Steve Herman
@newsguy.bsky.social
Exec. Director, Jordan Center for Journalism Advocacy & Innovation/Asst. Professor of Practice, @OleMiss.bsky.social;
Board: @npcinstitute.bsky.social; @juristnews.bsky.social;
Ex VOA White House bureau chief; 2022 Kiplinger Fellow; W7VOA on ham radio
Board: @npcinstitute.bsky.social; @juristnews.bsky.social;
Ex VOA White House bureau chief; 2022 Kiplinger Fellow; W7VOA on ham radio
Pinned
Behind the White House Curtain
Check out this great listen on Audible.com. Steven L Herman, chief national correspondent for the nonpartisan, government-funded Voice of America (VOA), weaves together memoir and history to pull back...
www.audible.com
The audiobook version of “Behind the White House Curtain” is now available. www.audible.com/pd/Behind-th...
The Guardian - NSA detected a phone call between foreign intelligence and a person close to President Trump. A whistleblower says DNI Tulsi Gabbard blocked sharing of the report and took it to the White House chief of staff. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2...
NSA detected phone call between foreign intelligence and a person close to Trump
Whistleblower says that Tulsi Gabbard blocked agency from sharing report and delivered it to White House chief of staff
www.theguardian.com
February 7, 2026 at 11:31 PM
The Guardian - NSA detected a phone call between foreign intelligence and a person close to President Trump. A whistleblower says DNI Tulsi Gabbard blocked sharing of the report and took it to the White House chief of staff. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2...
Washington Post CEO William Lewis is resigning just days after the dramatic newsroom purge and years of controversy leading the newspaper. Jeff D’Onofrio, formerly the chief financial officer, will take over the Bezos-owned publication.
February 7, 2026 at 11:05 PM
Washington Post CEO William Lewis is resigning just days after the dramatic newsroom purge and years of controversy leading the newspaper. Jeff D’Onofrio, formerly the chief financial officer, will take over the Bezos-owned publication.
Italian railroad line sabotaged, disrupting travel to Winter Olympics. www.rainews.it/articoli/2026/...
Cavi ferroviari tranciati sulla Bologna-Padova, ipotesi sabotaggio. S'indaga per terrorismo
Sospetti sugli anarchici, ma si attende una rivendicazione. Salvini: "Un attentato, vogliono male all'Italia"
www.rainews.it
February 7, 2026 at 9:55 PM
Italian railroad line sabotaged, disrupting travel to Winter Olympics. www.rainews.it/articoli/2026/...
NYT - Federal prosecutors had a warrant to collect evidence from Renee Good’s vehicle, but Trump administration leaders said to drop it. www.nytimes.com/2026/02/07/u...
Prosecutors Began Investigating Renee Good’s Killing. Washington Told Them to Stop.
www.nytimes.com
February 7, 2026 at 4:09 PM
NYT - Federal prosecutors had a warrant to collect evidence from Renee Good’s vehicle, but Trump administration leaders said to drop it. www.nytimes.com/2026/02/07/u...
Russian mass attack hits key elements of Ukraine's power grid as freezing temperatures returned. kyivindependent.com/mass-atta...
Russia causes 'significant damage' to thermal plants in mass attack on Ukraine power grid
Attacks were reported across the country, including in western regions.
kyivindependent.com
February 7, 2026 at 12:34 PM
Russian mass attack hits key elements of Ukraine's power grid as freezing temperatures returned. kyivindependent.com/mass-atta...
Rep. Mark Amodei, the only Republican in Nevada's congressional delegation, has made a surprise announcement he is retiring at the end of his term. thenevadaindependent.com/arti...
Mark Amodei will retire at the end of his term - The Nevada Independent
The congressman, who has served for a decade and a half, is the only Republican in Nevada’s delegation.
thenevadaindependent.com
February 6, 2026 at 11:01 PM
Rep. Mark Amodei, the only Republican in Nevada's congressional delegation, has made a surprise announcement he is retiring at the end of his term. thenevadaindependent.com/arti...
President Trump signs a proclamation temporarily quadrupling imports of lean beef trimmings from Argentina. www.drovers.com/news/ag-poli...
www.drovers.com
February 6, 2026 at 10:52 PM
President Trump signs a proclamation temporarily quadrupling imports of lean beef trimmings from Argentina. www.drovers.com/news/ag-poli...
A White House meeting around the upcoming National Governors Association weekend will only include Republicans — a break from its bipartisan past. www.politico.com/news/2026/02...
White House excluding Dems from its annual governors meeting
It’s a break from a decades-long bipartisan tradition.
www.politico.com
February 6, 2026 at 10:35 PM
A White House meeting around the upcoming National Governors Association weekend will only include Republicans — a break from its bipartisan past. www.politico.com/news/2026/02...
DoJ - Zubayar Al-Bakoush, an armed coconspirator in the 2012 attack on US facilities in Benghazi that killed Ambassador Stevens and three other Americans, charged in an indictment unsealed today in U.S. District Court on multiple terrorism and murder counts. www.justice.gov/opa/pr/third...
Third Coconspirator in Fatal Benghazi Attacks in U.S. Custody, Charged in Washington D.C. with Murder and Terrorism Counts
Zubayar Al-Bakoush, an armed coconspirator in the 2012 attack on U.S. facilities in Benghazi, Libya, that killed U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three other Americans, was charged in an eig...
www.justice.gov
February 6, 2026 at 8:17 PM
DoJ - Zubayar Al-Bakoush, an armed coconspirator in the 2012 attack on US facilities in Benghazi that killed Ambassador Stevens and three other Americans, charged in an indictment unsealed today in U.S. District Court on multiple terrorism and murder counts. www.justice.gov/opa/pr/third...
FIRE files a lawsuit against the FTC, alleging the government agency "has used its broad regulatory powers to attack NewsGuard, a private news organization, because it doesn’t like its news ratings." www.newsguardtech.com/wp-content/u...
www.newsguardtech.com
February 6, 2026 at 5:34 PM
FIRE files a lawsuit against the FTC, alleging the government agency "has used its broad regulatory powers to attack NewsGuard, a private news organization, because it doesn’t like its news ratings." www.newsguardtech.com/wp-content/u...
NYT - President Trump posted a blatantly racist video clip portraying former President Obama and the former first lady Michelle Obama as apes, the latest in a long pattern by Trump of promoting offensive stereotypes about Black Americans and others. www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/us...
www.nytimes.com
February 6, 2026 at 4:16 PM
NYT - President Trump posted a blatantly racist video clip portraying former President Obama and the former first lady Michelle Obama as apes, the latest in a long pattern by Trump of promoting offensive stereotypes about Black Americans and others. www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/us...
At least 31 people were killed and another 169 injured in a suicide bombing attack on a Shia congregation during Friday prayers in Islamabad, Pakistan. www.dawn.com/news/1971418
At least 31 killed, 169 injured in suicide bombing at Islamabad imambargah
Defence minister points finger at India and Afghanistan, says the state will respond to this “cruelty with full force”; emergency imposed in hospitals across Islamabad, says parliamentary affairs minister; CM Maryam says Punjab govt has dispatched 25 ambulances to Islamabad.
www.dawn.com
February 6, 2026 at 2:33 PM
At least 31 people were killed and another 169 injured in a suicide bombing attack on a Shia congregation during Friday prayers in Islamabad, Pakistan. www.dawn.com/news/1971418
The president told Senate Minority Leader Schumer that he was finally prepared to drop his freeze on billions of dollars in funding for New York’s Penn Station and Washington’s Dulles International Airport if both would be named after Trump. www.cnn.com/2026/02/05/p...
Trump promises Schumer funding for NY tunnel project — if Penn Station and Dulles Airport are renamed after him | CNN Politics
President Donald Trump told Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer last month that he was finally prepared to drop his freeze on billions of dollars in funding for a major New York infrastructure projec...
www.cnn.com
February 6, 2026 at 5:26 AM
The president told Senate Minority Leader Schumer that he was finally prepared to drop his freeze on billions of dollars in funding for New York’s Penn Station and Washington’s Dulles International Airport if both would be named after Trump. www.cnn.com/2026/02/05/p...
The mayor of Tequila is accused of shaking down makers of tequila. www.jornada.com.mx/noticia/20...
Alcalde de Tequila, Diego Rivera Navarro, es detenido por extorsión y vínculos con 'CJNG'
El Gabinete de Seguridad federal informó de la detención del alcalde y otros tres funcionarios municipales como parte de la Operación Enjambre.
www.jornada.com.mx
February 5, 2026 at 10:26 PM
The mayor of Tequila is accused of shaking down makers of tequila. www.jornada.com.mx/noticia/20...
Russian forces apparently have lost access to Starlink. kyivindependent.com/not-a-pro...
Starlink 'catastrophe' for Russia as forces lose access across front line in Ukraine
"The enemy at the front doesn't have a problem, the enemy has a catastrophe," Serhiy "Flash" Beskrestnov said.
kyivindependent.com
February 5, 2026 at 10:17 PM
Russian forces apparently have lost access to Starlink. kyivindependent.com/not-a-pro...
US Journalist Rapid Response Fund launched. cpj.org/2026/02/new-...
New emergency fund supports US journalists at risk - Committee to Protect Journalists
New York, February 5, 2026—Following escalating threats to the safety of journalists nationwide, two international press freedom organizations – the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and the Inte...
cpj.org
February 5, 2026 at 9:54 PM
US Journalist Rapid Response Fund launched. cpj.org/2026/02/new-...
Federal Judge Lamberth today requested plaintiffs suing Kari Lake and USAGM to send him by Feb. 12 a brief explaining how the 2026 funding for VOA approved by Congress in the spending bill signed by President Trump applies to the request for summary judgment to reinstate VOA staff & operations.
February 5, 2026 at 9:03 PM
Federal Judge Lamberth today requested plaintiffs suing Kari Lake and USAGM to send him by Feb. 12 a brief explaining how the 2026 funding for VOA approved by Congress in the spending bill signed by President Trump applies to the request for summary judgment to reinstate VOA staff & operations.
The American Academy of Diplomacy issued a formal statement "rejecting allegations against Ambassador (ret.) Earl Anthony Wayne as false and malicious." www.academyofdiplomacy.org/ne...
Press Release | Academy Rejects Allegations Against Ambassador (ret.) Earl Anthony Wayne | American Academy of Diplomacy
In a statement issued on February 5, 2026, the American Academy of Diplomacy rejected allegations against Ambassador (ret.) Earl Anthony Wayne as false and malicious.
www.academyofdiplomacy.org
February 5, 2026 at 8:41 PM
The American Academy of Diplomacy issued a formal statement "rejecting allegations against Ambassador (ret.) Earl Anthony Wayne as false and malicious." www.academyofdiplomacy.org/ne...
WMATA announces it and Kawasaki Rail Car have resolved several ongoing contract disputes regarding, "among other things, the 2021 Blue Line derailment of a 7000-series railcar which led to the entire 7000-series fleet being grounded." wmata.com/about/news/WMATA-an...
WMATA | WMATA and Kawasaki announce resolution of 7000-Series railcars disputes
Metro news and service information for the Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia region.
wmata.com
February 5, 2026 at 8:34 PM
WMATA announces it and Kawasaki Rail Car have resolved several ongoing contract disputes regarding, "among other things, the 2021 Blue Line derailment of a 7000-series railcar which led to the entire 7000-series fleet being grounded." wmata.com/about/news/WMATA-an...
Bitcoin is down 7.5% from a day ago with a Forbes senior contributor writing that an “apocalypse” appears to be quietly emerging with crypto traders scrambling to get ahead of what could become a full-blown crash. www.forbes.com/sites/digita...
February 5, 2026 at 4:53 PM
Bitcoin is down 7.5% from a day ago with a Forbes senior contributor writing that an “apocalypse” appears to be quietly emerging with crypto traders scrambling to get ahead of what could become a full-blown crash. www.forbes.com/sites/digita...
Rio Tinto and Glencore again abandon their $260 billion megadeal that would have created the world's largest mining group. www.glencore.com/media-and-in...
Response to Rule 2.8 announcement from Rio Tinto
www.glencore.com
February 5, 2026 at 3:34 PM
Rio Tinto and Glencore again abandon their $260 billion megadeal that would have created the world's largest mining group. www.glencore.com/media-and-in...
President Trump's overall approval rating remains low at 39%, with 56% disapproving, and a whopping 51% strongly disapproving — the highest Marist has seen since it started asking how strongly respondents approve or disapprove of presidents dating back to 2017. maristpoll.marist.edu/polls/t...
Home of the Marist Poll | Polls, Analysis, Learning, and More
maristpoll.marist.edu
February 5, 2026 at 12:03 PM
President Trump's overall approval rating remains low at 39%, with 56% disapproving, and a whopping 51% strongly disapproving — the highest Marist has seen since it started asking how strongly respondents approve or disapprove of presidents dating back to 2017. maristpoll.marist.edu/polls/t...
WSJ - The Trump administration is planning to make it easier to discipline—and potentially fire—career officials in senior positions across the government, a move that would affect roughly 50,000 federal workers. www.wsj.com/politics/policy/t...
Exclusive | Trump Administration to Make It Easier to Fire 50,000 Federal Workers
A rule expected to be completed on Thursday would create a government-employee category that offers fewer job protections.
www.wsj.com
February 5, 2026 at 11:56 AM
WSJ - The Trump administration is planning to make it easier to discipline—and potentially fire—career officials in senior positions across the government, a move that would affect roughly 50,000 federal workers. www.wsj.com/politics/policy/t...
"I'm reaching out to let you know about a security incident that resulted in the email address and phone number from your Substack account being shared without your permission. … This sucks. I'm sorry. We will work very hard to make sure it does not happen again." - Chris Best, CEO of Substack
February 5, 2026 at 2:23 AM
"I'm reaching out to let you know about a security incident that resulted in the email address and phone number from your Substack account being shared without your permission. … This sucks. I'm sorry. We will work very hard to make sure it does not happen again." - Chris Best, CEO of Substack