Pentagon Drops Anthropic in Clash Over Military Use

A contract spat between the Department of Defense and AI company Anthropic has hardened into a values‑driven standoff over the military’s use of generative AI, culminating Friday in an announcement that the Pentagon will no longer use Anthropic’s Claude product while also prohibiting military contractors from using it.

At the core of the dispute are Anthropic’s refusal to allow its model to not be used for mass surveillance of Americans nor power fully autonomous weapons that can engage targets without human oversight. Defense officials, in turn, demand the ability to deploy Anthropic’s Claude system for “all lawful purposes,” arguing that vendors’ stipulations should not constrain battlefield decisions even if those uses never actually materialize. The Pentagon has denied plans to use AI for mass surveillance of US citizens or for autonomous weapons.

OpenAI, maker of ChatGPT and its underlying AI models, has said they will accept the Pentagon’s preferred “all lawful purposes” language while relying on internal policies to bar mass surveillance of Americans and fully autonomous weapons, allowing it to secure a major defense‑AI role without matching Anthropic’s contractual red lines.

 

Israel, US Launch Strikes Against Iran, Kill Supreme Leader Khamenei

Israel and the United States launched sweeping air and missile strikes across Iran Saturday, igniting what officials in Washington and Jerusalem are calling a preemptive war against Tehran’s nuclear program and regional military reach. The operation targeted air defenses, missile facilities, command centers in Tehran, Isfahan, Qom and other key sites, according to U.S. and Israeli military statements. Strikes also targeted key Iranian regime leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who US President Donald Trump says was killed, writing on Truth Social, “Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead. This is not only Justice for the people of Iran, but for all Great Americans, and those people from many Countries throughout the World, that have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei and his gang of bloodthirsty THUGS.”

Israel described the strikes  as one of the largest air campaigns in its history, aimed at neutralizing Iran’s ballistic missile expansion and support for proxy militias that have attacked American and Israeli interests.

U.S. officials justified the strikes as essential to dismantling Iran’s alleged nuclear weapons path and safeguarding forces across the Middle East. President Donald Trump framed the campaign as a stand against a “radical regime” threatening global security, urging Iranians to rise against their rulers. Tehran denounced the assault as unprovoked aggression, vowing severe consequences.

Iran retaliated swiftly, unleashing ballistic missiles and drones on Israeli cities and US bases in the Gulf states, including the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. Air raid sirens echoed in Tel Aviv after a few Iranian missiles evaded the Iron Dome and strike the city.

US lawmakers offered divided reactions, largely but not entirely along part lines. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) praised the strikes as “necessary and long justified,” calling for prayers for troops and allies. Democrats including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer decried the lack of congressional authorization and demanded immediate briefings, while Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) praised the strikes. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), a critic of US intervention, called the strikes “unauthorized” and said he would attempt to force a congressional vote on the strikes with Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA).

 

Precious Metals Rally Signals Rising Investor Anxiety

Gold and silver extended their blistering rally this week, with gold hovering at record highs around $5,000 dollars an ounce and silver breaking $100 dollars an ounce for the first time. The surge caps a multi-year climb that has propelled gold far beyond its pandemic-era peak near $2,000 dollars and pushed silver well past prior bull-market highs.

Analysts cite a cocktail of forces: persistent inflation above central bank targets, expectations that the Federal Reserve will begin cutting interest rates, and mounting geopolitical frictions that have undermined confidence in major currencies. Heavy buying by central banks and private investors, along with supply strains in silver, has reinforced the move. The rush into precious metals signals broad concern about stagflation risks and a continuing shift toward perceived safe-haven assets in an uncertain global economy.