The Observer view on the Russian aggression: Trump should heed Ukraine’s call for peace through strength

The conversation is no longer just about the present conflict, there is already an undeclared covert war under way Donald Trump’s characteristically vociferous attempt last week to pressure Vladimir Putin into ending the war in Ukraine, which Russia’s leader launched three years ago next month, is a welcome shift. Throughout the US election campaign, the … Read more

Donald Trump will huff and he’ll puff, but if Europe’s leaders rise to its defence, their house will stand | Simon Tisdall

The EU is facing a torrid year ahead from enemies both within and without. But it is still far from a lost cause Europe is in trouble. Multiple, long-simmering external and internal challenges are coming to the boil. Taken together, they comprise the modern EU’s biggest existential test since its creation in the early 1990s. … Read more

Kristi Noem confirmed by US Senate to head Department of Homeland Security

South Dakota governor will take on Trump’s anti-immigration mission, air travel and natural disasters The US Senate confirmed Kristi Noem as homeland security secretary on Saturday, putting the South Dakota governor in charge of a sprawling agency that is essential to national security and Donald Trump’s plans to clamp down on illegal immigration during his … Read more

Trump fires 17 government watchdogs at various federal agencies

President Donald Trump fired 17 independent watchdogs at various federal agencies late Friday, a Trump administration official confirmed to Fox News, as he continues to reshape the government at a blistering pace. Trump dismissed inspector generals at agencies within the Defense Department, State Department, Energy Department, Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Department of … Read more

Pete Hegseth sworn in as defense secretary: ‘An honor of a lifetime’

Pete Hegseth was sworn in as defense secretary Saturday morning, declaring it an “honor of a lifetime,” and he promised to put America first by bringing peace through strength.  Hegseth, 44, a former Minnesota National Guard officer who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, secured the role to lead the Pentagon following weeks of intense political drama surrounding … Read more

Israeli Columbia professor wants Trump to block certain institutions from receiving federal funding

Universities and colleges across the US have experienced a rise in antisemitic and anti-Israel activity since Hamas’ brutal attacks on Oct. 7. Anti-Israel agitators have staged massive protests, disrupted courses and events, and set up encampments. However, it’s not just the students who are involved, it’s also the faculty. Columbia Business School associate professor Shai … Read more