AssangeDAOの‌価格JUSTICE

White House Press Secretary: US government will respond to Harvard University lawsuit in court The White House press secretary said Harvard University is at risk of losing federal funds, and the US government will respond to Harvard University's lawsuit in court. Harvard University in the United States said on the 21st that it had filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration, claiming that it had frozen billions of dollars in federal funds, illegally undermined the school's academic independence, and violated the school's constitutional rights. The president of Harvard University said in a statement that freezing funds was illegal and beyond the government's power. It is reported that the US government agencies mentioned in the lawsuit by Harvard University include the Department of Education, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Justice, the Department of Energy, and the General Services Administration. Previously, the Trump administration announced on April 14 that it would freeze approximately $2.3 billion in multi-year grants and $60 million in multi-year contracts provided to Harvard University. It is reported that Harvard University had stated on the same day that it would not comply with a series of requests made by the Trump administration to combat anti-Semitism. In addition, the Trump administration also stated on the 18th that it had asked Harvard University to provide records of foreign funding and some foreign relations over the past decade.

Democratic lawmakers introduced new legislation on Monday to eliminate Puerto Rico’s allure as a crypto tax haven. The Fair Taxation of Digital Assets in Puerto Rico Act of 2025 was introduced by Representative Nydia Velázquez of New York. The measure aims to fill a loophole allowing crypto investors to pay no federal taxes by moving to the island. Currently, residents of Puerto Rico who are considered bona fide residents of the island can pay little or no local or federal taxes on their capital gains, including profits earned from cryptocurrency trading, under Act 60. This policy has drawn thousands of wealthy investors over the past decade. The proposed law would add a provision to the Internal Revenue Code requiring that digital asset income earned by Puerto Rico residents be taxed under the same federal rules as income earned on the U.S. mainland. The influx of crypto-investors has reportedly done more damage than good to the local Puerto Rico population, according to Velázquez and other lawmakers. Instead of strengthening the economy, they say, an influx of rich crypto traders has inflated living costs, particularly in property markets. “This wave of crypto investors hasn’t helped Puerto Rico’s recovery or strengthened the local economy,” Velazquez said. According to her, it has only driven up housing costs, pushed out local residents, and added pressure to an island where nearly 40% of people live in poverty — all while costing the federal government billions in lost tax revenue. The Joint Committee on Taxation said that the tax breaks for investors will cause the federal government to lose an estimated $4.5 billion in revenue between 2020 and 2026. The economic divide is becoming more apparent in cities such as San Juan, where the signs of luxury real estate developments have multiplied even as many local families cope with high rents and limited options for work. Earlier this month, Puerto Rico’s new governor, Jenniffer González, proposed slightly tightening Act 60. Her proposal would keep the benefits in place until 2055 but would apply a 4% tax over new applicants’ capital gains — still far lower than the 20–37% rates that many crypto investors would pay on the mainland. Proponents of the existing tax regime say it has attracted much-needed investment and innovation to Puerto Rico. Rich newcomers, they say, are helping build a more robust technology and finance sector, create jobs, and modernize the island’s economy. Crypto advocates say that without the tax breaks, these investors would have gone elsewhere with their money. But critics are skeptical, noting that most benefits have gone to the wealthy, not to average Puerto Ricans. The political road ahead for the bill appears murky. Republicans have historically favored lower taxes and seem unlikely to sign off on a piece of legislation they view as anti-crypto. Adding another twist to the political poker game, President Donald Trump recently embraced cryptocurrencies . He has vowed to undo regulations that are suffocating the digital asset sector. Velázquez’s bill faces an uphill battle with Congress focused on broader tax arguments. Still, the effort underscores mounting tensions over balancing innovation versus fairness and economic justice — not just in Puerto Rico but nationally. Cryptopolitan Academy: Coming Soon - A New Way to Earn Passive Income with DeFi in 2025. Learn More

BREAKING NEWS: Pope Francis has passed away at the age of 88 The Vatican has confirmed that Pope Francis has passed away at the age of 88. The news was officially announced by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Camerlengo of the Holy See. His passing marks a great loss for the Catholic Church and millions of faithful around the world. Throughout his papacy, he was known as a humble and compassionate spiritual leader who constantly advocated for peace, justice, and human dignity. We extend our deepest condolences to the entire Church and all those who loved him. May the soul of Pope Francis rest in eternal peace.

Medical diagnostics company Semler Scientific has reported steep unrealized losses on its Bitcoin holdings. In its most recent SEC filing dated April 15, the company revealed a paper loss of approximately $41.8 million for the first quarter of 2025. This loss stems from the sharp drop in BTC prices, which slid from $93,500 at the beginning of January to almost $82,000 by March 31. Despite the downturn , Semler remains heavily invested in the cryptocurrency and holds 3,182 BTC at quarter’s end. The firm, which ranks as the twelfth-largest corporate Bitcoin holder globally, right above Boyaa Interactive International Limited, continues to double down on its digital asset strategy. CEO Doug Murphy-Chutorian reiterated this stance when he affirmed the company’s dual focus on Bitcoin accumulation and ongoing healthcare innovation. Financially, Semler projected modest revenue between $8.8 million and $8.9 million for the quarter, but operating losses are expected to land between $1.3 million and $1.5 million. As of March 31, Semler reported having about $10 million in cash and cash equivalents. In yet another strategic move, the company also announced plans to issue up to $500 million in securities, the proceeds of which are earmarked for general corporate purposes, including continued cryptocurrency purchases. However, investor sentiment appears wary. The company’s stock, traded under the ticker SMLR on the Nasdaq, has declined by more than 22% since the start of the year. Semler Scientific announced via a separate 8-K filing that it has reached an agreement-in-principle to resolve longstanding legal concerns with the Department of Justice (DOJ). The company said that it is prepared to pay around $30 million to address allegations that it violated the False Claims Act through improper marketing practices tied to devices billed to Medicare. The DOJ’s civil investigation dates back to 2017, when it issued a formal demand to examine potential fraud. While this proposed settlement would mark a major step toward resolution, Semler’s filing noted that a finalized agreement with the agency is not yet guaranteed.

Russian legislators are now planning to create new definitions within the criminal code concerning cryptocurrencies and other related tools. The government believes that this change will facilitate the police’s ability to confiscate property containing prohibited content during an investigation. The Russian Government Commission on Legislative Activity has endorsed a bill from the Ministry of Justice defining the terms ‘crypto’ in the Criminal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code, as cited by Vedomosti. However, at the present time, no such definitions are provided in the Russian legislation, which hinders the investigation of related cases. The government is expected to send this draft bill to the State Duma soon for legislative review soon. The authorities have expressed a number of concerns about the fact that it is often unclear how police forces should deal with crypto-related crimes. According to public prosecutors, since digital currencies do not have a legal definition, it is hard to explain ownership, storage, or following legal injunctions involving crypto wallets. The current legislation allows the Russian courts to recognize cryptocurrencies as intangible items only under specific circumstances, such as bankruptcy and counter-terrorism. He noted that more comprehensive criminal investigations remain without clear guidelines for their identification or treatment. Vladimir Gruzdev, the Chairman of the Association of Lawyers of Russia, claimed that in most cases, law enforcement agencies turn to private experts in order to deal with cryptocurrencies. Cold storage wallets can be physically seized while moving funds from online or ‘hot’ wallets, which are done through safe methods that are not covered in the current laws. The new draft law provides a legal framework for dismissing and confiscating crypto assets and defining asset handling and management. While some legal professionals praised the idea as overdue, done. However, there are issues with regard to the technical feasibility of the acquisition by the police forces without violating the rights of third parties. Maria Bakakina, an adviser at Sokolov Trusov and Partners, asked how the court could confiscate crypto assets in previous cases without applying the law. She pointed to an incident that occurred in 2022 when 24 ETH wallets were confiscated in St. Petersburg, turning a blind eye to due process. “The question immediately arises: What legal mechanism have courts previously used to seize cryptocurrency?” Bakakina noted. However, enforcement bodies are already adjusting to the new situation. In early April, Federal Bailiff Service head Dmitry Aristov acclaimed that new approaches are currently being designed to swap seized BTC into fiat for the state treasury. In parallel, Russian officials are actively working to decrease the reliance on Western-controlled digital assets. The Russian Ministry of Finance is looking at the potential of establishing a stablecoin of Russia linked to foreign currencies. This urgency comes in the wake of the freeze of $30 million worth of Tether’s USDT connected to the recently sanctioned Russian crypto exchange Garantex. That disrupted its operations and highlighted the challenges of using other stablecoins regulated by foreign entities. During the latter, Osman Kabaloev, the deputy head of the Finance Ministry’s financial policy department, suggested that the government would need to issue a stablecoin to campaign for its citizens. He revealed that Russia has to have digital tools that cannot be shut down by other people.