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As discussions on a ’30-day partial ceasefire’ in the Ukraine war continue, Ukraine is employing a negotiation strategy aimed at inducing greater US intervention, with the hope that the United States will act as a ceasefire supervisor to prevent further escalation. Ukraine’s leaders believe that, as a powerful mediator, the US should oversee the ceasefire to ensure that Russia does not exploit a partial ceasefire to strengthen its offensive.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke with President Donald Trump on March 19th, expressing his support for a partial ceasefire. The two leaders agreed that such a ceasefire would serve as a crucial first step toward a broader end to the conflict. They also agreed to form high-level delegations to negotiate the technical issues needed for the ceasefire and its potential expansion. The partial ceasefire, which follows a phone call between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin the day before, involves halting attacks on energy and infrastructure facilities for 30 days.

Russia, however, rejected the proposal for a 30-day full ceasefire, which had been suggested by US and Ukrainian delegations. There were concerns that Russia, with the upper hand in the war, would use its momentum to strengthen its offensive while excluding Ukraine’s energy infrastructure from the ceasefire. Running out of options, President Zelenskyy accepted the partial ceasefire plan, requesting that the US play a role in overseeing the ceasefire.

The fact that both the US and Ukraine agreed to prepare for working-level delegation negotiations signals that they are moving toward ensuring the proper implementation of the partial ceasefire. It also suggests that the US is willing to incrementally involve itself in the management of the ceasefire. This development is further tied to Ukraine’s discussions with the US about the operation of its nuclear power plant and power grid.

In a phone call with Zelenskyy, President Trump offered US expertise in power and utilities, particularly regarding the operation of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant. While this facility is in Russian-occupied territory, it remains staffed by Ukrainian employees. If territorial negotiations begin in earnest, Russia is likely to claim ownership. By leaving open the possibility of US involvement in the plant’s operation, Ukraine aims to leverage the issue to its advantage.

President Trump also agreed to share defence information with Ukraine, a move likely linked to the management of the ceasefire. While Russia has opposed the sharing of such information, the US may find it difficult to refuse if it is framed as necessary to monitor the adherence to the ceasefire. The worst-case scenario for Ukraine is that the US merely provides military support without fully engaging in the unstable ceasefire. To prevent this, Ukraine is pushing for deeper US involvement in the ongoing issues from the partial ceasefire stage onward.

A school bus overturned on the Garden State Parkway in New Jersey, injuring 14 students and the bus driver, bringing the total number of injured to 15. According to the New Jersey State Police, the incident occurred around 7:40 p.m. near Exit 171 of the Garden State Parkway, close to Montvale, New Jersey. The bus, which had departed from Lakewood in central New Jersey, was headed to New York when the accident took place.

There were 31 people on board the bus when it overturned. Of the injured, 14 were students, and the 44-year-old male driver was also injured. One of the students was reported to be in critical condition and was rushed to a nearby hospital, though it was later confirmed that their life was not in danger. The remaining 13 students and the driver sustained minor injuries.

According to ABC News, the bus was carrying Jewish school students on their way to New Square, New York, for a Jewish event when the accident occurred. The cause of the crash is still under investigation, but state police explained that the bus went off the road and overturned while traveling north.

Tesla’s stock price surged by 7.6% following remarks made by President Donald Trump threatening to boycott and attack those who oppose Tesla and its CEO, Elon Musk. On the New York Stock Exchange on March 12th, Tesla shares closed at $248.09, marking a 7.59% increase from the previous day. During the day, the stock even hit a peak of $251.84, a rise of 9.22%. This sharp increase followed a 3.79% rebound the day before after Trump announced on his TruthSocial platform that he would personally purchase a Tesla vehicle.

The rally in Tesla’s stock came as inflation concerns eased, following a slowdown in the U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI), and the tech-heavy Nasdaq index rebounded by 1.2%. However, the surge in Tesla’s stock was seen as being particularly influenced by President Trump’s recent “Tesla Save” event. The event involved Trump parking five Tesla cars at the White House, where he announced that he would buy one of them. He also took a ride in the Model S sedan and praised the vehicle, calling it “beautiful” and “great.”

When questioned about those attacking Tesla stores, Trump responded that those involved should be classified as “domestic terrorists” and stated, “We will stop them,” emphasizing that these actions were harming a great American company. He went on to threaten those targeting Tesla, saying, “If you do anything to Tesla, you’re going to be in hell.” Financial media outlet Barron’s reported that the stock price jumped after what appeared to be a form of advertisement for Tesla, orchestrated by Trump and Musk during their White House interaction.

However, despite the recent rally, Tesla’s stock had experienced a significant drop prior to this, mainly due to Musk’s involvement in federal agency downsizing and layoffs during his tenure with the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Tesla’s stock had fallen 15.4% on March 10th, reaching $222.15, marking a 53.7% drop from its high of $479.86 on December 17th, 2024. As of the latest rise, the stock has recovered to a level just before Trump’s election, offering renewed hope to Tesla investors.

Looking ahead, Tesla’s performance in the first quarter, particularly its vehicle sales, will likely have a significant impact on the stock price. Barron’s noted that the upcoming announcement of first-quarter sales, set for April 2nd, could either sustain the current upward momentum or bring disappointment. Wall Street analysts have lowered their expectations for Tesla’s first-quarter delivery volume. Guggenheim reduced its estimate from 405,000 to 358,000 units, setting a target stock price of $170, while UBS also lowered its estimate by 16% to 367,000 units. In contrast, the average estimate for Tesla’s first-quarter deliveries is about 420,000 units, reflecting an 8.5% increase from the same period last year.

While some analysts, like Barron’s, predict that any sales decline could be a huge disappointment for investors, others, such as CFRA analyst Garrett Nelson, point out that Tesla’s stock has historically been volatile, with major selloffs often presenting profitable buying opportunities for investors.

On March 5th, President Donald Trump issued a stern ultimatum to the Palestinian militant group Hamas, demanding the immediate release of all Israeli and American hostages, with a threat of “death” if they fail to comply. In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, President Trump wrote, “‘Shalom Hamas’ means hello and goodbye. You can choose.” He continued, urging Hamas to “release all the hostages now, not later,” and to return the bodies of those killed, warning, “Or you too will be finished.”

Trump emphasized the cruelty of holding onto the bodies of the deceased, stating, “Only a sick and twisted person would keep a body. You are sick and twisted.” He further threatened, “If you don’t do as I say, I will send Israel everything it needs to complete the mission, and not a single Hamas member will be safe.” The president claimed to have met with the hostages previously held by Hamas, and he warned the Hamas leadership, “This is your final warning. Now is the time to leave Gaza. You still have a chance.” He also warned Gaza’s residents, stating, “There is a beautiful future ahead of you. But if you hold the hostages, it won’t be that way. If you hold the hostages, you will die.”

Trump urged Hamas to “make a wise decision” and release the hostages immediately, warning, “If you don’t, you will pay a big price later.”

This ultimatum came shortly after confirmation that the U.S. government had been in secret discussions with Hamas regarding the release of the hostages. White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt confirmed that “conversations and discussions are currently underway,” though she refrained from providing further details, emphasizing that the lives of detained Americans are at stake.

On March 5th, mayors from several major U.S. cities, including New York, Chicago, Denver, and Boston, announced that their policies of not cooperating with federal immigration enforcement have played a significant role in reducing crime rates. According to a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report, the mayors made these claims during a congressional hearing led by Republican members of the House Oversight Committee. Despite an increase in the number of immigrants, these mayors argued that violent crime has decreased in their cities.

These cities, which do not cooperate with the Donald Trump administration’s immigration crackdowns, are often referred to as “sanctuary” cities. Sanctuary cities are typically safer for undocumented immigrants, as they refrain from sharing information with federal authorities, such as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), even when they confirm someone’s undocumented status. The mayors argue that their policies promote safety by encouraging immigrants to report crimes to the police without fear of deportation.

In contrast, Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.), former chairman of the hard-line Republican Freedom Caucus, criticized sanctuary city policies, suggesting they protect illegal immigrants with criminal records from federal immigration authorities. Despite this criticism, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson pushed back, calling the Trump administration’s anti-immigrant stance “misleading” and “unfair,” adding that it was “degrading to scapegoat an entire community.”

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston emphasized the city’s commitment to providing equal access to services for all, regardless of immigration status. “If they break the law, we hold them accountable, prosecute them, and punish them equally,” he said. Johnston also stressed that law-abiding citizens, whether documented or undocumented, should not fear be being turned over to federal authorities when seeking essential services.

The mayors of these sanctuary cities claim that immigrants are more likely to report crimes and cooperate with investigations if they do not fear being asked about their immigration status. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu also criticized Republican policies, calling for reforms in gun control, Medicaid, and veterans’ support, as she argued that these issues, rather than immigration, play a larger role in public safety.

The Trump administration has been vocal in criticizing sanctuary cities and has threatened to take strong action against them. This conflict over immigration policies was a point of contention throughout Trump’s first term, during which the administration sought to withhold federal funding from sanctuary municipalities in response to their refusal to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.

On the 26th, Democratic Congressman Brad Sherman (California) held a press conference in front of the Capitol in Washington, D.C., where he announced the reintroduction of the Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act. This bill calls for an official end to the Korean War and the establishment of a binding peace treaty. Rep. Sherman emphasized that the bill seeks to initiate diplomatic efforts between the United States, North Korea, and South Korea to finally conclude the Korean War, which has technically never ended since the armistice in 1953.

The bill instructs the U.S. Secretary of State to engage in diplomatic negotiations with both North and South Korea to work toward a peace treaty and requires the submission of a report to Congress detailing a roadmap for achieving this goal. The proposed legislation also includes provisions for negotiating the establishment of liaison offices in each other’s capitals and conducting a comprehensive review of U.S. travel bans on North Korea.

Rep. Sherman clarified that the bill is not intended as a concession to North Korea but rather as a measure to build trust between the two countries. “This bill will not resolve all of our conflicts with the North Korean regime, but I hope it will be a first step toward a solution by changing the mood,” Sherman stated at the press conference. The bill is co-sponsored by 33 House members, with Reps. Judy Chu (D-CA) and Dave Min (D-CA) also attending the event and expressing their support.

This is not the first time Rep. Sherman has proposed such legislation. He introduced similar bills in the 117th Congress (2021) and the 118th Congress (2023), though both were scrapped due to the expiration of their respective terms.

Meanwhile, the conservative group Truth Forum voiced strong opposition to the bill. Members of the group held up placards reading, “There is no peace without justice” and “The bill ignores the suffering of the people and rewards dictatorship” at the back of the press conference, highlighting concerns about the potential consequences of engaging with North Korea without addressing the regime’s human rights abuses.

Concerns have arisen that the Washington Post (WP), a leading progressive media outlet in the United States, may shift to the right following the second term inauguration of Donald Trump. Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon and owner of WP, made an announcement on his X (formerly Twitter) account on the 26th that changes would be made to the newspaper’s opinion page. Bezos stated, “I am writing this to announce that there will be a change to our (WP) opinion page.” He elaborated, saying, “Going forward, we will write every day to support and defend two basic principles: personal liberties and free markets.”

Bezos further added, “We will, of course, cover other topics, but we will leave opinions that oppose these two principles to other media outlets.” The two principles—personal liberties and free markets—are often associated with conservative ideologies, leading many to interpret this announcement as a potential ideological shift for the newspaper.

Bezos reflected on the historical role of newspapers, stating, “There was a time when newspapers, especially local monopolies, were considered a service that delivered a wide-ranging opinion section covering all viewpoints to readers’ doors every morning.” He acknowledged that the role of delivering a wide array of opinions is now largely taken on by the Internet, signalling a shift in how news and opinions are disseminated.

He also emphasized the importance of individual freedom, saying, “I am an American and I work for America, and I am proud of that. Our country did not get here in a typical way.” Bezos explained that America’s success has been rooted in the freedom enjoyed in the economic sphere and beyond, arguing that freedom is both ethical and practical, as it minimizes coercion and promotes creativity, invention, and prosperity.

Bezos also shared that David Shipley, the WP’s opinion editor, resigned in protest of the shift in editorial direction. Bezos stated, “I offered Shipley, whom I greatly respect, the opportunity to lead this new era. I told him the answer would be ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ After careful consideration, he has decided to step down.” He further acknowledged the significance of the change, saying, “This is a significant change, it won’t be easy, and it will require 100 percent commitment,” and assured the public that the paper would find a new opinion editor to lead the new direction.

Bezos emphasized his belief in the importance of free markets and individual freedom, stating, “I believe that free markets and individual freedom are essential to America. I also believe that these views are not sufficiently reflected in the current ideological and news opinion market.”

The Washington Post has long been known for its liberal stance, publicly supporting Democratic candidates in every presidential election since 1976, except for the 1988 election. In the 2020 election, the WP supported Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris, but an editorial in her favour was not published due to opposition. The paper’s ideological direction has also been questioned in recent months. Last month, a prominent WP cartoonist, who had won a Pulitzer Prize, resigned after claiming that one of his cartoons was unfairly rejected. The cartoon mocked Bezos, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman for their donations to Trump’s inauguration and depicted them kneeling before a statue of Trump, offering a bag of money.

This winter, flu-related deaths have been on the rise in New Jersey. According to the New Jersey Department of Health, there have been 126 flu-related deaths since September of last year through the first week of February. Notably, 112 of these deaths occurred since January, with an average of 15 to 25 deaths reported each week. The situation has prompted growing concern among health officials, as the number of flu infections continues to climb.

In the first week of February alone, 12,158 flu infections were reported, which is 3,410 more than the same period last year. The number of patients seeking care in hospital emergency rooms or being hospitalized due to influenza has also surged compared to the previous year. Additionally, school absences due to the flu have spiked sharply since January, further underscoring the impact of the virus.

Greg Sorkin, the chief of emergency medicine at Newbridge Medical Centre in Paramus, expressed concern, stating, “This winter’s influenza situation is the worst it has been in the past 15 years.” The severity of the flu season has overwhelmed many healthcare facilities and raised alarms across the state.

In addition to the flu, deaths from COVID-19 infections remain significant. According to the state Department of Health, 90 people died from COVID-19 between January and early February, highlighting the ongoing health challenges New Jersey is facing during this winter season.

As victims of the federal government’s EBT (food stamp) card skimming scam continue to suffer, a bill to resume compensation support for these victims is being promoted at the federal level. On February 14th, Federal Representative Grace Meng held a press conference at the Queens Public Library Flushing Branch, announcing, “Last September, an extension of compensation for victims of the EBT card skimming scam was included in a stopgap spending bill but was removed from the final bill, leaving many victims currently without compensation.” She added, “I plan to introduce a victim compensation support bill that includes provisions to strengthen the security of EBT cards in the federal House of Representatives soon.”

The press conference was attended by New York State Senator John Liu, New York State Assembly Member Sam Berger, and New York City Council Member Sandra Huang, who all joined the effort to push for the resumption of compensation support for victims of the EBT card skimming fraud. Senator Liu highlighted the ongoing issue, stating, “One of the reasons skimming fraud victims continue to suffer is because EBT cards still use outdated magnetic strips.” He further explained that a bill (S1465) requiring the insertion of an IC chip with anti-hacking functions into the cards is currently being proposed in the state assembly, and he committed to working on passing the bill as soon as possible.

According to Council Member Sandra Huang’s office, around 1,990 compensation claims were filed by victims in the Flushing, Queens district between August and December of last year. Since compensation for food stamp skimming fraud ended on December 20th, 2024, only claims that occurred before that date can be filed. As a result, there is no compensation plan for damages incurred after December 21st, leaving some food stamp users who are concerned about fraud to experience inconveniences, such as using cash instead of cards to shop.

Since the federal government began tracking victims of food stamp skimming fraud in each state, approximately 118,000 victims have been reported in New York State, which is more than twice the number of victims compared to other states.

The New Jersey Legislature is encountering challenges in advancing the “Immigrant Trust Act,” a bill designed to prevent public institutions, such as government offices and hospitals, from sharing residents’ immigration status information with the federal government. Introduced by Assemblywoman Ellen Park and others in September of last year, the bill has yet to be discussed in a subcommittee, even though nearly five months have passed since its introduction.

The proposed law would prohibit state, county, and local government agencies, as well as public institutions such as schools, hospitals, libraries, and shelters, from disclosing residents’ immigration status to federal immigration authorities without a warrant. This legislation comes in response to the expanded crackdown on illegal immigrants and deportations under the Trump administration, which has raised concerns among immigrant advocacy groups. These groups are urging New Jersey lawmakers to pass protections to safeguard immigrants’ personal information and ensure greater access to local public services.

However, progress on the Immigrant Trust Act has been slow, primarily due to a passive stance from the Democratic leadership, which holds the majority in the state legislature. Senate Speaker Nick Scutari stated, “We haven’t considered the bill yet. It’s not time to talk about it specifically yet,” while House Speaker Greg Coughlin declined to comment. Some worry that if the bill becomes law, it could attract legal challenges from the Trump administration, which has already filed a lawsuit against Illinois and Chicago over their immigrant protection laws.

Immigrant advocates have voiced their frustration with the lack of progress. The New Jersey Immigrant Justice Coalition expressed disappointment, saying, “We are disappointed that there has been no progress since the bill was introduced,” while Make the Road New Jersey emphasized that “New Jersey is a state made up of immigrants, and if we do not take strong protective measures immediately, not only immigrants but the entire state will suffer.”

Assemblywoman Ellen Park, who introduced the bill, remains hopeful, stating, “We are aiming to pass the bill in the first half of this year” and mentioned that efforts are underway to review the bill’s details and gain support from fellow legislators. Immigrant advocates stress the importance of the legislation, noting that undocumented immigrants may avoid using medical facilities, libraries, shelters, and other public services for fear their immigration status will be disclosed, potentially putting them at risk of deportation. They argue that the bill is crucial to protecting immigrants’ personal information and expanding access to vital local services.