Congress has passed the Take It Down Act, a bipartisan bill targeting the spread of non-consensual intimate imagery, including AI-generated deepfakes. ⁠
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The legislation, co-sponsored by Senators Ted Cruz and Amy Klobuchar and backed by First Lady Melania Trump, makes it illegal to knowingly publish such content without consent and requires platforms to remove it within 48 hours of notification. ⁠
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President Donald Trump is expected to sign the bill into law.⁠
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Supporters say the law is needed to address online abuse, particularly the rise of AI-generated sexual content. The bill requires platforms to also remove duplicates of flagged content and extends liability protections to victims. ⁠
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Tech companies like Meta have endorsed the measure. Civil liberties groups, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation, have raised concerns about the bill’s language and scope. ⁠
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They argue the takedown rules are overly broad and could be misused to remove lawful content, including news, protest imagery, and consensual material falsely flagged as non-consensual. ⁠
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The group also warned that automated takedown systems could suppress protected speech due to the law’s tight removal timeline and vague definitions.⁠
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The Trump administration has admitted 49 white South Africans to the U.S. as refugees, citing “government-sponsored racial discrimination,” according to a senior State Department official. ⁠
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Most of the group are Afrikaners from farming communities. President Donald Trump ordered their resettlement through an executive action titled “Addressing Egregious Actions of the Republic of South Africa,” claiming they face violence and economic exclusion. ⁠
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The move comes amid an ongoing dispute over South Africa’s land reform efforts. In 2017, an audit found that white South Africans—who make up about 7% of the population—own roughly 75% of individually held farmland.⁠
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A 2025 law allows limited expropriation without compensation, which the Trump administration framed as targeting whites. South African officials say the policy is intended to address the legacy of apartheid, during which the Afrikaner-led government denied Black South Africans land rights, political representation, and basic freedoms under a formal system of racial segregation that lasted from 1948 to 1994.⁠
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South Africa’s government rejected Trump’s refugee designation, calling the persecution claims “completely false” and politically motivated. “There is no data at all that backs that there is persecution of white South Africans,” said Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola. ⁠
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Critics in the U.S., including Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, questioned why this group was prioritized while refugee programs for people fleeing war and famine remain suspended. ⁠
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President Donald Trump’s administration is preparing to accept a 13-year-old Boeing 747-8 from Qatar’s royal family for temporary use as Air Force One, according to unnamed sources cited by ABC News. ⁠
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The jet, described by Trump as a “very public and transparent transaction,” is expected to be modified by the U.S. Air Force for presidential use before being transferred to the Trump Presidential Library Foundation by January 2029. ⁠
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Trump previously toured the aircraft in Florida, and the estimated $400 million plane will be outfitted with security upgrades by L3Harris.⁠
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The legality of the arrangement has drawn scrutiny due to constitutional restrictions on gifts from foreign governments. ⁠
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According to sources, Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House counsel David Warrington concluded that because the gift is directed to the government and not conditioned on an official act, it does not violate the emoluments clause or federal bribery laws. ⁠
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Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration is following “all applicable laws,” while Qatar’s Ministry of Defense is still in talks with the Pentagon regarding the handover.⁠
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Democratic lawmakers responded critically. Sen. Chuck Schumer posted, “Nothing says ‘America First’ like Air Force One, brought to you by Qatar,” while Rep. Adam Schiff referenced the Constitution’s Title of Nobility clause. ⁠
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Trump, meanwhile, argued that rejecting the gift would be “stupid” and claimed Democrats want taxpayers to “pay TOP DOLLAR” instead. ⁠
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The current Air Force One fleet, contracted for replacement since 2018, has faced delays, with new jets not expected until 2027.⁠
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The U.S. has finalized high tariffs on most solar cell imports from Southeast Asia, targeting Chinese manufacturers operating in Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia, Reuters reports. ⁠
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The tariffs stem from a trade case filed by Hanwha Qcells, First Solar, and others who allege that Chinese companies were dumping subsidized solar products at prices that undercut U.S. producers. The duties range widely, with Cambodia-based producers facing rates above 3,500% for failing to cooperate with the investigation.⁠
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Products from companies like Jinko Solar and Trina Solar face tariffs of 41.56% and 375.19%, respectively, depending on country of origin. “These are very strong results,” said Tim Brightbill, attorney for the U.S. manufacturing coalition, adding that the penalties would address long-standing unfair trade practices. Imports from the four targeted countries, which made up the bulk of U.S. solar supply last year, have already dropped significantly as a result of the investigation.⁠
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Opponents, including the Solar Energy Industries Association, argue the tariffs will raise prices for U.S. solar manufacturers that rely on imported cells. These facilities have expanded since the introduction of clean energy subsidies in 2022. The International Trade Commission is expected to vote in June on whether the industry was harmed by the imports, which would finalize the tariffs.⁠
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