Putin Orders Russian Army Expanded to 1.55 Million Active Personnel as Ukraine War Continues
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree ordering the military to expand to 1.55 million active servicemen. Ukrainian President Zelensky said additional North Korean troops are expected to be deployed in support of Russian forces.Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a presidential decree ordering the Russian military to increase its active-duty force to 1.55 million servicemen. The order was issued as Russia and Ukraine both continue to suffer mounting casualties in a conflict now in its fifth year. Separately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he expects more North Korean troops to be deployed to support Russian operations, following earlier confirmed deployments of North Korean soldiers. South Korea has been drawn into a diplomatic dispute with Ukraine over the handling of captured North Korean prisoners of war; Seoul summoned Ukraine's ambassador after Zelensky publicly revealed that two captured North Koreans had been transferred to South Korea, a step Seoul said was meant to remain confidential. The army expansion order signals Russia's intent to sustain and potentially intensify its military operations despite prolonged attrition. Western governments and NATO allies have continued to monitor the situation, including separate incidents this week in which Russian military aircraft prompted NATO member nations to scramble fighter jets over the Gulf of Finland.
Justice Alito Recuses Himself From Supreme Court Climate Change Case Over Oil Stock Holdings
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has stepped aside from a major climate case examining whether fossil fuel companies misled the public, citing his holdings in oil company stocks.Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito announced Monday that he will not participate in a pending climate change case before the court, recusing himself following calls from critics who noted he held stock in oil companies with a stake in the outcome. The case concerns whether fossil fuel firms deceived the American public about the risks of their products — a question with significant implications for ongoing litigation brought by state and local governments against major energy companies. Alito's recusal was confirmed in a letter posted publicly. His absence from the case will affect the court's ideological balance when it takes up the matter, though the court did not immediately announce how the recusal would affect scheduling or argument. The decision followed sustained public pressure and media scrutiny over potential conflicts of interest arising from justices' financial holdings.
Justice Department Asks Supreme Court to Reinstate Ban on Transgender Medical Care in Federal Prisons
The Justice Department filed an emergency application asking the Supreme Court to block a lower court order that had struck down a Bureau of Prisons policy prohibiting hormone therapy and gender-related accommodations for transgender inmates.The Trump administration's Justice Department asked the Supreme Court on Monday to intervene and reinstate a Bureau of Prisons policy that bans hormone therapy and gender-related accommodations for transgender inmates in federal custody. A lower court had blocked the policy, finding it likely violated the constitutional rights of affected prisoners. The administration's emergency application asks the justices to stay that lower court order while litigation continues. The case is part of a broader set of legal disputes over the administration's policies regarding transgender individuals in federal institutions, including prisons and the military. The Supreme Court has already weighed in on related questions in other contexts during the current term. The court has not yet indicated how it will respond to the emergency request.
Federal Judge Blocks Administration's Attempt to Tie Emergency Grants to Election Law Changes
A federal judge ruled the Trump administration cannot withhold Homeland Security emergency grants to states unless those states adopt election measures including paper balloting and citizenship verification requirements.A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from conditioning emergency grants administered through the Department of Homeland Security on states adopting specific election-related changes, including paper ballot requirements and citizenship verification for voter registration. The administration had threatened to withhold some of the funding unless states explored these changes. The judge found the conditions were impermissible. The ruling prevents the administration from using federal disaster and emergency preparedness funding as leverage to influence state election administration practices. The decision adds to a series of court rulings that have constrained administration efforts to attach policy conditions to federal funding streams. The administration is expected to appeal.
Markets have declined modestly over the past week.
30-Year Mortgage Rate Returns Above 7% for First Time in 20 Months
The average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage rose above 7% for the first time in nearly two years, adding pressure to a housing market already strained by elevated home prices and limited supply.The average interest rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage has climbed back above 7 percent, reaching that threshold for the first time in approximately 20 months. The increase reflects rising US Treasury yields, which have hit multi-decade highs and directly influence borrowing costs across the economy, including home loans. The development compounds affordability challenges for prospective homebuyers who are already contending with home prices that remain elevated relative to incomes in most major markets. Higher mortgage rates reduce purchasing power, meaning buyers qualify for smaller loans or are priced out of the market entirely. The housing market has faced constrained inventory in part because existing homeowners with low locked-in mortgage rates have been reluctant to sell and take on a new loan at current rates — a dynamic that limits the supply of homes available for purchase even as demand from would-be buyers persists.
Herbicide Atrazine Found in Nearly 25% of Continental US Rivers at Levels That May Harm Wildlife and Human Health
A review of federal records found the herbicide atrazine contaminating roughly 860,000 miles of continental US rivers — about 25% of the total — at concentrations that researchers say can disrupt hormones in wildlife and may pose risks to human health.A new analysis of federal environmental records found that atrazine, a widely used agricultural herbicide, is present in nearly 25 percent of all river miles in the continental United States — approximately 860,000 miles of waterways — at levels that researchers say can harm wildlife and may threaten human health. The affected waterways include sources that account for more than 20 percent of surface drinking water intakes across the country. Atrazine is classified as an endocrine-disrupting chemical, meaning it can interfere with hormonal systems in animals and potentially humans. The herbicide has been banned in more than 60 countries, including across the European Union, but remains in common use in the United States, particularly on corn crops. The review draws on federal agency data rather than new field measurements, and researchers said the findings suggest the contamination is more geographically widespread than previously characterized.
OpenAI Declines to Release New AI Model Citing Safety Concerns
OpenAI said it will not release its newest AI model, known internally as GPT-6.1 Astra, after researchers raised concerns about the model's security.OpenAI has decided not to release its latest AI model, referred to internally as GPT-6.1 Astra, after the company's own researchers raised questions about the model's safety and security. The decision is notable given competitive pressures in the AI industry, where companies have typically moved quickly to release new models. The move comes as OpenAI and its rival Anthropic are both preparing for initial public offerings and facing heightened scrutiny over how seriously they take safety commitments. Anthropic, in its own IPO prospectus, devoted nearly a third of its risk disclosures to discussing potential catastrophic and existential risks posed by advanced AI systems. The OpenAI decision to withhold GPT-6.1 Astra represents a case where internal safety review resulted in a product being held back from public deployment — a step that safety advocates have argued AI companies should be more willing to take.