Alina Habba, former personal lawyer to President Trump, resigned as the acting US attorney for the district of New Jersey after an appeals court ruled her appointment unlawful due to the Trump administration’s procedural violations. Despite her departure, Habba stated the decision was not a surrender and the Justice Department would seek further review of the ruling. The court found that the administration used improper maneuvers to install Habba without Senate approval, a process that has also affected other US attorney appointments. Trump has criticized the “blue slip” process, which requires home-state senator approval, and other judges across the country have come to similar rulings.
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President Zelenskyy responded to criticism regarding the unread “peace plan” by stating that disagreements persist among the involved parties. Specifically, sensitive issues like security guarantees for Ukraine and the control of eastern regions require further discussion. Negotiations have not yet produced a unified vision for Donbas, and Ukraine is advocating for a separate security-guarantee agreement with its Western allies. Zelenskyy’s comments followed remarks by former US President Donald Trump, who claimed that Russia supported the plan while Zelenskyy had not reviewed it.
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X, formerly Twitter, has prohibited the European Commission from advertising on its platform after being fined €120 million by the EU. The fine was issued due to the platform’s deceptive blue tick system, which the EU deemed insufficient in verifying users and potentially exposing them to scams. In response to the fine and the subsequent ad ban, X accused the EU of exploiting its advertising system, while Elon Musk expressed disapproval of the EU, leading to accusations of censorship from US officials.
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Former FBI agents who were fired after kneeling during a 2020 racial justice protest in Washington have filed a lawsuit to regain their positions, claiming their actions were for de-escalation rather than political expression. The agents contend they were terminated in September by Director Kash Patel due to a perceived lack of political affiliation with President Donald Trump, despite an internal review and a Justice Department inspector general reaching a different conclusion. The agents, who knelt to defuse a tense situation during civil unrest prompted by George Floyd’s death, are seeking reinstatement, backpay, and the expungement of records, arguing their actions saved lives and prevented violence. The lawsuit alleges a partisan effort to retaliate against employees perceived as unsympathetic to President Trump.
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Germany has responded to the U.S. National Security Strategy, dismissing its negative portrayal of Europe as ideologically driven. While remaining aligned with NATO’s threat assessment of Russia, Berlin rejected the critical tone directed toward the EU. The German government defended Europe’s political freedoms in its response. In other news, the Passau diocese has been impacted by decades of clergy abuse.
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A lawsuit has been filed against the Trump administration alleging that federal agents deployed chemical agents near an apartment building in Portland, Oregon, causing harm to residents. The complaint claims that agents used tear gas, pepper balls, and other munitions indiscriminately, causing fumes to seep into the Gray’s Landing apartment building. The suit alleges that some deployments were for the purpose of putting on a show for conservative influencers. Residents have reported experiencing physical and emotional distress, including PTSD triggers and anxiety.
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China trade surplus tops $1 trillion for first time on non-US growth, and it’s a milestone that really makes you stop and think. How is this even possible, especially considering the economic climate and the geopolitical maneuvering that’s been going on? It’s almost mind-boggling how the market seemingly sails along, detached from the realities on the ground, or maybe it’s just a sign of how deeply interconnected the global economy has become.
China trade surplus tops $1 trillion for the first time, and it’s largely driven by trade with countries *other than* the United States. This is a pretty significant shift, isn’t it?… Continue reading
The article suggests that despite repeated warnings, European leaders have been slow to react to Russia’s aggression, even after events such as the Salisbury poisoning. It argues that the United States, under its current administration, is now actively working to undermine European democracies. The author presents a new US National Security Strategy as evidence, detailing its disturbing alignment with far-right ideologies and its strategic stability with Russia. Therefore, the article concludes by urging European leaders to recognize the end of the transatlantic alliance and to take decisive action to defend the continent’s future by ramping up military spending, confronting internal issues, and supporting Ukraine.
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The maker of the ICEBlock app, Joshua Aaron, filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Monday, alleging violations of free speech after the app was removed from Apple’s app store. The lawsuit claims that then-Attorney General Pam Bondi used her influence to pressure Apple into removing the app, which tracked U.S. immigration agents, arguing it endangered law enforcement. Aaron argues that his app is protected by the First Amendment and that the government’s threats of criminal investigation against him are unlawful. The app, which had over 1 million users, was removed from Apple’s store in October after Bondi’s demands, with Apple citing that the app violated their policy by providing location information that could harm law enforcement.
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Marjorie Taylor Greene, once a staunch supporter, has become a prominent critic of Donald Trump, accusing fellow Republicans of insincerely feigning loyalty. Speaking on CBS’s 60 Minutes, she claimed colleagues mocked Trump privately while publicly supporting him, particularly when his re-election prospects improved. Greene also stated that politicians were intimidated by Trump and feared his public condemnation. In response, Trump attacked Greene on Truth Social, calling her a traitor and criticizing her intelligence, while also denouncing the interview itself.
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John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood