In early May, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy introduced a proposal aimed at overhauling the nation’s air traffic control system and expanding support for public transit infrastructure. The plan calls for new investments in radar and communications technology, as well as increased funding for electric buses, light rail projects, and air traffic control staffing.
Two recent executive orders issued by President Trump have sparked legal and public debate. The first order proposes ending federal funding for publicly funded media outlets, including NPR and PBS, citing concerns over media neutrality and use of taxpayer dollars. Supporters argue the funding should be reconsidered; critics raise First Amendment and legislative oversight concerns.
As the Democratic Party works to reestablish its national platform following the 2024 election, internal discussions continue over policy direction and messaging. Party members have presented a variety of approaches aimed at appealing to a broad electorate ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
In May 2025, reports surfaced that the Trump administration is evaluating a potential income tax increase for individuals earning over $1 million annually. While the plan has not been finalized or formally introduced to Congress, administration officials have acknowledged internal discussions aimed at addressing long-term debt without reducing funding for middle-class programs.
U.S. stock markets posted solid gains on May 8, 2025, fueled by a mix of international trade optimism and domestic policy developments that reassured investors. The announcement of a new trade agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom, combined with the rollback of select export restrictions on advanced technology components, contributed to positive sentiment across major indexes. The rally extended across sectors, with tech, industrials, and small-cap stocks all participating in the upward momentum.
Despite growing uncertainty surrounding international trade policy and new tariffs introduced in early 2025, the mid-market mergers and acquisitions (M&A) sector in the U.S. continues to show notable resilience. While large-scale transactions have seen some slowdown due to regulatory and valuation concerns, middle-market deal flow has remained consistent. According to financial professionals involved in this space, smaller and mid-sized companies appear more agile in adjusting to changing economic conditions, allowing deals to proceed with fewer delays than those seen in the upper market tier.
The U.S. retail industry is facing continued disruption in 2025, as several major retail chains announce large-scale store closures amid changing consumer habits, digital competition, and operational challenges. In May, Forever 21 confirmed plans to close all 354 of its remaining U.S. stores after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The company cited unsustainable operating costs and declining foot traffic in malls across the country. Similarly, Joann—a longtime staple in the arts and crafts sector—has moved forward with the closure of more than 250 stores, following its second bankruptcy filing within a year.
Should killing nature be an international crime?
“From the Pope to Greta Thunberg, there are growing calls for the crime of ‘ecocide’ to be recognised in international criminal law — but could such a law ever work?” the BBC asked in a recent article.
Some courts have granted legal standing to sacred rivers, trees and landscapes and legal rights to non-human primates.
Numerous jurisdictions have ruled in favour of nature with respect to:
Pollution and other forms of destruction of nature
Trade in endangered species
Destruction of national parks, nature reserves and other protected areas and natural monuments
Before Dr. Manisha Deka became pregnant at age 38, she knew little about the benefits of lifting weights.
“I have always been active, but I focused on exercises like running on the treadmill, yoga and Zumba classes,” said Deka, a specialist in internal medicine in India. “Those were the exercises that women tended to do at the time.”
Then she had a complicated pregnancy, which required her to stay in bed. “Once I gave birth and tried to stand up, I noticed that the muscles in my legs had lost all their strength,” Deka said. “I had to re-learn how to move, walk and climb stairs.”
Some TikTok videos about health and fitness are hard to resist. People describe how they lost weight by eating only raw fruits and vegetables for a month or by substituting protein powder in place of flour or sugar. How many people take these recommendations to heart? What happens if they do?
Jason Wood was one of them. “I would sprinkle [protein powder] on top of a peanut butter sandwich or a yogurt just to make what I was eating seem healthier,” he said.
But Wood’s practice of adding protein powder to make his foods healthier wasn’t healthy. Eventually, Wood was diagnosed with orthorexia, an obsession with nutrition. Orthorexia is an eating disorder that differs significantly from better-known eating disorders like bulimia — bingeing and vomiting the food afterwards — and anorexia — not eating at all.
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