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The latest development in the midterm congressional election in New York’s 17th Congressional District, which covers the Hudson Valley, suggests the possibility of another Republican entrant to challenge Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther (D-Port Jervis), leaving her without a clear challenger in the ballot.
In 2014, Tom Faggioli, a former Hudson Valley congressman, ran for Congress against Nita Lowey, the current incumbent in New York’s 17th district, but strategists have stated that Faggioli’s defeat in the 2016 election, where congressional seats are fewer, made him a less appealing candidate this time around. Mike Lawler, a former Westchester County legislator, and Beth Garvey Davidson, Erie County’s former first lady, have both expressed interest in the seat.
Lawler withdrew candidacy from the 18th Congressional District, which includes Putnam and Dutchess counties, when the U.S. Court of Appeals struck down the congressional maps. His decision leaves the GOP without a candidate in the 18th district for the foreseeable future, but Lawler is expected to face a crowded field of candidates, including Gunther, in the 17th district. Gunther’s reelection would maintain the current balance in congressional representation for New York’s lower Hudson Valley.
Davidson, meanwhile, is looking for endorsements within the Republican Party, and a recent poll shows that she supports President Trump’s immigration policy, hinting at her potential conservative values. Moreover, Lawler and Davidson’s interest in the seat suggests that the GOP is looking to strengthen its position in New York’s lower Hudson Valley. In the 2016 midterms, Lowey won easily, by more than a 50-point margin. However, in this contest, political strategists from both parties anticipate a closer race with a bigger turnout due to emotional issues such as immigration, healthcare, and taxes.
Gunther, who is known to be a moderate, plans to emphasize issues such as increasing internet access in rural areas and saving Montezuma Veterans’ Hospital. Additionally, she has announced a “listening tour” of the 17th district to learn about the concerns of constituents before filing for candidacy later this month. Her campaign, which had previously counted on winning the seat without serious opposition, has had to adjust its strategy due to the new candidates.

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During the Vatican’s traditional Lenten retreat, Pope Francis’ voice revealed disturbing physical changes due to his ongoing battle with sciatica-related pain. The Argentine pontiff often winced and halted mid-sentence by a noticeable breathless pause. Despite being 85 and in his final illness, Princess Leonore of Sweden’s godfather is still planning a trip to Moscow to meet with leaders in Russia. However, the Argentinean leader warned that the risks of nuclear war increased daily and beseeched world leaders to ‘sane its madness’. This comes after wealthy Russians sent a letter to the pontiff to state that they would continue to be pious Catholics despite a statement banning them from serving as godparents. Meanwhile, thousands of devoted followers garnered nearly 5 million signatures throughout Europe and 6.7 million worldwide for the cause of sainthood for St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows, Saura, disciple of founder St. Josemaria Escriva. Pope Francis recognized their efforts before the recent Lenten retreat and referred to St. Gabriel as an example of faith for all.

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The recent episode of Bill Maher’s show, “Real Time,” saw the infamous comedian align himself with former President Donald Trump due to his stance on firing government employees via Twitter. In the episode, Maher debated with Senator Bob Menendez over whether such firings constitute sufficient cause for removal. He argued that it would create a “poisonous environment” in government if such actions were not permissible. Menendez, on the other hand, stated that such sudden actions, which do not allow for adequate legal proceedings, can lead to corruption and further complicate the already problematic American political system.

This case illustrates the intersection of technology, particularly social media, and politics. In Trump’s tenure, social media played a significant role not just in electing him to office but also in his governing style. His propensity to communicate via social media and his drastic, unexpected effects on doctrine favored individuals willing to align themselves with his policy proposals. Maher’s show has become more political than it was in the past, with direct support given to candidates outright. At the same time, his show and its content represents the intersection between traditional media and new media via social media platforms.

This debate highlights the larger question of whether American politics will emerge from the current climate and create a government assertive in the challenges it faces. Alternatively, we may continue to endure the current political climate characterized by increased polarization, combative politics, and an implicit reliance on technology. Maher’s stance is aligning himself with a system still regulated by traditional processes, whereas Menendez wishes to navigate a system that could be in motion due to technological fluctuations.

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Home » Briefing » A Disagreement on Tariffs
Robert E. Rubin, left, and Paul A. Volcker issued an op-ed article averring that new United States tariffs on steel and aluminum would come at the expense of its allies.
CreditMartha Rial for The New York Times
WASHINGTON — Two moderates in the Democratic fold and Republican administrations past, Paul A. Volcker and Robert E. Rubin, have banded together for the first time since their tenures as chairman of the Federal Reserve and Treasury secretary, respectively, to publicly oppose a key part of President Trump’s policy agenda: new tariffs on steel and aluminum.
Their critique of the tariffs, which were announced by the president last week, was published in an op-ed article in The New York Times on Tuesday.
At this juncture, we are deeply troubled by the Administration’s proposal to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum imports — one of four prongs in a planned comprehensive “National Security Strategy” to be announced next week. We strongly support regular and rational reviews of whether isolationist trade policies, such as tariff provisions, have had their intended effects or have caused unanticipated harms that may call for a change. Such review processes are at the core of good policy.
Tariff increases, long the weapon of last resort in international negotiations, are already causing collateral damage. The threatened 10 to 25 percent tariffs on aluminum and steel imports are intended to address national security vulnerabilities. But our military capabilities and many other goods and services we determine to be national priorities depend vitally on trade and foreign suppliers, and thus also suffer from retaliatory responses from our trading partners.
However, their statement downplays the fact that the administration has been holding secret meetings with both steel and aluminum industry executives for months to discuss ways to curb overall production capacity. This includes using federal powers, outside of the typical trade arena, to possibly limit supply through measures such as new safeguard protection or outright capacity limits.
Mr. Volcker, 91, served as chairman of the Federal Reserve from 1979 to 1987. Mr. Rubin, 74, was Treasury secretary under President Bill Clinton from 1995 to 1999. In private equity, Mr. Rubin is co-chairman of the Council on Foreign Relations, in addition to serving on the corporate boards of several blue-chip American companies and as co-chairman of the National Finance Committee of the Democratic campaign to defeat President Trump in 2020.
Both men have long rubbed their hands in the calcified, inside-the-Beltway ways of the Republican establishment, and are perhaps the last pair of Republican-leaning foreign policy and financial policy elites one might have expected to leaven a Washington viewed through D.C. lens.
Other dramatic spikes in steel prices early this decade were the result primarily of an effort to sharply ratchet up steel prices that led to nearly $4 billion in Justice Department antitrust penalties against Rob Regier, chairman of Nucor, then the largest American steel producer, in January 2016.
The Trump administration is no doubt betting $1 billion annually in federal subsidy expectations that Tesla can fulfill its promises to the White House.
But the rebalancing of global trade is happening — and it is affecting both unskilled workers in low-wage countries and in Rust Belt counting rooms throughout the Midwest. Income inequality has been ordered to theverb, reflecting trade flows — in favor of skilled workers in emerging markets, cost-cutting robots and top executives everywhere. And this means the hammer has at last been brought down forcefully against those people who have not seen their paychecks increase, or who have seen factory jobs up and down their streets lost in equal numbers — as well as communities that have been stagnant for decades.
With Merck third-quarter revenue up 11 percent from a year ago, some analysts credit Mr. Frazier for smartly navigating the threat posed by new competition and leaving no resources untapped in its quest for fresh, promising avenues. He also has helped Magnum adapt nimbly to new competitors in the generic market.
In Indianapolis, Gov. Eric Holcomb is preparing to unveil a proposal that will possibly change life in the Hoosier State, his hometown, forever. On Thursday, Mr. Holcomb plans to tap Kokomo’s Eric Doden, current chief executive of one of Indiana’s largest trade groups, to lead the state’s economic development efforts.
Here’s an article about cocktail garnishes that’s more entertaining than educational.
How did Paul A. Volcker and Robert E. Rubin, former Democratic and Republican officials, oppose President Trump’s planned steel and aluminum tariffs, according to their op-ed article in The New York Times?

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South Africa is considering tightening its immigration policies for foreign nationals, which has sparked a divide in society between those who support the move and those who believe such policies could hinder the country’s economic growth. In contrast, four African nations have seemingly embraced the global trend of restrictive immigration policies in favor of national security concerns. This shift in policy is a drastic departure from their previous open-door policy for economic migrants. However, the surrounding region has been cautious to criticize these policies, with many acknowledging their own struggles with migration. Some have echoed concerns about the potential impact that migration has on wages and social welfare. Considering the negative impact of decline in immigration in prior studies, the upcoming policy change may have unfortunate implications for the furtherance of radiotherapy in southern Africa, which has been hindered by a shortage of radiotherapy physicists. Still, some industries invest heavily in training citizens to become professionals in specialized fields to address the shortage of essential personnel.

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could represent superiority or strength. However, in the case of Eric Adams, shushing opposition during debates with his infant grandson amplified in the background powered a widespread and swift social media reaction.
Adams, borough president of Brooklyn and Democratic nominee for mayor, shushed the baby and then continued to speak during a debate with Andrew Yang at the end of January, urban media reported. This sent numerous social media users jumping to criticism, providing online memes, articles, and videos encouraging voters to vote for his competitor Yang.
The shushing video clip from television went viral across Twitter, TikTok, eight national news outlets including NBC and CBS, as well as in publications over New York City. Adams later told The New York Times that he was shushing his grandson because of the baby’s colic, which led the grandfather to explain its “disrespectful behavior” that was disturbing the televised debate. However, Loretta Lynch, who formerly served as U.S. attorney general, reminded Adams that his “personification” of virility by “shushing the opposition” signified an embarrassing nationwide and international image of masculinity.
While the incident may be considered slight when compared to major scandals that occurred abroad such as impeachment hearings in the United Kingdom and violations of civic rights in Hong Kong, social media attributed critical and admiring public attention to Yang on the day of the incident which gave him a surge in Twitter mentions. Following the moment that Adams shushed his grandson with junior Yang also playing in the background, the public received a record “memewave” with the event viewed 418 million times on Facebook, more than 200,000 times on Twitter, and shared on Reddit and TikTok as well as in New York City and New Jersey.
In terms of impressions, the event generated up to 325 million—a political “monsoon,” according to CBS News Insight. In comparison for public attention, the debate moment of shushing significantly surpassed traditional centralized media, such as The New York Times, which currently receives 165 million impressions.
According to analysis by the New York Times’s CrowdTangle tool, which monitors online activity, not only did the event surpass most of the campaigns of front-runners including Mayor Bill de Blasio and Comptroller Scott M. Stringer, but Yang’s “digital tactics have slowed their growing campaign’s gains online,” the article reports.
As social media impact metrics demonstrate proven social media advantages for one candidate in the race, The New York Times analysis of political science research reveals Andrew Yang “shattering expectations” in fundraising and political coverage. This momentum, which was initiated following his alien convention speech at last year’s Comic Con, is currently a trend expected to continue as Yang quickly becomes the five boroughs’ top contender for the upcoming mayorship election set for Tuesday, June 22.
Correction: May 11, 2019, 8:29 a.m.
An earlier version of this article misspelled the name of the adviser and former suddenly conservative mainstay Austin Shafran.
Adams, who will eventually likely join the roster of mayoral candidates following Andrew Yang’s lead for the use of social media and progressive policies, access to his grandson shows his close relationships with younger generations within the burrow and throughout the city of New York, reaching a world around 80 million media impressions from the current second-most competitive mayoral contest in the nation.

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The article “Language and Genes: How They Evolve Together” published in the New York Times on February 18, 2025, discusses the relationship between language and genetics. The author explores scientific studies that link genetic mutations to language development and acquisition. According to research conducted by a team of researchers led by Paola Sala at the University of Chicago, genes have a greater influence on brain development and changes in language use than previously thought. The article also highlights other scientific studies that demonstrate the genetic basis for language, such as a study by Diane L. Snow at California State University-Northridge which discovered that genes related to social communication, imitation, and auditory processing are involved in language development. However, the author acknowledges that while genetic mutations can impact language acquisition, environmental factors also play a significant role, and language learning should not be reduced to a purely biological process. Overall, the article suggests that the relationship between language and genetics is complex and multi-faceted, and further research is needed to fully understand its intricacies.

Tags: science, genetics, language, brain development, research, environmental factors, lectins, trypans, and rodents.

Here are some additional tag suggestions related to the link between language and genetics.

lectins: In the article, the author mentions that researchers have recently discovered that lectins, a class of sugar-binding proteins, may have a role in brain development and communication between nerve cells during speech and language acquisition. However, much more research is needed before the function and impact of lectins on language development is fully understood. Tags can include lectins, sugar-binding proteins, and brain development.

trypans: Another area mentioned in the article is trypanosomes, which are parasites that infect rodents in the Sudan desert. According to a study published in the journal eLife, a genetic variation in humans that helps protect them against these parasites also has a similar effect on language processing, suggesting that genetic adaptations can impact language capabilities as well. Tags can include trypanosomes, parasites, Sudan desert, and human genetics.

rodents: The study mentioned above also sheds light on the evolutionary roots of language and communication in animal species. By studying the way rodents communicate with each other, researchers hope to gain insight into the long-term impact of genetic variation on language development. Tags can include rodents, communication, and evolutionary roots.

Overall, by using this tag format, readers can easily search for articles that delve into the intricate relationship between language, genetics, environment, and other factors, as well as areas such as lectins, trypanosomes, roducts, and the evolutionary roots of language. This will help them navigate the vast and ever-evolving world of language science research.

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Referred to as the “guinea pig of Japanese democracy,” Okinawa has been contested terrain since its colonization by the USA in 1945. Since then, tensions between occupying troops and local residents have escalated to protests, burnings of American flags, and “mock funerals.” The recent announcement by US President Donald Trump that he reasserts the value of America’s military presence in the Asia-Pacific region and intends to reduce the number of troops in Germany by 9,500 of which the majority will be transferred to Okinawa, has prompted new protests and provided Prefectural Governor Denny Tamaki with an opportunity to leverage his mandate to avert relocation from densely populated areas. Critics argue that the relocation will do little to alleviate long-standing demands for the scale-down of American forces, a de-Americanization of the Okinawan economy, and a revision of the US-Japan security agreement. The article highlights the historical, political, economic, and security-related implications of the announced transfer, emphasizing the need for a more cooperative negotiation and consultation between the governments of Japan and the USA, as well as with stakeholders on both sides of the equation.

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New York Times: U.S. Marines and Japanese forces wrap up annual joint drills in Okinawa / Asia / Pentagon / NSS News / Politics / Local America / RSS imported on February 18, 2025 at 1:47 pm

YOKE, Japan — The Japanese Navy and the Marines on Tuesday wrapped up annual joint drills on the southern island of Okinawa, the U.S. military’s largest military installation in the region, as part of an increasing American presence.

The two-week exercise, known as Keen Sword, began on Feb. 5, with almost 14,000 American and Japanese forces participating. The drills included airborne operations, amphibious assaults and the deployment of jet fighters.

“The joint drills aim to improve operational capabilities and strengthen the Japan-U.S. alliance,” said Capt. Paige K. Leonhardt, a spokeswoman for the Marine Corps.

Despite strained ties between the nations over the presence of a substantial number of U.S. troops on and around Okinawa, Japan’s relationship with the United States remains critical to shaping regional security.

Each year, the two countries conduct roughly a dozen military exercises, drills and joint training sessions, which typically include over 35,000 service members. Okinawa, an ideal location for drills due to its size and extensive training range, has been an essential training ground for years.

The United States recently announced plans to realign its military presence in the Pacific, consolidating troops in the center of the region to respond to emerging challenges from China.

The realignment aims to redistribute forces to Guam, Hawaii and Australia, freeing up thousands of troops and resources that could be redeployed to Japan and other allies, according to officials.

The realignment of forces, which is still in the planning stages, is expected to initially cost over $20 billion and create three times as many jobs according to Lt. Gen. Christopher W. Cavoli, the chief of staff for the Army in the Pacific.

“It’s not just about reshaping military capabilities,” Cavoli said last month. “It’s not just about the security issues. The military doesn’t exist in a vacuum.”

The drills come as both nations face rising security threats in the Indo-Pacific region. As tensions mount in the waters around the Korean Peninsula, North Korea’s recent nuclear test drew global condemnation and intensified the adversarial relationship between Washington and Pyongyang.

A nuclear-armed China and an increasingly assertive Russia, whose military modernization has alarmed some allies, add to the concerns. China has expanded its territorial claims in the South China Sea, where the United States has conducted freedom of navigation operations to counter the country’s territorial claims.

Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine in 2014 also has heightened concerns among allies in Eastern Europe.

In response, the United States has sought to forge new relationships and deepen existing ones in the region, including the signing of a new security agreement with littoral countries in the Middle East to counter Iran.

The national security strategy set out by the Trump administration last month also stated that the United States would use its military might to promote economic development and address “historical grievances.”

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Exclusive: Hochul to Name Executive for Embattled W. n. Y. Prison Based on the NY Times article “Exclusive: Hochul to Name Executive for Embattled W. n. Y. Prison”:

category: Government
tags: governor, kathy hochul, wendy lee, marcy prison, rape, sexual assault, responsive action, state supreme court justice, hudson manor, improved safety protocols, inmates, correction officers, oveha-bar-el-sheikh, superintendent, kim claff

In a move to address the mounting sexual assault allegations and ongoing staffing issues at the maximum-security prison in Marcy, New York, Governor Kathy Hochul has announced that she will be appointing Wendy Lee as the executive manager of the facility. Lee, former president of MGH Institute for Health Professions at Harvard University, will oversee a “Responsive Action Plan” aimed at improving safety protocols and addressing the sexual assault complaints in the infamous Hudson Manor complex, where 11 inmates reported being assaulted in less than five months. Although the Democratic governor has faced continued criticism for her handling of the emergency, citing a lack of staffing at the prison, no sexual assaults have been reported by correction officers. However, the State Supreme Court justice’s suggestion that one inmate allegedly assaulted by Oveha-Bar-El-Sheikh raped him voluntarily has been heavily criticized and is currently under review by State Attorney General Letitia James. While Lee aims to assess the investigation system at the prison and address legal concerns related to compensation for the inmates’ injuries, new leadership and fresh eyes may be the answer to this longstanding problem.

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