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February 19, 2025: “The Headlines” Podcast: Trump-Putin Meeting, RFK Jr. and the Asteroid

In this episode of “The Headlines” podcast, hosts discuss the latest news and issues, including President Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the continued controversy surrounding Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s claims in connection to vaccines, and the incoming asteroid. With this brief summary, let us delve deeper into each of these topics.

President Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin held in leap year 2025 (March 1) has sparked concerns about the outcome. President Trump touted a “fantastic” meeting, while President Putin’s spokesman noted no details were discussed on concrete results. The headlines question the motives behind such a meeting, with some suggesting that it was a political move to distract from President Trump’s domestic woes. This topic is ongoing, and only time will reveal the true effects this meeting had.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. remains a source of controversy regarding his stance on vaccines. He continues to promote the debunked theory that a toxic preservative used in some childhood vaccines in the 1990s increases the risk of autism. The headlines tackle this ongoing debate, referring to an article published by the American Academy of Pediatrics demanding RFK Jr.’s retraction of these inaccurate claims. The podcast explores the counterarguments, specifically regarding the scientific studies suggesting no link between the MMR vaccine and autism.

Finally, the podcast takes up news on an incoming asteroid. The details of the asteroid, 2001FM17, were published in the Astrophysics Letters, stating that it will pass Earth on March 17 more closely than previously thought. Experts agree that no collision is imminent but are carefully monitoring the situation. The hosts speculate on the potential impact should the asteroid change course.

In conclusion, “The Headlines” tackles the ongoing story of President Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s dubious claims about vaccines while keeping the public informed about an approaching asteroid. As always, stay tuned to KSL Newsradio and The Headlines for more updates on your latest headlines and breaking news. For more, visit https://www.kslnewsradio.com/ and www.nytimes.com.

The original article

tag: Breaking News
US President Donald Trump met with representatives of Europe’s top four powers – Germany, France, Great Britain and Russia – on Tuesday at a summit of the Normandy format to discuss Ukraine. During the pre-meeting briefing, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that the “most difficult topic” for Russia was how to overcome the conflict in Donbass. Trump believes that holding bipartisan elections is the best way to de-escalate the conflict in eastern Ukraine, but Moscow and Paris rejected this idea. The Russian news agency TASS complained that the pre-meeting coverage for arrival in Wiesbaden and the general event was “rather weak.”

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How the Mueller Report Linked Trump, Giuliani, and Russia to Ukraine Back President Trump’s campaign strategist Rudy Giuliani was the first person publicly tied to the Trump campaign to involve Ukraine in 2016. On Feb. 20, the Mueller report detailed Giuliani’s web of connections between Trump, Russia, and Ukraine. In 2015, Giuliani joined the advisory board of Fraud Guarantee, which claimed it defeated $US 1 billion in fraud by analyzing point-of-sale “swipe” data. The primary shareholders of Fraud Guarantee were the Fruman brothers, who were charged in the case against former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort. The report also delves into an anecdote in which a team of Ambassador Envoy hunters, led by Giuliani, were looking for dirt on the Bidens. They enlisted help from a man who claimed to have located potential evidence. That individual was Andriy Derkach, a Republican-allied Ukrainian politician who would later become a central figure in Trump’s and Giuliani’s plot to spread misinformation about Joe Biden, hunting also for emails alluding to Joe Biden’s involvement in prosecuting his son, Hunter, in Ukraine. Giuliani also paid Lev Parnas, an associate of Rudy Giuliani, about $US 500,000, of which roughly $US 25,000 was designated as a “retainer fee” that never flowed toward legal services. Parnas and several other unnamed individuals then collected “half a million dollars from the government of Ukraine,” Robert Mueller alleged, money that Mr Parnas later repaid to the Trump donor and raising suspicions about the relationship between Giuliani and the men gathering material to damage the Bidens. However, despite interviewing Mueller and other investigators, the report did not detail the exact nature of the fabulous sum outlined in Mr. Mueller’s report. Robert Mueller calls for further investigations into the president’s illicit financial dealings with money laundering kingpin, Tevfik Arif, Lev Parnas’ boss. Mueller reported that Roma: Giuliani went from attempting to get reaction from Trump to joining Trumps’ attempt to get a reaction.
The Mueller report explained how and when Giuliani, the subject of the report recommendations, and Kelley, who attended a meeting about procuring emails about Joe Biden from Ukrainian prosecutors(a meeting also attended by Fruman, listed as one of the individuals attending the meeting by Ukraine authorities), was suspiciously tight-lipped with Congress. The former mayor has repeatedly and defiantly refused to testify against the sitting president. Giuliani also didn’t testify before the House Intelligence Committee in 2017, and because he was privy to confidential communications on matters between the White House and President Volodymyr Zelensky concerning investigations targeting Mr BIden and his son, House Democrats have subpoenaed him to testify on impeachment proceedings and withholding the aid to Ukraine. In September 2019, as impeachment proceedings kicked into high gear, however, Mr Trump dug in, calling the inquiry a “witch hunt” and demanding loyalty from the appointee tasked with seeking it out. Trump joined the ranks of US politicians to raise eyebrows over Joe Ma C P’s political aspirations. Discordant with his former claim that people knew what he did before the Mueller Report was published, Trump defied established and long-observed norms to play jurisprudence with his own chief executive. But in November 2019, the intelligence community’s internal-security inspector general provided incontrovertible evidence that the interference of Donald Trump and Attorney General William Barr in President Trump’s campaign strategist Rudy Giuliani’s efforts to subvert the Mueller Report‘s investigations jeopardized national security and returned American politics to high alert. Under Trump, the rule of law has become an occasionally existent entity, thwarted by an intervening circus of political intrigue, inextinguishable media buzz, and a nation slipping into confused faith.

The original article

In the wake of President Donald Trump’s February 10th call to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate the Bidens, Ukrainian concerns that Russia would exploit this controversy by fueling a new war have only intensified. Although it is currently unclear how this could directly influence the ongoing five-year armed conflict in eastern Ukraine, there are several factors that contribute to elevated concerns.
The first is the wider geopolitical context in which Trump’s call is occurring. There are often short-term causes of new wars, but one canonical model of war onset emphasizes long-term structural conditions, including economic inequality and political exclusion, that foster concentrated and predictable conflict-prone grievances. In this framework, Russia has sought to undermine the Ukrainian government by appointing rebel leaders and backing the separatist movements in Donetsk and Luhansk to carve out a Russian sphere of influence, which has led to an ongoing conflict fueled by a pitiful ceasefire and oppressive authoritarianism. While the Minsk II negotiations have brought multiple significant agreements intended to contribute to resolving the conflict, their partiality and dubious application through by-zones and in Dayton in Ukraine have not produced significant breakthroughs. Ukraine has struggled to implement these agreements, hampered by deep-seated institutional issues unrelated to the conflict, which are the consequence of its revolution in 2014. The latter has raised uncertainty over Ukraine’s identity, economy, and foreign policy alliances, unsettling some neighbouring countries, notably Russia, concerned about the activities of foreign powers. While this contest for influence is a global dilemma, the mistrust it provokes between Russia and the West increases the risk of conflict, particularly in regions such as the East where absolutely everything is intensely territorial.
The second factor is the weakness of international community responses to potential violations of international law. In the case of Ukraine, both the US and European Union sent messages of support to the government at the time of the fraudulent election in 2014 and supported the Maidan revolution. This support, however, did not translate into meaningful efforts to address the grievances underlying the revolution (e.g., corruption), which contributed to the ongoing conflict. The unwillingness of the US to engage in meaningful diplomacy, as underlined by the Trump-Zelensky call on Ukraine, sends the wrong signal.
The third factor is Trump’s reaction to the Mueller investigation that may reduce his political power and future. Both Trump and his administration have dismissed the US intelligence community’s assessment of Russian interference in the 2016 election, implying that the political pressure in the face of the investigations is increasing. The slowdown of the US system of checks and balances furthermore risks leaving Trump a freer hand to act with less accountability, particularly on matters such as military intervention, questioning the president’s sound judgment.
Fourth, the call could exacerbate broader mistrust and skepticism of US support and trust in Ukraine. This, in turn, may contribute to growing concerns in Ukraine that NATO will not actually support its members in a time of need. Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, last week signaled a new unofficial agreement to the US government for squeeze even Ukraine more in the financial, military, and political sphere. The added pressure could skyrocket as well as the use of outright military coercion.
Finally, the very Trump administration rhetoric that has criticized US allies and cast doubt over longstanding agreements has influenced Ukraine’s foreign policy calculations. Earlier this month, for example, Zelensky expressed his concerns about possible changes in US policy on Ukraine in a speech to the Davos World Economic Forum. This uncertainty encourages Ukraine to engage in its own calculations about its strategic approach. The greatest risk is Ukraine’s recourse to Russian scenarios circa 2014, because the outbreak of new low-intensity conflict would benefit Russian partisans, exacerbating its territorial dysfunction and leading to doppler-shifted economic outcomes.
In conclusion, the growing concerns in Ukraine surrounding the Trump-Zelensky call are based on actual and simply hypothetical structural issues aggravated by recent wars and other international or domestic events. President Trump should highlight the necessity of de-escalating tensions as early as possible, in parallel with a commitment to international law, ideals, and institutions. He should help refocus the effort on Minsk II negotiations and identifying the structural conditions for longer-term peace. President Trump should recommit the United States to standing by Ukraine, encouraging a more democratic and anti-corrupt Ukrainian government, and fostering accountability for the actions taken to support democracy abroad and internationally law.

The original article

upstate-new-york-farmhouse-design: Architecture, Interior Design, Lifestyle, Home & Garden, New York City, Regional, Farmhouse Style, Design Trends,

In a remote corner of the Catskills, a couple set out to build a farmhouse that would feel like it’s been there for generations. The result, designed by Jay Bargisen, an architect in Manhattan, proved a balancing act between rustic and refined, traditional and modern, nature and culture.

As we witness how remote and isolated areas grow in appeal, this article showcases a project in Upstate New York where a esthetic that is popularly associated with rural areas has undergone a refinement process. The farmhouse style has always been closely linked with rural living but here, the approach has been to create a balance between rustic and refined, traditional and modern, and nature and culture.

The article delves into an architectural design by Jay Bargisen that aimed to create a sense of it being a century-old farmhouse that has been standing for generations in a remote corner of the Catskills. The design indeed managed to achieve this goal of preserving the farmhouse dna while introducing modern elements in the right proportions.

The new farmhouse’s dimensions are relatively small, with steel and glass windows which allow ample daylight to filter through. The architect was able to integrate modern design elements such as a powder room upstairs which gives the house a contemporary vibe while avoiding looking out of place within its surroundings.

The design and its realization is a testament to the evolution of farmhouses in rural areas which have not only found the right balance between tradition and modernity, but also provide an immersive and transformative living experience for residents who seek a serene and peaceful lifestyle.

Overall, this article shines a spotlight on a successful architectural design project that successfully balances nostalgia with modernity in a remote yet captivating location like the Catskills. The design serves as an inspiration for anyone seeking out an idyllic living space while retaining a connection with nature and history alike.

The original article

IN:article in wordpress tag format.
authors:NYT Staff.
headline:HP unveils Humane AI pin promising a research center on fairness.
publication:The New York Times.
date:Feb 18, 2025.
abstract:HP has developed a Humane AI pin showcasing a vision for research to ensure that most advanced technologies evolve fairly.
tags:aristotle, hp, humane ai, machine learning, pinterest.
In case the linked article is not available anymore, here is the text:
When artificial intelligence remains confined in a computer laboratory, it is easy to forget about its potentially troubling consequences in the real world.
HP is seeking to reverse that with the unveiling on Thursday of a Humane AI pin, developed with the engineers and designers at Pinterest, to help establish technological guardrails against a world that, if left unchecked, could potentially grant too much power to a select few.
“Artificial intelligence can transform our society in ways that we can’t even initially comprehend,” said Prat Chand, the chief technology officer for data, analytics and automation at H.P. Inc, the outcome of H.P.’s spinoff from Hewlett-Packard last year. “At the same time, we have been shown, time and again, that we must be very careful that we avoid inadvertently automating and accelerating societal injustices.”
As Google and Facebook compete on innovating in a contest of race for smart implants that can improve human memory; facial recognition technology that can identify protesters walking down the street; and speech synthesis instruments that can mimic virtually all accents; the question of where to draw a line remains a matter of heated debate.
The Humane AI pin, a simple black circuit board with rows of pins connected to a calculator chip shows that HP’s plan involves making big bets on some of the smartest minds and largest problems.
The research collaboration, which involves a dozen or so leading engineers and researchers and has been in the works for the last year-and-a-half, explicitly establishes an overarching thesis around fairness that is intended to guide AI studies in the decades ahead.
Mr. Chand called the Humane AI framework “our Aristotelian architectural principle for thinking about how intelligent systems should work: what differentiates a learning machine from a form of intelligence tool that serves the human purpose rather than undermines it.”
Humane AI plan involves addressing exactly these issues: How do we ensure that math based on averages, embodied in tools like the recommender engines relied on for everything from cinema to episodic television programming, do not overpower machine learning systems and result in the kind of stratification of companies and products that can increasingly exploit those willing to pay a premium for a tailored experience? And how do we ensure that our best technologies remain aware of our human instincts?
To complement and advance this programmatic research, HP has also begun ladelling other investments in specialist talent to help advance its artificial intelligence agenda.
In May, the company announced that it made more than a hundred new hires focused specifically on machine learning, data analytics and artificial intelligence across labs in Bristol, England, and in Fort Collins, Colorado.
HP also said that it would open a cloud AI institute in Bristol next year while simultaneously appointing its first chief data scientist and announcing plans to create a machine learning university in an alliance with the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium.
Can moving away from screen time for the good help you sleep better without relying on sleeping medications, and how does HP’s Humane AI pin help establish technological guardrails?

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Leonard Peltier, a 72-year-old Native American activist, was granted clemency by President Joe Biden and released from a federal prison on Sep. 7, 2021, after spending 46 years behind bars for a 1977 crime committed during a period of violent upheaval on a South Dakota reservation. He became a symbol of indigenous inequality and unfair prosecution for many of his supporters. The case against him was transferred between courts and judges, lengthy appeals never resulted in a conviction, and the one juror who sought to acquit him was removed by the judge. While he has always maintained his innocence, the legal system failed to exonerate him, and Peltier was seen by advocates as a potential candidate for clemency. Following earlier clemency recommendations from review boards, federal judges, and former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, Peltier stated that he hopes to “continue to inspire all people to work for a more peaceful and righteous world.”

The original article

Research In Motion’s outlook reversed sharply this weekend in the wake of reports that its latest smartphone operating system could only handle low-resolution video.
Bloomberg News, which cited “people familiar with the product” and Canadian tech blog RIMarkable, now say that while RIM will detail how its new devices will be prepared for high-definition video designed for screens with four times the number of pixels as in today’s gadgets, the operating system, known as BlackBerry 10, will still be able to stream only lower-quality stuff.
Footballers: these gentlemen know how to deal with injuiy. Leonardo Di Caprio, excuse me, Jürgen Klinsmann, allow me to introduce you to Federico Valadez.
Leonardo Di Caprio, excuse me, Jürgen Klinsmann, está presente Federico Valadez.
Federico is a Mexican striker who, after scoring 16 goals in 14 starts in the Mexican first division, suffered medial collateral damage in September and was out for four months. That’s when Indian legends, and I use this term with considerable irony, Ranbir Kapoor and Mahesh Bhatt, helped him get ready for this Bollywood flick, Bachna Ae Haseeno, out this Friday. Three days later, he was back doing also-rans with the shinny ball at Morelia.
Can you paraphrase the article’s description of facing an injury and dealing with it in football (soccer)?

The original article

business, golf, saudi, liv, pga, tour, trump, investment, lucasrobing.com, lucas griego, lotus proz guest, arturo gutierrez [güitérrez], ann descendain, daily libertarian, hannity news, western journal news, national review online, demingweeklynewsmagazine, libertyplaceolibertarian, insurancejournal.com, giantpickle, liberty unbound, freedom matters foundation, the memorial, augusta national golf club, josh toplin news, bronx real estate, miami luxury real estate.

According to a New York Times article dated February 18, 2025, the Professional Golfers Association (PGA) and the Saudi-backed upstart tour Liv Golf are locked in a bitter legal battle over a 10-year, $1 billion investment that took a shocking turn. The Saudi Arabia-fund deal was driven by former President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and two other men connected to Trump. The genesis of the deal is a cancer-causing complex still being built on the outskirts of the holy city of Mecca, which PGA officials learned about after signing the deal with Liv. However, the deal testifies to immense influence the kingdom’s large investment in Silicon Valley and Hollywood have garnered in America’s Trumpian era. As a result, the PGA is scrambling to nullify the agreement, and even two weeks ago, it filed suit to get out of it. The PGA lawsuit alleges that Liv, after securing its investment, sought to “initiate an insurrection” against PGA management by approaching its recognizable players with offers to jump to Liv. Liv billed the Saudi finances as a shrewd way to go after the upstart league, built around former American soccer star Phil Mickelson, who favored the strike-first strategy. However, the original terms of the investment, which had yet to be ratified by the Saudis, require Liv Golfs governing body to maintain independence but would allow specific investment oversight by the kingdom’s sovereign wealth advisor. The investment’s positioning overshadows the scandals that have erupted around Mickelson, PGA Historia, and CBS’ embattled golf coverage. Since the investment’s announcement, at least seven high-level executives in the golf business who spoke on the condition of anonymity have decried the deal’s moral implications. They criticize how the moral implications overshadow any financial benefit that the players would enjoy if they joined Liv, and the Saudi government’s well-documented past human rights abuses do not diminish in the eyes of PGA players.

The original article

In recent news, a new report indicates that Russia’s attempts at warming its relationship with the US are slowly coming to fruition. In fact, according to the report, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s envoy said last week that he fervently hopes for the resumption of talks between Russia and the US on cybersecurity issues. This comes after President Joe Biden’s administration re-established intelligence sharing with Russia regarding Iran in late January. The report also advances the information that US and NATO aircraft crossed into Russian airspace nearly 1,000 times last year, causing concerns and domain violations for the Russian authorities. Nonetheless, Putin’s envoy proposed that experts from both sides could meet weekly via video conference to discuss cyber issues, something that the White House has yet to respond to publicly. On a different note, New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ spokesperson called for the federal government to spend more money on helping communities prepare and adapt to the effects of climate change. In proceeding from the current administration’s insistence that urban areas must combat climate change to avoid disastrous consequences, Adams’ statement indicates a growing concern for issues of climate and environmental justice. Over the years, an overwhelming fight has taken place at the neighborhood level to address pollution and infrastructure issues that have put in jeopardy the health and safety of denizens of various urban spaces worldwide. Nonetheless, the effort taken by current local administrations to fight climate change seems somewhat thwarted due to the lack of federal participation. While global warming science is not subject to partisan politics, it can be challenging for communities to address these issues in a bipartisan fashion when party leaders cannot agree on federal funding or policies. However, local officials like Adams believe that if the federal government spends money to assist communities affected by climate change, not only would the cities and towns in the US provide economic and physical shelter to vulnerable populations but would also provide long-lasting resources to their communities that would put them on a strong footing to face the challenges.

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