Musk's DOGE seeks access to personal taxpayer data, raising alarm at IRS  —  The unusual request would put sensitive data about millions of American taxpayers in the hands of Trump political appointees.  —  Elon Musk's U.S. DOGE Service is seeking access to a heavily-guarded Internal Revenue Service system …

Mass firings continue across nation's health agencies  —  The cuts have raised questions about the extent of the impact on public health.  —  The Trump administration carried out more mass firings across the Health and Human Services Department this weekend, continuing a chaotic purge …

Trump Team Leaves Behind an Alliance in Crisis  —  European leaders felt certain about one thing after a whirlwind tour by Trump officials — they were entering a new world where it was harder to depend on the United States.  —  Many critical issues were left uncertain …

Washington Post backs out of ‘Fire Elon Musk’ ad order  —  The Washington Post this week backed out of a “Fire Elon Musk” advertising order that was to run as a wrap on some of its Tuesday editions, according to the advocacy group Common Cause.  —  The group said it signed a $115,000 agreement …

Trump Asks Supreme Court to Let Him Fire US Agency Head  — Justices asked to step in on emergency basis, person says  — Trump seeking to remove head of US whistleblower agency  —  President Donald Trump asked the US Supreme Court to let him fire the head of an independent US agency …

Adams Forcefully Resists Calls to Resign: ‘I Am Going Nowhere’  —  Mayor Eric Adams spoke at two Black churches in Queens and pushed back at those who “are dancing on my grave.”  —  Whenever Mayor Eric Adams has faced adversity, he has sought refuge in the pulpit of Black churches …

Jan. 6 Rioters Argue Pardons Apply to Charges Including Murder Plot, Child Porn  —  Defendants argue that Trump pardons should absolve them of additional crimes, some discovered during investigations of the Capitol riot

Trump Fired, Then Unfired, National Nuclear Security Administration Employees.  What Were Their Jobs?  —  The administration asked some of the agency's workers, who were part of last week's massive layoffs across the federal government, to come back.  —  When termination letters were sent …

Birthright Citizenship: Barnett & Wurman's NY Times Essay and their Bates/Blackstone Double Backfire  —  Randy Barnett & Ilan Wurman had a guest essay in the N.Y. Times on Feb. 15th: “Trump Might Have a Case on Birthright Citizenship.”  The bottom line is that their essay backfires …

The Week Ahead  —  Who you vote for is a political choice.  Whether a fully eligible citizen can vote isn't about politics, it's about your fundamental rights as an American.  For decades now, the Republican party's trajectory has involved making it more difficult for eligible people to vote …

As Trump Targets Research, Scientists Share Grief and Resolve to Fight  —  At a conference in Boston, the nation's scientists commiserated and strategized as funding cuts and federal layoffs throw their world into turmoil.  —  At the annual gathering in Boston this past week …

In Moving to Stop Adams Case, Career Lawyer Sought to Stave Off Deeper Crisis  —  A high-stakes decision for public corruption prosecutors at the Justice Department revealed a generational difference.  —  The threat of a mass firing was unspoken but loomed over the videoconference call.

World's ‘first openly gay imam’ shot dead in South Africa  —  Muhsin Hendricks, a pioneering figure dubbed the world's first openly gay imam, has been shot dead in South Africa.  —  The 57-year-old cleric ran a mosque in Cape Town intended as a safe haven for gay and other marginalised Muslims.

Transportation Department workers with ‘exceptional’ reviews told they're fired for ‘performance’ issues  —  President Donald Trump's administration has started the mass firing of workers who are new to the civil service or have recently switched jobs.  —  Letters went out to dozens …

Netanyahu says Israel working closely with US on Trump's plan for Gaza  —  Israeli PM and US secretary of state express joint support for ‘bold vision’ that would force 2 million people to leave  —  Benjamin Netanyahu has said his government is working closely with the US to implement Donald Trump's plan …