Category Archives: News

The New York Times – Monday, February 24, 2025

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Friedrich Merz, a Conservative, Is Poised to Be Germany’s Next Chancellor

The Christian Democrat, who appeared to have a path to a stable governing coalition, hopes to lead Europe’s response to President Trump’s reshuffling of alliances.

Republicans Face Angry Voters at Town Halls, Hinting at Broader Backlash

After a monthlong honeymoon for the G.O.P. at the start of President Trump’s term, lawmakers are confronting a groundswell of fear and disaffection in districts around the country.

Israel and Hamas Trade Accusations of Violating Fragile Cease-Fire

Hamas criticized Israel’s decision to delay the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, amid growing tensions and concerns for the future of the truce in Gaza.

Zelensky Pushes Back Against U.S. Mineral Deal and Announces European Summit

The Ukrainian leader also said he would step down if Ukraine was allowed to join NATO, though it was unclear if he was serious or not.

Sunday Morning: Stories And News From London, Bangkok And Berlin

MONOCLE RADIO (February 23, 2025): Emma Nelson is joined by Latika Bourke and Stephen Dalziel to discuss the week’s biggest stories. Plus: Monocle’s editorial director, Tyler Brûlé, joins us from Bangkok and Monocle’s senior news editor, Christopher Cermak, reports on the latest German election news from Berlin.

The New York Times – Sunday, February 23, 2025

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Trump Fires Joint Chiefs Chairman Amid Flurry of Dismissals at Pentagon

The decision to fire Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., a four-star fighter pilot, broke a tradition in which the Joint Chiefs chairman remains in place with a new president.

The Unabashedly Provocative Youth Driving Germany’s Far Right

A new band of influencers unafraid of confrontation has helped elevate the Alternative for Germany party to second in pre-election polls.

Shocked by Trump, Europe Turns Its Hopes to Germany’s Election

Germany’s economy is stalled and its politics fractured. But it sees an opening for a new chancellor to lead Europe’s response to a changing America.

In Trump’s Alternative Reality, Lies and Distortions Drive Change

The New York Times – Saturday, February 22, 2025

Trump Plans to Use Military Sites Across the Country to Detain Undocumented Immigrants

The move would be a drastic escalation by the White House to militarize immigration enforcement.

F.D.A. Firings Decimated Teams Reviewing A.I. and Food Safety

Staff units evaluating high-tech surgical robots and insulin-delivery systems were gutted by Trump layoffs even though industry fees, not taxpayers, financed the employee salaries.

Russia Talks Peace While Troops Threaten New Region in Ukraine

Moscow’s forces are three miles from Dnipropetrovsk, a province they have never invaded. If they cross in, the advance would be a morale blow to Ukraine and complicate any territorial negotiations.

Fate of Bibas Family Recalls Trauma of Oct. 7, Renewing Fears for Gaza Truce

Hamas said it had returned the bodies of Shiri Bibas and her two sons. The Israeli military announced that the boys were murdered in Gaza and that Ms. Bibas’s body was that of someone else.

The New York Times – Friday, February 14, 2025

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Order to Drop Adams Case Prompts Resignations in New York and Washington

The interim U.S. attorney for the Southern District and five officials with the federal public integrity unit quit after the Justice Department ordered charges against Mayor Eric Adams to be dropped.

Trump Says He’ll Rework Global Trading Relations With ‘Reciprocal’ Tariffs

The president said his advisers would devise new tariff levels reflecting countries’ tariffs, taxes, subsidies and other policies affecting trade with the United States.

Senate Confirms Kennedy, a Prominent Vaccine Skeptic, as Health Secretary

The vote capped a remarkable rise for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who was confirmed by a Republican Senate in a chamber where his father and uncles once served as Democrats.

‘Risk of a Collision and Loss of Life’: D.C. Crash Warnings Were Years in the Making

Concerns that a deadly collision could occur at Reagan National Airport had long been building. But attempts to draw attention to potentially dangerous conditions sometimes went unheeded.

The New York Times – Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025

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Trump Says Call With Putin Is Beginning of Ukraine Peace Negotiations

Among the topics the leaders discussed in their first confirmed conversation of President Trump’s second term was ending the war in Ukraine, he said.

The Fiercest Fighting of the Ukraine War May Be in Russia

The Times interviewed Russian soldiers who said they face a brutal fight to dislodge determined Ukrainian forces from a sliver of Russian land. Trapped civilians fear catastrophe.

Elon Musk’s Business Empire Scores Benefits Under Trump Shake-Up

Government investigations into Mr. Musk’s companies are stalling amid President Trump’s firings and Biden administration resignations.

Many Groups Promised Federal Aid Still Have No Funds and No Answers

Judicial rulings have unfrozen some grants awaited by nonprofits, states and companies, but the reprieve has been uneven and many fear the relief is only temporary.

The New York Times – Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2025

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Gaza Cease-Fire Imperiled as Netanyahu Threatens to Resume ‘Intense Fighting’

The Israeli leader’s warning came after Hamas said it would indefinitely postpone the next round of hostage releases.

Russia Releases U.S. Prisoner After Talks With Trump Envoy

The Kremlin freed Marc Fogel, a teacher held for more than three years on drug charges, in a deal negotiated by Steve Witkoff, President Trump’s Middle East envoy.

Jordanian King Rebuffs Trump Proposal to Displace Palestinians in Gaza

His pushback came after President Trump insisted Tuesday that the United States has the authority to “take” Gaza.

‘I Was Dying’: Salman Rushdie Testifies About Terrifying Stabbing Attack

The author recounted in vivid testimony the moment when an attacker stabbed him about 15 times as he was about to give a lecture in western New York.

The New York Times – Tuesday, February 11, 2025

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White House Failed to Comply With Court Order, Judge Rules

The federal judge in Rhode Island said the Trump administration had failed to comply with his order unfreezing billions of dollars in federal grants.

Hamas Postpones Release of More Hostages ‘Until Further Notice’

Stalling the next release of hostages from the Gaza Strip, scheduled for the coming weekend, raises new challenges for the already tenuous six-week truce and chances for a lasting end to the war.

36 Hours After Russell Vought Took Over Consumer Bureau, He Shut Its Operations

The agency had been one of Wall Street’s most feared regulators, with the power to issue rules on mortgages, credit cards, student loans and other areas affecting Americans’ financial lives.

Trump’s Actions Have Created a Constitutional Crisis, Scholars Say

Law professors have long debated what the term means. But now many have concluded that the nation faces a reckoning as President Trump tests the boundaries of executive power.

The New York Times – Monday, February 10, 2025

Why Federal Courts May Be the Last Bulwark Against Trump

With a compliant Congress and mostly quiet streets, the president’s opponents are turning to the judicial branch with a flurry of legal actions. But can the courts keep up?

Trump Will Impose Tariffs on Steel and Aluminum on Monday

The president said he planned sweeping tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports on Monday and would take other action to even out tariff rates with the rest of the world later this week.

As Trump and Musk Upend Washington, Congressional Phones Can’t Keep Up

In the three weeks since President Trump took office and gave Elon Musk free rein inside the federal government, millions of calls have poured in to members of Congress, jamming the system.

For Stunned Federal Workers, Sleeplessness, Anger and Tears

One thing lost in the Trump administration’s war on the federal bureaucracy is the collective voice of the employees. But some have begun to speak out.

The New York Times – Sunday, February 9, 2025

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Young Aides Emerge as Enforcers in Musk’s Broadside Against Government

Much of the billionaire’s handiwork — gaining access to internal systems and asking employees to justify their jobs — is being driven by a group of engineers operating in secrecy.

As Ground Shifts, ‘Flailing’ Democrats Struggle to Find Footing in Diversity Fight

President Trump’s aggressive moves against transgender rights and diversity, equity and inclusion programs have left the Democratic Party casting about for a strategy for how to respond.

For New Orleans, the Superdome Is More Than a Stadium

The distinctive domed building, turning 50 this year, is known for hosting the Super Bowl, but to locals, it’s also “the city’s living room.”February 6, 2025

Why Federal Courts May Be the Last Bulwark Against Trump

With a compliant Congress and mostly quiet streets, President Trump’s opponents are turning to a flurry of legal actions. But can the courts keep up?