The ACTUAL NEWS: Monday, February 24th 2025 Recap
"Today in History" and the Latest National and Global News
TODAY IN HISTORY
1525: The forces of the Habsburg emperor Charles V annihilated the army of Francis I of France at the Battle of Pavia.
1739: The Battle of Karnal pitted the invading forces of Nādir Shah of Iran against Muḥammad Shah, Mughal emperor of India.
1803: In Marbury v. Madison, the U.S. Supreme Court declared an act of Congress unconstitutional, thus establishing the doctrine of judicial review.
1821: Agustín de Iturbide made an appeal for an independent Mexico in the Iguala Plan.
1848: The anti-monarchical Revolutions of 1848 reached France, the one nation where the insurgency was successful.
1942: The Voice of America made its first broadcast, in German, to counter the propaganda of Nazi leaders.
1976: The regime of Fidel Castro adopted the constitution of Cuba, which mandated the operation of only one political party—the Communist Party of Cuba.
1991: U.S. ground operations began in the Persian Gulf War, more than a month after an air war was launched against Iraq to free Iraqi-occupied Kuwait.
2020: American film producer Harvey Weinstein, whose career ended amid numerous allegations of sexual harassment and assault, was convicted of rape and a criminal sex act; many viewed the verdict as a victory for the #MeToo movement, which sought to assist survivors of sexual assault.
2020: American mathematician Katherine Johnson—whose trailblazing work at NASA became known to a wide audience through the book Hidden Figures and its film adaptation (both 2016)—died at age 101.
2022: Some eight years after illegally annexing Crimea, Russia invaded Ukraine; Russian President Vladimir Putin cited several reasons for the war, including the false claim that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other government officials were neo-Nazis.
QUICK ACTUAL NEWS
NATIONAL
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management informed HR officials that employees who do not respond to an email asking about their activities from the previous week will not be considered as resigning, and staff are not required to reply, according to an internal Justice Department communication.
In a statement, the Social Security Administration announced today the closure of one of its components, the Office of Transformation. Employees from this office were placed on administrative leave effective immediately.
On Monday, a U.S. court upheld the convictions of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes and President Ramesh "Sunny" Balwani, affirming their charges of defrauding investors in the now-defunct blood testing startup once valued at $9 billion.
A federal judge also blocked the government downsizing "team", created by President Donald Trump and led by billionaire Elon Musk, from accessing sensitive data held by the U.S. Education Department and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
Multiple U.S. agencies have instructed employees not to immediately respond to a request by Musk asking them to list their accomplishments from the past week or face termination, amid a chaotic effort to reduce the federal workforce.
In a post on social media Sunday, President Donald Trump announced that conservative talk show host Dan Bongino will serve as the FBI’s deputy director. Bongino will join Kash Patel, who was recently confirmed by the Senate as the FBI director. Trump stated that Patel appointed Bongino to the role, which does not require Senate confirmation.
GLOBAL
In a significant development at the United Nations, the United States joined Russia in voting against a UN General Assembly resolution condemning Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine.
U.S. President Donald Trump's sweeping foreign aid freeze has stalled a United Nations program in Mexico aimed at stopping imported fentanyl chemicals from reaching the country's drug cartels, according to eight people familiar with the situation. It’s one of several U.S. counternarcotics efforts in Mexico derailed in recent weeks by the stop-work order.
Nepal said on Monday seven more projects funded by the United States have been put on hold after President Donald Trump suspended foreign development assistance. President Trump ordered a 90-day pause in U.S. foreign development assistance on the day he returned to the White House, pending assessments of efficiency and consistency with U.S. foreign policy.
The Trump administration has rescinded a Biden-era order that required it to report potential violations of international law involving U.S.-supplied weapons by allies, including Israel, two U.S. officials and a source familiar with the decision said on Monday.
Israeli bulldozers have demolished large areas of the now virtually empty Jenin refugee camp and appear to be carving wide roadways through its once-crowded warren of alleyways, echoing tactics already employed in Gaza as troops prepare for a long-term stay.
Germany's election winner Friedrich Merz warned the United States on Monday against turning its back on allies but also urged Europeans to build up their own defense capabilities, saying it was now "five minutes to midnight for Europe."
Germany's likely next chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Monday he had invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to visit and would find a way for him to do so without being arrested under a warrant by the International Criminal Court.
Merz also questioned on Sunday whether NATO would remain in its "current form" by June in light of comments by U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, and said Europe must quickly establish an independent defense capability.
The Kremlin said on Monday it would have to wait and see how ties between Russia and any new German government evolved after Sunday's election victory for Friedrich Merz's conservatives, saying there could be areas of cooperation of mutual interest.
Pro-Russian Germany's political newcomer, the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), said on Monday it might legally challenge the results of the national election after narrowly missing the 5% hurdle to enter parliament.
The leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), the second-largest party in parliament after Sunday's election, said Germany's likely next chancellor would be held hostage by left-wing parties that would seek to loosen tough fiscal rules.
Hundreds of Syrians will gather in Damascus on Tuesday for a one-day national dialogue conference, billed by the country's Islamist rulers as a key milestone in the transition to a new political system after decades of Assad rule.
Syrian transitional leader Ahmed al-Sharaa will visit Jordan on Wednesday and meet King Abdullah to discuss boosting ties between the neighboring countries, two Jordanian officials said. The visit is the new interim leader's third foreign trip along with Saudi Arabia and Turkey since he came to power after leading a decisive rebel offensive that ousted long-time Iran-backed Bashar al-Assad.
South Korea will lift sanctions on the supply of medical equipment to Russia from February 28, the South
Korean Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Resources said.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said the country has come a long way in building a powerful army but weapons without ideology are simply "ironware", as he stressed loyalty to some of its most elite military cohorts, state media reported on Tuesday.
Romanian nuclear power projects backed by U.S. companies should not be affected by recent criticism from members of President Donald Trump's administration over a cancelled election, Romania's energy minister said.
Russia's overheating economy is on the cusp of serious cooling, as huge fiscal stimulus, soaring interest rates, stubbornly high inflation, and Western sanctions take their toll, but after three years of war, Washington may just have thrown Moscow a lifeline.
Russian President Putin said on Monday that Russia is ready to supply 2 million tons of aluminum to the US market, which “would stabilize prices.”
US President Donald Trump has reportedly ordered the shutdown of the US military base in Alexandroupoli, Greece, on the request of Russia and Turkey, according to Greek media.
U.S. House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan on Sunday demanded EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera clarify how she enforces the European Union's rules reining in Big Tech, saying they appear to target U.S. companies.
Erdogan says "only Turkey could save the European Union from the troubles it has fallen into due to the Ukraine war". Ankara could remedy European defense and revive the aging population on the continent. “This could only happen with Ankara’s EU membership.”
Turkey said on Monday it was ready to host possible talks between Ukraine and Russia and would support any initiative leading to peace, following a visit to Ankara by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday that Russia was not opposed to Europe's involvement in Russia-U.S. peace talks aimed at settling the conflict in Ukraine, but noted that Brussels had long rejected any dialogue with Moscow.
The Kremlin praised the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday for trying to understand the "root causes" of the "Ukraine conflict" and bring an end to it, in what it said was a marked contrast with the approach of Europe.
Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting with officials on Monday to discuss rare earth metals production, which he described as a strategic reserve vital for Russia's future competitiveness and economic development, the Kremlin said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin offered the U.S. the opportunity for joint exploration of the country's rare earth metals deposits, as well as the supply of aluminum to the U.S. domestic market, under a future economic deal.
The United States will lose if Russia wins its war in Ukraine, Finland's president said on Monday, as fears mount in Europe about President Donald Trump's intentions three years after Moscow's invasion.
Ukraine could join the European Union before 2030 if the country continues its reforms at their current speed and quality, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told reporters in Kyiv on Monday.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday the Group of Seven (G7) wealthy countries should be willing to take on more risk with regard to sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
Europe and the United States will be able to work out their differences like they have done in the past, even though recent remarks from the U.S. administration have caused worries, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Monday.
"Worried" European foreign ministers said on Monday the region had entered a new era with U.S. President Donald Trump's stunning reversal of decades of U.S. foreign policy, but that they still hoped the relationship with Washington could endure.
Ukraine and the United States are in the final stages of negotiating a minerals deal considered central to ending Russia's three-year-old war in Ukraine, a senior Ukrainian official said on Monday.
Spain will provide Ukraine with a new military aid package worth 1 billion euros ($1.05 billion) this year, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Monday in Kyiv during an international meeting held on the third anniversary of Russia's invasion.
Russia's Ryazan oil refinery has suspended operations after an attack by Ukrainian drones on Monday, three industry sources told Reuters. The main crude distillation unit at the refinery, CDU-6, caught fire in the attack, and the plant has fully suspended oil processing, the sources said.
The Group of Seven nations are still discussing a possible joint statement to mark the third anniversary of the war between Ukraine and Russia, Canada's foreign minister said on Monday, noting a disagreement with Washington's position on the conflict.
Three projectiles were thrown over the perimeter wall of Russia's consulate in the southern French port city of Marseille on Monday, two of which exploded, Marseille police said. The incendiary devices were thrown into the gardens of the consulate in France's second-largest city by population. Investigators were analyzing the contents of the three soda bottles that were used as projectiles.
As Rwanda-backed rebels closed in on eastern Congo's largest city, retreating army soldiers barged into Suzanne Amisi Wilonja's home near the airport to loot, firing indiscriminately and shooting her 10-year-old son Sylvain in the head.
Dozens of Venezuelan migrants boarded small boats on an island off the Caribbean coast of Panama on Monday, setting off towards Colombia by sea as part of a reverse migration of families who have given up trying to reach the United States.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced legislation on Monday to toughen U.S. trade enforcement laws and address the impact of Chinese-supported companies moving portions of their production to other countries to circumvent American duties.
China's President Xi Jinping affirmed his "no limits" partnership in a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, China's state media reported, on the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Countries gather in Rome this week for a second crack at figuring out how to generate $200 billion a year to help preserve the world's biodiversity and give a shot in the arm to global cooperation as the United States draws back.
A Virgin Australia pilot alerted Australian authorities about a live-fire drill by Chinese naval ships last week in the Tasman Sea that forced 49 flights to change their paths, Australia's air traffic control agency head told a parliamentary committee.
New Sanctions Against Russia
The European Union (EU) has adopted its 16th round of sanctions against Russia, increasing pressure on the Kremlin as its illegal war in Ukraine enters its fourth year. The new measures target key sectors of the Russian economy, including energy, trade, and finance, with a focus on preventing sanctions evasion. Among the measures are restrictions on Russian aluminum imports, advanced technology exports, and tighter financial measures. Additionally, the EU has expanded sanctions on Russian ships, updated measures concerning Crimea and other occupied regions, and introduced new restrictions on oil storage and Russian infrastructure. The EU has also imposed actions against Russian disinformation by suspending eight state-affiliated media outlets. The EU remains committed to ensuring the full enforcement of these sanctions and continues to collaborate with international partners to prevent any circumvention.
The UK has announced its largest sanctions package against Russia since 2022. Key targets include:
Producers and suppliers of machine tools, electronics, and dual-use goods for Russia's military, such as microprocessors used in weapons systems. These suppliers are based in countries like China, India, Turkey, Thailand, and Central Asian states, with China being the largest supplier of critical goods.
North Korean Defense Minister No Kwang Chol and other high-ranking officials involved in sending over 11,000 North Korean troops to Russia, many of whom have suffered heavy casualties.
13 Russian entities, including LLC Grant-Trade and its owners, Marat Mustafaev and Dinara Mustafaeva, for using the company to funnel advanced European technology into Russia.
The UK is also using new powers to target foreign financial institutions aiding Russia’s war efforts, such as Kyrgyzstan's OJSC Keremet Bank, disrupting Russia's ability to use the international financial system.
These latest sanctions further isolate Russia economically while attempting to limit its war capabilities.
CARTOONS OF THE DAY
POSTS OF THE DAY
Here's the performance
VIDEO QUICK NEWS
Johnson: Elon has cracked the code. He's now inside these agencies. He's created these algorithms that are constantly crawling through the data; as he told me in his office, the data doesn't lie. We're gonna be able to get the information. We're gonna be able to transform the way the fed gov works
The Monitors at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) were hacked to display an AI-generated video of Trump sucking on Elon Musk’s toes, with the caption "LONG LIVE THE REAL KING."
Canada pledges more support for Ukraine
A U.S. B-52H Stratofortress, a nuclear-capable bomber, conducted a flight over Estonia near Russia's border, accompanied by NATO F/A-18s and F-35A fighter jets.
Macron: US should be compensated.. by Russia.
Reporter: Why did you choose an underqualified retired lieutenant general to be the next chairman of the joint chiefs of staff?
Hegseth: I'm going to choose to reject your unqualified question.
German (likely) new chancellor Merz: Absolute priority is to strengthen EU to achieve independence from US
Putin’s BFF - Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orbán says NATO's experiment in Ukraine "failed."
Trump: I beat George Washington. I love beating George Washington.
ICYMI
Roberta Flack, the silky-voiced Grammy-winning singer whose sultry ballads "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" and "Killing Me Softly With His Song" topped the charts in the 1970s, died on Monday at the age of 88, her publicist confirmed.
Papal thriller "Conclave" claimed the top prize on Sunday at Hollywood's Screen Actors Guild Awards, and Timothée Chalamet's portrayal of Bob Dylan made him the surprise best actor winner, marking the last major honors ahead of next weekend's Oscars.
Pope Francis is still critically ill as he battles double pneumonia, but his condition has shown a "slight improvement", the Vatican said on Monday. The 88-year-old pontiff is spending his 11th night in Rome's Gemelli Hospital, making it the longest hospital stay of his nearly 12-year papacy.
Organic farmers in Cyprus have recruited hundreds of retired hens to fertilize olive groves in a pilot project they say boosts yields, counters disease, and helps manage food waste.
A retired surgeon accused of raping and sexually assaulting hundreds of young patients, some while they were under anesthetic, told in the opening of his trial in western France on Monday that he had committed "despicable" acts.
RECOMMENDED READ
Canadian Leadership Candidates Focus on Standing Up to Trump Amid Election Race
During a televised debate on Monday, leading candidates vying to replace Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau highlighted the need to confront U.S. President Donald Trump. The race has become unexpectedly close, with Trump's threats to impose tariffs on all Canadian imports altering the political landscape. Former finance minister Chrystia Freeland warned that Trump poses the biggest threat to Canada since World War II, citing his desire to make Canada the "51st state" and the devastating impact tariffs could have on the Canadian economy.
Ex-central banker Mark Carney, the front-runner in the polls, expressed confidence that Trump’s threats would not succeed, emphasizing his experience in handling crises, including the 2008-2009 financial meltdown and Brexit. Both Carney and Freeland stressed that Canada must respond strongly to any potential tariffs.
Freeland’s resignation last December and Trudeau’s decision to step down last month triggered a leadership contest, with the new leader to be announced on March 9. The Conservative Party has criticized Carney, calling him “sneaky” and accusing him of "not being transparent with Canadians". Two other candidates, Karina Gould and Frank Baylis, are also competing for the leadership. Another debate will be held on Tuesday in English.
TODAY'S (COVER) PHOTOS
That's all from me for now. Thank you for reading.
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