Joe Biden is in the news over recent US policy shifts and political battles, after serving as the 46th president and senator from Delaware.
California has been the focus of ongoing investigations into Medicare and Medicaid fraud, with authorities charging 21 individuals for schemes involving stolen identities and fraudulent billing for hospice services. Despite prior efforts, fraud continues to be a significant issue, prompting federal and state agencies to intensify their crackdown efforts.
Olaolukitan Adon Abel, a UK-born Navy veteran charged with multiple murders in Atlanta, has been found unresponsive in his jail cell. Authorities have not determined the cause of death, but no foul play is suspected. The case involves a series of random attacks that have shocked the region.
On April 16, 2026, the US Senate has rejected two resolutions led by Senator Bernie Sanders to block $295 million in bulldozer sales and $152 million in bomb sales to Israel. Forty Democrats supported blocking bulldozer sales, and 36 backed blocking bomb sales, but Republicans opposed both measures, defeating them 40-59 and 36-63 respectively. The votes have reflected growing Democratic unease over US military aid amid Israeli actions in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran.
Israel has intensified attacks on Lebanon's water infrastructure, damaging key facilities and disrupting supplies. Experts say these actions aim to displace populations and weaken Lebanon’s resilience amid ongoing conflict. The damage follows recent Israeli military operations and escalates regional tensions, with water access becoming a strategic tool.
State officials are calling for a court order to stop Sable Offshore from using a pipeline through Gaviota State Park. The pipeline has been idle since 2015 after a major spill, but the Biden administration has invoked the Defense Production Act to restart operations, citing national security and energy needs. Legal battles are intensifying as California authorities oppose the federal move, arguing it oversteps state rights. Sable has already produced over 1 million barrels and plans to increase output with new wells. The case highlights tensions between federal authority and state regulations amid ongoing energy security concerns.
Mr. Plankey has withdrawn his nomination to lead the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency after facing delays and political hurdles. His decision reflects ongoing challenges within CISA, which is experiencing staffing issues and political scrutiny amid broader government downsizing.
A new memoir by Rachel Goldberg-Polin recounts the two-year aftermath of her son Hersh Goldberg-Polin’s abduction and death after the Oct. 7, 2023 attack. The book details her family’s search for information, the grief of losing Hersh, and their ongoing advocacy amid a protracted conflict.
Federal and state officials are intensifying efforts to combat Medicare and Medicaid fraud in California, focusing on hospice abuse and healthcare schemes. Recent investigations reveal widespread fraud, prompting new audits and political debates. The issue remains a key point in ongoing healthcare policy discussions.
Recent polls have shown President Trump’s approval ratings have dropped into the mid-30s while public concern about inflation and fuel costs has increased after the war with Iran has driven global energy prices higher; voters are expressing widespread disapproval of his handling of the economy and the Iran strikes as midterms approach.
The US has been discussing relocating 1,100 Afghan refugees, including military allies and families of US service members, from a Qatar base to third countries, with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as a possible option. The Trump administration halted Afghan visa processing in 2025, leaving refugees stranded and facing forced choices between returning to Taliban rule or resettlement in unstable countries.
A wave of government actions has seen offshore wind leases bought out and reallocated to fossil-fuel projects, with about $2B in reimbursements promised to developers who abandon wind plans. This follows court rulings that have blocked or rolled back some Trump-era restrictions, while some projects in California and New Jersey move forward under renewed scrutiny.
The Biden administration has approved new execution methods, including firing squads, electrocution, and gas asphyxiation, citing drug shortages and legal changes. This move follows a 20-year hiatus and aims to expand options for federal executions, despite declining public support for the death penalty. It will likely take years before executions are scheduled.
Afghan evacuees at Camp As-Sayliyah in Qatar have reportedly been told they may be relocated to Congo or return to Afghanistan, as Washington weighs options for resettlement after a long vetting process. Officials say no deal has been finalized, while groups in Doha describe worsening conditions and uncertainty.
Trump has claimed he has passed a cognitive assessment, while allies and opponents accuse him of political manoeuvring as criticism of his health and approach to foreign policy intensifies across conservative circles and media figures.
The Cuban War Powers debate continues as Republicans back the president’s approach while Democrats push Congress to restrict unilateral military action. A Senate vote dismissed the Cuba measure, while administration rhetoric signals a broader push across Latin America.
U.S. and Israeli intelligence has reported that Iran’s estimated time to produce a nuclear weapon has remained broadly unchanged since last summer despite Operation Midnight Hammer and two months of strikes that began on Feb. 28. Officials say recent attacks have focused on conventional targets; removing Iran’s highly enriched uranium (HEU) stockpile will be required to change the estimate.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies has identified 20 domestic political attacks and plots in 2025, with 10 attributed to the far Left and eight to the far Right. Incidents have surged since the late 2010s, driven in part by responses to immigration crackdowns, and follow a weekend shooting at a Washington event attended by senior officials.
A string of court decisions has kept Temporary Protected Status in play as the Supreme Court weighs termination actions for Haiti and Syria. Rulings have required due process reviews amid broader political battles over humanitarian protections.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has testified twice before Congress this week about the U.S. war with Iran and a proposed $1.45–$1.5tn Pentagon budget, with officials publicly putting the conflictcost at $25bn. Lawmakers have pressed for a strategy, probed civilian casualties and stockpile depletion, and challenged Hegseth on troop use at US polls and senior officer dismissals.
The Supreme Court has kept the core protections of the Voting Rights Act intact while ruling that Louisiana’s map-drawing to favor a Black-majority district was unconstitutional, signaling a shift in how race can be used in redistricting and prompting immediate map reviews in several states.
A Virginia jury has convicted Mohammad Sharifullah of providing material support to ISIS-K but has deadlocked on whether that support caused deaths at Abbey Gate during the 2021 Afghanistan evacuation. Sentencing faces up to 20 years if death is not proven; trial marks the first U.S. criminal proceeding linked to Abbey Gate.
With mail-in voting opening for the June 2 primary, California's gubernatorial field remains unsettled. A crowded slate including Democrats and Republicans has limited consensus, raising questions about the path to a contest against a Democrat-led state government. Recent campaign twists and endorsements have not yielded a clear frontrunner.
Chinese electric vehicles are expanding in North America, with low prices drawing interest in Mexico and among U.S. consumers, even as lawmakers push to maintain barriers. Tariffs, safety rules, and national-security concerns remain the core friction, while local dealers report increasing cross-border activity and consumer interest.
Germany’s chancellor has described US-Iran war strain as costly for Europe, while President Trump hints at reducing troops in Germany. Washington says alliance remains essential, with officials noting Berlin’s push to lead Europe’s defense posture. The debate centers on long-term NATO posture and European security commitments amid the Iran conflict.
A unanimous 5th Circuit ruling has blocked mail distribution of mifepristone, requiring in-person dispensing at clinics. The decision, which has immediate effect and is likely to be appealed to the Supreme Court, challenges FDA regulations as a breach of state bans and raises questions about access to medication abortion nationwide.
Rudy Giuliani has been hospitalized in Florida and remains in critical but stable condition, his spokesperson Ted Goodman has said. Goodman has attributed complications to restrictive airway disease linked to 9/11 dust exposure; details on timing and the specific hospital have not been disclosed. Trump and other figures have issued public statements.
The Justice Department is continuing to pursue records from the 2020 election in Fulton County, including a federal grand jury subpoena seeking the names and contact information of county employees and volunteer poll workers. Fulton County officials are challenging the demand as overbroad, while a court ruling has allowed the DOJ access to copies of seized election materials.
Vice President JD Vance is on a high-profile tour in Iowa, linking economic messaging with support for Republican candidates. The trip follows a string of public missteps and signals potential presidential ambitions, while party dynamics and polling underline a tense path toward 2028.
Oil prices are lifting inflation pressures while central banks hold rates at current levels. Recent data show jobs strength and firmer services costs, prompting caution on policy paths amid war-linked supply disruption.
A mix of polling and local accounts show the once-dominant Republican coalition is fracturing as nonwhite voters and working-class voters drift from the party. While Trump remains a central figure, approval has fallen and Democrats have secured several off-year wins, signaling strategic headwinds for the GOP ahead of elections.
The Trump administration has nominated Robert Hamilton to lead FEMA as its permanent administrator. The move has followed a Trump-appointed council report recommending sweeping reforms to FEMA that would shift more disaster responsibility to states and change how federal aid is triggered and delivered.
Rudy Giuliani has returned to his online show in mid-May after being hospitalised in early May with severe pneumonia, during which he was placed on a ventilator and briefly received last rites. He has described a spiritual experience during his illness, thanked supporters including the president for calls, and said he is recovering and feeling "100 percent" on air.
The Biden-era rule prioritizing conservation and restoration on public lands overseen by the BLM has been repealed. The move, announced in the Federal Register, aims to restore the federal land-use balance by rebalancing development interests with conservation, recreation and renewable energy goals.
States are widening efforts to block proposed utility rate increases and rethink financing for major upgrades, citing how AI data centers are driving energy demand and bills. In Texas, Hill County has paused data-center development to study effects, while other states weigh similar actions amid affordability concerns.
The meetings between the U.S. leader and Xi Jinping have been framed as a bid to reset relations as both powers face rising strategic and economic pressures. Xi has emphasized long-term stability, while the U.S. seeks clarity on key issues including trade and regional security.
The Trump administration is moving to roll back 2024 and 2029-era coal wastewater limits and renew emergency orders keeping aging coal plants running to meet rising electricity demand driven by AI data centers. Michigan’s Campbell plant is at the center of a legal challenge as federal orders to keep plants open face scrutiny for signaling an energy emergency.
Israel has instructed legal advisers to consider the "harshest legal action" against The New York Times and columnist Nicholas Kristof after a Times opinion piece published allegations that Israeli forces have committed widespread sexual violence against Palestinians. The Times has defended Kristof; Israel is calling the essay a "blood libel."
The Guardian reports that South Carolina’s proposed map redraw would dismantle James Clyburn’s district, a long-standing symbol of Black political representation in the state. The move comes as Republicans respond to the Supreme Court’s Voting Rights Act ruling, raising fears of renewed racial gerrymandering and a shift in power.
The president has reused social media to push conspiracy theories about former officials, attacked media coverage, and posted war‑themed AI images amid ongoing Iran tensions and a fragile ceasefire.
Early mail ballots have surged in California ahead of the June 2 primary, with Republicans leading in early returns and Democrats tightening in second place. Data from Political Data Intelligence shows Republicans at 37% and Democrats at 41% of ballots returned, while independents/other make up 22%. Analysts caution that these numbers are early and may shift as campaigns unfold.
The Colombian-born businessman Alex Saab has been deported from Venezuela as U.S. prosecutors pursue a bribery conspiracy tied to Maduro-era contracts. He could be asked to testify against his former protector, a question now shaping legal and diplomatic maneuvering.