The Trump administration announced Friday that firing squads are now a permitted method of execution in federal death penalty cases. The change reinstates an option that had not been used at the federal level in modern times, expanding the methods available to carry out capital punishment beyond lethal injection. The federal government resumed executions under Trump's first term after a 17-year pause, and the administration has signaled an aggressive posture on capital punishment going into his second term. Lethal injection has faced repeated legal challenges over drug availability and protocols, which has stalled executions in many jurisdictions. Allowing firing squads gives federal authorities an alternative method that is less dependent on pharmaceutical supply chains. The policy applies to federal cases, meaning it affects prisoners on federal death row rather than those held under state jurisdiction. Each state sets its own rules, and some already permit firing squads. Legal challenges to the new federal policy are likely, as opponents argue execution method choices raise constitutional questions under the Eighth Amendment's prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. Watch for court filings contesting the policy and whether any scheduled federal executions move forward under the new rules.
India's Expenditure Finance Committee has cleared a Rs 1.25 lakh crore outlay for India Semiconductor Mission 2.0, up 64 percent from ISM 1.0's Rs 76,000 crore. The proposal now goes to the Cabinet, as two chip plants begin commercial output and a third, CG Semi, is set to open July 4, 2026.
The Supreme Court blocked Trump from firing Federal Reserve board member Lisa Cook, preserving the Fed's independence from presidential removal power. A separate ruling the same day gave Trump broader authority to dismiss leaders of other independent federal agencies.
The US Supreme Court has blocked President Trump's attempt to fire Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook, who faced unproven mortgage fraud allegations. The ruling preserves Fed independence for now and keeps a politically charged removal case alive in the courts.
The US Supreme Court, splitting along ideological lines, has allowed the Trump administration to end Temporary Protected Status for Haitian and Syrian immigrants.
