First Thing: Trump says administration ‘just getting started’ in address to Congress | US news

Good morning.

Donald Trump used his lengthy address to Congress on Tuesday to declare that his administration was “just getting started”, hailing his purging of the federal workforce, upending of foreign policy and intensification of a risky trade war as the beginning of the “most thrilling days in the history” of the US.

At one hour and 40 minutes, his primetime speech to a joint session of Congress was the longest in American history. He thanked Elon Musk, who sat in the gallery overlooking the chamber, where Democrats held paddles daubed with “Musk steals” and placards reading “lies”.

Days after a diplomatic meltdown in which Trump and JD Vance berated the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, over a perceived lack of respect, Trump read from a letter from him, indicating that he was ready to resume negotiations (more on that below). The president also claimed he was in the process of “reclaiming the Panama canal” and repeated his threat to control Greenland.

• What else did the Democrats do? Some brought fired federal workers and Americans who rely on the social safety net programs Trump is threatening. The formal rebuttal, by the Michigan senator Elissa Slotkin, called on voters to actively hold politicians accountable.

• Did all the Democrats attend? No – several, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, skipped it in protest. Ocasio-Cortez instead live-posted on the social media platform BlueSky.

Trump softens tone on Zelenskyy and says both sides ready to negotiate

Donald Trump has said he appreciates Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s readiness to sign a minerals deal with the US and return to negotiations, after the leaders’ disastrous meeting at the White House last week.

In his speech to Congress a day after he ordered a pause on all US military aid to Ukraine, Trump appeared to soften his language regarding Ukraine. “Earlier today, I received an important letter from President Zelenskyy of Ukraine,” he said. Quoting from the letter, Trump said Zelenskyy told him that “Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than the Ukrainians.”

Trump also claimed he had “received strong signals that [Russia] are ready for peace”. Despite being expected to further discuss his plan for Ukraine during the speech, he did not reveal new detail.

• What has Zelenskyy said about a deal? He suggested the “first stages” could include a release of prisoners and a ban on missiles and long-range drones used to attack energy and civilian infrastructure. A mutual truce in the sea could also be included.

Arab leaders endorse $53bn plan to rebuild Gaza as alternative to Trump idea

Arab leaders have endorsed a $53bn plan to reconstruct Gaza under the future administration of the Palestinian Authority – a vision presented as an alternative to Donald Trump’s proposal to expel Palestinians, which has widely been condemned as endorsing ethnic cleansing.

The Arab League’s proposal, presented at a summit in Cairo, centered emergency relief, rebuilding destroyed infrastructure and long-term economic development. It urged the international community to support the plan, which is not backed by Israel.

• Will the PA govern? That remains in question – but Israel rejects any future role for it. The proposal did not comprehensively address Gaza’s governance. Hamas has been battered by 16 months of war but remains a political force, and is unlikely to agree to a process that excludes it.

In other news …

• The Trump administration has renewed its attacks on abortion rights, including asking the supreme court for permission to support a case against Planned Parenthood.

• China has announced that it aims to achieve a GDP of 5% in 2025, a target that experts view as ambitious amid its tariff war with the US.

• The attorney general of Florida has launched a criminal investigation into Andrew and Tristan Tate, who arrived in the state last week despite being charged with rape, sex with a minor, human trafficking and money laundering in Romania.

• Businesses and public services are starting to batten down the hatches in Brisbane and across south-east Queensland, ahead of the likely arrival of a cyclone on Friday.

Stat of the day: Half of world’s CO2 emissions ‘come from 36 fossil fuel firms’

Just 36 fossil fuel companies are responsible for half the world’s CO2 emissions, an analysis of 2023 data has found. The researchers argued it gives weight the case for holding fossil fuel companies accountable for their role in global heating. In order to limit temperature rise to 1.5C, emissions must fall by 45% by 2030. Instead, they are continuing to rise.

Don’t miss this: A visual guide to the suspected attack on Europe’s undersea internet cables

When Finland investigated the severance of undersea internet cables connecting the country with Estonia on Christmas Day 2024, it could not rule out sabotage. The next day, Finnish authorities seized a cargo ship carrying Russian oil. Authorities suspect that it damaged the undersea fibre-optic connections by dragging its anchor over them. This brilliant piece of interactive journalism maps the events as they are suspected to have unfolded – and unpicks what it means for the global economy.

Climate check: How Wall Street is making millions betting against green laws

Investors are increasingly throwing their money behind lawsuits against companies that are suing governments over environmental regulations, often making huge profits, the Guardian can reveal. Claims in investor-state dispute settlement – litigation which allows corporations to sue governments for damaging their profits – can amount to tens of billions of dollars, at the taxpayer’s expense.

Last Thing: Slam dunk! The evolution of basketball’s most thrilling move

Four decades on, the Philadelphia 76ers’ Julius Erving’s January 1983 “rock the cradle” slam dunk remains the greatest of the genre. That’s the view of the Philadelphia Inquirer sports columnist Mike Sielski, anyway: and he’s got the authority to rule on that, having written a book on the history on the legendary basketball move.

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