President Donald Trump is proposing setting U.S. military spending at $1.5 trillion in 2027, citing “troubled and dangerous times.” Trump called for the massive surge in spending days after he ordered a U.S. military operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and spirit him out of the country to face drug trafficking charges in the United States.

U.S. forces continue to mass in the Caribbean Sea. The 2026 military budget is set at $901 billion. Trump in recent days has also called for taking over the Danish territory of Greenland for national security reasons and has suggested he’s open to carrying out military operations in Colombia. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has ominously warned that longtime adversary Cuba “is in trouble.”

Mamdani defends tenant official facing backlash

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is supporting a new housing official amid backlash over past social media posts. Cea Weaver, a tenant activist, was appointed last week to lead the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants.

Her old posts, which called for the seizure of private property and linked homeownership to white supremacy, have resurfaced, drawing national attention. Mamdani on Wednesday defended Weaver’s record of advocating for tenants. Weaver expressed regret over some of her past messages, saying they are “not something I would say today.” Weaver previously led a statewide effort that secured sweeping tenant protections in 2019.

Google, chatbot maker Character to settle suit

Google and Character Technologies have agreed to settle a lawsuit from a Florida mother who claimed a chatbot pushed her son to kill himself. Attorneys for the companies have also settled similar lawsuits in Colorado, New York and Texas. Court documents filed this week reveal these settlements, though terms remain undisclosed.

The lawsuits named Google due to its ties with Character Technologies after hiring its co-founders in 2024. In the Florida case, Megan Garcia alleged her son became isolated and engaged in harmful conversations with the chatbot, leading to his suicide.

Georgia GOP moves to scrap state income tax

Georgia is the latest state to consider eliminating its personal income tax, with Republican leaders in the Senate backing a proposal to phase it out by 2032. This move is part of a broader trend among Republican-led states like Iowa and Kentucky. Georgia’s plan proposes exempting the first $50,000 of income for a single person or $100,000 for a married couple in 2027.

Supporters argue it will boost the economy by attracting new residents and businesses. Critics including Democrats warn it could lead to cuts in essential services like education and health care. The plan faces uncertainty, as some Georgia Republicans prefer a more gradual approach.

Mexico becomes crucial fuel supplier to Cuba

Mexico has emerged as a key fuel supplier to Havana as the United States prepares to seize control of Venezuelan oil and the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump hardens its stance toward Cuba. It’s a role that could further complicate already strained relations with the Trump administration, even though the Mexican government insists that exports to the island have not increased.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum acknowledged on Wednesday that “with the current situation in Venezuela, Mexico has become an important supplier” of crude oil to Cuba, but asserted that “no more oil is being sent than has been sent historically; there is no specific shipment.”