March Issue News Briefs
Local:
New wave of Whirlpool layoffs
Continuing a trend of layoffs, Whirlpool has once again committed to more job cuts at its Benton Harbor headquarters. According to The Herald-Palladium, the company is attempting to reconsider its business model and shift toward a different hiring model. Whirlpool has cut around 15,000 employees since its first wave of major layoffs in March 2024, as well as sold off its European, Middle Eastern, and North African businesses to Arçelik. In an official company statement, Whirlpool said, “In order to support each of Whirlpool Corporation’s business units, the company has developed a business services organization that will optimize processes and tools related to standard, recurring activities in finance, procurement, IT, and human resources.”
National:
A$AP Rocky found not guilty
Music artist and rapper A$AP Rocky has been in court for the past couple of weeks over allegations that he attempted to shoot and kill his longtime friend A$AP Relli after a heated argument between the two. Rocky faced two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, according to NBC. According to BBC, Rocky’s team argued that he carried a prop gun—an idea suggested by his security team—for times when he was not accompanied by security, which could not have been used to shoot Relli. The jury chose to let Rocky go with a not-guilty verdict, arguing that there was not enough definitive evidence to prove there was a shooting.
Trump calls for U.S. to take over Gaza Strip
President Donald Trump has suggested that the United States take control of the Gaza Strip. In the case of this plan, native Palestinians would be taken in by other neighboring countries or sent to a new area, which would be better than the current condition of the Gaza Strip. According to Reuters, nearly all neighboring Arab nations have refused the plan, and Saudi Arabia urged that without a Palestinian state, there would not be any normalization of ties with Israel. In a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump said, “We'll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site."
Global:
Trump calls for normalization of ties with Russia
Following a meeting between American and Russian diplomats, the United States State Department said, “The United States and Russia agreed on Tuesday to address ‘irritants’ to the U.S.-Russia relationship and begin working on a path to end Russia's war in Ukraine.” The collaboration comes after Trump’s phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding an end to the Ukrainian war. Trump later posted on his platform Truth Social: “Zelensky talked the United States of America into spending $350 billion to go into a war that couldn’t be won.” Peace talks between Ukrainian and Russian officials are planned with Saudi and American oversight in Riyadh in the coming weeks, with President Trump urging that “Dictator Zelensky” does not have much time and suggesting that Ukraine should have an election, in which Zelensky may lose.