A bolt of lightning struck the spire of Taipei 101, the tallest building in Taiwan, which stands at over 1,600 feet.
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Political News Compilation - Weekend Updates - Feb. 15 & 16 , 2025
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Trump moves with dizzying speed on his to-do list. But there are warning signs in his first month
By WILL WEISSERT, JOSH BOAK and LINDSAY WHITEHURSTUpdated 9:02 AM CST, February 15, 2025
WASHINGTON (AP) — As President Donald Trump approaches the first-month mark in his second term, he has moved with dizzying speed and blunt force to reorder American social and political norms and the economy while redefining the U.S. role in the world.
At the same time, he has empowered Elon Musk, an unelected, South African-born billionaire, to help engineer the firing of thousands of federal employees and potentially shutter entire agencies created by Congress.
Those efforts have largely overshadowed Trump’s crackdowns on immigration and the U.S.-Mexico border, and his efforts to remake social policy by wiping out diversity, equity and inclusion programs and rolling back transgender rights.
The president has also imposed scores of new tariffs against U.S. trade partners and threatened more, even as economists warn that will pass costs on to U.S. consumers and feed inflation. ...
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Justice Department fires 20 immigration judges from backlogged courts amid major government cuts
A union official says the Trump administration has fired 20 immigration judges without explanation amid sweeping moves to shrink the size of the federal government.
apnews.com
'We're under attack by billionaires': Fired federal workers speak out on terminations
Hanna Hickman, a now-terminated worker for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, told ABC News the last four days have been a roller coaster.
Mapping Elon Musk's support for far-right politics across the world
The world’s richest man is trying to sway politics on six continents.
www.nbcnews.comFinnish leader urges Europe to firm up Ukraine's hand for U.S.-sought talks with Russia to end war
Finland’s president has urged the rearming of Ukraine and putting “maximum pressure on Russia” in the run-up to possible peace negotiations sought by the U.S.
apnews.com
Major storm in Eastern US brings bring severe flash floods
Major storm in the east bringing snow, ice, flooding rain, severe thunderstorms.
Trump tours Boeing plane to highlight aircraft maker's delay in delivering a new Air Force One
President Donald Trump has toured a Boeing airplane to check out new hardware and technology features and highlight the aircraft maker's delay in delivering updated versions of the Air Force One presidential aircraft.
apnews.com
European leaders plan emergency summit as US and Russia prepare for Ukraine peace talks
Donald Trump said earlier this week he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed talks could start "immediately" after their phone call.
www.bbc.com
McConnell tests the strengths and limits of his power opposing a trio of Trump's Cabinet nominees
No longer in charge, Sen. Mitch McConnell has been speaking his mind. The long-serving former Republican leader rejected President Donald Trump’s more high-profile Cabinet nominees.
apnews.com
‘Salute and execute’: A new generation of military veterans takes center stage as Trump remakes US foreign policy | CNN Politics
At the start of his first term, President Donald Trump filled several top jobs with retired generals — high-ranking veterans who served in leadership positions during the post-9/11 wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
www.cnn.com
Fired federal workers say 'cold and cruel' cuts upended their lives
Fired workers worried about making rent and paying student loans. Many talked about going into government work because they value public service.
www.usatoday.com
IRS will lay off thousands of probationary workers in the middle of tax season
The IRS will lay off thousands of probationary workers in the middle of tax season, according to two sources familiar with the agency’s plans, and cuts could come as soon as next week.
apnews.com
McConnell's mental acuity targeted by Trump after ex-Senate leader joins Dems against Cabinet nominees
The GOP's recent and longest-serving Senate party leader has stood in opposition to his conference multiple times, demonstrating the party’s significant transformation in the age of Trump.
Trump administration’s mixed messaging on foreign policy leaves world guessing
Different narratives from senior US officials on the future of Ukraine have sown confusion in Europe - but was that perhaps the point?
www.bbc.com
Trump bars federal funding to schools with COVID vaccine mandates
The executive order applies to students and not to teachers or staff.
Hungary's transformation into an 'electoral autocracy' has parallels to Trump's second term
U.S. conservatives have looked to Hungary's Viktor Orbán as an inspiration for a right-wing America, and the prime minister has become a close ally of President Donald Trump.
apnews.com
Thousands of probationary federal health agency workers fired by letter this weekend. Here's what it said.
The move comes amid a government-wide effort to cut probationary workers by the Department of Government Efficiency task force led by billionaire Elon Musk.
www.cbsnews.comUS presented Ukraine with a document to access its minerals but offered almost nothing in return
Zelenskyy says he directed his ministers not to sign off on a proposed agreement to give US access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals because the document was too focused on U.S. interests.
apnews.com
Netanyahu to convene security cabinet after release of 3 hostages
Hamas militants released three more Israeli hostages on Saturday as part of the ceasefire agreement.
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WATCH: Dolphins swim alongside hydrofoil rider
A hydrofoil board rider in British Columbia’s Porteau Cove Park got to enjoy a magical moment as a pod of "hundreds" of dolphins surrounded and swam with him as he rode.
Continue reading...As President Trump prepares to address Congress, Americans are split on how he's done so far
From immigration to DOGE and cutting costs, Americans are divided on how President Trump and his administration are doing so far as the president prepares to address Congress about plans for his second term on Tuesday.
Continue reading...Trump to address Congress and nation as he tests limits of presidential power
Trump will step on to the dais at 9 p.m. ET to lay out his vision for the next four years and tout the actions taken in his first six weeks in office.
Continue reading...During immigration raid, DHS Secretary Noem says ICE bringing 'consequences'
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is bringing "consequences" during raids in Virginia on Tuesday.
Continue reading...Europe must lead on Ukrainian security guarantees, Greek foreign minister says: 'We are the neighbors'
Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis told Fox News Digital in an interview that he believes Europe should take the lead on Ukraine's security guarantees.
Gerapetritis, who was in the U.S. to meet with his U.S. counterpart, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, said the most important order of business was to "stop the hostilities."
"The day after will give the opportunity for considerations about reconstruction and about the security guarantees," he said.
"We are the neighbors, and we have to take the responsibility for these," Gerapetritis...
Continue reading...Gerapetritis, who was in the U.S. to meet with his U.S. counterpart, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, said the most important order of business was to "stop the hostilities."
"The day after will give the opportunity for considerations about reconstruction and about the security guarantees," he said.
"We are the neighbors, and we have to take the responsibility for these," Gerapetritis...
'Moderate' Dem giving rebuttal to Trump's joint address promoted staffer who boosted Farrakhan
FIRST ON FOX: The Democratic senator who is being billed as a "moderate" and was tapped to give the rebuttal to President Trump’s Tuesday address to a joint session of Congress is still employing a staffer who faced backlash last year for her public support of Minister Louis Farrakhan.
Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin, who will deliver the rebuttal to Trump, employed a deputy political director during her campaign last year who posted on Facebook in 2017 about her "full week" of "supporting the Nation of Islam and the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan"...
Continue reading...Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin, who will deliver the rebuttal to Trump, employed a deputy political director during her campaign last year who posted on Facebook in 2017 about her "full week" of "supporting the Nation of Islam and the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan"...
NY Gov Hochul now says she will lead 'resistance' against Trump, after saying the opposite weeks ago
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul now says she will be "leading the resistance" against President Donald Trump, just weeks after telling reporters the opposite.
Hochul said she would "fight back hard" during an interview with NPR’s "Morning Edition" on Monday when asked about New York City’s congestion pricing toll that the Trump administration moved to block last month.
"We offered up an olive branch, [we said] 'We'll work with you on infrastructure. Let's redo Penn Station,'" Hochul said. "Those areas were common ground. But once you draw first blood on...
Continue reading...Hochul said she would "fight back hard" during an interview with NPR’s "Morning Edition" on Monday when asked about New York City’s congestion pricing toll that the Trump administration moved to block last month.
"We offered up an olive branch, [we said] 'We'll work with you on infrastructure. Let's redo Penn Station,'" Hochul said. "Those areas were common ground. But once you draw first blood on...
The difficult choices facing Ukraine's Zelensky
Should he apologise to Trump or even resign? The options for Ukraine's leader are looking increasingly thin.
Continue reading...Father tries to block daughter's euthanasia in landmark Spanish case
It's the first time that a case has gone to court since a euthanasia law was introduced in Spain in 2021.
Continue reading...One-year-olds among those raped during Sudan civil war, UN says
Children as young as one have been subjected to horrific sexual violence, a UN report finds.
Continue reading...Pope Francis 'alert' after respiratory failure
The Pope resumes mechanical ventilation after suffering two "acute respiratory failures" on Monday.
Continue reading...Watch: Chaos as MPs throw smoke grenades in Serbian Parliament
At least three people were injured when politicians clashed with security in a show of support for anti-government protestors.
Continue reading...WATCH: 91-year-old woman hears father sing for 1st time in 30 years
Asunción Estevan Chico, 91, was able to listen to her father's singing on tapes he recorded for his wife in the 1970s.
Continue reading...WATCH: Figure skaters honor midair crash victims
U.S. Figure Skating honored the victims of the deadly midair crash over the Potomac in a touching tribute in Washington, D.C.
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