House Democrats on Wednesday secured the necessary signatures to bypass Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and force a vote on a package of Russia sanctions and billions of dollars in Ukraine aid.
Why it matters: This is the eighth time in the last three years that a discharge petition has been used by some combination of Democrats and Republicans to do an end-run around GOP leadership.
America's inflation problem is getting worse, not better, as 2026 progresses. New wholesale price data — on the heels of Tuesday's consumer price report — confirm it.
Why it matters: The evidence of continued price pressures stretches far beyond the energy price spike that occurred following the Iran war, and suggests ongoing pressures across a range of goods and services.
The U.S.-led Board of Peace wants to start implementing its Gaza governance and reconstruction plan in the parts of Gaza that are not under Hamas control, according to a Board of Peace official and two other sources briefed on the issue.
Why it matters: The decision to trigger a contingency plan in Gaza took place after the effort to convince Hamas to give up its heavy weapons reached a deadlock. Now the U.S. and the Board of Peace want to move forward without Hamas.
Semiconductors, or chips, are again turning out to be the It Girl of the global economy.
Why it matters: Chips are essential to the AI build-out, and that's driving a huge burst of demand, creating supply shortages, pushing up prices and creating an investment frenzy.
The first half of Mayis foreshadowing the future of Indo-Pacific security.
Why it matters: Long-term competition between the U.S., China and their friends — on AI, chips, cybersecurity, freedom of navigation, narrative influence, supply chains and more — is reshaping the world.
Business leadersand lawmakers are closely watching whether President Trump returns from Beijing with a splashy Chinese investment commitment.
Why it matters: Such a deal would go further than the agricultural and aircraft purchases that have so far anchored U.S.-China negotiations.
Trump has made big-dollar investment pledges a trademark of his second term, giving him numbers to tout back home, even as earlier commitments from the likes of Japan and Europe have yet to fully materialize.
A holy site home to a 29-foot-tall limestone statue of Jesus Christ is in the crosshairs of President Trump's border wall construction plans.
Why it matters: The Trump administration is now suing a Catholic diocese to seize church land at the base of the holy site at Mount Cristo Rey, New Mexico, making it the latest hot spot of local resistance to border wall construction.
As the U.S. and China barrel ahead in their quest for AI supremacy, their race could come at the expense of global cybersecurity.
Why it matters: The U.S. and China both have an interest in preventing each other from weaponizing AI tools against them or letting rogue systems into the wild.
For the first time in three years, American workers' paychecks are lagging behind inflation, a casualty of the Iran war energy shock.
Why it matters: The war's fallout has helped remove the financial cushion that insulated consumers. It comes as a tepid hiring environment has limited workers' ability to switch jobs and earn more pay.
Workers are now earning less in real terms, a threat to spending that has kept the economy humming.
Consumer prices continued to surge in April, led by higher energy prices, the government said on Tuesday.
Why it matters: The April report shows that inflationary pressures tied to the Iran war are seeping into consumer prices, making it difficult for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates just as President Trump's pick is set to take the helm of the central bank.
President Trump's endorsement of suspending federal gas taxes pushes the idea higher on the political radar, but it still faces long odds.
Why it matters: Some Republicans rushed to introduce bills, and a few Democrats have already endorsed the idea — but there are still serious obstacles that could keep Trump's comments from becoming reality.
The Strait of Hormuz has been closed for 10 weeks now — a once unthinkable shock to the world economy — yet global oil prices aren't nearly as high as many people had expected.
Why it matters: The relatively restrained price movement helps explain why the global economy is holding up so far.
President Trump is meeting with his national security team Monday to discuss the way forward in the Iran war, including possibly resuming military action, after negotiations with the country deadlocked Sunday, three U.S. officials said.
Why it matters: U.S. officials say Trump wants a deal to end the war, but Iran's rejection of many of his demands and refusal to make meaningful concessions on its nuclear program puts the military option back on the table.
