The U.S. budget deficit has reached over $1.3 trillion in the first half of the 2025 fiscal year, marking the second largest six-month deficit in history. The increased spending has been driven by rising costs in Social Security, Medicare, disaster assistance, and defense. This growth in the deficit comes amid President Trump’s government efficiency efforts and growing concerns about long-term fiscal sustainability.

In response to escalating tariffs imposed by the U.S. under President Trump, China seeks global support, focusing on Europe and Southeast Asia. However, many nations are hesitant to fully align with China’s opposition to U.S. policies. While Trump temporarily eases tariffs, global markets remain volatile as countries grapple with trade disruptions.

Ernesto "Don Neto" Fonseca Carrillo, the Mexican drug lord convicted for his role in the 1985 kidnapping, torture, and murder of U.S. DEA agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena, has been released from prison after serving his 40-year sentence. Fonseca, 94, had been serving his sentence under home confinement since 2016. His release, which took place last weekend, has sparked questions about potential future actions by the U.S. regarding his extradition.

The Trump administration announced that it will begin considering antisemitic activity, including social media posts and physical harassment of Jewish individuals, as grounds for denying immigration benefits. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will screen the social media activity of applicants seeking benefits like permanent residency or student visas. The policy, which takes effect immediately, follows a proposal to collect social media handles from individuals applying for immigration benefits. Critics are concerned about the expansion of government surveillance and the potential for infringing on free speech.

Ksenia Karelina, a US-Russia dual national, was released from Russian custody in a prisoner swap after being convicted of treason for donating to a Ukrainian charity. The exchange, which also saw the release of Russian national Arthur Petrov from a US jail, took place in Abu Dhabi, UAE, signaling a step toward improving US-Russia relations.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned that the European Union is preparing additional countermeasures against U.S. tariffs if current negotiations fail, calling President Trump’s new tariff move a "major blow" to the global economy.

The European Union, led by President Ursula von der Leyen, is preparing further countermeasures against new U.S. tariffs. With tensions rising between global trading powers, von der Leyen warns that the chaos created by tariffs could lead to widespread uncertainty, harming vulnerable economies and intensifying protectionism.

A mass grave in Vienna dating to the 1st century A.D. reveals the remains of at least 150 warriors, likely victims of a battle involving Germanic tribes. The discovery offers rare insights into the violence of Roman military history and the early history of the region that would become Austria’s capital.

Despite ongoing egg shortages and high prices due to avian flu, the White House plans to use real eggs for the 2025 Easter Egg Roll. While the move has sparked mixed reactions among farmers, the event will continue as tradition, using around 30,000 eggs.

Over half of U.S. states have implemented laws banning devices such as Glock switches, which convert pistols into automatic weapons. This increase in state-level legislation follows a surge in law enforcement seizures of these small but powerful devices, which have become a significant concern in efforts to reduce gun violence. While federal law has long prohibited machine guns, many states are now creating additional regulations to address the growing threat posed by such conversion devices.