Morning Briefing: March 22, 2025
Anadolu’s recap of top stories from around the globe
Morning Briefing
ISTANBUL
Here’s a rundown of all the news you need to start your Saturday, including US President Donald Trump looking at lifting sanctions on Türkiye and selling fighter jets to that country, even fifth-generation F-35; Trump announcing the US Air Force is moving forward with the world's first sixth-generation fighter jet, F-47, and Germany seizing a Russian shadow fleet tanker.
TOP STORIES
US President Donald Trump is looking at lifting sanctions on Türkiye and selling fighter jets to that country, even the fifth-generation F-35s, Fox News reported.
Citing two sources, Fox News said that following last Sunday’s call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Trump expressed his intent to help finalize the sale of the F-16 fighter jets to Türkiye, a deal that has long been in the works.
Trump is also open to the idea of selling Türkiye F-35 jets, "if the two sides can come to an agreement that renders Türkiye’s Russian S-400 system inoperable," it added, referring to a dispute under which Türkiye was suspended from the program to make the jets.
President Donald Trump announced the US Air Force is moving forward with the world's first sixth-generation fighter jet.
"Nothing in the world comes even close to it, and it'll be known as the F-47," Trump said at the White House, alongside Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
Trump announced that Boeing has been selected to build the jet.
German authorities have seized a Russian shadow fleet oil tanker and its cargo worth more than €40 million ($43.3 million).
The Panama-flagged, vessel Eventin, carrying 100,000 tons of crude oil from Russia, has been held off the coast of Ruegen since January after authorities declared it unseaworthy.
Der Spiegel reported that German officials decided last week to confiscate the aging tanker and its cargo rather than allow the vessel to continue to Egypt.
NEWS IN BRIEF
- US President Donald Trump said tech billionaire Elon Musk visited the Pentagon to address costs.
- UNICEF warned it will run out of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) for children suffering from severe wasting in Ethiopia and Nigeria by May unless urgent funding is secured.
- More than 100,000 people have fled to neighboring countries due to clashes between security forces and the rebel group March 23 Movement (M23) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the UN said.
- The UN reported that it has documented nearly 850 Israeli checkpoints, gates and other physical obstacles across the occupied Palestinian territory, marking the highest number recorded in the past two decades.
- Xiaomi founder and CEO Lei Jun dropped three watermelons, each coated with his company’s “bulletproof” material, off a building. The watermelons suffered no damage, and he claimed the same material is used for electric car batteries.
- US President Donald Trump said he expects a full ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine war "pretty soon."
- Vietnam has launched a probe into a Chinese tea brand for a controversial South China Sea map on its website.
- The Sudanese army has retaken control of the presidential palace in the capital of Khartoum for the first time since the war began with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) nearly two years ago, a military source told Anadolu.
- The Trump administration is working to contain the fallout after releasing thousands of pages of documents related to President John F. Kennedy’s 1963 assassination, inadvertently exposing sensitive personal data, The New York Times reported.
- China slammed US sanctions on Chinese companies imposed for imports of Iranian oil.
- It is not realistic to talk about Europe's security architecture without including Türkiye and Russia, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said in the Turkish capital of Ankara.
- The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), one of the largest providers of food for Palestinians, said only "six or so" days of flour remain for distribution in Gaza as no new aid has entered for 19 days.
- Despite US-mediated negotiations for a potential ceasefire, Russia and Ukraine continued launching airstrikes on each other's territories.
- An Australian man lost his life when his light plane crashed in Western Australia.
- Taiwan has launched a campaign against citizens holding Chinese identity cards, with 14 people already notified their household registration was set to be revoked, said Interior Minister Liu Shyh-fang.
- North Korea tested its latest surface-to-air missile, state-run media reported.
SPORTS
Lewis Hamilton secured his first pole position for Ferrari, setting a new circuit record in sprint qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix.
The seven-time world champion edged Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by 0.018 seconds with a time of 1:30.849, while McLaren’s Oscar Piastri rounded out the top three at the Shanghai International Circuit, securing the front row for Saturday’s 19-lap sprint.
Hamilton, 40, who struggled in his Ferrari debut in Melbourne, was surprised by the result. "I'm a bit in shock. I can't believe we got a pole in the sprint," he said.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
President Donald Trump said there will be "flexibility" on reciprocal tariffs, which are expected to take effect April 2.
"People are coming to me and talking about tariffs, and a lot of people are asking me if they could have exceptions. And once you do that for one, you have to do that for all," Trump told reporters at the White House.
About granting a one-month exemption for automakers in March, Trump said he had not changed his mind on the tariffs, which have rocked world economies and markets with uncertainties and the threat of a trade war.
AstraZeneca announced a $2.5 billion investment in Beijing, enhancing its commitment to advancing life sciences in China.
The major investment by the British-Swedish pharmaceutical company will establish the firm’s sixth global strategic R&D center and its second in China, following one in Shanghai.
The initiative also includes agreements with leading biotech firms Harbour BioMed, Syneron Bio and BioKangtai.
