Today's Headlines: Trump Fires Joint Chiefs Chairman Amid Turmoil at Pentagon
Judge Defers Ruling in Adams Case, Appointing Lawyer to Guide Decision
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The New York Times
Today's Headlines

February 22, 2025, 4:10 a.m. Eastern time

Top News

Trump Fires Joint Chiefs Chairman Amid Flurry of Dismissals at Pentagon

The decision to fire Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., a four-star fighter pilot, upends a tradition in which the Joint Chiefs chairman traditionally remains in place as administrations change.

Judge Defers Ruling in Adams Case, Appointing Lawyer to Guide Decision

Judge Dale E. Ho said that with Eric Adams’s lawyer and federal prosecutors agreeing to end the case, he needed to hear independent arguments.

U.S. and Ukraine Appear to Move Closer to Deal for Minerals Amid Leaders’ Public Feud

President Trump on Friday continued to bash President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine and pressure him for mineral rights.

Editors’ Picks

Pardoned for Jan. 6, She Came Home to a New Reality

Rachel Powell is one of hundreds of prisoners granted amnesty for their role in the Capitol riot as President Trump has sought to alter the record of that day. Her life, like her nation, is deeply changed.

Opinion | ‘​The World Is There for the Carving’: Two Columnists on the Trump-Putin Alliance

We’ve never seen anything like this: a president who appears aligned with a Russian dictator in targeting the weak and the vulnerable.

World

Arab Leaders Scramble to Counter Trump’s Gaza Plans

Leaders of Gulf states met with their Egyptian and Jordanian counterparts to strategize before a broader Arab summit early next month.

Rubio’s Dilemma: Cutting Trump’s Deal With ‘Bloodthirsty’ Putin

As a senator, Marco Rubio prided himself on challenging tyrants. But as secretary of state, President Trump has tasked him with helping to potentially turn Russia from an enemy into an ally.

Israel Confirms Body Returned by Hamas Is That of Shiri Bibas

DNA testing had found that remains returned a day earlier purportedly of Ms. Bibas, a dead Israeli hostage, were in fact not hers, stirring outrage in Israel.

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U.S.

Ex-Deputy Describes Rampant Violence by Mississippi ‘Goon Squad’

From a prison cell, one former deputy recounted how illegal searches and brutal beatings were used for years to help make drug convictions in his suburban county.

Los Angeles Mayor Removes Fire Chief, Blaming Her for Lack of Preparation

Mayor Karen Bass criticized Kristin Crowley for sending firefighters home before a blaze devastated the Pacific Palisades neighborhood.

New L.A. Prosecutor Appears Skeptical of Menendez Brothers’ Appeal for Freedom

Lyle and Erik Menendez have pursued several legal avenues to be released after serving more than 30 years in prison for killing their parents.

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Politics

Trump Plans to Use Military Sites Across the Country to Detain Undocumented Immigrants

The move would be a drastic escalation by the White House to militarize immigration enforcement.

Supreme Court Rejects, for Now, Trump’s Bid to Fire Government Watchdog

The court’s order indicated that it may return to the issue as soon as next week, when a trial judge’s temporary restraining order is set to expire.

DOGE’s Only Public Ledger Is Riddled With Mistakes

The figures from Elon Musk’s team of outsiders represent billions in government cuts. They are also full of accounting errors, outdated data and other miscalculations.

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Business

Stocks Notch Worst Week Since Trump’s Inauguration

Fueling a 1.7 percent decline on Friday was an unexpected drop in the University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index, as Americans worried about stubborn inflation.

How Trump’s Tariffs Could Reorder Asia Trade and Exclude the U.S.

Asian countries are among the most vulnerable to President Trump’s economic grievances. But they are also best placed to make deals to minimize their exposure.

Universal’s Theme Parks, Long in Disney’s Shadow, Expand at Dizzying Pace

Universal is going after Disney, the industry leader, with new parks in Florida and Texas: “We want people to think of us first.”

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Technology

Coinbase Says S.E.C. Will Drop Crypto Lawsuit

The end of a court fight with the largest U.S. crypto company would be a big win for an industry that financially backed President Trump.

OpenAI Uncovers Evidence of A.I.-Powered Chinese Surveillance Tool

The company said a Chinese operation had built the tool to identify anti-Chinese posts on social media services in Western countries.

Under Government Pressure, Apple Pulls Security Feature in Britain

Law enforcement in the country was pressuring the company to create a tool that would act like a back door into customers’ data.

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Sports

Yankees Part With Tradition: Beards Are Now Allowed

The team is ending its longstanding policy on facial hair and will allow “well-groomed beards moving forward,” Hal Steinbrenner said.

Video | Team Canada Fans Boo During U.S. National Anthem

At hockey and basketball games, fans jeered during “The Star-Spangled Banner” after President Trump’s past taunts and economic threats toward Canada.

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Arts