US arms flow to Ukraine again as the Kremlin mulls a ceasefire proposal

• March 12, 2025

By SAMYA KULLAB, Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — U.S. arms deliveries to Ukraine resumed Wednesday, officials said, a day after the Trump administration lifted its suspension of military aid for Kyiv in its fight against Russia’s invasion, and Ukrainian officials signaled that they were open to a 30-day ceasefire backed by Washington.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday that it’s important not to “get ahead” of the question of responding to the ceasefire proposal. He told reporters that Moscow is awaiting “detailed information” about it from the U.S. and suggested that Russia must get that first before it can take a position.

Arms deliveries to Ukraine have already resumed through a Polish logistics center, the foreign ministers of Ukraine and Poland announced Wednesday. The deliveries go through a NATO and U.S. hub in the eastern Polish city of Rzeszow that’s has been used to ferry Western weapons into neighboring Ukraine about 45 miles away.

The American military help is vital for Ukraine’s shorthanded and weary army, which is having a tough time keeping Russia’s bigger military force at bay. But for Moscow, more American aid spells potentially more difficulty in achieving its war aims and likely will be a tough sell in Moscow for Washington’s peace efforts.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday that Washington will pursue “multiple points of contacts” with Russia to see if President Vladimir Putin is ready to negotiate an end to the war. He declined to give details.

“The ball is truly in their court,” Rubio said at a refueling stopover in Shannon, Ireland on his way to talks in Canada with other Group of Seven leading industrialized nations.

Rubio said he hoped to see Russia stop attacks on Ukraine within the next few days as a first step.

“We don’t think it’s constructive to stand here today and say what we’re going to do if Russia says no,” Rubio said, adding he wanted to avoid statements about Russia that “are abrasive in any way.”

Escalation of conflict amid ceasefire talks

His comments came amid intensifying Russian effort to push Ukrainian forces out of its Kursk region that has yielded breakthroughs in recent days, Ukrainian soldiers told The Associated Press. The fighting has escalated as ceasefire talks come to a head, with Moscow intent on taking back its territory and Kyiv determined to hold onto it as a bargaining chip in any negotiations.

Ukrainian forces made a daring raid into the Russian region last August in the first foreign occupation of Russian territory since World War II. They have held on despite intense pressure from tens of thousands of Russian and North Korean troops.

Recent fighting reportedly has focused on the Kursk town of Sudzha, which is a key Ukrainian supply hub and operational base. Ukrainian soldiers said the situation is dynamic and fighting continues in and around the town, but three of them conceded Russian forces were making headway.

Russian state news agencies RIA Novosti and Tass reported Wednesday that the Russian military have entered Sudzha. It wasn’t possible to independently verify either side’s claims.

Inside Ukraine, Russian ballistic missiles killed at least five civilians, officials said Wednesday,

U.S. President Donald Trump wants to end the three-year war and pressured Zelenskyy to enter talks. The suspension of U.S. assistance came days after Zelenskyy and Trump argued about the conflict in a tense White House meeting.

Rubio, who led the American delegation to Tuesday’s talks in Saudi Arabia, said Washington would present the ceasefire offer to the Kremlin, which has so far opposed anything short of a permanent end to the conflict and hasn’t accepted any concessions.

“We’re going to tell (the Russians) this is what’s on the table. Ukraine is ready to stop shooting and start talking. And now it’ll be up to them to say yes or no,” Rubio told reporters after the talks. “If they say no, then we’ll unfortunately know what the impediment is to peace here.”

Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is expected to travel this week to Moscow, where he could meet with Putin, according to a person familiar with the matter but not authorized to comment publicly. The person cautioned that scheduling could change.

Russian officials are wary about the U.S.-Ukraine talks

Russian lawmakers signaled wariness about the prospect of a ceasefire.

“Russia is advancing (on the battlefield), so it will be different with Russia,” senior Russian senator Konstantin Kosachev noted in a post on the messaging app Telegram.

“Any agreements (with the understanding of the need for compromise) should be on our terms, not American,” Kosachev wrote.

Lawmaker Mikhail Sheremet told the state news agency Tass that “Russia is not interested in continuing” the war but at the same time Moscow “will not tolerate being strung along.”

The outcome of the Saudi Arabia talks “places the onus on Washington to persuade Moscow to accept and implement the ceasefire,” said John Hardie, a defense analyst and deputy director of the Russia Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington-based research institute.

“Moscow will present itself as cooperative, but may push for agreement on basic principles for a final peace deal before agreeing to a ceasefire,” he said.

“Russia may also insist on barring Western military aid to Ukraine during the ceasefire and on Ukraine holding elections ahead of a long-term peace agreement.”

Russia’s foreign intelligence service, known as the SVR, reported Wednesday morning that the service’s chief, Sergei Naryshkin, spoke on the phone with CIA Director John Ratcliffe on Tuesday.

The two discussed cooperation “in areas of common interest and the resolution of crisis situations,” according to a statement by the SVR.

Stefanie Dazio in Berlin, and Sylvie Corbet in Paris, contributed to this report.

​ Orange County Register 

Greenland’s election winners push back against Trump’s wish to take control of the island

• March 12, 2025

By DANICA KIRKA, Associated Press

NUUK, Greenland (AP) — A party that favors a gradual path to Greenland’s independence from Denmark won a surprise victory in parliamentary elections, held in the shadow of U.S. President Donald Trump’s stated goal of taking control of the island one way or another.

The center-right Demokraatit Party has pushed back against Trump’s rhetoric, saying it is for Greenlanders to decide the future of the strategically important territory, which holds large reserves of the rare earth minerals needed to make everything from mobile phones to renewable energy technology. The Arctic island is also home to a U.S. air base and straddles strategic air and sea routes in the North Atlantic.

The result should send a clear message to Trump that Denmark is not for sale, Demokraatit leader Jens-Friederik Nielsen told Sky News.

“We don’t want to be Americans. No, we don’t want to be Danes. We want to be Greenlanders. And we want our own independence in the future. And we want to build our own country by ourselves, not with his hope.”

Trump has been outspoken about his desire to control Greenland, telling a joint session of Congress last week that he thought the U.S. was going to get it “one way or the other.”

Moving toward independence from Denmark

A break from Denmark wasn’t on the ballot, but it was on everyone’s mind. Greenland was colonized 300 years ago by Denmark, which still exercises control over foreign and defense policy.

The island of 56,000 people has been on a path toward independence since at least 2009, and the 31 lawmakers elected will shape the island’s future as it debates whether the time has come to declare independence.

Four of the five main parties in the race sought independence, but disagreed on when and how.

Second-place finisher Naleraq is the most aggressively pro-independence, while Demokraatit favors a more moderate pace of change.

“What approach to independence will win the day will ultimately depend on if Demokraatit decides to form a coalition government, and if so, with which party,” said Dwayne Menezes, managing director of the Polar Research and Policy Initiative.

A surprising victory

Demokraatit won nearly 30% of the vote, compared to just 9% in the election four years ago, Greenlandic Broadcasting Corporation KNR TV reported, while Naleraq came in second with almost 25%, up from nearly 12% in 2021.

Demokraatit’s upset victory over parties that have governed the territory for years indicated many in Greenland care just as much about social policies such as health care and education as they do about geopolitics.

Nielsen, 33, appeared to be surprised by his party’s gains, with photos showing him sporting a huge grin and applauding at the election party.

He said that Greenland needs to stand together “in a time of great interest from outside,” KNR TV reported.

Danish broadcaster DR reported that Nielsen said his party would reach out to all other parties to negotiate the future political course for Greenland.

Denmark’s reaction

Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen congratulated the Demokraatit party and said the future Greenlandic government would likely have to “deal with massive pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump,” according to DR.

He added that “it’s not the case that you can just take part of the Danish Realm — the future of Greenland is based on what the Greenlandic people and government want,” DR reported.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, meanwhile, called the election “a joyful day and a celebration of democracy” in a statement Wednesday. She congratulated Demokraatit and said the Danish government would await the results of coalition negotiations.

An early vote

Prime Minister Mute Bourup Egede had called the early vote in February, saying the country needed to be united during a “serious time” unlike anything Greenland has ever experienced.

On Wednesday, after the results were known, Egede thanked voters in a Facebook post for turning out and said the parties were ready to turn to negotiations to form a government.

His party, Inuit Ataqatigiit, or United Inuit, received 21% of the vote. This is a significant decline from the last election, when the party came in strongest with 36% of the vote, according to KNR TV.

Inuit Ataqatigiit had been widely expected to win, followed by Siumut — two parties which had dominated Greenland’s politics in recent years.

Siumut came in fourth with 14% of the vote.

​ Orange County Register 

US inflation cooled last month, though trade war threatens to lift prices

• March 12, 2025

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER, Associated Press Economics Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. inflation slowed last month for the first time since September and a measure of underlying inflation fell to a four-year low, even as additional tariffs on steel and aluminum that kicked in Wednesday threaten to send prices higher.

The consumer price index increased 2.8% in February from a year ago, Wednesday’s report from the Labor Department showed, down from 3% the previous month. Core prices, which exclude the volatile food and energy categories, rose 3.1% from a year earlier, down from 3.3% in January. The core figure is the lowest since April 2021.

The declines were larger than economists expected, according to a survey by data provider FactSet. Yet they remain higher than the Federal Reserve’s 2% target. Sticky inflation could create problems for President Donald Trump, who promised during last year’s campaign to “knock the hell out of inflation.”

Yet on a monthly basis, inflation also came in much lower than expected. Consumer prices rose 0.2% in February from the previous month, down from a big 0.5% jump in January. And core prices rose just 0.2%, below the 0.4% increase in January. Economists watch core prices because they are typically a better guide to inflation’s future path.

Grocery prices were unchanged last month from January, bringing some relief to consumers grappling with a 25% jump in grocery prices from four years ago. The cost of eggs, however, jumped 10.4% in February from the previous month and are nearly 60% more expensive than a year ago.

Avian flu has forced farmers to slaughter more than 160 million birds, including 30 million in January. Average egg prices hit $4.95 a dozen nationwide in February, a record high. The price had consistently been below $2 a dozen for decades before the disease struck.

And with Trump imposing — or threatening to impose — a wide range of tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico, China, Europe and India, most economists forecast price growth will likely remain elevated this year.

The duties have roiled financial markets and could sharply slow the economy, with some analysts raising the odds of a recession. Many economists expect inflation would fall this year without the import taxes, but with tariffs imposed, they forecast inflation will stay elevated through the end of this year.

Trump has pledged to impose reciprocal tariffs on any country with duties on U.S. exports on April 2. Economists at the Yale Budget Lab calculate that those duties, by themselves, could boost the average U.S. tariff rate to its highest level since 1937, and cost the average household as much as $3,400.

Wednesday’s update is likely to encourage the inflation-fighters at the Federal Reserve. Fed Chair Jerome Powell said in January that rate cuts were on hold and another reduction is highly unlikely at the Fed’s meeting next week.

The biggest wild card for the Fed — and the economy as a whole — are the tariffs and Trump’s threats to impose more. Since his inauguration in January, Trump has imposed 20% taxes on all imports from China, and 25% duties on imports from Canada and Mexico, though most of those tariffs have been suspended for a month.

On Wednesday, the administration increased tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports to 25%, promising that the taxes would help create U.S. factory jobs at a time when Trump’s seesawing tariff threats are jolting the stock market and raising fears of an economic slowdown.

The European Union responded in kind almost immediately announcing retaliatory trade action with new duties on U.S. industrial and farm products.

Trump has promised reciprocal duties on countries that tariff exports from the United States, including Europe, India, and South Korea on April 2.

AP Writers Josh Boak and Paul Wiseman in Washington, and Lorne Cook and David McHugh in Europe, contributed to this report.

​ Orange County Register 

Newsom tacks right to oppose transgender athletes in women’s sports

• March 12, 2025

So what game is Gavin Newsom playing?

Ever since Democrats lost the White House to Donald Trump four months ago, California’s governor has been retooling his political image, shifting from advocating left-leaning policies, such as single-payer health care, to supporting quasi-conservative causes, such as suppressing street crime and cleaning up homeless encampments.

Newsom’s slow drift to the right became a jolt last week when, on the first segment of his new podcast, “This Is Gavin Newsom,” he declared opposition to transgender women competing in women’s sports.

“I think it’s an issue of fairness. I completely agree with you on that,” he told Charlie Kirk, a right-wing provocateur and Newsom’s first podcast guest. “It is an issue of fairness. It’s deeply unfair. I’m not wrestling with the fairness issue. I totally agree with you.”

Newsom cited his two daughters, his wife’s background as a college athlete and his own baseball career at Santa Clara University as shaping his position, saying “I revere sports. And so the issue of fairness is completely legit.”

Not surprisingly, Newsom’s startling statement drew fire from advocates for LGBTQ rights who had long counted the governor as a supporter, dating from 2004 when, as mayor of San Francisco, he defied state law to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

“We are profoundly disappointed and angered by Governor Newsom’s comments about transgender youth and their ability to participate in sports,” Tony Hoang, executive director of Equality California, said in a statement. “Transgender kids — like all kids — deserve the chance to play sports alongside their teammates and learn important values like leadership, teamwork, and sportsmanship. Transgender young people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.”

Despite the outrage of Hoang and other advocates, Newsom’s newly voiced position places him in the national political mainstream. In January a New York Times/ Ipsos poll found that almost 80% of Americans oppose allowing transgender women to compete in women’s sports and that included more than two-thirds of Democrats.

Something else Newsom said on the topic was a sharp dig at Kamala Harris, his sometime ally and sometime rival, for failing to counter a Donald Trump commercial that showed Harris endorsing sex-change operations for transgender prison inmates.

The ad has been widely hailed as the Trump campaign’s most effective assault on Harris, and Newsom termed it “a great ad” that Harris’ campaign neglected to answer.

During his political career in California, which has spanned half of his life, Newsom has often said and done things that attract national media attention, beginning with his decree supporting gay marriage as mayor. His remarks on transgender sports were only the latest of such zingers.

If he really believes that transgender women should be banned from women’s sports, he would publicly support the recently introduced legislation to repeal a 2013 law that allows such participation. If he doesn’t back his words with action, we’ll know it’s just a political ploy.

So what’s Newsom’s end game?

National political media assume that Newsom will finish the remaining 22 months of his governorship and then launch, officially or otherwise, a campaign for president. Trump apparently cannot run for another term in 2028, although he may try to circumvent the Constitution’s two-term limit. And at the moment, the Democrats don’t have any other standout potential candidates.

Therefore if Newsom does intend to pursue the presidency in 2028, or otherwise remain in the political spotlight, aligning himself with popular sentiment on such a hot-button issue is a smart tactical move.

Likewise, creating a personal podcast and inviting such obvious foils as Charlie Kirk would be a way to maintain national media exposure, the prerequisite for anyone who seeks the White House.

Dan Walters is a CalMatters columnist.

​ Orange County Register 

The Education Department was created to ensure equal access. Who would do that in its absence?

• March 12, 2025

By BIANCA VÁZQUEZ TONESS, Associated Press Education Writer

As the Trump administration moves to dismantle the Education Department, officials have suggested other agencies could take over its major responsibilities: civil rights enforcement to the Justice Department, perhaps; student loans to Treasury or Commerce; oversight of student disability rights to Health and Human Services.

Less clear is what could happen with a more lofty part of its mission — promoting equal access for students in an American education system that is fundamentally unequal.

The department has cut its workforce in half, including a layoff of 1,300 people announced Tuesday. President Donald Trump pledged during his campaign to eliminate the department entirely, calling it wasteful and infiltrated by leftists.

Without the department, advocates worry the federal government would not look out in the same way for poor students, those still learning English, disabled students and racial and ethnic minorities.

“Gutting the agency that is charged to ensure equal access to education for every child is only going to create an underclass of students,” said Weadé James, senior director of K-12 education policy for the Center for American Progress, a think tank that advocates for racial equity policies and increased investment in public schools.

The equity goal of the Education Department, which was founded in 1980, emerged partly from the anti-poverty and civil rights movements of the 1960s and 1970s. The act creating the department described its mission, in part, as: “To strengthen the Federal commitment to ensuring access to equal educational opportunity for every individual.”

If new Education Secretary Linda McMahon really does work herself “out of a job,” as Trump has said he wants, the government will lose a bully pulpit to draw attention to the nation’s challenges and evangelize solutions, said Michael Petrilli, president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, an education think tank that advocates for more rigorous academic standards and accountability for public schools.

But Petrilli doubts that significantly paring back the department — if not completely eliminating it — will be “noticeable in the real world.”

Test scores continue to show many school children are struggling academically. The latest national tests showed one-third of eighth grade students missing fundamental skills in reading, and a widening gap between the highest-performing and lower-performing students. That’s the justification McMahon and other Trump allies have used for dismantling the department and sending its funding directly to states to spend.

Far from perfect, the department has offered a valuable “north star” for schools, said Wil Del Pilar, senior vice president of EdTrust, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank that advocates for educational equity. It is the role of the department to institute guardrails, investments and protections “that support equal outcomes for students,” he said.

Trump has said he wants to return all control of schools to states.

The biggest question for many is what happens to the billions of dollars sent to run public schools every year, such as Title I funding, which supports schools in communities with high concentrations of poverty.

Educating low-income children, students learning English and those with disabilities often costs more because it requires specialized teaching or smaller class sizes. Districts without a strong tax base to fund schools often struggle to meet these students’ needs, which Congress recognized by authorizing the money.

McMahon has said she wants to send the money directly to states, with fewer restrictions. Some have worried that without guardrails or federal oversight, states will use the money to advance their own priorities in ways that potentially entrench inequality.

If the funding is distributed to states as block grants, it’s potentially a “way to defund public education,” said Del Pilar. Block grants allow politicians to “direct funds as they see fit, and that could be away from schools,” he said.

Students in Mississippi, South Dakota, Arkansas, Montana and Alaska could be affected the most if rules or oversight changes for how states spend this money. During the 2021-2022 school year, these states relied on federal aid for at least 20% of school funding, according to government data.

The agency traditionally has worked on behalf of disadvantaged students through its Office for Civil Rights, with an emphasis defending the rights of students with disabilities and students facing harassment tied to their skin color. Under the Trump administration, the agency has prioritized allegations of antisemitism.

While some advocates worry about the pivot in priorities, some attorneys say they had given up on recommending parents pursue complaints with the Office for Civil Rights, which they perceived as understaffed and too slow to provide relief.

Well before Trump was sworn in for a second term, the system moved slowly, but it has now gotten even worse, said A. Kelly Neal, a special education attorney in Macon, Georgia.

“Usually they were a little bit more responsive,” Neal said. “It may not have been the response you wanted. But at least they tried to pretend they were doing something.”

She said she would have no problem if the Department of Justice took on enforcement of these cases.

As part of a crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, the Trump administration last month ended the contract for the Equity Assistance Center-South, a technical assistance program for Southern school districts still operating under federal desegregation orders. On Tuesday, the Southern Education Foundation appealed the decision to cancel its contract to run the center.

The attempt to close these such centers abdicates the government’s responsibility to “help school districts address educational inequities and provide greater education opportunities for our students,” said Raymond Pierce, Southern Education Foundation’s president and chief executive officer.

Associated Press writer Heather Hollingsworth contributed to this report.

The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

​ Orange County Register 

Most AAPI adults don’t support cutting agencies and want a focus on costs: new poll

• March 12, 2025

By TERRY TANG and LINLEY SANDERS, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Most Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders do not agree with the strategy of putting entire federal agencies on the chopping block, nor are they broadly on board with mass layoffs of federal workers, according to a new poll.

The survey, released Wednesday from AAPI Data and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, shows that AAPI adults want the government to concentrate more on everyday costs. They feel the federal government should do more to address high prices. About 8 in 10 AAPI adults say the federal government should make health care costs “a high priority,” while about 7 in 10 say the same about the cost of food, and roughly 6 in 10 feel similarly about housing.

The poll is part of an ongoing project exploring the views of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, whose views are usually not highlighted in other surveys because of small sample sizes and lack of linguistic representation.

The results come as President Donald Trump continues what his administration says are cost-cutting measures under the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, led by adviser Elon Musk. This has included layoffs of thousands of government workers and discussion of dismantling entire agencies like the Department of Education.

About 6 in 10 AAPI adults “strongly” or “somewhat” oppose eliminating entire federal agencies, while about 1 in 10 are in favor, which is slightly below the roughly 2 in 10 U.S. adults overall who expressed the same sentiments in a January AP-NORC poll. About 3 in 10 are neutral, saying they neither favor nor oppose this move. Nearly half oppose eliminating a large number of federal jobs, while about one-quarter are in favor.

The recent cuts have left Celeste Hong, a 56-year-old registered Democrat living in Los Angeles, feeling angry about where the cost-saving efforts have focused.

“Understandably, people don’t like inefficiency and waste. Well, I kind of feel the Pentagon is the most wasteful area of our federal government,” Hong said.

She thinks the government isn’t concentrating enough on lowering the costs of health care, child care and food. Hong worries Trump’s tariff policies will end up increasing costs.

“You know, I can afford to absorb an extra cost,” said Hong, who is semi-retired. “But, what about the family of four whom you know is living paycheck to paycheck?”

The poll found that — amid nationwide problems that often cannot be solved easily — there are about two-thirds of AAPI adults who think the country is “spending too little” on improvements for the nation’s education system. Around 6 in 10 say the same about improving the nation’s health, protecting the environment and addressing the problem of homelessness.

There is one area where more AAPI adults see spending as excessive: Like Hong, about half of AAPI adults say “too much” is being spent on the military, armaments and defense.

Stacy Armstrong, 61, and a registered Republican in Bay City, Michigan, is an exception — he thinks the government is not spending enough on defense. He thinks more money should also go toward higher education and health care. Spending inefficiencies, in his view, stem from aid to other countries like Ukraine.

“We need to take care of our own,” said Armstrong, who is half Japanese. “I think it’s an important thing, but I think there’s other countries that can help out, too. We need to at least reduce it drastically, if not cut it off altogether.”

But Armstrong, who voted for Trump last year, thinks it’s wrong to excise federal agencies. To him, it would be better if the Trump administration could instead work to streamline or consolidate operations. However, he added he’s not privy to information the administration has and said every president has to make hard choices to get results.

“I know he’s going to do some good things,” Armstrong said.

Karthick Ramakrishnan, executive director of AAPI Data and researcher at the University of California, Berkeley, said it’s not surprising that some conservative AAPI adults would hold nuanced views on government spending, including opposition to dismantling federal agencies or a desire for greater government spending in some areas.

AAPI adults “tend to be focused on solutions and less so on partisanship,” Ramakrishnan said.

At the same time, they may be willing to give the Trump administration a chance to keep trying new strategies to save money. AAPI voters, who are more Democratic-leaning than the electorate as a whole, shifted slightly to the right in November.

“A certain chunk of voters were persuaded that the Republican Party would do a better job on the issues and the economy,” Ramakrishnan said.

The poll of 1,170 U.S. adults who are Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders was conducted Feb. 4-11, 2025, using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based Amplify AAPI Panel, designed to be representative of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander population. Online and telephone interviews were offered in English, the Chinese dialects of Mandarin and Cantonese, Vietnamese and Korean. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 4.7 percentage points.

​ Orange County Register 

Canada will announce more than $20 billion in tariffs in response to Trump’s metal tariffs

• March 12, 2025

By ROB GILLIES, Associated Press

TORONTO (AP) — Canada will announce Canadian $29.8 billion ($20.7 billion) in retaliatory tariffs in response to the 25% steel and aluminum tariffs that U.S. President Donald Trump has leveled, a senior Canadian government official said Wednesday.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak before the announcement.

The European Union on Wednesday also announced retaliatory trade action with new duties on U.S. industrial and farm products, responding within hours to the Trump administration’s increase in tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports to 25%.

Canada is the largest foreign supplier of steel and aluminum to the U.S.

​ Orange County Register 

Flood watch affecting Los Angeles County until Thursday evening

• March 12, 2025

Los Angeles County is included in a flood watch issued by the National Weather Service on Wednesday at 2:53 a.m. The watch is valid from 6 p.m. until Thursday, Mar. 13 at 6 p.m.

According to the NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA, “Flash flooding and debris flows caused by excessive rainfall are possible.”

“Potential for heavy rain over the burn scars may trigger hazardous and damaging flooding and debris flows. Flooding may also occur in poor drainage and urban areas,” the NWS said. “You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible Flood Warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop.”

The full list of affected locations includes:

• 5 Freeway corridor near Santa Clarita
• Catalina/Santa Barbara Islands
• Santa Clarita Valley
• Santa Barbara County Southwestern Coast
• Santa Barbara County Southeastern Coast
• Santa Ynez Mountains Western Range
• Santa Ynez Mountains Eastern Range
• Ventura County Beaches
• Ventura County Inland Coast
• Lake Casitas
• Ojai Valley
• Central Ventura County Valleys
• Malibu
• Los Angeles County Beaches
• Palos Verdes Peninsula
• Los Angeles County Inland Coast including Downtown Los Angeles
• Western Santa Monica Mountains Recreational area
• Eastern Santa Monica Mountains Recreational area
• Calabasas/Agoura Hills
• San Fernando Valley
• Southeastern Ventura County Valleys
• Santa Susana Mountains
• Western San Gabriel Mountains/Highway 14 Corridor
• Eastern San Gabriel Mountains
• San Gabriel Valley

Deciphering advisories, watches, and warnings: Understanding weather alerts

• Flash flood warning: Take action!

A flash flood warning is issued when a flash flood is imminent or occurring. If you are in a flood-prone area, move immediately to high ground. A flash flood is a sudden violent flood that can take from minutes to hours to develop. It is even possible to experience a flash flood in areas not immediately receiving rain.

• Flood warning: Take action!

A flood warning is issued when flooding is imminent or occurring.

• Flood advisory: Be aware:

A flood advisory is issued when flooding is not expected to be bad enough to issue a warning. However, it may cause significant inconvenience, and if caution is not exercised, it could lead to situations that may threaten life and/or property.

• Flood watch: Be prepared:

A flood watch is issued when conditions are favorable for flooding. It doesn’t guarantee that flooding will occur, but it signifies that the possibility exists.

Weathering the storm: Flood safety guidelines from the NWS

Floods can pose a significant threat, especially if you live in a flood-prone area or find yourself camping in a low-lying region. To ensure your safety, the NWS offers essential flood safety guidelines:

Seek higher ground:

If you’re in a flood-prone area, or if you’re camping in a low-lying spot, move to higher ground as a first step.

Adhere to evacuation orders:

When local authorities issue an evacuation order, promptly comply. Before leaving, secure your home by locking it.

Disconnect utilities and appliances:

If time allows, disconnect your utilities and appliances. This reduces the risk of electrical hazards during flooding.

Steer clear of flooded basements and submerged areas:

Avoid basements or rooms submerged in water with electrical outlets or cords. Preventing electrical accidents is crucial.

Swift evacuation for your safety:

If you notice sparks or hear buzzing, crackling, snapping, or popping sounds, evacuate without delay. Do not enter water that may carry an electrical charge.

Refrain from walking in floodwaters:

Never attempt to walk through floodwaters, even if they appear shallow. Just 6 inches of fast-moving water can forcefully sweep you off your feet.

Seek high ground if trapped:

Should you become trapped by moving water, reach the highest point possible and dial 911 to contact emergency services.

When heavy rain occurs, there is a potential for flooding, particularly in areas that are low-lying or prone to floods. It is crucial to never drive through water on the road, even if it appears shallow. According to the NWS, as little as 12 inches of fast-flowing water can carry away most vehicles. Prioritize your safety by staying informed and prepared.

Driving through downpours: Safety guidelines for wet roads

When heavy rain strikes, safety is paramount. Equip yourself with these guidelines from the NWS to navigate wet roads and avoid hazards:

Beware of rapid water flow:

Avoid parking or walking in close proximity to culverts or drainage ditches, as the swiftly moving water during heavy rain can potentially carry you away.

Maintain safe driving distances:

Use the two-second rule to maintain a safe distance from the car in front of you and allow an extra two seconds in heavy rain.

Reduce speed and drive cautiously:

On wet roads, reducing your speed is crucial. Ease off the gas pedal gradually and avoid abrupt braking to prevent skidding.

Choose your lane wisely:

Stay toward the middle lanes – water tends to pool in the outside lanes.

Prioritize visibility:

Enhance your visibility in heavy rain by turning on your headlights. Watch out for vehicles in blind spots, as rain-smeared windows can obscure them.

Watch out for slippery roads:

The initial half-hour of rain is when roads are slickest due to a mixture of rain, grime, and oil. Exercise heightened caution during this period.

Keep a safe distance from large vehicles:

Large trucks and buses can reduce your visibility with tire spray. Avoid tailgating and pass them swiftly and safely.

Mind your windshield wipers:

• Heavy rain can overload the wiper blades. When visibility is so limited that the edges of the road or other vehicles cannot be seen at a safe distance, it is time to pull over and wait for the rain to ease up. It is best to stop at rest areas or other protected areas.
• If the roadside is your only option, pull off as far as possible, preferably past the end of a guard rail, and wait until the storm passes. Keep your headlights on and turn on emergency flashers to alert other drivers of your position.

By following these safety measures, you can significantly reduce risks and ensure your well-being when heavy rain pours down. Stay informed about weather conditions and heed advice from local authorities to make your journey safe and sound.

​ Orange County Register