Tag Archives: religion

The New York Times – Monday, January 27, 2025

January 27, 2025 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

As Thousands Try to Return Home, Fragile Mideast Cease-Fires Are Tested

Israeli forces killed at least 22 people and injured dozens more in southern Lebanon on Sunday, Lebanese officials said. In Gaza, Israel said Hamas had violated the terms of the truce.

Trump Pushes Jordan and Egypt to Take in Palestinians to ‘Clean Out’ Gaza

President Trump said he had spoken to Jordan’s leader and planned to call Egypt’s. Mr. Trump’s suggestion echoes proposals from far-right Israelis. A Hamas official rejected the idea.

Trump’s Moves to Upend Federal Bureaucracy Touch Off Fear and Confusion

Agencies are gripped with uncertainty about how to implement the blizzard of new policies as workers frantically try to assess the impact on their lives.

Flashes Then Flames: New Video of Eaton Fire Raises More Questions for Power Company

Investigators are still trying to determine what started a fire that raged through Altadena, Calif. A new video appears to show sparking on a power line near the origin of the blaze.

History, Magazines, Politics, Reviews

History Today Magazine — February 2025 Preview

January 23, 2025 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

History Today | The World's Leading Serious History Magazine

HISTORY TODAY MAGAZINE (January 23, 2025): The latest issue features the destruction of medieval England’s Jews, British soldiers in the American Revolutionary War, unreported murder in East Germany, ‘mad duchess’ Elizabeth Cavendish, and more.

Portugal, the Mamluks, and the Age of Discovery

For the Portuguese empire to rise, an old world had to give way. Rivals in Europe’s lucrative spice trade, how much did they know about the powerful Mamluk sultanate?

Behind Donald Trump’s Palace Walls

The vagaries of palace politics are notoriously difficult to record. Historians should pay attention to rumour.

Who to Blame for Early Modern Climate Change?

The changing climate of the Little Ice Age forced radical thinkers to reconsider humanity’s place in the universe.

‘Man-Devil’ by John J. Callanan review

Man-Devil: The Mind and Times of Bernard Mandeville, the Wickedest Man in Europe by John J. Callanan revels in the making of the controversial satirist and philosopher.

News, Newspapers, Opinion, Politics, Uncategorized

The New York Times – Tuesday, January 21, 2025

January 21, 2025 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

Trump Cites His Own Victories as Sign He Will Lift a Country in ‘Decline’

In his second inaugural address, the president reprised dark themes from his first and laid out an expansive policy agenda.

For Trump, a Vindication for the Man and His Movement

Donald John Trump took the oath of office again during a ceremony in the Capitol, promising a new “golden age of America” four years after he was evicted by voters.

Biden in Final Hours Pardons Relatives and Others to Thwart Trump Reprisals

President Biden used his executive clemency power to protect people targeted by Donald J. Trump, including five members of his family as well as Liz Cheney, Anthony S. Fauci and Mark A. Milley.

A Determined Trump Vows Not to Be Thwarted at Home or Abroad

Wiser about the use of power, the newly sworn-in president suggests that this time he will not take no for an answer, whether in enacting an ambitious domestic agenda or in his expansionist worldview.

Magazines, Opinion, Politics, Reviews

The Guardian Weekly – January 17, 2025 Preview

January 16, 2025 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

THE GUARDIAN WEEKLY (January 16, 2025): The latest issue features ‘Facing Facts’ – Facebook, Trump and the war on truth…

More than 3 billion people worldwide log on to Meta’s apps every day, the sort of reach most aspiring global megalomaniacs can only dream of. It’s also one of the main reasons why the decision by Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta – the company behind Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Threads – to scrap its third-party factcheckers in the US is so significant.

That Zuckerberg, who has been under huge pressure from US president-elect Donald Trump, made the decision is hardly surprising. But it should be another worrying moment for anyone who is concerned about the survival of objective truth.

Spotlight | The devastation of Los Angeles
Gabrielle Canon reports from Pacific Palisades, where the traumatised and displaced have been picking over the wildfire-ruined remains of beloved homes and communities

Feature | Caroline Darian interview
The daughter of Dominique and Gisèle Pelicot is coming to terms with being the child of both victim and perpetrator in the biggest rape trial in French history. Angelique Chrisafis hears her story

Feature | The deadliest beings on the planet
Microscopic bacteriophages are everywhere – it’s estimated that they can infect and destroy between 20% and 40% of all microbes every day. But some scientists believe phages can help in the f ight against superbugs. By Jackson Ryan

Opinion | We forget Sudan at our peril
Almost two years into a civil war, Sudan is facing anarchy, famine, genocide – and ambivalence from the rest of the world, writes Nesrine Malik

Culture | By a thread – the art of Doris Salcedo
The Colombian artist Doris Salcedo transforms collective grief into art, confronting the scars of conflict and displacement with delicate yet powerful creations. Tim Adams spoke to her

News, Newspapers, Opinion, Politics, Uncategorized

The New York Times – Tuesday, January 14, 2025

January 14, 2025 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

Once the Fires Are Out, California Must Remove Tons of Dangerous Debris

Clearing the toxic remnants of burned buildings around Los Angeles will require a complex and expensive mobilization. California has been there before.

This Is Where the Palisades Fire Started

In the hills above Pacific Palisades, there is crime scene tape and scattered debris, clues to what may have caused the initial fire that eventually raged through thousands of structures.

Biden Aides Warned Putin as Russia’s Shadow War Threatened Air Disaster

The White House scrambled to get a message to President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia last year after U.S. intelligence agencies said a Russian military unit was preparing to send explosive packages on cargo planes.

Battles Rage Inside Russia, With Waves of Tanks, Drones and North Koreans

Ukrainian soldiers are describing fierce clashes as Russian forces try to retake territory in the Kursk region that could be key in eventual cease-fire talks.

News, Newspapers, Opinion, Politics

The New York Times – Monday, January 13, 2025

January 13, 2025 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

Before Taking Office, L.A.’s Mayor Said She Would Not Go Abroad

Mayor Karen Bass of Los Angeles has been criticized for being out of the country when the wildfires broke out. Three years ago, she promised in an interview to cut back on her world travel and focus on the city.

Despite Trump’s Attacks, Republicans Made Big Gains in Mail Voting

As Republican voters embraced a practice that Donald J. Trump railed against for years, softening his tone only slightly in 2024, the party eroded a key Democratic advantage across the country.

Palisades Lost

Days after a devastating wildfire, residents of Pacific Palisades have started sifting through the ruins, and their memories.

Fed-Up Voters in Louisiana Wanted a Change. They Drafted an ‘Old Ball Coach.’

Sid Edwards was a high school football coach who had never run for office. Now, he’s the mayor of Baton Rouge, Louisiana’s second-largest city.

News, Newspapers, Opinion, Politics

The New York Times – Sunday, January 12, 2025

January 12, 2025 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

L.A. Was Prepared for Serious Fires. But It Wasn’t Ready for Four.

“There were too many houses to protect, and not enough engines,” one fire captain in Los Angeles said. Though fire officials say they were well-prepared and simply overwhelmed by the elements, questions are being raised about whether the intensity of modern fires requires a new playbook.

‘We’re in a New Era’: How Climate Change Is Supercharging Disasters

Extreme weather events — deadly heat waves, floods, fires and hurricanes — are the consequences of a warming planet, scientists say.

Inside Mark Zuckerberg’s Sprint to Remake Meta for the Trump Era

After visiting President-elect Donald J. Trump in November, Mr. Zuckerberg decided to relax Meta’s speech policies. He asked a small team to carry out his goals within weeks. The repercussions are just beginning.

Putin Gets a Snub in the Vast Wine Cellars of a Former Soviet Republic

The Russian president celebrated his 50th birthday at a winery in Moldova. After the invasion of Ukraine, it moved the bottles he was given away from public view.

News, Newspapers, Opinion, Politics

The New York Times – Wednesday, January 8, 2025

January 8, 2025 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

Washington Kicks Off a Pomp-Filled Farewell to Carter, a Man of Humility

Former President Jimmy Carter, who once banned the playing of “Hail to the Chief,” will lie in state at the Capitol as part of three days of elaborate ceremonies.

Meta to End Fact-Checking Program in Shift Ahead of Trump Term

The social networking giant will stop using third-party fact checkers and instead rely on users to add notes to posts. President-elect Trump and his conservative allies said they were pleased.

Carter Never Took to Washington. The Feeling Was Mutual.

Jimmy Carter was a genuine Washington outsider when he won the White House in 1976. And he remained proudly so, for better or worse.

What if ICE Agents Show Up? Schools Prepare Teachers and Parents.

Across the country, educators described widespread anxiety about President-elect Donald J. Trump’s promises to deport immigrants and what it could mean for their students.

News, Newspapers, Opinion

The New York Times —- Friday, December 27, 2024

December 27, 2024 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

Israel Loosened Its Rules to Bomb Hamas Fighters, Killing Many More Civilians

Surprised by Oct. 7 and fearful of another attack, Israel weakened safeguards meant to protect noncombatants, allowing officers to endanger up to 20 people in each airstrike. One of the deadliest bombardments of the 21st century followed.

Israel Bombs Yemeni Airport and Ports After Houthi Missile Launches

The assault killed at least four people and injured 21 others, the state news agency in Yemen reported. The strikes came after a week of attacks by the Iran-backed militia.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Wants to Ban Drug Ads on TV. It Wouldn’t Be Easy.

Attempts to restrict pharmaceutical advertisements have failed many times over the years, often on First Amendment grounds.

Plane Crash Investigators Focus on Russian Air Defenses as Possible Cause

Russian aviation authorities said the Azerbaijan Airlines plane had hit a flock of birds. But some experts cast doubt on that account, pointing to footage showing apparent holes in the fuselage.