Why Are Africans Fighting in Russia’s War in Ukraine?
Thousands of young African men have been recruited to fight for Russia in Ukraine, many lured by promises of work and later coerced into military contracts. Russia faces a severe manpower shortage after losing about 1.2 million soldiers, wounded or missing, prompting it to turn to foreign recruits. African families in Kenya and elsewhere are protesting, highlighting human‑rights concerns and the lack of transparency. The phenomenon underscores the intersection of Russia’s strategic needs and Africa’s unemployment challenges.
Trump Says U.S. Will Help Stranded Ships Leave Strait of Hormuz
President Trump announced "Project Freedom," a U.S. effort to guide stranded vessels out of the Iran‑blocked Strait of Hormuz starting Monday. The plan, outlined in a brief social‑media post, promises coordination rather than direct escort, using guided‑missile destroyers, over 100...
Inquiry Into Fed Chair Jerome Powell Could Be Resurrected, Jeanine Pirro Says
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro indicated on Sunday that the Justice Department could revive its criminal inquiry into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, which was halted last month. The probe centered on alleged misconduct surrounding a renovation of the Fed’s headquarters amid President...
In a Reversal, Doctors From Countries Under Trump’s Travel Ban Are Allowed to Stay in U.S.
The Department of Homeland Security has lifted the travel‑ban restriction on physicians from the 39 countries targeted by the Trump administration, allowing visa extensions, work permits and green cards to be processed again. The change was announced quietly on the...
Blanche Says Others Who Post ‘86 47’ Message Won’t Be Charged Like Comey
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the Justice Department will not charge anyone else who posts the “86 47” message, contrasting the indictment of former FBI director James B. Comey. Comey was charged for an Instagram photo of seashells spelling “86 47,” which prosecutors...
Trump Says He Is Reviewing Iran’s Latest Offer but Doubts It Is Acceptable
President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that he is reviewing Iran’s latest cease‑fire proposal but doubts it will be acceptable, noting he has only seen the concept, not the full wording. He previously said he was not satisfied with...
U.S. Fast-Tracks Arms Deals Valued at $8.6 Billion to Mideast Partners
The Trump administration has fast‑tracked more than $8.6 billion in emergency arms sales to Israel, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait amid the ongoing U.S.–Israeli war with Iran. The package includes Patriot missile interceptors worth over $4 billion for Qatar, an...
U.S. to Withdraw 5,000 Troops From Germany. But Thousands Will Remain.
The Pentagon announced a drawdown of 5,000 troops from Germany, cutting the U.S. footprint to pre‑2022 levels while still leaving more than 36,000 active‑duty personnel on German soil. Germany remains the largest overseas U.S. base after Japan, hosting five of...
Obamacare Enrollment Drops Sharply as Costs Rise
Enrollment in the Affordable Care Act marketplaces has plunged sharply after Congress let the enhanced subsidies lapse at the end of 2025. Industry analysts estimate a 20% drop, taking coverage from roughly 24 million to about 19 million, with some forecasts suggesting...
As Iran War Reaches 60-Day Mark, Republicans in Congress Grow Impatient With Trump
Republican leaders in Congress are growing impatient with President Trump’s handling of the 60‑day Iran war. While they have publicly backed the operation, senators such as Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski are moving to force a vote on authorizing or...
Trump ‘Not Satisfied’ With Iran’s Proposal on Ending War
Iran’s state news agency said Tehran sent a new peace proposal to end the war with the United States through Pakistani mediators, but the content remains undisclosed. President Donald Trump responded that he was “not satisfied” with the offer, offering...
Israel Said to Have Helped Defend Emirates in Iran War With Iron Dome
Israel deployed its Iron Dome missile‑defense system to the United Arab Emirates amid Iran's retaliatory missile attacks on Gulf states. Israeli soldiers operated the mobile batteries, providing the first instance of the system being sent to an Arab nation. The deployment...
After Prison, a Financial Titan Plots an Unlikely Comeback
Bill McGlashan, the former private‑equity heavyweight who recently served time in prison, is spearheading a new venture called Oath. The startup produces a white powder of diverse microscopic organisms that, when applied to crops such as coffee and soybeans, aims...
Hegseth Cites Falsehood to Defend His Firing of Senior Officers
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told a House Armed Services Committee hearing that President Barack Obama had removed 197 general officers, a figure the Pentagon has repeatedly identified as false. The number originated from an unsigned 2018 editorial that cited Breitbart’s...
Takeaways From Hegseth’s Testimony on Iran War and His Tenure
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testified before the House Armed Services Committee about Operation Epic Fury, the U.S. war in Iran. He highlighted a $25 billion price tag, 14 U.S. service members killed, and defended the mission while attacking critics. The hearing also exposed...
Supreme Court Strikes Down Louisiana Map, Another Blow to Voting Rights Act
The U.S. Supreme Court voted 6‑3 to strike down Louisiana's newly drawn majority‑Black congressional district, ruling that the map violated the Constitution's Equal Protection Clause. The conservative majority, led by Justice Samuel Alito, argued that demographic shifts make race‑based districting...
Amid Iran War and Tensions with Neighbors, U.A.E. Goes Its Own Way
The United Arab Emirates announced it is leaving OPEC as Saudi Arabia hosted a Gulf summit, positioning itself to increase oil output independently. Abu Dhabi cited long‑term market needs and frustration with Saudi‑driven production quotas. The move underscores a widening...
FCC Orders a Review of ABC’s Licenses Amid Feud Between Trump and Kimmel
The Federal Communications Commission ordered a comprehensive review of all broadcast licenses owned by ABC, marking an unprecedented regulatory move. The review is officially linked to an investigation of ABC's diversity and inclusion policies but coincides with President Trump’s public...
King Charles Stresses Significance of U.S.-U.K. Ties
King Charles III delivered a speech to a standing‑ovation‑filled U.S. Congress, emphasizing the deep‑rooted partnership between Britain and America. The address, part of his first U.S. visit as monarch, highlighted reconciliation, renewal and a shared commitment to NATO and Ukraine’s...
China’s Economy Starts to Show Cracks From Iran War
Rising oil and natural‑gas prices from the Iran war are beginning to strain China’s manufacturing‑driven economy. Car sales fell in March and dropped further in April, while restaurants and hotels saw fewer patrons. In southern China, toy‑factory workers protested after...
Canada Says Its Gold Is Traceable and Clean. So We Traced It.
The Royal Canadian Mint says it can trace every ounce of its gold using a blockchain‑style platform called Bullion Genesis, promising a clean, ethically sourced supply. A New York Times investigation, however, linked gold from a Colombian mine controlled by the Clan...
The U.S. Started the War. The Rest of the World Is Feeling the Effects.
The United States’ initiation of an eight‑week war in Iran has rippled through the global economy, shutting textile mills in India and Bangladesh, grounding flights in Ireland, Poland and Germany, and prompting energy rationing in Vietnam, South Korea and Thailand....
Supreme Court Reviews Police Use of Cell Location Data to Find Criminals
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear a case on Monday challenging the use of geofence warrants, which allow police to collect location data from all cellphones near a crime scene. The case stems from a 2019 robbery of Call Federal...
A Year Later, Trump’s ‘Most Exclusive’ Memecoin Event Is a Lot Less Exclusive
A year after the inaugural Trump National Golf Club gathering, President Donald Trump staged a larger, self‑branded "Most Exclusive Conference In The World" at his Mar‑a‑Lago estate, inviting hundreds of $TRUMP memecoin investors. The token’s price has slumped about 80%...
Texas Can Arrest and Deport People Who Illegally Cross at Mexico Border, Court Says
A federal appeals court has lifted a 2024 injunction, allowing Texas to enforce its 2023 Senate Bill 4, which authorizes state and local police to arrest migrants who cross the Mexico border illegally. The Fifth Circuit ruled 10‑to‑7 that the...
New Taxes Helped Cool London’s Housing Market. Could That Happen in New York?
London’s aggressive luxury‑property taxes over the past decade have driven home values down more than 20% and pushed international buyers out of prime neighborhoods, while tightening supply has sent rents to record highs. New York City officials are proposing a...
Measles Is Back. What Comes Next Will Be Worse.
Measles cases in the United States have surged to over 1,700 this year, a stark rise from the roughly 70 annual cases seen in the early 2000s, and three children died last year. Health officials warn the outbreak signals broader...
The Town That Reveals All of Trump’s Bad Economic Ideas
The essay chronicles Hickory, North Carolina, a once-thriving furniture hub devastated after China joined the WTO in 2001, which triggered a surge in cheap imports and massive job losses. President Trump has used towns like Hickory to illustrate the failures...
DeepSeek’s Sequel Set to Extend China’s Reach in Open-Source A.I.
DeepSeek, the Chinese AI start‑up that sparked the 2025 “DeepSeek moment,” unveiled a preview of its next‑generation model, V4, on April 24, 2026. The company reiterated its commitment to open‑source by planning to release V4 under a permissive license, and early benchmarks...
War and Sanctions Accelerate China’s Currency Push
China is accelerating its long‑term effort to internationalize the renminbi as a way to sidestep U.S. sanctions. The wars in Ukraine and Iran have pushed Russia, Iran and other sanctioned economies toward yuan‑denominated trade, giving Beijing a foothold in de‑dollarization....
Iran War Has Drained U.S. Supplies of Critical, Costly Weapons
Since the Iran war began in late February, the United States has fired roughly 1,100 long‑range stealth cruise missiles—almost the entire stockpile—along with more than 1,200 Patriot interceptors and over 1,000 ATACMS and Precision‑Strike missiles. The Pentagon has been forced...
How the Iran War Is Morphing Into a Volatile Standoff in the Strait of Hormuz
The conflict between the United States and Iran has moved from aerial bombardment to a tense maritime standoff in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran claims its forces are concealed in sea caves, ready to strike, while President Trump has ordered...
Trump’s Dreams for a Battleship Led to His Navy Secretary’s Ouster
President Donald Trump demanded a new class of battleships that would be "the fastest, the biggest and 100 times more powerful" than any prior vessel, with the first ship slated for delivery by 2028. Secretary of the Navy John Phelan,...
To Iran, Trump Blinked First by Extending the Cease-Fire
President Donald Trump declared an indefinite cease‑fire with Iran, halting active hostilities while awaiting a response to U.S. demands. Iranian officials interpret the pause as a sign that Tehran can outlast the United States in a prolonged standoff, especially regarding...
Anthropic’s New Mythos A.I. Model Sets Off Global Alarms
Anthropic unveiled Mythos, an AI model that can uncover and exploit hidden software vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure, prompting emergency alerts from central banks and intelligence agencies worldwide. The company limited access to 11 U.S. partners and the Bank of England,...
Pace of N.I.H. Funding Slows Further in Trump’s Second Year
NIH research spending has slipped about $1 billion behind historic levels, delaying thousands of projects. Instead of mass grant cancellations, the agency now vets proposals with a computational text‑analysis tool that flags terms like “racism,” “gender” and “vaccination refusal.” From October...
A $440,000 Breast Reduction: How Doctors Cashed In on the No Surprises Act and Arbitration
The No Surprises Act, passed in 2020 to shield patients from unexpected out‑of‑network bills, created a government‑run arbitration system that insurers must honor. Plastic surgeon Dr. Norman Rowe has leveraged that system to secure $440,000 payments for a single breast‑reduction surgery,...
Hoarding Is Driving Energy Prices Higher Everywhere
Global oil markets are tightening as wealthy nations—China, Japan, Europe, and the United States—scramble to secure supplies amid the Middle East conflict. Their aggressive purchasing and export restrictions are pushing energy prices higher worldwide and creating shortages in less affluent...
What Was the 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal?
President Trump repeatedly denounced the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, calling it a security threat and a conduit for a nuclear weapon. He withdrew the United States from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in 2018, reinstating sanctions that prompted Iran...
Trump and Iran Face Off in Iran War Negotiations
President Trump’s hard‑line, short‑term coercive tactics are colliding with Iran’s patient, detail‑driven negotiation style as talks over a new nuclear framework intensify. Over the past six weeks, Trump has claimed Iran “agreed to everything,” a claim the Iranians publicly denied,...
The Touska, the Iranian-Flagged Ship Seized by U.S. Forces, Was Under Sanctions
The U.S. Navy has turned back 27 vessels attempting to enter or leave Iranian ports since a week‑old blockade around the Strait of Hormuz was imposed. On April 19, the Iranian‑flagged cargo ship Touska was disabled and seized in the...
With Trump Novices, Can the U.S. Win the ‘Art Olympics’?
The U.S. State Department has replaced its long‑standing museum‑led selection process for the Venice Biennale with a new commission led by Jenni Parido, a former pet‑food store owner who founded the nonprofit American Arts Conservancy. Parido, lacking professional museum experience,...
U.S. Installs a Trump Loyalist to Lead ‘Grand Conspiracy’ Case Into Trump Foes
Joseph diGenova, an 81‑year‑old former Trump campaign lawyer, has been named counselor to the attorney general and detailed to the Southern District of Florida to lead a grand‑jury inquiry overseen by Trump‑favored judge Aileen Cannon. The appointment follows the abrupt...
For Iran, Flexing Control Over Waterway Is New Deterrent
Iran has leveraged its control over the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of global oil passes, to create a new strategic deterrent amid ongoing US‑Israel hostilities. Despite heavy strikes on Iran’s leadership and missile facilities, Tehran’s ability to...
A Potent Threat in Strait of Hormuz: Iran’s ‘Mosquito Fleet’
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fields a “mosquito fleet” of tiny, high‑speed boats that can top 115 mph and launch missiles or drones at passing vessels. The guerrilla‑style flotilla operates separately from Iran’s regular navy and has become the primary...
Trump Extends Sanctions Exemption on Some Russian Oil as High Gas Prices Persist
The Treasury Department announced a one‑month extension of the sanctions exemption for certain Russian crude, now running through May 16, 2026. The move comes just two days after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the waiver would not be renewed, and follows...
Trump Is Urged to Move on Nuclear Site Thought to Be Beyond Reach of Bombs
U.S. airstrikes over the past year have crippled Iran’s primary nuclear facilities, yet a deep underground complex known as Pickaxe Mountain remains untouched and may be beyond the reach of America’s most powerful bunker‑buster bombs. Experts warn the unfinished site...
Prosecutor Withdraws From Trump Team’s Investigation of Ex-CIA Director John O. Brennan
A senior Miami federal prosecutor, Maria Medetis Long, withdrew from the Justice Department’s investigation of former CIA director John O. Brennan, citing concerns about the case’s legal footing. The probe, led by Trump‑aligned U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones, is being...
Xi Alludes to Trump’s Policies to Make a Case for Closer Ties to Vietnam
Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted Vietnam’s President and Party General Secretary To Lam in Beijing, emphasizing shared communist ideology and mutual security interests. Xi invoked former President Trump’s tariffs and the Strait of Hormuz blockage to argue for protected trade routes...
China’s G.D.P. Stronger Than Expected, Led by Infrastructure Spending
China’s National Bureau of Statistics reported that GDP expanded 1.3% quarter‑over‑quarter in Q1 2026, implying an annualized growth rate of about 5.3%, slightly above the 4.8% consensus. The modest gain was driven by an 8.9% year‑over‑year jump in infrastructure spending,...