An overnight fire at Governor Josh Shapiro’s official residence has been confirmed as arson by state police. The blaze broke out during Passover while the Shapiro family was inside, prompting an emergency evacuation. Though no injuries were reported, significant damage was done to part of the riverfront mansion. The case has triggered both a police investigation and bipartisan condemnation.

After a sightseeing helicopter shattered midair over the Hudson, killing six—including a visiting Spanish family—Senator Chuck Schumer wants the FAA to ground the tour company involved and tighten oversight industry-wide. As investigators search for wreckage, pressure mounts on an already controversial sector of New York City’s tourism machine.

A federal judge just gave Elon Musk’s government-efficiency squad a partial green light. After months of legal wrangling, one DOGE staffer can now access highly sensitive U.S. Treasury data—provided he checks a few bureaucratic boxes. Critics say it’s a privacy red flag; Musk fans say it’s about time someone took a magnifying glass to Washington’s spending habits.

Just in time for Holy Week, the State Department is asking employees to flag any anti-Christian discrimination they may have experienced under the Biden administration. From vaccine-related discipline to disputes over pronouns and religious expression, the department is forming a task force to investigate potential bias—anonymous reports welcome. Meanwhile, internal leadership changes are drawing both praise and protest, especially after a faith-heavy speech by the newly appointed head of HR (whose wife runs civil rights enforcement).

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.