Good morning. We’re covering Donald Trump’s return to power and the latest on the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. Plus: The competition to be the world’s best spreadsheeter.
Trump took office, vowing ‘America’s decline is over’Donald Trump completed his remarkable return to power yesterday as he was sworn in as the 47th U.S. president. “The golden age of America begins right now,” Trump declared in his Inaugural Address, which he delivered at the Capitol shortly after taking the oath of office. Much as he did in his first term, Trump painted a grim portrait of a country on its knees that only he could revive. “From this moment on, America’s decline is over,” he said. Follow our live updates from Inauguration Day. In his address, Trump vowed to immediately declare a national emergency at the border with Mexico and to send the military to guard it. He said he would end government programs promoting diversity. He also said he would rename the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America and promised to seize the Panama Canal. A day of firsts: Trump, 78, became the oldest person ever inaugurated as U.S. president, eclipsing Joe Biden, who was five months younger when he took office four years ago. Trump also became only the second U.S. president to reclaim the White House after being defeated for re-election, joining Grover Cleveland. He is the first felon to hold office. First family: Trump’s relatives return to Washington with more support — and a far better understanding of how to wield their soft power.
Trump’s first act: an immigration crackdownPresident Trump moved swiftly to close down a government program created by the Biden administration that had allowed migrants to use an app to make an appointment for admission into the United States. Migrants were shocked as the message flashed on their phones: “Existing appointments have been canceled.” Trump has promised to deport millions of people who are living in the country without permission. His team said he would sign 10 executive orders cracking down on immigration and immigrants. Climate: Trump signed an executive order to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement, the pact among almost all nations to fight climate change. Trade: Trump said that he planned to impose a 25 percent tariff on products from Canada and Mexico on Feb. 1 and might impose levies on most American imports. Jan. 6 attack: Trump pardoned nearly all of the 1,600 rioters of the mob that attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. For more: Here’s a list of other actions he is expected to take.
Gazans came home to rubble as the cease-fire heldPalestinians began to survey the damage to their homes, salvaging what they could from the rubble, as Israelis waited anxiously for news about the health of three recently freed hostages. The cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, which went into effect on Sunday, continued to hold. More than 630 aid trucks entered the Gaza Strip on the first day, according to the U.N. It was the biggest delivery since the start of the war more than 15 months ago. Follow our live updates. Analysis: The war is not over, and the three-phase cease-fire deal is extremely fragile, Steven Erlanger, a former Jerusalem bureau chief, writes.
Excel, a spreadsheet program with a function that can perform complex math, is often associated, rightly, with corporate drudgery. But last month, in a Las Vegas e-sports arena, finance professionals fluent in spreadsheets were treated like minor celebrities. They had gathered to solve devilishly complex Excel puzzles in front of a live audience.
‘Grand Theft Hamlet’During a pandemic lockdown, two out-of-work London actors turned to the video game Grand Theft Auto Online to stage a version of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” entirely within the game’s universe. The result is documented in the film “Grand Theft Hamlet,” which is part absurdist making-of doc, part postmodern inquiry. In this production, a tortured soliloquy may be interrupted by a rocket launcher fired by a digital avatar wearing a galaxy-print onesie. The film also tracks the struggles of the actors, Sam Crane and Mark Oosterveen, to mount their virtual production, including bizarre online auditions with strangers. The surreal form enlivens Shakespeare and raises fascinating questions about community and connection, our critic wrote. We hope you’ve enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times.
Make: This vegan green goddess dressing is enhanced by tahini. Watch: Netflix’s “Selling the City,” the newest offshoot of the “Selling Sunset” franchise, features backstabbing and big commissions. |
