US pauses military aid to Ukraine, media reports
WASHINGTON, March 3 (Reuters) - The United States is pausing military aid to Ukraine days after U.S. President Donald Trump clashed with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in the Oval Office, a White House official confirmed on Monday.
The official said the U.S. is pausing and reviewing aid to ensure it is contributing to a solution.
The pause will last until Trump determines the country's leaders demonstrate a good-faith commitment to peace, according to Bloomberg and Fox News reports.
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Trump moves to suspend security clearances of lawyers at DC law firm helping Jack Smith
President Donald Trump on Tuesday ordered the suspension of any security clearances held by lawyers at a prominent Washington law firm who provided legal services to special counsel Jack Smith, the latest move in the Republican’s campaign of retribution over the criminal investigations that dogged him before he returned to office.
Trump’s memo signed at the White House seeks to punish the law firm Covington & Burling days after it was revealed that the firm provided pro bono legal services to Smith, who charged Trump in two criminal cases that were later dismissed after Trump won back the presidency in November.
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Macron says Ukraine is an 'existential' fight for Europe as he makes two-day state visit to Portugal
French President Emmanuel Macron began a two-day state visit to Portugal to strengthen bilateral ties and encourage European unity as the fate of Ukraine remains uncertain under an increasingly critical Trump administration.
French President Emmanuel Macron began a two-day state visit to Portugal on Thursday where he was greeted by Prime Minister Luis Montenegro.
Macron and his wife Brigitte received a welcoming ceremony outside the Jeronimos Monastery in the Portuguese capital, Lisbon. Macron was later welcomed by his Portuguese counterpart Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa after the ceremony.
The French president’s trip to Portugal looks to boost bilateral ties between Paris and Lisbon and deepen European unity in a period of uncertainty.
European leaders have been urging for increased unity and cooperation after a dramatic shift in Washington’s foreign policy following the return of Donald Trump to the White House.
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China says it is ready for 'any type of war' with US
China has warned the US it is ready to fight "any type" of war after hitting back against President Donald Trump's mounting trade tariffs.
The world's top two economies have edged closer to a trade war after Trump slapped more tariffs on all Chinese goods. China quickly retaliated imposing 10-15% tariffs on US farm products.
"If war is what the US wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war or any other type of war, we're ready to fight till the end," China's embassy said on X, reposting a line from a government statement on Tuesday.
It is some of the strongest rhetoric so far from China since Trump became president and comes as leaders gathered in Beijing for the annual National People's Congress.
On Wednesday, China's Premier Li Qiang announced that China would again boost its defence spending by 7.2% this year and warned that "changes unseen in a century were unfolding across the world at a faster pace." This increase was expected and matches the figure announced last year.
Leaders in Beijing are trying to send a message to people in China that they are confident the country's economy can grow, even with the threat of a trade war.
China has been keen to portray an image of being a stable, peaceful country in contrast to the US, which Beijing accuses of being embroiled in wars in the Middle East and Ukraine.
China may also hope to capitalise on Trump's actions relating to US allies such as Canada and Mexico, which have also been hit by tariffs, and will not want to ramp up the rhetoric too far to scare off potential new global partners.
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Number of Canadians travelling to U.S. plummets amid threats
Canadians appeared to be abandoning road trips to the U.S. amid President Donald Trump’s sovereignty and economic threats to their country.
The number of Canadian-resident return trips by car from the U.S. plunged 23% from a year ago in February, marking the second straight month with a year-over-year decline, Statistics Canada reported Monday.
The annual drops in January and February were the first and second since March 2021.
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