The Fifth

Weekly Newsletter Featured

Republicans Celebrate Independence Day by Pickpocketing American Families

Is this what it means to be an American? Trump just made tax cuts for the ultra-rich permanent while throwing breadcrumbs to everyone else—temporary, complicated tax breaks that conveniently disappear with the next election cycle. It's the perfect con job that spits in the face of American values.

Weekly Newsletter

Mahmoud Khalil is Free at Last

After 104 days in detention, a Columbia University punished for trying to end a genocide is heading home. Plus, Israel's war on Iran heads into the second week with no end in sight... yet.

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Middle East War, Parades & Protests, and One Big Miracle

Israel has provoked war with Iran, and Trump is parading in DC today while thousands protest his immigration policies. And in a new development this morning, the country's political tensions are spilling literal blood.

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Israel Gets Caught Lying, Again; Trump & Musk are Never, Ever, Ever Getting Back Together

Developing tonight: Kilmar Abrego Garcia — the Maryland man accidentally deported by the Trump Administration to a notorious prison in El Salvador — is back in the US tonight. The DOJ says he will face charges related to trafficking migrants that stem from a 2022 traffic stop in Tennessee. Abrego Garcia was

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The Hungriest Place on Earth

The latest: The White House says Israel has signed off on a "ceasefire" deal with Hamas. Reuters reports that it outlines a prisoner exchange, promises for humanitarian aid and a 6o-day pause in fighting. However, Hamas says the proposal they received does not guarantee any end to fighting

Weekly Newsletter

The Politics of Justice & Grief

All murders are senseless and horrific. Why do some count more than others, and what does that say about our society?

What Will It Take?

Good evening, The horrific conditions in Gaza—driven by Israel’s blockade of life-sustaining aid and incessant bombardment—show no signs of improvement as President Donald Trump returns from the Middle East tonight, more personally enriched and no closer to a peace deal. After 18 months of bombs, starvation, and

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Pope Rhymes With Hope

Good evening, This week made one thing painfully clear: politics is no longer just how we govern—it’s how we see the world. Even God is now filtered through a partisan lens. Nothing seems sacred anymore. Not science. Not education. Not even basic morality. When the Catholic Church named

Weekly Newsletter

ICE in the Hot Seat

This week: ICE deported three U.S. citizen kids — including a child with Stage 4 cancer. The economy shrank, Trump targeted NPR, PBS and the ICJ held hearings on whether Israel is unlawfully blocking all aid to Gaza.

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How to Lose a Country in 100 Days

This week fears of a financial meltdown pushed Trump to walk back some of his attacks on economic policy. Meanwhile, federal judges handed the administration a string of defeats that — at least for now — show the judiciary is still willing to check executive power. Tuesday marks Trump's 100th

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Gettin' Yippy With It

Na Na Na Na Nana. Don't think Trump was channeling Will Smith when he said people were getting "yippy." And yes, that is a word.

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The People (and Penguins) Dissent

More than one thousand rallies across the country calling on the Trump Administration to back off controversial and unconstitutional policies took place Saturday.

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This is What Fascism Looks Like

Trump is targeting academic institutions, students, law firms, lawyers, the press and political opponents. This isn't just a constitutional crisis anymore, it's full-on fascism.

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No Order in the Courts

The Trump Administration is playing fast and loose in courtrooms--and judges are not having it. Will the judiciary save democracy? Plus, Israel breaks ceasefire and kills hundreds more Gaza. How will it end?

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Stand Out.

History is shaped by those who, against all odds, spoke truth to power—often at great personal cost—until society could no longer ignore their heroism: Rosa Parks. Harriet Tubman. Susan B. Anthony. Frederick Douglass. Their journeys began with small, quiet acts that unknowingly sparked movements, inspiring others to fight

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Tariff Trouble, Musk's Power Shift & a SCOTUS Ruling Against Trump

Plus: "Crypto Bros" may be increasing their influence in American politics.

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Trump & Vance Embarrass U.S. in Spectacular Fashion

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was berated in the Oval Office during a meeting with the president and vice president before being asked to leave.

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MAGA Goes Global & Trump Backs Down on Gaza Ethnic Cleansing

Last week, we talked about the U.S. teetering on the edge of a constitutional crisis. We may now be on the brink of a moral one, too.

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Why This Political Moment Feels Different

Hint: Because it is.

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How to Dismantle a Democracy

It's Friday, February 7, 2025, and here are this week's top stories. But first, the big picture: Themes for This Week * Major government overhaul: The administration shut down an entire federal agency and has plans to dismantle more—all without the required Congressional oversight. * Lack of

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🎯 Trump, Week Two.

Trump's second-week actions showcase an effort to replace the federal government with loyalists who will enact his most egregious policies without question.

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Trump Week One, Brace Yourself

Well, this week has been a doozy. On Monday, President Donald Trump was inaugurated, and it didn’t take long for things to spiral. While we had some idea of what to expect in his first days, nothing could truly prepare you for watching democracy being dismantled piece-by-piece before your

Palestine

Meet the People Fueling West Bank Violence

Israeli settler violence in the Occupied West Bank has skyrocketed since Trump took office. According to the UNHCR, at least 10 Palestinians, including a child shot in the chest by Israeli security forces, have been killed. Dozens more are injured. But here’s the thing—this isn’t just random

Trump: The First Week

Here is a list of some of the executive orders Trump signed this week. Please note that an EO does not mean it will happen, that it’s legal, or that the President has the authority to do so. But it does mean the Trump Administration will sure as hell

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Biden's Final Warning, a Ban on Red Food Coloring & Hope for Gaza

Here's what to know for the week ending January 17, 2025. And parents, take note of a new ban on red food colorant that affects many children's products, including cough syrups and candy. More on that below. But first, Gaza. ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER Benjamin Netanyahu'