Trump Plans Executive Order to Centralize AI Regulation, Bypass State Laws

U.S President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he intends to issue an executive order aimed at stripping US states of the authority to regulate the rapidly expanding artificial intelligence (AI) industry. Trump argued that a single national rulebook is essential to maintain US leadership in AI.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump emphasized that state-level regulations could hinder America’s competitive edge in the global AI race, affecting sectors from economic innovation to military technology. “We are beating ALL COUNTRIES at this point in the race, but that won’t last long if we are going to have 50 States, many of them bad actors, involved in RULES and the APPROVAL PROCESS,” he wrote.

READ ALSO:

• NITDA Issues Cybersecurity Alert Over Vulnerabilities in OpenAI GPT-4.0, GPT-5 Models
• Parents, teachers slam Federal Ministry for forcing new subjects on SSS 3 students
• First Lady Clashes with Governor Adeleke as Videos Go Viral in Ile-Ife

Trump’s move follows Congressional resistance, where lawmakers from both parties have expressed concerns about the economic and social risks of AI and have twice declined proposals to override state laws on AI regulation.

The proposed executive order, intended to enforce a centralized AI framework, is expected to generate political opposition and likely face legal challenges. Trump insisted that without a unified national approach, AI innovation could be “destroyed in its infancy,” signaling his intent to act swiftly with a “One Rule” policy.

Trump Plans Executive Order to Centralize AI Regulation, Bypass State Laws

Indonesia Flood Disaster: Death Toll Exceeds 900 as Search for Hundreds Continues

The death toll from the catastrophic Indonesia floods has risen to more than 900, with hundreds still missing as rescuers struggle to reach communities cut off by last week’s rare and powerful cyclone over the Malaca Strait. The storm unleashed torrential rain and severe landslides, destroying over 100,000 homes across multiple regions.

Authorities say relief efforts remain extremely challenging, with aid being air-dropped into isolated areas where roads and bridges have been washed away. The deadly floods form part of a chain of recent extreme weather disasters across Asia, bringing the combined regional death toll — including in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam — close to 2,000.

READ ALSO:

• 25 Dead in Goa Nightclub Fire After Suspected Gas Explosion in Arpora
• Doctor Charged With Sexually Assaulting 38 Patients in West Midlands Hospitals
• Shettima Inaugurates Multi-Million Naira Juma’at Mosque in Gumel

In Aceh Tamiang, among the worst-hit districts, survivors described entire villages being swept away by surging waters. Residents of Lintang Bawah Village told the BBC Indonesian service that many families survived only by taking refuge on rooftops.

Fitriana, a survivor, recounted how some villagers endured three days without food or water as they clung to their homes: “Ninety percent of the houses in our village were destroyed,” she said, leaving 300 families displaced.

Another survivor described fleeing twice — first from his own home as floodwaters reached the second floor, and then again from a nearby village inundated overnight:
“While we were sleeping, water soaked the mattresses. There was no higher ground. We survived by climbing to the second floor of my daughter-in-law’s house.”

Indonesian authorities continue emergency operations as hopes fade for those still unaccounted for. The government has pledged expanded humanitarian support as the scale of the disaster becomes clearer.

Indonesia Flood Disaster: Death Toll Exceeds 900 as Search for Hundreds Continues

BBC

Russia Intensifies Airstrikes on Ukraine as Zelensky, Trump Envoys Advance Peace Talks

Russia has intensified its overnight aerial attacks on Ukraine, striking multiple regions just hours after President Volodymyr Zelensky described his discussions with Donald Trump’s negotiating team as “very constructive.” The renewed assaults come amid a fresh push for a US-led peace framework aimed at ending the nearly three-year-old war.

The mayor of Kremenchuk, a key industrial city in central Ukraine, confirmed the area suffered a “massive combined strike”, damaging critical infrastructure and leaving residents without water, electricity, and heat. No fatalities have been reported so far.

Russia’s defence ministry claimed it intercepted 77 Ukrainian drones across several locations during the same period, underscoring the ongoing intensity of the conflict despite diplomatic efforts.

Zelensky said he is “determined” to continue working closely with the US after three days of detailed negotiations in Miami involving Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and the former US president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. Talks focused heavily on ensuring Russia’s compliance with any future peace agreement.

READ ALSO:

• 25 Dead in Goa Nightclub Fire After Suspected Gas Explosion in Arpora
• Doctor Charged With Sexually Assaulting 38 Patients in West Midlands Hospitals
• Shettima Inaugurates Multi-Million Naira Juma’at Mosque in Gumel

The US has been mediating a multi-point peace plan, though progress remains limited as Kyiv, Moscow, and European allies differ on key proposals. European leaders have pushed for additional security guarantees for Ukraine, including the possibility of a multinational peacekeeping force, an idea Russia has rejected.

French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Zelensky are set to meet in London on Monday to coordinate Europe’s position on the evolving peace framework. Macron reiterated France’s commitment to achieving de-escalation and a ceasefire.

Meanwhile, the US and Ukraine have jointly urged Moscow to demonstrate “a serious commitment to long-term peace.” The appeal came after Witkoff returned from Kremlin talks with Vladimir Putin, which ended without a breakthrough.

Ukraine’s new chief negotiator Rustem Umerov said he and Witkoff have “agreed on the framework of security arrangements” and discussed deterrence measures needed to secure a durable peace.

The latest wave of Russian airstrikes — following a wider barrage a day earlier condemned by European leaders — underscores the gulf between diplomatic negotiations and realities on the ground as the war grinds on.

Russia Intensifies Airstrikes on Ukraine as Zelensky, Trump Envoys Advance Peace Talks

BBC