Mon, February 17, 2025

by: ABC

Trump 2nd term live updates: White House says some employees were fired by mistake

President Donald Trump's administration said some federal government employees who took the "Fork in the Road" buyout offer were then fired or let go — in error.

by: Reuters

Italy's Meloni takes on the judiciary, in echo of Berlusconi

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is clashing with the country's judiciary in the same way her old political ally and mentor Silvio Berlusconi used to, promising a once-in-a-lifetime overhaul of the legal system.

by: CNN

Paranoia seeps into a federal workforce worried about getting fired and being watched

As the Trump administration fires thousands of employees across the government, federal workers have another reason to be on edge: the widespread access that Elon Musk's "government efficiency" team has gained to agency computer systems.

by: MSN

Former UK PM John Major warns of dangers if US does not stand by allies

Major said if the US 'retreats towards isolation' it would leave the door open for China and Russia to wield increased influence A world in which the United States does not support its allies will be "rather more dangerous",

by: ABC

'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.

by: MSN

Trump told Netanyahu 'Do whatever you want,' provides hostage update

Donald Trump was asked by reporters if he's been briefed on phase two of the hostage exchange deal between Israel and Hamas. Trump replied that he told Israeli PM Netanyahu to, 'Do whatever you want.'

by: NDTV

How USAID Funneled $21 Million To India For 'Voter Turnout'

The newly created US Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE has been auditing several government agencies in the US and cutting wasteful expenditure.

by: CounterPunch

Trump's Reign of Cruelty

Neoliberalism has always been more than an economic project; it is a political and educational weapon designed to erode social solidarity and dismantle the foundations of democracy. It does not merely defund public institutions like healthcare,

by: MSN

Trump takes a lap at Daytona as Elon Musk reportedly seeks access to personal taxpayer data: Live

Trump drives Daytona 500 track as government tries to rehire fired nuclear safety staff: Live updates - According to the White House the president will arrive at the Daytona International Speedway jus

by: MSN

'Trump's actions taking us back to primitive days of slavery, colonisation'

Frank Chikane, a veteran of the African National Congress (ANC), argues that the arbitrary actions of United States President Donald Trump, including the cutting of financial support to South Africa,

by: MSN

Are Musk's plans for mass federal layoffs 'driven by what he sees' on X?

More employees across more than a dozen federal agencies are reporting they are being let go from their positions as Elon Musk and DOGE look to slash the government workforce. New York Times reporter Teddy Schleifer breaks down the latest on these firings and discusses the relationship between Musk and President Trump.

by: ABC

GOP Sen. Mullin: Trump is the only person who can force Putin to the table

GOP Sen. Markwayne Mullin said Trump has the capability to apply pressure to Russian President Vladimir Putin to negotiate a deal to end the war in Ukraine.

by: MSN

Assam: Politics heats up as BJP and Congress warn each other of legal battle

The ongoing political battle between Assam's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress took a legal turn on Sunday, February 16, with both sides threatening lawsuits over allegations of defamation and character assassination.
Sun, February 16, 2025

by: ABC

Trump 2nd term live updates: Musk's DOGE requests access to IRS tax database: Sources

Trump is also making his second administration's first forays on the diplomatic front with calls to Russia's Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy on ending the 3-year-old war that began in February 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine.

by: Newsweek

Who Is Ashley St. Clair? Author Says She's Had Elon Musk's 13th Child

The conservative influencer said she made the announcement to prevent the baby's existence from being revealed by "tabloid media."

by: Yahoo

What it means when Elon Musk brings his children to work

Jon Haber, a strategic communication consultant who has worked with five presidential campaigns and teaches at Harvard, said Musk's children making frequent appearances - and creating viral moments - is beneficial for Trump.

by: ABC

Trump 2nd term live updates: Rubio agrees with Netanyahu Hamas must be 'eliminated'

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.

by: PBS

Fact-checking Trump and Musk's claims that they are cutting government 'fraud and abuse'

Elon Musk and President Donald Trump say they have uncovered massive "fraud" in the federal government. But the projects the White House points to are largely ones that the administration disagrees with ideologically,

by: CNN

'Salute and execute': A new generation of military veterans takes center stage as Trump remakes US foreign policy

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.

by: MSN

Elon Musk's DOGE cuts $21 million funding for voter turnout in India

The United States cancelled millions of dollars in funding for multiple countries, including India and Bangladesh, as President Donald Trump's new administration implements budget cuts.

by: CNN

Steve Bannon is playing MAGA enforcer from the outside. Is the White House listening?

Through blunt conversations with staff and his popular podcast, Steve Bannon is trying to steer the early direction of the new Trump administration. Whether he's having much impact inside the White House is a subject of debate.

by: MSN

German Election 2025: Where do political parties stand on key climate issues?

After becoming a deciding issue for many in 2021, climate change has now dropped down the list of voter priorities in Germany. View on euronews

by: MSN

Trump's Reach for Power: Seven Court Cases to Watch

The cases, brought by nonprofits, state attorneys general, civil rights groups and private citizens, challenge Trump's directives to freeze trillions of dollars in federal funding, shrink the federal workforce,

by: MSN

Mahamoud Youssouf speaks out after defeating Raila Odinga in AUC election: "I am humbled"

Newly elected AUC chairperson Mahamoud Youssouf from Djibouti has thanked African heads of state who supported and voted for him during the AU election.

by: MSN

What Christian leaders in SA said about allegations the US raised against the government

Over 300 white Christian leaders in South Africa slammed the United States government and accused it of spreading outright lies about white South Africans.

by: MSN

S. Korea navigates uncertainty as Trump's reciprocal tariffs reshape global trade

U.S. President Donald Trump signed a memorandum on Feb. 13, directing his top advisers to come up with new tariff levels that match the tax rates the country's trading partners charge on American imports,

by: MSN

MSC 2025: US, Europe divided on how to deal with Russia

European and US leaders have diverged on how to deal with Russia's war on Ukraine during the Munich Security Conference. German Chancellor Scholz, along with others, has been critical of US comments.

by: MSN

US, Russia to meet in Saudi Arabia over Ukraine war

U.S. and Russian officials will meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to start talks aimed at ending Moscow's nearly three-year war in Ukraine, a U.S. lawmaker and a source familiar with the planning said on Saturday.

by: rnz

Mediawatch: Golden visas obscured by politics and talkback pushback

Mediawatch: Media management helped the government's new 'golden visas' into the headlines, but it also got obscured by the ACT leader's antics.

by: MSN

Australia has some 'strong arguments' to gain an exemption from Trumps tariffs

Former federal trade minister and ANZ Head of APAC Engagement Simon Birmingham discusses whether Australia could be exempt from the Trump administration's global steel and aluminium tariffs.

by: MSN

Lavrov, Rubio discus removal of 'barriers' set by previous U.S. administration, Russia says

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the situation in Ukraine in a call on Saturday as well as the removal of "unilateral barriers" set by previous U.

by: CNN

Who is Friedrich Merz, Merkel's rival and German election frontrunner?

Friedrich Merz, the 69-year-old veteran German politician with a hardline stance on migration and an expensive aviation hobby, is the favorite to become the country's next chancellor in the February 23 federal election.
Sat, February 15, 2025

by: rnz

Elon Musk's DOGE agency is at the centre of controversy in the US. So what is it?

Elon Musk's DOGE has been making global headlines recently, but, what is this new agency - so why has the world's richest person decided to centre himself in US politics?

by: CNN

Trump advances plans for Ukraine peace talks and US government overhaul

President Donald Trump is forging ahead with his plan to overhaul and shrink the federal government. The effort led by Elon Musk's DOGE is facing a variety of legal challenges, which have halted firings at some agencies.

by: Newsweek

'Unplug Mad King': Protesters Rally Against Elon Musk at Tesla Facilities

On Saturday, videos posted to social media showed protesters at Tesla facilities as they voiced their concerns over Musk's DOGE.

by: ABC

Trump 2nd term live updates: Trump officials to go to Saudi Arabia for peace talks

The trip comes just days after President Donald Trump said he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the phone about starting negotiations.

by: MSN

'Acting Like a King': Michigan's Attorney General on the Lawsuit to Undo Musk's Damage

The lawsuit runs 60 pages, detailing the chaos Musk and his DOGE minions have wreaked at federal agencies from the Treasury Department to the U.S. Agency for International Develop

by: MSN

Trump tours Boeing plane to highlight aircraft maker's delay in delivering a new Air Force One

President Donald Trump 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,

by: MSN

Trump's threats and 51st state taunts reset race to lead Canada

Conservative leader Poilievre had seemed on track for a decisive election victory, but concern over US relations has shifted the mood For over a year, Canada's Conservative Party seemed on track to win a decisive victory in the next election as Justin Trudeau's governing coalition crumbled.

by: MSN

Trump administration cuts US efforts to support democracy at home and abroad

In less than a month in office the Trump administration has simultaneously dismantled foreign aid programs that support fragile democracies abroad and put on leave federal workers who protect US elections at home in a move that current and former officials say abandons decades of American commitments to democracy.

by: MSN

Donald Trump's Purge of Federal Workers Spark Mass Confusion, Anger

Newsweek contacted the White House and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which manages human resources for the federal government, for comment on Saturday via email outsid

by: ABC

Trump 2nd term live updates: Trump says US to back Israel amid hostage release threat

The Department of Energy has paused the firings of hundreds of employees who work for a key agency maintaining the U.S. nuclear stockpile.

by: Kiplinger

Donald Trump Tests His Limits

Here's the latest… What to say about term-two Donald Trump? The president is testing his limits — legally, politically and otherwise — with mixed results so far. This is evident with Trump's signature issues.

by: MSN

What Trump-supporting federal workers think of his blitz to shake up the government

President Donald Trump's plans to slash the federal workforce are underway. BI spoke to four federal workers who voted for Trump on their thoughts.

by: CNN

The latest on Trump's presidency as government overhaul faces legal challenges

President Donald Trump is forging ahead with his plan to overhaul and shrink the federal government. The effort led by Elon Musk's DOGE is facing a variety of legal challenges, which have halted firings at some agencies.

by: MSN

Conservatives' lead in the polls shrinks amid Trump tariff threats

U.S. President Donald Trump's threats remain a top issue for Canadians. And there are new signs they are also upending Canada's political landscape. On Friday, Conservative MPs gathered in Ottawa for their first caucus meeting since December.

by: MSN

What Trump-supporting federal workers think of his blitz of moves to shake up the government

President Donald Trump's plans to slash the federal workforce are underway. BI spoke to four federal workers who voted for Trump on their thoughts.

by: MSN

Scholz: Germany won't accept people who 'intervene in our democracy'

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said his country won't accept people who "intervene in our democracy", a day after US Vice President JD Vance criticised European leaders. View on euronews

Justice Department's independence is threatened as Trump's team asserts power over cases and staff

Pam Bondi had insisted at her Senate confirmation hearing that as attorney general, her Justice Department would not "play politics."

The article from MSN discusses concerns over the independence of the U.S. Justice Department as former President Donald Trump's team exerts influence over legal cases and department staff. It highlights how Trump's allies are pushing for greater control, which could politicize the department's operations. This includes influencing ongoing investigations, the handling of cases, and personnel decisions. Critics argue that such actions threaten the DOJ's autonomy, traditionally maintained to ensure impartial law enforcement and justice. The piece also mentions specific instances where Trump's team has attempted to intervene in legal matters, raising alarms about potential conflicts of interest and the erosion of the department's integrity.

Read the Full MSN Article at:
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/politics/government/justice-department-s-independence-is-threatened-as-trump-s-team-asserts-power-over-cases-and-staff/ar-AA1z9oiS