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NEWS - SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 09, 2025 - NEWS
California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta joined a coalition of more than 20 states Friday in asking a federal court to once again intercede and force the Trump administration to unfreeze billions of dollars in federal funding. LA Times
VOA VIEW: Dems are losing the battle against corruption.
President Donald Trump has formulated a plan to force New York to “kill” congestion pricing tolls in the city by withholding funds through the Department of Transportation, he told The New York Post in an exclusive interview. New York Post
"It's not like the kids are getting smarter," Bill Maher bluntly said on Friday's "Real Time." New York Post
VOA VIEW: A Truism.

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North Korean soldiers have returned to Russia's defense after being pulled from the frontlines, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. New York Post
VOA VIEW: The fighters are not so good.
President Trump has ordered security clearances stripped from a new hit list of antagonists. New York Post
VOA VIEW: It's about time.
The order came in response to a lawsuit filed by 19 attorneys general accusing the president of failing to faithfully execute the nation’s laws when he let DOGE comb through federal computer systems. New York Times
VOA VIEW: They will lose.
Jewish lawmakers in the House of Representatives have formed the first-ever Congressional Jewish Caucus.  OANN
VOA VIEW: Sounds interesting.
The Alaska Legislature wants President Trump to rethink his order renaming North America's tallest peak. Washington Times
VOA VIEW: They will lose.
The Justice Department, now under President Trump's control, on Friday said it switched legal positions and backs Tennessee's law limiting the ability of doctors to prescribe puberty blockers or hormone treatment to assist the gender transition of a child. Washington Times
VOA VIEW: Great!

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The Trump administration on Friday doubled the number of news organizations it is evicting from their workspaces at the Pentagon in order to rotate in more friendly outlets. Washington Times
VOA VIEW: Needed!
As Elon Musk's unofficial Department of Government Efficiency shakes up U.S. regulatory bodies and foreign aid organizations, one national security expert says the organization's efforts to streamline operations could make the U.S. safer and more effective. Washington Times
VOA VIEW: It can't get worse.
A former aide to New York City Mayor Eric Adams plans to plead guilty to a conspiracy charge in a corruption case against Adams, prosecutors said in a new court filing Friday. Washington Times
VOA VIEW: Adams seems guilty.
President Trump said Elon Musk is doing a "great job" in his role of stopping wasteful government spending. Washington Times
VOA VIEW: He is corrupt proof.

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The Trump administration has launched an aggressive campaign against sanctuary jurisdictions, deploying both federal prosecutors and civil litigation in what amounts to the most direct confrontation yet with localities that shield illegal immigrants from deportation. Washington Times
VOA VIEW: Good!
Brands are paying millions to air their commercials during Super Bowl 2025. Here's what's behind the cost, and why advertisers say it's worth it. CBS
Valentine's Day is just a week away, and candy sales are expected to soar. It's a busy time of year for chocolatiers, including Norman Love Confections, a Florida company that produces one-of-a-kind treats. CBS
VOA VIEW: People are feeling good.

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"Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" host Margaret Brennan speaks with a USAID staffer about the Trump administration's pause on foreign assistance and the impact it has had on the industry. This staffer is remaining anonymous due to concerns about safety. CBS
VOA VIEW: USAID should be perinatally closed,
A federal judge Friday prevented the Trump administration from placing 2,200 employees of USAID on administrative leave for now. CBS
VOA VIEW: The judge does not have the power to rule over the executive branch.
President Trump directed officials to prioritize the resettlement of Afrikaners in South Africa through the U.S. refugee program, which he suspended on his first day in office. CBS
President Trump did not say which board members at the Kennedy Center he plans to terminate. CBS
VOA VIEW: Good!
The president said he was taking the action because Biden did the same to him in 2021. CBS
VOA VIEW: As he should.

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The Federal Highway Administration directed states to stop spending money for EV charging infrastructure​ — funds that were allocated under former President Biden. CBS
VOA VIEW: A good order.
Meta, Amazon, Alphabet and Microsoft intend to invest as much as $320 billion this year into AI advancement technologies. CNBC
Artificial intelligence-enabled robots are helping repair, maintain and monitor the health of critical infrastructure, helping to have money and lives. CNBC

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"They'll be looking at an investment rather than a purchase," President Donald Trump said at a news conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. CNBC
The Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are bracing themselves for possible retaliation as they decouple from Russia's power grid this weekend. CNBC
VOA VIEW: Putin is acting foolish.
The Congressional Budget Office last month released Pell Grant program projections, which now estimate a $2.7 billion funding shortfall later this year.  CNBC
VOA VIEW: Biden's stupidity.
Trump's hostility toward DEI has elevated the stakes for corporations already grappling with how to navigate the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion. CNBC
Marko Elez was on the DOGE team formed by Elon Musk and tasked by President Donald Trump with cutting federal spending and reducing the government workforce. CNBC
Secretary of Energy Chris Wright said three DOGE staffers are working at the department. CNBC
Nonfarm payrolls were projected to increase by 169,000 in January, according to the Dow Jones consensus forecast. CNBC
President Donald Trump wants to end the carried interest loophole. Here's how the tax break benefits Wall Street investment managers. CNBC
Internal Customs and Border Patrol memos obtained by Fox News show that migrants heading for the U.S. are turning around after learning about increased border security. FOX News
VOA VIEW: Good!
A woman allegedly took down an American flag at a California park and replaced it with a Mexican flag before threatening authorities. FOX News
VOA VIEW: She should be jailed,
Hamas militants released three frail and abused Israel hostages in exchange for 183 Palestinian prisoners, some also emaciated, on Saturday. UPI
VOA VIEW: Hamas should be punished.
Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam formed a new cabinet made up of specialized and clean-handed ministers, ending past dominance by Hezbollah and its allies, with the mission of introducing needed reforms. UPI
VOA VIEW: Good for all.
South Africa is responding to an executive order signed by U.S. President Donald Trump, saying the move to freeze American aid "lacks factual accuracy." UPI
VOA VIEW: South Africa has no say in American aid.
The White House on Friday launched a faith office, one day after another executive was signed to protect Christians from discrimination. UPI
VOA VIEW: No one should be discriminated against.
President Donald Trump on Friday issued a memo demanded a review of federal funding for nongovernmental organizations and for an end to groups that he believes "undermine the national interest." UPI
VOA VIEW: They should all be abolished.

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COMMENTARY OF THE DAY
By
Robert Namer
Voice Of America
©2018 All rights reserved
February 09, 2025

       President Donald Trump slammed Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro for refusing to accept deportation flights while vowing to respond with tariffs and travel bans for Colombian officials.  Socialist Colombian President Petro announced that the country is refusing to accept deportation fights into the country, before quickly reversing course following Trump’s tariff threat.  Pushing back is sometimes the only solution. 

     “The U.S. cannot treat Colombian migrants as criminals. I deny the entry of American planes carrying Colombian migrants into our territory. The United States must establish a protocol for the dignified treatment of migrants before we receive them,” Petro wrote in an X post.  President Trump responded to Petro’s announcement on Sunday, writing “I was just informed that two repatriation flights from the United States, with a large number of illegal Criminals, were not allowed to land in Colombia. This order was given by Colombia’s Socialist President Gustavo Petro, who is already very unpopular amongst his people.”

“Petro’s denial of these flights has jeopardized the National Security and Public Safety of the United States, so I have directed my Administration to immediately take the following urgent and decisive retaliatory measures,” Trump continued.  The measures include an “Emergency 25% tariffs on all goods coming into the United States. In one week, the 25% tariffs will be raised to 50%,” along with “Visa Sanctions on all Party Members, Family Members, and Supports of the Colombian Government.”

Trump also vowed to implement a travel ban and “immediate Visa Revocations on the Colombian Government Officials,” as well as “Enhanced Customs and Border Protection Inspections of all Colombian Nationals and Cargo on national security ground.” “These measures are just the beginning. We will not allow the Colombian Government to violate its legal obligations with regard to the acceptance and return of the Criminals they forced into the United States!”

Following Trump’s threat, the Colombian government quickly caved, even offering its own presidential plane to accept Colombian nationals who illegally migrated to the United States.