State-run surveillance operations around the world are using Claude to streamline their operations, Anthropic said in a threat report released Thursday.
Why it matters: The barriers for governments interested in spying on dissidents, politicians, journalists and human rights activists are getting lower as AI models get more powerful.
The liberal pro-Israel group J Street is launching a $3 million offensive against five AIPAC-backed Republicans in some of the nation's most competitive midterm races, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: The battle over Israel, which roiled Democratic primaries and fueled tens of millions of dollars in outside spending, is spilling into the general election and pitting two pro-Israel groups against each other.
The Energy Department's statistics arm on Wednesday sharply raised its forecast for U.S. diesel prices next year as tight global supplies keep domestic inventories unusually low.
Why it matters: The outlook suggests Americans could face elevated fuel costs well into 2027, as President Trump acknowledged Wednesday that oil prices may not fall until after November's midterm elections.
President Trump used a call to restore German greatness Tuesday to celebrate a far-right party that others have denounced as antisemitic.
Why it matters: Trump promoting the AfD, or Alternative for Germany, comes as the nation's political mainstream has spent years keeping the party — which intelligence authorities has classified as extremist — out of power.
The AfD won a record 44% in Saxony-Anhalt's elections, putting Germany within reach of its first far-right state government since World War II.
Major banks are upping their oil price estimates for the months and even years ahead.
Why it matters: Despite White House claims that it controls the Strait of Hormuz, the status of the vital energy chokepoint and other regional shipping could be messy for a long time.
Home heating oil bills are likely to be massive this winter in the Northeast — and as one such homeowner, I am terrified.
Why it matters: Beyond my ability to keep my daughter and dog alive through the long, dark suburban winter, the looming shadow of the oil delivery truck underscores the costs consumers are bearing as a result of parallel wars in Iran and Ukraine.
U.S. gasoline prices averaged $4.15 for a gallon of regular on Tuesday, according to AAA.
Diesel hit an all-time high price of $5.90 a gallon on Monday and stayed there on Tuesday.
The Trump administration did not oppose a UK-led initiative to impose new sanctions on Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, U.S. officials and Western diplomats say.
Why it matters: The White House's decision not to push back on the UK effort, which 11 other Western countries have joined, is a signal of its frustration with the Netanyahu government's policy in the West Bank.
