A new letter from John Garamendi and Elizabeth Warren lands squarely in the middle of a long-running, uneasy debate over the future of the United States’ nuclear weapons infrastructure. Writing to Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright, the two lawmakers are urging a serious reassessment of the plutonium pit production program, with a specific call to pause work at the Savannah River Site until clear guardrails are in place to prevent further waste of taxpayer money.

The latest report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office lands with a familiar thud but a sharper edge than before: the United States Postal Service is still running an unsustainable business model, and time is no longer a vague concept stretched over decades but a very real countdown measured in just a few fiscal years. Despite a sweeping ten-year strategy launched in 2021 and substantial congressional relief delivered through the Postal Service Reform Act of 2022, the GAO concludes that the fundamentals remain stubbornly misaligned.

A surprising sense of momentum runs through the UK’s latest diplomatic move, almost as if the political establishment finally caught up with what so many ordinary people have been quietly insisting for years. With public backing at levels that politicians usually only dream of, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has confirmed that she will convene the inaugural meeting of the International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace this coming March at Lancaster House. The tone of the announcement felt unusually confident for a government that often treads cautiously on foreign-policy landmines, probably because the numbers make the argument for them: 84% of UK respondents who expressed an opinion support the creation of the Fund, and 87% say Britain should put in at least £5 million.

Curious how Washington keeps circling back to the same uneasy dance with Moscow, this whole episode feels like one of those moments where you blink and suddenly the geopolitical logic has flipped without any corresponding shift on the ground. The October sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil were the only truly consequential economic pressure the Trump administration ever put on Russia to push it toward meaningful negotiation over Ukraine. Those measures hit revenue streams, strategic capabilities, and Kremlin-aligned elites in ways Moscow genuinely dislikes.

William J. Sanchez, former Special Counsel to President George W. Bush, has urged Kamala Harris, the current presidential candidate, to consider influential Hispanic figures for her vice presidential pick. He specifically highlighted Senator Catherine Cortez Masto as a potential candidate. Sanchez, an experienced advisor with over two decades of expertise in the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security, emphasized the significance of Hispanic representation in top government roles.

As criticism mounts against Venezuela’s authoritarian leader Nicolás Maduro following deadly protests sparked by a disputed presidential election, the prospects of the democratic opposition seizing power have become a focal point of both national and international discourse. The situation is a complex interplay of internal dynamics and external influences, each contributing to the precarious balance of power in the country. Internally, the democratic opposition’s chances hinge significantly on its ability to unify.

The New York Times and the BBC have, according to many critics, long abandoned their journalistic integrity and moral compass, veering into territories where they often seem to side with terror groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. This sharp deviation from the core tenets of unbiased journalism raises significant concerns about their role in shaping public opinion and informing global audiences. The New York Times, once hailed as the pinnacle of balanced and rigorous reporting, has faced relentless criticism for its perceived partiality.

SAN FRANCISCO, July 29, 2024 - Axle Automation, Inc. (“Axle” or “Company”), a trailblazing provider of AI-powered solutions for compliance teams, proudly announces the successful close of its seed funding round. The Company will use the $2.5M to scale the team and optimize and supercharge compliance teams at fintechs, banks, and other financial institutions. Led by Diagram Ventures, with participation from Mistral Ventures, Uphonest Capital, StreamingFast and other strategic angels, this round underscores the growing demand for innovative solutions to combat money laundering in the financial sector.

Erdogan threatens to invade Israel. He’s spelling it out for you yet @Israel is still doing it wrong. Turkey openly sponsors your enemies—Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthis, al Qaeda, and Grey Wolves, brags about it and Israel just takes it. PM @netanyahu, cut ties with Turkey,… pic.twitter.com/WVn93Z2rcX — Diliman Abdulkader (@D_abdulkader) July 29, 2024

Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Teofil Bartoszewski’s assertion that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s policies are anti-European, anti-Ukrainian, and anti-Polish reflects deepening concerns within the European Union about Hungary’s increasingly divergent stance on critical issues affecting the region. Orban’s government has often found itself at odds with mainstream European policies, particularly regarding the handling of the Ukraine crisis and broader EU integration efforts. Bartoszewski’s critique is grounded in a context where Hungary, under Orban, has pursued a notably independent foreign policy, often cozying up to Russia, which has caused friction with neighboring countries and EU partners.