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 […]
U.S. and Japan Align on Nuclear Project Between Westinghouse and Japanese Supply Chain

The United States and Japan have reached an agreement on how they would divide responsibilities in a potential joint nuclear power project that could involve American reactor builder Westinghouse and major Japanese equipment manufacturers. The arrangement is still described as “potential,” but the fact that both governments have aligned on roles signals momentum—and suggests the […]
U.S. And China Economic Chiefs Meet in Paris to Steady Trade Truce in Trump–Xi Summit

Senior U.S. and Chinese economic officials began two days of talks in Paris aimed at smoothing tensions in their fragile trade truce and clearing the way for a planned late-March summit between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing. The meetings are led by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice […]
Trump Administration Sues California to Block its 2035 Gas-Car Phaseout and Strict Tailpipe Rules

The Trump administration filed a lawsuit against California on March 12, escalating a long-running federal–state clash over who controls vehicle emissions policy in the United States. The U.S. Transportation Department sued the California Air Resources Board (CARB), arguing that California’s zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate and tailpipe greenhouse-gas rules are illegal because they are preempted by […]
Democratic Senator Urges Tougher USMCA Rules to Stop Chinese “Backdoor” Manufacturing via Mexico

U.S. Democratic senator is urging the Trump administration to tighten the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) to prevent Chinese companies from using Mexico as a manufacturing platform to reach the U.S. market under preferential trade rules. Sen. Ruben Gallego sent a letter to President Donald Trump and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer calling for a renegotiation that […]
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 […]
Trump Tells House GOP to Pass Strict Voting Rules First Or He Won’t Sign

House Republicans are scrambling to keep President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda on track as rising political headwinds—especially voter anxiety about the cost of living and fallout from the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran—threaten their narrow House majority ahead of the November 2026 midterms. GOP lawmakers gathered at Trump’s Doral golf club in Florida to map out […]
House Panel Chair Demands Powell Testimony Soon as DOJ Probe Clouds Fed Oversight Hearings

A key House committee chair is pushing for Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell to testify before Congress “soon,” arguing that lawmakers need timely oversight of the central bank even as a Department of Justice investigation has complicated the normal schedule for Powell’s appearances. His first major congressional testimony of the year—typically held between the Fed’s […]
After Trump Rebrands the Kennedy Center, Artists Look to Baltimore Stages

A wave of political controversy around Washington, D.C.’s top performing-arts venue is starting to reshape where major artists and productions choose to appear—and Baltimore is emerging as one of the beneficiaries. An “artistic exodus” has begun from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts after President Donald Trump put his name on the […]