Monday, 10 March 2025

Ukraine is preparing for talks with Trump administration officials in Saudi Arabia, with President Zelenskyy stating "realistic proposals on the table." Zelenskyy is meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman while US officials discuss potential peace arrangements separately.

Global stock markets experienced significant declines, with the Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq, and Nikkei each falling at least 2%, while Tesla shares fell 15% for their worst day since September 2020. Economists warned of recession risks, with the term "Trumpcession" emerging as investors react to tariff volatility.

President Trump backed a temporary funding bill to avert a government shutdown before Friday's deadline, calling on Republicans to support the measure which includes increased defense and deportation budgets.

Former President Biden's intelligence access to the Presidential Daily Brief was revoked by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, a decision that marks a significant change in post-presidency protocols.

Ontario announced a 25% surcharge on electricity exports bound for the US in response to Trump's tariffs on Canada. Premier Doug Ford stated the province "won't back down" until the US president retracts the duties.

A federal judge ruled that Trump's January 6 pardon does not cover an FBI murder plot conviction, denying Edward Kelley's motion to dismiss separate charges of plotting to kill federal agents investigating him.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that 83% of USAID programs have been terminated following a six-week purge, with surviving aid to be administered by the State Department in a radical narrowing of the definition of US national interest.

Trump announced the arrest of Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, calling it "the first of many to come" and stating his administration "will not tolerate" the actions of protesters at Columbia and other universities. Civil rights groups condemned the arrest as "targeted, retaliatory" and compared it to McCarthyism.

Alzheimer's research centers across the US face a $65 million funding delay due to Trump-imposed cuts, with researchers reporting difficulties retaining staff as the White House cost-cutting measures stress the medical research system.

The US was added to an international watchlist for rapid decline in civic freedoms by Civicus, an international non-profit organization. The country now appears alongside the Democratic Republic of Congo, Italy, Pakistan, and Serbia on the list.