Our world in photos: March 21
Brooklyn Eagle Staff
March 21, 2025
KATHMANDU — Nitty gritty steps in the fight against illiteracy: A woman writes her name in a notebook provided by her teacher before the start of a class at the Ujyalo Community Learning Center in Nepal, Feb. 3, 2025. The school was established so that older women, several of them past age 70, could learn to read and master basic life skills of the 21st century. At first, the learning center’s director, Bimala Maharjan Bhandari, had to work hard to convince local women to join the center. “I had to tell them that being able to read phone messages, product labels and signing documents can benefit the whole family,” Bhandari said.
One of the students has learned to read and write in her native Nepalese tongue, check her heart rate on a smartwatch and decipher her smartphone. But her biggest accomplishment is learning to sign her name on documents.
BERLIN — Barely enough for all the great unheralded performances: Tilda Swinton holds the honorary Golden Bear for her life work during the opening of the 75th Berlin International Film Festival International Film Festival, the Berlinale, on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025. The Oscar-winning Brit Swinton, who is known for her roles in arthouse films and her portrayals of enigmatic and complex characters, said that she made the “personal decision” to attend the festival, even amid pressure from the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which accuses The Berlin International Film Festival of being “complicit in the German government’s partnership in Israel’s genocide in Gaza and fails to protect filmmakers standing in solidarity with Palestinians.”
The festival opened with the world premiere of Tom Tykwer’s “The Light.”
MUNICH — Negotiating allies for the future: Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, attends a meeting with United States Vice-President JD Vance on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference in Germany, Feb. 14, 2025. Zelenskyy said that he would only agree to meet in person with Russian leader Vladimir Putin after a common plan is negotiated with U.S. President Donald Trump, naming him as the key to ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict that began almost three years ago, on Feb. 22, 2022.
Zelenskyy added that President Trump gave him his telephone number before Friday’s opening of the Munich Security Conference.
SERBIA — Pinpointing the blame for collapse of a government project: Students march near the village of Cumic near the industrial town of Kragujevac on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025, to protest the deaths of 15 people killed in the November collapse of a train station’s concrete canopy. University students have been at the forefront of massive anti-graft protests in Serbia, with many Serbians blaming the crash on government corruption during renovation work on the station building. The students are demanding full disclosure regarding the canopy collapse and punishment for those who attacked protesters in the past weeks. Their tenacity has found solidarity among regular citizens who have grown disillusioned with politicians. A large rally south of Belgrade was planned for Feb. 15, as part of the Statehood Day observance.
The students have become popular heroes, with local residents regaling them with homemade delicacies, roast pork and other refreshments.
DAYTONA BEACH — Florida phenomenon — Nascrash: Shane Van Gisbergen (88) and Cody Ware (51) crash during the second of two NASCAR Daytona 500 qualifying auto races at the Daytona International Speedway in Florida, Feb. 13, 2025. The multiple-vehicle crash happened at the end second Daytona Duel qualifying race. Several drivers, including rookie Shane van Gisbergen and former champion Kyle Larson, were involved.
The crash was triggered when van Gisbergen made contact with Christopher Bell while attempting a pass on the outside.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — ‘Throw THAT guy, AND that guy’: President Donald Trump points to a reporter and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a news conference in the East Room of the White House, Feb. 13, 2025. Trump, who had thrown contempt on India, calling the Asian nation the “tariff king,” on Thursday gave a bear hug to Modi, greeting him as “a great friend of mine.” However, Trump warned that he is not sparing India from the higher tariffs he has started imposing on United States trade partners. Trump also discussed ways to ensure that the U.S. erases its trade deficit with India.
U.S. imports from India totaled twice as much ($87.4 billion) more goods from India during 2024 than its exports ($41.8 billion reports the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
CYPRUS — Hallmark holidays have their charm: A couple hug each other in front of a heart decorated with red balloons at a sea viewpoint in Agios Theodoros village, in Larnaca district, Feb. 14, 2025. However, it is Feb. 13 that Cypriots mark, as the state religion is Greek Orthodox, and most Cypriots are observant. But the Greek Orthodox Church does celebrate two feasts devoted to Saints who celebrate love, including the missionary couple, Saint Priscilla and Saint Aquila, which is observed annually on Feb. 13th.
Sts. Priscilla and Aquila’s story can be found in the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 18. They evangelized with St. Paul.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Colleagues in the same aisle: Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, left, greets Linda McMahon, President Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Education, at the start of a hearing of the Health, Education, and Labor Committee on McMahon’s nomination, on Feb. 13, 2025. Although relatively unknown in education circles, McMahon, who has more experience in board rooms than in classrooms, has said that teaching was an early goal before she got married.
McMahon has spoken in favor of charter schools and school choice.
