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U.S. news
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ECM World News
February 2025 Articles
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February 14, 2025 -- As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

DOGE controversy

Legal actions

Cabinet appointments

Immigration

Safety and oversight

Protests

Protesters in cities across the US rally against Trump’s policies, Project 2025 and Elon Musk (AP)

Women’s health

WORLD

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

U.S.

DOGE controversy

Trump and Musk’s dismantling of government is shaking the foundations of US democracy (AP)

...  Three weeks in, the change the Trump administration has brought is a disruption of the federal government on an unprecedented scale, dismantling longstanding programs, sparking widespread public outcry and challenging the very role of Congress to create the nation’s laws and pay its bills. Government workers are being pushed to resign. Entire agencies are being shuttered. Federal funding to states and nonprofits was temporarily frozen. And the most sensitive Treasury Department information of countless Americans was opened to Musk’s DOGE team in an unprecedented breach of privacy and protocol.

As Musk cuts federal spending, his own firms have received billions in contracts (ABC News)

As billionaire businessman Elon Musk has been leading an unprecedented effort to slash government spending, his own companies have, over the last several years, received an increasing amount of funding through government contracts, according to federal spending data. Over the last decade, Musk's companies SpaceX and Tesla were awarded at least $18 billion in federal contracts, according to spending data -- with SpaceX winning more than $17 billion worth of contracts since 2015.

Legal actions

Elon Musk’s DOGE sued by 14 states (Newsweek)

On February 14, attorneys general from 14 states filed a lawsuit in a Washington, D.C., federal court, arguing that Musk was illegally appointed and calling for the court to stop DOGE's drastic cuts across the federal government. The lawsuit states that DOGE has spread "chaos and confusion" across the U.S. and describes Musk as "an agent of chaos."

Trump administration pauses prosecutions of individuals and entities bribing foreign officials  (Jurist)

 US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday directing the Department of Justice (DOJ) to pause future and review all existing investigations and enforcements under The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). FCPA was established in 1977 to outlaw the practice of bribing foreign government officials to assist in obtaining or retaining business by people and entities.

Inspectors general fired by Trump file lawsuit to get their jobs back (ABC)

... The eight inspectors general claimed Trump broke the law when he attempted to terminate them without justifying their removal or giving Congress 30-day notices... Trump attempted to fire 17 inspectors general during his first week in office, sending a two-sentence email to each of the independent watchdogs. The eight inspectors general who brought the lawsuit are from the departments of Defense, Veterans Affairs, Health and Human Services, State, Agriculture, Education and Labor, as well as the Small Business Administration...

A 2nd U.S. judge says Trump administration must pause its federal spending freeze  (NPR)

Judge John J. McConnell, Jr. who issued the Friday order, noted that he came to his conclusion after reviewing statements by the Trump administration in response to the widespread confusion sparked by the OMB memo. The judge's review included a post on Xissued by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt issued after the OMB memo was rescinded. As the judge noted, the post said that the president's executive orders on federal funding "remain in full force and effect and will be rigorously implemented."

Judge blocks Trump’s executive order on transgender prisoners (Politico)

A small number of transgender women in women’s facilities cannot be transferred to men’s prisons, the judge ruled.

Trump sued in attempt to block his anti-diversity orders (Reuters)

The city of Baltimore and three other groups sued U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration on Monday, asking a federal court to halt and declare unconstitutional a pair of executive orders that seek to end diversity programs.

Oath Keepers founder barred from D.C., U.S. Capitol unless judge signs off  (NPR)

 A federal judge on Friday barred Stewart Rhodes, the founder of the far-right Oath Keepers extremist group who was convicted of seditious conspiracy in connection with the Capitol riot, from entering Washington, D.C., or the U.S. Capitol without the court's permission. / [The judge also banned] seven other Oath Keepers convicted in connection with the Capitol riot from entering Washington, D.C.,..

Jan. 6 court evidence ‘disappeared,’ attorneys for press group say  (NPR)

Attorneys for a group of news organizations, including NPR, said in a legal filing on Tuesday that evidence used at the sentencing of a rioter charged in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol had "disappeared" from an online government platform.

Cabinet appointments

Trump Cabinet confirmation status: Which nominees have been confirmed? (AP)

Donald Trump has chosen the people he wants in high-level positions during his second presidency. The nominees must be confirmed by the Senate. These are his picks for Cabinet-level posts, including some positions that have been part of the Cabinet in recent administrations. (16 of 22 have been confirmed so far.) See the latest confirmation hearing schedule.

Trump’s FCC chief investigates NPR, PBS (NPR)

President Trump's new head of the Federal Communications Commission has ordered an investigation of NPR and PBS, with an eye toward unraveling federal funding for all public broadcasting... Public broadcasting stations are prohibited from running commercials. Instead they present what are considered corporate underwriting spots, which are supposed to stop shy of a "call to action" telling listeners and viewers to buy a product or service.

‘Terrifying’: Public Health Experts React to Senate’s Confirmation of RFK Jr. to Lead HHS (Time Magazine)

The Senate confirmed Robert F. Kennedy Jr., one of America’s most notorious vaccine skeptics, to run the country’s leading health agency, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), on Thursday, sparking outrage among public health experts who worry that Kennedy will harm public health and further erode trust in science and medicine.

Senate confirms Doug Burgum as interior secretary after Trump tasked him to boost drilling (AP)

The Senate confirmed Doug Burgum as interior secretary late Thursday after President Donald Trump tapped the former North Dakota governor to spearhead the Republican administration’s ambitions to boost fossil fuel production.

Trump's FBI chief pick, Kash Patel, insists he has no 'enemies list' and won't seek retribution (AP)

... The reassurances were aimed at blunting a persistent line of attack from Democrats, who throughout the hearing confronted Patel with a vast catalog of prior incendiary statements on topics that they said made him unfit for the director’s job and raised alarming questions about his belief in conspiracy theories and loyalty to the president.

Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's pick to oversee US spy agencies, grilled about Snowden, Syria and Russia (AP)

Tulsi Gabbard, President Donald Trump’s pick to be director of national intelligence, faced sharp criticism from Democrats and Republicans alike Thursday during a fiery confirmation hearing focused on her past comments sympathetic to Russia, a meeting with Syria’s now-deposed leader and her past support for government leaker Edward Snowden.

Trump’s pick to lead counter-terrorism unit is a white supremacist dream (New Republic)

... President Trump nominated Joe Kent as director of the National Counterterrorism Center... Kent’s nomination immediately raised alarm, as multiple people pointed to reporting from years ago documenting his very real connections to extremist groups...

Immigration

Homan warns daily migrant arrests will 'steadily increase' as Trump admin targets nonviolent illegal aliens (Fox)

Trump's admin deported 500 illegal immigrants on day one, and that number is set to rise

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

 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.

’Legal black hole’: ACLU sues over immigrants being sent to Guantanamo (USA Today)

...President Donald Trump opened the detention camp at Guantanamo Bay with a plan, he said, to send the "worst of the worst" immigrant detainees – people with violent criminal histories. But attorneys say the administration is moving individuals without criminal charges or convictions

Trump signs first bill of his second presidency, the Laken Riley Act, into law (NPR)

President Trump signed the Laken Riley Act into law on Wednesday, expanding the scope of those who can be arrested, detained and deported by federal immigration officer... The measure directs federal immigration enforcement to detain and deport those without legal status charged with minor theft or shoplifting, assault of a law enforcement officer or crimes resulting in death or serious bodily injury of another person. Several criminal offenses could already be grounds for deportation — and indeed Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said Tuesday that those who had broken the law by entering the country illegally had already committed a crime. Critics of the measure argue the act skips the current practice of waiting until someone is convicted before considering the removal process.

Trump Immigration Targets: Ukrainians, Venezuelans, Haitians (NY Times)

The president-elect has vowed to end a program that allows thousands of people from troubled nations to stay in the United States.

Some migrants arrested in Trump's immigration crackdown have been released back into the U.S. (NBC)

Space constraints and court orders have led ICE to release migrants on monitoring programs after they’re arrested.

Trump administration begins sending migrants to Guantánamo Bay (Washington Post)

As immigration officials run out of detention space for migrants who might be deported, the Trump administration plans to send thousands to the U.S. naval base in Cuba.

Safety and oversight

Trump fires heads of TSA, Coast Guard and guts key aviation safety advisory committee (AP)

President Donald Trump moved quickly to remake the Department of Homeland Security Tuesday, firing the heads of the Transportation Security Administration and Coast Guard before their terms are up and eliminated all the members of a key aviation security advisory group...The aviation security committee, which was mandated by Congress after the 1988 PanAm 103 bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland, will technically continue to exist but it won’t have any members to carry out the work of examining safety issues at airlines and airports

Trump fires the director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (AP)

President Donald Trump has fired the director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Rohit Chopra, in the latest purge of a Biden administration holdover.  Chopra was one of the more important regulators from the previous Democratic administration who was still on the job since Trump took office on Jan. 20. Chopra’s tenure saw the removal of medical debt from credit reports and limits on overdrafts penalties….

Air traffic controllers were initially offered buyouts and told to consider leaving government  (AP)

Air traffic controllers were initially offered buyouts and told to consider leaving government Just a day before a deadly midair collision at Reagan National Airport outside Washington, D.C., employees at the Federal Aviation Administration were sent an offer to resign with eight months’ pay. 

Trump ends Fauci's security detail and says he'd feel no responsibility if harm befell him (AP)

President Donald Trump has ended the federal security detail for Dr. Anthony Fauci, the infectious disease expert who advised him on the COVID-19 pandemic, a person familiar with the matter said Friday.

Protests

Protesters in cities across the US rally against Trump’s policies, Project 2025 and Elon Musk (AP)

Demonstrators gathered in cities across the U.S. on Wednesday to protest the Trump administration’s early actions, decrying everything from the president’s immigration crackdown to his rollback of transgender rights and a proposal to forcibly transfer Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.

Women’s health

Government's reproductive rights resource goes dark hours into new Trump administration (RawStory)

...Hours after Trump was inaugurated as the country’s 47th president, it was reported that the website ReproductiveRights.gov shutdown. The website provided information on “birth control, medication, abortion services, and other preventive health services, as well as important facts about privacy, rights associated with reproductive health care, and how people with and without health insurance can obtain reproductive health care,” according to the Office of Population Affairs.

WORLD

South Africa suspends American businesses and mineral exports (Maravi Post)

In a bold and unprecedented move, the South African government has officially suspended all American businesses within its territory and halted mineral exports to the United States. This drastic measure comes on the heels of Donald Trump’s decision to cut off all funding from the US to South Africa, including USAID. The South African government has made it clear that it will no longer tolerate the disrespect and disregard shown by the Western world.

What would happen if the US military went after cartels on Mexican soil? (Guardian)

Experts say any incursion could come with serious repercussions, include violence against US tourists.

Europe fears Trump-Putin ‘dirty deal’ as Ukraine scrambles for a seat at the table(CNN)

US President Donald Trump’s “lengthy and highly productive” phone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin has sparked fears in Europe of a “dirty deal” being struck to end the war in Ukraine on terms favorable to Moscow without Kyiv’s involvement. President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday said Ukraine would not accept a peace deal negotiated by the United States and Russia alone. He conceded it was “not pleasant” that Trump spoke with Putin before calling Kyiv

El Salvador’s millennial dictator offers to hold American criminals in mega prisons (Yahoo News)

Nayib Bukele, El Salvador’s millennial dictator, has offered to house migrants and “dangerous criminals” deported by the United States in his country’s infamous mega jails, according to Marco Rubio.

Russian drone struck Chernobyl reactor shell but radiation levels normal, Zelenskyy says (AP)

A Russian drone with a high-explosive warhead hit the protective containment shell of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the Kyiv region during the night, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday.

Syria's new leader denounces Iran, calling its proxies a regional threat   (NPR)

Sharaa's remarks highlight the efforts by his transitional government to realign Syria's relations with much of the world. For decades under Assad, Syria relied heavily on Iran and Russia and was isolated from the West. The new Syrian leader is pushing hard to rebuild ties that were badly strained or broken, starting with his neighbors.

European Leaders Condemn Musk's 'Ominous' Push for Germany to 'Forget' Holocaust (Common Dreams)

"We must not forget the tragic lesson of our past," said Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. "Evil, violence, and contempt cannot triumph anew."

Colombia yields on US deportation flights to avert trade war (BBC)

A looming trade war between the US and Colombia appears to have been averted after the Colombian government agreed to allow US military flights carrying deported migrants to land in the Andean country.

A U.S. dual citizen is among 3 Israeli hostages exchanged for Palestinian prisoners (NPR)

The release includes U.S. and Israeli dual citizenKeith Siegel, 65, Yarden Bibas, 35, and Ofer Kalderon, 54….In exchange, 183 Palestinian prisoners and detainees were released from Israeli jails, including some serving life sentences.

Emergency crews deployed on Santorini as an earthquake swarm worries Greek experts (AP)

Authorities deployed emergency rescue crews to Greece’s volcanic island of Santorini on Monday as hundreds of people scrambled to leave after a spike in seismic activity raised concerns about a potentially powerful earthquake. Schools on four islands were also to shutter through Friday.

Baltic nations count final hours to ending electricity ties to Russia   (NPR)

Nearly 3 1/2 decades after leaving the Soviet Union, the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania this weekend will flip a switch to end electricity-grid connections to neighboring Russia and Belarus — and turn to their European Union allies. The severing of electricity ties to oil- and gas-rich Russia is steeped in geopolitical and symbolic significance. Work toward it sped up after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his troops to invade Ukraine three years ago, battering Moscow's EU relations.

 

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