America has withdrawn its military support for Ukraine, how big of a hole does it leave?
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Today's Political News Compilation - Tuesday, February. 18, 2025
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Science under siege: Trump cuts threaten to undermine decades of research
By Evan Bush, Aria Bendix and Denise Chow“This is simply the end.”
That was the five-word message that Rick Huganir, a neuroscientist at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, received from a colleague just before 6 p.m. two Fridays ago, with news that would send a wave of panic through the scientific community.
When Huganir clicked on the link in the email, from fellow JHU neuroscientist Alex Kolodkin, he saw a new National Institutes of Health policy designed to slash federal spending on the indirect costs that keep universities and research institutes operating, including for new equipment, maintenance, utilities and support staff.
“Am I reading this right 15%??” Huganir wrote back in disbelief, suddenly worried the cut could stall 25 years of work.
In 1998, Huganir discovered a gene called SYNGAP1. About 1% of all children with intellectual disabilities have a mutation of the gene. He’s working to develop drugs to treat these children, who often have learning differences, seizures and sleep problems. He said his research is almost entirely reliant on NIH grants.
The search for a cure for these rare disorders is a race against time, because researchers think treatment will be most effective if administered when patients are children. ...
READ THE FULL STORY - AP
Kennedy says panel will examine childhood vaccine schedule after promising not to change it
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told agency employees that a commission formed by President Donald Trump will investigate the childhood vaccine schedule.
apnews.com
Task force to expose 'federal secrets' on JFK assassination, Epstein, UFOs packed with GOP rebels
Seven House Republicans have been named to a task force aimed at investigating federal secrets.
Judge questions motives for Trump's order banning transgender troops
A federal judge questions President Donald Trump’s motives for issuing an executive order that calls for banning transgender troops from serving in the U.S. military.
apnews.com
DOGE meets with Pentagon officials to plan cuts at the biggest U.S. department
DOGE representatives attended meetings at the Pentagon on Friday, according to two defense officials, marking the start of their next cost-cutting project.
www.cbsnews.comTens of millions of dead people aren't getting Social Security checks, despite Trump and Musk claims
The Trump administration is falsely claiming that tens of millions of dead people over 100 years old are receiving improper Social Security payments.
apnews.com
Trump and Musk set their sights on Social Security by spreading rumors | CNN Politics
Before President Donald Trump started mass layoffs of federal workers, he demonized them, arguing, despite evidence to the contrary, that most of them never went into the office.
www.cnn.com
USDA accidentally fired officials working on bird flu and is now trying to rehire them
An Agriculture Department spokesperson told NBC News that officials are "working to swiftly rectify the situation."
www.nbcnews.com
Border arrests hit lowest mark since last time Trump was in office, White House says
Apprehensions along the U.S. southern border fell to numbers not seen since President Donald Trump's first term, hitting a threshold not seen since May 2020, the White House says.
Russia and the US agree to work toward improving ties and ending the Ukraine war in landmark talks
In a sweeping change to American foreign policy, Russia and the U.S. have agreed to start working toward ending the war in Ukraine and improving their diplomatic and economic ties.
apnews.com
Trump has signed an executive order on IVF. Here's what to know
President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that aims to help families hoping to expand their families through in vitro fertilization by reducing costs for the procedure
Elon Musk isn't actually in charge of DOGE, White House says
Even though President Trump named Elon Musk the head of DOGE, the White House claims Musk is actually a White House senior advisor with no authority.
www.usatoday.com
Republicans consider cuts and work requirements for Medicaid, jeopardizing care for millions
Republicans are weighing billions of dollars in cuts to Medicaid, jeopardizing health care coverage for some of the 80 million U.S. adults and children enrolled in the safety net program.
apnews.com
Trump says Ukraine 'should have never started it' in comments about war with Russia
Trump made the remark while deriding Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whose country was invaded by Russia in February 2022.
www.nbcnews.comThe family-values right takes on Musk's family
Some unusual techie ideas about the human future are raising questions in the GOP coalition.
9/11 health program cuts to cause 'life and death' delays, fired worker says
Up to 20% of staff at the WTC Health Program were impacted by cuts of probationary workers and buyouts, U.S. senators said in a letter.
www.usatoday.com
Russia won't accept Nato troops in Ukraine, Lavrov says after talks with US
The meeting was the first time since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine that Russian and American delegations are known to have met face-to-face.
www.bbc.com[URL...
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Latest Political News Feed
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In response, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his country would slap tariffs on...
Continue reading...Starting just past midnight, imports from Canada and Mexico are now to be taxed at 25%, with Canadian energy products getting tariffed at 10%. In addition, the 10% tariff that Trump placed on Chinese imports in February is doubling to 20%.
In response, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his country would slap tariffs on...
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The announcement from TSMC, which supplies semiconductors to the likes of Nvidia and Apple for artificial intelligence use, supports the Trump administration's...
Continue reading...The president called the investment a "tremendous move by the most powerful company in the world." The new capital brings TSMC's total investment in the U.S. to $165 billion and will go toward building five new fabrication facilities in Arizona.
The announcement from TSMC, which supplies semiconductors to the likes of Nvidia and Apple for artificial intelligence use, supports the Trump administration's...
NYC gives migrants more ways to obtain city ID making it easier for them to get benefits, housing: report
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City Council members passed a change backed by Mayor Eric Adams that opens up 23 additional types of IDs that immigrants can provide to obtain a New York City residency card.
The New York Post reported that some of the examples of identification that immigrants can provide include an expired driver’s license; documents from U.S. Immigration and Customs...
Continue reading...City Council members passed a change backed by Mayor Eric Adams that opens up 23 additional types of IDs that immigrants can provide to obtain a New York City residency card.
The New York Post reported that some of the examples of identification that immigrants can provide include an expired driver’s license; documents from U.S. Immigration and Customs...
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One chair inside the U.S. Capitol will be empty Tuesday.
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One person is selected to sit out high-profile events like the State of the Union, inaugurations, and presidential speeches to joint sessions of Congress to preserve the Constitutional line...
Continue reading...The cabinet member who typically occupies it will be nowhere near the building or its surrounding area as Donald Trump delivers his joint address to Congress.
He or she will watch the speech from afar, representing the doomsday president in waiting, a title informally known as the "designated survivor."
One person is selected to sit out high-profile events like the State of the Union, inaugurations, and presidential speeches to joint sessions of Congress to preserve the Constitutional line...
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Continue reading...DOGE initial findings on Defense Department DEI spending could save $80M, agency says
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Parnell listed some of the initial findings flagged by DOGE, much of it consisting of millions of dollars given to support various DEI programs, including $1.9 million for...
Continue reading...The Defense Department has been working with the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in slashing wasteful spending, DOD spokesman Sean Parnell said in a video posted to social media.
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Ghanaian MPs reintroduce controversial anti-LGBT bill
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Continue reading...India's fighter jet battle: US v Russia in the skies
India faces a crucial choice in modernising its air force. But is a cutting-edge US fighter jet the answer?
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