The European Commission has launched formal proceedings against TikTok under the Digital Services Act, alleging that the platform’s addictive design features, including infinite scroll and personalized algorithmic feeds, harm minors’ mental health and fail to adequately protect children’s privacy and safety. The platform also has insufficient age-verification measures and default settings that expose young users to excessive screen time and risky content. Potential consequences include substantial fines and mandatory redesigns of core features like recommendation algorithms, notification systems, and minor-specific privacy tools across the European Union. There was a moment when it appeared tech giants were above reproach, but increasingly governments are accusing them of creating a harmful product and using those claims to pursue legal action against them.

Cuba is enduring severe, widespread electricity blackouts triggered by breakdowns in aging power plants, fuel shortages, and grid instability. The crisis has left millions without power for hours or days, disrupting hospitals, water supplies, food storage, and daily life across the island. Outages have intensified amid strained energy imports and infrastructure challenges, marking one of the most critical energy failures in recent years. We had previously discussed how the U.S. was applying crippling pressure to Cuba, and now we see the full manifestation of that pressure campaign. At this point it’s probably best for the island to meet the demands of the U.S., as the situation is quickly spiraling out of control.

Over 30 countries, including Morocco, have endorsed an international “Pathways to Action” pact at a global summit to promote safe, ethical, and responsible governance of artificial intelligence in military applications. The agreement emphasizes human oversight, transparency, and risk mitigation for AI-driven weapons and defense systems. The United States and China both opted out, citing strategic concerns and preferring unilateral approaches to military AI development. The pact is virtually meaningless in light of the two biggest military powers in the world refusing to be constrained by this agreement. It does make sense, though, that both major powers would be reluctant to publicly state that they would not harness the power of superintelligence to maximize the effectiveness of their respective militaries.

The U.S. and Iranian officials are engaged in indirect negotiations in Oman focused on curbing Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for possible sanctions relief and regional de-escalation. Discussions address uranium enrichment levels, centrifuge operations, and international monitoring to prevent weaponization. The talks represent a critical opportunity to ease longstanding tensions but face significant hurdles due to mutual distrust and domestic political pressures. While this is a sign that the U.S. may be unwilling to engage in a full-scale war with Iran, it does seem suspicious that the U.S. is now presenting policy reform, rather than full-scale regime change, as a way to bring the nations closer to a cooperative relationship.

The Trump administration has officially launched TrumpRx, a government-backed direct-to-consumer platform that enables Americans to compare and purchase prescription drugs at negotiated lower prices. The site features a curated list of commonly used medications available at discounted rates without requiring insurance intermediaries. The initiative aims to fulfill campaign promises to reduce drug costs by increasing transparency and competition in the pharmaceutical market. This is an interesting maneuver and perhaps reveals something to us about what we may call the Trump doctrine in relation to the role of government in the free market. Here we see the president willing to use the tools of the state to introduce a level of competition into the market that counters the stranglehold pharmaceutical companies had on setting these prices.

The New START treaty, the final remaining bilateral nuclear arms control agreement between the United States and Russia limiting deployed strategic warheads, has officially expired without renewal. President Trump declined President Putin’s direct request to extend caps on nuclear deployments and inspections. The lapse removes verifiable limits on the world’s two largest nuclear arsenals, raising concerns about a potential new arms race. It is not clear that this will lead to a nuclear arms race in our opinion; this does, however, remind us that the Cold War was not that long ago and that the relationship between the U.S. and Russia has not often been this healthy or collegial.

Nevada gaming regulators have filed for an injunction to halt Coinbase’s event contract prediction markets, arguing they function as unlicensed sports wagering in violation of state gambling laws. The platform allows users to trade contracts on real-world outcomes, including sports events, which authorities claim requires specific licensing. The action targets Coinbase’s expansion into decentralized prediction markets and could set precedents for cryptocurrency platforms operating in regulated gambling jurisdictions. As gambling increasingly becomes one of the biggest industries in the nation, it’s unsurprising that a state like Nevada is seeking to disrupt their operations.

The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected a Republican-led challenge, permitting California to continue using its current congressional district maps drawn by an independent redistricting commission. Although the process was conducted by an impartial commission, the maps are widely viewed as favoring Democratic candidates in several key districts. The decision preserves the existing boundaries for upcoming elections and reinforces the role of independent commissions in redistricting processes. The ruling makes a lot of sense to us given that it seems apparent that states have the ability to redraw these districts and even to do so in a partisan fashion.

The Idaho Supreme Court has unanimously upheld a state tax credit program that incentivizes donations to scholarship organizations funding private school tuition. The ruling confirms the program’s constitutionality, allowing taxpayers to receive credits for contributions that help families afford non-public education options. Proponents argue it expands parental choice and educational opportunities without directly funding religious institutions. While this does seem like a backdoor to funnel money into religious schools via the state, the unanimous decision implies there is nothing illegal about creating this inflow of cash.

Facing a critical shortage of public defenders, the Oregon Supreme Court has ruled that criminal charges must be dismissed if prosecutors cannot provide defense counsel within a reasonable timeframe. The decision establishes strict deadlines to protect defendants’ constitutional right to representation and prevent indefinite pretrial detention. The ruling places immediate pressure on the state to address attorney shortages while potentially leading to case dismissals in ongoing prosecutions. This decision bolsters the notion that we live in a country where the rule of law is adhered to, but it also speaks to a real breakdown in the ability of our labor markets to function properly. How could it be the case that there are not enough defense lawyers available in Oregon to keep the justice system functioning properly?