperation with the United States, including intelligence sharing and joint tabletop exercises, the island’s defense ministry announced in a report on Tuesday. The move comes amid escalating military threats from China.
Chinese state media warned that U.S. tariffs would severely damage the American economy, as other countries retaliate with high tariffs on U.S. goods. The report left the door open for further measures from Beijing as another wave of levies approaches.
On April 2, the Trump administration will present trading partners with proposed U.S. tariff rates based on their own tariffs, non-tariff trade barriers, and other factors. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Tuesday that countries would have an opportunity to negotiate in order to avoid a "tariff wall."
Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan is seeking a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House, potentially by late April, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing Turkish officials familiar with the matter.
Estonia has announced plans to increase its defense spending to 5% of GDP, aiming to reach this target by 2026.
The U.S. has officially requested egg deliveries from Germany, according to Spiegel. This follows similar requests made to Turkey, Finland, Sweden, and Denmark.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced that Rafale fighter jets armed with nuclear warheads will be deployed at an airbase near the German border. No exact timeline has been provided.
The U.S. mission has informed China and Canada that it is prepared to engage in discussions in Geneva after both countries filed trade disputes in response to new U.S. tariffs, according to World Trade Organization documents released on Tuesday.
France and Canada have agreed to establish a new intelligence and security partnership.
Tesla is under investigation in Canada for allegedly inflating EV sales to claim $43 million in government rebates during the final days of the iZEV program. Over a three-day period, Tesla reported selling 8,653 cars across four dealerships—equivalent to two cars per minute—securing over half of the program’s remaining rebate funds. This sudden surge coincided with the program’s announced suspension, raising suspicions. Independent dealers are now out $10 million after issuing rebates they expected to be reimbursed for. Transport Canada officials noted discrepancies, suggesting Tesla may have backdated claims or exaggerated sales figures. One Quebec dealership alone claimed 4,000 sales in a single weekend—an implausible number. Tesla and Elon Musk are also under investigation for similar EV sales schemes in multiple countries.
U.S. President Donald Trump stated on March 17 that his argument with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the latter’s Oval Office visit was part of a "broader strategy to pressure Ukraine".
Gaza officials report that more than 400 people have died in Israeli airstrikes. These are the first major strikes on Gaza since Israel’s ceasefire with Hamas, raising fears of a return to full-scale war. Egypt and Qatar, which mediated the previous truce, have condemned the attacks. Saudi Arabia also denounced the strikes “in the strongest terms” and called for an immediate ceasefire and the protection of civilians.
M23 rebels announced they will no longer participate in peace talks scheduled to begin today, following European Union sanctions on several group members. An M23 spokesperson cited alleged military offensives by the Congolese government as another reason for pulling out. The EU also sanctioned some Rwandan security forces, accusing them of fueling the conflict. In response, Rwanda severed diplomatic ties with Belgium, which supported the sanctions.
Following U.S. strikes on Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, Trump warned on social media that any retaliation would be considered "a shot fired from the weapons and leadership" of Iran. He stated that Tehran would be "held responsible" with "dire" consequences. Iran’s UN ambassador called Trump's remarks "reckless and provocative" in a letter to the UN Security Council. Meanwhile, an American spy drone withdrew from a position near Iranian airspace after encountering Iranian fighter jets and reconnaissance drones, Iran’s Nournews reported.
A Mi-28 attack helicopter crashed in Russia’s Leningrad region, killing both crew members.
The European Union has condemned the collapse of the ceasefire in Gaza and the deaths of civilians, including children, in Israeli airstrikes. It has urged Israel to end its military operations and resume humanitarian aid and electricity deliveries to Gaza. The EU also called on Hamas to immediately release all hostages.
India is replacing its Russian MiG-29 fighter jets with French Rafale M jets in an $8.3 billion deal, as Russia’s global arms exports continue to decline. Moscow’s share of the global arms market has now fallen to 7.8%.
Türkiye has reduced Russian oil imports by 31% as G7 sanctions take a toll on Moscow’s energy sector. Turkish refineries are now turning to suppliers in Brazil and other countries.
Syria and Lebanon have agreed to a ceasefire following two days of deadly border clashes. Syria’s interim government accused Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah of abducting and killing three Syrian soldiers on Saturday. Amid the fighting, Lebanon’s health ministry reported that seven Lebanese nationals were also killed. The truce calls for "enhanced coordination and cooperation" between the two sides, Syria’s defense ministry stated.
Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, has pledged new policies to strengthen the search for missing persons following the discovery of a mass grave last week. More than 120,000 people have been forcibly disappeared in Mexico since records began in 1962, with many cases linked to drug violence. Authorities have not yet provided an estimate of the number of bodies in the mass grave, but Sheinbaum stated that an update on the investigation will be released on Wednesday.
CARTOON OF THE DAY
POSTS OF THE DAY
NEWS CLIPS - NO COMMENTARY
PM Carney: Canada is the "most European of non-European countries".
President Trump taking questions at the Kennedy Center
DJT: I don't want to talk to NBC anymore. I think you're so discredited.
President of European Central Bank responds to Trump’s claim that the EU was designed to “screw” US
New Zealander comments on what is going on in America
ICYMI
Telegram CEO Leaves France Amid Legal Probe
Telegram founder Pavel Durov has left France after being granted release on relaxed bail while legal proceedings against him continue in French court. French prosecutors accuse Telegram of failing to cooperate with anti-crime investigators—an allegation Durov denies. Following his arrest, Telegram has increased its cooperation with law enforcement. Born in Russia, Durov holds French and Emirati citizenship and resides in Dubai.
OECD Lowers Global Growth Forecast Amid Trade Tensions
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has downgraded its global growth forecast, citing escalating trade tensions. It now predicts global growth will slow to 3% by 2026—0.3 percentage points lower than its previous estimate three months ago. Canada and Mexico saw the steepest downward revisions, with Mexico’s economy expected to shrink in 2025. The OECD also projects U.S. growth will fall to 1.6% in 2026, its lowest level since 2011, excluding the COVID-19 pandemic.
FDA Issues ‘Most Serious’ Recall for Medtronic Device
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified the recall of Medtronic’s embolization device as its most serious level after reports linked the product to four patient deaths. The agency warned that use of the device could result in severe health complications, including thrombosis, stroke, or death.
Forever 21 to Close All U.S. Stores Amid Bankruptcy
Forever 21 is preparing to shut down all 350+ of its U.S. stores and lay off hundreds of employees after filing for bankruptcy on Sunday.
Harvard Expands Financial Aid, Eliminates Tuition for More Families
Harvard University has expanded its financial aid program, making tuition free for families earning less than $200,000 per year.
Alphabet in Talks to Acquire Cybersecurity Firm Wiz for $30 Billion
Google parent company Alphabet is in discussions to acquire cybersecurity firm Wiz for $30 billion after a previous deal attempt fell through, according to The Wall Street Journal.
BYD Unveils Ultra-Fast EV Charging Platform
Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD has introduced a new charging platform that can deliver enough power for a car to travel 400 km (249 miles) in just five minutes.
Roblox Launches AI Tool for 3D Model Creation
Roblox is rolling out a new AI-powered tool that enables users to generate 3D models with ease.
WORTH READING
GOOD TO KNOW
DOJ is asking the DC circuit to remove Judge Boasberg from the case over Trump’s invocation of the Alien Enemies Act.
Lithuania, Poland, Latvia and Estonia have announced their withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention on Anti-Personnel Mines.
TODAY'S COVER PHOTO
Washington, US
The US president, Donald Trump, talks to the media in the Hall of Nations during a tour at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Photograph: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
That's all from me for now. Thank you for reading.
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