WashingTone

Health Department Strengthens Digital Health Privacy and AI Oversight

The Department of Health and Human Services released updated guidance expanding privacy protections for digital health records and establishing stronger oversight of artificial intelligence in federally supported healthcare programs.

Melania Trump Helps Reunite More Ukrainian and Russian Children With Their Families

First Lady Melania Trump facilitated the reunification of a fifth group of Ukrainian and Russian children with their families as part of ongoing humanitarian efforts.

Supreme Court Approval Remains Near Three-Decade Low, Pew Survey Finds

A Pew Research Center survey found public confidence in the U.S. Supreme Court remains near historic lows following a term dominated by major rulings on executive authority, federal agencies and birthright citizenship.

Congress Questions Pentagon Over Casualty Reporting After Iran Operations

Defense officials faced renewed scrutiny from lawmakers over discrepancies in casualty reporting and medical care for service members wounded during recent operations involving Iran.

State Department Issues Worldwide Security Alert for U.S. Citizens

The State Department urged Americans overseas to exercise increased caution and prepare for possible travel disruptions as tensions in the Middle East continue.

Trump Signs Executive Order to Strengthen Critical Mineral Supply Chains

President Donald Trump delegated Defense Production Act authority to support domestic production of critical minerals and advanced materials needed for defence manufacturing.

Justice and Homeland Security Recover More Than US$1 Billion in Trade Fraud Cases

The Departments of Justice and Homeland Security said their joint Trade Fraud Task Force has recovered or charged more than US$1 billion over the past year while releasing new compliance guidance for importers.

Pentagon Launches Review of U.S. Military Presence in Europe

The Defense Department has begun a comprehensive review of American force posture in Europe aimed at shifting greater responsibility for conventional defence to European NATO allies.

Federal Reserve Holds Interest Rates Steady Amid Political Pressure

The Federal Reserve kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged as lawmakers continued debating the economic effects of tariffs, inflation and U.S. military spending in the Middle East.

Trump Administration Limits Foreign Student Visas to Four-Year Terms

The Department of Homeland Security issued a final rule replacing the long-standing "duration of status" system for foreign students and exchange visitors with fixed four-year admission periods and expanded biometric screening.

House Passes Defense Funding Bill Combined With Voting Restrictions

The House of Representatives approved a Republican-backed package combining annual Pentagon funding with the Save America Act, including stricter voter identification and mail-in voting requirements before lawmakers left for the August r...

Senate Rejects Bid to Limit Trump's Military Authority Over Iran

The U.S. Senate narrowly voted 50-49 against a war powers resolution that would have restricted President Donald Trump's authority to conduct military operations against Iran, exposing divisions in Congress over the conflict.

US Says It Has Carried Out Heavy Strikes on Iran After Attempted Attacks on Its Forces

US Central Command said dozens of Iranian targets were hit after missiles were fired towards US forces in Jordan, while Iranian media reported civilian deaths on Qeshm island.

The chief executive of the popular gaming company laid off many employees and his pay rose to 38 million dollars

Electronic Arts cut jobs across four studios while its chief executive, Andrew Wilson, received an eight-million-dollar increase in annual compensation.

OMB Orders Agencies to Prepare Workforce Reduction Plans

The Office of Management and Budget directed federal agencies to submit plans for workforce reductions, administrative cost savings and tighter remote work policies ahead of the next fiscal year.

FAA Orders Stricter Oversight of Aircraft Maintenance Facilities

The Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration introduced enhanced inspection, reporting and quality-control requirements for commercial aircraft maintenance providers following safety reviews.

US Opens New Trade Investigation Into Foreign Intellectual Property Practices

The Office of the United States Trade Representative launched Section 301 investigations into foreign policies that it says disadvantage US technology companies and infringe intellectual property rights.

NASA Expands Commercial Partnerships for Lunar Exploration

NASA signed new agreements with private aerospace companies to accelerate lunar lander development, commercial resupply missions and orbital habitat projects.

FBI Warns Critical Infrastructure of Foreign Cyber Threats

The Federal Bureau of Investigation issued new warnings to energy utilities and financial institutions about sophisticated cyber espionage campaigns targeting critical infrastructure.

Congress Presses Ahead With Cryptocurrency Regulation Talks

Lawmakers from the House Financial Services Committee and Senate Banking Committee intensified bipartisan negotiations on the proposed Clarity Act to establish a federal framework for digital assets and stablecoins.

Congress Negotiates Border Security and Asylum Funding

Department of Homeland Security officials continued negotiations with lawmakers over border enforcement resources, asylum processing standards and funding ahead of federal budget deadlines.

Justice Department Defends Immigration Policy in Federal Court

Justice Department lawyers faced rigorous questioning from a federal appeals court over the administration's efforts to end temporary deportation protections for migrants from several countries.

Treasury Expands Crackdown on International Sanctions Evasion

The US Treasury Department imposed new financial penalties on overseas banks, maritime brokers and front companies accused of helping sanctioned governments circumvent international restrictions.

Federal Reserve Signals Steady Interest Rate Policy

Federal Reserve officials indicated they are likely to keep interest rates unchanged as they weigh resilient economic growth against persistent inflation pressures.

House Passes Bipartisan Ban on Congressional Stock Trading

The House approved the Stop Insider Trading Act, a bipartisan measure that would prohibit members of Congress from using non-public information to trade individual stocks for personal gain.

Senate Delays Vote on Todd Blanche for Attorney General

The Senate Judiciary Committee postponed a vote on Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche's nomination after Republican senators requested additional information about his qualifications and the Justice Department's independence.

Trump Orders Pentagon to Strengthen Defense Supply Chains

President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the Department of Defense to tighten oversight of foreign suppliers, eliminate sourcing waivers and expand domestic production of critical materials.

Supreme Court Expands Presidential Authority Over Federal Trade Commission

In *Trump v. Slaughter*, the Supreme Court ruled that statutory protections preventing the removal of Federal Trade Commission members violate executive authority, allowing the president to dismiss commissioners at will.

Supreme Court Strikes Down Birthright Citizenship Executive Order

The Supreme Court ruled that an executive order ending birthright citizenship is unconstitutional, holding that children born in the United States to temporary or undocumented immigrant parents are protected under the Fourteenth Amendmen...

House Approves 2027 National Security and State Department Spending Bill

The House of Representatives passed the fiscal 2027 appropriations bill for national security and the State Department, reshaping foreign assistance funding and imposing new policy conditions on international organizations.

Political Uncertainty Grows After Death of Senator Lindsey Graham

The sudden death of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham at age 71 has left the Senate majority without a key vote, complicating negotiations on defense legislation and federal spending as South Carolina prepares to appoint an interim succe...