Brazilian real fell 1% against the US dollar, with spot trading at 5.08 BRL per USD.

White House press secretary Katie Zakaria is facing scrutiny over her prior legal experience after saying she worked as a lawyer before becoming Trump’s chief spokesperson; no bar registration was found in any U.S. state or the District of Columbia. Her LinkedIn lists roles as a legal assistant at Zhong Lun Law Firm (2011–2013) and as chief legal counsel at Improve California, an initiative founded by Trump ally Rick Grenell (2024–25). Zakaria said in an emailed statement she “practiced international transactional law and had all necessary credentials.” She led her first White House briefing on Tuesday, took three reporters’ questions, ended the session in under 15 minutes, and drew criticism from some media commentators and political analysts.

State Dept official: Secretary of State Rubio urged Lebanon and Israeli military forces to establish direct military communication channels to avoid escalation of hostilities.