First Thing: Russia launches wave of strikes across Ukraine

Strikes follow European leaders committing to a huge boost in defense spending. Plus, another of Elon Musk’s Starship rockets explodes within minutes of take-off Good morning. Russia has carried out a vast wave of strikes across Ukraine, one day after the US stopped sharing intelligence with Kyiv, including advance warnings of attacks. Is European support … Read more

US foreign aid projects asked to justify their work in White House survey

Staff questioned on eccentric list of criteria that meet Trump administration’s new national security priorities Staff on hundreds of foreign aid projects left in limbo by the Trump administration’s funding freeze have received a survey that asks them to justify their work under an eccentric list of criteria that meet the White House’s new national … Read more

Trump is concentrating power. A key faction of judges supports the idea | Jan-Werner Müller

The ‘unitary executive’ theory – backed by some conservative lawyers – is largely bogus. But it could wreak havoc on democracy While Democrats are dithering and debating with consultants about which anti-Trumpian strategy to adopt, courts are confronted with an unprecedented power grab by the president. Donald Trump and Elon Musk are simply not spending … Read more