Affirm

Donald Trump says he urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to "calm down" on attacks targeting Russian oil refineries, arguing Ukraine should strike other targets instead. The remark, reported amid ongoing US pressure for a negotiated end to the war, is drawing criticism from observers who see it as Washington limiting Ukraine's most effective strikes on Russia's energy and export infrastructure.

President Trump has reaffirmed ICE's arrest policy after guidance that left immigration agents alarmed and confused. The episode raised questions about how enforcement priorities are being communicated within the agency and whether operations on the ground are being affected. Officials say the policy stands, but the internal miscommunication has drawn attention to morale and clarity among agents carrying out arrests.

The Wall Street Journal reports that a former business litigator has become the Justice Department's lead official directing legal action against gender-affirming care for transgender people. The profile highlights how a career focused on commercial disputes placed him at the center of one of the most contested policy battles in the US, drawing attention to the department's strategy and the official's personal and professional background.

Attorneys for Luigi Mangione, accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, say they plan to present an affirmative psychiatric defense in his case. The strategy would involve presenting mental health evidence to address questions of his state of mind at the time of the shooting. The announcement adds a new dimension to a case that has drawn intense national attention.

The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has affirmed a lower court's dismissal of internet advertising patents held invalid under Section 101 of the Patent Act, in a case involving Google. The ruling reinforces the judiciary's strict approach to abstract, computer-implemented ideas and is drawing attention from patent practitioners and technology companies watching how advertising-related patents fare.

Amazon has expanded its partnership with Affirm to let shoppers pay for purchases over up to 48 monthly instalments directly in checkout. The move extends buy-now-pay-later beyond short-term instalments, making long-duration financing a standard option on one of the world's largest retail platforms and deepening the fintech's presence in mainstream e-commerce.

Cuba has reaffirmed its support for the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination, a longstanding position in Havana's foreign policy toward Western Sahara. The statement was reported by the Sahrawi news agency and comes as the decades-old dispute over the territory, pitting Morocco against the Polisario Front, remains on the international agenda at the United Nations.

Election officials are affirming that ballot drop boxes provide a secure and convenient way for voters to return their vote-by-mail ballots. The statement comes amid ongoing public debate over the safety and reliability of drop boxes in elections, with officials stressing that the boxes are monitored and offer voters an accessible alternative to mailing or hand-delivering ballots in person.