U.S. Expands $15,000 “Visa Bond” Requirement to 12 More Countries to Curb Overstays

The Trump administration is expanding a controversial policy that requires certain visitors to post a $15,000 bond as a condition of receiving a U.S. visa, extending the rule to travelers from 12 additional countries. The bond is designed as a financial guarantee that visitors will comply with the terms of their entry—primarily that they will […]
Trump’s SAVE America Act Would Require Proof of Citizenship to Vote

President Donald Trump is pushing Congress to pass sweeping election legislation that would require Americans to show proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections—an effort he has labeled a top priority even though the bill faces long odds in the Senate. The legislation, commonly referred to as the SAVE America Act, […]
Microsoft Weighs Lawsuit Over Amazon–OpenAI Cloud Pact, Escalating Tension Inside AI Alliance

Microsoft is considering legal action against OpenAI and Amazon over a cloud partnership that could undermine Microsoft’s exclusive hosting rights for key OpenAI services. At the center of the dispute is a reported $50 billion set of agreements between OpenAI and Amazon, including provisions that make Amazon Web Services (AWS) the exclusive third-party cloud provider […]
Diesel Shock Hits Freight and Factories: Middle East Supply Squeeze Pushes U.S. Pump Prices Past $5

U.S. average retail diesel prices have climbed above $5 a gallon, a level reached only twice in U.S. history, as the U.S.-Israeli with Iran roils global fuel markets and tests the world economy’s resilience. The spike reflects a worsening supply shock tied to the conflict’s impact on Middle East exports—especially after Iran’s near-total disruption of […]
Court Stops Kennedy’s Vaccine Overhaul, Restoring Science-Based Process

U.S. federal judge has blocked key parts of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s effort to overhaul childhood vaccine policy, dealing a major setback to the Trump administration’s attempt to rewrite how vaccines are recommended in the United States. U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy in Boston sided with major medical groups—including the American Academy of […]
Big Tech Turns to Bonds to Bankroll the AI Buildout as 2026 Spending Tops

The world’s biggest technology companies are increasingly tapping bond markets to fund an unprecedented expansion of artificial intelligence and cloud infrastructure—marking a shift for Silicon Valley firms that historically relied on huge cash piles to pay for growth. “Big Tech” is expected to spend more than $600 billion on AI in 2026, up sharply from […]
AT&T Pledges $250B U.S. Investment Plan to Expand Fiber 5G and Connectivity

AT&T plans to invest $250 billion in the United States over the next five years to expand and upgrade its communications infrastructure, a sweeping commitment the company says will strengthen broadband access, boost network reliability, and position the U.S. for the data-hungry demands of the AI era. The announcement was made on March 10 and […]
IMF urges US to work with partners to ease trade restrictions

The IMF on Wednesday called on the United States to work with trading partners and find ways to mutually ease trade curbs, as it issued a review of the world’s biggest economy. The International Monetary Fund’s findings covered the first year of Donald Trump’s second presidency, in which he unleashed wide-ranging tariffs on allies and […]
New CEO, High Expectations: Walmart Signals a Cautious 2026 Outlook Despite Strong Momentum

Wall Street has spent months bidding up Walmart shares, but investors are bracing for a more measured tone when the retailer delivers its annual outlook alongside quarterly results. The key reason is timing: this is the first earnings report under new CEO John Furner, who took over at the start of February and inherits a […]
The Next Global Race AI Isn’t Just Who Discovers More, But Who Discovers Faster

Physicist Nishant Sahdev argues that the speed of scientific discovery has become a strategic asset—and that artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming the “super-accelerator” that will decide which nations lead and which become dependent. Writing from Chapel Hill, he points to a recent move by the US Department of Energy: the launch of 26 “science and […]