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Artificial intelligence is reshaping the US economy, with debates over its impact on jobs. While some data shows AI adoption correlates with job growth, others highlight risks, particularly for younger workers. Gina Raimondo and Bernie Sanders present opposing views, with Raimondo emphasizing long-term job creation and Sanders warning of significant job losses.

The US has over 40 African nations without a Senate-confirmed ambassador, disrupting security and diplomatic efforts. The situation worsened after December's recall of career ambassadors, with high-profile envoys like Massad Boulos handling key negotiations instead of resident ambassadors.

Reid Rasner, an openly gay Republican candidate for Wyoming's House seat, is suing members of his own party for defamation after being called a 'pedophile' in social media posts. He is settling a case with an Iowa man and pursuing another against a former GOP Wyoming state senator who allegedly spread rumors about his sexual misconduct. The accusations, which began after Rasner's 2025 TikTok acquisition proposal, led to death threats, campaign damage, and a drop in support following a misleading poll about his sexuality.

Top Democrats on five Senate committees criticize President Trump for earning $1.3 billion from cryptocurrency, raising concerns about his influence on pending crypto legislation. Lawmakers are preparing a digital assets bill amid unresolved issues, while House GOP leaders face challenges in advancing legislation due to internal disputes.

Edward Jones Investments, led by managing partner Penny Pennington, is leveraging AI to address a talent shortage caused by an aging workforce of financial advisers. The firm aims to retain expertise by centralizing knowledge from client interactions and using AI to enhance advisers' efficiency, while maintaining a human-centered business model.

Graham Platner's scandal-plagued campaign for a US Senate seat in Maine caused a rift within the Democratic party, undermining efforts to oppose President Donald Trump's agenda. Platner's departure without unifying support for a replacement threatens Democrats' chances of gaining Senate control in the midterms, according to the article.

China is considering restricting foreign access to its top AI models, mirroring US efforts to limit access to frontier AI technologies. This could impact US businesses reliant on Chinese AI and challenge Beijing’s claims about its open-source models aiding lower-income countries. Mark Zuckerberg has pledged aggressive pricing for Meta’s premium AI to counter this narrative.

Russia and China are collaborating to develop capabilities to disable or destroy Starlink, including malware and jamming devices, as revealed by a joint investigation. The partnership involves exchanging Russian battlefield experience for Chinese technology, with Russian forces using jamming to counter Ukraine's Starlink-aided drone attacks.

Second-quarter earnings will highlight the Iran conflict's uneven impact on corporations. US oil majors and refiners are projected to see record profits from higher crude prices, while Gulf companies face mixed results with energy firms gaining but airlines, retailers, banks, and real estate companies struggling due to disrupted shipping and weakened tourism and consumer demand. The US-Iran ceasefire's instability keeps regional risk premiums elevated.

The fading prospect of a durable US-Iran ceasefire is prompting investors and energy companies to reassess their optimism. Qatar has delayed LNG production plans due to renewed fears over shipping near the Strait of Hormuz, while energy analysts warn US oil stockpiles are unprepared for a collapsed ceasefire.

The US and Iran exchanged strikes for a second day, marking the most serious rupture in their crumbling ceasefire. Tehran attacked US military sites in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Jordan, while President Donald Trump considers reimposing a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz. Both sides prioritize control of shipping through the strait over Iran’s nuclear program, with any potential deal deemed unpalatable by analysts.

President Donald Trump has requested the Supreme Court to rehear two cases: its birthright citizenship decision and a $5 million judgment against him in a lawsuit with E. Jean Carroll. Legal experts say such rehearing requests are exceptionally rare, with little chance of success, particularly for the birthright citizenship case decided on merits.

An SDNY judge ruled that New York’s gambling regulations apply to Kalshi’s sports-event contracts, challenging the companies' argument that their platforms operate as futures contracts rather than gambling. The decision supports claims from 16 states that prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket threaten state revenue from casinos and gaming, while the companies and CFTC chair Michael Selig argue these markets help corporations hedge business risks.

Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos' space startup, is seeking $10 billion at a $130 billion valuation to compete with SpaceX. The article highlights SpaceX's advantages in launches, funding, and diversification compared to Blue Origin's challenges, drawing parallels to Lyft's position relative to Uber.

Starbucks is developing in-house AI tools to replace software previously sourced from Microsoft and IBM, aiming to reduce annual software spending. The company's CTO mentioned this shift during an internal forum, indicating a potential change in enterprise software adoption trends.

Big Tech companies are increasing capital expenditures, leading to a decline in free cash flow, while firms producing AI processing and memory chips are generating significant profits. Investors are shifting focus from large language models (LLMs) to AI infrastructure, applications, and memory chips, with potential changes as hyperscalers outsource costs and chipmakers expand their investments.

The article highlights growing mistrust between companies and AI labs like Anthropic, as businesses fear IP theft and direct competition. Executives express concerns that AI labs, through customer support and data access, could transition from partners to competitors in industries like law and design. Open-source models are cited as a cheaper alternative that reduces reliance on proprietary AI labs.

The New York Times is increasing investment in visual content to compete with video-centric platforms like TikTok and YouTube. This follows a past failed 'pivot to video' in the 2010s, where publishers overrelied on Facebook's video incentives, leading to the collapse of companies like Mic and Mashable. Current efforts aim to adapt to audiences' sustained demand for short- and long-form video.

Permitting is the primary obstacle to energy infrastructure development, surpassing capital access, according to JP Morgan's natural resources group leaders. The issue is most severe in the US but affects Australia, Canada, Germany, and the UK, leading to delayed projects, higher costs, and reduced system resilience.

Trade delays at the Saudi-UAE border have intensified amid growing tensions between the two Gulf nations, with trucks waiting up to several days. Saudi Arabia aims to curb economic leakage into the UAE, while bottlenecks worsened due to the Iran war disrupting maritime routes. Both sides have denied deliberate delays, though financial transfer issues and past disputes suggest strained relations.