WashingTone

UN Security Council Condemns Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia

United Nations Security Council members condemned continuing Houthi missile and drone attacks on Saudi civilian and energy infrastructure as renewed strikes heighten concerns over regional security and shipping routes through the Red Sea...

Sam Altman to Brief UN Security Council on Artificial Intelligence and Global Security

OpenAI Chief Executive Sam Altman is scheduled to address the United Nations Security Council on artificial intelligence, with his remarks expected to focus on international coordination and shared safety standards for increasingly capab...

U.S. and Mexico Push Forward With Trade Talks Amid Tariff Disputes

Officials from the United States and Mexico are working toward a bilateral trade agreement addressing tariffs, manufacturing rules and market access as both governments seek greater certainty for closely integrated cross-border supply ch...

Drone Strikes Cooling Tower at Russia’s Kursk Nuclear Power Plant

The International Atomic Energy Agency said a drone struck a cooling tower at the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, though the reactor continued operating and radiation levels remained within normal limits, underscoring continuing risks around ...

Russia Places Nestlé, Auchan and Other Western Businesses Under State-Controlled Management

President Vladimir Putin signed decrees transferring Russian operations belonging to Nestlé, Auchan and other Western-linked companies to temporary management as Moscow continues retaliatory measures against businesses from countries sup...

U.S. Approves $2.68 Billion Air-Defense Upgrade Package for Ukraine

The U.S. State Department approved a potential $2.68 billion Foreign Military Sale covering air-defense upgrades, missiles, radar systems and related support for Ukraine, with the package proceeding through the congressional review process.

Trump Administration Moves to Accelerate Removal of Migrant Children

White House adviser Stephen Miller is leading an interagency effort to speed the removal of undocumented migrant children from the United States, setting up further legal and political disputes over the administration’s immigration enfor...

Trump Signs Stopgap Funding Law Keeping U.S. Government Open Through December 11

President Donald Trump signed a continuing resolution extending federal agency funding through December 11, postponing negotiations over longer-term fiscal 2027 spending until later in the year.

U.S., Denmark and Greenland Reach Security Agreement Expanding American Military Role

President Donald Trump announced an agreement giving the United States broader long-term authority over security operations in Greenland, while Danish and Greenlandic leaders stressed that the arrangement does not transfer sovereignty ov...

US Marshals Prepare to Transfer About 400 Pre-Trial Detainees From Georgia Facility

The US Marshals Service is preparing to move roughly 400 federal pre-trial detainees from a private detention facility in Georgia to another site nearly 200 miles away amid concerns about conditions at the existing facility. ([CBS News]...

Pentagon Releases New Batch of Declassified UAP Records

The Defense Department has published another tranche of records on unidentified anomalous phenomena, continuing a rolling programme to release historical documents and other material related to unexplained aerospace incidents. ([UAP Led...

House Tax Panel Advances Bipartisan Digital Asset Tax Legislation

The House Ways and Means Committee approved legislation clarifying federal tax treatment for cryptocurrencies, including rules for small transactions, mining, staking and existing anti-abuse provisions. ([Ways and Means][23])

Kennedy Center Closes After Court Again Blocks Addition of Trump’s Name

The Kennedy Center’s board voted to close its main building after a federal judge again barred it from adding President Donald Trump’s name to the performing arts complex. ([CBS News][22])

California’s Newsom Orders Faster Development of Independent AI Oversight

Governor Gavin Newsom has issued an executive order accelerating independent scrutiny of advanced artificial-intelligence systems and directing experts to examine safeguards including a potential emergency shutdown mechanism. ([Governor...

White House Withdraws Lance Schroyer Nomination to Lead ICE

The Trump administration has withdrawn Lance Schroyer’s nomination to head US Immigration and Customs Enforcement after his confirmation failed to advance in the Senate. ([AP News][17])

Pentagon Orders Testosterone Screening for Male Service Members Aged 30 and Older

The Pentagon has issued clinical guidance requiring testosterone screening for male troops aged 30 and above, a policy that has drawn questions from medical specialists over the evidence supporting routine testing. ([AP News][16])

House Democrats Probe Russian Businessman’s Financing of Donald Trump Jr. Wedding Celebrations

Senior House Democrats are investigating Russian businessman Umar Kremlev’s financial support for celebrations linked to Donald Trump Jr.’s wedding and have sought records concerning his contacts with the Trump family and White House. (...

Republican Campaign Committees Deploy Financial Advantage Ahead of Midterms

The National Republican Senatorial Committee is committing $46.5 million to coordinated campaigns across eight states, while House Republicans hold about a $13 million cash advantage over their Democratic counterparts. ([Axios][14])

Federal Judge Strikes Down Trump Administration Policy Cutting Teacher-Training Grants

A federal judge ruled that the Education Department unlawfully terminated hundreds of millions of dollars in teacher-training grants associated with diversity, equity and inclusion programmes. ([Investing.com][12])

Justice Department Says Federal Handgun Sales Ban for 18- to 20-Year-Olds Is Unconstitutional

The Justice Department said federal restrictions preventing licensed dealers from selling handguns to otherwise law-abiding adults aged 18 to 20 violate the Second Amendment and should not be criminally enforced. ([Department of Justice...

Trump Announces Lower Medicaid Drug Prices Under Most-Favoured-Nation Agreements

The Trump administration says all 50 state Medicaid programmes will gain access to lower prices on selected branded medicines under agreements linking costs to prices paid in other developed economies. ([The White House][10])

Trump Says CNN, MS NOW and Politico Are Banned From White House

President Donald Trump announced that CNN, MS NOW and Politico would be barred from the White House over coverage he described as false, escalating his administration’s dispute with major news organisations. ([CBS News][9])

US Appeals Court Rules Trump Administration’s Third-Country Deportation Policy Unlawful

A federal appeals court ruled that migrants cannot be deported to countries where they have no ties without adequate notice and a meaningful opportunity to contest removal on safety grounds. ([The Washington Post][7])

South Korea Rules Out Military Deployment That Would Draw It Into Iran War

President Lee Jae Myung said South Korea would not send troops or military assets in a way that would involve the country in the Middle East conflict, while leaving open measures to protect shipping and Korean nationals. ([Yonhap News][6])

House Recess Delays Vote on Effort to Impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth

Speaker Mike Johnson sent the House into its pre-election recess early, postponing consideration of Republican Representative Thomas Massie’s impeachment resolution against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth until after the midterms. ([AP N...

Federal Reserve Raises Interest Rates by Quarter Point as Inflation Remains Elevated

The Federal Reserve unanimously raised its benchmark target range by 0.25 percentage points to 3.75% to 4%, citing persistent inflation despite continued economic expansion. ([Federal Reserve][4])

US, Denmark and Greenland Prepare New Arctic Security Agreement

The United States, Denmark and Greenland are expected to sign an agreement strengthening security cooperation in the Arctic and North Atlantic while recognising Danish sovereignty, Greenland’s territorial integrity and its right to self-...

Treasury Expands Bond Buybacks to Support Market Liquidity

The US Treasury has increased the size of buyback operations for longer-dated government securities, with officials saying the programme is intended to support liquidity in parts of the Treasury market.

US Trade Fraud Task Force Reports More Than $1 Billion in Recoveries and Charged Losses

A Justice Department and Homeland Security trade-enforcement task force says it surpassed $1 billion in civil and criminal recoveries, penalties, forfeitures and publicly charged losses in less than a year.

House Democratic Leaders Oppose Expanded Presidential Tariff Authority in Russia Sanctions Bill

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and other Democratic leaders said they opposed the Russia sanctions legislation because it gives the president broad authority to impose tariffs on countries linked to Russian energy purchases or s...

Trump Administration’s Election Policies Face Growing Legal Challenges

Voting-rights organisations and state officials are challenging federal election initiatives involving polling-place enforcement and voter databases as early voting begins for the November midterms.

Justice Department Secures Agreements Ending Gender-Transition Procedures for Minors at NYU and UPMC

The Justice Department says NYU Langone and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center have agreed to stop providing puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and surgical gender-transition procedures to minors as part of settlements with fe...

California Accelerates AI Safety Oversight and Work on Emergency Kill Switches

Governor Gavin Newsom has ordered faster implementation of independent artificial-intelligence audits and directed experts to develop proposals for emergency shutoff mechanisms for advanced AI models.

Civil Rights Groups Sue to Block Federal Agents From Intimidating Voters at Polling Sites

The NAACP and other organisations have filed a federal lawsuit seeking to prevent deployments of federal law-enforcement officers near polling locations in ways they argue could intimidate voters during the midterm elections.

Justice Department Says Federal Handgun-Sales Ban for 18- to 20-Year-Olds Is Unconstitutional

The Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel has concluded that federal restrictions preventing licensed dealers from selling handguns to otherwise law-abiding adults aged 18 to 20 violate the Second Amendment and cannot be criminall...

Trump Says CNN, MS NOW and Politico Will Be Barred From White House

President Donald Trump has announced that CNN, MS NOW and Politico will be denied White House access over their coverage, escalating an already contentious relationship between the administration and major news organisations.

Federal Reserve Raises Interest Rates as Inflation Remains Elevated

The Federal Reserve increased its benchmark target range by a quarter percentage point to 3.75%-4%, saying inflation remains above its goal while geopolitical uncertainty continues to affect the economic outlook.

House Again Votes to End US Military Hostilities With Iran

The House voted 220-204 for a War Powers resolution directing the president to remove US forces from hostilities with Iran unless Congress authorises continued military action, while the Congressional Budget Office estimates Defense Depa...

House Passes Russia and Iran Sanctions Bill With Expanded Tariff Powers

The House has approved the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, allowing tariffs of up to 100% on major purchasers of Russian energy while extending and expanding sanctions targeting Russia and Iran.

House Election Hearing Deepens Partisan Debate Over Voter Fraud and Election Security

A House Judiciary oversight hearing examined voter-registration irregularities in New Jersey as lawmakers continued a wider partisan dispute over election integrity ahead of the midterms, while President Trump’s separate proposal for $5,...

Federal Judge Requires 30 Days’ Notice Before Major Changes to Kennedy Center

A federal judge ordered the Kennedy Center to provide at least 30 days’ notice before making major physical changes, including any potential demolition, following public discussion by President Donald Trump about the building’s future.

White House Withdraws Lance Schroyer Nomination to Lead ICE

The White House has withdrawn former Oklahoma state trooper Lance Schroyer’s nomination to lead US Immigration and Customs Enforcement after his confirmation stalled in the Senate, leaving the agency without a Senate-confirmed director.

US Rejects UN-Backed Report Alleging Possible War Crimes in Iran

The Trump administration rejected findings by a United Nations-backed fact-finding mission that cited reasonable grounds to believe US forces committed war crimes in two strikes in Iran, adding to scrutiny of the conflict.

Supreme Court Rejects Administration Bid to Tighten Mail-In Ballot Rules Before Midterms

The US Supreme Court denied an emergency request to allow new federal requirements for election ballot mail, leaving existing state procedures in place as voting gets under way ahead of the November midterm elections.