Tag Archives: Opinion

THE NEW YORK TIMES – SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2026

Why Trump’s Calls to ‘Nationalize’ Voting Have Raised Midterm Fears

President Trump has escalated his language as his administration has taken steps to involve itself more in election matters.

Prosecutors Began Investigating Renee Good’s Killing. Washington Told Them to Stop.

Several career federal prosecutors in Minnesota balked at a new approach, which they viewed as legally dubious. Many left the office in protest.

Mexican Cartels Overwhelm Police With Ammunition Made for the U.S. Military

Drug syndicates have used .50-caliber ammunition, produced at a plant owned by the U.S. and smuggled across the border, in attacks on Mexican civilians and the police.

‘I Didn’t Make a Mistake’: Trump Declines to Apologize for Racist Video of Obamas

The video clip that President Trump posted in a late-night flurry of social media activity caused an unusually strong and public outcry from members of his own party.

WASHINGTON EXAMINER MAGAZINE – FEB. 11-18, 2026

Washington Examiner – Conservative News, Politics & Policy

WASHINGTON EXAMINER MAGAZINE: ‘This Is National Security’ – A moment for American Power’….

American credibility: Why Trump must enforce his ‘red line’ in Iran

by Hugo Gurdon

✪ What the Trump national security strategy gets right

by Mackubin Owens

✪ Billy Bob’s boomtown: Taylor Sheridan’s ‘Landman’ and the triumph of traditional values

by Daniel Ross Goodman

✪ Politics without restraint: A generational shift toward violence and radicalism is taking place

by Samuel J. Abrams

THE NEW YORK TIMES – FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2026

Iran Is at Work on Missile and Nuclear Sites, Satellite Images Show

Repairs at key missile sites began soon after they were hit by Israeli and U.S. strikes last year, but work at Iran’s nuclear facilities has been slower.

U.S. and Iran Prepare for Talks in Oman

The Dark Side of A.I. Weighs on the Stock Market

The prospect of disruptions from A.I. has hung over the U.S. economy for years. But this week, advances in tools precipitated a sell-off on Wall Street.

The Olympics Are a Show of Global Harmony. The World Is Anything But.

The Winter Games, which officially open in Italy on Friday, are rooted in international cooperation. That feels out of place to some in a world where old rules no longer apply.

Senators Clash Over Immigration Enforcement, Risking a D.H.S. Shutdown

With eight days until a deadline to keep the Department of Homeland Security running, bipartisan talks on reining in immigration agents’ tactics appeared to sputter.

Uber Is Found Liable for Rape by Driver, Setting Stage for Thousands of Cases

In a federal bellwether case, the jury ordered the ride-hailing giant to pay $8.5 million to Jaylynn Dean, who said an Uber driver assaulted her in 2023.

THE ECONOMIST MAGAZINE – FEBRUARY 7, 2026 PREVIEW

THE ECONOMIST MAGAZINE: The latest issue features The dangerous dollar‘…

The age of a treacherous, falling dollar

Those holding American assets will have to get used to it

As global press freedom dwindles, corrupt politicians rejoice

Less scrutiny, more booty

How to think about new risks of nuclear proliferation

In a might-makes-right world, many countries may conclude that only nukes can keep them safe

The new Bangladesh is only half built

Whoever wins the coming election has a lot to do

THE NEW YORK TIMES – THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2026

Surge in Immigration Cases in Minnesota Pushes Prosecutors and Judges to the Brink

A prosecutor’s outburst revealed how courts in the state were buckling under the weight of a deluge of cases arising from the Trump administration’s campaign.

Nuclear Arms Control Era Comes to End Amid Global Rush for New Weapons

Beijing, Moscow and shaken American allies are seeking new warheads as President Trump ends more than a half century of nuclear arms control with Russia.

China’s Xi Presses Trump on Taiwan in Phone Call

Both leaders gave versions of what they discussed, but Xi Jinping’s take made clear the issue of the island was front and center.

Venezuela Is Said to Detain Maduro Allies Targeted by the U.S.

The questioning of the businessmen, Raúl Gorrín and Alex Saab, who have ties to Nicolás Maduro, signaled deepening cooperation between the two nations.

THE NEW YORK TIMES – WEDNESDAY, FEB. 4, 2026

A Winter of Anguish for Minneapolis Children

“It’s like living in fear all the time,” a teenager said about the federal immigration raids that have shattered families.

Federal Crackdown Means Another Repair Job for the Minneapolis Police Chief

Brian O’Hara, who took over a troubled police force and has spent years rebuilding community trust, fears the long-term damage wrought by federal agents.

Trump Repeats Call to ‘Nationalize’ Elections, as White House Walks It Back

President Trump’s extraordinary comments were the latest iteration of his unsubstantiated claims that U.S. elections are rigged as Republicans face potentially big losses this fall.

For Peace, More Ukrainians Consider the Once-Unthinkable: Surrendering Land

Polls show a growing acceptance of territorial concessions among a war-weary public, if Ukraine receives adequate security guarantees.

THE GUARDIAN WEEKLY – FEBRUARY 6, 2026 PREVIEW

THE GUARDIAN WEEKLY: The latest issue features ‘USA-IRAN’ – Collision Course….

Have Donald Trump’s hard talk and the arrival of a strike-ready flotilla finally made Tehran blink? It certainly seemed so by Monday evening, when Iran said it was willing to talk. A week of trading threats turned to strong indications that Steve Witkoff, Trump’s envoy, and Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s minister for foreign affairs, were readying to meet in Istanbul on Friday. In this week’s big story, Ashifa Kassam and Andrew Roth chart how momentum to war slowed and fears of a wider regional conflict eased, albeit marginally.

The background to Trump’s war of words against Tehran was the huge protests that rocked Iran last month, until they were brutally repressed by the regime. Analysts suggest a fragile domestic security situation prompted the Iranian government’s softening towards US demands. Our diplomatic editor and longtime Iran watcher, Patrick Wintour, explains that while the streets are now quiet, a shift in the balance of power between the people and the government has emboldened domestic demands for a full investigation of the killing and imprisonment of protesters.

Spotlight | The Epstein files, part two
Daniel Boffey details the biggest bombshell among the 3m newly released documents: disgraced former minister Peter Mandelson’s deep and compromising relationship with the convicted paedophile

Environment | Nature runs wild in Fukushima
Free of human habitation after the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown, Fukushima is now teeming with wildlife. But this haven could vanish if people come back, finds Justin McCurry

Features | From hope to despair
The postwar new town of Newton Aycliffe with its boarded up shops is a symbol of the Britain’s economic gloom – and a warning for Labour as it battles the rise of Reform UK, reports Josh Halliday

Opinion | Art, groceries, Greenland – thieves are everywhere
Jonathan Liew reflects on how we all seem to live in a world defined by petty theft and no one, whether it’s the pickpocket or the big AI company, seems to get punished

Culture | Small acts of magic
Mackenzie Crook tells Zoe Williams how his approach to comedy has mellowed with age. Gone is the nervous, awkward energy of Gareth from The Office, to be replaced by the gentle curiosity that animates his new series Small Prophets

THE NEW YORK TIMES – TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2026

Trump, in an Escalation, Calls for Republicans to ‘Nationalize’ Elections

President Trump’s comments, made on a conservative podcast, follow a string of moves from his administration to try to exert more control over U.S. elections.

Trump Is Said to Have Dropped Demand for Cash From Harvard

On Eve of Peace Talks, Russia Hits Power Plants in Frigid Ukraine

Missiles targeted electrical facilities in Kyiv and other parts of the country, according to local officials, despite President Trump’s request for a pause.

China’s Generals Are Disappearing

For three years, Xi Jinping has been cleaning out his military elite, bringing high-level dismissals and disappearances to nearly every arm of the military.

THE NEW YORKER MAGAZINE – FEBRUARY 9, 2026

A shooting target in the shape of the Statue of Liberty with ten bullet holes.

THE NEW YORKER MAGAZINE: The latest issue features Nathan Heller on Gavin Newsom, Joshua Yaffa on Russia’s single-use agents, Michael Schulman on A.I. in film, and more.

Gavin Newsom Is Playing the Long Game

California’s governor has been touted as the Democrats’ best shot in 2028. But first he’ll need to convince voters that he’s not just a slick establishment politician. By Nathan Heller

Why the D.H.S. Disaster in Minneapolis Was Predictable

For decades, ICE and Border Patrol have operated with fewer constraints than typical law-enforcement agencies. By Jonathan Blitzer

Inside Russia’s Secret Campaign of Sabotage in Europe

How Russian military intelligence is recruiting young people online to carry out espionage, arson, and other attacks across the Continent. By Joshua Yaffa

THE NEW YORK TIMES – MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2026

Gaza Crossing to Egypt Reopens in Step Forward for Fragile Cease-Fire

Israel and Egypt had disagreed for months about how to resume operations at the Rafah border crossing, which has been largely closed since May 2024.

How the Supreme Court Secretly Made Itself Even More Secretive

Amid calls to increase transparency and revelations about the court’s workings, the chief justice imposed nondisclosure agreements on clerks and employees.

Why The Times Is Expanding Its Supreme Court Coverage

Small Businesses in Minneapolis Serve a City in Crisis: ‘This Is Our New Normal’

In Minneapolis and St. Paul, business owners work to lift up a community that has been shaken by the presence of thousands of immigration agents.

Protesters Press Target to Take a Stand Against ICE Crackdown in Minneapolis

The Minnesota-based retail chain has avoided criticizing anyone, even after federal agents detained two employees. Its new C.E.O. faces pressure to do more.