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| | | | | First Thing: Trump blames Ukraine over war with Russia – ‘you never should have started it’ | | | President ‘disappointed’ with Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s complaint about being excluded from talks. Plus, clean energy contributed 10% to China’s GDP in 2024 | | | | ‘Should have never started it’: Trump appears to blame Ukraine for war with Russia. Photograph: Joe Raedle/Getty Images | | Clea Skopeliti | | | Good morning. Donald Trump has blamed Kyiv for Russia’s invasion and said Ukraine could have “made a deal” to avoid war, as he criticized Volodymyr Zelenskyy for demanding to be included in peace talks. Trump said he was “disappointed” that the Ukrainian president had complained about being excluded from negotiations between the US and Russia over ending the war. Speaking to reporters at his Mar-a-Lago resort, he claimed a “half-baked” negotiator could have obtained a deal years ago “without the loss of much land”. He went on to blame Ukraine for its invasion, saying: “Today I heard ‘oh, well, we weren’t invited’. Well, you’ve been there for three years … You should have never started it. You could have made a deal.” Trump echoed Russia’s demand that Ukraine hold elections, falsely claiming that Zelenskyy’s approval rating was “at 4%” – in fact, 57% of Ukrainians said they trusted the president in a February poll. When will Trump and Vladimir Putin meet? Trump suggested they were likely to do so this month. What has Zelenskyy said? He has demanded “fair” talks with seats at the table for Ukraine, the European Union and Turkey. DoJ prosecutors ordered to explain Eric Adams corruption indictment dismissal | | | | | The order comes on the heels of a wave of resignations from federal prosecutors, who refused demands from top Trump justice officials to quash the case. Photograph: Michael M Santiago/Getty Images | | | | A federal judge has ordered Department of Justice prosecutors to appear in court on Wednesday to explain why they suddenly dismissed the corruption indictment against New York City’s mayor, Eric Adams. The order follows a slew of resignations from federal prosecutors who refused to drop the case against Adams, after he offered to aid the White House’s war on sanctuary cities despite running on a platform of opposing Donald Trump’s immigration agenda. Critics view it as a quid pro quo deal, where Adams’s case was quashed in return for his support for immigration enforcement. A memo issued last week by Trump’s acting deputy attorney general, Emil Bove, demanding the dismissal of the case against Adams did not raise doubts about the strength of the evidence against him. Instead, it argued it had prevented him from focusing on tackling “illegal immigration and violent crime”. The federal judge has called on prosecutors to show substantial evidence that the case should be dismissed. What were the charges? Adams was indicted late last year for allegedly accepting illegal campaign donations and travel perks in exchange for acting in the Turkish government’s favor. He denies the charges. Trump ends legal aid for unaccompanied immigrant children | | | | | US Border Patrol agents process people who have crossed the border. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images | | | | The Trump administration ended legal aid for unaccompanied migrant children on Tuesday in a move that experts say will further increase the risk of minors being trafficked. The Department of the Interior abruptly issued “stop-work” directives to the US non-profits that provide legal support to about 26,000 lone minors. One organization, Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef) in California, said some of its clients were babies and others were school-aged children and teenagers. Many have been abused in their home countries or are trafficking victims. What could happen to these children? A failure to appear at a hearing could result in an immediate removal order. Did non-profits expect this? No. Advocates expected cutbacks but not such an abrupt and comprehensive stop to support, said ImmDef’s chief program officer, Yliana Johansen-Méndez. In other news … | | | | | Jair Bolsonaro has been charged with helping mastermind a coup in order to stay in power. Photograph: Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters | | | | Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro has been charged over an alleged attempted coup after he refused to accept losing the 2022 presidential election to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Donald Trump has signed an executive order to bring down costs for accessing in vitro fertilization, in a move that is likely to anger anti-abortion activists. Seven thousand people have been rescued from illegal call centre compounds in Myanmar after being tricked into enslaved work, after Thailand launched a crackdown. The Trump administration will cut US schools’ and universities’ federal funding unless they scrap their diversity initiatives within two weeks. Stat of the day: Clean energy contributed 10% to China’s GDP in 2024 | | | | | Customers at a Zeekr electric vehicle showroom in Yantai, China. Photograph: Costfoto/NurPhoto/Rex/Shutterstock | | | | Renewable energy made up a record 10% of China’s gross domestic product in 2024, analysis has found, with solar power, electric vehicles (EVs) and batteries all playing a key role. EVs and vehicle batteries were the main contributors to the country’s clean-energy economy last year, accounting for an estimated 39% of the overall value. Don’t miss this: Could we swap alcohol for drinks boosting a neurotransmitter in our brains? | | | | | Steve Rose tries the drink Sentia. Photograph: Linda Nylind/The Guardian | | | | Sentia Black bills itself as a “a unique blend of functional botanicals, designed for focus and conviviality” – an alcohol-free beverage designed to boost levels of the neurotransmitter Gaba in the brain. Gaba is said to have a whole host of health perks, being associated with sleep, relaxation and less anxiety. Here’s what happened when the Guardian’s Steve Rose tried the drink – which was described variously as like “Chinese medicine”, “that weird Hungarian liqueur”, and “something my grandad would drink”. Not sure I’ll be making the swap just yet. Climate check: Top US prosecutor quits over pressure to investigate Biden climate spending | | | | | Denise Cheung resigned as head of criminal prosecutions in Washington DC. Photograph: J David Ake/Getty Images | | | | The head of criminal prosecutions in Washington, Denise Cheung, has resigned after refusing to launch what she described as a politically motivated investigation into climate spending under the Biden administration. Officials wanted Cheung to look into Environmental Protection Agency contracts granted under Joe Biden and halt funding, CNN reported. Last Thing: Fish can tell us apart – if your outfit stands out | | | | | In a study with sea bream, researchers found the wild fish appear to use pattern or colour recognition to tell humans apart. Photograph: Jaime Franch Wildlife Photo/Alamy | | | | Wild fish can tell people – or at least our clothes – apart. While this has already been proven in certain domestic animals, researchers have now found that sea bream can differentiate between two people … but only if they are wearing different clothes. Sign up | | | | | | First Thing is delivered to thousands of inboxes every weekday. If you’re not already signed up, subscribe now. Get in touch If you have any questions or comments about any of our newsletters please email [email protected] | |
| | | Betsy Reed | | Editor, Guardian US |
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| | I hope you appreciated this newsletter. Before you move on, I wanted to ask whether you could support the Guardian’s journalism as we begin to cover the second Trump administration.
As Trump himself observed: “The first term, everybody was fighting me. In this term, everybody wants to be my friend.”
He’s not entirely wrong. All around us, media organizations have begun to capitulate. First, two news outlets pulled election endorsements at the behest of their billionaire owners. Next, prominent reporters bent the knee at Mar-a-Lago. And then a major network – ABC News – rolled over in response to Trump’s legal challenges and agreed to a $16m million settlement in his favor.
The Guardian is clear: we have no interest in being Donald Trump’s – or any politician’s – friend. Our allegiance as independent journalists is not to those in power but to the public.
How are we able to stand firm in the face of intimidation and threats? As journalists say: follow the money. The Guardian has neither a self-interested billionaire owner nor profit-seeking corporate henchmen pressuring us to appease the rich and powerful. We are funded by our readers and owned by the Scott Trust – whose only financial obligation is to preserve our journalistic mission in perpetuity.
With the new administration boasting about its desire to punish journalists, and Trump and his allies already pursuing lawsuits against newspapers whose stories they don’t like, it has never been more urgent, or more perilous, to pursue fair, accurate reporting. Can you support the Guardian today?
We value whatever you can spare, but a recurring contribution makes the most impact, enabling greater investment in our most crucial, fearless journalism. As our thanks to you, we can offer you some great benefits. We’ve made it very quick to set up, so we hope you’ll consider it. | | However you choose to support us: thank you for helping protect the free press. Whatever happens in the coming months and years, you can rely on the Guardian never to bow down to power, nor back down from truth. | | Support us |
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