The ACTUAL NEWS: Tuesday, February 18th 2025 Recap
"Today in History" and the Latest National and Global News
TODAY IN HISTORY
1546: Martin Luther, leader of the Protestant Reformation, died at age 62 in Eisleben, Saxony.
1836: Hindu religious leader Ramakrishna, who founded a school of thought that united diverse mystical traditions into a single belief system, was born in Hooghly, Bengal state, India.
1848: Louis Comfort Tiffany—an American designer internationally recognized as one of the greatest proponents of Art Nouveau, particularly in the art of glassmaking—was born.
1861: Jefferson Davis was inaugurated as provisional president of the Confederate States of America.
1930: Using a 13-inch (33-cm) telescope at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, Clyde W. Tombaugh, a 24-year-old American with no formal training in astronomy, discovered the dwarf planet Pluto on this day.
1960: Seven nations established the Latin American Free Trade Association (LAFTA), the predecessor to the Latin American Integration Association.
2001: American stock-car racer Dale Earnhardt, Sr., died from injuries suffered during a crash in the final lap of the Daytona 500.
2006: American speed skater Shani Davis became the first Black athlete to win an individual Winter Olympics gold medal when he placed first in the men's 1,000-meter long-track final at the Games in Turin, Italy.
2010: The website WikiLeaks began posting classified U.S. government documents provided by Army intelligence analyst Bradley (later Chelsea) Manning. It was believed to be the largest unauthorized release of state secrets in U.S. history.
QUICK ACTUAL NEWS
NATIONAL
Republicans have set a limit on their proposed tax cuts, capping them at $4.5 trillion over 10 years, meaning the cuts would be much smaller than those initially proposed by Trump during his campaign.
Trump nominated Ed Martin, an election denier who was present outside the Capitol on January 6, to serve as U.S. attorney for Washington.
The Education Department issued a warning to schools, stating they risk losing federal funding if they consider race in hiring, scholarships, or "all other aspects of student, academic, and campus life."
Thousands took to the streets across the U.S. on Presidents’ Day, protesting Trump’s actions against federal workers and prosecutors.
Elon Musk’s DOGE is preparing to audit U.S. gold reserves at Fort Knox, following encouragement from Senator Rand Paul.
The C.I.A. is conducting secret drone flights over Mexico to locate fentanyl labs. This initiative, started under the Biden administration, is being expanded under Trump’s leadership.
Southwest Airlines announced layoffs as part of a plan to reduce its corporate workforce by 15%.
Air Force Gen. CQ Brown Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, confirmed that there are no plans to reinstate conscription, as the all-volunteer military force has served the U.S. well for decades.
While President Trump has ordered federal employees working remotely to return to their offices, an exception has been made for federal employees who are spouses of military service members. The Office of Personnel Management released a memorandum on February 12, 2025, detailing how these employees are exempt from the return-to-office mandate.
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump signed two executive orders and a presidential memorandum. One order pertains to the affordability and availability of in vitro fertilization and other fertility treatments, while another relates to the U.S. Office of Management and Budget. Trump also signed a memorandum to impose "radical transparency requirements" on government agencies.
On Tuesday, Trump stated that auto tariffs will be set at around 25%, with more details to come on April 2.
A U.S. judge temporarily halted the firings of 11 CIA officers who were facing termination due to their involvement in the agency’s diversity, equity, inclusion, and access programs.
A federal judge ordered the temporary reinstatement of a Democrat who had served as chair of a U.S. agency that hears appeals from federal employees facing termination, after Trump fired her.
Trump’s administration secured a legal victory on Tuesday when a judge ruled in favor of Elon Musk against a challenge by Democratic attorneys general from several states.
Grindr, the gay dating app, was not found liable to an anonymous male user who claimed he was raped by four adult men he met on the platform when he was 15, according to a federal appeals court ruling on Tuesday.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency formally granted West Virginia the authority to oversee carbon capture projects, making it the fourth state to gain such responsibility. This move is aimed at speeding up approvals for carbon sequestration initiatives.
Public interest groups called on the full 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to reconsider a ruling that the Federal Communications Commission lacked the authority to reinstate net neutrality rules.
According to a report by CreditCards.com, one in five Americans are purchasing more items than usual due to concerns over President Trump’s tariffs, reflecting heightened anxiety over potential price increases and economic instability.
On Tuesday, President Trump’s administration targeted various sectors of the federal workforce, including bank regulators, rocket scientists, and tax enforcers, as part of an ongoing effort to reduce the size of the federal government.
Several employees at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) were fired on Monday evening, continuing the broader efforts to downsize the federal workforce. Staff were informed of the firings on
Tuesday morning, with probationary employees being separated from the agency.
A bill in the Idaho Legislature aimed at reducing the maximum income refugees can earn while still qualifying for federal medical assistance is advancing.
GLOBAL
The EU is working on a record-breaking, large-scale weapons package for Ukraine, with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock suggesting it could total €700 billion. Speaking to Bloomberg at the Munich conference, she described it as an unprecedented initiative: “We will launch a large package never seen before on this scale.”
U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Tuesday that he would not oppose the idea of European nations sending peacekeeping troops to Ukraine, provided they offer security guarantees in the event of a peace deal.
Costa Rica has agreed to accept a U.S. flight carrying 200 migrants. This makes it the second Central American nation to take in deported individuals who entered the U.S. illegally.
Israel has decided to keep its forces stationed in five locations in southern Lebanon, even beyond the deadline for a full withdrawal. Officials stated that Hezbollah still poses a threat to Israelis living near the border.
A global shortage of medical oxygen has been reported. Despite the fact that hundreds of millions of patients need it each year, less than a third actually receive the oxygen they require, according to a new study.
Trump’s cuts to U.S. A.I.D. have halted a program that supports victims of Agent Orange, the toxic chemical used by the U.S. during the Vietnam War. One woman’s story highlights the program’s importance.
Mexico is threatening legal action against Google over its labeling of the "Gulf of America." The country argues that Google has relabeled the entire Gulf, including Mexican and Cuban maritime areas, while Trump’s order only applies to the U.S. continental shelf, according to The Washington Post.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum downplayed reports of covert U.S. drone flights spying on drug cartels in Mexico, calling it part of a “little campaign” but offering no further details.
Pope Francis, 88, is currently hospitalized due to a respiratory infection.
Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged government support for private tech companies during a meeting in Beijing yesterday, attended by some of the country’s biggest tech CEOs. This marked a shift away from the previous regulatory crackdown, which frequently targeted companies like Alibaba. Jack Ma, Alibaba’s founder, was in attendance at the event.
India is planning additional tariff cuts on U.S. goods, following similar reductions announced a few weeks ago for motorcycles, textiles, and other products. However, New Delhi could face increased U.S. tariffs if Trump proceeds with his plan for reciprocal duties. A senior Indian customs official revealed that tariffs on the top 30 U.S. imports are between 0% and 7.5%.
Beijing urged Washington to “correct its mistakes” after an update to a U.S. department webpage on Taiwan policy omitted a phrase about not supporting Taiwan’s independence. The updated version stated that Washington would support Taiwan’s membership in international organizations “where applicable.”
Taipei welcomed the revision, while a State Department spokesperson affirmed the U.S. “remains committed to its One China policy.”
Family members of some migrant detainees recently transferred to the U.S. base at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, have pushed back against Trump administration claims that the migrants are members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. A Department of Homeland Security official did not respond to a Washington Post request for details on how members of the gang are identified. As of last Friday, 126 migrants were being held at Guantánamo Bay, according to an unnamed defense department official.
In Zimbabwe’s, presidential succession news: President Emmerson Mnangagwa announced that he will step down at the end of his term in 2028, despite a proposal from his own party to extend his term by two years. The Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front has ruled the country since its independence in 1980.
Downloads of DeepSeek apps have been paused in South Korea while the company works with authorities to address privacy concerns. The app is also blocked in Italy, and Australia and Taiwan have banned it from government devices.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro revealed on Tuesday that drug traffickers have obtained two missiles which they plan to fire at his plane, citing the success of his efforts to combat the drug trade.
The U.S. State Department office overseeing the resettlement of Afghans has been instructed to develop closure plans by April, according to U.S. officials and sources familiar with the directive. This move could affect the resettlement of up to an estimated 200,000 people seeking new lives in the United States.
Honduran President Xiomara Castro announced on Tuesday that her government has reached an agreement with the U.S. to continue an extradition treaty. In a post on X, Castro emphasized that the pact will be implemented “objectively” while safeguarding the integrity of Honduras' armed forces.
President Donald Trump suggested on Monday that he would not allow billionaire Elon Musk to be involved in any space-related government decisions, following questions about Musk’s potential conflicts of interest during efforts by the Department of Government Efficiency to cut government costs.
US-RUSSIA TALKS IN SAUDI ARABIA
Three hours of Russia briefing the US delegation in Saudi Arabia led to this:
The EU will not be attending the upcoming negotiations on Ukraine. Its role is excluded, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry."If Europe wants to contribute to the establishment of peace in Ukraine, it is necessary to stop arms supplies to Kyiv."
The West will have to LIFT sanctions against the Russian Federation if the war in Ukraine is resolved, — US Secretary of State Rubio doubles down on his promises to Russia.
Russia has also voiced demands for new elections in Ukraine as a condition for “peace.”
Trump slammed President Zelenskyy for demanding a seat at peace negotiations over his own country’s future while talking to reporters in Mar-a-Lago: “You’ve been there for three years. You should’ve ended it in three years. You should have never started it.”
NOTE: Russia started the war against Ukraine.
Today, the US delegation suggested a “moratorium on attacks on energy resources,” but Lavrov instructed them that “they’ve never done that.” It’s a well-known fact that Russian forces frequently bomb civilian infrastructure, with a particular focus on attacking the Ukrainian power grid.
Here are just a few examples showing that whatever Russia said, is definitely a lie.
Later, the US delegation engaged with the press, and here are their direct quotes:
Please tap a photo to open the gallery (4 pictures), then swipe left.
(CARTOON) STAMP OF THE DAY
POSTS OF THE DAY
RECOMMENDED READ
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VIDEO QUICK NEWS
Trump has signed EO that only the President and the AG are authorized to speak on "what the law is."
Leavitt: Musk doesn’t work for DOGE, he is tasked with “overseeing” it
Steele: They got your data, dumbass
Miller: I’ll be as excited (about DOGE) as I want to be!
Sweden formally integrated its forces into NATO multinational brigade Latvia (MNB-LVA) on 7 February 2025. This is Sweden’s first deployment to the NATO battlegroups since it became a member of the Alliance in March 2024.
During a transfer of authority ceremony at Camp Valdemar, Swedish Army Chief Major General Jonny Lindfors handed over command of the Swedish battalion to MNB-LVA Canadian Commander Colonel Cédric Aspirault.
Zelensky: I won’t travel to Saudi Arabia to meet with Russians, Americans can come to Kyiv, he will go to Saudi Arabia on March 10th with an official visit
Rubio on "taking advantage of the incredible opportunity to partner with the Russians geopolitically, on issues of common interest and economically".
Anti Trump-Musk protests in New York City
The White House posted an "ASMR" video depicting the deportation process. It is aimed to provide the "stimulating sounds of joy."
TODAY'S COVER PHOTO
Washington DC
A woman sings during a protest outside the Capitol against efforts by Donald Trump and Elon Musk to shrink the federal government
That's all from me for now. Thank you for reading.
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