The ACTUAL NEWS: Monday, March 3rd 2025 Recap
"Today in History" and the Latest National and Global News
TODAY IN HISTORY
1671: The Paris Opéra first opened, with a performance of Pomone by composer Robert Cambert.
1820: Henry Clay helped win passage of the Missouri Compromise, which divided the United States over the issue of slavery for years afterward.
1861: The Russian emperor Alexander II issued the Emancipation Manifesto, which declared the freeing of the serfs.
1918: The second of two treaties of Brest-Litovsk concluded hostilities between the Central Powers and Soviet Russia during World War I.
1923: The first issue of the American weekly newsmagazine Time was published.
1931: The Star-Spangled Banner, written by Francis Scott Key during the War of 1812, was officially adopted as the national anthem of the United States by act of Congress.
1991: Following a high-speed car chase, Los Angeles police officers brutally beat Rodney King, an African American motorist; despite a videotape of the beating, the policemen were acquitted in 1992, causing large-scale rioting in the city.
2005: American adventurer Steve Fossett became the first person to complete a solo nonstop circumnavigation of the globe without refueling when he landed in Kansas after more than 67 hours in flight.
2024: Caitlin Clark became the all-time leading scorer in NCAA basketball, surpassing Pete Maravich's record of 3,667 points; she later joined the Indiana Fever of the WNBA, and her dominating play helped women's basketball surge in popularity.
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NATIONAL
"To the Great Farmers of the United States: Prepare to start producing a significant amount of agricultural goods for sale within the United States. Tariffs will be imposed on foreign products starting April 2nd. Enjoy!" Trump wrote on his private social media platform amid escalating trade tensions.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has stated that the measles outbreak in West Texas is a top priority, but he has refrained from directly and loudly urging parents to vaccinate their children.
There are currently 100 active lawsuits in federal court challenging actions by the Trump administration. The White House is launching political attacks on judges who rule against its policies.
Trump has significantly undermined the government's ability to combat climate change, as noted by David Gelles, Lisa Friedman, and Brad Plumer.
"The European Union's content moderation law conflicts with America's free speech tradition, and there are concerns it may excessively restrict freedom of expression", according to the Federal Communications Commission chairman. Note: Disinformation should not be considered protected speech.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission informed staff on Monday that the Trump administration is preparing to terminate building leases for regional offices in Los Angeles and Philadelphia, as detailed in an email seen by Reuters.
Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal requested U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday to answer questions about a reported plan to spend $400 million on purchasing armored Tesla Cybertrucks for transporting diplomats.
Democratic Senator Ed Markey also called on lawmakers to invite SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and the acting head of the Federal Aviation Administration to testify about air traffic control IT systems.
The United Nations' human rights chief expressed deep concern on Monday about a "fundamental shift in direction" by the United States under President Trump, warning that divisive rhetoric is being used to deceive and polarize the public.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services informed employees on Monday that they were required to respond to an email from the Trump administration demanding a summary of their work from the past week, reversing an earlier position.
The U.S. Treasury Department announced on Sunday that it would not enforce an anti-money laundering law requiring millions of business entities to disclose the identities of their true beneficial owners.
A senior official from the U.S. Agency for International Development warned via email on Sunday that the Trump administration's dismantling of the agency will lead to unnecessary deaths, only to later send another email stating he had been placed on leave.
A U.S. judge on Saturday ruled that President Trump's firing of the head of a federal watchdog agency was illegal, marking an early test of the scope of presidential power, which may ultimately be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court.
A U.S. civil rights group filed a lawsuit on Saturday to block the Trump administration from potentially transferring 10 migrants from the U.S. to a naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, citing harsh conditions and suicide attempts among detainees.
Musk has dismissed a team of tech-savvy civil servants who helped build the IRS’s free tax-filing service and revamped websites across the government, according to an email sent overnight to employees.
A federal judge extended an order late Friday preventing the Trump administration from withholding federal funding from medical providers in four Democratic-led states that offer gender-affirming care to transgender youth under 19.
On Friday, President Trump announced he would pardon baseball legend Pete Rose, criticizing Major League Baseball for barring him from the Hall of Fame due to his history of gambling.
Elon Musk has fathered his 14th child, a son with Shivon Zilis, an executive at Musk's Neuralink, with whom he already shares three other children.
The U.S. government agency that provides benefits to tens of millions of older Americans announced on Friday plans to cut 7,000 workers as part of the Trump administration’s effort to reduce the federal workforce.
Reuters reports that a controversial plan by Senate Republicans to make Trump’s 2017 tax cuts permanent—ignoring the impact on the deficit—has raised alarms from fiscal conservatives and independent analysts, warning of a potential "debt spiral" that could harm economic growth.
An international non-governmental organization took out a full-page ad in Sunday's New York Times urging Americans to donate in support of the hundreds of millions of people facing hardship due to significant cuts in U.S. foreign aid.
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed hopes on Sunday to pass a "clean" stopgap funding bill to prevent a partial government shutdown, which could occur by March 15.
With less than two weeks until the deadline, Republicans and Democrats in Congress appear far from reaching a deal to avoid a government shutdown, which would throw Washington into greater chaos.
Bitcoin saw a 20% increase from last week's lows on Monday, while several other cryptocurrencies, which Trump previously mentioned would be included in a new U.S. strategic reserve, also experienced significant gains.
A senior World Health Organization official warned that the eradication of polio as a global health threat may be delayed unless U.S. funding cuts—potentially amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars—are reversed.
The Trump administration's decision to freeze the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has left a $100 million fund, intended for borrowers allegedly harmed by student loan servicer Navient, in limbo, according to an advocacy group.
Pete Marocco, deputy administrator-designate at the U.S. Agency for International Development, will meet with members of Congress on Wednesday to discuss foreign assistance, according to two sources familiar with the plan.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth renamed Fort Moore in Georgia to Fort Benning to honor Corporal Fred G. Benning.
American Airlines has petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse a lower-court decision that found its now-cancelled partnership with JetBlue Airways in the Northeast violated federal antitrust law. In the petition, made public on Monday, American asked the justices to review a decision by a federal appeals court in Boston that upheld a trial judge's ruling blocking the airlines' "Northeast Alliance," which allowed the two carriers to coordinate flights and pool revenue.
The head of the FBI's New York office has retired, according to an email from the outgoing official on Monday. His departure comes just weeks after he resisted a request from President Donald Trump's administration to provide a list of agents involved in the investigation into the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
GLOBAL
President Trump has paused all military aid to Ukraine following his clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week, a White House official confirmed on Monday. Whether the aid will be rerouted to Russia remains to be seen..
Ukraine's parliament announced on Monday that the country's security is guaranteed through U.S. support and described President Trump’s peacekeeping efforts as "decisive" in efforts to end the ongoing war with Russia. Well..
Hungary rejected a draft EU resolution on Ukraine at a meeting of EU ambassadors on Friday. The text included provisions on security guarantees the bloc could offer Kyiv, as well as a new package of military aid. Note: Article 7 of the Treaty on European Union allows for suspension of certain rights from member states. Perhaps this could be Hungary?
CNN reports that the Trump-Putin summit is now being 'fast-tracked.'
Canada’s oilfield drilling and services sector is already showing signs of slowing due to President Trump's threatened tariffs, raising fears that an expected industry rebound could stall if such tariffs are imposed.
India’s trade minister, Piyush Goyal, began a trip to the United States on Monday to pursue trade talks ahead of President Trump’s planned reciprocal tariffs.
Ukrainian drones carried out one of the war’s deepest strikes, hitting Russia’s Ufa Oil Refinery, located 1,300 km behind the front lines.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov praised President Trump’s "common sense" approach to ending the war in Ukraine, but accused European powers that have supported Kyiv of seeking to prolong the conflict.
Rubio has not spoken with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy since Friday's Oval Office meeting with President Trump, Rubio confirmed on Sunday’s "This Week" on ABC.
U.K. Prime Minister announced that Britain would spend 1.6 billion pounds ($2 billion) to supply Ukraine with 5,000 air defense missiles.
Poland has called for more European troops to be stationed in Finland, the Baltic States, and near Poland’s borders with Russia and Belarus.
French President Macron stated, “Next Thursday, there will be an EU meeting to discuss the creation of a European defense architecture, with discussions involving hundreds of billions of euros.”
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock reported that the EU plans to establish a €700 billion fund to expand its military-industrial complex, with part of those funds (approximately €110 billion over several years) allocated for Ukraine.
The USS Delaware nuclear submarine was forced to turn around off the coast of Norway after being denied refueling by a private company following the Trump-Zelenskyy meeting.
President Zelenskyy met with Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London on Saturday and visited King Charles on Sunday. The visit came after Zelenskyy was publicly criticized by Trump in front of the global media at the White House.
Drones, rather than traditional weapons, have become the predominant tool for causing casualties in Ukraine, potentially altering the future of warfare.
The office of President Zelenskyy stated that a video in which head of the Zelenskyy Office, Yermak, speaks about holding talks with China was recorded two weeks ago during a meeting with a Chinese representative, and was deliberately released by U.S. mainstream media one day before the London Summit.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry described Ukrainian President Zelenskyy’s visit to Washington on Friday as a political and diplomatic failure, claiming he was focused on continuing the war. Meanwhile, Putin continues to bomb Ukrainian cities daily.
Democratic lawmakers are demanding an explanation from the Pentagon regarding an order to pause offensive cyber operations against Russia amid negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. The pause, confirmed by two sources, is not unusual during sensitive diplomatic efforts.
French President Macron has indicated he is open to starting discussions on nuclear deterrence for Europe, suggesting France could assist in protecting other EU countries in light of the security threats posed by Russia.
In the western German city of Mannheim, a car drove into a crowd on Monday, killing at least two people and injuring 11 others, overshadowing local carnival celebrations where police had been on alert for potential attacks.
Austrian President swore in Christian Stoker of the ÖVP party as the new chancellor. Stoker, previously the deputy mayor of Wiener Neustadt, is considered a pragmatic politician. The new coalition government, excluding the pro-Russian Freedom Party (FPÖ), plans to increase the country’s defense budget.
Mauritius Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam described President Trump’s comments on a potential deal regarding the future of the U.S.-UK military base in the Chagos Islands as "positive."
President Trump announced that sweeping 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico would begin on Tuesday, with an additional 10% tariff on products from China. When asked about possible deals to avoid the tariffs, Trump said, “No room left for Mexico or Canada.”
On Saturday, President Trump signed an executive order initiating a new trade investigation that could lead to additional tariffs on imported lumber, adding to existing duties on Canadian softwood lumber and 25% tariffs on all Canadian and Mexican goods.
The U.S. Supreme Court will consider a Mexican lawsuit tomorrow accusing American gunmakers of complicity in trafficking weapons used by cartels. The justices may be skeptical of the claims.
Israel is expected to adopt President Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff’s proposal for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza during Ramadan and Passover, the prime minister’s office said on Sunday. This followed the expiration of the first phase of the ceasefire.
Israel and Hamas have continued negotiations following the first phase of the ceasefire in Gaza, although they are also preparing for a potential return to war.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio bypassed Congress to send $4 billion in weapons to Israel.
Humanitarian agencies warned that food, medicine, and shelter stockpiles in Gaza are limited, and aid could spoil due to Israel’s suspension of deliveries to the region.
Japan is battling its largest wildfire in over 30 years in a small coastal city. At least one person has died, and authorities have ordered thousands to evacuate.
Congo’s large army is struggling to contain the smaller M23 militia, which has swept through the eastern part of the country.
Uruguay is undergoing a political shift as Yamandu Orsi, backed by former President José "Pepe" Mujica, assumed office as the new president after narrowly defeating the ruling center-right coalition in the November election.
CARTOONS OF THE DAY
POSTS OF THE DAY
OUR SITUATION IN NUMBERS
Wall Street’s major stock indexes plummeted late Monday, finishing sharply lower after President Trump’s announcement of 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated on Sunday that he would exclude government spending from the gross domestic product (GDP) report, though he did not indicate when this change might take place, and dismissed concerns about a potential recession.
NEWS CLIPS - NO COMMENTARY
Ontario Premier Ford may cut US electricity to several American states if DJT tariffs go into effect
Kallas: We have to work together as transatlantic partners
Sen. Chris Murphy will be skipping President Trump’s SOTU address
Zelenskyy thanks US for the aid 94 times - compilation
Starmer: I’m focused on lasting peace
Vance encountered peaceful pro-🇺🇦 protesters in VT and fled to an undisclosed location
Trudeau: It's not just about Ukraine. It's about the rules and the VALUES and the principles..
German FM comments on the political shift post US-UKR meeting in the Oval Office
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces conducted a precision airstrike in Northwest Syria, targeting and killing Muhammed Yusuf Ziya Talay, the senior military leader of the terrorist organization Hurras al-Din (HaD), an Al-Qaeda affiliate
Retired U.S. Admiral James Stavridis:We could be looking at the last days of NATO
ICYMI
The maker of Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil must face a proposed class action lawsuit, alleging it misled consumers by claiming the foil is "Made in USA," despite much of the raw material and manufacturing originating elsewhere, a U.S. judge ruled on Monday.
Firefly Aerospace successfully completed its first attempt to land on the moon with its uncrewed Blue Ghost spacecraft on Sunday. The mission, which kicks off a two-week research initiative, marks the beginning of a fierce global competition among private companies to reach the frontlines of lunar exploration.
SERENA WILLIAMS ACQUIRES OWNERSHIP STAKE IN TORONTO TEMPO: One of the greatest athletes of all time joins the ownership group of Canada’s first WNBA team.
In downtown Washington, figure skaters gathered to pay tribute to the 67 victims of a tragic plane crash above the Potomac River. Many of the deceased were young skaters.
The New York State Police are investigating the death of a 22-year-old inmate at an upstate prison. Nine prisoners have told The Times that corrections officers brutally beat him.
RECOMMENDED READ
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Reporter: "Senator Lindsey Graham said that perhaps you should consider resigning..." Zelenskyy: "I can give him the citizenship of Ukraine. He will become a citizen of our country, and then his voice will gain weight... And I will hear him as a citizen of Ukraine on the topic of who must be the president."
TODAY'S COVER PHOTO
PS. In short...
That's all from me for now. Thank you for reading.
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