Trump’s massive tax and spending bill clears hurdle to advance to House vote in coming hours

A federal judge just put the brakes on the Trump administration’s sweeping plan to gut the Education Department, ordering the agency to rehire employees it had fired. The administration isn’t backing down—they’re likely to appeal—but for now, it’s a win for critics who argued the cuts were overreach.

Editor’s Note: This isn’t just bureaucratic drama—it’s a big deal for how the U.S. handles education. The ruling pushes back against efforts to shrink the department’s role, which could’ve had ripple effects on everything from student loans to school funding. Even if it’s temporary, it shows the courts aren’t rubber-stamping these changes.

House Republicans barely pushed through their budget bill, dubbed the "Big, Beautiful Bill," after some last-minute concessions to the hardline Freedom Caucus. The bill extends tax cuts, but the real story is the messy political maneuvering—some lawmakers scored wins, others got left out, and the whole thing barely squeaked by.

Editor’s Note: This isn’t just about budgets and taxes—it’s a snapshot of the GOP’s internal power struggles. The razor-thin margin shows how fragile their majority is, and the concessions to the Freedom Caucus hint at bigger fights ahead. If you care about how policy actually gets made (or doesn’t), this is a peek behind the curtain.

For the first time, U.S. antitrust regulators—the Justice Department and the FTC—are sounding the alarm about big institutional investors (like pension funds or asset managers) owning stakes in competing companies. They're worried this could stifle competition, since these investors might indirectly influence rivals to act more like collaborators than competitors.

Editor’s Note: This is a big deal because it challenges a long-standing but murky corner of Wall Street. When the same investors own chunks of competing firms, there's a risk they'll push for less aggressive competition—say, softer price wars or slower innovation—to protect their overall returns. Regulators stepping in could mean tighter rules for how investment giants operate, potentially shaking up how markets function. It’s a sign they’re finally catching up to the hidden ways power consolidates in modern finance.

The National Weather Service is stretched thin due to staffing cuts just as the U.S. enters what’s predicted to be an unusually active hurricane and severe weather season. With fewer people to track storms, issue warnings, and coordinate emergency responses, there’s concern about whether they can keep up with the looming threats.

Editor’s Note: This isn’t just bureaucratic belt-tightening—it’s a real-world problem that could delay warnings or leave communities unprepared when hurricanes, tornadoes, or wildfires hit. In a time when extreme weather is becoming more frequent, having a weakened forecasting system is like turning down the volume on a fire alarm.

A tragic plane crash in San Diego has left multiple people dead and destroyed several homes, displacing around 100 residents. Officials confirmed that all fatalities were from the aircraft, not on the ground.

Editor’s Note: Plane crashes are rare, but when they happen near residential areas, the consequences can be devastating—not just for those on board but for entire communities. This story highlights the ripple effects of such disasters, from loss of life to sudden homelessness for dozens of families. It’s a grim reminder of how quickly ordinary days can turn catastrophic.