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Trump-backed housing overhaul targeting Wall Street investors clears Senate

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The Senate advanced a massive, Trump-backed housing package that proponents say will prevent the U.S. from becoming a «nation of renters.» 

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The upper chamber sent the 21st Century Road to Housing Act to the House on Monday after months of delay. After the heads of the House Financial Services Committee and Senate Banking Committee reached a deal last week, the package is on a glide path to President Donald Trump’s desk. 

It’s the first major push by Congress to address housing regulations in decades, and one Trump has been calling on lawmakers to complete as the midterm elections near. 

TRUMP-BACKED AFFORDABLE HOUSING OVERHAUL CLEARS SENATE, WHILE HOUSE GOP RAISES RED FLAGS

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The Senate advanced a massive, Trump-backed housing package geared toward lowering the costs of homes and supercharging the housing supply. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., pitched it as legislation to prevent America from becoming a «nation of renters.» (Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Protect Borrowers; Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Loaded with nearly 60 different provisions, the package broadly tackles rolling back some permitting regulations, launches several pilot grant programs to build, repair and push affordable housing construction, and blocks investors from buying up housing stock — a key provision pushed by Trump.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., one of the architects of the package, said the legislation was «not the federal government big footing local government,» but instead the federal government laying out tweaks to current programs and policies that «over time will make housing more affordable.»

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«This is a housing package that will help increase supply and bring down costs,» Warren said. «One way is by beating back private equity, so they won’t invade your neighborhood, buy up all the houses, and turn America into a nation of renters.» 

Warren said that among several things, the package increases access to manufactured housing by changing the federal definition to open up for more units to be constructed, pre-approved plan books for local governments to quickly approve new construction, and the waiving of some environmental review regulations for the construction of new homes.

BIPARTISAN HOUSING PUSH ADVANCES, BUT TRUMP-BACKED INVESTOR BAN FACES RESISTANCE

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«It’s not just one piece that’s gonna solve a problem,» Warren said.
»It’s a whole lot of smaller pieces that push in the same direction that’s important.» 

The package also tries to turbocharge housing stock by tying federal grants and incentives sought by local governments to housing construction. And there are tweaks to mortgages, with a push for small-dollar mortgages at $100,000 and updates to lending standards for manufactured homes. 

Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, whose provision to establish pre-approved housing designs to speed up home construction made it into the package, said the legislation «sends a signal to state and local communities, to say, ‘Hey, guys, you really have to drive down the cost of housing, and you do that by not torturing homebuilders.’»

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TRUMP CAN SOLVE THE HOUSING CRISIS, BUT HE NEEDS TO GET TOUGH WITH STATES

Sen. Bernie Moreno speaking in the Oval Office with President Donald Trump and others

Sen. Bernie Moreno speaks as President Donald Trump hosts Republican lawmakers and auto executives in the Oval Office to announce changes to fuel economy standards on Dec. 3, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

While there are several moving parts to the 21st Century Road to Housing Act, it does not tackle every facet of housing costs.

For instance, it does not allocate fresh federal funding for the issue, as Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott, R-S.C., has lauded the package as being deficit neutral. Nor does it directly address rising costs of homeownership, given that much of the thrust is focused on building new homes and lowering the barrier of entry for Americans to get into a home. 

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And for some, it does not go far enough to address permitting issues. 

Sen. Alan Armstrong, R-Okla., argued that the «legislation as drafted fails to meaningfully address» the issues of housing costs.

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«Instead, this legislation makes a half-hearted attempt to waive minor environmental laws while failing to address the need for permitting reform at large,» Armstrong said. 

«Our permitting process deserves its own committed effort, and attaching weak slivers of those reforms to unrelated legislation undermines the work currently being done to pass comprehensive, meaningful permitting reform,» he said.

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Trump-backed Daylight Saving Time bill clears key House hurdle

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A bipartisan push to make Daylight Saving Time permanent is heading for a chamber-wide vote after clearing a key House hurdle.

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The House Rules Committee on Monday teed up a floor vote on the Sunshine Protection Act, which would allow states to enact Daylight Saving Time year-round — with an option to opt out. The committee approved the rule in a 6-4 vote.

The measure has the support of many coastal lawmakers and President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly urged Congress to make Daylight Saving Time permanent and end the twice-a-year ritual of changing clocks — a practice currently observed by every state except Hawaii and most of Arizona.

Proponents argue that resetting clocks has negative health impacts, while permanent Daylight Saving Time would boost outdoor recreation, tourism and economic activity, among other benefits.

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Rep. Vern Buchanan, a Republican from Florida, attends a House Ways and Means Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., on April 22, 2026. (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

CONGRESS EYES RARE BIPARTISAN HOUSING WIN WITH OR WITHOUT TRUMP’S HELP

Most Americans already set their clocks forward one hour each spring to preserve more evening daylight before «falling back» one hour in November.

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«Americans are overwhelmingly supportive of this policy and want to end the practice of ‘springing forward’ and ‘falling back.’ Locking the clock all year long would have positive impacts on sleep schedules, energy conservation, motor vehicle safety, and our economy,» Chairman Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., said in an opening statement Monday.

«In practice, this change would mean more time for people to exercise outside, visit family, attend concerts and sporting events, attract customers to their retail businesses, and more.»

«Floridians and Americans across the country are tired of the biannual time change, and the evidence is clear that permanent daylight saving time can improve public health, reduce traffic accidents, lower crime and encourage more outdoor activity,» Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., who authored the measure, previously said in a May news release. 

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«Ending the clock change is a commonsense reform that will improve everyday life for millions of Americans,» he added.

The legislation’s momentum comes after the House Energy and Commerce Committee overwhelmingly passed the measure 48-1 in May.

«It’s time that people can stop worrying about the ‘Clock,’ not to mention all of the work and money that is spent on this ridiculous, twice-yearly production,» Trump wrote following the Sunshine Protection Act’s advancement out of committee. «It will also be a very nice WIN for the Republican Party. Take it! We are going with the far more popular alternative, Saving Daylight, which gives you a longer, brighter Day — And who can be against that — This is an easy one!»

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President Donald Trump speaks to the media in the U.S. Capitol

President Donald Trump speaks to the media as he arrives at the U.S. Capitol on June 24, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

SLEEP DOCTOR REVEALS THE BRUTAL HEALTH DOWNSIDE OF DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME

Roughly 20 states have already passed legislation that would make Daylight Saving Time permanent if Congress were to authorize the practice. Alabama, South Carolina, Oregon, Maine and Florida are among those places.

But opponents, including several medical organizations, argue that permanent standard time — which provides more sunlight in the morning — would be the healthier option because it would more closely align with the body’s natural circadian rhythms.

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Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Pa., proposed amending the bill with language from her co-sponsored Sunshine for Our Kids Act, which would make standard time permanent nationwide. The amendment was quickly rejected.

Scanlon argued that permanent daylight saving time would pose significant health and safety risks by leaving more Americans — particularly children — in darkness during morning hours. She also pointed to the nation’s brief experiment with year-round daylight saving time in 1974, which Congress abandoned after widespread public backlash.

Rep. Nanette Barragán, D-Calif., was also the lone lawmaker to oppose the legislation during the Energy and Commerce Committee markup in May, citing concerns that year-round daylight saving time could negatively affect children’s health and sleep schedules.

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Some conservative lawmakers have also argued that GOP leadership should be focused on what they describe as more pressing legislative issues, including legislation codifying Trump’s border security executive orders and the stalled SAVE America Act.

«Republicans are majoring in the minors — fiddling with the clocks while the country burns,» Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas, a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, wrote Monday.

The House has already passed versions of the SAVE America Act multiple times, but the measure has struggled to overcome the Senate’s legislative filibuster.

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A phone user looks at their clock settings on their phone

This illustration photo shows a clock in the background of a smartphone showing the time after Daylight Saving Time was implemented in Los Angeles. (Chris Delmas/Getty Images)

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The Senate unanimously passed a version of the Sunshine Protection Act in 2022, but it died in the House amid opposition, including from lawmakers who voiced concerns about darker morning hours in parts of the country during the winter.

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Trump informó que EEUU investiga la posible presencia de drones iraníes en Cuba: “Si los tienen, nos encargaremos de ello en breve”

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Trump informó que EEUU investiga la posible presencia de drones iraníes en Cuba: “Si los tienen, nos encargaremos de ello en breve” (EP)

El presidente de Estados Unidos, Donald Trump, informó el lunes por la noche que su Gobierno investiga una posible presencia de drones iraníes en Cuba y advirtió que Washington actuará si confirma esa información. “Si los tienen, y es muy posible que los tengan, nos encargaremos de ello. Marco está justo en la habitación de al lado. Y si los tienen, nos encargaremos de ello en breve”, afirmó desde el Despacho Oval.

Trump respondió a preguntas de la prensa sobre una eventual presencia de drones iraníes en la isla y sostuvo que su administración no permitirá esa situación. Además, planteó la posibilidad de que Cuba también almacene armamento iraní.

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«Podría ser» que la isla caribeña estuviera «almacenando algunos» misiles iraníes, señaló el mandatario. “Lo estamos investigando ahora mismo”, expresó, antes de remarcar que su Gobierno no va a «permitir que eso ocurra“.

Las declaraciones del presidente llegaron poco después de que el secretario de Estado, Marco Rubio, anunciara que Washington continuará con el uso de «todas las herramientas a su disposición» para «impulsar» reformas «políticas y económicas» en Cuba y poner fin a «décadas de represión e incompetencia económica de su régimen comunista“.

En la víspera, el embajador de Estados Unidos ante las Naciones Unidas, Mike Waltz, sostuvo que Cuba alberga bases «tanto rusas como chinas» y atribuyó a Moscú y Beijing la presencia de «puestos de inteligencia, puestos de recolección de señales y oficiales militares en Cuba“.

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El embajador de Estados Unidos ante las Naciones Unidas, Mike Waltz (REUTERS)
El embajador de Estados Unidos ante las Naciones Unidas, Mike Waltz (REUTERS)

Las declaraciones se producen en un contexto de creciente presión de Washington sobre La Habana. Al embargo vigente desde hace más de seis décadas, Estados Unidos sumó desde comienzos de año un bloqueo energético que provocó, en distintas ocasiones, la interrupción total del suministro eléctrico en la isla.

El pasado viernes, las autoridades cubanas confirmaron un nuevo apagón eléctrico de alcance nacional, el cuarto registrado en lo que va del año.

El régimen cubano incorporó más de 300 drones militares de origen ruso e iraní desde 2023, según fuentes de inteligencia citadas por Axios. El informe sostiene que las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias (FAR) analizan un eventual uso de estos sistemas contra objetivos militares estadounidenses, como la Base Naval de Guantánamo o instalaciones en Cayo Hueso, en medio de la creciente tensión con Estados Unidos.

Las autoridades del régimen, encabezadas por Miguel Díaz-Canel, invocaron el derecho a la legítima defensa, aunque no negaron la posesión de estos sistemas. El canciller Bruno Rodríguez advirtió que habrá un «baño de sangre» si Washington ejecuta una acción militar contra la isla.

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De acuerdo con el portal El Toque, el interés de las FAR por los drones antecede a 2023 y responde a una política de cooperación militar con Irán, Rusia, Bielorrusia, Argelia, Venezuela y Vietnam. El medio también señala que existen indicios de que la industria militar del régimen desarrolló capacidad para ensamblar y modificar estos equipos.

General cubano Bielorrusia
La dictadura cubana fortaleció su arsenal de drones militares en los últimos años (Ministerio de Defensa de Bielorrusia)

Uno de los primeros antecedentes documentados data de 2012, cuando el entonces director de la empresa bielorrusa Minsk Aircraft Overhaul Plant, Yevgeny Vaitsekhovich, informó sobre un proyecto conjunto con la dictadura cubana para ensamblar drones Sterkh-BM. En 2024, el ministro de las FAR, Álvaro López Miera, visitó instalaciones militares en Bielorrusia donde inspeccionó modelos Irkut, Orlan, Supercam, Formula, VR-12, Moskit y Busel.

Según Axios, no existe evidencia pública sobre los modelos exactos incorporados por las FAR, aunque las fuentes consultadas apuntan a sistemas similares a los utilizados en la guerra de Ucrania, entre ellos los iraníes Shahed-136, Arash-2 y Mohajer-6, además del ruso Geran-2.

El Shahed-136 posee un alcance estimado de entre 2.000 y 2.500 kilómetros y puede transportar una ojiva de 40 a 50 kilogramos. El Arash-2 ofrece una autonomía de hasta 30 horas, mientras que el Mohajer-6 incorpora sensores electroópticos e infrarrojos y puede portar municiones guiadas de precisión.

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El informe también indica que gran parte de los drones observados en Cuba corresponde a modelos comerciales chinos adaptados para tareas de vigilancia y reconocimiento. Además, las instituciones educativas de las FAR incorporaron formación específica en Vehículos Aéreos No Tripulados (VANT) y la Empresa Militar Industrial Yuri Gagarin presentó drones con capacidad para lanzar pequeñas granadas de mortero durante el ejercicio Meteoro 2025, lo que evidencia capacidad de ensamblaje, modificación y mantenimiento dentro de la isla.

Las autoridades del régimen, encabezadas por Miguel Díaz-Canel, invocaron el derecho a la legítima defensa, aunque no negaron la posesión de estos sistemas (REUTERS)
Las autoridades del régimen, encabezadas por Miguel Díaz-Canel, invocaron el derecho a la legítima defensa, aunque no negaron la posesión de estos sistemas (REUTERS)

El análisis publicado por Axios sostiene que «presentar drones armados como ‘medios defensivos’ supone una confusión conceptual sobre los principios básicos de la doctrina militar o una deliberada distorsión del lenguaje para consumo político interno“. Además, señala que la incorporación de estos sistemas respondió a un proceso de planificación de varios años y no a una reacción inmediata frente a las tensiones recientes con Estados Unidos.

(Con información de Europa Press)



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Hegseth announces joint task force with DOJ to prosecute leaks to journalists ‘with the full force of the law’

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Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth on Monday announced the creation of a joint task force with the Department of Justice to identify and prosecute officials who leak «sensitive information» to the media.

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Hegseth said the Pentagon’s Office of General Counsel (OGC) may request and receive all information, support and records across the department regarding news media leak investigations.

«To combat the dangers that leaks pose, effectively immediately, I have ​delegated tasking authority ​to the war department’s ‌office ⁠of general counsel, empowering OGC to request and receive ​all ​information, ⁠records and support across the ​department concerning ​media ⁠leak investigations,» he said in a video shared on X.

«Leaked information risks lives, these new tools and processes will greatly assist us in protecting our joint force,» Hegseth continued. «The security of our nation cannot be a bargaining chip for those who seek momentary headlines, access to confidential and secret information is a sacred trust, and those who betray that trust will be met with the full force of the law.»

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TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SUBPOENAS NY TIMES JOURNALISTS IN GRAND JURY LEAK PROBE TIED TO AIR FORCE ONE REPORT

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth on Monday announced a joint task force with the Department of Justice to identify and prosecute leakers. (Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)

The secretary also thanked Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche for his support, adding that he was «proud that our departments are working together closer than we have ever before.»

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Hegseth’s announcement comes just days after the DOJ issued subpoenas to four reporters at The New York Times, attempting to force them to testify before a federal grand jury after the newspaper reported on the security concerns involving the plane gifted to President Donald Trump by Qatar that he flew on to Turkey for a recent NATO summit.

The subpoenas were widely criticized by The New York Times, journalists at various news outlets and press freedom groups, arguing that the Trump administration is attempting to intimidate reporters conducting legitimate news-gathering about the government.

NEW YORKER SUING ICE AFTER OFFICERS WENT TO HIS HOME TO WARN HIM OVER CRITICISM OF AGENCY

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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth answering questions during a press briefing at the Pentagon

The announcement comes just days after the DOJ issued subpoenas to four reporters at The New York Times. (Kevin Wolf/AP)

«The appearance of federal law enforcement agents on the doorstep of news reporters should shock the conscience of any American who believes in the Constitution and the press freedom it protects,» an attorney for the newspaper, David McCraw, said in a statement.

«Our journalists report the facts and advance the American public’s right to know how their government is operating and their taxpayer dollars are being used,» McCraw added. «This brazen act should be seen as nothing more than an attempt to prevent the public from knowing what is happening in their country by intimidating journalists from doing their jobs.»

Since taking over as head of the Pentagon last year, Hegseth has sought to crack down on leaks to the media.

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Last year, the department opened investigations into those accused of leaking classified information to the press and threatened to conduct polygraphs to identify leakers.

Hegseth and Blanche

The secretary thanked Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche for his support. (Kent NISHIMURA / AFP via Getty Images)

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Hegseth has also attempted to impose restrictions on reporters covering the Pentagon. He had forced them to sign a pledge stating that they would not solicit any unauthorized material, even if the information was unclassified. Most Pentagon reporters turned in their press badges rather than accept the department’s restrictions on news-gathering.

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That policy is facing lawsuits, and a judge last month granted a preliminary injunction, ruling that the department’s requirement that journalists be accompanied by an official chaperone at all times violated the First Amendment in response to a case brought by The New York Times.

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