DAILY NEWS Stream – March 9, 2025

EU leaders agree to boost Europe’s defenses and ease military budget limits after US President Trump signals Europe must take responsibility for its own defense (AP; Al Jazeera)

New Zealand’s top diplomat in the UK loses his job after questioning whether US President Donald Trump “really understands history” regarding Ukraine peace talks (AP)

US President Trump postpones 25% tariffs on certain Canadian and Mexican goods until April 2, 2025, as an “accommodation, and out of respect for, [Mexico’s] President Sheinbaum,” thanking her for cooperating on border control (Truth Social; Sky News Australia)

President Trump announces US$20 billion investment by Franco-Lebanese businessman Rodolphe Saadé to build shipping infrastructure in the US, which will create an estimated 10,000 new American jobs. Mr. Saadé, chairman and CEO of one of the largest shipping companies in the world CMA CGM, credits President Trump’s election win for the investment (Truth Social)

US: Efficiency Commissioner Elon Musk meets with Republican Congress members to discuss DOGE [Department of Government Efficiency] spending cuts. Senator Rand Paul suggests using budget rescissions, a little-known but powerful legislative tool, to make them law (AP)

President Trump announces bimonthly cabinet meetings, including DOGE [Department of Government Efficiency] Commissioner Elon Musk, to ensure DOGE removes all unnecessary government employees but keeps “the best and most productive people” (Truth Social)

Speaker of the US House of Representatives Mike Johnson urges Republican lawmakers to skip town hall meetings after onslaught of protesters, who President Trump calls “paid troublemakers,” try to discredit DOGE [Department of Government Efficiency] spending cuts, using the meetings as a “platform” for the Democrats’ agenda (AP)

US: California’s Governor Newsom opposes transgender athletes in women’s sports, splitting with progressive liberals during a conversation with influential President Trump supporter Charlie Kirk (AP)

Vietnam waives visas for citizens of Czech Republic, Poland, and Switzerland for 45-day tourist stays, aiming to attract over 20 million international visitors in 2025 (Dân Trí)

Japan considers raising its tourism tax to ease overcrowding as international visitors surge to 36.87 million in 2024, straining airports, transit, and popular sites (Tuổi Trẻ)

Vietnam: 21-year-old girl suffers brain damage after taking diet pills bought online that secretly contained banned substances. Experts recommend consulting a licensed doctor for advice or prescriptions, and focusing on a healthy diet and exercise for weight loss (VnExpress)

Thailand screens travelers at airports who arrived from the Democratic Republic of the Congo [DRC] or have traveled there recently to control a strange disease from the DRC that has led to 955 cases and 60 deaths (VTV.vn)

The common mold Aspergillus causes millions of deaths yearly, thriving indoors and outdoors. Symptoms include fatigue, weight loss, sweating, shortness of breath, and coughing up blood. Without treatment, about half of patients die within five years. To avoid, doctors advise keeping spaces dry and ventilated, exercising, eating fresh fruits, and wearing masks when cleaning. Those with health conditions should also wear masks outdoors and avoid mold-prone areas like gardens (Tuổi Trẻ)

8 surprising habits that are destroying your hearing: 1) Not Getting Regular Hearing Checks – Routine hearing tests help detect early issues. Hearing loss is linked to loneliness, heart disease, stroke, depression, and falls. 2) Using Cotton Swabs to Clean Ears – Cotton swabs push earwax deeper, causing blockages, infections, dizziness, and potential eardrum damage. 3) Smoking – Nicotine and carbon monoxide reduce blood flow to the ears, increasing the risk of hearing problems. 4) Drinking Alcohol – Alcohol consumption can damage the brain’s auditory cortex, slowing sound processing and making conversations harder to follow. 5) Participating in High-Speed Sports – Exposure to loud engine noise, especially in motorsports, can cause permanent hearing damage. 6) Water Sports – Water trapped in the ears can lead to infections and temporary or permanent hearing loss. Cold water exposure can cause bone growth in the ear canal, affecting hearing. 7) Listening to Loud Music – Prolonged use of headphones at high volume can lead to hearing loss. Follow the 60/60 rule: no more than 60% volume for 60 minutes at a time. 8) Frequenting Noisy Bars and Restaurants – Loud environments can harm hearing over time. Opt for quieter places with sound-absorbing interiors to reduce strain on your ears (VnExpress)

Indigenous Wayuu migrants who fled Venezuela to northern Colombia now struggle with worsening droughts and floods (AP)

Animal raising operations, not fossil fuels, are the leading cause of climate change, causing most warming since 1750, new study finds. Australian researcher Gerard Wedderburn-Bisshop (vegan) challenges conventional emissions accounting, advocating for more modern, accurate metrics that reflect the underestimated impacts of deforestation, methane emissions, and the fact that fossil fuels have both warming and cooling effects while animal raising is almost exclusively warming (Plant Based News)

US startup Copper’s new electric induction stove plugs into a normal wall outlet and could significantly reduce emissions compared to gas stoves, benefiting both health and the climate (AP)

Humpback whales are singing more: Number of songs has more than doubled as food sources have become more abundant (Good News Network)

Monarch butterflies wintering in Mexico rebound in 2025, doubling the area they covered in 2024 (AP)

New Zealand: 900-pound [408-kilogram] dolphin leaps into fishing boat and snaps every fishing rod onboard. The men on board brought him safely to be rescued by workers, while Māori locals prayed for the juvenile dolphin in an onshore ceremony, naming him Tohu, meaning “sign” (AP)

Dog Meat Karma – 11 retributions that people who eat or kill dogs must face: 1) Physical suffering; 2) Family problems; 3) Financial difficulties; 4) Career instability; 5) Relationship problems; 6) Mental suffering; 7) Shortened lifespan; 8) Physical illness and disease; 9) Physical disabilities or suffering in future lives; 10) Chronic pain and incurable diseases; 11) Being trapped in the cycle of rebirth [samsara] (TÂM TỪ BI)

North Carolina [US]: Bucktoothed llama Whitetop named the world’s oldest llama in captivity at age 27 and more than 250 days, with his long life attributed to great veterinary care, exercise, and loving his job comforting chronically ill children (AP)

Professional women tennis players on the Women’s Tennis Association [WTA] Tour now are eligible for paid maternity leave, financed by a Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund. It’s part of a wider trend: As women’s sports rise, there is an emphasis on meeting maternity and parental needs (AP)

Japanese centenarian Shitsui Hakoishi, 108, is named the world’s oldest female barber by Guinness World Records. Her career has spanned nine decades, and she says she could come this far “only because of my customers” (AP)

Save America’s Forgotten Equines [SAFE] Act reintroduced to Congress, seeking to ban horse slaughter and protect America’s wild horses (World Animal News)

Elevating quote of the day: “Only those who are philosophers, meaning lovers of Wisdom, and are entirely pure at departing, are permitted to reach God.” – The Venerated Enlightened Master Socrates (vegetarian)