Fri, February 14, 2025

[ Fri, Feb 14th 2025 ]: ABC

Trump 2nd term live updates: Mass layoffs at US nuclear weapons agency paused

Judge Kenneth J. Gonzales granted the temporary order to prevent their relocation after a brief hearing on Sunday, according to the AP News article. Trump said last month that the United States will work to prepare the naval base to hold 30,000 migrants awaiting processing to return to their home countries.

[ Fri, Feb 14th 2025 ]: Time

We May Be a Month Away From Republicans Shutting Down a Government They Control

The U.S. has roughly one month until the government runs out of money, and the talks to avoid that are a mess, writes Philip Elliott.

[ Fri, Feb 14th 2025 ]: Newsweek

Social Security Cuts Being Discussed by Republicans

West Virginia Representative Riley Moore confirmed that Republicans have been "discussing" cutting mandatory spending—that is Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and veterans benefits—in order to pass Trump's tax cut agenda.

[ Fri, Feb 14th 2025 ]: ABC

Trump 2nd term live updates: Judge blocks Trump's foreign aid freeze

The Trump administration has begun mass layoffs across multiple federal agencies, a move expected to affect thousands of employees, sources familiar told ABC News.

[ Fri, Feb 14th 2025 ]: CNN

Trump's presidency: Layoffs at federal agencies as government overhaul faces legal challenges

President Donald Trump continues to forge ahead with transforming the federal government as his changes face multiple legal challenges. Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance is meeting with Ukraines' Volodymyr Zelensky at the Munich Security Conference.

[ Fri, Feb 14th 2025 ]: Reuters

US embassies told to prepare for staff cuts as Trump overhauls diplomatic corps, sources say

President Donald Trump's administration has asked U.S. embassies worldwide to prepare for staff cuts, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Thursday, as part of the Republican president's effort to overhaul the U.

[ Fri, Feb 14th 2025 ]: NBC26

Judge orders Trump administration to temporarily allow funds for foreign aid to flow again

A judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore funding for USAID contracts that were in place before his Jan. 20 executive order declaring a freeze on foreign assistance.

[ Fri, Feb 14th 2025 ]: NewsNation

OPM directs agencies to fire government workers still on probation

Office of Personnel Management (OPM) officials met with agency leaders across government Thursday and directed them to begin firing employees still in their probationary period a year or more

[ Fri, Feb 14th 2025 ]: CNN

Latest on Trump's presidency as his overhaul of government continues amid legal challenges

President Donald Trump continues to forge ahead with transforming the federal government as his changes face multiple legal challenges. Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance is meeting with Ukraines' Volodymyr Zelensky at the Munich Security Conference.

[ Fri, Feb 14th 2025 ]: cnbctv18

Explainer: What is President's Rule, how long it lasts and who administers

President's Rule is imposed under Article 356 of the Constitution when the President is satisfied that a state government cannot function according to constitutional provisions. The President assumes the functions of the state government,

[ Fri, Feb 14th 2025 ]: MSN

'Eight days of forlorn hope and agony': EFF slams 'callous' delays in repatriation of soldiers killed in DRC

The EFF has condemned the South African government for delays in repatriating 14 soldiers killed in the DRC, calling it a "callous" mishandling, while renewing its call for withdrawing our troops.

[ Fri, Feb 14th 2025 ]: MSN

US judge orders Trump administration to temporarily restore foreign aid funding

A US federal judge ordered the Trump administration to temporarily lift a funding freeze that has shut down US aid and development work globally. View on euronews

[ Fri, Feb 14th 2025 ]: MSN

Trump calls India's Modi a 'great friend' but warns of higher US tariffs on Indian goods

President Donald Trump greeted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House with a bear hug on Thursday and called him "a great friend of mine," but nonetheless warned that India won't be spared from higher tariffs he's begun imposing on US trade partners around the world.

[ Fri, Feb 14th 2025 ]: MSN

Taiwan pledges to invest more in the US after Trump's tariff threats

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said on Friday he would communicate more with the US over President Donald Trump's concerns over the chip industry and invest more in the US hours after Trump ordered reciprocal tariffs on trade partners.

[ Fri, Feb 14th 2025 ]: MSN

US judge orders Trump administration to restore funding for foreign aid programmes

A US federal judge ordered the Trump administration to temporarily lift a three-week funding freeze that has shut down US aid and development work globally. View on euronews

[ Fri, Feb 14th 2025 ]: MSN

Taiwan pledges to communicate and invest more in the US after Trump tariff threats

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said Friday he would communicate more with the U.S. over President Donald Trump's concerns over the chip industry and invest more in the U.S, hours after Trump ordered reciprocal tariffs on trade partners.

[ Fri, Feb 14th 2025 ]: MSN

Trump goes on All Caps rant on Truth Social touching on Ukraine, DOGE cuts and the 'BEST EVER' week

Trump goes on All Caps rant on Truth Social touching on Ukraine, DOGE cuts and the 'BEST EVER' week - "THREE GREAT WEEKS, PERHAPS THE BEST EVER, BUT TODAY IS THE BIG ONE," the president bellowed

[ Fri, Feb 14th 2025 ]: MSN

If Europe and the UK could sanction Putin over Ukraine, it can do the same for Bangladesh

It is easy to call for human rights from EU offices in Brussels and Luxembourg, our old, established democracies. In Bangladesh, Yunus is trying to build a new one. We must help him, Muddassar Ahmed writes.

[ Fri, Feb 14th 2025 ]: CounterPunch

Two Books on Climate Change and Beyond

Three Paths Through the Planetary Crisis (Little, Brown and Company, 2025) Anthony Galluzzo, Against the Vortex: Zardoz and

[ Fri, Feb 14th 2025 ]: Townhall

We Are Totally Going to Crush the Democrats' Puny Lawfare Offensive

We're going to win this fight. We just have to fight smart. Let's back up a little. Doesn't it seem like these orders are crazy? Your gut is correct - they are crazy. They are also obnoxious, as they are the result of blatant judge shopping.

[ Fri, Feb 14th 2025 ]: MSN

US Federal Judge orders Trump administration to restore funding for foreign aid programmes

A US federal judge ordered the Trump administration to temporarily lift a three-week funding freeze that has shut down US aid and development work globally. View on euronews

[ Fri, Feb 14th 2025 ]: MSN

John Methu savagely responds to Karen Nyamu: "Nitakuita watu wakianza kutwerk"

Nyandarua senator John Methu and Karen Nyamu traded witty jabs online over KUTRH leadership changes, leaving fans amused with their playful banter.

[ Fri, Feb 14th 2025 ]: MSN

Judge orders Trump administration to temporarily lift funding freeze on US foreign aid

Judge orders Trump administration to temporarily lift funding freeze on US foreign aid - In another setback for President Donald Trump and Elon Musk's DOGE, Judge Amir Ali said freezing aid would have

[ Fri, Feb 14th 2025 ]: Reuters

Trump says US has approved extradition of suspect in 2008 Mumbai attacks

The U.S. has approved the extradition of a suspect in the 2008 militant attacks in India's financial capital Mumbai in which over 160 people were killed, President Donald Trump said on Thursday in a press conference with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

[ Fri, Feb 14th 2025 ]: Reuters

Singapore budget to tackle living costs and jobs as election looms

Singapore's government is expected to focus on cost of living issues, housing and employment in next week's budget, as it heads towards an election buoyed by strong growth and low inflation but facing uncertainties over U.
Thu, February 13, 2025

[ Thu, Feb 13th 2025 ]: ABC

Trump 2nd term live updates: Trump begins mass layoffs across agencies, sources say

As President Donald Trump's second administration continued its effort to swiftly reshape the federal government, a union representing foreign service officers at the U.S. Agency for International Development accused the administration of failing to comply with last week's temporary restraining order to prevent the dismantling of USAID.

[ Thu, Feb 13th 2025 ]: NBC26

New suit alleges Trump's appointment of Elon Musk to make changes via DOGE is unconstitutional

A new lawsuit alleges that President Trump violated the Appointments Clause of the Constitution when he gave unelected billionaire Elon Musk leeway to make sweeping changes to government agencies.

[ Thu, Feb 13th 2025 ]: MSN

US Senate confirms Robert F Kennedy Jr as Health and Human Services Secretary

The US Senate on Thursday voted to confirm Robert F Kennedy Jr, an anti-vaccine activist as US Health and Human Services Secretary, NBC News reported. He was confirmed as US Health and Human Services Secretary with a vote of 52-48.

[ Thu, Feb 13th 2025 ]: Politico

What DOGE is really up to: A Silicon Valley take

If you go take over a company, you have to go fast, you have to go early and you have to go with some level of certainty that you are right, because you can't wait. You don't dilly-dally trying to follow processes and procedures, because if you do that, nothing gets done.

[ Thu, Feb 13th 2025 ]: MSN

Trump and Musk Are Going to War Against Military Veterans

The president's new exec order gives Musk and DOGE carte blanche and sets limits on hiring veterans and transitioning active duty military personnel

[ Thu, Feb 13th 2025 ]: KUOW

Drive a Tesla and have big feelings about it? KUOW wants to hear from you

KUOW wants to know what it's been like to drive a Tesla around the Seattle area during this time of sweeping and contentious political change. Get in touch with KUOW politics reporter Scott Greenstone via email at sgreenstone@kuow.

[ Thu, Feb 13th 2025 ]: MSN

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. confirmed and sworn in as the nation's health secretary

The Senate on Thursday confirmed vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary of Health and Human Services in the Trump administration.

[ Thu, Feb 13th 2025 ]: CNN

'People are just flipping out': Billions in federal funding remain frozen despite court orders to keep the taps open

Federal agencies across Washington are finding ways to keep funding frozen even after judges last month temporarily blocked the White House's effort to pause trillions of dollars in federal assistance.

[ Thu, Feb 13th 2025 ]: MSN

Guwahati: Assam Minister launches Online Building Permission System

Assam Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Jayanta Mallabaruah on Thursday ceremonially launched the Online Building Permission System (OBPS) during a programme held in Guwahati. The OBPS will be available in 32 Municipalities across the state.

[ Thu, Feb 13th 2025 ]: Reuters

Musk will face consequences for meddling in German politics, election frontrunner warns

Elon Musk will face consequences for meddling in Germany's election campaign, Friedrich Merz, the frontrunner to become the country's next chancellor, said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal published on Thursday.

[ Thu, Feb 13th 2025 ]: NPR

Covering the dismantling of federal agencies

Covering the paralyzation or drastic reduction of entire government departments requires a different approach.

[ Thu, Feb 13th 2025 ]: ABC

Tesla shares have plunged while Musk takes on Washington. Is that the reason?

Shares of Elon Musk's Tesla electric car company have fallen sharply, leading some investors to wonder if the drop is related to his cost-cutting work in Washington.

[ Thu, Feb 13th 2025 ]: MSN

Rep. Mike Lawler slams Gov. Hochul's 'gimmick' stance on NY Con Ed rate hikes in vicious takedown: 'Fake and political'

A Republican rival to Kathy Hochul blasted the governor's stance against massive Con Edison rate hikes — calling it a "gimmick" as he blamed her green energy policies for the sticker shock. Rep. Mike Lawler,

[ Thu, Feb 13th 2025 ]: MSN

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. confirmed as Health and Human Services secretary

The Senate voted Thursday to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the Trump administration's Health and Human Services Secretary with a vote of 52 to 48. Kennedy will oversee about 80,000 employees with agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),

[ Thu, Feb 13th 2025 ]: MSN

White House attacks judges as Trump, Musk flout checks and balances

But their approach — which one prominent Democrat characterized as "flagrantly violating the law" — is drawing legal challenges and carries political risks.

[ Thu, Feb 13th 2025 ]: katv

'Waste, fraud, and abuse': National Taxpayers Union praises DOGE efforts

A DOGE subcommittee held its first hearing focused on "improper payments" as the group takes a deeper look at how taxpayer dollars are being spent.

[ Thu, Feb 13th 2025 ]: MSN

Who is Paula White-Cain, Trump's faith adviser, and what's her connection to Polk County?

And Trump also issued an executive order forming a White House faith office and appointed controversial Florida pastor Paula White-Cain to lead it. White-Cain, a pastor at StoryLife Church and president of Paula White Ministries,

[ Thu, Feb 13th 2025 ]: CNN

Senate confirms RFK Jr. as Health and Human Services secretary

The Senate voted on Thursday to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Health and Human Services secretary, a victory for President Donald Trump after Kennedy faced intense scrutiny over his controversial views on vaccines and public health policy.

[ Thu, Feb 13th 2025 ]: MSN

Trump and Putin to begin negotiations on ending Ukraine war

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed to begin negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Mr Trump said that in addition to plans for him and Mr Putin to visit one another,

[ Thu, Feb 13th 2025 ]: MSN

Musk's 'ignorance' is setting Trump up for a fall: columnist

President Donald Trump's decision to let billionaire Elon Musk enforce his agenda by dismantling the government and gutting popular programs will likely come back to haunt him. That is the opinion of the Washington Post's Philip Bump who suggested that the man who bought Twitter,

[ Thu, Feb 13th 2025 ]: CNN

Latest on Trump's presidency: Modi's visit, expected new tariffs and RFK Jr.'s confirmation vote

President Donald Trump is expected to announce new tariffs Thursday and meet with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House as his Cabinet picks face key votes. Meanwhile, court hearings on challenges to the president's changes to USAID and ICE are set to take place.

[ Thu, Feb 13th 2025 ]: CNN

In Congress, what's the difference between a budget resolution, reconciliation and spending bills?

There's understandable confusion over Capitol Hill lingo discussing the budget process and appropriations/spending process — which are two distinct things.

[ Thu, Feb 13th 2025 ]: MSN

Americans skeptical of Trump's tariffs on foreign goods

Americans do not believe that imposing tariffs on foreign products will help the US economy. Nearly half of those surveyed think that actions taken by Donald Trump could actually harm the American economy.

Two Books on Climate Change and Beyond

Three Paths Through the Planetary Crisis (Little, Brown and Company, 2025) Anthony Galluzzo, Against the Vortex: Zardoz and

The article from CounterPunch, titled "Two Books on Climate Change and Beyond," reviews two recent publications that address the urgent issue of climate change. The first book, "The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming" by David Wallace-Wells, paints a grim picture of the future if current climate trends continue unchecked, detailing the catastrophic impacts on human life, ecosystems, and global stability. Wallace-Wells uses a blend of scientific data and narrative to convey the severity of potential outcomes like extreme weather, food scarcity, and societal collapse. The second book, "The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis" by Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac, offers a more hopeful perspective, focusing on actionable steps and policy changes that could mitigate the worst effects of climate change. It emphasizes the role of international cooperation, innovation, and individual responsibility in steering humanity towards a sustainable future. Together, these books provide a comprehensive look at the dire consequences of inaction and the pathways to resilience and recovery.

Read the Full CounterPunch Article at:
https://www.counterpunch.org/2025/02/14/two-books-on-climate-change-and-beyond/