Quote:Two unions on Thursday filed suit against the Trump administration over its barrage on the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
...
The lawsuit on Thursday marked the latest in a series of legal actions that federal workers have filed against the Trump administration over a host of issues, including President Donald Trump's executive orders, the Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE's) access to sensitive payment and employee systems, and the White House's offer of deferred resignations to more than 2 million government employees.

The American Foreign Service Association and American Federation of Government Employees filed Thursday's suit over USAID. It named Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the State Department, USAID and the U.S. Treasury Department as defendants.
...
The suit was filed shortly after the Trump administration proposed a plan to drastically cut USAID staff across the globe, which would leave the agency with less than 300 workers, compared to the thousands it had before Trump took office. USAID is responsible for distributing billions of dollars in foreign assistance to war-torn countries and populations facing poverty and disease.

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit described Trump and his administration's actions as "unconstitutional and illegal," adding that they have "systematically dismantled" USAID.

"These actions have generated a global humanitarian crisis by abruptly halting the crucial work of USAID employees, grantees, and contractors," the court filing said. "They have cost thousands of American jobs. And they have imperiled U.S. national security interests."

The Trump administration and Elon Musk's DOGE have trained their sights on USAID since the day Trump took office. Musk has publicly spoken about shutting down USAID entirely, recently describing it as a "ball of worms" that's broken "beyond repair."

Trump also signed an executive order on January 20 directing the government to freeze all foreign assistance for 90 days pending a review of the programs to ensure they aligned with "United States foreign policy."

The freeze hamstrung most USAID global programs, and the Associated Press reported that nearly all the agency's employees have since been furloughed or placed on administrative leave. The agency's headquarters were shut down earlier this month, and the few programs that remain are in the process of being moved under the State Department's umbrella. Trump named Rubio acting director of USAID.

The president's actions, announced without warning, stunned employees within USAID, some of whom were later locked out of the agency's systems while serving in active war zones.

Quote:Southern California Edison (SCE), a subsidiary of Edison International, is under scrutiny as investigations into the Eaton fire's origins reveal potential malfunctions in its electrical equipment.

The fire, which swept through Altadena, California, in early January, claimed at least 17 lives and destroyed over 9,400 homes and businesses.

With homeowners facing massive losses and ongoing investigations by state regulators, the potential implications for compensation and utility accountability are significant.

Why It Matters

For homeowners in California, the recurring threat of wildfires is a significant concern. These disasters not only result in devastating property losses but also influence insurance availability, property values and regional resilience.

If Edison is responsible for the wildfires, the company could face liability. There are estimated damages ranging from $8 billion to $10 billion, per data analysis company Verisk. This estimate does not account for additional sums that may be awarded in various pending lawsuits involving homeowners and victims.

Utility power lines have been the cause of at least eight of the 20 most destructive fires in the history of California, according to the California Legislative Analyst's Office, though only 10 percent of overall wildfires are caused by utility equipment.

Quote:Kroger has recalled several food products from its stores across at least 15 states, and has also recalled products from several Kroger subsidiary stores across the country since the start of February.

Twelve Hummus Tubs From King Harvest
Kroger subsidiary stores Fred Meyers and QFC across Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, have recalled tubs of:

King Harvest lemon hummus, 10 oz
King Harvest hummus classic, 10 oz
King Harvest roasted garlic hummus, 10 oz
King Harvest toasted onion hummus, 10 oz
King Harvest Chipotle hummus, 10 oz
King Harvest spinach hummus, 10 oz
King Harvest black olive hummus, 10 oz
King Harvest Sesame hummus, 10 oz
King Harvest jalapeño hummus, 10 oz
King Harvest balsamic hummus, 10 oz
King Harvest sun dried tomato hummus, 10 oz
King Harvest roasted pepper hummus, 10 oz
These products were recalled due to a defect in their plastic tubs which resulted in the potential for a plastic foreign object inside of the containers.

Kroger told customers: "Customers who purchased any of the item(s) below should not eat the product."

Quote:U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has disbanded a task force established to target Russian oligarchs following the invasion of Ukraine, arguing that resources need to be shifted to focus on the administration's anti-cartel efforts.
...
President Joe Biden established Task Force KleptoCapture and the Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative to punish Russian oligarchs in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This empowered the U.S. to seize valuable assets, such as yachts worth $120 million, personal airplanes and funds based in the West.

However, President Donald Trump made it a top priority to hit Mexican cartels and criminal activity along and involving the southern border of the U.S.
To that end, Trump signed an executive order designating the cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO), equating the criminal organizations to groups such as ISIS and al-Qaeda and broadening the legal tools available to undermine them.
...
Bondi issued a flurry of memos on various orders for the Department of Justice, including one with the subject on February 5, "Total Elimination of Cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations." The memo aimed to pursue "total elimination" of cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations—but doing so by shifting priorities and resources from other operations, including Task Force KleptoCapture.

"The Criminal Division's Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section shall prioritize investigations, prosecutions, and asset forfeiture actions that target activities of cartels and TCOs," the memo stated.

Quote:This week real estate listings website Realtor.com announced it is moving its corporate headquarters from Santa Clara in California to Austin, Texas.

It becomes just the latest high-profile company to transition from the Democratic-controlled Golden State to the Republican Lone Star State following the likes of Chevron, Charles Schwab Corp. and Tesla.

Speaking to Newsweek a Realtor.com spokesperson said: "Realtor.com is making its own big move, and has announced the relocation of our headquarters from Santa Clara, Calif. to Austin, Texas. With the move, the company is doubling down on Austin, making it its top hiring location with a commitment to the long-term growth of its team and office footprint in Texas."
...
California and Texas have the biggest and second biggest economies in the Union respectively despite pronounced political differences, with the former Democratic Party run whilst the latter is Republican-dominated. As such they are sometimes held up as a microcosm showing the impact of liberal versus conservative policies across the nation.

Over the past few years, Texas has seen its population surge, increasing by 1.6 percent in the year to July 2022. Over the same period a number of Democratic-controlled states saw their populations fall with California shrinking by 0.3 percent, Illinois by 0.9 percent, Oregon by 0.4 percent and New York by 0.9 percent.
...
According to Bloomberg Realtor.com has around 60,000 square feet in its Austin headquarters, with some workers who used to be based out of Santa Clara having been instructed to work remotely.

Over the past few years, Austin has seen a construction boom with a million square feet of new offices created, with the metro area having a nearly 30 percent vacancy rate at the end of 2024 according to data from real estate company Cushman & Wakefield.

Quote:federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked President Donald Trump's "Fork in the Road" initiative to incentivize more than two million federal workers to resign as part of an effort to slash the bureaucratic workforce.

The Context

The Trump administration has aggressively worked to trim down the federal bureaucracy since Trump took office, in coordination with Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency.

The White House announced the offer in an email on January 28 from the Office of Personnel and Management, which said federal employees would get full salary and benefits through the end of September if they resigned before February 6.

What To Know

The lawsuit was brought by the American Federation of Government Employees and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees.

U.S. District Judge George O'Toole Jr. did not comment on the legality of the Trump administration's offer and scheduled a hearing on the issue for Monday afternoon. He also ordered that the deadline for workers to decide whether to resign—originally set for Thursday at 11:59 p.m. ET—be extended to at least Monday after the hearing.

"I enjoined the defendants from taking any action to implement the so-called directive pending the completion of briefing and oral argument on the issues," O'Toole said. " I believe that's as far as I want to go today."

Moments after O'Toole issued his ruling, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that 40,000 government employees had accepted the administration's offer for a deferred resignation, meaning they will stop working but continue to be paid through September 30.

O'Toole's ruling came in response to lawsuits from multiple labor unions who challenged the Trump administration's "Fork in the Road" offer.

Quote:The Treasury Department on Thursday imposed sanctions on a network of over a dozen individuals and companies accused of facilitating the shipment of millions of barrels of Iranian oil to China.

The goal of the sanctions is to stop the development of Iran's nuclear program, which is funded by its oil revenues. The program is rapidly advancing, with Tehran close to enriching uranium at weapons-grade levels.

Why It Matters

In his first term, Trump withdrew the U.S. from the 2015 deal between Iran and several world powers in which Tehran agreed to dismantle much of its nuclear program and allow for more extensive nuclear facility checks in exchange for sanctions relief.

He also imposed sanctions on Iranian oil revenues and international banking transactions. Trump planned to "drastically increase" sanctions to "choke off" Iran's oil income, The Wall Street Journal reported in November 2024. The U.S. Energy Information Administration said in October 2024 that income reached $144 billion between 2021 and 2023 and $34 billion in 2024.

During his confirmation hearing, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent criticized the Biden administration's sanctions policies. He advocated for a more aggressive approach, particularly toward Iran as well as Russian entities and oil.

What To Know

The sanctions, issued by the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control, are aimed at more than a dozen people and companies based in China, India and the United Arab Emirates. Those sanctioned include Iranian and Indian citizens, crew management companies and several ships.

The move comes after Trump signed an executive order that says Iran should be denied nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles, its "terrorist network should be neutralized" and its development of missiles should be countered. The order also directs Bessent to impose "maximum economic pressure" on the Iranian government, according to a White House fact sheet released Tuesday.

Quote:In a rebuke of the Trump administration, Panama has refuted a claim by the U.S. State Department that American vessels can now transit the Panama Canal without being charged fees.

Why it matters: The dispute comes shortly after the State Department made the announcement Wednesday evening. President Trump has pushed to regain control of the canal — one of the world's most significant pieces of infrastructure.

The latest: "In response to a publication released by the United States Department of State, the Panama Canal Authority, which is authorized to set tolls and other fees for transiting the Canal, reports that it has not made any adjustments to them," the authority said in a statement posted to its X account.

Catch up quick: Trump demanded ahead of taking office that Panamanian authorities either lower fees for U.S. ships to transit the Panama Canal or return its control to the U.S.

• The State Department said on X that the now-disputed agreement to allow passage without fees saves the U.S. government millions of dollars a year, per a post on X.
  
• Representatives for the State Department and Panama's presidential office did not immediately respond to Axios' requests for comment on further details of the deal.
  

Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in a phone call with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino discussed the U.S. and Panama's shared security interests, per a readout from Pentagon spokesperson John Ullyot.

• The pair "agreed to expand cooperation between the U.S. military and Panama's security forces," Ullyot said.
  
• "They also highlighted the extensive and expanding cooperation between the United States, including the Department of Defense, and the Panama Canal Authority."
  

State of play: During a visit to Panama on Sunday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Panamanian officials including Mulino that Trump had made a preliminary determination that the current Chinese influence over the Panama Canal area was a threat to the artificially made waterway.

Quote:One U.S. service member and three defense contractors were killed on Thursday when a plane contracted by the U.S. military crashed in a rice field in the southern Philippines, according to U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.

The U.S. Naval Institute reported, according to defense officials, that the service member was a Marine.

The Beechcraft twin-engine Super King Air 350 aircraft was on a routine mission, providing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance support at the request of Philippine allies, the command said in a statement. The cause of the crash is currently under investigation.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines also confirmed the crash of a light plane in Maguindanao del Sur province but did not immediately provide further details to the Associated Press.
The bodies of the four individuals were recovered from the wreckage in Ampatuan town, according to a safety officer from Maguindanao del Sur. The Indo-Pacific Command noted that the names of the deceased are being withheld until family notifications are made.
...
Thursday's crash in the Philippines comes amid the ongoing investigation of the January crash involving a Sikorsky H-60 military helicopter and an American Airlines (AA) passenger jet. The jet was carrying 64 people on board and the Army Black Hawk was carrying three soldiers. All 67 people died in the incident.
...
U.S. forces have been stationed at a Philippine military camp in the southern part of the country for decades to provide advice and training to Filipino forces combating Muslim militants. This region is the homeland of minority Muslims within the predominantly Roman Catholic nation.

Windy Beaty, a provincial disaster-mitigation officer, told The Associated Press that residents reported witnessing smoke emanating from the plane and hearing an explosion before it crashed to the ground, landing approximately half a mile from a group of farmhouses.

Beaty said nobody was reported injured on or near the crash site. A water buffalo was killed as a result of the plane crash, local officials said.

Quote:A strike by the Ukrainian Air Force on Monday caused "significant damage" to a Russian command post in Russia's Kursk Oblast, according to Kyiv's military.

Why It Matters

On August 6, Kyiv began a military operation into Kursk, which appeared to take Russian President Vladimir Putin and even Ukraine's allies by surprise. Kyiv later announced it had seized 500 square miles at what was then the lightly-defended border of the Russian region.

Ukraine has maintained positions in Kursk, but Russia has taken back control of approximately half of the area captured by Kyiv's military, according to reports.

Meanwhile, recent Ukrainian air strikes carried out on Russian territory have highlighted vulnerabilities in the Russian military's air defenses.
...
On Tuesday, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine wrote in an update posted on Facebook that its forces had conducted a high-precision strike on a Russian command post near Novoivanovka, a village in the Kursk Oblast.

The General Staff said the command post was located in an abandoned building and that a Russian army unit used it to coordinate its military offensive operations in the Kursk region.

"As a result of the operation, the facility sustained significant damage, leading to substantial casualties among enemy personnel," the General Staff update said, noting that measures were taken to limit the risk to civilians.
...
The strike near Novoivanovka follows another offensive operation carried out by Ukraine's military that targeted a different command post in Kursk only days earlier.

On Friday, Ukraine's forces conducted a strike that reportedly hit a command post in the Kursk city of Rylsk.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told The Associated Press on Sunday that the strike on the post in Rylsk killed dozens of Russian and North Korean officers.

Army recruiting shatters records after President Trump election win

By Alexandra Koch, Fox News Wrote:The US Army recently announced it shattered previous recruiting records, with December 2024 being the most productive December in 15 years.

The branch reported it enlisted nearly 350 soldiers every day that month, Army officials announced Tuesday on social media.

“Our Recruiters have one of the toughest jobs – inspiring the next generation of #Soldiers to serve. Congratulations and keep up the great work! #BAYCB,” Army recruiting officials wrote in a post on X.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth took to X to share the news.

“BOTTOM LINE: America’s youth want to serve under the bold & strong “America First” leadership of [President Donald Trump] @realDonaldTrump.”

In October 2023, the Army unveiled a series of sweeping changes to its recruiting enterprise, including an expanded focus on a larger share of the labor market and the creation of a specialized talent acquisition workforce.

The Army surged medical providers to Military Entrance Processing Stations across the country to help make the enlistment process more efficient, and leveraged innovative new technologies to reach expanded audiences and help identify candidates interested in military service.

There was also a notable expansion of the branch’s Future Soldier Preparatory Course, which helps potential recruits overcome academic and physical fitness barriers to service, while allegedly “not sacrificing quality for quantity.”

Still, the US military missed its recruiting goals by 41,000 in 2023.

In 2024, the Army announced it was cutting its force by 24,000 in a restructuring to “help the service fight in future wars.”

If you see other articles saying the recruitment rise began in 2024, remember that Biden's army in 2024 was actually downsizing.

Trump will send up to 30K illegal immigrants to Guantanamo Bay: ‘It’s a tough place to get out of’

By Steven Nelson NY Post Wrote:President Trump said Wednesday that he plans to send up to 30,000 illegal immigrants to detention facilities at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as part of his campaign to mass-deport migrants who have committed crimes.

Trump inked a memorandum requiring the Pentagon and Department of Homeland Security to prepare for migrants there after previewing the plan while signing the anti-illegal immigration Laken Riley Act.

“Today, I’m also signing an executive order to instruct the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security to begin preparing the 30,000-person migrant facility at Guantanamo Bay,” Trump said.

“Most people don’t even know that we have 30,000 beds in Guantanamo to detain the worst criminal illegal aliens threatening the American people.”

Trump added that “some of them are so bad, we don’t even trust the countries to hold them, because we don’t want them coming back.”

“This will double our capacity immediately, right? And … it’s a tough place to get out of.”

The memorandum requires the Defense Department and DHS to “take all appropriate actions to expand” facilities “to full capacity to provide additional detention space for high-priority criminal aliens unlawfully present in the United States.”

The United States has a long-term lease from Cuba’s government for a naval facility at Guantanamo Bay, which has housed terrorism suspects since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon.

Only 15 terror suspects remain there, down from nearly 700 in 2003.

. . .

Border czar Tom Homan told reporters on the White House driveway Wednesday afternoon that “there’s already a migrant center” at the Cuba outpost and “it’s been there for decades.”

. . .

And nearly all those terrorists that were in Guantanamo were released under the previous administration.

Trump border czar Tom Homan vows to probe leak that stifled ICE raid targeting Venezuelan gang in Colorado

Bailee Hill Fox News Wrote:Border czar Tom Homan issued a warning after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid was leaked this week, greatly reducing the number of violent Venezuelan gang members authorities were able to arrest.

Homan said he will be addressing the leak stemming from Wednesday's operation in Aurora, Colorado, "immediately" during "The Faulkner Focus," making it clear anyone who stifles the agency's ability to get dangerous criminals off the streets will be held accountable.

"We're not going to tolerate it anymore. This is not a game," Homan told Harris Faulkner on Thursday.

"When we show up at these sites, this is a dangerous job for the men and women of ICE and Border Patrol and all the DOJ agencies. To have this type of interference puts our officers at great risk, not only the officers, it puts the aliens at great risk because anything can happen when we take our eyes off the goal here, so we're addressing it immediately today."

"This is not a joke. This is serious business, and they need to stop, or we're going to prosecute them through [the] Department of Justice," he continued.

Homan confirmed a raid in Aurora on Wednesday was leaked to the community beforehand, which greatly reduced the arrests of Tren de Aragua gang members and other dangerous criminals.

Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Denver posted to X that "100+ members of the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua were targeted for arrest and detention in Aurora, Colo., today by ICE and its partners @FBI @DEAHQ @CBP @ATFHQ & @USMarshalsHQ in an ongoing investigation."

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Rocky Mountain Division not only confirmed to local KDVR that this was part of the operation that was expected to start in Aurora last week, but also posted a video just after 7 a.m. local time of agents conducting search warrant operations.

However, when hundreds of federal officials began the raid going door-to-door at various apartment complexes, they were met largely with many empty buildings.

Activists also lined the streets taunting them while they looked for perpetrators.

Further information may be coming as it appears the LA Times posted and leaked upcoming ICE raids.

Super Bowl 2025: Eagles stun Chiefs in blowout, denying Kansas City historic title three-peat

Chris Bumbaca, USA TODAY Wrote:The Birds have slain the beast, prevented history in the process and turned in one of the most dominant Super Bowl performances of all time.

The Philadelphia Eagles throttled the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 on Sunday in Super Bowl 59 at Caesars Superdome to deny the Chiefs becoming the NFL’s first-ever “three-peat” Super Bowl champions.

The Eagles didn’t let the Chiefs being on the brink of history – or the last Super Bowl between the teams two years ago, a 38-35 loss for Philadelphia – affect their performance. Philadelphia snatched the pen to write its own version of history and did the football equivalent of drawing on the Chiefs’ forehead.

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes ran for his life all game, and the Eagles’ defense deserves the credit for making him jumpy from the start. Josh Sweat led the team with 2 ½ sacks, and Milton Williams had two. The team’s six sacks were one off the Super Bowl record for most sacks in the game. Williams’ strip sack of Mahomes in the fourth quarter, which he recovered, was the exclamation point on the commanding defensive effort.

Mahomes had two touchdown passes in the final three minutes to make the game appear closer than it ever really was.

Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, aside from one ill-advised interception while facing a free blitzer, played with poise and finished 17-for-22 passing for 221 yards with two touchdowns to go with one rushing score. He was the game’s leading rusher with 72 yards on the ground on 11 attempts. After the Eagles took over on downs late in the third quarter, he found DeVonta Smith (four catches, 69 yards) on a go route down the seam for a 46-yard touchdown to make it 34-0.

Running back Saquon Barkley, who set the all-time record for rushing yards in a season (including playoffs) during the game, did not unleash a breakout run as he’d done all postseason – sometimes multiple times in those games. He finished with 57 rushing yards on 25 carries but caught a team-high six passes for 40 yards. It marked his first time since Week 15 of the regular season without more than 100 rushing yards in a game.

The Chiefs went from the verge of cementing themselves as the team’s most prolific dynasty to facing the prospect of becoming the first team to be shut out on the world’s largest stage. Kansas City started 0-for-8 on third down, and Xavier Worthy caught the team’s first touchdown to make it 34-6 with 34 seconds left in the third quarter.

Down the field, Mahomes had nobody to throw to. Travis Kelce (four receptions, 39 yards) was a non-factor; his first catch came with three minutes remaining in the third quarter and the game already decided. And the lack of rushing attack was one of several factors that allowed the Eagles’ pass rushers to tee off on Mahomes all game.

Mahomes showed up to the stadium Sunday wearing an Eagles shade of green. But it was the Eagles’ defense who had him feeling green.

Elon Musk says FEMA sent $59M last week to luxury NYC hotels to house illegal migrants: ‘Violated the law’

Nika Shakhnazarova Wrote:Elon Musk claimed early Monday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) sent a staggering $59 million “LAST WEEK to luxury hotels in New York City to house illegal migrants.”

The world’s richest man claimed in an early morning post on X that the funneled emergency funds were “just discovered” by his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) — even as President Trump called for a complete overhaul of FEMA that could even see it shuttered.



“Sending this money violated the law and is in gross insubordination to the President’s executive order,” Musk wrote.

“That money is meant for American disaster relief and instead is being spent on high-end hotels for illegals,” continued Musk, who leads the agency tasked with cutting back on government overspending.

“A clawback demand will be made today to recoup those funds.”

Last month, President Trump signed an executive order to create a council to review FEMA as he expressed concerns over there being “serious concerns of political bias” in the agency.

The 47th president called on the council to have its first meeting within 90 days — saying he expects a report of the findings on his desk within 180 days of the council’s first meeting.

Days earlier, Trump, 78, appeared alongside still-homeless survivors of Hurricane Helene four months after the storm where he raised the idea of overhauling FEMA altogether.

The POTUS slammed the performance of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, saying it was “not on the ball… and we’re going to turn it all around.”

The president then told a roundtable of federal and local officials that he will be “signing an executive order to begin the process of fundamentally reforming and overhauling FEMA — or maybe getting rid of FEMA. I think, frankly, that FEMA’s not good.”

Indeed, the president stayed true to his word.

He also accused the agency — which is responsible for bringing in emergency services, supplies and aid to disaster-struck areas — of bungling emergency relief efforts, adding that US states should be given federal handouts directly in the wake of disasters.

So an agency that had NO MONEY to give for disaster relief is suddenly discovered giving money THIS PAST WEEK for Luxury Hotels? Such hubris!

Quote:Listings in the Washington, D.C. housing market are surging and prices are being slashed, as the efforts of Donald Trump and Elon Musk to shrink the size of the U.S. federal workforce leave employees uncertain about their future.

Newsweek contacted Zillow and John Burns Research and Consulting for comment by email on Monday morning.
...
Trump's return to the White House is directly affecting the Washington, D.C, housing market. The president's executive order calling for federal workers to return to the office or lose their job spurred an increase in demand for homes in the city. At the same time, mass layoffs advised by the Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have left federal workers uncertain about their future and whether they would be needing a home in the area at all.
....
As of Monday early morning, there were a total of 2,400 homes listed for sale on Zillow in Washington, D.C, 253 of which had been put on the market in the last seven days and 461 in the last 14 days. More than half the homes currently listed for sale on the real estate platform, 1,489, have been added in the past 90 days.

Some homeowners in Washington, D.C, are not only apparently rushing to sell their properties in the city, but they are also willing to slash prices to attract reluctant buyers. Of the 2,400 homes currently listed for sale on Zillow, 426 have seen a price reduction.

On Zillow, a 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom 1,138 square-foot condo in Southwest Washington was listed for $349,900, after a cut of $10,000, and a 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom 1,574 square-foot home in Northwest Washington was listed for $1,390,00 after the seller slashed the price by $60,000.

Quote:On Friday night, Senate Commerce Committee chairman Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, revealed to Fox News' Brian Kilmeade that he warned Denmark, a fellow member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), that if the United States doesn't take ownership of Greenland soon, it could become independent from the Danes and then "Denmark gets nothing."

Newsweek reached out to Cruz's office and Denmark's foreign affairs ministry via email for comment on Sunday morning.

Why It Matters

Trump has repeatedly said that he wants to take ownership of Greenland—an autonomous territory in the Kingdom of Denmark—even before he took office. In late December 2024, Trump said while naming PayPal cofounder Ken Howery as his choice for ambassador to Denmark, "For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity."

However, Denmark and Greenland have pushed back on Trump's demands, causing tensions between the U.S., Demark, Greenland and other European countries. Greenland Prime Minister Múte Egede said in late December 2024, "Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale. We must not lose our long struggle for freedom."
Denmark is an ally of the U.S., supporting the nation in the War on Terror when the U.S. invaded Iraq and Afghanistan. Meanwhile, experts have said Greenland is becoming increasingly important to U.S. security interests due to its position in the Arctic.

What To Know

During his appearance on One Nation, Kilmeade asked Cruz about Trump's desire to own Greenland.

"There are strong national security and economic reasons why it makes a lot of sense," Cruz said. "If you look at Greenland geopolitically, it is located right on the Arctic. If, God forbid, we got into a military conflict with Russia or with China, ICBMs [intercontinental ballistic missiles] would come right over the Arctic and Greenland is ideally positioned to defend the United States of America."

The senator added: "Greenland has abundant rare earth minerals and critical minerals that are essential for all of the technology, all of the weaponry that we need. If Greenland were to become a territory, America would invest billions and billions of dollars into developing those resources. That helps America."

Cruz has already made preliminary moves in the attempt to acquire Greenland. He told Kilmeade that he led a hearing in the Senate Commerce Committee this week to examine all the benefits to America, Greenland and Denmark that would come with U.S. ownership of the autonomous territory.

Cruz said he has also met with the Greenlandic and the Danish ambassadors.

The senator said of the Danish ambassador: "They were upset, and they were offended, and they said, 'Greenland is not for sale.' And I laughed and I said, 'You know what? Everything's for sale.'"

He said that he warned Denmark, ever since Trump began talking about wanting to take ownership of Greenland, "the Greenland independence movement has been growing in momentum. And if Greenland declares itself independent of you, Denmark gets nothing."

Quote:Top Russian officials are set to meet with their U.S. counterparts in Saudi Arabia this week, the Kremlin announced Monday, as discussions around potential peace talks to end the war in Ukraine gain momentum.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and presidential adviser Yuri Ushakov will travel to Riyadh later on Monday for talks scheduled on Tuesday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters on Monday he would be in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, but that his trip was unrelated to the U.S.-Russia meeting.

Zelensky said those talks would "yield no results" without Kyiv's participation.

Why It Matters

The talks in Riyadh signal a potential thaw in U.S.-Russia relations after years of tension following Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, upending years of American foreign policy that has alarmed NATO allies.

Saudi Arabia, which has positioned itself as a key diplomatic player in global affairs, has stepped in as a neutral host for the discussions. The kingdom previously facilitated prisoner exchanges between Ukraine and Russia.

What To Know

The discussions will focus on reviving U.S.-Russia relations, potential negotiations on Ukraine, and preparations for a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump.

Quote:Sergey Mikheyev, a Russian political scientist, recently warned on state television that the Kremlin could strike three European capitals that belong to member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) following a notable shift in U.S. policy on NATO support under the Trump administration.

Why It Matters

Since taking office, President Donald Trump has signaled a major change in the U.S. position on Ukraine, a close ally that receives substantial American aid, amid its ongoing war with Russia.

The administration has suggested that NATO membership for Ukraine is not probable and has emphasized prioritizing U.S. security and border protection over NATO commitments and willingness to defend Europe.

Russia, meanwhile, appears to be reassessing its political options amid a shift in the U.S. administration's stance.

What To Know

The Trump administration's foreign policy signals a departure from previous U.S. commitments and could impact Ukraine's strategic position. Over the past three years, roughly 50 nations have provided more than $126 billion in military aid to Kyiv but shifting U.S. priorities may pressure European allies to increase their contributions.

In February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of its Eastern European neighbor, with the conflict resulting in significant loss of life, international sanctions on Moscow, and a protracted humanitarian crisis. Russia previously annexed Crimea in 2014.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth spoke at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Wednesday where he said that "returning to Ukraine's pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic objective."

Trump has also called for European nations to assume the bulk of supporting Ukraine's defense, including a proposed peacekeeping force that would not involve U.S. troops.

On Russian state television, Mikheyev said about the U.S.'s shifting stance towards Russia and Ukraine, "It's certainly clear that what's happening is good news. It's drastically different from all we've seen before," according to a video translated by journalist Julia Davis.

"If you compare the rhetoric of Trump's team with Biden's rhetoric, it's worlds apart," he said, adding, "Now, there is no isolation, even from the American side."

He then referenced the Trump administration's stance on U.S. forces and NATO's Article 5, noting Hegseth's claim that U.S. troops would not be involved in a conflict with Russia, saying, "We should make this thought clear for the Europeans, now we can actually strike Brussels, London and Paris...We can forget about Article 5 and forget about Americans stepping up to help."

Article 5 provides that if a NATO ally is the victim of an armed attack, each and every other member of the alliance will consider this act of violence as an armed attack against all members and will take the actions it deems necessary to assist the ally attacked.

Belgium, the United Kingdom, and France are all NATO countries.

Quote:The United Kingdom would be "ready and willing" to deploy British troops in Ukraine as part of a potential peace deal, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said Sunday.

Europe is "facing a once-in-a-generation moment for the collective security of our continent," Starmer said in an article for U.K. newspaper The Telegraph, emphasizing the broader stakes of the conflict started by Russia nearly three years ago. "This is not only a question about the future of Ukraine—it is existential for Europe as a whole."

Why It Matters

The declaration marks a significant change in position from the U.K. on direct military involvement. There will be talks between Russia and the U.S. aimed at bringing an end to Russian President Vladimir Putin's war—talks from which Kyiv has been excluded, according to Ukrainian officials.

What To Know

Starmer said the United Kingdom is "ready to play a leading role" in accelerating work on security guarantees for Ukraine, pledging further military support beyond the £3 billion ($3.7 billion) per year already committed until at least 2030.

"But it also means being ready and willing to contribute to security guarantees to Ukraine by putting our own troops on the ground if necessary," the U.K. prime minister said, marking a significant escalation in Britain's stance on military involvement.

Starmer highlighted the urgency of securing a lasting peace in Ukraine, emphasizing its long-term sovereignty as a critical deterrent against future Russian aggression.

"Securing a lasting peace in Ukraine that safeguards its sovereignty for the long term is essential if we are to deter Putin from further aggression in the future," he wrote.

On February 13, Starmer said that London would be prepared to take action to enforce any future peace settlement with Russia, but stopped short of explicitly committing to deploying British troops to Ukraine.

"I won't get into the particular capabilities, but I do accept that, if there is peace, then there needs to be some sort of security guarantee for Ukraine, and the U.K. will play its part in that," the prime minister added.

Quote:The Chinese military claimed that it deployed forces against a Canadian warship, which transited a contested waterway between China and the self-governed island of Taiwan.

Newsweek has reached out to the Canadian Armed Forces for comment by email.

Why It Matters

China has long claimed that it has "sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction" over the 110-mile-wide Taiwan Strait. However, under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, a state's sovereignty ends after the 12 nautical miles of its territorial sea.

The United States, as well as its allies, have sent warships to the waterway to assert the freedom of navigation in international waters and to showcase their support for Taiwan, which Communist China considers its territory despite never having governed it.

What To Know

Taiwan first reported Sunday's transit by HMCS Ottawa, a Canadian frigate, which passed through the Taiwan Strait northward. The island's defense ministry said it maintained "full control" over the surrounding sea and airspace, while the situation remained normal.

The Chinese military Eastern Theater Command, which likely executes operational control over military matters related to Taiwan, on Monday confirmed the Canadian warship's movement, claiming that it sent air and naval forces to "monitor and track" the Ottawa.

It also accused Canada of "deliberately provoking disruption" and undermining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, according to the Eastern Theater Command's statement.

China deployed 41 aircraft, nine naval vessels, and one government ship around Taiwan in the 24 hours to 6 a.m. on Monday, the Taiwanese Defense Ministry announced. It was not immediately clear whether they responded to the Ottawa's passage in the waterway.

USA

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Quote:The Massachusetts Teachers Association is under fire from a special state commission on antisemitism for distributing educational materials on the Israel-Hamas war that commissioners contend are antisemitic and offensive.

The Special Commission on Combatting Antisemitism gathered more than two dozen examples of MTA learning materials and other resources that its members said presented a one-sided view that favors Palestinians over Jews and Israelis. The materials intended for classroom use or to broaden educators' knowledge of the issues were posted on the members-only section of the MTA’s website.

Among the materials: a replica of the Star of David made out of folded dollar bills, a poster featuring a hand grabbing the tongue of a snake that read “Unity in Confronting Zionism,” another poster promoting the Free Palestine movement that read “Zionists [expletive] Off,” and another poster seemingly depicting a Palestinian fighter with a rifle that warned, “What was taken by force can only be returned by force.”

The MTA resources also included a storybook about a young Palestinian girl whose family had to flee their home because “a group of bullies called Zionists wanted our land so they stole it by force.” The book asked students to repeatedly write the girl’s name, suggesting it was intended for students who are still learning to write letters, and recommended ways students could help, such as engaging in letter-writing campaigns, raising money, or chanting at protests.

It’s unclear whether Massachusetts educators have used any of the materials as part of classroom lessons.

The 19-member commission, which includes Essex County District Attorney Paul Tucker and Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller, grilled MTA’s president, Max Page, for two hours and repeatedly lambasted him for allowing the MTA to assemble learning materials that presented only the Palestinian perspective on the Israel-Hamas war. State Senator John Velis, the commission’s cochair, said he couldn’t find anything in the MTA materials that presented the Jewish or Israel perspective.
...
The commission’s probing of the MTA’s activities around the Israel-Hamas war follows more than a year of criticism that the state’s largest teachers union has encountered from some of its own members as well as students, families, and Jewish advocacy organizations over public statements and educational materials they characterize as antisemitic.

Among the actions critics found egregious: the MTA’s board of directors approved a cease-fire statement in December 2023 that equated Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu’s military actions against Hamas to a “genocidal war” against Palestinians, and a webinar on anti-Palestinian racism that a union task force held last spring that included materials many Jewish members found offensive and antisemitic.

Then, in December, the American Jewish Committee, a nonprofit whose New England director, Robert Leikland, also serves on the Special Commission, released a report that accused the MTA of demonizing Israel and promoting one-sided educational material about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Page has repeatedly defended the MTA’s actions, even as he has noted he doesn’t agree with the viewpoints of all the materials, some of which he said he found offensive. He said the actions have emerged organically among the union’s members and he did not want to censor individual members.

Quote:ANevada judge on Tuesday delayed the murder trial of the sole suspect ever charged in the 1996 killing of rap legend Tupac Shakur, postponing it for nearly a year.

Citing new developments from the defense and the need for a fair trial, the judge said she had little choice but to reschedule.

Why It Matters

Duane "Keffe D" Davis is the only suspect ever charged in the 1990s murder of rap legend Tupac Shakur in Las Vegas. A former gang leader, Davis is accused of orchestrating the shooting near the Las Vegas Strip that resulted in Shakur's death shortly after a casino brawl involving Shakur and Davis' nephew, Orlando "Baby Lane" Anderson. Davis was arrested in September 2023 in his neighborhood near Las Vegas.

In interviews and his 2019 memoir detailing Davis' experiences as a leader of a Crips gang faction in Compton, he recounted acquiring a .40-caliber handgun and giving it to his nephew, who was seated in the back of a car. According to Davis and authorities, shots were fired from this car at Shakur, who was in another vehicle. Shakur succumbed to his injuries a week later at the age of 25.

Davis and his attorney had previously contended that he should not have been charged with murder due to immunity agreements he claimed to have made with federal and local authorities years ago. Their attempt to dismiss the case failed.

What To Know

Originally set for next month in Las Vegas, the trial of Duane "Keffe D" Davis is now scheduled for February 9, 2026. The judge also ordered prosecutors and the defense to return for a status hearing over the summer.

"It looks like there are quite a few things that are left to be done to get this case prepared so that Mr. Davis can have effective assistance of counsel," Clark County District Court Judge Carli Kierny said Tuesday.

When the judge asked if he was OK with the lengthy delay, Davis agreed.

Quote:Tesla and X CEO-turned-special government employee Elon Musk claimed to have uncovered “the biggest fraud in history” when he stumbled across more than 20 million people listed in the Social Security database as over 100 years old.

“According to the Social Security database, these are the numbers of people in each age bucket with the death field set to FALSE!” Musk posted on X late Sunday, showing a chart of ages ranging from zero to 369 years old.

“Maybe Twilight is real and there are a lot of vampires collecting Social Security,” he joked, adding that “there are FAR more ‘eligible’ social security [sic] numbers than there are citizens in the USA. This might be the biggest fraud in history.”

However, Musk’s bombshell has long been known by the Social Security Administration (SSA) watchdog, which released an audit in July 2023 showing that 18.9 million people listed as 100 years or older — but not dead — were in the database.

Only 86,000 people living in the US at the time were actually centenarians, according to the Census Bureau.

Quote:The Federal Aviation Administration fired fewer than 400 employees out of its workforce of 45,000, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on Monday, as questions rise around air traffic safety amid a spate of recent plane accidents.

Duffy posted the number of layoffs in a social media post message on X, formerly known as Twitter, responding to a post by his Democratic predecessor Pete Buttigieg, who has been critical of the Trump administration's Department of Transportation.

"Less than 400 were let go, and they were all probationary, meaning they had been hired less than a year ago. Zero air traffic controllers and critical safety personnel were let go," Duffy wrote on Monday.

The Trump administration sent air traffic controllers buyout offers but later said they were not eligible, also declaring other safety officials, including TSA officers, ineligible. The FAA remains about 3,500 controllers short of targeted staffing levels.

The Professional Aviation Safety Specialists union said Saturday the FAA had fired several hundred probationary FAA employees.

The union said Monday it believed just under 300 FAA workers it represents were fired, including maintenance mechanics, aeronautical information specialists, aviation safety assistants and management and program assistants.

"These are positions that are vital to supporting public safety," a union spokeswoman said.

The FAA and Transportation Department have declined to say what jobs the fired workers held or why they were fired.

The disclosure came on the same day that Elon Musk's government downsizing team DOGE was visiting the FAA's Air Traffic Control command center in Warrenton, Virginia, Duffy said.

Quote:The Trump administration scored a legal victory on Tuesday, when a federal judge denied a bid to block Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency from accessing sensitive information and firing employees across different government agencies.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan denied the request from 14 states for a temporary restraining order against Musk and DOGE, saying the plaintiffs did not show "clear evidence of imminent, irreparable harm" that could result from Musk having access to federal agency systems that house the bank account and personal information of millions of American taxpayers.

The Context

The lawsuit, filed by New Mexico and 13 other Democratic states, challenged DOGE's authority to access sensitive government data. The plaintiffs argued that the actions Musk has taken while heading up DOGE can only be taken by an official who was nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate.

What To Know

"Plaintiffs legitimately call into question what appears to be the unchecked authority of an unelected individual and an entity that was not created by Congress and over which it has no oversight. In these circumstances, it must be indisputable that this court acts within the bounds of its authority," Chutkan wrote in a ten-page opinion.

"Accordingly, it cannot issue a TRO, especially one as wide-ranging as Plaintiffs request, without clear evidence of imminent, irreparable harm to these Plaintiffs," she wrote. "The current record does not meet that standard."

Chutkan's ruling came one day after the White House said in a legal filing that Musk is not the head of DOGE.

Musk is "an employee of the White House Office" and "holds a position as a non-career Special Government Employee," the filing said. "Like other senior White House advisors, Mr Musk has no actual or formal authority to make government decisions himself."

The Tesla and SpaceX CEO's exact role in the Trump administration could be a crucial factor as it relates to DOGE's access to government data. Positioning Musk as an adviser as opposed to someone overseeing daily operations could strengthen the administration's defense against lawsuits claiming Musk wields excessive power as an unelected official who was not confirmed by the Senate.

Quote:A retired Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) supervisory special agent says Mexico’s notorious Sinaloa drug cartel is deeply entrenched in major US cities and in smaller communities, describing its influence as so pervasive, it’s “woven into our communities.”

The cartel’s reach, Brian Townsend said, is more expansive and destructive than many realize with its grip on both urban and rural areas across the US.

“We have some larger locations that are well known for Sinaloa control, like Chicago, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Tucson, Dallas, Atlanta, and New York City,” he told Fox News Digital. “But they have distribution points throughout the United States, and from there, they use those hubs, and then [the distribution] spoke out from there into our communities.”

The head of the DEA said last year that the US is facing the “most dangerous and deadly drug crisis” in its history with fentanyl and methamphetamine flowing across the border — and that the “Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels are at the heart of this crisis.”

Townsend noted that 300 people per day die from drug overdoses in the US.

The former DEA agent, who founded Eagle 6 Training, shared that the Sinaloa Cartel works with chemical suppliers to receive the materials for “pennies.”

“It’s primarily from China,” he said. “There are other countries and other suppliers, like India, involved. But China is by far number one.”

“From the ports, they are trucked to various locations where the manufacturing of fentanyl occurs. And then from there, they’re smuggled into the United States.”

Townsend said the Mexican cartel is “very good at this,” and by adding fentanyl to their distribution, they are “making a lot of money killing Americans with it.”

CANADA

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Quote:Delta Air Lines' stance on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is under fire after a plane crash in Toronto on Monday that injured at least 17 people.
...
DEI policies have come under fire following at least four major aviation incidents this year, with President Donald Trump questioning if such initiatives were partly to blame for the fatal mid-air collision between an American Airlines plane and a military helicopter in Washington, D.C., in January that killed 67 people.

Following the crash, Trump said that DEI programs had "lowered standards" for hiring air traffic controllers in the Federal Aviation Administration during the Joe Biden and Barack Obama presidencies.
Days later, the Trump administration began firing hundreds of FAA employees.

There is no evidence to suggest DEI policies were to blame for any of the plane crashes that have occurred this year.

On his first day in office, Trump ordered the removal of officials overseeing DEI efforts across federal agencies as well as the dismantling of federal diversity programs. A memo from the Office of Personnel Management, released in January, directed agency heads to place all DEI staff on paid administrative leave, and to plan for staff reductions by January 31. The memo also mandated the removal of DEI materials and the withdrawal of documents that conflicted with the new directives.
...
At least 17 people were injured, three critically, when a Delta plane crashed at Toronto Pearson International Airport on Monday after taking off from Minneapolis, the Associated Press reported. One of the critically injured passengers was a child.

Aviation expert Scott Hamilton told Newsweek strong that strong winds and snow in Toronto could have played a role in the crash.

Footage from the scene, posted by News Channel3 Now, showed the Delta plane overturned on snow-covered tarmac, with passengers walking away from the wreckage.

Because the article above mentioned the disasters that have hit the US in the last couple of weeks, I think people need to read another one published back in January 2025.

Quote:The Federal Aviation Administration is fighting a class-action lawsuit alleging it denied 1,000 would-be air traffic controllers jobs because of diversity hiring targets — as it was revealed that staffing levels were “not normal” at the time of this week’s deadly midair collision.

Complaints about the FAA’s hiring policies resurfaced after the American Airlines passenger plane and a Black Hawk helicopter crashed in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, killing 67 people in the country’s deadliest aviation disaster in almost a quarter-century.

Details of the litigation re-emerged, too, as Andrew Brigida, the lead plaintiff in the suit filed in 2015, suggested the federal aviation agency’s obsession with diversity hiring and inclusion had only ensured that an accident was likely to happen.

The crux of the lawsuit is that the FAA, under the Obama administration, dropped a skill-based system for hiring controllers and replaced it with a “biographical assessment” in an alleged bid to boost the number of minority job applicants.

Brigida, who is white, alleges he was discriminated against solely based on his race when his application was rejected, court papers state.

The would-be air traffic controller, who graduated from Arizona State University’s collegiate training initiative in 2013, was turned down for a job even though he had scored 100% on his training exam, the lawsuit alleges.

Quote:Polish President Andrzej Duda said Tuesday that he has received assurances from the U.S. that Washington will not reduce its troop presence in Poland or along NATO's eastern flank.

While the administration of President Donald Trump has not announced plans to withdraw forces from the region, it has emphasized that Europe must take greater responsibility for its own security. This stance has raised concerns among NATO allies about Washington's commitment to its longstanding defense obligations.

"There are no concerns that the U.S. would reduce the level of its presence in our country, that the US would in any way withdraw from its responsibility or co-responsibility for the security of this part of Europe," Duda told reporters in Warsaw.

"On the contrary, I hope that thanks to the efforts that President Trump is currently making, the war in Ukraine will end."
...
The Polish president's comments come amid uncertainty in Europe over the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, and the United States' involvement in the conflict, as American officials were set to meet with Russian counterparts.

Over the weekend, European Union and United Kingdom officials were working on a multibillion-dollar package to boost security in the region.

What To Know

Duda, who has long been friendly to Trump, spoke to reporters after meeting General Keith Kellogg, the U.S. special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, on Tuesday.

Duda said his assessment was based on conversations he had in recent days, both with Kellogg and with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, whom he hosted in Warsaw last week.

He called on Poles "to remain calm" in light of shifting priorities under Trump.

Quote:Sergey Lagodinsky, a German lawyer and member of the European Parliament, took to social media to voice his dismay regarding the U.S.'s three-stage peace plan for Ukraine, calling it a "gift by Trump to Putin."
...
European countries have criticized the peace talks between American and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia, accusing the U.S. of sidelining Ukraine and alleging that it had made concessions to Russian President Vladimir Putin before the talks began.

Government officials representing the United Kingdom, Lithuania and Germany have spoken out and demanded that Kyiv have a seat at the table during peace negotiations.
...
On Tuesday, Lagodinsky wrote on X, formerly Twitter, "According to my sources: the proposal by #Trump consists of 3 stages: 1) a ceasefire 2) ELECTIONS in Ukraine 3) signing of a final agreement."

He continued: "This is complete fulfillment of all #Putin desires. Especially the election part is a gift by Trump to Putin. Putin hates @ZelenskyyUa 'cuz he defeated his plans to subjugate #Ukraine. And dreams to get a pro-Russia candidate after the exhausting war. For Trump it would also be handy to get a president who would be so weak that he would sing off all the Ukrainian resources. It must be very clear to us, Europeans, that elections MUST take place AFTER the final stage. Not before it. Also because the final agreement cannot be the result of a pro-Russia candidate possibly elected under stage 2)."

Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported that the U.S.'s proposed three-stage peace plan was the result of the peace talks between Russia and the U.S. in Saudi Arabia.

Keith Kellogg, U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy for Russia and Ukraine, told Reuters earlier this month that Ukrainian presidential and parliamentary elections, which were suspended during the war, "need to be done."

On Monday, The Telegraph reported on a U.S. proposal to Ukraine after obtaining "a draft of the pre-decisional contract, marked 'Privileged & Confidential.'"

The terms of the leaked draft contract said the U.S. and Ukraine should form a joint investment fund and that the U.S. would take a portion of recurring revenues received by Ukraine from extraction of resources, as well as some of the financial value of "all new licenses issued to third parties" for the future monetization of resources. Trump has pushed to strike an agreement with Ukraine for access to the equivalent of $500 billion worth of rare earth materials.

CHINA

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Quote:China had a list of demands for Washington after the State Department removed a line about the U.S.'s opposition to the independence of Beijing-claimed Taiwan from a fact sheet.
...
The government in Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China, has ruled the island since retreating there after losing the Chinese civil war to Mao Zedong's communist forces. Taiwan has never declared independence—a move China has threatened war over—but functions as a sovereign state with its own democratic government, military and defined territory.

To establish diplomatic relations with Beijing, China requires countries to recognize the "One China" principle and cut official ties with Taiwan. For more than four decades, the U.S. has followed a "One China" policy, acknowledging—but not endorsing—China's claim over the island of 23 million and not expressing support for de jure Taiwan independence.
...
Last week, the State Department removed the phrase "we do not support Taiwan independence" from its fact sheet on Taiwan relations.

It is unclear why the phrase was removed or whether the move is related to a policy change ordered by the Trump administration.

During the Chinese Foreign Ministry's regular news briefing on Monday, spokesperson Guo Jiakun said the State Department had "gravely backpedaled," flouted international law and violated standing agreements with Beijing.

"This is another example of the U.S. clinging to its wrong policy of 'using Taiwan to contain China,'" he added. Guo urged the U.S. to "immediately correct its wrongdoings."

He also demanded that Washington "stop upgrading its substantive relations with Taiwan, stop helping Taiwan expand so-called 'international space,' stop emboldening and supporting 'Taiwan independence' and avoid further severe damage to China-U.S. relations and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait."

On Saturday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with his Japanese and South Korean counterparts in Munich.

In a joint statement, the trio stressed the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and opposed "any attempts to unilaterally force or coerce changes to the status quo." In a first for the three nations, the diplomats also urged greater meaningful participation for the island in international organizations.

Quote:Beijing has issued a lukewarm response to the U.S. proposal for Chinese and Brazilian peacekeepers to be deployed to Ukraine once a ceasefire is achieved, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China.
...
The proposal of China sending peacekeepers to Ukraine has been met with criticism online as the U.S. previously accused Beijing of aiding Russia's war against Ukraine by providing satellite imagery for military purposes, microelectronics, and machine tools for tanks. The EU has since implemented its first "fully fledged" sanctions on Chinese firms for their support for Russia.

Other global powers, including the U.K. and France, have talked about deploying peacekeepers to Ukraine after a ceasefire has been achieved.
...
In response to the U.S. proposal to send Chinese peacekeepers to Ukraine, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said, "We don't comment on a hypothetical question. China always upholds a just position on the issue of Ukraine crisis, and we've made this very clear on multiple occasions."

Guo's statement was in response to a report by The Economist that said that American officials were discussing the idea of sending Chinese or Brazilian peacekeepers to Ukraine to "sit along an eventual ceasefire line as a sort of buffer" instead of European peacekeepers after a ceasefire.

The report also alleged that Vice President JD Vance told Europeans that a European-only peacekeeping force would be less effective in preventing Russia from conducting further attacks on Ukraine.

Commenting on China's role in a peace agreement involving Ukraine, Guo said that "On any dispute and conflict in the world, China always advocates dialogue, consultation and political settlement. This is also true when it comes to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine."

He added that "China is not the creator of the Ukraine crisis nor a party to it. That said, we have not just sat by and watched the crisis unfold or profiteered from the crisis. Right after the Ukraine crisis broke out, China proposed to settle the crisis through dialogue and consultation. We've followed the four points about what must be done, which were proposed by President Xi Jinping, as our fundamental guidance, actively carried out diplomatic mediation, and set up the Group of 'Friends for Peace' together with Brazil and other Global South countries. The development of the situation also proved that China's proposition is objective, impartial, rational and pragmatic, and represents the prevailing consensus in the international community."

The Little Rocket Man / North Korea

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Quote:orth Korea has denounced the U.S. and its allies for pursuing what it called the "absurd" goal of denuclearization, vowing instead to bolster its nuclear capabilities under leader Kim Jong Un.

The statement, issued Tuesday by North Korea's Foreign Ministry via state media, follows a meeting in Germany where top diplomats from the U.S., South Korea, and Japan reaffirmed their commitment to countering Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions through military cooperation and sanctions.

Why It Matters

Diplomatic efforts between the U.S. and North Korea have remained stalled since the collapse of nuclear negotiations between former President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un in 2019. While Trump and Kim met three times in 2018 and 2019, talks ultimately broke down over disagreements regarding sanctions relief and the North's disarmament steps.

Pyongyang has since shifted its foreign policy focus toward Russia. North Korea has supplied military equipment to Moscow amid Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine, a move that has raised concerns in Seoul and Washington. In exchange, analysts suggest North Korea could be receiving economic aid and military technology that may further advance its weapons programs.

What to Know

North Korea accused the U.S. of attempting to implement an "outdated and absurd plan" for denuclearization and warned of "overwhelming and decisive counteraction" if it perceives threats to its security. The Foreign Ministry stated that the country would "consistently adhere to the new line of bolstering the nuclear force" and deter "the U.S. and its vassal forces" from challenging its sovereignty.

The statement comes after U.S. Secretary of State Mark Rubio met with South Korean and Japanese counterparts in Munich, Germany, on Saturday. The officials reaffirmed their commitment to North Korea's "complete denuclearization" and maintaining sanctions aimed at curbing Pyongyang's weapons program. They also pledged to strengthen military deterrence, including through expanded joint exercises and enhanced defense cooperation between Japan and South Korea.

Quote:Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth faced some heat on Wednesday after directing the Department of Defense (DOD) to find $50 billion in programs to cut next year so the money can be spent on President Donald Trump's priorities, The Associated Press reports.

Newsweek reached out to the Pentagon via email for comment.

Why It Matters

Hegseth's comments on Wednesday were a departure from when he suggested last week, while traveling in Europe, that he would support backing a bigger budget, CNN reported.

"I think the U.S. needs to spend more than the Biden administration was willing to, who historically underinvested in the capabilities of our military," Hegseth said.
The defense secretary's directive also aligned him with some progressive lawmakers across the aisle, who have historically favored making cuts to the military's budget in order to fund programs like Social Security.

What To Know

Robert Salesses, who is performing the duties of deputy secretary of defense, highlighted Hegseth's directive in a statement, singling out "woke programs" and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI).

Salesses said in his statement that the cuts Hegseth wants to make will help fund President Donald Trump's agenda and priorities like building an Iron Dome in the United States and helping to secure the border.

The $50 billion in cuts Hegseth is seeking account for roughly eight percent of the military's budget, the AP reported.

It's not immediately clear which programs could be on the chopping block as a result of the defense secretary's directive.

Quote:Two Republican lawmakers broke ranks on Thursday when the Senate voted to confirm Kash Patel as the next director of the FBI after a contentious confirmation process.

The Context

Patel, who testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee in January, was widely considered one of Trump's most vulnerable nominees, facing questions about his previous criticism of the FBI's Russia investigation and pledges to fire top agency personnel who investigated Trump during his first term and after.

What To Know

The Senate narrowly voted to confirm Patel 51-49, with two Republicans voting against the former federal prosecutor's confirmation:

• Senator Susan Collins of Maine.
  
• Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.
  

Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell, who was closely watched as a possible swing vote, ultimately voted to confirm Patel on Thursday. The former Senate majority leader has voted to confirm a number of Trump nominees, but voted against Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr.

In her statement announcing she would not support Patel, Collins said that "recent personnel actions" at the Justice Department indicate that there is "a compelling need for an FBI Director who is decidedly apolitical."

"While Mr. Patel has had 16 years of dedicated public service, his time over the past four years has been characterized by high profile and aggressive political activity," Collins said.

"Mr. Patel has made numerous politically charged statements in his book and elsewhere discrediting the work of the FBI, the very institution he has been nominated to lead," the Maine senator continued. "These statements, in conjunction with the questionnaire sent to thousands of FBI employees, cast doubt on Mr. Patel's ability to advance the FBI's law enforcement mission in a way that is free from the appearance of political motivation."

I think that Senator Collins was a bit hypocritical by claiming that Patel gotta have a political motivation. Just look at any elections, be it in the US or Europe or anywhere else, all candidates make promises to change what they consider is terribly wrong in their countries. So why would it matter that much if Patel criticized the FBI in the past? Besides, the FBI gave millions of people motives to ask for a serious change in their administration. Will she also blame all of Trump supporters of being political motivated as well? And what if they are after the FBI arrested J6 partarkers, because not all of them were real protesters at all? Did they forget about Ray Epps instigating the so called insurrectionists on behalf of the FBI? Didn't the FBI investigate and the DOJ prosecute a J6 defendant because he had an unopened Lego box of the US Capitol, claiming he was planning to storm the building?

Quote:Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem on Thursday reduced deportation protections and work permits for 521,000 Haitians under the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program, a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson confirmed to Reuters.

The protections will expire in August, reversing a Biden administration decision that extended protections through February 2026.

...
President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance said during the 2024 election campaign that programs like TPS had been abused under former President Joe Biden and suggested that they were illegal.
The Trump administration's move to reduce the protections is in line with Trump and Vance's pledge to undo Biden's immigration policies, some of which also protected immigrants from 15 other countries who are already in the U.S.
...
Trump previously attempted to end most TPS enrollments during his first term but was blocked by federal courts.

Earlier this month, Noem also revoked Biden-era TPS extensions for 600,000 Venezuelans. Protections for a large percentage of that group will now expire in April.
Around 500,000 Haitians could be affected by the DHS' move to end TPS in August 2025. The department said it was allowing the protections to lapse in part because those who entered the country illegally were able to participate in the program.

TPS protections are only granted to nationals who can prove they have been continuously present in the U.S. since the most recent limit set by DHS. Those who have been convicted of a felony or two or more misdemeanors are not eligible for TPS.

Haiti has been on the TPS list since the country was devastated by a 2010 earthquake. Other countries on the list include Afghanistan, Somalia, and Ukraine, since 2010, following an earthquake. The Secretary of Homeland Security generally grants TPS to people from countries with ongoing armed conflicts, serious human rights abuses, or climate disasters.

Quote:President Donald Trump's commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, a billionaire businessman who was confirmed in his role by the Senate on Tuesday, warned of widespread fraud in the Social Security program, which he described as "wrong."

Lutnick suggested on Fox News on Wednesday that the Trump administration's Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which was tapped by the president to shrink the size of the federal government, will be looking into cuts to the program which represents a crucial lifeline for millions of Americans.
...
Over 68 million Americans receive Social Security benefits every month, according to the latest data shared by the Social Security Administration (SSA), which manages the program. More than 54 million of these are retired workers and their dependents, more than 5 million are family members of deceased retired workers, and more than 8 million are disabled workers and their dependents.

The benefits are crucial to help older Americans, workers with disabilities, and families in which a spouse or parent has died maintain financial stability. Any cut to the program, which is already struggling with the looming threat of insolvency, could make an enormous difference in beneficiaries' financial health.
...
Lutnick didn't offer any evidence of widespread fraud within the Social Security program. He said that the program would be looked at by DOGE.

"When I set up DOGE with Elon [Musk], so back in October [...] I flew down to Texas, got Elon Musk to do it. Here was our agreement: that Elon was going to cut a trillion dollars of waste, fraud, and abuse," Lutnick said on Wednesday, speaking to Fox News host Jesse Watters.

"Think about it: we have almost $4 trillion in entitlements and no one has ever looked at it before. You know Social Security is wrong. You know Medicaid and Medicare are wrong," the commerce secretary said.

"So, he [Musk] is going to cut a trillion, and then we'll get rid of all those tax scams that hammer against America and we're going to raise a trillion dollars of revenues," he said. "Our objective, under Donald Trump, is to bounce this budget and I'm telling you, you watch it, we're going to do it."

Recently, both Trump and Musk claimed that tens of millions of dead people over 100 years old are receiving Social Security payments, a statement that was rejected by the new head of the SSA Lee Dudek. Dudek said that while some improper payments have likely been made, the numbers mentioned by the president and Musk are overstated.

Quote:President Donald Trump joked about a potential third term during a Black History Month reception on Thursday at the White House.
...
This is not a new notion for the president, as Trump has made similar comments in the past. But a U.S. president cannot be elected for more than two terms, as stated in the 22nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

"No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once," the amendment reads.
...
While speaking to the crowd, Trump said while laughing, "Should I run again? You tell me. There's your controversy right there." The crowd then began shouting, "Four more years! Four more years!" Eventually Trump waved off the crowd and said, "You're going to see that tonight ... on television."

Republican Tennessee Congressman Andy Ogles has floated a bill to amend the Constitution to allow Trump to run for a third term. Ogles acknowledged that the bill faces an uphill battle, but it is "very important" for the country's future, he says.

What People Are Saying

Political analyst Craig Agranoff told Newsweek via text on Thursday: "Trump has always used bold statements and unpredictability as part of his political brand, and hinting at a third run fits that pattern. Whether he's serious or simply rallying his base, the impact is the same...it keeps him in the spotlight, energizes his supporters, and forces both allies and opponents to respond. Given his history, it's difficult to say with certainty whether this is a genuine intention or a strategic move, but it certainly keeps the conversation centered on him."

Quote:Governor Kathy Hochul plans to announce Thursday that she will not use her authority to remove New York City Mayor Eric Adams from office but will push for strict new oversight measures on his administration, according to the New York Times, which spoke to two officials familiar with her thinking.
...
Adams is accused of entering a coercive arrangement with the Trump administration to drop corruption charges. Hochul's decision not to remove him preserves voters' will but imposes strict new guardrails on the mayor's office, potentially harming his re-election chances while allowing him to serve the rest of his term.

Hochul will unveil legislation that includes creating a state deputy inspector general dedicated to overseeing New York City. Other measures would establish a fund for the city comptroller, public advocate, and City Council speaker to hire legal counsel to challenge the federal government if the mayor does not, bar the mayor from firing the city's Department of Investigation head without state inspector general approval, and increase state comptroller oversight of city finances.

The mayor has repeatedly said he will not resign, even as Democratic officials have called for his removal or resignation. Federal charges accuse him of accepting travel perks and campaign contributions from Turkish nationals in exchange for government favors.

U.S. District Judge Dale Ho is deliberating on whether to dismiss the charges after a recent hearing. Adams' critics argue his dealings with Trump officials compromised his ability to lead.

While Hochul has the authority to remove the mayor, she expressed concern about overriding voters' decisions. She hopes the oversight measures will reassure New Yorkers that the city will be held accountable until elections later this year.

Some allies of Adams and state lawmakers wary of further state intervention may resist the proposals when Hochul asks for legislative approval next week.

Quote:The congestion plan to reduce traffic and raise funds for New York's public transport was recently axed by President Donald Trump, potentially leading to the loss of millions in revenue for the city.

What Was The Proposed Congestion Pricing Plan?

The congestion pricing plan, officially known as the Central Business District Tolling Program, was approved by state lawmakers in 2019 and greenlit by the Biden administration in 2023.

The first-in-the-nation program took effect on January 5, after which most drivers were charged $9 tolls to enter Manhattan's busiest districts during peak hours, with motorcycles charged $4.50, and larger vehicles charged between $14.40 and $21.60.

City officials said that the plan would cut traffic and its associated environmental impacts, while also providing a lifeline to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which could use the toll revenues to improve the city's subway, bus and commuter rail systems.

A majority of New York voters were skeptical of Trump's desire to terminate the plan, according to an early February survey of 1,203 registered voters in the state by Morning Consult. Six-in-ten voters said that President Trump should "allow congestion pricing in New York City to continue."

Why Does Trump Want to Axe Congestion Pricing?

Earlier in February, Trump told The New York Post that the plan was "destructive to New York," adding that the reduction in traffic was hurting Manhattan's economy.

"Traffic is way down because people can't come into Manhattan and it's only going to get worse," Trump told the outlet. "People don't know about it until they get the bill."

The plan has also received pushback from neighboring New Jersey, whose officials have argued that the toll discriminates against its residents driving into the city and places an undue burden on interstate commerce.

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy wrote a letter to Trump in late January, in which he called the plan "a disaster for working- and middle-class New Jersey commuters and residents who need or want to visit lower Manhattan," and asked the president to give congestion pricing "the close look it deserved."

Quote:Texas Governor Greg Abbott has suggested Kentucky Fried Chicken should change its name to Texas Fried Chicken, after KFC announced it is moving its U.S. headquarters to the Lone Star State.
...
Multiple major corporations have moved their corporate headquarters to Texas, attracted by the Republican controlled state's low taxes and business friendly policies. These include investment company Charles Schwab Corporation, energy firm Chevron and Elon Musk companies X, formerly Twitter, and SpaceX. Now KFC has moved there, despite its brand's ties to Kentucky.

What To Know

On Wednesday Abbott shared a New York Times story on X about KFC's announcement that it would be relocating its headquarters to his state.
In an apparent joke the governor added: "Kentucky Fried Chicken is leaving Kentucky & moving to Texas. Welcome to Texas, Colonel & company. Many hungry Texans appreciate your move.
[X Post]
"Now, and hear me out, any chance you would consider a name like Texas Fried Chicken or TFC? It's a great brand."

Yum! Brands revealed KFC would move its corporate headquarters from Louisville in Kentucky to Plano, Texas, on Tuesday.

The shift will mean 100 employees relocating to the new headquarters over the coming six months, with another 90 workers making the move over the next 18 months. However, KFC will keep a corporate office in Louisville and plans to open a new flagship restaurant in the city.

Texas has recorded solid economic growth over the past decade, with an analysis by Realtor.com predicting it will become the most populous state in the Union by 2045.

Quote:National Security Adviser Mike Waltz on Thursday declined to say who was responsible for the war in Ukraine, fanning the flames of a controversy started by President Donald Trump that has roiled relations between Kyiv and Washington.

Waltz sidestepped multiple questions from reporters about the origins of the war, one day after Trump claimed falsely that Ukraine started the conflict. Russia started the war by launching a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

"His goal is to bring this war to an end, period," Waltz said of Trump, when asked by reporters at a White House press briefing to say which nation was responsible for starting the war.

Waltz's refusal to criticize Trump's characterization of the start of the war is likely to further an issue that has driven a wedge between the United States and Ukraine.
The two nations maintained close relations under former President Joe Biden but cracks in the partnership have emerged since Trump started his second term, pledging to end the three-year war on "day one."

The rift intensified this week after a delegation of senior U.S. officials — including Waltz — met with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia to start negotiations to end the war. Ukraine did not participate in the talks, prompting concerns from Kyiv that it would be sidelined in the peace negotiations going forward.

Ukraine also rejected a U.S. proposal to receive a 50 percent interest in the country's minerals and some other natural resources in exchange for America's support for Kyiv over the past three years.

President Volodymyr Zelensky's rejection of the offer prompted Trump to lash out on social media. Trump called Zelensky a "dictator without elections" because Ukraine has been under martial law since the start of the war.

Speaking to reporters at the White House Thursday, Waltz said Trump's frustration with Zelensky was "multifold." He pointed to the negotiations over control of Ukraine's natural resources and the Trump administration's belief that "there needs to be a deep appreciation" for everything the U.S. has done to aid Ukraine.

Waltz also echoed a claim made by Trump on the 2024 campaign trail that the war would never have taken place if he had been in office at the time instead of Biden.

Quote:President Donald Trump issued Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky an ultimatum regarding his "resurrection" of the rare earths deal, according to Forbes Breaking News.
...
Trump's statement about resurrecting the rare earths deal comes as tensions between himself and Zelensky have risen, as the U.S. and Russia held peace talks without Ukraine in Saudi Arabia, and the president called Zelensky a "dictator without elections."
Pushing for a deal that Ukraine may not agree to could delay the progression of peace negotiations, drawing out the war.

What To Know

Speaking to journalists about the potential rare earth materials deal with Ukraine, Trump said on board Air Force One on Wednesday, "I think I'm gonna resurrect it. You know, we'll see what happens, but I'm gonna resurrect it or things are gonna not make him too happy. And look, it's time for elections, haven't had an election in a long time."

He added that the U.S. is "doing very well with Russia" and that the U.S. is "going to do something with Russia," adding that a deal can be made with Moscow to "stop the killing of potentially additional millions of people. Soldiers are being just wiped out on both sides."

The president also alleged that U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who presented the agreement to Ukraine during a visit to Kyiv, was treated "rather rudely" as Zelensky was not available to see him, and that he "went there to get a document signed, and when he got there, he came back empty. They wouldn't sign the document."

This statement comes after Zelensky rejected the agreement, which sought to give American companies 50 percent ownership of Ukraine's rare earth mineral deposits.

Trump had recently been pushing the deal and previously stated that he wants "the equivalent of $500 billion of rare earth" in return for the continued provision of aid by the U.S.

The Ukrainian president rejected the deal because he argued that it "is not ready to protect us, our interest," providing no security guarantees.

Zelensky has since instructed his team to work on crafting a counterproposal to Trump's rare earths deal that includes explicit security guarantees, while still allowing the U.S. access to its mineral deposits.

Quote:President Donald Trump gave Europe three weeks to sign off on terms for Ukraine's "surrender" to Russia, a member of the European Parliament (MEP) claimed.
...
Observers of the 3-year-old war have worried that Trump may strike a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin that pressures Ukraine to abandon its aspirations to join NATO and cede its currently occupied territories, effectively capitulating to Moscow's demands.

Ukraine says it has been excluded from high-stakes negotiations that will shape its future.
...
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Finland's Mika Aaltola of the European People's Party claimed that the U.S. "has given us three weeks to agree on terms for Ukraine's surrender," referring to a proposed peace deal aimed at ending the war.

"If we don't, the United States will withdraw from Europe," Aaltola added.
[X Post]
He didn't provide evidence for his claims.

NBC News, citing U.S. officials, reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Ukrainian officials in a closed-door meeting that Washington may significantly reduce its troop presence in Europe. The report is based on sources with knowledge of private discussions between the Trump administration and the Ukrainian government.

Days after Trump was sworn in for a second term as U.S. president, a European diplomatic source told a leading Italian news agency that Trump plans to withdraw roughly 20,000 U.S. troops from Europe.

The source told ANSA that Trump aims to reduce the American military presence on the continent by about 20 percent and intends to demand greater financial contributions from NATO allies to cover the costs of maintaining the remaining forces.

Emphasis is mine.

Quote:Donald Trump's rift with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky deepened this week as he labeled him a "dictator" and urged Ukraine to hold elections, intensifying speculation over who could succeed the Ukrainian leader.

Amid the public fallout, The Economist reported Wednesday that it had obtained internal polling indicating that General Valery Zaluzhny—who was a key figure in the war against Russia—would beat Zelensky should a wartime election be held.

Who is Valery Zaluzhny?

Zaluzhny served as Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces from 2021 to 2024 and now holds the position of ambassador to the United Kingdom. He was dismissed as head of the military on February 8, 2024, and replaced by General Oleksandr Syrsky.

Tensions between Zaluzhny and Zelensky had been simmering for months before he was removed from his post. The pair are reported to have clashed over the general's war strategies and the challenge of mass mobilization, CNN reported.

Zaluzhny's growing popularity among both the public and the military further fueled speculation that he posed a potential political challenge to Zelensky's presidency, Ukrainian and Russian media outlets reported.

In a commentary for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, published shortly after Zaluzhny's dismissal, researcher Konstantin Skorkin described the move as "the first time [Zelensky] has so openly gone against the tide of public opinion."

He said the decision likely alienated voters who view Ukraine's military personnel as heroes and Zaluzhny as their leader.

"But that's only half the story," Skorkin added, citing polls showing that 72 percent of Ukrainians—roughly the same percentage who once supported Zelensky—disagreed with Zaluzhny's removal.

What Has Zaluzhny Said About Entering Politics?

While Zaluzhny has not officially pledged to run for office, he has not ruled out the possibility.

When asked about his potential participation in Ukraine's future presidential elections, he dismissed the question as "inappropriate" but hinted at a future decision.

Quote:Four major Russian oil refineries have been forced to suspend operations after Ukrainian drone attacks throughout the past month, according to various outlets.
...
Ukraine has frequently targeted Russian energy facilities in an effort to stop Russia's ability to continue funding the war.

Following drone strikes in 2024, Russia's average daily production of crude oil hit a 20-year low. The economic consequences of this are vast, as Russia's decrease in oil production not only starves its ability to fund its war effort but also decreases the amount of revenue generated from one of Moscow's key exports, which yields high profits.

What To Know

Russia's Syzran oil refinery, which is operated by Rosneft, one of the country's largest oil production companies, suspended its operations on February 19 after an attack by a Ukrainian drone that resulted in a fire, Reuters reported.

One of two unidentified industry sources told the outlet, "Refining has been temporarily suspended at CDU-6 due to a fire." The refinery, located in the city of Samara, was the subject of several Ukrainian attacks throughout 2024 and lies about 700 kilometers (430 miles) from the Russia-Ukraine border, according to the Kyiv Independent.

Andriy Kovalenko, the head of Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation, wrote on Telegram that the oil refinery has "a processing capacity of 8.9 million tons of oil per year, making it one of the medium-sized refineries in the Russian Federation," and produces "fuel, aviation kerosene and bitumen."

Quote:ARussian military radar and spyware facility in Moscow has been burned down, according to local reports.

A massive blaze erupted at the sanctioned Lebedev Institute of Precision Mechanics and Computer Engineering in Russia's capital on Wednesday night, with Telegram channels highlighting its connections to the country's defense industry.

Newsweek has contacted the Russian government for comment via email.

Why It Matters
The cause of the fire remains unclear but numerous military facilities across Russia have been engulfed in flames since the start of Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine.
Ukraine, primarily using drones, has targeted Russian military sites that support the country's ongoing aggression throughout the conflict.
[X Post]
What To Know

Helicopters were seen dousing the building with water in videos shared by the Telegram channel of the Sirena news outlet.

Sirena reported that the facility is involved in developing SIM cards with Russian encryption, manufacturing radar processors for marine radar stations and creating a system which enables Russia's security forces to monitor mobile and internet users.

According to Open Sanctions, the Lebedev Institute of Precision Mechanics and Computer Engineering is subject to Western sanctions. It is described as holding a license administered by the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade, as well as a license administered by Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB).

The Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade license covers the "development, production, testing, installation, maintenance, disposal and sale of weapons and military equipment," while the FSB license is issued to IT companies that develop encryption and cryptography technology, information systems and telecommunication systems for the Russian intelligence services, as well as IT companies that develop personal database management systems for the Russian security services, the website states.

Quote:Russia deployed autonomous launchers of the RS-24 Yars, an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that can be armed with nuclear warheads, on combat patrol routes on February 19, according to a Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation Telegram.

Why It Matters

The deployment of the launchers of the Yars ICBM during exercises indicates that Russia could further escalate the conflict with Ukraine, undermining recent peace talks held with the U.S.

Further, the Kremlin has the world's largest nuclear weapons arsenal, just ahead of the U.S., and its use of ICBMs—which are strategic nuclear weapons—could enact more damage than non-nuclear missiles, taking out more territory.

What To Know

The Russian defense ministry wrote that "in the Novosibirsk missile formation, autonomous launchers of the Yars PGRK have been deployed on combat patrol routes," and that crews "march up to 100 kilometers [62 miles], disperse the units with a change of field positions, their engineering equipment and security" and "solve issues of countering sabotage and reconnaissance groups."

The defense ministry added that "as part of maneuver actions, missile units and subdivisions practice tasks of dispersing in a forest area in order to increase the stealth of the Yars PGRK units."

The RS-24 Yars is a strategic nuclear missile designed to carry numerous re-entry vehicles that can be sent to various targets and several nuclear warheads. The ICBM can be mounted on truck carriers or deployed in silos. Russian media has previously described the missile as a variation of Moscow's Topol-M missile.

The Yars ICBM is reported to have a range of approximately 11,000 to 12,000 kilometers and is able to carry up to four multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle (MIRV) warheads, each with a yield of around 500 kilotons.

This is not the first time the Russian forces have deployed the Yars during training exercises, as the missile has been loaded into silos at the Kozelsk missile base in the Kaluga region southwest of the capital on numerous occasions in 2022, 2023, and 2024.

Quote:Unidentified drones swarmed over the Khmeimim air base in northwestern Syria and air defense systems were activated in response, according to the independent Russian outlet ASTRA Press.
...
Why It Matters
If the new Syrian government, led by the new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, the head of the Islamist rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham [HTS], is behind the drone attack at the air base, it could sour their relations with Russia. These were already likely to be complex due to Moscow's previously close relationship with former leader Bashar al-Assad. The Russian government met with Syrian officials in late January to discuss future relations and Moscow's request to retain its military bases.

What To Know

Oleg Blokhin, a Russian military blogger, wrote on Telegram that "At 2:30 local time, a combat alert was declared. It was designated as 'attack by a ground enemy.'" He added: "Almost immediately, the 'Pantsir' was activated. Shooting and explosions were heard." The "Pantsir" is in reference to the Pantsir-S1 surface-to-air missile system, an advanced Russian air defense system.

Blokhin said: "By 3:30, the intensity of the shooting had died down, although it was still ongoing." Newsweek has yet to verify who was involved.

Sabereen News, an Iraqi news outlet, posted on Telegram: "Anti-aircraft guns inside Hmeimim Airport in Syria, which is controlled by Russian forces, confront unidentified drones flying over the Russian base."

Russia retreated from the Khmeimim air base following the ousting of former Syrian President Assad's regime by rebel groups in early December 2024.

Quote:Iran says it has smashed multiple espionage networks it alleged were working for the United States and Israel, marking Tehran's latest move against what it calls a vast web of foreign spies.

The arrests, carried out in Iran's northern Mazandaran province, come amid soaring tensions between Tehran and Washington, with Iranian officials vowing harsh consequences for foreign interference.
...
Iran frequently accuses foreign intelligence agencies of attempting to infiltrate its security infrastructure, often launching sweeping crackdowns on suspected spies.
The latest arrests reflect Tehran's ongoing battle against alleged operatives, though Iranian authorities have yet to provide evidence of the claims. These accusations also come at a time of heightened military and geopolitical tensions, with Iran threatening retaliation in the event of any strikes on its nuclear facilities.
...
Siavash Moslemi, an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander in the Mazandaran province said that authorities had successfully disrupted intelligence operations allegedly linked to "U.S. intelligence, the Zionist regime, and other hostile countries."

Moslemi said the suspects entered Iran as foreign nationals or visitors, using trading companies, cultural organizations, and charities as cover to gather classified intelligence and establish infiltration networks. He added that the operation had "prevented security threats and potential crises" but did not specify the number of any arrests or provide proof of links to the U.S. or Israel.

British Nationals Charged with Espionage

The announcement followed news that two British nationals, Craig and Lindsay Foreman, had been charged with espionage. Iranian authorities alleged that the couple, arrested in Kerman in January, had been gathering intelligence across multiple provinces under the guise of tourism and research.

Additionally, IRGC intelligence forces in Ardabil detained an individual accused of ties to Israeli intelligence. The unnamed suspect was alleged to have spread anti-Islamic propaganda and threatened religious scholars via social media.

Quote:Iran's top military commander has said that any threat to its national security would have dire consequences for the entire region, according to state media.

The warning comes after the U.S. staged a major regional show of force this week, deploying B-52 bombers over nine countries in the Middle East in a strategic display of military strength.
...
The flyover, a key element of the U.S. deterrence strategy, underscores Washington's military resolve amid rising tensions. With growing instability and threats from Iran and its proxies, including Hamas and Hezbollah, the U.S. seeks to reinforce its dominance and demonstrate its readiness.

What to Know

The bomber task force mission featured midair refueling and live munitions drops at designated target ranges "in several partner nations," according to CENTCOM. U.S. F-15s, along with fighter jets from four regional allies, escorted the B-52s throughout the operation.

Iran Threatens Region

On Wednesday, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Bagheri warned that, "our armed forces are at the peak of their readiness."

"In the case of any mistake by the enemy, the security of the Zionist regime and those who participated in its equipment and operational planning will be put in danger." He added. Over the past year, Iran twice fired massive barrages of missiles and drones at Israel, in a spillover from the its war in the Gaza Strip and the fighting with Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Tensions between Iran and U.S. ally Israel are high. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at the weekend that, with U.S. President Donald Trump's support, his government would "finish the job" against Iran.

Trump has toughened sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, but said he would rather a deal that stops Tehran acquiring nuclear weapons. Iran has formally rejected nuclear weapons. However, it has continued to advance its nuclear program, accelerating the enrichment of uranium to up to 60 percent purity. Israel is widely believed to have nuclear weapons.

Quote:The Department of Defense posted to X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday, telling Pentagon staff to disregard an email from billionaire Elon Musk that asked government employees to document in an email what they'd done in the last week.
...
Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been tapped by President Donald Trump to shrink the size of the federal government, which he has called "bloated" and full of "people that are unnecessary."

The Pentagon is now led by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who was appointed by Trump and confirmed by the Senate in late January. Sunday's message suggests the Trump appointee is not fully on board with Musk's efforts. Trump's FBI director Kash Patel previously sent a similar message to his staff telling them not to respond to Musk's email.

What To Know
The message from Darin Selnick, who is performing the duties of Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, was posted to X on Sunday afternoon and was sent to staff earlier in the day.

"DoD personnel may have received an email from OPM requesting information. The Department of Defense is responsible for reviewing the performance of its personnel and it will conduct any review in accordance with its own procedures," the message said.

"When and if required, the Department will coordinate responses to the email you have received from OPM. For now, please pause any response to the OPM [Office of Personnel Management] email titled 'What did you do last week.'"
...
Since Trump's inauguration, thousands of federal employees have been fired or have accepted the administration's offer to resign now and receive eight months of wages. Notably, the Pentagon announced on Friday that it will be cutting 5,400 probationary civilian employees this week.

While mass layoffs have sparked outrage among Democratic lawmakers, unions, and members of the public, Trump has stood by DOGE and Musk's work, expressing his approval of what he called a "force of super-geniuses."

On Saturday, Musk wrote on X: "Consistent with President @realDonaldTrump's instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week. Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation."

Quote:President Donald Trump's border czar Tom Homan, who is helping the Trump administration carry out its hardline immigration policies, issued a warning on Saturday to Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox for not cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers.
...
Massachusetts' handling of immigration became a key point of tension between ICE and the state last year, as operations to round up known criminals and suspects were ramped up by federal agents. The state's sanctuary policies mean that courts and law enforcement do not have to comply with ICE orders.

Homan's warning comes after sanctuary policies are coming under scrutiny as Homan and the administration have made similar warnings arguing that these get in the way of mass deportation and other enforcement efforts that have proven popular in polling both before and after the election.

An Associated Press-NORC poll, conducted from January 9 to 13 among 1,147 adults, found that 83 percent of Americans support deporting migrants living in the U.S. illegally who have been convicted of a violent crime, while only 6 percent would oppose doing so.

What To Know

Speaking at this year's Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Maryland, Homan warned Cox that he is "coming to Boston" and "bringing hell" after the police commissioner said his department does not comply with ICE's civil immigration detainers.

"Police commissioner of Boston, you said you'd double down on not helping the law enforcement officers of ICE, I'm coming to Boston and I'm bringing hell with me. I looked at the numbers this morning, I stopped counting at nine, nine child rapists that were in jail in Massachusetts but rather than honoring an ICE retainer, released back onto the street. You're not a police commissioner. Take that badge off your chest, put it in a desk drawer because you became a politician. You forgot what it's like to be a cop," Homan, a former police officer and Border Patrol agent, said on Saturday.

Cox, appointed by Democratic Mayor Michelle Wu in 2022, affirmed on local news station WCVB last Sunday that his department does not comply with ICE's civil immigration detainers.

Quote:Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has been criticized after firing Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley over her performance during the recent wildfires that devastated the city.

United Firefighters of Los Angeles City President Freddy Escobar claimed Crowley had been "made a scapegoat" and was "terminated for telling the truth."
...
In January a series of devastating wildfires raged around Los Angeles, killing 29 people, destroying 16,255 buildings and burning across 37,700 acres, according to an analysis by the Fire Safety Research Institute.

Both civic and political leaders are investigating what took place. During and after the infernos Bass received calls to resign, with critics angry that she was at a presidential inauguration in Ghana when the fires first broke out and accusing her of cutting parts of the city budget relevant to firefighting.

What To Know

On Friday Bass announced she had fired Crowley "in the best interests of Los Angeles' public safety." She said that "1,000 firefighters were sent home on Chief Crowley's watch the day the fires broke out" and that the chief later "refused to do an after action report on the fire."

However, the move was strongly condemned by Escobar, president of the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City union.

According to KCAL he said: "On behalf of the firefighters I represent, I am here to say we are outraged at the termination of fire Chief Crowley, period. In our opinion, Chief Crowley is being made a scapegoat, and she is being terminated for telling the truth."

Referring to Bass' claim that 1,000 firefighters had been sent home the day the blaze broke out Escobar said: "I was here in Los Angeles when they did the recall. We had more members willing to participate than we had seats to put those members in."

Escobar also disputed Bass' assertion that Crowley had refused to organize an after action report, commenting: "I am going to tell you right now, an after-action report is occurring while we speak. It's called FSRI, which stands for Fire Safety Research Institute."

The FSRI was tasked with investigating the Los Angeles fires by California Governor Gavin Newsom.

Quote:Violent crime committed by women has soared in California, according to a new report.

Why It Matters

The rise in violence committed by women in California signals a significant shift in crime trends. Traditionally, violent crime has been overwhelmingly male-dominated, but the increasing involvement of women raises questions about underlying causes.

What To Know

According to the report by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC), published on February 19, the female violent crime arrest rate in the state has risen by 60 percent since 1980, from 72 per 100,000 residents to 116 per 100,000 in 2023.

At the same time, the gender gap in arrest rates has narrowed. In 1980, men were arrested at a rate more than six times higher than that for women, with 11,258 arrests per 100,000 residents compared with 1,850 for women.

However, in the decades since, the female share of arrests has steadily increased, rising from 14.5 percent of all arrests in 1980 to 22.8 percent in 2023. This narrowing has been driven largely by a drop in male misdemeanor arrests from 8,336 per 100,000 residents in 1980 to 2,024 in 2023.

However, many more men than women are still being arrested in California, the report shows, with the male arrest rate in 2023 (3,089 per 100,000 residents) more than triple the female arrest rate of 905.

Overall Decline in Arrest Rates in California
Law enforcement agencies in the state reported roughly 776,500 arrests in 2023, amounting to a historic low of 1,992 arrests per 100,000 residents. This marks a slight 0.6 percent decline from 2022 and continues a long-term downward trend after arrests peaked in 1989 at 6,757 per 100,000 residents.

Misdemeanor and felony arrests have experienced the sharpest declines, with the number of misdemeanors dropping 31.7 percent since 2019 and felonies decreasing by 12 percent over the same period.

Quote:A West York Borough police officer and an armed suspect died in a shootout at UPMC Memorial Hospital in York County, Pennsylvania, after the gunman took hospital staff hostage in the intensive care unit (ICU) Saturday morning. The incident left three hospital workers and two additional officers wounded, according to officials.
...
UPMC Memorial is a five-story, 104-bed hospital that opened in 2019 in York, a city of approximately 40,000 people known for the creation of the beloved York Peppermint Patties candy in 1940.

The shooting represents another incident in a concerning pattern of violence targeting U.S. healthcare facilities. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), healthcare workers face more nonfatal injuries from workplace violence than any other profession, highlighting growing security challenges for medical centers nationwide.

What To Know

York County District Attorney Tim Barker said UPMC officers were first to respond when Diogenes Archangel-Ortiz, 49, opened fire in the ICU. According to Barker, three staff members were shot: a doctor who was grazed by gunfire, along with a nurse and a custodian, who are both in stable condition. A fourth staff member was injured in a fall, not from gunfire.

Barker explained that when law enforcement attempted to engage the gunman and breach the ICU, Archangel-Ortiz was holding a staff member at gunpoint and ordered police to retreat. After officers complied and attempted discussion, Barker said the gunman emerged into the hallway holding a staff member whose hands were bound with zip ties at gunpoint. At this point, officers opened fire, killing Archangel-Ortiz.

During the armed confrontation, Barker confirmed that three officers were shot: one from Northern York County Regional Police Department and another from Springettsbury Township Police Department – both in stable condition – and Officer Andrew Duarte of the West York Borough Police Department, who was killed.

Quote:Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was asked by Fox News Sunday host Shannon Bream about the recent firing of top lawyers for the U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force—a move that has sparked backlash and raised concerns over the potential politicization of the country's armed forces.

Why It Matters

Judge Advocates Generals, known as JAGs, are the legal arm of the armed services. The nonpolitical figures advise military leaders on range of compliance matters including international and humanitarian law, prosecute and defend service members, and offer consul on operations, among other matters.

Their firings on Friday come as the Pentagon announces plans to begin cutting thousands of probationary civilian employees, part of a broader government shakeup that has occurred across multiple agencies and departments since President Donald Trump took office.

The administration has faced pushback on its agenda to cut the federal workforce, drawing criticism from opponents and challenges in court.
What To Know

The JAGs of the Army, Navy and Air Force—Lieutenant General Joseph B. Berger III, Rear Admiral Lia M. Reynolds, and Lieutenant General Charles L. Plummer—were all dismissed on short notice Friday. Four-star Air Force General Charles Q. Brown Jr., the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was also removed in a leadership shake-up at the Pentagon, which has been heavily criticized by some Democrats and veterans.

JAGs often serve across administrations, regardless of political affiliation, in an effort to ensure continuity in legal oversight.

On Sunday, Bream asked Hegseth, who is a former Fox News co-host, about the firings, saying "not surprisingly there's been some backlash to those who are worried about their removal."

Hegseth replied: "We want lawyers who give sound constitutional advice and don't exist to attempt to be roadblocks to anything that happens."

He described the JAGs as a "small group of insulated officers who perpetuate the status quo, well guess what the status quo hasn't worked very well at the Pentagon. It's time for fresh blood, so we're going to open up those positions to a broader set, in a merit-based process to find the best lawyers possible to lead the Army, the Air Force, and the Navy."

He added that "there's nothing about purging, there's nothing about illegal, we've made clear from the beginning, the military will be apolitical with the fidelity of the Constitution, prepared to close with and destroy our enemies."

Throughout the interview, Hegseth reiterated that "nothing about this is unprecedented" regarding the rapid dismissal of employees at the Pentagon.

Quote:Pope Francis remains hospitalized in critical condition with "early, mild renal insufficiency," the Holy See Press Office said in a Sunday evening update.

Why It Matters
Francis has been critically ill with double pneumonia and chronic bronchitis after being admitted to the hospital on February 14.

On Saturday morning, he also suffered a prolonged asthmatic respiratory crisis and received "high flows" of oxygen to help him breathe. The Vatican shared that the pope was "not out of danger."

The most recent update suggests that the 88-year-old's blood values are improving, though other health concerns may be emerging.
As leader of the Roman Catholic Church, with over 1.3 billion followers worldwide, his health issues hold significant global implications for the Church.

What To Know
The pope has spent nine nights at Rome's Gemelli Hospital, receiving treatment for pneumonia and other health complications. He is "alert and well-oriented" and attended Mass on the 10th floor of the hospital today, the Holy See Press Office said.

The update confirmed that the pope's condition "remains critical" and that he has not experienced another respiratory crisis since Saturday evening. A Sunday morning update noted that the pontiff had a "peaceful" night following a blood transfusion.

The office reported that he received "two units of concentrated red blood cells with beneficial effects, and his hemoglobin levels have risen."

Quote:Police arrested a man suspected of carrying out a stabbing attack Friday at Berlin's Holocaust Memorial, leaving a Spanish tourist seriously injured.

Authorities have not yet determined a motive for the attack, which took place two days before Germany's national election.

Why It Matters

The attack happened at the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, a field of 2,700 gray concrete slabs near the Brandenburg Gate in central Berlin. The site honors the 6 million Jews killed during the Holocaust under Nazi Germany.

What To Know

Footage from the scene captured emergency vehicles and heavily armed police stationed along one side of the memorial, a sprawling expanse of grey concrete pillars where the attack occurred. The memorial is located across the street from the U.S. Embassy.

Police spokesman Florian Nath said the stabbing occurred around 6 p.m., "probably with a knife, maybe with something else."

Nearly three hours later, a male suspect approached officers who had surrounded the memorial grounds.

"He had blood on his hands, and this made him very suspicious," Nath said.

Quote:Germany's conservatives are projected to win the national election on Sunday while the controversial far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party records its best-ever results in an election, exit polls showed.

Friedrich Merz's center-right Christian Democratic Union party is projected to win 29 percent of the vote, putting Merz track to become the next chancellor, which would require him to enter into coalition negotiations to form a government.

AfD, which has been supported by Elon Musk, is forecast to come second with 19.7 percent of the vote. It would mark the party's strongest performance since World War II, but their impressive finish does not appear enough to tempt Merz to partner with them.

Meanwhile, Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD) party are projected to come in third with 16 percent of the vote.

Why It Matters

Musk and Vice President JD Vance helped AfD increase its profile ahead of the election: Musk appeared via video call during an AfD rally earlier this year, and Vance met with the party's leader Alice Weidel during his appearance at the Munich Security Conference earlier this month.

Even if they are left out of coalition talks, AfD are expected to be the largest opposition force in the German parliament and will further normalize their position in the country's political landscape. Their results may also serve to boost other far-right parties in elections across Europe.

Far-right parties already saw massive gains in the European parliamentary elections last year, which ended up serving as a bellwether for many western elections throughout the rest of the year.

What To Know

The full election result projections are as follows:

CDU/CSU: 28.9%
AfD: 19.7%
SPD: 16.1%
Th Greens: 13.2%
Free Democratic Party: 4.9%
Left Party: 8.6%
The Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance: 4.8%
Others: 3.8%

Quote:U.S. negotiators have reportedly threatened to cut off Ukraine's access to Starlink if an agreement on minerals cannot be reached, but Elon Musk denied the report on Saturday.

This is according to "three sources familiar with the matter" who spoke to Reuters. Newsweek has contacted Ukraine's Ministry of Defense, its Ministry of Foreign Affairs and SpaceX, which owns Starlink, via email, for comment.

Why It Matters
Starlink provides crucial internet connectivity to Kyiv and its military. There are around 42,000 Starlink terminals in operation across hospitals, businesses and the military in Ukraine, according to The Kyiv Independent.

"Losing Starlink would be a game changer," Melinda Haring, a senior fellow with the Atlantic Council, told Reuters.

The Context

Tensions exist between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Most recently, Zelensky rejected a proposal made by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent that would give American companies 50 percent ownership of Ukraine's rare earth mineral deposits as a way to pay the country back for its military aid.

Zelensky declined to sign the deal, arguing that it was too focused on U.S. interests and lacked provisions that would help deter future Russian aggression, The Associated Press reported.

"I didn't let the ministers sign a relevant agreement because in my view it is not ready to protect us, our interest," Zelensky said at the Munich Security Conference.

Quote:Amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he believes that President Donald Trump's Ukraine deal will prove effective due to "economic security guarantees" instead of military assurances.
...
Monday will mark the three-year anniversary of when Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine. Negotiations over a peace deal between the two countries have gotten under way and already hit a number of speed bumps, chiefly that Trump and Putin have seemingly excluded Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Trump has openly questioned Zelensky's leadership, claiming the Ukrainian is a "dictator without elections" and that he has lost the support of his people. Trump said he didn't see it as "important" for the Ukrainian leader to be present at negotiations.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also made clear that Ukraine should give up hopes of regaining much of its lost territory, saying that "returning to Ukraine's pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic objective."

Attention in the past week has also shifted to details about Ukraine's rare earth minerals, which Bessent presented to Ukraine during his visit to Kyiv. The deal would give American companies 50 percent ownership of the deposits, which the U.S. has framed as a way for Kyiv to pay it back for past and future military aid. Zelensky, however, outright rejected the deal.

What To Know

Bessent appeared on Fox News' Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo to discuss the deal that Trump is trying to finalize, arguing that placing an emphasis on economic guarantees for Ukraine will provide greater long-term support and security than military guarantees.

"It does not include a military guarantee, but what it does include is an implicit guarantee that if the United States of America is heavily invested in the economic future—I call it an economic security guarantee—the more assets that U.S. companies have on the ground, the bigger interest that the U.S. has in the future of Ukrainian economy doing well, the more security it creates for the Ukrainian people, and the higher the return for the U.S. taxpayer," Bessent said.

The secretary called the deal a "win-win" and lamented that "daylight" has opened between the U.S. and Ukraine about the deal.

Zelensky met with U.S. officials, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, but has insisted that any deal made without Ukraine's input and inclusion in discussions is a non-starter.

"The idea here of my trip to Ukraine and then the meeting in Munich—we want to intertwine the U.S. and Ukrainian economies for the benefit of both," Bessent explained on Sunday. "Unfortunately, President Zelensky seems to put a bit of daylight between us, but I am sure in the long run, or in the short run, there is no daylight. The deal will be signed, and this will give President Trump a lever, and it will be a strong signal to Russian leadership that the U.S. is in a serious partnership with Ukrainian people."

---

BREAKING NEWS

Quote:A contentious Trump administration proposal to allow $500 billion worth of profits from Ukrainian rare earth minerals to go the U.S. as compensation for its wartime assistance to Kyiv has been taken off the table, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday, indicating a more equitable deal is in the works.

Zelenskyy had earlier declined a U.S. draft agreement on exploitation of his country's valuable minerals such as lithium used in the aerospace, defense and nuclear industries because it did not contain security guarantees and came with the $500 billion price tag.

“The question of $500 billion is no longer there,” Zelenskyy told a news conference at a forum of government officials in Kyiv marking the three-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian leader said considering aid as a debt to be repaid would be a “Pandora's box” that would set a precedent requiring Kyiv to reimburse all its backers.

“We do not recognize the debt," Zelenskyy said. "It will not be in the final format of the agreement.”

No further details were given on the state of negotiations. Ukraine has insisted on security guarantees that it needs to deter any potential Russian aggression in the future.

Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, said on CNN’s “State of the Union” that he expects a deal this week allowing the U.S. to play a greater role in exploiting Ukraine's mineral resources.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told the Fox News Channel the administration's minerals plan was to create a U.S.-Ukraine partnership, calling it a “win-win.”

“We make money if the Ukrainian people make money,” Bessent said.

Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, Andrii Yermak, left the Kyiv forum early along with Economic Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko for what Yermak said were talks with U.S. officials on a potential deal.

Later Sunday, Yermak posted on social media that he'd spoken with U.S. officials, including Bessent and Trump's national security adviser Mike Walz, saying it had been a “constructive conversation.”

“We are making progress ,” Yermak wrote. “The USA is our partner and we are grateful to the American people.”

Zelenskyy says he'd give up presidency for NATO membership

In response to a pointed question from a reporter on whether he would give up his presidency for peace in Ukraine, Zelenskyy said he would if it achieved a durable end to the fighting under the security umbrella of the NATO military alliance.

---

Quote:Russian propagandists have reportedly been instructed to promote the idea of the "victory of Russia over NATO" ahead of the third anniversary of the war with Ukraine, according to the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine's Ministry of Defense (GUR).
...
Russia's renewed efforts to change the narrative surrounding the war and push for its ending come after the U.S. and Russia met for peace talks in Saudi Arabia without Ukraine this week.

In an exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, U.S. President Donald Trump called him a "dictator without elections," which many on social media have alleged is "repeating Putin's propaganda."

What To Know

The Kremlin has reportedly told "special services of the state" to ramp up efforts to change the narratives regarding the Russia-Ukraine war and Moscow's success over the past three years. Propagandists are allegedly planning to announce Russia's "victory" on February 24, the third anniversary of the invasion, and promote narratives in an effort to incite disbelief in Ukrainian society and discredit Kyiv as a partner to pro-Ukraine NATO allies, whom they are calling "enemies of peace."

Russian propagandists have been told to promote several narratives, with some focused on peace negotiations and some on the activity at the frontlines. The narratives relating to peace negotiations include: "The West has betrayed Ukraine," "The opinion of Europeans and Ukrainians does not concern either Moscow or Washington" and "The U.S. and Russia agreed on everything behind Ukraine's back."

Other narratives condemn the Ukrainian government and its relations with allies, as well as activity at the frontlines. These narratives include: "The Ukrainian government is illegitimate," "The Ukrainian army is losing at the front" and "Corrupt people are stealing billions of dollars of American aid from Ukraine."

Ukraine's GUR has alleged that one of the Kremlin's key goals is "to cover the status of an aggressor and war criminal isolated from the civilized world with a cloak-coat, supposedly ready for a peaceful settlement, of the 'constructive side of the conflict.'"

Russia's use of propaganda to change the narrative surrounding the war with Ukraine has increased since 2022, as the outlet NewsGuard has identified and debunked 302 false claims relating to the war, nearly all originating as Russian propaganda.

The outlet also noted that in the three years of war, Russian disinformation operatives have used artificial intelligence (AI), which has multiplied the amount of Russian propaganda being circulated and increased the persuasiveness of the campaigns.

Quote:President Donald Trump acknowledged on Friday that Russia "attacked" Ukraine in an interview with Fox News' Brian Kilmeade.

Appearing on Kilmeade's radio show, Trump was pressed several times by the Fox News host regarding the controversy surrounding his remarks that Ukraine "should have never started" its war with Russia.

Why It Matters

Trump has openly questioned Zelensky's leadership, arguing that the Ukrainian president has failed to make the necessary concessions to end the war. He also accused Ukraine of starting the war and claimed the Ukrainian leader had lost the support of his people.

The president also called Ukrainian Zelensky a "dictator without elections." Zelensky fired back, calling Trump's accusations Russian "disinformation."

What To Know

In total, Kilmeade asked the president five-straight questions related to the exact blame for the Russia-Ukraine war. The president deflected, each time, before eventually saying, "Yes, Russia attacked, but there was no reason for him [Vladimir Putin] to attack."

Seemingly meaning Kilmeade, Trump continued, "You could have talked him out of it. That war should have never happened. "Every time I say, 'Oh, it's not Russia's fault,' I always get slammed by the fake news. But I'm telling you, [Joe] Biden said the wrong things, [Volodymyr] Zelensky said the wrong things, and they got attacked, which was a bad thing to do. But Russia could have been talked out of it so easily."

The Fox News host also asked if Zelensky's snub of the Trump administration's proposed rare earth mineral deal contributed to his recent attacks against the Ukrainian leader.

On Tuesday, Zelensky rejected a U.S. proposal that would have granted the United States access to Ukraine's rare earth minerals, citing the deal's failure to provide security guarantees. The agreement, presented by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent during a visit to Kyiv, sought to give American companies 50 percent ownership of Ukraine's rare earth mineral deposits. The U.S. framed the deal as a way for Ukraine to "compensate" for past and future military aid.

Trump said Friday that Zelensky had "no cards" to bring to negotiations.

"So, I've been watching for years, and I've been watching him negotiate with no cards. He has no cards, and you get sick of it. You just get sick of it. And I've had it. And he then made a deal with us for rare earth and things. Then who knows what rare earth is worth, you know, but at least it's something. And who knows what it's worth? Who knows if they even have it?

Quote:Russia has launched its single largest drone strike against Ukraine since the start of its full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukrainian authorities say.
...
The attack, which targeted multiple regions, comes just before the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and at a time when Russia and the U.S. have begun to negotiate an end to the war.

President Donald Trump has been critical recently of Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelensky.

What To Know

Ukrainian air force spokesperson Yuriy Ignat said on Sunday that 267 drones had entered Ukrainian airspace, noting that this represented the "a record number for one attack" since 2022.

Ukraine's air force reported that it successfully shot down 138 of the incoming Shahed attack drones, while another 119 disappeared from radar. It also said three flew in the direction of neighboring Belarus, and one into Russia.

Despite Ukrainian defenses intercepting many of the drones, the massive bombardment caused damage across several regions, including Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, Poltava, Kyiv, and Zaporizhzhia, the air force said.

Three people were reportedly injured in Odesa, and one was also reportedly hurt in Zaporizhzhia.

Zelensky condemned the latest attack, referring to it as "aerial terror" in a statement on X, formerly Twitter, in which he also praised the efforts of Ukraine's military and emergency responders.

"I thank everyone who repels such attacks on a daily basis—our aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare [EW] units and mobile fire groups of the air force and defense forces," Zelensky said.

"I also thank those on the ground who save lives and respond to the aftermath of shelling—the State Emergency Service, medics, and the National Police."

Quote:Iran's armed forces are set to begin large-scale military exercises in a further signal of Tehran's preparations for conflict as tensions escalate with Israel and the United States over its nuclear program.

The maneuvers come as United States B-52 bombers carried out their second flyover in the Middle East within 48 hours, a show of force that underscores growing regional uncertainty.
...
Iran's defenses are widely believed to be at their weakest in decades, largely due to Israeli actions that have damaged Tehran's regional network and weakened its air defense and missile production capabilities.

While President Donald Trump has expressed a preference for diplomacy, Washington's military presence in the region signals a readiness for further escalation.

What To Know

Iran's armed forces will launch a large-scale military exercise dubbed "Zolfaghar 1403," spanning from southeastern Iran to the northern Indian Ocean on Saturday.

Led by the Iranian Army, the drills will showcase ground forces, air defense, and naval forces. While "Zolfaghar 1403" is an Army-led drill, Iran has also conducted recent joint exercises between the Iranian Army and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), focusing on defending key nuclear sites such as Natanz and Fordow.

Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, the commander of the exercise, said that any attack on Iranian interests would not go unanswered. The exercises are set to continue until mid-March.

According to U.S. intelligence findings reported in The Washington Post, Israel views Iran as vulnerable following the October airstrikes that degraded Iran's air defenses.

The United States has also stepped up military activity in the region. U.S. B-52 bombers carried out out their second flyover in the Middle East within 48 hours, according to a statement from U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) that said they had demonstrated "force projection capabilities."

Quote:Asenior Hamas leader has told Newsweek that there was no proof linking the group to the series of bus bombings that targeted Israel hours after the group handed over four bodies purported to be those of slain Israeli hostages as part of their ceasefire agreement.

Israeli security officials said late Thursday that explosions tore through at least three buses on parking lot in the central Israeli city of Bat Yam, near Tel Aviv. No injuries were reported, but transportation nationwide was shut down as Israeli authorities descended on the scene, discovering what police said were three burned-out explosive devices as well as two additional undetonated devices all identical and equipped with timers.

As the search for suspects and further potential bombs was underway, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement shared with Newsweek that it was also investigating the incident in conjunction with the Israel Police and Israeli Security Agency, also known as Shin Bet. Israeli Defense Israel Katz has blamed the attack on "Palestinian terrorist organizations," without specifying any particular group.

Israeli media, citing security sources, reported that at least one of the devices bore the phrase "Revenge from Tulkarem," the name of a Palestinian city in the West Bank, where unrest has risen dramatically amid the 16-month war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Quote:Hamas freed six Israeli hostages on Saturday as part of its ongoing ceasefire deal with Israel.

This comes after Israel confirmed that a body handed over hours earlier was that of hostage Shiri Bibas—her remains were supposed to have been released with those of her two young sons earlier this week but the those transferred with the boys were actually those of an unidentified Palestinian woman.

Why It Matters

Saturday's hostage release ushers in the end of the ceasefire deal's first phase, as the six men freed are the last living people set to be handed over in this phase.

The ceasefire deal, which took effect on January 19, has been a fragile one, with both sides accusing the other of violations. The truce is set to expire altogether on March 1.

What To Know

Eliya Cohen, 27, Omer Shem Tov, 22, and Omer Wenkert, 23, who were all kidnapped from the Nova music festival in Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack, were handed over to the Red Cross in front of a crowd on Saturday.

Earlier, Tal Shoham, 40 and Avera Mengistu, 39, were released in Rafah.

Shoham, who holds Austrian citizenship, had been visiting his wife's family in Kibbutz Be'eri when he was taken, along with his wife, two young children and other relatives who were freed in November 2023.

Mengistu, an Ethiopian-Israeli, has been held in Gaza since entering the territory on his own in 2014.

The sixth hostage, Hisham al-Sayed, 36, had also been held in Gaza since he entered on his own accord in 2015.

In return, Israel is set to release 620 imprisoned Palestinians, including 445 men as well as 18 children between the ages of 15 and 17 and five aged between 18-19, the Associated Press reports.

Quote:President Donald Trump announced Sunday that Dan Bongino had been named the next deputy director of the FBI.

What they're saying:
Trump said Sunday evening that Bongino’s appointment was "great news for law enforcement and American justice," and that Bongino was "a man of incredible love and passion for our country."

Who is Dan Bongino?

The backstory:
Dan Bongino, 49, is a former Secret Service agent turned conservative pundit. He served on the presidential details for then-Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush, before becoming a popular right-wing figure. He also has a background with the New York Police Department.

He has been doing commentary on Fox for more than a decade, joining as a contributor in 2019 and beginning his Saturday night show in 2021.

Trump shared more of Bongino’s education and career background when announcing his new role, saying he has a Masters Degree in Psychology from C.U.N.Y., and an MBA from Penn State.

"He was a member of the New York Police Department (New York’s Finest!), a highly respected Special Agent with the United States Secret Service, and is now one of the most successful Podcasters in the Country, something he is willing and prepared to give up in order to serve," Trump’s post said.

Dan Bongino podcast

Dan Bongino’s self-titled podcast, Dan Bongino Show, is available on all major streaming platforms.

The description says Bongino "tackles the hottest political issues, debunking both liberal and Republican establishment rhetoric."

What is Deputy Director of the FBI?

The Deputy Director of the FBI oversees all FBI domestic and internal investigative and intelligence activities, according to the FBI’s official government website.

The deputy director serves as second-in-command to the director, who is Kash Patel.

Quote:Gene Hackman’s wife was found mummified and bloated when the two were discovered dead with their dog in their multimillion-dollar New Mexico home — and the maintenance workers who initially discovered the quieted house said hadn’t seen the couple in about two weeks, police wrote in an affidavit.

Authorities said the deaths were “suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation” after finding the door to the couple’s home was “unsecured and opened” and an open orange prescription pill bottle and pills scattered around the room where Hackman’s wife, classical pianist Betsy Arakawa, and one of their German shepherd dogs were discovered.

Deputies noted that it appeared Arakawa had “obvious signs of death, body decomposition, bloating in her face and mummification in both hands and feet” when she was found on the floor of a bathroom near the home’s entry, according to the report.

The door into the couple’s $3.3 million Santa Fe, New Mexico, home, which sits on six acres and is over 8,000 square feet, was left ajar — but there was no sign of forced entry or theft, according to the report.

Authorities also noted in the report that a black space heater was found near Arakawa’s head. A responding officer said “he suspected the heater could have fallen in the event the female abruptly fell to the ground,” the affidavit said.

The couple’s deceased dog was located about 10 to 15 feet away from Arakawa inside the bathroom’s closet, deputies wrote in the report.

Meanwhile, Hackman’s body was located in what deputies believe was the mudroom near a pair of sunglasses. Officers wrote in the report that it appeared he had “suddenly fallen.”

Hackman’s body had “obvious signs of death, similar and consistent with the female decedent,” police wrote in the report.

Deputies also noted two other “healthy” dogs located on the property, one inside the residence and one outside, according to the report.

Fire department officials who responded reported finding no signs of a carbon monoxide leak or poisoning, according to the report.

Quote:Michelle Trachtenberg, the former child star known for a wide range of TV and film roles including in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Gossip Girl,” has died at the age of 39, sources told The Post.

Trachtenberg was found by her mother around 8 a.m. Wednesday at One Columbus Place, a 51-story luxury apartment complex in Manhattan’s Central Park South neighborhood, the sources said.

The actress underwent a liver transplant within the last year, but her body may have rejected the organ, according to sources, who said she died of natural causes.

The NYPD confirmed Trachtenberg was found “unconscious and unresponsive” by police and pronounced dead by EMS workers. They responded to the building after a 911 call reporting a woman experiencing cardiac arrest.

Her death is not deemed suspicious and the city medical examiner will determine the cause, cops said.

Quote:U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on Thursday the Trump administration will take steps to boost air traffic controller hiring after a series of recent safety incidents again raised questions about a persistent staffing shortage.

The Federal Aviation Administration will open its hiring window to become an air traffic controller through March 17, will increase starting salaries by 30% for candidates who go to the FAA training academy and will speed the time-to-hire by cutting more than four months off the old process.

A persistent shortage of controllers has delayed flights. At many facilities, controllers are working mandatory overtime and six-day weeks to cover shifts.

Duffy said he was reconsidering rules that had allowed air traffic control supervisors to reduce staffing at Washington's Reagan National Airport before a fatal Army helicopter-plane collision that killed 67 people in January.

The FAA is about 3,500 fully certified air traffic controllers short of targeted staffing levels and has about 10% fewer controllers than it did in 2012.

The FAA fired 350 probationary workers this month including some with safety-related positions. Duffy insisted that the agency eliminated no jobs critical for safety. USDOT withdrew a retirement offer made to controllers.

This week, a bipartisan group of three U.S. senators called for new funding to boost air traffic control staffing, speed training of new controllers and provide new incentives to retain aviation workers.

Last week, the U.S. aviation sector called for "robust emergency funding" from Congress for air traffic control technology and staffing after a series of crashes.

Airlines for America, which represents American Airlines , Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines and other major carriers, praised Duffy's action to address the longstanding shortage of air traffic controllers.

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said "addressing the critical shortage of air traffic controllers is the most impactful action the government can take to improve safety, reliability and efficiency for air travelers." American CEO Robert Isom called the plan "a critical initial step to making our aviation system even safer."

In 2024, the FAA cut minimum flight requirements at congested New York City-area airports through October, citing a staffing shortage of air traffic controllers.

Quote:Mel Gibson threw his support behind a new effort to recall Gavin Newsom, claiming the California governor doesn’t ‘give a damn’ about the state.

The “Braveheart” star voiced his anti-Newsom passion at a Wednesday press conference on behalf of SavingCalifornia.vote, a political action group spearheading the effort to oust Newsom after last month’s apocalyptic wildfires in Los Angeles.

“Was it incompetence? Was it indifference? Complacency? Carelessness? Was it negligence? Absolutely,” Gibson said of Newsom’s and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass’ leadership during the Palisades and Eaton fires, which torched nearly 13,000 homes — including Gibson’s $14.5 million Malibu mansion.

“There are many who say it is criminal negligence. Do the mayor and the governor give a damn about you? Hell no!” the actor continued for a crowd of journalists and supporters in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood.

This week, SavingCalifornia.vote received the official green light to begin circulating a petition to hold a recall election. They will have 160 days to gather around 15 million signatures — 12% of the total votes in the last gubernatorial election — to win a recall vote.

Quote:It’s been almost nine months since a seemingly mild-mannered 20-year-old attempted to assassinate then-Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump at a rally in Butler.

And we still have no good reason why.

Sources told The Post the FBI has obstructed efforts to solve the mystery of why Thomas Matthew Crooks, who left no manifesto, did what he did. It’s left local law enforcement as well as Crooks’ former friends, classmates and teachers frustrated.

Those who may know, Crooks’ parents Matthew and Mary, have refused all interviews and remain in their small, three-bedroom home here, sealed off from the world like hermits. Neighbors say they only leave the house at 3 am to buy groceries.

“By the way, why do we know nothing about that guy in Butler?” Elon Musk yelled out to the audience at the Conservative Political Action Conference last week, before warning that FBI Director “Kash (Patel) is going to get to the bottom of it.”

A veteran private investigator from Erie, Penn., who was hired shortly after the fateful July 13 event at Butler Farm to look into Crooks by a private client, told The Post he believes a “criminal network” was operating with him at the time of the assassination attempt, is still in existence and still wants to kill President Trump.

Doug Hagmann, whose team of six other investigators have been working the case for months and have interviewed more than 100 people, said they also conducted extensive geofencing analysis of cell phones and tablets not belonging to Crooks that were found with him at his home, at the rifle range where he took target practice, at the rally and at Bethel Park High School where he graduated in 2022.

“We don’t think he acted alone,” Hagmann told The Post. “This took a lot of coordination. In my view, Crooks was handled by more than one individual and he was used for this [assassination attempt]. And I wouldn’t preclude the possibility that there were people at the rally itself helping him.”

Quote:President Trump declared Thursday that tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico will go into effect next week, arguing that both countries haven’t done enough to combat the flow of drugs into the US.

Mexico and Canada dodged the imposition of 25% tariffs earlier this month, after the leaders of the two nations agreed to ramp up border security and crack down on fentanyl smuggling in exchange for a 30-day pause on the levy.

Absent another deal or a change of heart from the president, the tariffs will go into effect “as scheduled” on March 4.

“Drugs are still pouring into our Country from Mexico and Canada at very high and unacceptable levels,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Thursday. “A large percentage of these Drugs, much of them in the form of Fentanyl, are made in, and supplied by, China.”

“We cannot allow this scourge to continue to harm the USA, and therefore, until it stops, or is seriously limited, the proposed TARIFFS scheduled to go into effect on MARCH FOURTH will, indeed, go into effect, as scheduled,” the president said.

Trump, 78, further declared that China will face an additional 10% tariff on March 4, on top of the 10% levy he imposed on the US adversary on Feb. 4, with the goal of forcing Chinese officials to rein in the flow of precursor chemicals from China to criminal cartels that use fentanyl to manufacture deadly drugs for the US market.

“The April Second Reciprocal Tariff date will remain in full force and effect,” the president added, referring to the memorandum he signed earlier this month directing the Treasury Department to impose “fair and reciprocal” tariffs on all major US trading partners.

“Thank you for your attention to this matter. GOD BLESS AMERICA!” Trump’s post concluded.

Quote:The family of Lyle and Erik Menendez said they were hurt and disappointed after the Los Angeles district attorney denied the killer siblings a new trial – while lauding their relationship with the leftist former prosecutor who pushed for the brothers’ release last year.

Family members said DA Nathan Hochman lacked the understanding and sympathy his predecessor George Gascón had for the alleged sexual abuse the murderous duo experienced before they gunned down their wealthy parents in their Beverly Hills mansion more than 30 years ago. 

“The relationship is absolutely different. Gascón seemed much more open to modern thought processes of the law today and what compassion looks like and what does trauma informed practice look like,” Tamara Goodell, the brothers’ cousin, said during a webinar Thursday afternoon.

“Very honestly, what we heard from the LADA’s office the other day felt very disparaging. It felt like a continuation of the narrative from 1989 and very honestly, it was very frustrating.”

Hochman announced his recommendation on Feb. 21 that the LA County Superior Court deny the brothers’ request for a retrial due to new evidence that the pair had been molested by their father – a request Gascón supported in October in light of the fresh findings.

The pair were convicted of killing their parents, José Menendez, a wealthy music producer, and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez, execution-style in August 1989.

Quote:A federal judge in San Francisco on Thursday found that the mass firings of probationary employees were likely unlawful, granting temporary relief to a coalition of labor unions and organizations that has sued to stop the Trump administration’s massive dismantling of the federal workforce.

US District Judge William Alsup ordered the Office of Personnel Management to inform certain federal agencies that it had no authority to order the firings of probationary employees, including at the Department of Defense.

“OPM does not have any authority whatsoever, under any statute in the history of the universe,” to hire or fire any employees but its own, Alsup said.

The complaint filed by five labor unions and five nonprofit organizations is among multiple lawsuits pushing back on the administration’s efforts to shrink a workforce that Trump has called bloated and sloppy.

Thousands of probationary employees have already been fired, and his administration is now aiming at career officials with civil service protection.

Lawyers for the government agree that the office has no authority to hire or fire employees in other agencies.

But they said the Office of Personnel Management asked agencies to review and determine whether employees on probation were fit for continued employment.

They also said that probationary employees are not guaranteed employment and that only the highest performing and mission-critical employees should be hired.

“I think plaintiffs are conflating a request by OPM with an order by OPM,” said Kelsey Helland, an assistant US attorney in court Thursday.

Quote:One of two Iranian cargo vessels carrying a chemical from China which is used in missile fuel production has anchored outside the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas, CNN reported Thursday, signaling a potential resurgence of Iran’s missile production capabilities.

The shipment of 1,000 tons of sodium perchlorate was transported from China aboard the Golbon, which departed from Taicang port on January 21. The second vessel, the Jairan, has yet to depart, according to ship tracking data and intelligence sources cited by CNN.

Iran’s missile production infrastructure was severely damaged by Israeli strikes on Oct. 26 2024, which some experts believed would set back its solid propellant production by a year. However, the arrival of this shipment suggests that Iran could be resuming production sooner than anticipated.

Sodium perchlorate is a key precursor for ammonium perchlorate, an essential component in solid rocket propellant used in mid-range ballistic missiles.

Western intelligence sources cited by CNN estimate that the shipment could enable Iran to produce enough solid propellant for up to 260 Kheibar Shekan or 200 Haj Qasem missiles—both capable of reaching targets up to approximately 1,450 kilometers away.

The delivery was purchased for the Self-Sufficiency Jihad Organization (SSJO), a division of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) responsible for missile development, according to CNN’s intelligence sources.

The Golbon and Jairan are operated by the US-sanctioned Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL), which Washington and London accuse of facilitating military-related transfers for Tehran.

Iran, lacking an effective air force, has heavily relied on developing short- and medium-range missiles, including a variety of ballistic delivery systems.

Quote:Hamas handed over the bodies of four hostages to the Red Cross early Thursday in exchange for Israel’s release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, days before the first phase of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip was to end.

An Israeli security official confirmed that Hamas handed the hostages’ bodies to the Red Cross. Israel said the caskets were delivered with the help of Egyptian mediators through an Israeli crossing and an identification process had begun.

At around the same time, a Red Cross convoy carrying several dozen released Palestinian prisoners left Israel’s Ofer prison headed for the West Bank town of Beitunia, where hundreds of well-wishers jostled for a glimpse of the bus as it arrived.

Friends and family greeted the released prisoners, hugging them and snapping photos. One released man made a victory sign as he was carried on the shoulders of supporters, with the crowd chanting “God is Great.” The released prisoners wore Israeli Prison Service T-shirts that some of them took off and set on fire.

Hours later, buses carrying hundreds of other Palestinian prisoners arrived in the Gaza city of Khan Younis, with some men kissing the ground as they emerged from the buses.

Quote:Israel and Hamas have begun negotiating the terms of the next phase of the cease-fire deal just two days before the truce expires, Egyptian mediators say.

“Intensive discussions” have resumed in Cairo on Thursday, with Egyptian, Qatari and American mediators pushing Israel and Hamas to continue the cease-fire and free the remaining hostages in Gaza.

The already-strained talks had been frozen after the two sides accused each other of breaking the terms of the cease-fire, with negotiations likely to grow heated over Israel’s refusal to fully withdraw from the Palestinian enclave.

The renewed talks were pushed forward by mediators in an effort to stop the war from resuming come midnight Saturday, with Cairo insisting the humanitarian crisis in Gaza be addressed as well.

“The mediators are also discussing ways to enhance the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, as part of efforts to alleviate the suffering of the population and support stability in the region,” Egypt’s state information service said about the talks.

The second phase of the cease-fire calls on Hamas to free the remaining 28 living hostages in Gaza, including New Jersey native Edan Alexander.

Hamas has agreed to free the hostages in one fell swoop, provided Israel keep its end of the bargain and fully withdraws its forces from Gaza as they negotiate the future of the land and its people.

Quote:Attorneys filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration Saturday to halt the transfer of 10 migrants detained in the U.S. to Guantánamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba.

This marks their second legal challenge in under a month against plans to use the facility for large-scale immigrant detention before deportation.

Why It Matters

In a memorandum released in January, President Donald Trump outlined a plan to detain up to 30,000 immigrants suspected of being in the U.S. illegally at Guantánamo Bay as part of his immigration crackdown.

Trump was elected president after promising the largest mass deportation operation in the U.S. history. Guantánamo Bay is widely recognized for its military prison, established after the September 11, 2001, attacks.

What To Know

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the Center for Constitutional Rights, the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), and the ACLU of the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit on behalf of migrants who face the risk of being transferred to Guantánamo Bay.

The latest lawsuit argues that the transfers violate the men's right to due process, as guaranteed by the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

It also claims that federal immigration law prohibits the transfer of non-Cuban migrants from the U.S. to Guantánamo Bay, that the U.S. government lacks authority to detain individuals outside its territory, and that the naval base is legally part of Cuba. The lawsuit further describes the transfers as arbitrary.

The federal lawsuit was filed less than a month after the same attorneys sued for access to migrants already detained at the U.S. naval base in Cuba after living in the country illegally. Both cases, backed by the American Civil Liberties Union, were filed in Washington.

The attorneys also submitted translated statements from Spanish into English from two men still detained at Guantánamo Bay, four men held there in February before being returned to Venezuela, and a Venezuelan migrant sent back to Texas. The men described being confined in small, windowless cells with lights kept on 24/7, making sleep difficult.

They also reported inadequate food and medical care. One man stated he attempted tried to take his own life, while two others said they were aware of similar attempts by others. Additionally, the men alleged verbal and physical abuse by staff.

Quote:Massive wildfires across the Carolinas have forced evacuations of multiple neighborhoods, particularly in the Carolina Forest area near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where a fire has grown to approximately 1,200 acres.

According to the State Fire Marshal, there are ongoing response operations to more than 175 wildfires, impacting 4,200 acres across the state, including Horry, Spartanburg, Oconee, Union, and Pickens Counties primarily due to dry, windy conditions.
...
The rapidly spreading wildfires threaten thousands of residents in populated areas, with hundreds already displaced from their homes.

These fires come amid unusually dry conditions in the region, with February rainfall 1.5 to 2.5 inches below average in the Carolinas, creating perfect conditions for wildfires to spread quickly when combined with gusty winds and low humidity.

Why To Know

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster has declared a State of Emergency to support wildfire response efforts, and the state's Forestry Commission has implemented a statewide burning ban.

Evacuation orders have expanded overnight to include multiple Carolina Forest neighborhoods including Indigo Bay, the Farm, Summerlyn, parts of Walkers Woods, Avalon, and sections of Covington Lakes, Spring Lake, and Blackberry Lane, according to officials. International Drive has been closed between Highway 90 and area schools to facilitate emergency response.

In North Carolina, 400-500 acres have burned in the Blue Ridge mountains near the towns of Tryon and Saluda, forcing residents to evacuate.

The U.S. Forest Service is responding to wildfires in all four national forests in North Carolina, with the largest fire currently in Croatan National Forest where at least 114 acres have burned. Horry County Fire Rescue has deployed 410 personnel with 127 fire apparatus to battle the blaze, using drones to monitor fire movement.

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a Red Flag Warning for much of the Southeast due to critical fire danger conditions.

Quote:President Donald Trump's close confidant and billionaire backer Elon Musk has supported a call for the U.S. to withdraw from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the United Nations (UN).

In a post on Saturday night, Musk endorsed a suggestion from user @GuntherEagleman, who wrote: "It's time to leave NATO and the UN."
...
Musk's influential relationship with Trump is well-documented, and his endorsement adds weight to growing skepticism within the administration toward international alliances. The U.S. has been critical of NATO, with Trump frequently questioning its value and pushing allies to increase defense spending.
Musk, leading the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), is focused on cutting federal spending and has already dismantled multiple federal agencies.
...
Although Trump has not directly stated plans to exit NATO, he has consistently urged European nations to increase their defense spending, warning that the United States should not shoulder the alliance's financial burden alone.

Days after his inauguration, Trump said he was not sure the U.S. should be spending anything on NATO, telling reporters the U.S. was protecting NATO members, but they were "not protecting us."

Trump reiterated his call for trans-Atlantic alliance members to allocate 5 percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) to defense—more than double the current 2 percent target and a level that no NATO country, including the U.S, currently meets.

In 2024, Trump said that he would encourage Russia to do "whatever the hell they want" to any NATO member that fails to meet defense spending guidelines—a striking admission that he would disregard the alliance's core collective defense commitment.

NATO, a transnational military alliance, comprises 32 member states—30 from Europe and 2 from North America.

Musk's endorsement comes amid heightened geopolitical tensions following a tense Friday Oval Office meeting between Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Quote:Billionaire Elon Musk issued a new order on Saturday over the Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) ultimatum, which asked government employees to document in an email what they have done in the last week in terms of their work.
...
The order comes after Musk announced on X, formerly Twitter, last weekend that federal workers would receive "an email requesting to understand what they got done last week." He added that "failure to respond will be taken as a resignation."

The announcement—as well as the subsequent email, which did not include the threat of termination—sent federal agencies into a tailspin as there has been a lot of back-and-forth from department leaders over how employees should handle this.

The situation has culminated in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) telling agency heads on Monday that compliance with Musk's demand was voluntary. The Pentagon previously told employees to disregard the email. Trump's FBI director Kash Patel also previously sent a similar message to his staff telling them not to respond.

OPM's update came hours after President Donald Trump publicly backed Musk, calling his decree a "pretty ingenious idea," adding that those who don't respond by Monday's midnight deadline are "semi-fired or fired."

What To Know

In a post on X on Saturday, Musk announced a new order in which he reiterated Trump's support for the email.

"The President has made it clear that this is mandatory for the executive branch. Anyone working on classified or other sensitive matters is still required to respond if they receive the email, but can simply reply that their work is sensitive," he wrote on X.

Musk's remarks were made in response to a post on how Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued an updated guidance directing all of the Pentagon's civilian employees to respond to the email with five bullet points detailing their previous week's accomplishments.

According to an internal unclassified memo, obtained by DefenseScoop and authenticated by two officials Friday, it instructs the DOD's civilian employees to reply to the email, which is slated to be delivered on March 3, within 48 hours and to "CC" their supervisors as recipients.

It follows after employees were initially told to delay responding to the "what did you do last week" email from DOGE.

This comes after confusion and alarm rippled across the federal bureaucracy after Musk's initial email went out last Saturday, demanding workers submit a response by 11:59 p.m. ET Monday.

Quote:...
What Trump Allies Have Said

Following the exchange, Trump said it would prove difficult to move forward with the current dynamic, and GOP Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina suggested that if Zelensky could not fix things with Trump, Ukraine would "need to get somebody new."

"This was a missed opportunity, and the question for me for the Ukrainian people: I don't know if Zelensky can ever get you to where you want to go with the United States," Graham said during an appearance on Fox News. "Either he dramatically changes, or you need to get somebody new."

House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, on Sunday during an appearance on NBC News' Meet the Press told host Kristen Welker that "something has to change" in order for peace to occur.

"Either he [Zelensky] needs to come to his senses and come back to the table in gratitude or someone else needs to lead the country to do that," Johnson said, while adding that the administration and Republicans understand the danger Russian President Vladimir Putin poses.

Meanwhile, national security adviser Mike Waltz told CNN's Dana Bash on Sunday that Ukraine needs "a leader that can deal with us, eventually deal with the Russians, and end this war."

"If it becomes apparent that President Zelensky's either personal motivations or political motivations are divergent from ending the fighting in this country, then I think we have a real issue," he said.

Who Could Replace Zelensky?

Zelensky last month indicated he would be willing to step down from his role if it would ensure either a peace deal or a guarantee for Ukraine's entry into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), but his tone changed after the clash with Trump.

Zelensky has strong support within Ukraine, still. The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, passed a resolution entitled "Statement of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on Support for Democracy in Ukraine in Conditions of Russian Aggression" on February 25 that affirms Zelensky's presidency and mandates that elections cannot be held during periods of martial law.

The parliament passed the resolution following Trump's insistence that the country should hold elections due to his belief that Zelensky had a "4 percent" approval rating.

However, within the country, there has already been some discussion about possible candidates.

Ukrainian Ambassador to the United Kingdom Valery Zaluzhny
...
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko
...
Ukraine Parliament Chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk

Quote:President Volodymyr Zelensky met King Charles in London Sunday, following the heated spat between the Ukrainian leader and U.S. President Donald Trump Friday, as pressure grew on U.K. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to withdraw his royal visit invitation to Trump.

His talks with the British monarch came after meeting Starmer, who later convened European leaders for emergency meetings on Ukraine.

Why It Matters

Ukraine, its European allies and many U.S. lawmakers are still reeling from Zelensky's Oval Office visit, where Trump peppered the Ukrainian leader with accusations of "gambling with World War Three" in front of the world's media and broadcasting cameras.

In one of numerous barbed exchanges, U.S. Vice President JD Vance told Zelensky: "Offer some words of appreciation for the United States of America and the president who's trying to save your country." Zelensky then departed the White House early.

Zelensky arrived in the U.K. shortly afterward, to a show of warm support and an embrace from Starmer, who admitted during a BBC appearance on Sunday he was "uncomfortable" watching the White House interactions.

What To Know

King Charles received Zelensky at Sandringham, the private country retreat for the king and queen. The meeting took place following a summit of European leaders on Sunday morning that aimed to address how to end the war in Ukraine.

Local residents, some holding Ukrainian flags, gathered outside the estate ahead of his arrival by helicopter, the BBC reported. The outlet reported that the King "warmly received" his guest.

Quote:U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Britain and France have agreed to work with Ukraine on a ceasefire plan to present to the United States, following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's Oval Office clash with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Starmer's announcement comes as European leaders, along with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, NATO chief Mark Rutte, and Turkey's foreign minister Hakan Fidan, gather in London to discuss ending Russia's war in Ukraine.

"This is a once in a generation moment for the security of Europe and we all need to step up," Starmer told leaders, flanked by Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron.

Why It Matters

European NATO leaders and Ukraine have fretted over how ceasefire talks between the U.S. and Russia could come at Kyiv's expense, and jeopardize the security of the rest of Europe.

But European officials have struggled to show cohesion as the Trump administration rewrites the U.S.'s long-standing relationship with the continent, although French President Emmanuel Macron and Starmer have both visited the White House in recent days. An emergency summit convened last month in Paris failed to conjure up concrete plans.

What To Know

Starmer said that he had agreed that the U.K. and France, and "possibly one or two others," would "work with Ukraine on a plan to stop the fighting and then we'll discuss that plan with the United States."

Speaking to the BBC on Sunday, the prime minister said he had met with Zelensky in London on Saturday, before speaking with both Macron and Trump. Zelensky said in a separate statement on Saturday that he had a "meaningful and warm meeting" with Starmer on ending the war in a "just" manner.

"I think we've got a step in the right direction," Starmer said.

Starmer addressed the highly public spat that broke out between Zelensky and Trump during the Ukrainian leader's visit to the White House earlier this week, describing how he had been in his office when he saw the clips coming out of Washington.

"Nobody wants to see that," he said. The prime minister said he "took to the phones," making it his "driving purpose" to "bridge" the widening rift by speaking to both Zelensky and Trump.

Trump berated the Ukrainian leader in front of reporters and cameras trained on the two men, accusing Zelensky of "gambling with World War Three." In amongst various barbed exchanges, U.S. Vice President JD Vance told Zelensky: "Offer some words of appreciation for the United States of America and the president who's trying to save your country."

Starmer described feeling "uncomfortable" watching the footage.

Quote:ANorwegian oil and shipping company, Haltbakk Bunkers, said it will not deliver fuel to the U.S. Navy following Friday's Oval Office clash between President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Despite the move, Norway's defense minister reassured that American forces won't face disruption, stating they will "continue to receive the supply and support they require from Norway."
...
The unprecedented Oval Office meeting, which turned into a fiery exchange, has drawn widespread attention, with some Trump supporters praising how the president handled the situation, while others expressed concern, and many international leaders and Democrats criticized the president and voiced their support for Zelensky and Ukraine.

Under the Biden administration, Zelensky was a close U.S. ally. Since taking office, however, Trump has called him a "dictator," and falsely claimed Ukraine started the war with Russia.

Haltbakk Bunkers' decision to cut ties with the U.S. Navy marks one of the first international acts of economic and political resistance against Trump, particularly on his stance on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

What To Know

On Friday, a fiery exchange took place between Trump, Vance, and Zelensky, which was a striking moment of open antagonism in the Oval Office, a space typically reserved for formal diplomacy. The moment highlighted Trump's shifted approach to the war, now in its third year.

Many European and international leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, immediately released statements in support of Kyiv and Zelensky, who was repeatedly cut off and told he was being "disrespectful" during the meeting.

Haltbakk Bunkers, a private Norwegian marine fuel supplier owned by Gunnar Gran, posted a statement calling out Trump and Vance, writing that the exchange was "the biggest sh**show ever presented 'live on TV' by the current American president and his vice president." The post has since been deleted and the company's Facebook page is now private, with screenshots of the post circulating on social media.

The company then applauded Zelensky, writing, "Huge credit to the president of Ukraine (for) restraining himself and for keeping calm even though the USA put on a backstabbing TV show. It made us sick. As a result, we have decided to immediate STOP as fuel provider to American forces in Norway and their ships calling Norwegian ports. 'No Fuel to Americans!'"

The post also encouraged other Norwegian and European companies to follow suit.

In an interview with the local outlet Kystens Næringsliv, Gran said the company has barred dealings with Russians since the country's February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. He said the decision cost the company revenue but was made because "we have a moral compass."

Gran also told Kystens Næringsliv, "not a liter will be delivered until Trump is finished," noting that the company supplied around 3 million liters of fuel to U.S. ships in 2024.

Norway's defense minister, Tore O. Sandvik, released a statement on Sunday regarding the matter, saying: "We have seen reports raising concerns about support for U.S. Navy vessels in Norway. This is not in line with the Norwegian government's policy."

He added: "The U.S. and Norway maintain a close and strong defense cooperation. American forces will continue to receive the supply and support they require from Norway." Norway is one of the founding members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Quote:U.S. stocks plummeted Monday afternoon after President Donald Trump confirmed that blanket tariffs on Canada and Mexico would begin Tuesday.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed lower by 650 points, or about 1.5 percent, after being down as much as 800 points after the president's remarks. The S&P 500 lost 1.75 percent for its biggest loss since December. The tech-heavy Nasdaq lost 500 points, or more than 2.5 percent.

"Very importantly, tomorrow, tariffs 25 percent on Canada and 25 percent on Mexico," Trump said during a Monday event about investment in U.S. chipmaking capacity.

Why It Matters

Trump's remarks dashed investor hopes that the administration would announce a last-minute deal to again delay those tariffs, which are expected to wreak havoc on trade between the U.S. and its immediate neighbors.

What to Know

All three major indexes were already coming into March in the red. The Dow and S&P each fell more than 1 percent in February, while the Nasdaq saw its worst month since April 2024 on growing concerns over tariffs, AI competition and sticky inflation data.

Manufacturing data released earlier on Monday also came in weaker than expected, suggesting inflationary pressure continue to rise. Many economists say the new tariffs on Canada and Mexico are likely to accelerate inflation as they will make goods more expensive as manufacturers pass on the levy to consumers.

Trump signed the executive order imposing the tariffs back on February 1, but postponed them for a month after both countries pledged to help address immigration at their respective borders with the U.S.

But those actions were not enough to placate Trump, who said Monday: "Just so you understand, vast amounts of fentanyl have poured into our country from from Mexico, and as you know, also from China, where it goes to Mexico and goes to Canada."

Many had hoped that the tariffs would not actually go into effect at the 25 percent level the president initially proposed. Those hopes have now been all but dashed.

"They're all set. They go into effect tomorrow," Trump said after telling reporters there was "no room left" to negotiate.

Quote:President Trump said Monday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “won’t be around very long” if he won’t make a peace deal with Russia — deepening the rift between the men after a shouting match Friday in the Oval Office.

Trump amped up the pressure on Zelensky after the Ukrainian leader said Sunday that an end to his country’s war with Russia was “very, very far away.”

“Everybody has to get into a room, so to speak, and we have to make a deal, and the deal can be made very fast,” Trump said at the White House.

“Now, maybe somebody doesn’t want to make a deal, and if somebody doesn’t want to make a deal, I think that person won’t be around very long. That person will not be listened to very long. Because I believe that Russia wants to make a deal. I believe, certainly the people of Ukraine want to make a deal.”
Hours earlier, Trump trashed Zelensky on Truth Social for saying that the war won’t be over anytime soon.

“This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy [sic], and America will not put up with it for much longer!” Trump wrote.

“It is what I was saying, this guy doesn’t want there to be Peace as long as he has America’s backing and, Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelenskyy [sic], stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the U.S. – Probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia. What are they thinking?”

Zelensky scrambled Monday to clarify his downbeat assessment, tweeting that “[p]eace is needed as soon as possible” and that “[i]t is very important that we try to make our diplomacy really substantive to end this war the soonest [sic] possible.”

The latest back-and-forth comes as further US support for Ukraine’s defense is in doubt following the stunning public spat triggered by heated words between Kyiv’s leader and Vice President JD Vance.

“You’re either going to make a deal or we’re out, and if we’re out, you’ll fight it out,” Trump said at one point during the exchange on Friday. “I don’t think it’s going to be pretty.”

Trump and Zelensky had been due to sign a mineral-rights framework deal that would have given America a stake in Ukrainian rare earth elements, but the pact was left unsigned and the visiting leader instead was told to leave early.

National security adviser Mike Waltz said Sunday that Zelensky’s conduct in the Oval Office was an “insult” and that officials determined the summit could not be salvaged.

Quote:The Trump administration is considering cutting off additional military aid to Ukraine following Friday’s dramatic Oval Office blowup involving the president, Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

President Trump was due to meet Monday with key officials — including national security adviser Mike Waltz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio — to discuss the prospect of letting European allies take over assisting Ukraine in its war against Russia, a source close to the White House told The Post.

“This is going to be part of a larger pivot away from conflicts in Europe and a pivot towards building alliances in Latin America and in the Western Hemisphere,” the source said, name-checking El Salvador President Nayib Bukele, Argentina President Javier Milei and Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado Parisca as potential beneficiaries.

At the White House Monday, Waltz pointedly told reporters that “we welcome the Europeans taking a lead in European security.”

“The American people’s patience is not unlimited, their wallets are not unlimited, and our stockpiles and munitions are not unlimited,” Waltz told Fox News Channel’s “America’s Newsroom” Monday.

“So the time to talk is now.”

Trump responded Monday morning on Truth Social to Zelensky’s statement that a peace settlement between Moscow and Kyiv is “very, very far away.”

“This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy [sic], and America will not put up with it for much longer!” the president said.

“It is what I was saying, this guy doesn’t want there to be Peace as long as he has America’s backing and, Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelenskyy [sic], stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the U.S. – Probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia. What are they thinking?”

Quote:The city is making it easier for potentially hundreds of thousands of illegal migrants to obtain a municipal residency ID card to help try to pave the way for everything from housing to free health care.

The Adams administration-backed change adds 23 types of lesser IDs that migrants and others can show to prove New York City residency to get the useful card.

For example, illegal migrants and others are now able to produce expired driver’s licenses and previous documents from ICE, the federal Bureau of Prisons and open cases with city departments such as for housing, in addition to 100 other types of IDs, to help obtain an IDNYC card.

The official city IDs were first offered by the de Blasio administration in 2015 to try to help migrants more easily access free health care in city public hospitals, open bank accounts, sign leases and enroll in school, among other things.

All New Yorkers 10 and older, “regardless of immigration status,” can apply for an IDNYC card, the city’s website says.

About 1.7 million people have received the special card to date, including 132,054 last year and 127,859 in 2023, the city says.

There are currently about 670,000 illegal migrants in New York, according to a study released in late January by the liberal-leaning Fiscal Policy Institute. The majority traditionally live in New York City.

Critics blasted the easing-up of access to IDNYC, saying it undermines federal immigration law and President Trump’s vow to enforce it.

“It’s a terrible idea,’’ Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (R-Brooklyn/Staten Island) told The Post.

“To provide a legitimate government ID to individuals in the country illegally then gives them access to government buildings and services is just another incentive [to come here].

Quote:Kathy come lately.

Gov. Kathy Hochul is jumping on the anti-Trump train — touting herself Monday as the new leader of the “resistance” against the president’s agenda.

“Once you draw first blood on us, you know we’re coming back hard, and I will be leading the resistance on policies like these where you’re hurting New Yorkers directly,” she proclaimed during an interview on NPR’s “Morning Edition.”

The assertion is a far cry from Hochul’s comments less than two weeks ago, when she told reporters just the opposite.

“I’ve been asked countless (times) ‘are you leading the resistance?’ – No, I’m governing the great state of New York,” Hochul said when asked about her shifting stance towards President Trump’s administration.

Hochul, as Trump was taking office, publicly embraced a cooperative relationship with the incoming admin, congratulating him on his stunning election victory in a conversation “focused on collaboration,” sources said at the time.

But since the US Department of Transportation moved to put the kibosh on New York’s congestion pricing scheme, Hochul has struck a different tune, holding a profanity-laden press conference where she compared herself to Rambo as she announced a lawsuit to block Trump from undoing the tolling program.

The governor’s campaign then quickly released an ad using tape from the appearance featuring Hochul wearing a windbreaker as she walk in the subway in slow motion, a scene akin to an actual Rambo movie.

Between her fiery subway press conference and her campaign releasing the dramatic supercut, Hochul met with Trump at the White House in a sit-down her spokesperson described as “frank” and “candid.”

The two have also discussed a possible infusion of federal cash to help rehabilitate Penn Station and make transit upgrades, but the Democrat still has no results to show from her attempts at diplomacy.

Using Trump as a foil may be Hochul’s best bet at raising her dismally sagging approval numbers, pollsters said.

“It’s a plus because she’s making Trump a target. Targets work in politics.” Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist College polling institute, told The Post Monday.

A Siena College poll released last month showed 57% of New Yorkers would prefer someone else to run in the 2026 gubenatorial election over Hochul.

Only 39% of New Yorkers rated her favorably in the same poll.

“Because Hochul doesn’t have a strong identity, she can find one by attacking Trump,” Miringoff added.

Others said that while Hochul’s resistance rebrand might be a wise political move for her, she needs to follow through beyond posting clips online.

“New Yorkers are savvy,” Jon Reinish, a Democratic strategist, told The Post.

Quote:President Trump’s Education Department is floating a buyout offer of up to $25,000 to its employees, which is set to terminate at 11:59 p.m. Monday, officials told The Post.

The department shared details of the “Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment” — which will come to $25,000 or uniquely calculated severance, whichever amount is less — to employees on Friday afternoon.

So far, officials say 137 workers of the more than 4,000 at the department, including those slated for retirement, have taken them up on the offer.

“This is a one time offer in advance of a very significant Reduction in Force for the US Department of Education,” wrote chief human capital officer Jacqueline Clay in the missive, which was first reported by Politico Friday.

The offer followed requests last week from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for agencies to submit “reorganization plans” by March 13.

It also follows a broader federal buyout package that OPM extended to 2 million government employees who didn’t want to return to in-person work in Washington, DC.

Around 75,000 accepted those terms before a Feb. 12 deadline. They will be able to leave their jobs while being awarded full pay and benefits until the end of the 2025 fiscal year on Sept. 30.

To be eligible for the Education Department’s offer, employees must not have received the initial OPM buyout, must not be temporary or politically appointed workers, and must not have been rehired out of retirement or in the process of retiring due to a disability.

Eligible retirees in the Voluntary Early Retirement Plan (VERA) or Optional Retirement will be able to receive the extra cash on top of existing benefit packages.

Those who took any student loan repayments over the past three years, a recruitment or relocation bonus in the last two years or a retention bonus in the last year are not eligible.

Eligible employees must also have worked for the government for at least three years.

Tech billionaire Elon Musk first suggested the buyout plan last year before overseeing its implementation by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

And just in case you missed it last weekeend...

Quote:President Donald Trump on Saturday signed an executive order making English the official language of the U.S.

The order revokes an executive order issued by former President Bill Clinton in 2000, "Improving Access Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency," that required federal agencies and recipients of federal funding to provide language assistance to non-English speakers.

However, Trump's order notes it does not "require or direct" any change in services provided by any agency.

It will be up to agency heads to decide if any changes should be made.

While English has been used as the country's national language — seen in every historic governing document — the U.S. has never had an official language.

"A nationally designated language is at the core of a unified and cohesive society, and the United States is strengthened by a citizenry that can freely exhange ideas in one shared language," Trump wrote in the order.

The U.S. is one of just a few countries without an official language. About 180 of the 195 countries across the globe have made the distinction.

Trump has been outspoken about designating English as the nation's language, specifically in 2024, as he criticized former President Joe Biden's immigration policies. 

"We have languages coming into our country. We don’t have one instructor in our entire nation that can speak that language," Trump said while speaking before the Conservative Political Action Conference in 2024. "These are languages—it’s the craziest thing—they have languages that nobody in this country has ever heard of. It’s a very horrible thing."

The order states it is intended to "promote unity" and "cultivate a shared American culture for all citizens," while ensuring consistency in government operations and creating a pathway to civic engagement.

First lady Melania Trump speaks at least five languages, including English, French, Italian, German and Slovene, Fox News Digital previously reported.

Quote:The two top leaders of one of the biggest human smuggling rings that funneled 20,000 illegal migrants into the US since 2019 have been arrested in Los Angeles, authorities said.

Eduardo Domingo Renoj-Matul, who was busted Friday, is accused of helming the twisted group, which lured migrants from Guatemala for $15,000 to $18,000 and handed them off to smugglers in Mexico who would bring them into the US.

The feds also collared Cristobal Mejia-Chaj, who prosecutors said was Renoj-Matul’s “right-hand man,” on Friday. The two men are being held without bond.

The ring is accused of holding some of its victims hostage in stash houses and killing seven migrants, including a 4-year-old, according to a federal indictment.

Acting US Attorney Joseph McNally said the indictment and arrests “have dismantled one of the country’s largest and most dangerous smuggling organizations.”

“This work saves lives, and the members of the organization will now face significant consequences,” said McNally.

Some of the smuggled migrants were held hostage in stash houses in Phoenix and Los Angeles until they could pay their fees, officials said.

Once the debt was paid, the group allegedly transported the migrants across the country to at least 20 states, including New York, for an additional fee.

In one example of the group’s brutality, prosecutors alleged Renoj-Matul called a migrant’s mother, threatening that her daughter “would come home in a box” if she failed to pay her smuggling fees.

A third suspect, Helmer Obispo-Hernandez, described as the group’s “lieutenant,” is still at-large after threatening to behead a Homeland Security agent, along with members of their family, authorities said.

If convicted of all, the accused smugglers face the death sentence or life imprisonment.

Quote:A driver plowed a car into pedestrians at a street carnival in Germany early Monday, killing two and injuring at least ten others — five of them seriously — in an area on high alert for possible terrorist attacks, according to police and reports.

The driver crashed an SUV “at speed” into a pedestrian zone in the city of Mannheim in the state of Baden-Wurttemberg — before getting out and running off, police sources told Bild.

Videos shared online showed multiple bodies strewn on the ground as first responders attempted to resuscitate some of the most seriously injured.

A second clip shows armed police chasing a suspect, who was arrested soon after the carnage, according to authorities.

The suspect is a 40-year-old German man from the neighbouring state of Rhineland-Palatinate who did not appear to be politically or religiously motivated, officials said.

Broadcaster SWR reported that the suspect had experienced psychological issues.

“At this time, we have no indications of an extremist or religious background regarding the specific motivation for the act,” Interior Minister of the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg Thomas Strobl told reporters.

“The motivation may rather be rooted in the perpetrator’s own personal circumstances. However, this is the subject of ongoing investigations.”

It was unclear whether the driver deliberately targeted the Rose Monday carnival celebrations in the region — where police had been on alert for possible terrorism following a string of recent attacks.

Police, however, assured that there were no “indications of a second perpetrator,” and there was no more danger to the public.

“It is terrible here, nobody knows what happened, you only see injured people and the dead, and you don’t know what to do,” one eyewitness told Mannheimer Morgen of the carnage.

The identities of those killed had not yet been released late Monday, nor had the details of the injuries.

Quote:The Kremlin claimed Monday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s fiery shouting match with President Trump at the White House proves that he will have to be forced into a peace deal.

“What happened at the White House on Friday, of course, demonstrated how difficult it will be to reach a settlement trajectory around Ukraine,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

“The Kyiv regime and Zelensky do not want peace. They want the war to continue.

“It is very important that someone forces Zelensky himself to change his position,” he added.

“Someone has to make Zelensky want peace. If the Europeans can do it, they should be honored and praised.”

Russia’s remarks come just days after Trump and Vice President JD Vance clashed with the Ukrainian leader in the Oval Office when the president accused Zelensky of disrespecting the US and saying he risked triggering World War Three.

Zelensky, for his part, said on Sunday that he believed he could salvage his relationship with Trump and was still “ready” to sign a US-Ukraine minerals deal — but Ukraine wouldn’t concede any territory to Russia as part of a peace deal.

Trump, meanwhile, urged people to stop focusing on Putin and worry more about illegal migrants coming into the US.

“We should spend less time worrying about Putin, and more time worrying about migrant rape gangs, drug lords, murderers, and people from mental institutions entering our Country — So that we don’t end up like Europe!” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Sunday.

In the wake of the Oval Office clash, European leaders leaped to Zelensky’s defense — with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer saying at a summit in London that they had agreed to draw up a Ukraine peace plan to present to the US.

The Kremlin said the summit was an attempt to continue the war and not to seek peace.

“We see that… a fragmentation of the collective West has begun,” Peskov said.

“There remains a group of countries that rather constitutes the party of war, which declares its readiness to further back Ukraine in terms of supporting the war and ensuring the continuation of hostilities.”

Quote:France and Britain are proposing a partial one-month truce between Russia and Ukraine that would cover air, sea and energy infrastructure attacks but not include ground fighting, French President Emmanuel Macron and his foreign minister said.

The comments came amid a flurry of European diplomacy designed to shore up Western support for Ukraine following an acrimonious meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky and President Trump in the Oval Office on Friday.

“Such a truce on air, sea and energy infrastructure would allow us to determine whether Russian President Vladimir Putin is acting in good faith when he commits to a truce. And that’s when real peace negotiations could start,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Monday.

Under the Anglo-French proposal, European ground troops would only be deployed to Ukraine in a second phase, Macron said in an interview published in Le Figaro late Sunday.

“There will be no European troops on Ukrainian soil in the coming weeks,” Le Figaro quoted Macron as saying as he flew to London for a meeting of European leaders, convened by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to advance efforts at drawing up a Ukraine peace plan.

“The question is how we use this time to try to obtain a truce, with negotiations that will take several weeks and then, once peace is signed, a (troop) deployment,” Macron said.

The French president did not elaborate on how air, sea and energy infrastructure could be monitored.

“In my eyes that can only be possible with NATO or at least NATO command and then Patriot systems, long-range missiles and aviation, which Ukraine does not have,” said a European diplomat.

“And you have to negotiate with Russia so that it doesn’t carry out the massive attacks.”

The Kremlin, which has rejected the idea of Western troops being deployed to Ukraine, said on Monday the Oval Office clash between Trump and Zelensky showed how difficult it would be to reach a settlement on the conflict in Ukraine.

‘Different options’

Zelensky, asked if he was aware of the plan mentioned by Macron, told reporters in London: “I’m aware of everything.”

Quote:One person was killed and four others wounded after a terrorist went on a stabbing frenzy at a bus station in the Israeli city of Haifa on Monday, authorities said.

The killer, identified by police as an Arab Israeli citizen, was shot and killed by security guards soon after knifing the victims at the Lev Hamifratz transit hub.

The terrorist rode in on a bus — then shouted “Allahu Akbar” before attacking those around him, a witness told the Times of Israel.

Shocking surveillance video captured the attacker running up behind one of his victims and repeatedly stabbing him in the back before he was taken out.

Cops said the attacker, who was from a nearby Arab Druze town, had only just recently returned to Israel after some time abroad.

Hamas quickly praised the attack but stopped short of claiming responsibility for it.

Investigators, who described the incident as a terrorist attack, said they were still probing whether the knifeman acted alone.

Quote:US Central Command forces conducted a precision strike on Feb. 23 targeting and killing Muhammed Yusuf Ziya Talay, a senior military leader of the terrorist organization Hurras al-Din, an affiliate of the terrorist organization, officials said.

“As we have said in the past, we will continue to relentlessly pursue these terrorists in order to defend our homeland, and U.S., allied, and partner personnel in the region,” CENTCOM Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla said.

The attack came roughly a week after CENTCOM forces conducted an airstrike targeting and killing a “senior finance and logistics official” with Hurras al-Din.

Hurras al-Din, which was formed in 2018 after the Nusrah Front terror group decided to split from Al-Qaeda, operates largely in Syria’s Idlib Province and is thought to have as many as 2,500 members, according to the National Counterterrorism Center.

The group “advocates attacks against the West and Israel to expel foreign influence from Muslim lands, and it seeks to set the conditions necessary to form a new caliphate across the Levant and the broader Middle East,” according to the NCC.

Quote:A man allegedly carrying $2.5 million in cash destined for the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah reportedly was detained Friday at Beirut’s airport in a bust that an expert told Fox News Digitial is “unprecedented.”

“The detainee and the seized funds will be handed over to the investigation division at the General Directorate of General Security,” Lebanon’s finance ministry said in a statement obtained by Reuters, which cited sources saying that the man had been traveling from Turkey. 

“We are seeing indications that the terrorist Hezbollah group funded by the Islamic Republic is still committed to rearming and rebuilding its decimated infrastructure,” Israeli ambassador to the UN Danny Danon told Fox News Digital. “This is yet another attempt of Tehran to destabilize the Middle East. Israel will not hesitate to defend itself from any threat it perceives from the north.”

“The $2.5 million dollar seizure is unprecedented,” added David Daoud, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

“We haven’t seen anything like this. Now, this does track though the fact this money is coming in from Turkey, this does track with Israeli claims that Turkey is being used as a conduit by the Iranians to get more funds to Hezbollah,” Daoud told Fox News Digital.

“Plausibly, this is one thing that got caught – how many cash transfers are getting through the dragnet?” he also said. 

The money the individual was carrying was bound for Hezbollah, which has been weakened recently by Israel’s military, sources told Reuters.

There was no immediate reaction from Hezbollah on Friday.

By Caitlin McFall, FOXBusiness

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has agreed to sign a mineral deal with the U.S., President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff told reporters on Thursday.

"I think Zelenskyy has offered to sign it, and we'll see if he follows through," the special envoy said while standing outside the White House.

The agreement was apparently revealed in a letter Zelenskyy sent to Trump this week following the spat that unfolded live in the Oval Office less than a week ago.

A joint event held with the Ukrainian president, Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Cabinet members ended in an uproar after Zelenskyy, apparently frustrated the deal did not include any security assurances, refused to agree to such terms and was deemed "disrespectful" and "ungrateful" by both Vance and Trump.

Witkoff told reporters "there's a path back" to the White House for Zelenskyy following his letter to Trump, which was apparently well-received and included an apology.

"President Zelenskyy has demonstrated that he's intent on that good-faith path back. He's apologized. He said he's grateful," Witkoff told reporters. "He said that he wants to work toward peace.

"That's ultimately the goal here," he added. "President Trump is an outcome-oriented man. He wants a good outcome, and a good outcome is peace. No more deaths and a better world."

Witkoff also announced that the Trump administration is currently working with its Ukrainian counterparts to set up a meeting in Saudi Arabia for next week to begin discussions on setting up a framework to initiate ceasefire discussions with Russia.

A similar announcement was made on Wednesday by Zelenskyy’s top aide, Andriy Yermak, who said a meeting with American officials was being set up for next week, and that he had been in discussions with national security advisor Mike Waltz.

Questions over U.S. support for Ukraine — which has been in doubt for weeks after Trump re-entered the White House — escalated on Wednesday after Waltz confirmed that Washington had paused its intelligence sharing with Kyiv.

Witkoff didn’t have any answers on when that support would resume or whether the Trump administration would take issue with European allies sharing intelligence with Kyiv.

"Hopefully we get things back on track with the Ukrainians and everything resumes," Witkoff said.

By Katherine Donlevy, New York Post

Iran’s Supreme Leader on Saturday accused the US of trying to “bully” Tehran into peace negotiations — one day after President Trump revealed he sent a letter to the country in a last ditch attempt to prevent it from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned senior officials that Iran would not engage with Washington, claiming Trump was only seeking to “impose their own expectations,” according to Iranian state media.

“The insistence of some bully governments on negotiations is not to resolve issues, but to dominate and impose their own expectations,” Khamenei said in a meeting.

“Talks for them is a path to have new expectations, it is not only about Iran’s nuclear issue. Iran will definitely not accept their expectations.”

Khamenei also took to social media to reiterate the point, though he did not specifically name the US.

“For coercive governments, negotiation is a way to put forward new demands. These new demands will certainly not be met by Iran,” the fiercely anti-Western supreme leader wrote on X.

“They put forward new demands regarding the country’s defense and international capabilities or don’t do this, don’t see that, don’t go there, don’t produce that, don’t have a missile with a range greater than this distance. Who can accept them?”

Khamenei’s comments come just one day after Trump said he fired off a letter in the hopes of hashing out an agreement — implying that a peaceful negotiation would work out “a lot better for Iran.”

Trump said the letter was one of the last acts in preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, but that military action was still on the table.

“The other alternative is we have to do something, because you can’t let another nuclear weapon,” Trump told Fox Business.

“There are two ways Iran can be handled: militarily, or you make a deal. I would prefer to make a deal, because I’m not looking to hurt Iran. They’re great people.”

A White House spokesperson reiterated that position on Saturday, Fox News reported.

United Nations nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi previously said time is running out for diplomacy to impose new restrictions as Iran continues to acquire uranium to near weapons-grade

Tehran has repeatedly claimed its nuclear work is solely for peaceful purposes.

By Desheania Andrews and Chris Nesi, New York Post

A fake bomb threat prompted an evacuation at Barnard College Wednesday evening as anti-Israel protesters occupied a campus building for a second consecutive week.

More than 50 NYPD officers in riot gear descended to the scene, ordering the more than 200 unruly keffiyeh-shrouded students to exit the Milstein Center and clear out at least 1,000 feet from the courtyard.

As cops struggled to remove protesters from the campus grounds, Columbia students joined in the fracas from across the street, chanting in solidarity with the Barnard students, “NYPD, KKK, they are all the same.”

Police eventually cleared the courtyard, but the students milled about on the lawn outside the building chanting, “no justice, no peace.”

After ignoring several orders to move a safe distance from the building, cops arrested at least nine people and took them into custody, sources said.

The NYPD announced shortly before 8 p.m. that the bomb threat was “investigated and cleared.”

The protesters had taken over the building, which serves as the academic hub of the elite private school, hanging an Old West-style “Wanted” poster and an effigy of school administrators in a startling escalation of their rhetoric.

Moments before the bomb threat was called in, the mob had been engaging in a raucous protest over two students who were expelled last month for barging into a class on modern Israel and tossing antisemitic flyers around the room.

An official department X account warned that “anyone who refuses to leave the location is subject to arrest.”

As the students barged into the building, they hung a large poster featuring Dean of Students Leslie Grinage on one of the building’s exterior plate windows, complete with Old West-style type.

“WANTED: Dean of Students Leslie Grinage for the expulsion of pro-Palestinian students. Reward for info leading to a meeting,” the poster read, which included a likeness of the administrator.

On the front door of the building, masked protesters hung a shoddy effigy — which was actually a plush puppet — of Barnard President Laura Rosenbury, who castigated student protesters for refusing to remove their masks in an op-ed in The Chronicle of Higher Education last week.

Video circulating on social media shows Barnard Vice President for Strategic Communications Robin Levine imploring the protesters to evacuate the Milstein Center due to the bomb threat.

“For the safety and security of our community and everyone in the building, you need to leave now,” Levine said. “This is not a joke.”

Before the bomb threat, Barnard sent out an email alerting the school community and denouncing the demonstration.

“Our academic mission is at the heart of what we do, and disruptions to that mission are an affront to the purpose of higher education and cannot be tolerated,” the missive read, in part.

“When masked disruptors first entered Milstein, classes were taking place, facilities were cleaning classrooms, and dining staff were preparing meals. We must not allow the actions of a few interfere with our mission. Campus activities outside of Milstein and throughout the rest of the campus are proceeding as normal.”

The school did not respond to follow-up questions about the bomb threat.

Last Wednesday, several dozen protesters stormed the campus’ Milbank Hall for several hours, egged on by pro-Hamas group Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine.

They demanded the expelled students be reinstated as well as amnesty for any protesters who were arrested for their actions during previous campus demonstrations.

A school security officer was injured in last week’s occupation, sending him to the hospital complaining of chest pains.

By Cameron Arcand Fox News

Most Democrats appeared to remain sitting as a 13-year-old brain cancer survivor was asked to be made an honorary Secret Service agent, which led to swift criticism on X Tuesday night.

"A terminally ill child with brain cancer is given an honorary Secret Service award and the Democrats refuse to stand or clap for the child," Trump administration official Ric Grennell tweeted regarding the interaction between the 13-year-old and the president.

"Democrats refused to stand for the brain cancer surviving kid! How awful can one party be?" Outkick founder Clay Travis tweeted.

"Democrats didn’t even stand for the boy who survived brain cancer," Republican activist Scott Pressler posted on X.

"Democrats refused to stand or clap for a little boy fighting cancer," Libs of TikTok posted on X. "Truly sick people."

"Can’t believe the lousy Democrats can’t even applaud a little boy with brain cancer or a Kennedy who wants to Make America Healthy Again," New York Post columnist Miranda Devine posted on X.

However, others highlighted the overall importance of the moment.

"This is the first time I can remember crying during a state of the union. Thank you President Trump," Meghan McCain posted. "This is so beautiful. Anyone who has been impacted by brain cancer knows how special this is."

McCain’s father, the late Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., died of brain cancer in 2018.

Others explained why they were skeptical of the interaction.

"Trump is using a kid who had brain cancer as a prop. He wants to be a cop so he made him an honorary member of the secret service," liberal commentator Kyle Kulinski posted to X.

Some Democrats protested at the start of Trump's speech on Tuesday night, which even led to the removal of Rep. Al Green by the Sergeant of Arms at the request of House Speaker Mike Johnson. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-V.T., also exited the speech early.

By Alex Nitzberg, Fox News

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa. — who, in the wake of President Donald Trump's address before a joint session of Congress, accused his own party of "a sad cavalcade of self owns and unhinged petulance" — issued a tweet on Friday in which he once again called out Democrats.

"#TheResistance," he wrote, going on to list, "Snub a 13 year-old cancer survivor," "Joint Address Protest Paddle Bonanza" and "Bizarre 'Pick Your Fighter' videos."

"Hold our beer: Government Shutdown!" he continued, cautioning, "Never, never, never vote for a shutdown—ever."

Fox News Digital reached out to Fetterman's office to request a comment from the lawmaker on Friday, but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

Trump honored 13-year-old DJ Daniel during the address this week, noting that Daniel, who wants to become a police officer, was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2018.

"I am asking our new Secret Service Director, Sean Curran, to officially make you an agent of the United States Secret Service," Trump told the young man.

It was a "touching moment," Fetterman told Nicholas Ballasy for Fox News Digital earlier this week.

A viral video posted this week by social media influencer Sulhee Jessica Woo features Woo and several Democratic congresswomen posing in fighting stances, like video game characters — text on screen at the beginning of the video reads, "CHOOSE YOUR FIGHTER."

The video has been widely mocked, including by the White House. "Democrats Not Be Cringe Challenge. Level: Impossible," the White House's "Rapid Response 47" X account quipped.

Fetterman's post featured a screenshot of a Politico headline that read, "Senate Democrats' impending choice: Shutdown or surrender."

President Donald Trump has been advocating for using a continuing resolution to avert an approaching government shutdown. "I am working with the GREAT House Republicans on a Continuing Resolution to fund the Government until September to give us some needed time to work on our Agenda," he noted in a Truth Social post.

Getting enough votes to move a continuing resolution through the Senate will require some Democratic support.

"I'm never going to be a part of any vote that shuts the government down," Fetterman said, according to Politico. "The fact that anyone on our side would even rattle those sabers, that’s bulls---," he reportedly declared. "To think I’m going to burn the village down to save it, that’s bonkers."

By Ryan King, New York Post

A group of Democratic lawmakers briefly threw the House of Representatives into disarray Thursday following a bipartisan vote to censure Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) for disrupting President Trump’s address to Congress.

While Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) read the rebuke of Green aloud, a handful of Dem reps joined him in the well of the House chamber, refusing to leave before singing the Civil Rights Era anthem “We Shall Overcome.”

“The House will come to order,” Johnson demanded after finishing the reading as Democrats continued singing.

“Clear the well please,” the speaker added, “the House will continue its business.”

The Democrats refused to leave, forcing Johnson to recess the chamber.

Just before the chaotic episode, the House voted 224-198 to approve the resolution denouncing Green, 77, who voted present and is now the 28th lawmaker in US history to be censured.

Ten Democrats backed the resolution: Long Island Reps. Laura Gillen and Tom Suozzi, Ami Bera of California, Ed Case of Hawaii, Jim Costa of California, Jim Himes of Connecticut, Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, Marcy Kaptur of Ohio, Jared Moskowitz of Florida, and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington State.

Rep. Shomari Figures (D-Ala.) joined Green in voting present.

The vote does not strip Green of any privileges, though some Republicans had suggested he be removed from his committees as punishment for his outburst.

The conservative House Freedom Caucus announced later Thursday that it will be pushing a measure to strip Green of his committee assignments over his disruption.

Moments into Trump’s remarks Tuesday night, Green repeatedly shouted that the president “had no mandate” and was removed from the House chamber by sergeant-at-arms William McFarland after he declined to stop.

“I heard the speaker when he said that I should cease, I did not, and I did not with intentionality. It was not done out of a burst of emotion,” Green admitted Thursday before the House vote. “I was emotional about it, but I did it with intentionality.”

“The sheer disregard for decorum during the President’s address from my colleague is unacceptable,” Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.) who formally introduced the resolution, said before the vote.

“A member’s refusal to adhere to the speaker’s direction to cease such behavior, regardless of their party, has and will continue to be reprimanded in the people’s House.”

Democrats had attempted to kill the censure resolution Wednesday evening, but came up short in a 211-209 party-line vote.

Other Democrats also protested against Trump during his Tuesday address, with some opting to skip the speech, while others held signs criticizing the commander in chief.

Most sat silently and refused to applaud any of Trump’s statements and a few dozen left the House chamber before the president concluded.

“Donald Trump is not the Republican president. He’s the American president,” Rep. Michael Baumgartner (R-Wash.) said during the censure debate.

“And what happened … was beneath the dignity of the House and beneath the dignity of the American people.”

Green himself said he was prepared to accept the censure, saying Thursday he was “not upset with the members who are going to bring the motions or resolution to sanction. I will suffer the consequences.

“But I must add this, what I did was from my heart. People are suffering, and I was talking about Medicaid, I didn’t just say you don’t have a mandate. I said you don’t have a mandate to cut Medicaid,” he added.

“Truthfully, I would do it again.”

The last time the lower chamber censured a member was in late 2023 when the House rebuked then-Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) for pulling a fire alarm in the Capitol complex during the middle of consideration of a resolution to avert a government shutdown.

By Jamie McIntyre, Washingon Examiner

Before heading to the U.S.-Mexico border with Vice President J.D. Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was already declaring victory in sealing the border against what President Donald Trump has characterized as an invasion of America by “inadmissible and removable aliens.”

“President Trump gave us a charge: 100% operational control of the Southern border. Border security is national security,” Hegseth said in an appearance on Fox and Friends. “Over 20 million people … poured in across our open-border policy, which created recklessness, death, drugs for our communities. We’re sending those folks home and we’re not letting more in, and you’re seeing that right now.”

Hegseth cited a historic low level of border crossings since Trump took office, and the Pentagon deployed thousands of additional troops in support of the Department of Homeland Security to secure the border. “Not quite to zero yet — 97% drop,” Hegseth said. “The deterrent effect is there. We’ve brought in the military.”

Hegseth said some of the credit goes to Mexico, who responded to Trump’s entreaties by dispatching some 10,000 Mexican troops to its side of the border. “Right now, we have historic cooperation, military-to-military, but we’re letting them lead. It’s their country. It’s their fight. We want them to lead that fight. So far, they have stepped up, which is a very good sign.”

“My message to Mexican leaders and Mexican military leaders has been, ‘We want to cooperate with you, and we will cooperate with you. But if you don’t police up the cartels on your side of the border, then we’ll be forced to do it for you. We don’t want to do that.’”

In his joint address to Congress Tuesday night, Trump said his election sent a clear message to migrants who, in the past, would enter the United States with impunity. “They heard my words, and they chose not to come. Much easier that way. In comparison, under Joe Biden, the worst president in American history, there were hundreds of thousands of illegal crossings a month.”

“Within hours of taking the oath of office, I declared a national emergency on our southern border. And I deployed the U.S. Military and Border Patrol to repel the invasion of our country. And what a job they’ve done,” Trump said. “As a result, illegal border crossings last month were by far the lowest ever recorded. Ever.”

Tracking illegal immigration is tricky because trends fluctuate. Most of the statistics measure “encounters” at the border, which can include both legal and illegal immigration. They also do not include so-called “got-aways,” people who managed to sneak across the border undetected.

Hegseth said those “got-aways” could be measured in the “single digits.”

Trump continues to portray “virtually all” illegal migrants as “murderers, drug dealers, gang members and people from mental institutions and insane asylums.”

It’s a characterization echoed by Trump border czar Tom Homan. “President Trump promised American people we’re going to shut down illegal alien crime in this country. That’s exactly what we’re doing,” Homan told Laura Ingraham on her Fox News program, responding to criticism from Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, who said her sanctuary policies were actually making the city “the safest it has been in anyone’s lifetime.”

“Mayor Wu should be standing side-by-side with me. Who does not want to bring hell to an illegal alien that raped a child, not one, many,” Homan said. “Look, we took two murderers off the streets of Chicago. Is that city safer? We took child predators off the streets of Chicago. Does that make that city safer?” Homan said. “Every crime committed by an illegal alien, every child raped by an illegal alien, every public safety threat by an illegal alien could have been prevented because they’re not supposed to be here.”

“We got a safer border because we got a safer border. Ninety-seven percent less people are coming. Less women are being raped; less children are drowning in the river. Less Americans dying from fentanyl overdoses. Less sex traffic in women and children,” Holman said. “Look, they can hate me all they want. We’re coming. I said I’m going to bring hell. I meant it.”

Good Thursday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre’s Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and edited by Christopher Tremoglie. Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com. If signing up doesn’t work, shoot us an email and we’ll add you to our list. And be sure to follow me on Threads and/or on X @jamiejmcintyre.

By Madison Colombo, Fox News

Sanctuary city mayors are facing intense scrutiny following their testimony before Congress, where they defended their resistance to federal immigration enforcement.

Chicago resident P-Rae Easley, who traveled to Washington for the House Oversight Committee hearing, voiced frustration over her city’s handling of the migrant crisis, arguing that taxpayer money should not be spent on individuals who entered the country illegally.

"Our goal is to protect our families, not people who chose to skirt our U.S. immigration laws and sneak into our country," Easley said Wednesday on "America Reports."

"It’s not fair that they’re held to a lesser standard than us. It’s like they’re special. And we want to know what makes these people so special that they can't be prosecuted, they get our tax dollars, they get free housing, they get free healthcare. It’s like we’re at a disadvantage because we’re citizens."

She expressed gratitude to Congress for shedding light on what she sees as mismanagement by Democratic city leaders, including her own mayor.

"We have been in a situation where our tax dollars, resources, and time have been allocated to illegal aliens because our city has been magnetized for illegal immigration through sanctuary policies," she said.

The mayors of Chicago, New York, Denver, and Boston testified before the House Oversight Committee regarding their response to President Donald Trump’s immigration policies. Their testimony comes as many sanctuary cities struggle with growing financial and logistical challenges linked to the influx of migrants.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson defended his administration’s stance, arguing that deportation policies could increase crime by discouraging cooperation with law enforcement.

"Any actions that amplify fears of deportations makes Chicago more dangerous," Johnson said to lawmakers. "Those fears cause witnesses and victims to avoid cooperating with police. The cooperation of all people, regardless of their immigration status, is essential to achieving the city’s goals of reducing crime and pursuing justice for victims."

Johnson has repeatedly reaffirmed Chicago’s status as a sanctuary city, rejecting federal intervention. But residents like Easley say the policies place an unfair burden on taxpayers.

"We don’t go to work to pay for illegal immigrants," she said. "We don’t fight the snow, and the rain, and the heat to go out into this world to pay taxes in order to pay for the entire third world."

Chicago has spent over $638 million on its "New Arrivals Mission," which funds housing, healthcare, and other services for migrants. New York City is projected to spend $3.3 billion in fiscal year 2025 to support its migrant population.

Easley, who identifies as an "eighth-generation free American," said she finds the city’s priorities "insulting."

"It’s not fair to us, especially me as an American Negro woman. I’m not an immigrant at all. So this is none of my business as a 100% eighth-generation free American," she said. "The laws and our sovereignty are not being respected."

Easley also pushed back against claims that opposition to sanctuary policies is racially motivated.

"They want to try to make this a racialized issue, they want to try to make this xenophobic," she said. "But by doing that, it ignores people like myself who are not a part of the White majority but are 100% Americans. We can’t stand for this."

By Madison Colombo Fox News

A Canadian lawyer is leading efforts to explore the possibility of Alberta joining the U.S., as President Donald Trump continues to push for closer ties with Canada’s energy-rich province.

"There’s literally hundreds of Albertans that are reaching out and volunteering to join our delegation," Jeffrey Rath said Thursday on "FOX & Friends."

Rath and a small group of Albertans are planning to travel to Washington, D.C., to discuss potential pathways for Alberta, including independence with economic ties to the U.S., territorial status, or full statehood.

He believes the movement will gain traction as dissatisfaction with Canada’s federal leadership grows.

"It’s a steering committee of people that are looking to come to Washington on an exploratory basis and meet with a representative appointed by President Trump," Rath explained.

"To explore the benefits of either Alberta becoming an independent sovereign nation with economic union to the United States, becoming a U.S. territory, or pursuing full statehood."

Rath argues that Alberta, home to 4.9 million people and a major hub for oil, manufacturing, and construction, has little in common with Canada’s political elite.

"They’ve completely lost their way," he said, criticizing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s administration.

"Trudeau and [former Bank of Canada Governor Mark] Carney, you know, are all wringing their hands over tariffs. They’re going to be kicking Albertans in the teeth and bringing in a 21% carbon tax increase in April."

Rath claims that Albertans feel alienated from Ottawa’s policies and share more cultural and economic ties with Montana than with the rest of Canada.

"People in Alberta are fed up with being governed by idiotic politicians back in Ontario, that do not understand our province and do not understand that culturally, we’re far more closely affiliated with our friends to the south in Montana, than we are with all of the people in Ottawa," he said.

Canadian leaders have rejected the notion of Alberta leaving the country. Trudeau reaffirmed Canada’s sovereignty, telling reporters there is "not a snowball’s chance in hell that Canada will ever be the 51st state."

Rath, however, believes Alberta should have the right to choose its own future. He and other local leaders are drafting a proposal to present to Trump’s administration, urging the U.S. to support Alberta’s push for self-determination.

"Please support Alberta self-determination. Promise that to Alberta in the same way you promised it to Greenland. We’ll be an excellent partner to the United States and we’ll all prosper," Rath said.

By Jared Downing, New York Post

One of the NASA astronauts trapped on the International Space Station said he believes Elon Musk’s claim that the Biden administration rejected the SpaceX CEO’s offer to help bring the team home.

Barry “Butch” Wilmore made the comment Tuesday during an in-orbit press conference with fellow castaway Sunita Williams nine months after their Boeing Starliner capsule malfunctioned and left the pair stuck on the ISS.

One questioner asked about Musk’s recent claim that former President Joe Biden had intentionally stalled their rescue for “political reasons.”

In an earlier question, Wilmore denied that politics had anything to do with the team’s delayed departure, but he seemed to shift his stance when answering the later question.

“I can only say that Mr. Musk, what he says, is absolutely factual … I believe him,” he said.

SpaceX launched a Crew Dragon capsule to rescue the pair last September, but after it docked at the space station, NASA opted to stall its return.

Musk, who donated $288 million to Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, told Fox News’ Sean Hannity that working with him to bring the astronauts back would have made Trump “look good” and that Biden “didn’t want the publicity” so close to the presidential election.

Although Wilmore said he trusts Musk, he added that he and Williams knew nothing about the behind-closed-doors discussion regarding their rescue.

“We have no information on that, though, whatsoever. What was offered, what was not offered, who it was offered to, how that process went. That’s information that we simply don’t have,” he said.

Wilmore also voiced his support for both the new president and the world’s richest man.

“All of us have the utmost respect for Mr. Musk, and obviously, respect and admiration for our president of the United States, Donald Trump. We appreciate them. We appreciate all that they do for us, for human space flight, for our nation,” Williams said.

The comment came two weeks before Wilmore and Williams’ belated return to Earth.

The pair also fielded a question about Musk’s recent statement on X that the international community should take the ISS out of orbit “as soon as possible” and devote its resources to reaching Mars.

“I actually was extremely impressed coming up here and seeing how much science is going on,” Williams said. “This place is ticking. It’s just really amazing. So I would say we’re actually in our prime right now. … I would think that right now is probably not the right time to say, quit, to call it quits.”

by James Bacon

The following is an excerpt from an article published by OpenTheBooks], a nonprofit group dedicated to transparency in government spending, for which The Jefferson Council contributed research and fact-checking. OpenTheBooks CEO Adam Andrzejewski will speak at The Jefferson Council 3rd annual meeting April 9.

The University of Virginia has at least 235 employees under its “diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)” banner — including 82 students — whose total cost of employment is estimated at $20 million. That’s $15 million in cash compensation plus an additional 30 percent for the annual cost of their benefits.

In contrast, last Friday, the University of Florida dismissed its DEI bureaucracy, saving students and taxpayers $5 million per year. The university terminated 13 full-time DEI positions and 15 administrative faculty appointments. Those funds have been re-programmed into a “faculty recruitment fund” to attract better people who actually teach students.

No such luck for learning at Virginia’s flagship university — founded by Thomas Jefferson no less. UVA has a much deeper DEI infrastructure.

Reform or abolition must await this summer’s anticipated changes in the school’s Board of Visitors. At least until then, the very highly compensated, generally non-teaching, DEI staffers are safely embedded throughout the entire university — while costing students and taxpayers a fortune.

Our team of auditors at OpenTheBooks.com reviewed the university payroll file for 2023 to sort out the DEI position head counts, compensation, and then estimated the cost of benefits.

Meet The Top Paid DEI Executives

Martin N. Davidson, senior associate dean of the Darden School of Business & global chief diversity officer, earns the most in a DEI role, at $452,000, or $587,340 including benefits. For comparison, Glenn Youngkin, the governor of Virginia earned $175,000.

The second most highly compensated DEI executive is Kevin G. McDonald, the vice president for diversity, equity, inclusion and community partnerships, who takes home $401,465, or an estimated $520,000 with benefits.

Those in DEI leadership roles such as vice presidents, associate/assistant deans, directors, assistant directors and managers earned up to $312,000 last year, or $400,000 with benefits.

When McDonald began in his position in August 2019, he was making $340,000, eligible for a 10-percent bonus every year. His first year, he was given a $25,000 recruitment bonus and up to $30,000 for relocation costs, according to UVA records provided through the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.

Some of the DEI chiefs have been transparent about their philosophies during their public comments. For example, Rachel Spraker, an assistant vice president for equity & inclusive excellence — where she earned $186,800 last year or $242,840 with benefits — described the opioid epidemic in Appalachia as an example of “white toxicity.”

DEI staff aren’t the only well-paid employees in controversial roles at UVA.

Lanice Avery, an assistant professor of psychology in the departments of Psychology and Women, Gender and Sexuality, makes $102,200 ($132,860 with estimated benefits). She runs the Research on Intersectionality, Sexuality, and Empowerment (RISE) Lab at UVA and writes and speaks about black, female sexuality, and describes herself as a “board-certified sexologist” and speaks online about her orgasms.

UVA’s DEI Infrastructure

What does the DEI bureaucracy do?

There are 187 UVA employees and students dedicated to “assist and monitor all units of the University in their efforts to recruit and retain faculty, staff, and student from historically underrepresented groups and to provide affirmative and supportive environments for work and life…”

Here are some of the university agencies committed to the DEI mission. If you think you are seeing double in this list, you are right:

• Equity Center (110 employees total: 37 employees +73 students),
  
• Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (17 employees +1 student),
  
• Multicultural Student Services (6 employees +10 students),
  
• Office of Diversity & Engagement (3 employees + 4 students)
  
• Center for Diversity (4 students)

Included in the DEI employment roster are another 31 people working in DEI roles sprinkled throughout other departments, including the Urology Department, in Occupational Programs, for the School of Engineering and Applied Science, and other areas.

Then, there are another 48 employees and students working in roles related to DEI and advancing equality for women, minorities, etc.

• Maxine Platzer Lynn Women’s Center (21 employees, including 4 undergrad students/interns)
  
• Office of Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights (16 employees working on Title IX compliance, sexual misconduct investigations and Americans with Disabilities Act compliance, among other things)
  
• Office of African American Affairs (4 employees)
  
• Center for Global Health Equity (4 employees and 3 student employees working on providing health services to mostly Third World countries)

Not included in the DEI numbers for this investigation were the Women, Gender and Sexuality Department with 10 professors making a collective $857,103 last year ($1.1 million with benefits) and the Psychology Department with 87 employees making $8.4 million ($11 million with benefits).

Adding to the confusion, the university has consistently undercounted DEI staffers in presentations to the public. In April 2023, Kevin McDonald told the New York Times that UVA had only 40 DEI employees. In May 2023, a presentation to the Board of Visitors claimed UVA had only 55 DEI positions.

Even our list of 235 employees is not complete. Here is a great example of an executive with a hidden DEI mission:

Kimberley Barker, Librarian for Digital Life ($80,000, or $104,000 with benefits). Barker isn’t in our database, however, she is the DEI leader for the Health System Library — the “IDEA (Inclusion Diversity Equity Accessibility) lead. Her university bio page lists her as the “Librarian for Belonging and Community Engagement.”

UVA was founded by Thomas Jefferson, the author of our Declaration of Independence. Jefferson’s work presented the moral case for a common freedom among all men. The university has an historic opportunity to promote the time-tested principles:

Quote:“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness…”

But, instead of working towards the ideal of the Shining City on the Hill under Jeffersonian principles, his university embraced the divisive quotas of the neo-Marxist DEI crowd.

Tens of millions of dollars in student tuition and taxpayer monies are flowing into promoting anti-American notions and radical philosophies that judge the color of one’s skin instead of the content — and competence — of their character.

Students, taxpayers and all who care about learning can look to Florida as the beacon of a new day. Perhaps Virginia, a birthplace of our Constitutional republic, home to birth places of individual rights and freedoms in America, will emulate the model.

By Brie Stimson, Fox News

The University of Virginia’s Board of Visitors Friday voted to close its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) office after President Trump’s executive orders against DEI efforts in the federal government.

"DEI is done at UVA," Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin wrote on X Friday. "Today, the University of Virginia Board of Visitors voted for commonsense saying NO to illegal discrimination and YES to merit-based opportunity. Students at Mr. Jefferson’s University—and across America—deserve unlimited intellectual freedom, not ideological gatekeeping."

The university's Board of Visitors is made up of 17 voting members appointed by the governor.

"This is a huge step to restoring the values of Mr. Jefferson, who founded the university, who understood that we are all created equal, and that’s exactly what this is about — ending illegal discrimination and restoring merit-based opportunity," Youngkin said on the "Ingraham Angle" Friday.

He said the university’s resolution also eliminates "any program that violates the Constitution, the Civil Rights Act or, of course, President Trump’s executive order that laid all of this out and prohibits moving these programs someplace else where they would be hidden or using third-party contractors."

Youngkin said his administration has been working against DEI efforts in the state since his election.

"We, of course, embrace the idea that we come from a diverse society, diverse experiences, and, of course, diverse views, and that, of course, is one of our strengths as a nation, but we have to eliminate illegal discrimination," he explained.

"And now we’re in a moment where we have our flagship university make a very clear statement that DEI is done at the University of Virginia," he added.

The resolution said the "University’s Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Community Partnerships is hereby dissolved," adding the school "shall immediately transfer permissible programs to a new organizational home."

The resolution didn’t specify what would count as a "permissible" program.

Glenn Youngkin - X/Twitter Wrote:DEI is done at UVA. Today, the University of Virginia Board of Visitors voted for commonsense saying NO to illegal discrimination and YES to merit-based opportunity. Students at Mr. Jefferson’s University—and across America—deserve unlimited intellectual freedom, not ideological gatekeeping.

The resolution added that the university’s president would update the board on compliance within 30 days.

The board cited the university’s mission statement, which "includes a commitment to [developing] the full potential of talented students from all walks of life" in its resolution.

It continued by saying that the board "highly values diversity, including diversity of thought and experience, and fosters an inclusive environment, encouraging a culture of opportunity for all, which immensely enriches our Grounds, and is committed to providing every student an education that is free from discrimination and grounded in merit."

By Victor Nava, New York Post

Two individuals accused of leaking details about immigration raids have been identified and will be referred to the Justice Department for “felony prosecutions,” Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem revealed Friday.

“We have identified two leakers of information here at the Department of Homeland Security who have been telling individuals about our operations and putting law enforcement lives in jeopardy,” Noem said in a video posted on X.

“We plan to prosecute these two individuals and hold them accountable for what they’ve done,” she added. “And we’re going to continue to do all that we can to keep America safe.”

The DHS secretary did not disclose the identities of the two alleged leakers.

The department is preparing to refer both individuals to the DOJ “for felony prosecutions,” Noem said.

“These individuals face up to 10 years in federal prison,” she wrote on X. “We will find and root out all leakers.”

“They will face prison time & we will get justice for the American people.”

Noem and border czar Tom Homan have been working since last month to find the source of leaks related to planned Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids.

One leak reportedly involved the dissemination of information that allowed alleged members of Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua to evade capture by ICE agents in Aurora, Colo.

In a separate leaking incident, the Los Angeles Times published an article last month reporting that ICE was preparing for a “large-scale” immigration enforcement operation in Southern California at the end of February.

Noem and Homan have previously suggested the leaks were coming from within the FBI.

“Some of the information we are receiving tends to lead toward the FBI,” Homan told Fox News host Sean Hannity in February.

“The FBI is so corrupt,” Noem tweeted last month. “We will work with any and every agency to stop leaks and prosecute these crooked deep state agents to the fullest extent of the law.”

Sweeping immigration raids have taken place across the country since President Trump took office in an effort to apprehend and deport illegal migrants with criminal records and gang ties.

DHS did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.

by Louis Casiano

An illegal immigrant who once served as an aide to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., has reportedly self-deported to Colombia, praising the "freedom of movement" in the South American nation after working in Congress despite being in the country illegally.

Diego de la Vega was born in Ecuador and immigrated to the United States as a 7-year-old in 2001 on a visitor’s visa that he overstayed, Migrant Insider reported.

The news raises thorny questions about his employment status for the Queens-based congresswoman.

"It’s bittersweet. I hadn’t left the country in 23 years — from age seven to age 30," de la Vega told Migrant Insider. "Now, I can’t go back to the U.S. It feels like exile. It’s a very permanent move. But my wife and I are confident we made the right decision. And, after some time, it’s been a real pleasure to be here.

"It feels surreal to not be illegalized anymore. I don’t have to live in the shadows or constantly worry about paperwork," he added. "That freedom of movement is incredibly satisfying."

After working for an immigrant rights group, he served as communications director for Robert Rodriguez, then a member of the New York State Assembly, who currently serves as president and CEO of the New York State Dormitory Authority, according to his LinkedIn page.

In 2021, de la Vega was hired by Ocasio-Cortez’s re-election campaign and eventually became her deputy communications director.

"Diego is amazing," Ocasio-Cortez told the news outlet. "We love him."

De la Vega worked for Ocasio-Cortez despite not being a U.S. citizen. DACA recipients are barred from paid positions in congressional offices.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the congresswoman's office.

"We were always honest with voters in New York City," de la Vega said of working with Ocasio-Cortez. "We didn’t dumb it down or tell them what they wanted to hear. We engaged with them honestly. We listened, then explained that Alexandria was fighting for reform, but Republicans were blocking it."

He noted that he became frustrated with how the immigration movement was going.

"Protections are going away, regardless of who is in the White House. The strategy hasn’t adapted to the modern era," he said. "Biden had a trifecta — the House, Senate and White House, but dropped the ball."

As a child, de la Vega said he lived in fear but said he had a good childhood in New York. He said he may not be able to return to the U.S. "for many years" but that "it feels fulfilling to be home."

By Lauran O'Toole, The Express

Prince Frederik of Luxembourg has died at the age of 22 after a long battle with a rare genetic condition. Prince Robert of Luxembourg, the first cousin of Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, who abdicated last year, announced the tragic passing of his youngest son.

Frederik of Nassau died on March 1, following a long battle with a rare genetic condition, POLG Mitochondrial disease. His devastated father mourned the news in a lengthy, heartfelt message posted to the POLG foundation, a website founded by his son and dedicated to finding effective treatments and a cure for POLG mitochondrial disorders. POLG disease is a rare genetic disorder that robs the body’s cells of energy, in turn causing progressive multiple organ dysfunction and failure, the foundation explained.

In a heartfelt statement, Prince Robert, 69, and his wife, Princess Julie of Nassau, 64, revealed their son's heartbreaking last moments and how he took time to say goodbye to each family member individually.

The statement read: "It is with a very heavy heart that my wife and I would like to inform you of the passing of our son, The POLG Foundation Founder and Creative Director, Frederik.

"Last Friday, February 28th, on 'Rare Disease Day', our beloved son called us in to his room to speak to him for one last time.

"Frederik found the strength and the courage to say goodbye to each of us in turn – his brother, Alexander, his sister, Charlotte, me, his three cousins, Charly, Louis, and Donall, his brother-in-law, Mansour, and finally, his Aunt Charlotte and Uncle Mark.

"He had already spoken all that was in his heart to his extraordinary mother, who had not left his side in 15 years."

"After gifting each of us with our farewells – some kind, some wise, some instructive – in true Frederik fashion, he left us collectively with a final long-standing family joke," Prince Robert added.

"Even in his last moments, his humour, and his boundless compassion, compelled him to leave us with one last laugh… to cheer us all up."

Tragically, in his final days, Frederik was unable to speak but still managed to ask his father a moving question.

"Frederik’s last question to me, prior to his other remarks was: 'Papa, are you proud of me?'" Prince Robert said.

"He had barely been able to speak for several days, so the clarity of these words was as surprising as the weight of the moment was profound.

"He needed reassurance that he had contributed all that he possibly could in his short and beautiful existence and that he could now finally move on."

Calling his son a "superhero", Prince Robert recalled his son's long fight with the condition, one he said Frederik fought valiantly to the end.

He said: "This is the battle that Frederik fought, and this is the burden that he had to carry throughout his life.

"He always did so with grace and with humour. When we asked him if he wanted to create a foundation to find a cure and help others like him, he jumped at the opportunity.

"Though he always made it very clear that he did not want this dreadful disease to define him, he nonetheless immediately identified with and helped define the mission of The POLG Foundation.