The US reportedly rejected Canada’s proposal to set up a task force to tackle Russia’s so-called oil tanker “shadow fleet,” and pushed it to soften its language in Moscow ahead of the G7 foreign minister at the meeting this week.
In negotiations to agree to the joint statement on maritime affairs, the US is pushing to strengthen its language about China, while watering down the language in Russia, the report says.
The move comes with growing fears in Europe that Washington is turning his back from his western allies and towards Moscow. As Russia increased its attacks on Ukraine last week, Donald Trump said, “Anyone in Putin’s position.”
The US refuses to tackle Canadian “shadow fleet”
The US reportedly rejected Canada’s proposal to tackle a “shadow fleet” of Russian oil tankers ahead of the G7 foreign ministers’ meeting in Quebec later this week. “Shadow Fleet” refers to aging oil tankers hidden in order to avoid Western economic sanctions imposed on Moscow since the launch of a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
In addition to rejecting Canada’s proposal to establish a task force to monitor sanctions violations, the draft G7 statement seen by Bloomberg News shows that the US is pushing to remove the word “sanctions” and cites Russia’s “ability to maintain war” in Ukraine to “earn income.”
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Republican push spending bill to cut everything except defense
U.S. House Republicans announced a spending bill that will continue to fund federal agencies until September 30th on Saturday, pushing the Go-it-Alone strategy they believe they are confident it will insure major conflict with Democrats over the outline of government spending.
The 99-page bill will slightly boost the defense program while trimming non-defense programs below the 2024 budget year level.
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You shouldn’t play “So Safe,” says Walz.
Tim Waltz said he and Kamala Harris were “safe” during the 2024 election campaign, and that former vice presidential candidates should hold more in-person events in the United States.
“We shouldn’t have played this thing that was so safe,” Minnesota governor Waltz said in an interview with Politico.
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Texas Blissful Fortress could become a deportation hub under Trump’s plan
The huge US Army base at Fort Vis on the Texas-Mexico border is poised to become a deportation hub under a plan proposed by the Trump administration.
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After funding the freeze, classes were cancelled at the National Fire Academy
Amidst the Donald Trump administration’s continued gusts of fundraising freezes and staff cuts, the country’s outstanding federal fire training academy cancelled its classes immediately and effectively on Saturday.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has announced that “National Fire Academy (NFA) courses have been cancelled amid “expenditures to assess government programs and ensure management priorities,” according to a notification sent to instructors, students and fire departments.
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Trump’s policies could make us more vulnerable to drug trafficking, former officials say
Donald Trump’s policies could make the United States more vulnerable to trafficking of dangerous synthetic drugs from abroad, even though the administration has vowed to stop fentanyl coming in, former government officials say. Jim Clotty, former deputy chief of staff at the Drug Enforcement Bureau, called Trump’s approach to “forced” tariffs on China, Canada and Mexico, saying that could backfire.
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“Jerk Boss”: Minnesota Senators Call Trump and Musk
Americans can “see it with Elon Musk and Donald Trump” and “like a jerk boss who doesn’t respect the work someone is doing,” Minnesota Democratic Sen. Tina Smith told the Guardian. Smith has been openly calling for Musk and Trump ever since making an incredibly rare decision in February for someone who was elected to one of the nation’s best positions.
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Universities and universities are working to cut funds for Trump
Students, researchers, faculty and leadership from universities and universities across the United States are tackling the dramatic short- and long-term impacts “over the next few decades” that are caused by freezes, cuts and funding executive orders from the Trump administration.
“We’re holding a lot of confusion on campus,” said Sarah Spretzer, vice president and chief of staff for government relations on the US Council of Education.
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What happened today:
The environmental nonprofit sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Citibank on Saturday, seeking billions of dollars for solar and other projects frozen by banks to cut federal spending.
Adam Cohen, head of the organized criminal drug enforcement task force, has been fired, and another move by the Trump administration is another move to wipe out or sideline career officials.
The White House reiterated the US president’s claim that Tehran could handle it either military or by making a deal, in response to Iran’s rejection of Trump’s call to negotiate a nuclear deal.
catch up? This is what happened on March 7th.
