U.S. 2026 budget gap hits $1.97 trillion with month left to goThe federal budget deficit hit $1.97 trillion for the first 11 months of the fiscal year, one of the highest such figures on record and leaving the debt burden heading within a few years to levels unseen in U.S. history.Spokane Spokesman-Review24d agoWhole story →EconomyS 2026federal budget update
FBI busts Chinese national in latest Detroit counterintelligence caseDETROIT — Federal prosecutors in Detroit charged a Chinese national Friday who is portrayed as working for her government's spy agency while meeting with current and former U.S. government officials, the latest in a series of counterintelligence cases that have raised national security concerns. Di Jin, 41, a resident of Tianjin Municipality in northern…Spokane Spokesman-Review24d agoWhole story →JusticeSecuritychinese spy arrest
U.S. Senate negotiators consider requiring AI firms to mitigate known major risksWASHINGTON – U.S. Senate negotiators are debating legislation that would put responsibility on tech companies to design safe AI products, according to two Senate aides, and involve federal courts if the U.S. government wants to block their release, according to a Senate aide and a lobbyist involved in the negotiations.Spokane Spokesman-Review24d agoWhole story →TechnologyJusticeai regulation negotiations
Student loan payments will soar if borrowers don’t act soon, but glitches aboundMillions of federal student loan borrowers mired in a glitchy repayment process will soon face higher payments if they fail to get off of a low-cost plan that the Trump administration fought to end.Spokane Spokesman-Review24d agoWhole story →Educationstudent loan repayment changes
Data center bill could help shield Americans from rising energy costsWASHINGTON – The House of Representatives is preparing to vote on a bipartisan bill aimed at preventing Americans' energy bills from spiking because of nearby data centers, according to Speaker Mike Johnson's office.Spokane Spokesman-Review24d agoWhole story →TechnologyPlanetMike JohnsonHR 9340house vote on data center bill
With support from loggers and (some) environmentalists, Congress unites on major wildfire billA sweeping bipartisan bill that seeks to prevent catastrophic wildfires and restore fire-ravaged forests has revealed a schism in the nation’s environmental movement as some conservation advocates find themselves allied with a longtime foe: loggers. The Fix Our Forests Act, which Congress is close to passing, aims to speed up forest management projects…Spokane Spokesman-Review25d agoWhole story →Planetwildfire bill markup
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signs landmark social media lawLOS ANGELES – California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law on Thursday new tech company restrictions barring children under 16 from exposure to behaviorally addictive features on social media platforms and banning toys containing AI companion chatbots.Spokane Spokesman-Review25d agoWhole story →TechnologyJusticeGavin Newsomcalifornia social media law signing
