United States

The House of Representatives voted to reauthorize a controversial surveillance program of the country's foreign intelligence-gathering operation; the bill now passes on to the Senate, expected to give its approval: without it, it would expire on 19 April

The total solar eclipse of 8 April, ascending from the Pacific coast towards northeast, led to a 88% increase in bookings on short-term rental sites like Airbnb; experts predict the extraordinary astronomical event will bring a $6 billion economic boost

For the first time since 2009, none of Forbes World’s Youngest Billionaires under 30 are self-made this year: they all inherited their wealth, due both to the self-made ones aging into their 30s and the start of the "great wealth generation transfer"

The coming months will determine if it is possible to reestablish constructive diplomacy with Beijing, a top White House official said, stressing the need for "Cold War"-era hotlines and other crisis mechanisms

Meta reported profits more than tripled, issuing its first dividend; the company’s quarterly revenue rose 25% as its costs fell after layoffs last year

The United States suspended financial aid for the United Nations Agency for Palestine Refugees after Israeli allegations that some of the agency's employees were involved in the violent attack by Hamas on Israel on 7 October

The FAA will audit Boeing 737 Max 9 production lines and would be considering the use of an independent third party to oversee Boeing’s inspections and its quality system after a recent accident added to the number of security issues of the aircraft

New Jersey recorded the lowest number of shootings in 2023 since record keeping began in 2009, while as of October 2023 California had the most mass shootings in the United States, with 26 total shootings since 1982

Hundreds of false bomb threats that were emailed over the last few days to Jewish facilities across the US are believed to be connected and originating from outside the country, according to the FBI

The US vetoed the UN Security Council resolution calling for a 'humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza' and describing the humanitarian situation as 'catastrophic', despite pressure from Secretary-General Antonio Guterres

Sandra Day O’Connor, retired Justice and the first woman to serve on Supreme Court (associate from 1981 to 2006), died yesterday 1 December 2023 in Phoenix at 93

The Internal Revenue Service is restoring training for its employees and replacing one of its oldest IT systems, with a focus on improving service to taxpayers; budget comes from the $60 billion modernization fund under the Inflation Reduction Act

Jewish-led peace organization IfNotNow helped organize a protest at the Democratic National Committee’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.; protesters held hands to block the entrance to the building and were met with pepper spray and police use of force