News The White House Builds a UFC Arena While Asking Federal Workers to Sign NDAs Two stories out of Washington today belong together. On one side, construction is underway on the White House South Lawn for a temporary UFC arena tied to President Trump’s 80th birthday and America’s 250th anniversary celebrations. The event is planned for June 14, with a scaled-down 5, By Olga Nesterova • 1 min read
News The Hormuz Deal Is Not a Deal Yet A possible U.S.-Iran framework over the Strait of Hormuz is now being floated through Iranian state media — but Washington is already pushing back. By Olga Nesterova • 2 min read
News The UK Just Broke Its May Heat Record Twice The United Kingdom just broke its May heat record twice in two days. On May 25, Kew Gardens reached 34.8°C, breaking the country’s previous May temperature record of 32.8°C, set in 1922 and matched in 1944. On May 26, the record was broken again, with By Olga Nesterova • 1 min read
News Hungary’s New Leader Cuts His Salary. The Real Test Is Corruption Reform. Hungary’s new Prime Minister Péter Magyar is moving quickly to signal a break from the Viktor Orbán era. His government has pledged investigations into alleged corruption and abuse of power under Orbán, including six investigative committees, possible constitutional reforms, an eight-year prime ministerial term limit, and the dismantling By Olga Nesterova • 1 min read
Pope Leo XIV | Photo shared on X News The Pope’s AI Warning: Do Not Outsource Human Morality Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, is not a rejection of technology. It is a rejection of surrender. The Pope is warning that artificial intelligence cannot be treated as morally neutral when it is designed by human beings, owned by powerful institutions, trained on human society, and deployed By Olga Nesterova • 2 min read
Prime Minister Mark Carney meeting with Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and MP, North Mumbai Lok Sabha | Photo shared on X News Canada Is Diversifying Because America Became Unpredictable U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra gave a master class in how not to do public diplomacy. Asked whether he understood where Canadian frustration toward the United States was coming from, he answered: “Absolutely, no.” That answer matters because Canadian frustration is not mysterious. Donald Trump repeatedly referred to By Olga Nesterova • 2 min read
Picture by Starlink | shared on X News Russia’s Starlink Threat Shows the War Has Moved Into Orbit Russia’s reported threats against Elon Musk and Starlink may sound like another Kremlin outburst. They are more than that. They reveal how modern war has changed. By Olga Nesterova • 2 min read
News Russia Warned Diplomats to Leave Kyiv. That Was the Point. Russia did not simply warn the United States before potential strikes on Kyiv. It tried to send a message to every embassy still operating in Ukraine’s capital: leave. By Olga Nesterova • 2 min read
Secretary of State Rubio at the press conference during his trip to India News U.S.-India Ties Are Warm at the Top, Tense at the Border. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to India was meant to reinforce one of Washington’s most important strategic partnerships. The optics were warm. Trump called into the U.S. Embassy’s Freedom 250 Independence Day reception in New Delhi and praised India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying By Olga Nesterova • 1 min read
President Zelenskyy visiting the sites targeted by a massive attack by Russia News Zelenskyy Does Not Hold Back After Russia Hits Civilian Sites. After Russia’s latest massive attack on Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited damaged civilian sites and did not soften his words. Standing near the damaged museum, he said: “They saw this museum. They attacked the museum. Just crazy a*sholes. That’s it.” The anger was not performative. It followed By Olga Nesterova • 1 min read
Photo: Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press News Carney Gave Alberta a Path. Smith Gave Separatists a Ballot. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith now says she will vote for Alberta to remain in Canada. But her government has also helped keep alive the referendum pathway separatists can use. Smith posted that the last decade under the Trudeau-NDP was difficult for Alberta, but argued that the tide is turning. By Olga Nesterova • 1 min read
ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images News Trump Loves China. But It’s Not Mutual. Here’s the Data. Trump has leaned heavily into personal praise for China and Xi Jinping, presenting the relationship as something he can manage through personal chemistry. But China is not treating this as a love story. It is treating it as a strategic opening. Gallup’s latest global leadership data shows China has By Olga Nesterova • 1 min read
