Trump is predicted to advertise financial ambitions throughout his go to to the Center East. The Bureau of Labor Statistics will launch worth progress knowledge for April. And the primary witnesses have taken the stand in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ trial.
Right here’s what to know right this moment.
Trump heads to Center East with hopes of creating large offers
President Donald Trump hopes to go away his mark within the Center East when he visits Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates this week with a give attention to financial pursuits and dealmaking. A White Home official stated Trump will focus on alternatives for funding and cooperation with different leaders throughout this journey. However wars in Gaza and Ukraine loom over his economic-focused ambitions.
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Trump’s go to kicks off right this moment in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, a Gulf energy plentiful in mineral wealth the place “the connection actually could not be higher,” stated a well-placed Trump ally with shut ties to the area.
Then, in Doha, Qatar, Trump is predicted to ship a speech and meet with American troops on the Al Udeid Air Base. He’ll additionally meet with the Qatari authorities to debate the royal household’s reward of a luxurious aircraft value about $400 million. The proposed reward has sparked debate in Washington about whether or not it will run afoul of the constitutional clause that bars items from international nations with out congressional approval. Republican Sen. Ron Johnson referred to as the aircraft “a reasonably unusual provide,” whereas Trump ally Laura Loomer stated accepting the reward can be “a pressure” on the administration. Trump described the reward as a “contribution” that the U.S. can’t flip down.
Additionally value noting: A deal was finalized final month for a Trump-branded golf course close to Doha in accomplice with a Saudi Arabian agency, highlighting the Trump Group’s worldwide ambitions whereas elevating issues from critics about benefiting from the presidency.
The continuing wars in Gaza and Ukraine additionally provide diplomatic alternatives for Trump, who introduced earlier than departing Washington the return of American hostage Edan Alexander. The president hopes Hamas will launch extra hostages this week. And it’s not on the official agenda, however Trump stated that he would take into account flying to Turkey for a possible assembly Thursday between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.
Learn the complete story right here.
Extra politics information:
- Home Republicans unveiled the legislative textual content of their sweeping tax proposal for Trump’s agenda, however a key divide over SALT may decide whether or not the invoice passes a ground vote. Additionally within the broader plan: extending expiring 2017 tax cuts, eliminating federal taxes on suggestions and extra time pay by means of 2028 and new financial savings accounts for newborns — however not a tax hike on the rich.
- American officers welcomed a bunch of 59 South Africans as refugees although the Trump administration has shut down refugee admissions from nearly all different counties. Additionally, the Episcopal Church’s migration service refused a federal authorities directive to assist resettle the brand new refugees.
- The DNC subcommittee really useful invalidating the vote that made activist David Hogg its vice-chair after a grievance that it didn’t observe social gathering guidelines.
- Newark Mayor Ras Baraka’s arrest final week at an ICE facility may very well be a boon to him within the New Jersey governor’s race. Right here’s why. In the meantime, Trump endorsed Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli.
Value progress slows, however uncertainty stays
The newest batch of consumer-price knowledge from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shall be launched right this moment, and whereas analysts predict barely slowed progress throughout final month, they are saying the continued dialog about tariffs has injected uncertainty into the market. For the interval masking the previous 12 months, consultants forecast a rise of two.3% in worth progress in April, barely down from 2.4% in March. On a month-to-month foundation, analysts predict common worth progress of 0.2% in April.
Fuel costs are about 50 cents much less per gallon than this time final 12 months, in response to AAA. However grocery worth progress stays stalled, housing prices have continued to rise and auto costs are anticipated to be greater “due partly” to President Donald Trump’s tariffs. Learn the complete story right here.
The brand new BLS knowledge follows the U.S. and China’s announcement of an settlement, for now, to scale back their reciprocal tariffs. The event despatched inventory costs rocketingwith the Dow Jones Industrial Common closing Monday up greater than 1,100 factors, a rise of about 2.8%; the S&P 500 up 3.3%; and the Nasdaq up 4.4% and now in a bull market. Regardless of the markets’ optimism, the pressure between the U.S. and China has not gone away.
Lodge guard, male escort take the stand in Sean Combs trial
The jury has been seated, the prosecution and protection made their opening statements, and testimony is underway in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ federal trial. Combs faces 5 prison counts, together with racketeering conspiracy; intercourse trafficking by pressure, fraud or coercion; and transportation to have interaction in prostitution. He has denied the allegations.
Right here’s what occurred Monday:
▪️ A jury of eight males and 4 girls had been seated, whittled down from a pool of 45 potential jurors. They vary in age from 30 to 74 years previous. Amongst them are an funding analyst, a doctor assistant, a therapeutic massage therapist and a deli clerk. Right here’s what else we all know in regards to the jurors.
▪️ Throughout opening statements, prosecutors from the Southern District of New York painted Combs as a “bigger than life” determine who ran a prison enterprise, allegedly orchestrated dayslong “freakoffs” and tried to cowl up surveillance video of him assaulting his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in a Los Angeles lodge in 2016.
▪️ Combs’ protection crew stated they received’t struggle that Combs has dedicated acts of home violence however argued these actions don’t quantity to the potential federal crimes being adjudicated.
▪️ The primary witness to take the stand was LAPD officer Israel Florez, a former lodge safety guard who was on obligation the day Combs was caught on digital camera attacking Ventura. Florez stated that Combs supplied him a “sack of cash” to not speak in regards to the incident, which Florez stated he interpreted as a bribe.
▪️ The second witness was Daniel Phillip, a male escort who stated he acquired cash to have intercourse with Ventura whereas Combs watched and gave them directions. He additionally stated he as soon as witnessed Combs assault Ventura and advised her, “It’s essential to get assist.”
Learn extra about Day 1 of the trial.
NBC Information shall be following the trial carefully. Join for the Diddy on Trial publication to obtain the newest information, together with insights and evaluation from our crew contained in the courtroom.
Learn All About It
- An early-season warmth wave is predicted to carry record-breaking triple-digit temperatures to components of Texas, Louisiana and Florida, in addition to different components of the Plains and the southeast.
- Kim Kardashian will take the stand in Paris to testify towards a gang of 10 folks often called the “grandpa robbers” who’re accused of stealing $9 million in jewellery from her at gunpoint in 2016.
- McDonald’s stated it plans to rent 375,000 workers within the U.S. this summer time in one of many fast-food chain’s largest hiring pushes in years.
- Tory Lanez, the rapper convicted of capturing Megan Thee Stallion, was rushed to a hospital after he was stabbed in jail.
- Phoenix Ikner, the 20-year-old accused within the lethal rampage that killed two folks and injured not less than six at Florida State College final month, was charged with first-degree homicide and and tried homicide.
Workers Decide: No black field, no solutions

Steve Langen waited greater than a 12 months to study what triggered a Marine helicopter to slam right into a snowy mountain peak in Southern California, killing his son and 4 different service members on board. However final week, an investigation report stated the plane was not geared up with a tool that preserves flight knowledge in a crash, often called a “black field.” With out satisfactory knowledge, investigators may solely posit theories.
Meaning Langen might by no means understand how and why he misplaced Alec, his 23-year-old son who adopted in his Marine aviator footsteps, that evening on Feb. 6, 2024. Outraged, Langen is now pushing the Marine Corps so as to add the expertise to its Tremendous Stallion plane, although he has been advised that doing so can be too costly.
“You’re placing a price ticket on a service member’s life,” Langen advised me. “For me, as a dad and a Marine who did this job, it actually hurts. That hurts on a stage that it’s onerous to place into phrases.” — Melissa Channationwide reporter
NBC Choose: On-line Procuring, Simplified
NBC Choose editors examined two digital picture frames for a month and in contrast the favored fashions. Right here’s how the Aura and Skylight frames stack up. Editors additionally examined over 20 compression socks, and these six pairs are the favorites.
Signal as much as The Choice publication for hands-on product evaluations, knowledgeable purchasing suggestions and a have a look at the most effective offers and gross sales every week.
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