ACTUAL NEWS: Wednesday, March 12th 2025 Recap
"Today in History" and the Latest National and Global News
QUICK HITS
Earlier today, I had the pleasure of attending the HER POWER event hosted by Foreign Policy in New York City. The event featured a series of interviews and panels where women leaders from various industries shared their insights and concerns, particularly regarding the shifts in U.S. priorities that are negatively impacting our neighbors and allies around the world.
I’d like to invite you to watch a candid 27-minute conversation with the Honorable Chrystia Freeland, former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Canada, in discussion with Foreign Policy’s CEO, Andrew Sollinger. She offered valuable insights on leadership and touched upon current events, including the unprovoked harassment of Canada by the United States and the war in Ukraine.
TODAY IN HISTORY
1642: The marquis de Cinq-Mars, a favorite of King Louis XIII of France, signed a secret treaty with King Philip IV of Spain in a plot to overthrow Cardinal Richelieu.
1781: English astronomer William Herschel observed this day the seventh planet from the Sun, Uranus—first described by him as “a curious either nebulous star or perhaps a comet” and named for the father of the god Saturn.
1809: Shortly after Sweden surrendered Finland to Russia, Swedish King Gustav IV Adolf was overthrown.
1881: Tsar Alexander II of Russia was assassinated in St. Petersburg.
1884: Al-Mahdī began the Siege of Khartoum, capital of the Sudan, which was defended by an Egyptian garrison under the British general Charles George (“Chinese”) Gordon.
1925: The Tennessee legislature passed a bill that banned the teaching of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution in the state's public schools; in a highly publicized trial, high-school teacher John T. Scopes was later convicted of breaking the law.
1938: The Anschluss, political union between Austria and Germany, was announced.
1986: Soviet cosmonauts Leonid Kizim and Vladimir Solovyev were sent aloft aboard a Soyuz spacecraft to rendezvous with the space station Mir and become its first occupants.
1996: A gunman invaded a primary school in the small Scottish town of Dunblane and shot to death 16 young children and their teacher before turning a gun on himself; the school shooting resulted in various changes to British gun laws.
2012: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., announced that it was ceasing publication of its print version, the oldest and longest continually published English-language general print encyclopaedia.
2013: Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the archbishop of Buenos Aires, was elected pope of the Roman Catholic Church; taking the name Francis I, he succeeded Benedict XVI, who had resigned.
2020: Breonna Taylor, an African American EMT, was killed by Louisville, Kentucky, police officers as they burst into her apartment during a botched raid; her death led to massive protests by Black Lives Matter activists and others who called for police reform.
QUICK ACTUAL NEWS
NATIONAL
U.S. Muslim and Jewish advocacy groups criticized President Donald Trump on Wednesday for referring to top Senate Democrat Senator Chuck Schumer as a Palestinian. The organizations claimed the president used the term as a slur.
A federal judge ruled on Wednesday that President Donald Trump lacked the authority to remove a Democratic member from the Federal Labor Relations Authority and ordered that Susan Tsui Grundmann be reinstated.
Major packaged food companies, including Quaker Oats and Folgers coffee, have requested targeted exemptions from tariffs on imports such as cocoa and fruit, according to a letter seen by Reuters.
Bryan Bedford, CEO of Republic Airways, is the leading candidate to be nominated by President Donald Trump as the next head of the Federal Aviation Administration, sources told Reuters.
A U.S. judge blocked provisions of President Donald Trump's order targeting attorneys at Perkins Coie on Wednesday, stating that the legal profession was "watching in horror" at what the law firm was experiencing.
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is moving forward with an antitrust probe into Microsoft that was initiated during the final days of the Biden administration, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing sources familiar with the matter.
A majority of Americans believe President Donald Trump is being too "erratic" in his attempts to shake up the U.S. economy, as his imposition of tariffs on some of the nation's top trading partners hits stock markets hard, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll.
White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett told Fox News on Wednesday that he expected U.S. GDP growth to be "at least" 2% to 2.5% in the first quarter.
U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum told a packed room of energy executives on Wednesday that he wants their industries to increase drilling and mining on America's public lands, declaring, "We love you!"
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began notifying 1,068 employees—about 3% of its civilian workforce—on Wednesday that they are eligible for the Trump administration's buyout program for federal workers, a spokesperson said.
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission announced on Wednesday that it does not need to delay a September trial against Amazon, reversing an earlier statement that cost-cutting measures had created resource shortages requiring an extension.
President Donald Trump's nominee to head the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, David Weldon, is expected to tell lawmakers on Thursday that he plans to recommend the measles vaccine for children, Bloomberg News reported.
The Department of Justice dropped a civil rights lawsuit filed last year against the national nonprofit Southwest Key Programs, which had been accused of allowing employees to sexually abuse unaccompanied minors in its shelters. The case was dropped following a court filing on Wednesday.
The U.S. Social Security Administration announced on Wednesday that it will no longer process changes to direct-deposit routing numbers over the phone, although its other telephone services will remain unchanged.
U.S. immigration detention facilities are currently at full capacity, holding 47,600 detainees, a senior U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement official reported on Wednesday. The Trump administration is seeking additional bed space.
On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen became the third Senate Democrat to announce she will not seek reelection next year, complicating her party's hopes of regaining control of the chamber when President Donald Trump's term reaches its midpoint.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated that nothing would stop President Donald Trump's expanded 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum until U.S. domestic production is strengthened, and he added that copper would be included in the trade protections.
Blackstone Chief Executive Stephen Schwarzman said on Wednesday that President Donald Trump's tariffs could boost U.S. manufacturing activity. However, Trump’s focus on tariffs since taking office in January has unsettled investors, consumers, and business confidence, with economists expressing concerns over a potential U.S. recession that could impact the global economy.
Makers of goods ranging from sportswear to luxury cars and chemicals painted a grim picture of consumer and industrial health on Wednesday, driving down share prices and fueling concerns about the damage caused by President Donald Trump's trade wars.
U.S. consumer prices rose modestly in February, as higher shelter costs were partially offset by lower airline fares. This gives the Federal Reserve room to keep interest rates unchanged next week while monitoring the economic impact of the ongoing trade war.
GLOBAL
Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Wednesday that the issue of "how the United States is going to take over Canada" will not be discussed at the upcoming G7 foreign ministers’ meeting in Canada on Thursday.
Arab foreign ministers announced on Wednesday that they would continue consultations with U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy regarding Egypt's plan for rebuilding the Gaza Strip, an alternative to Trump's proposed takeover of the Palestinian territory.
Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin emphasized the need for increased aid to Gaza on Wednesday, also calling for a ceasefire and the release of all remaining hostages.
The United States encouraged its Syrian Kurdish allies to finalize a landmark deal with the Islamist-led government in Damascus on Monday, an agreement that could prevent further conflict in northern Syria amid growing uncertainty over the future of U.S. forces stationed there, according to six sources.
The head of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, Sergey Naryshkin, spoke with CIA Director William Burns on the phone, discussing intelligence cooperation on mutual interests and crisis management. Both sides agreed to maintain regular contact to promote international stability, security, and ease tensions between Russia and the U.S.
President Donald Trump announced that U.S. officials were heading to Russia on Wednesday to discuss a proposed 30-day ceasefire in the U.S.-Ukraine conflict and explore potential peace talks.
Russia has indicated that President Vladimir Putin is unlikely to accept the U.S. proposal for a 30-day ceasefire. The Kremlin insists that any agreement must address Russia’s battlefield advances and guarantee its position, including demands for Ukraine to abandon its NATO ambitions and withdraw from territories Russia considers legally annexed.
President Zelenskyy stated the following:
Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was brought before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Netherlands following the issuance of an arrest warrant on charges of "murder as a crime against humanity." The ICC is investigating his war on drugs and accusing him of responsibility for extrajudicial killings. Duterte's lawyer argues the ICC has no jurisdiction, but this view is contested by both ICC judges and current Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The flow of migrants through the Colombia-Panama border has dropped significantly, with only 408 migrants crossing last month, compared to over 20,000 per month in 2024. Meanwhile, Panama’s president reported that 2,200 migrants entered the country from the south this year.
The European Union has introduced new guidelines aimed at reducing dependence on pharmaceutical imports from China and India. The proposal includes subsidies for local drug production and encourages EU members to prioritize local procurement, focusing on factors beyond cost.
U.S. President Donald Trump responded to the European Union's threat of counter tariffs on $28 billion worth of U.S. goods after his blanket tariffs on steel and aluminum imports took effect. Trump stated he would retaliate, criticizing Ireland for using tax policies to attract U.S. companies, especially in pharmaceuticals, which he claimed led to a trade deficit. He argued that such practices hurt U.S. manufacturing and blamed previous leadership for allowing it. The tariffs on steel and aluminum imports escalated the global trade war, prompting swift retaliation from Canada, which imposed 25% tariffs on those metals and other products worth nearly $30 billion. In response, Canada's central bank also lowered interest rates. The European Commission also announced it would impose counter tariffs on U.S. goods next month.
Greenland’s center-right Demokraatik Party, which advocates for gradual independence from Denmark, won the recent election with about 30% of the vote. Another opposition party supporting immediate independence is expected to gain nearly 25%. Demokraatik leader Jens Frederik Nielsen stated that the party will work toward unity, especially in light of growing external interest in Greenland.
Israel and Lebanon, mediated by the U.S. and France, held preliminary talks on issues such as land borders and Israeli military outposts in Lebanon. These discussions are seen as a positive sign for maintaining the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.
Separatist militants in Balochistan hijacked a train with over 400 passengers aboard, demanding a prisoner exchange. Pakistani security forces launched a rescue mission, freeing nearly 200 people. The militants and the government report conflicting death tolls, with over 30 killed in the incident.
Almost every country experienced air quality levels last year that exceeded the World Health Organization's standards. However, there was some progress, with air pollution in China and India showing improvement. Data gaps in global air quality statistics are expected to increase, especially as the U.S. closes its air quality monitoring program at diplomatic outposts due to budget cuts.
Chinese warships have been circling Australia, leaving the country feeling vulnerable. The unusual deployment of three navy ships over the past month has sparked a debate in Australia about its aging fleet and reliance on the United States.
Indian authorities arrested a cryptocurrency exchange administrator at the request of Washington on Wednesday. The administrator is accused of money laundering conspiracy and violating sanctions. The United States, Germany, and Finland recently dismantled the online infrastructure used by the Russian cryptocurrency exchange Garantex, with the U.S. Justice Department charging two administrators of the exchange.
CARTOON OF THE DAY
POSTS OF THE DAY
NEWS CLIPS - NO COMMENTARY
Trump official worked on influencer gig amid DOGE firings
NYT: Musk is poised to give $100M to Trump politics operation
Top economics expert: Insanity is not a strategy
Rubio on arrest of M. Khalil: No one has a right to student visa. No one has a right to green card
DJT: I love these socks 🍀
Emmanuel Macron hosted the chiefs of staff of 34 allied nations.
Notable presence: the UK, South Africa, Australia, Canada & Turkey.
US was not invited
WORTH READING
GOOD TO KNOW
On 3/12, the U.S. imposed tariffs of up to 25% on imports of steel, aluminum, and certain products containing steel and aluminum from the EU and other trading partners.
In response to the imposition of new, unjustified U.S. tariffs, the Commission has launched swift and proportionate countermeasures on U.S. imports.
TODAY'S COVER PHOTO
U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Micheal Martin, in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 12, 2025.
REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
That's all from me for now. Thank you for reading.
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