House Democrats, led by Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, announced they will force a House vote next week on a bipartisan war powers resolution by Reps. Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna, aimed at requiring congressional approval for military action against Iran. The resolution seeks to curb President Trump's military authority, emphasizing the need for legislative consent and criticizing unilateral action. Some Republicans oppose the measure, and procedural rules may facilitate its consideration despite opposition from House leadership.
US President Donald Trump expressed dissatisfaction with Iran's negotiations regarding its nuclear program and indicated he has not yet made a decision on military action. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to visit Israel next week to discuss Iran and regional issues amid elevated security concerns, as the US advises non-emergency embassy staff to leave Israel due to safety risks. The US has also authorized the departure of some diplomatic personnel from Israel, amid heightened tensions, with ongoing diplomatic talks mediated by Oman. Additionally, travel advisories have been issued by France and Germany, and flight cancellations to Iran have occurred amidst the tense atmosphere.
The Holy See has declined President Donald Trump's invitation to join the Board of Peace, an international body launched in 2026 aimed at managing global crises and reconstruction efforts, notably in Gaza. Cardinal Pietro Parolin stated that the Vatican favors multilateralism through the United Nations and emphasizes its spiritual and humanitarian mission, rejecting any financial participation or political reconstruction roles. The decision reflects the Holy See's stance on maintaining diplomatic neutrality and opposition to bypassing established international institutions.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to visit Israel early next week amid ongoing high tensions between the U.S. and Iran, following recent nuclear talks and military buildup in the region. The U.S. Embassy in Israel has advised non-essential staff to leave and has implemented "authorized departure" protocols, indicating possible military action. Diplomatic efforts continue, with recent negotiations between Iran and the U.S. ending without a deal, while regional instability persists.
Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, has historically operated in legal gray areas and faced multiple international investigations for money laundering, sanctions violations, and market manipulation. Under the Trump administration, regulatory actions against Binance were reduced, and the company gained closer ties to Trump-aligned financial ventures, including facilitating the Trump family's crypto investments. Despite ongoing allegations of illicit activity and sanctions evasion, Binance maintains a global, decentralized presence, with recent reports highlighting continued compliance issues, such as the use of its platform for transactions linked to Iran and Russia. The close relationship between Binance and prominent figures in Trump's circle has raised concerns about conflicts of interest and the company's influence on U.S. policies.
Anthropic faces a deadline to agree to the Department of Defense's demand for unrestricted use of its AI models, with threats from the DoD to label the company a "supply chain risk" or invoke the Defense Production Act if it refuses. The company, which has emphasized safety and responsible AI deployment, is caught in a conflict between government pressures and its own values, risking reputational damage and lost revenue if it declines. Industry experts and employees have expressed concern over potential long-term impacts on AI collaboration with the government, while Anthropic maintains its stance of cautious cooperation.
Two brothers from Corpus Christi protested outside the Port of Corpus Christi ahead of President Donald Trump's visit, holding signs calling for the release of Jeffrey Epstein files and emphasizing the issue's importance beyond politics. They expressed concerns for missing children and urged transparency and accountability. Trump was visiting to speak on the economy and energy policies amid the upcoming Texas primary election.
Scouting America will implement policy changes, including requiring members to identify by their biological sex and banning gender identity considerations, following pressure from the Pentagon, which has threatened to withdraw its support if compliance is not met. The organization, which maintains its new name and continues to serve over 200,000 girls, has historically partnered with the military and embraced LGBTQ+ members since 2013. The Pentagon criticizes the rebranding and recent social justice initiatives as incompatible with its values and has expressed intentions to review its support within six months.
The article reports that Pentagon Pete Hegseth, ostensibly serving as a defense secretary figure, criticized the Boy Scouts for adopting diversity and inclusion policies, threatening to cut ties unless they make significant reforms. Meanwhile, the United States is approaching heightened tensions with Iran, with increased military presence in the Middle East and stalled negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, amid uncertainty about imminent military action.
The U.S. Supreme Court limited President Trump's ability to unilaterally impose broad tariffs using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, requiring congressional approval for such measures. Despite this legal restriction, the administration has continued to implement tariffs through other laws, resulting in slower and more bureaucratic processes. While tariffs increased government revenue and influenced trade patterns, they did not achieve the broader economic goals, such as revitalizing manufacturing or reducing the trade deficit, and contributed to global trade uncertainty and supply chain shifts. The ruling marks a shift toward more procedural tariff implementation but does not eliminate the use of tariffs altogether.
U.S. spot bitcoin ETFs experienced their largest weekly inflows in six weeks, totaling $1.1 billion over three days, driven by renewed U.S. demand indicated by a rebound in the Coinbase Premium index. BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust contributed over half of the inflows, and bitcoin holdings across U.S. ETFs increased to 1.29 million BTC. Despite this, Bitcoin's price remained around mid-$60,000, and CME open interest declined, suggesting ETF buying was primarily long exposure.
Rep. Nancy Mace called for Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to testify before the House Oversight Committee regarding his associations with Jeffrey Epstein. This followed the removal and restoration of a DOJ database photo showing Epstein with Lutnick and others, and reports of Lutnick’s past visits to Epstein’s private island. Legislators also discussed questioning former President Bill Clinton about his links to Epstein, with some indicating Lutnick might be subpoenaed.
