Cuba Pressure & Political Prisoners: The U.S. demanded the release of Cuban rapper Maykel “Osorbo” Castillo Pérez, citing his imprisonment since 2021 and Cuba’s large tally of political prisoners. Cuba Sanctions & Enforcement: The Trump administration announced new penalties on Cuban state-linked firms and expanded enforcement against Americans dealing with government-affiliated businesses. Supreme Court & Preservation Fight: Historic preservationists urged the Supreme Court to block construction on Trump’s $400M White House ballroom, arguing irreparable harm and lack of congressional authorization. AI Governance & Protest: A Democracy Now! segment highlighted a jailed StopAI protester, underscoring growing conflict over AI development and public accountability. Terror Designations: Treasury moved to re-designate Hezbollah to emphasize ties to Iran’s IRGC-Quds Force, alongside additional sanctions on alleged Hezbollah-linked smuggling. Immigration Enforcement: A report described an Army wife narrowly avoiding detention after an ICE check-in tied to a deportation order, spotlighting how enforcement hits military families. Civil Rights Administration: Tennessee’s AG defended a new civil rights enforcement unit after dissolving the long-running Human Rights Commission, aiming to speed case handling. Federal Lands & Conservation: The USDA filed to rescind the Roadless Rule, a major shift for national forests and Alaska’s Tongass. Fiscal & Markets: The U.S. national debt crossed $40T as Treasury bond-market interventions and higher yields kept pressure on inflation fears and borrowing costs.