Politics

Justice Department Settles Suit, Limits State Department Role in Content‑rating Programs

A Texas consent decree bars the State Department from promoting or funding tools that suppress or rate domestic online speech, resolving a high‑profile First Amendment suit.

#free-speech, #state-department, #disinformation, #consent-decree

White House Orders Sequestration for Fiscal 2027, Triggering Automatic Cuts to Mandatory Spending

President orders sequestration of non‑exempt mandatory spending for fiscal 2027; automatic cuts take effect Oct. 1, 2026 while OMB finalizes allocations.

#sequestration, #federalbudget, #medicare, #omb

J.D. Vance Rallies for Viktor Orbán in Budapest Days Before Hungary’s Election

U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance joined a Budapest rally and relayed a live endorsement from President Trump as Hungary heads into a tight April election.

#hungary, #orban, #jd_vance, #us_diplomacy

To Lam Elected Vietnam’s President in 495‑0 Vote, Cementing Dual Power

Vietnam’s National Assembly voted 495‑0 to elect Communist Party chief To Lam as president, consolidating party and state power and promising a tech‑driven growth push.

#vietnam, #tolam, #leadership, #politics

Trump‑Chaired Board Gives Hamas a Deadline to Accept Demilitarization to Unlock Gaza Reconstruction

A Trump‑led international board has set a deadline for Hamas to accept staged demilitarization in exchange for Israeli withdrawals and multibillion-dollar reconstruction.

#gaza, #hamas, #ceasefire, #trump, #diplomacy

Study: Lawmakers' Stock Trades Don't Outperform Market; Calls to Ban Persist

A new NBER study finds members of Congress and their families do not, on average, outperform market benchmarks after the STOCK Act, but ethical concerns remain.

#congress, #stocktrading, #stockact, #insidertrading

Slovenia Alleges Black Cube Meddled in Election as Brussels Weighs New Democracy Shield

Slovenian officials say a private Israeli spy firm ran a covert smear-and-recording operation tied to the March election, prompting calls for an EU response.

#slovenia, #elections, #blackcube, #europeanunion, #intelligence

DOJ Reaches Tentative Live Nation–Ticketmaster Deal, but Most States Keep Pushing for Breakup

A proposed DOJ settlement would extend oversight and cap some fees, but more than 30 states reject the deal and continue an antitrust trial seeking tougher remedies.

#antitrust, #ticketmaster, #livenation, #doj, #states

New Jersey Bans Masked Police Encounters, Codifies Limits on ICE Cooperation

Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed bills restricting masked law enforcement, tightening data privacy and locking New Jersey’s “Immigrant Trust” limits into law.

#newjersey, #immigration, #ice, #privacy, #dhs

U.S. launches 60 trade probes that could pave way for forced-labor tariffs on nearly all imports

USTR opens 60 Section 301 investigations into trading partners’ forced-labor import bans, potentially enabling broad new tariffs after a court setback.

#trade, #tariffs, #forcedlabor, #ustr, #supplychains

Senate Moves to Reopen DHS as Trump Eyes Executive Order to Pay TSA During Shutdown

Day 42 of a DHS shutdown, the Senate voted to fund most agencies while leaving ICE and CBP out, as Trump weighs an order to restart TSA paychecks.

#shutdown, #dhs, #tsa, #immigration, #congress

Ottawa commits C$900 million to NRC to fast-track drones, quantum and other defence tech

Canada will route more than C$900 million through the National Research Council to speed drones, quantum, biomedical and dual-use tech under Carney’s new strategy.

#canada, #defence, #nrc, #drones, #quantum

Texas Supreme Court Lets Paxton Demand PFLAG Records in Probe of Youth Gender Care

The Texas Supreme Court ruled Ken Paxton can compel PFLAG to turn over communications tied to helping families seek gender-affirming care for minors.

#texas, #transgender, #pflag, #kenpaxton, #courts

Trump Order Targets Environmental Reviews and ‘Green’ Standards to Speed Suburban Homebuilding

A March 13 executive order directs agencies to roll back permitting, wetlands reviews and energy rules to cut costs—setting up legal and climate fights.

#housing, #regulation, #environment, #trump, #homebuilding

U.S., China keep talks alive in Paris as Trump’s 15% global tariff tests fragile truce

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and China’s He Lifeng left OECD talks with a “work plan” for a Trump–Xi summit—but no deal as tariffs and Iran war loom.

#uschina, #tariffs, #trade, #oecd, #supremecourt