DAILY NEWS Stream – March 25, 2025

US President Trump suggests a Russia-Ukraine peace deal is close as both sides prepare for new talks in Saudi Arabia next week (Sky News Australia)

US book critics honor the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s memoir, published eight months after he died in prison [likely at the hands of his arch-enemy, Putin], as best autobiography at the 50th annual National Book Critics Circle awards (WRIC)

Japan, South Korea, and China meet in Tokyo [Japan] to strengthen ties and “overcome division and confrontation” amid escalating global uncertainty (Al Jazeera)

2025 World Happiness Report names Finland the world’s happiest country for the 8th year in a row, followed by 2) Denmark; 3) Iceland; 4) Sweden; 5) The Netherlands; 6) Costa Rica; 7) Norway; 8) Israel; 9) Luxembourg; and 10) Mexico. At the bottom of the index, Afghanistan ranked last, followed by Sierra Leone, Lebanon, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Yemen, Comoros, and Lesotho. Factors such as regularly sharing meals with others and living in larger households, as seen in Costa Rica and Mexico, contribute to wellbeing. This year, caring for others was recognized as a key factor in being happy (Euronews; Al Jazeera)

Ecuadorian President Noboa invites foreign troops from Brazil, Europe, and the US to help crack down on criminal gangs in his nation (VnExpress; BBC)

Greenland’s tourism grows thanks to US President Trump, Whose talk of buying the island has sparked global interest (VnExpress)

US President Trump says He won’t exempt allies from His high tariffs because He doesn’t want to set a precedent for other world leaders to seek their own exceptions (Sky News Australia)

President Trump says He is willing to pay overtime out of His own pocket to the two rescued US astronauts, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, who spent an extra 286 days stranded on the International Space Station after being abandoned by Biden (The Hill)

President Trump and Defense Secretary Hegseth say a New York Times report claiming US Efficiency Commissioner Elon Musk was briefed on China-related plans at a meeting is “completely untrue.” They say Mr. Musk was never briefed and was only involved in discussions to cut wasteful spending in the Defense Department (Fox News)

US: Former Massachusetts migrant shelter director Jon Fetherston calls on President Trump’s Border Czar Tom Homan to come to Boston to fix the city’s growing migrant crisis (Fox News)

President Trump cancels security clearance of Biden, Harris, Hillary Clinton, and other former White House officials, as it is “no longer in the national interest” for them to have access to classified documents (Sky News Australia)

US report finds more employees are unclear of what’s expected of them and feel disconnected from their organization’s purpose since the coronavirus pandemic made work more virtual and less in-person (AP)

US: One year after the Baltimore Bridge collapsed, risk reviews are urged for dozens of US bridges across 19 states (Sky News Australia)

Britain’s King Charles learns about the latest cancer research at Ulster University during visit to Northern Ireland, as His own cancer treatment continues (BBC)

Warning: Some soy sauce brands contain almost NO real soy and are packed with unhealthy, ultra-processed ingredients. Experts advise reading the labels and selecting ones only with simple ingredients like water, soybeans, wheat, and salt (Daily Mail)

UK-based physician Dr. Asif Ahmed warns about a common type of acid reflux medication, PPIs [proton pump inhibitors], that can make symptoms such as heartburn much worse after stopping use. He advises asking your doctor about potential side effects before buying (Daily Mail)

Experts warn of 4 things that harm the heart during hot weather: 1) Sudden Heat Exposure – Going from cool indoors to extreme heat can cause dizziness, fainting, or stroke. Avoid peak heat [10 AM - 4 PM]. 2) Alcohol and Caffeine – Cause dehydration, increase heart rate, and raise stroke risk. Drink plenty of water instead. 3) Salty, Processed Foods – Increase blood pressure and put strain on the heart. Eat fresh foods instead. 4) Overexertion – Exercising too hard in the heat can cause dehydration and irregular heartbeat. Exercise moderately in the morning or evening (VnExpress)

Monsoon surge in Singapore: Businesses, sports activities, and tourism disrupted by nonstop rain for two days (The Straits Times)

For World Glacier Day [March 21 annually], the UN warns of accelerating glacier loss worldwide and urges immediate action on climate change, as 2024 marks the third consecutive year all 19 glacial regions have shrunk (Africa News; Euronews)

Bhutanese climate activist Jamyang Jamtsho Wangchuk starts cycling across Australia, a 4,332-kilometer journey, to warn of vanishing glaciers in the Himalayas, which supply fresh water to 240 million people in the region and another 1.65 billion downstream – nearly a quarter of the world’s population (Kuensel)

Germany: The German Animal Welfare Association exposes horse racing’s major animal welfare offenses in 2024, including 73 improper uses of whips, 18 horses becoming lame, and 16 cases of whipped horses suffering nosebleeds, and urges stricter regulations on the dangerous sport (Deutscher Tierschutzbund)

Jakarta [Indonesia] office buildings embrace green, eco-friendly practices to attract businesses amid oversupply of office space (The Jakarta Post)

England [UK]’s new national forest will have 20 million trees planted, the government announces. It’s the first of three planned national forests to achieve 16.5% woodland cover by 2050 (BBC)

US: Animal Welfare Institute expands its online directory of homeless shelters and other resources to help unhoused people and their pets find safe havens in all 50 states (Animal Welfare Institute)

New Zealand: Over 2,500 cats and kittens find their forever homes in less than two months through SPCA [Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals]’s Walk-in Caturdays [Cat Saturdays] program (SPCA)

Wisconsin [US] police creatively rescue deer who fell through ice by using a drone to drive them toward onshore rescuers (FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul)

Insightful quote of the day: “The Tao [Way of Truth] is like a great road. It is not difficult to know It. The evil is only that men will not seek It.” – The Venerated Enlightened Master Mencius (vegetarian)