Stories from United States

The US Space Force has selected 12 companies for contracts worth up to $3.2 billion. This funding is part of the Golden Dome missile defense system to develop space-based interceptors. The US Department of Defense budget includes $22 billion for shipbuilding and $22 billion for the Golden Dome program. An additional $25 billion is allocated for munitions to establish drone dominance. These funding levels follow a reconciliation bill that initiated President Trump's priorities. The budget aims to correct previous departmental directions.

Total bankruptcy filings in the United States have reached 591,800, according to recent data. While this figure represents a rise in filings, it remains significantly below historic highs. The trend highlights ongoing economic pressures on households and businesses. North America is experiencing its highest levels of bankruptcy in twelve years. The region is facing a new wave of insolvencies.

A 50-year-old parent, Tommy Jomire, faces multiple felony counts including child endangerment in Orange County. Prosecutors allege Jomire provided an e-motorcycle to an unlicensed minor despite prior warnings regarding the child's age and ability to operate the vehicle. The incident follows a similar warning issued to the parent last year. Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer announced felony child endangerment charges against a mother whose child was riding a motorcycle illegally.

Meta Platforms is expected to report earnings on Wednesday with guidance suggesting 30% revenue growth. Meta reported Q1 revenue of $56.31 billion, representing a 33% year-over-year increase. Net income for the period rose 61% to $26.77 billion. Shares dropped over 6% in after-hours trading following the report. Net profit reached $26.8 billion, significantly higher than the $16.6 billion recorded in the same period last year. This profit figure includes approximately $8 billion in one-time non-cash tax benefits. Excluding these tax benefits, earnings per share would have decreased by three cents. The company's use of its own AI systems was noted as a factor in managing corporate risk. Meta reported $56.3 billion in revenue for the first quarter of 2026. Despite the revenue growth, daily user numbers declined for the first time as capital expenditure rose to $145 billion.

DuPont Chemical Corporation and 3M have agreed to a $13.5 billion settlement regarding the contamination of public drinking water with cancer-causing 'forever chemicals'. The contamination has been linked to high concentrations of these substances in Long Island's water supply. The settlement aims to address health risks including kidney, testicular, liver, and thyroid cancers. The agreement follows concerns over chemical contamination in the region's water supply.

Bloomberg reports that US authorities have initially prohibited the use of Venezuelan funds for specific payment transactions. This move follows ongoing scrutiny regarding the financial flows linked to the Venezuelan administration. The restriction aims to tighten oversight on how Venezuelan assets are utilized in international commerce. The US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control issued an explanatory letter on the 28th regarding the Strait of Hormuz. The document prohibits US persons, financial institutions, and all US-owned or controlled foreign entities from making direct or indirect payments to the Iranian government or the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for Hormuz Strait security communication fees. The announcement follows reports of US and Iran military actions regarding the blockade of the Hormuz Strait.

New York authorities launched Operation Southern Shield to combat traffic safety issues on the Southern State Parkway. A study by Newsday revealed that 137 people were killed and nearly 850 injured in over 42,000 crashes on this specific road between 2012 and 2023. The crackdown aims to reduce these fatalities and injuries through increased enforcement. New York City has released a mobile application called 'New York Noise' for citizens to record and report noise levels. Rohit Agarwala, head of the city's environmental protection department, stated the app aims to collect data on high-noise locations. To protect privacy, the app transmits decibel data and location rather than actual audio recordings.

The United States Air Force has decided to extend the service life of the A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft until 2030. This decision addresses a potential gap in ground-attack capabilities caused by the inability of advanced fighter production, such as the F-35A and F-15EX, to meet immediate demand. The extension ensures continued close air support availability during the transition to newer platforms. Military leadership is reportedly evaluating future operations with increased caution due to shifts in perceived military strength. Originally, the military planned to retire the remaining 162 aircraft by the end of the 2026 fiscal year. Concerns regarding the aircraft's survival rate in modern combat environments have been raised due to its slow speed, low flight altitude, and lack of stealth capabilities.

US authorities have frozen approximately $344 million in digital assets as part of an effort to track networks operating outside traditional banking systems. The move targets digital transfers that are difficult to monitor through standard financial channels. This action represents a shift toward policing non-traditional financial spaces to combat illicit networks. The US Treasury is launching a cybersecurity information-sharing initiative specifically for the digital asset industry. The program aims to provide cybersecurity intelligence to the crypto sector at no cost to improve industry-wide security. The US Treasury Department has frozen approximately $344 million in cryptocurrency assets associated with Iran. This move is part of an escalation in economic measures targeting digital networks.

Military officials indicate that critical US missile inventories will take between three and five years to return to pre-conflict levels. This depletion follows the intensive use of munitions, including approximately 400 sea-based Tomahawk cruise missiles, during recent operations involving Iran. The replenishment process is complicated by current industrial production capacities and the scale of recent missile expenditures. The US has reportedly notified Japan regarding the delivery of approximately 400 Tomahawk missiles originally scheduled for March 2028. War planners estimate it would take three to five years to replenish US missile inventories. This vulnerability in the Western Pacific could persist for that duration. The shortage of weapons is noted as a factor in potential future conflicts involving China.