Saturday, May 16, 2026
The Trump administration has proposed slashing water allocations to Arizona, California, and Nevada by up to 40% as the Colorado River's reservoirs sink to critically low levels. The plan emerged after seven states that draw from the river failed to reach their own agreement on cuts. Arizona officials were the first to surface the details at a state water meeting this week.
Two of America's largest energy companies are in merger discussions that would create a $400 billion utility behemoth, driven by surging electricity demand from AI data centres. The proposed tie-up would reshape the US power sector at a moment when grid capacity has become a strategic chokepoint for the tech industry.
Boeing has confirmed its first major Chinese sales commitment in nearly ten years — an initial order for 200 aircraft, with Trump suggesting the total could reach 750. Despite the headline win, investors aren't celebrating: shares fell more than 9.4% over two days amid confusion about how the deal was disclosed and what it actually guarantees.
The Pentagon's own inspector general has found that the Trump administration dismantled the military's legally mandated program to prevent and respond to civilian deaths in US operations. The military now lacks the staff, tools, and infrastructure required to comply with two federal statutes — a finding that lands as scrutiny over a US strike on a girls' school in Iran intensifies.
US federal prosecutors have charged Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi with six terrorism-related counts, alleging his involvement in nearly 20 attacks and attempted attacks spanning the US and Europe. The case has particularly alarmed the UK, where targets included Jewish community centres, synagogues, and charities.
