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Comedy Central host Jon Stewart expressed disbelief Thursday after New York Times columnist Ezra Klein detailed the extensive bureaucratic process delaying the Biden administration’s $40 billion rural broadband initiative. Despite being signed into law in 2021 as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), the project has yet to complete a single installation.

Republican Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall is facing scrutiny for allegedly repeating talking points provided by Qatar during a March 27 congressional hearing. According to The Washington Examiner, records from the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) reveal that Marshall’s statements regarding Qatar’s role in hostage negotiations closely mirrored arguments presented to his office by Qatari agents on October 7, 2023.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio voiced concern on Friday regarding ongoing protests against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, calling the violence “disturbing” and confirming he discussed the situation with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. Rubio’s comments come amid escalating unrest following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, Erdoğan’s main political rival, on corruption charges widely viewed as politically motivated.

An Israeli biotech company claims it is on the verge of human trials for a breakthrough drug that could extend human lifespan by up to 30 percent. Tel Aviv-based Sirtlab is developing a treatment that targets the age-regulating protein SIRT-6, which the company says also enhances brain function, organ health, and overall vitality.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has canceled $577 million in taxpayer-funded grants deemed “America Last” contracts, including $10 million for “gender equity in the Mexican workplace,” the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) announced Wednesday. The cancellations are expected to save taxpayers $237 million.

President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Thursday that it is launching investigations into several California universities to ensure compliance with the 2023 Supreme Court decision banning affirmative action in college admissions. The DOJ’s Civil Rights Division will review admissions practices at Stanford University, the University of California, Berkeley, the University of California, Los Angeles, and the University of California, Irvine.

Mississippi has abolished its state income tax, joining Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming.

Two law firms have sued the Trump administration over executive orders revoking their security clearances.

Governor Spencer Cox (R) signed a bill making Utah the first state to ban fluoride in public drinking water.

The State Department announced that it is reorganizing what remains of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).