Iniaes

On Iran and the wider regional standoff

U.S. officials say talks with Iran are making only slight progress, with the uranium program and the future of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz still unresolved. Rubio said negotiations are moving forward, while Tehran and Western governments keep trading warnings. So far, that’s diplomacy with a lot of friction and not much closure.

Separately, U.S. intelligence says Iran is rebuilding its drone, missile, and launch capacity faster than expected, with some officials estimating a full drone replenishment in about six months. Analysts say that could push Tehran to lean more heavily on drones if its missile stockpile stays limited.

In Canada

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has announced a referendum on whether the province should hold a vote on leaving Canada, a move that has put secession back into the national conversation. Prime Minister Mark Carney says Alberta remains essential to the country, which is the sort of reassurance governments issue when they are trying to keep the floor from moving under them.

In U.S. politics and institutions

Tulsi Gabbard has resigned as director of national intelligence after her husband was diagnosed with a rare bone cancer. The announcement makes this a personal rather than political exit, and the distinction matters.

Kevin Warsh was sworn in as chair of the Federal Reserve on Friday and said he plans to lead a reform-oriented Fed. Markets will now get to learn what “reform-oriented” means in central-banking language, which is usually less colorful than advertised.

In jobs and travel

New college graduates are entering a weak hiring market, with employers pulling back on first-job hiring and fresh anxiety that AI could replace some of the skills they were trained to use. A New York Fed report puts unemployment for bachelor’s degree holders ages 22 to 27 at 5.6% in March, up from 3.6% in late 2019.

Waymo has paused driverless car service in Atlanta and Texas ahead of severe storms, after one of its vehicles was stranded by flooding. The broader travel outlook for the holiday weekend is looking rough, which is not a great advertisement for robot taxis or weather.

Global health

The World Health Organization says the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is now at a very high risk level. Suspected cases have climbed to nearly 750 in a week, with suspected deaths at 177, and aid cuts and community distrust are slowing the response. A virus moving faster than the logistics meeting is not a great sign.

Middle East tensions

The U.S. and Iran are facing off over the Strait of Hormuz, with Tehran betting its sanctions-hit economy can ride out the pressure and Washington dealing with higher oil prices, renewed inflation worries, and rising recession risk. The Pentagon also says a planned $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan is on pause so the military can conserve munitions for possible operations tied to Iran.

Separately, organizers of a Gaza aid flotilla say activists detained in Israel were abused in custody, with some hospitalized and at least 15 reporting sexual assaults. Israel’s prison service denies the claims, and Reuters says it could not verify them independently.

U.S. politics and security

President Trump is defending a nearly $1.8 billion Justice Department “anti-weaponization” fund, despite pushback from both Democrats and Republicans in the Senate. The dispute delayed Thursday’s reconciliation votes and exposed a rare break between Trump and congressional Republicans.

FBI Director Kash Patel’s personal merchandise site was hacked and used to push malware to visitors through a fake Cloudflare prompt and a ClickFix-style attack. A researcher also said the checkout page may have included a payment skimmer. The FBI did not comment.

Crime and public safety

A Delaware County man has been sentenced to 22 to 44 years in prison for killing his pregnant girlfriend in Lansdowne last year. Prosecutors said Kaiheem Williams shot 19-year-old Taniyah Bell, who was eight months pregnant, and her baby later survived. Bell’s child was named Miracle.

In Bucks County, firefighters are battling a two-alarm blaze in Bristol that has spread through multiple homes.

On Everest

Mount Everest is once again doing what it does best, which is reminding people that a summit is not the same thing as a sensible idea. A record 274 climbers reached the top from Nepal’s south side in a single day, and queues built up in the mountain’s death zone, where oxygen is dangerously thin. The congestion followed a delayed season after a blocking ice formation shut the route in April, and the path only reopened on May 13.

Britain’s Kenton Cool also set a record, becoming the first non-Nepali climber to reach Everest’s summit 20 times. Nepal has issued nearly 500 climbing permits this year, with the main summit window running from late April to the end of May.

In the UK

Millions of people are heading off for the bank holiday break, and the transport network is bracing for the usual blend of traffic, delays, and regret. The AA expects about 23.4 million car journeys on Friday alone, with heavy congestion forecast on routes to the coast and other holiday spots. The Port of Dover is also expecting a busy weekend for ferry passengers.

Rail travellers are facing a messy mix of strikes and engineering work on several major lines, and warm weather is likely to add even more pressure. The holiday getaway, a cherished national exercise in standing still with snacks.

Separately, a 35-year-old man has been jailed for five years after threatening Jewish people in north London, including outside Belz Synagogue in Stamford Hill. Prosecutors said he made repeated death threats, used antisemitic language, and threw a rock at a moving car. The judge described it as a sustained campaign of antisemitic behaviour and banned him from entering Stamford Hill.

In global security and supply chains

China has tightened controls around rare earth supply chains, a move that could give Beijing even more leverage over materials used in electric vehicles, semiconductors, and defence technology. The new rules deepen uncertainty for Western manufacturers that are already heavily dependent on those minerals.

In Honduras, at least 25 people have been killed in attacks by gunmen as the government continues its crackdown on organised crime. Authorities have not yet given a full picture of who was behind the killings.

In U.S. politics

President Donald Trump is facing a fresh split with Republicans in Congress. Senate Republicans have refused to advance funding tied to his proposed Anti-Weaponization Fund, which some lawmakers have dismissed as a slush fund, while House leaders blocked a vote that would have forced Trump to seek approval for any war with Iran.

Trump’s standing with GOP lawmakers is said to be at its lowest point this term, which is never a great sign for a president who relies on them to keep the machinery moving.

In the UK

Labour is still dealing with the fallout from a rough run of local election results, with Keir Starmer saying there is “no sugarcoating” the losses as voters keep drifting away from the main parties. Separately, the Green Party’s Makerfield by-election candidate withdrew less than 12 hours after being announced, and the party apologized over his posts about an attack on Jewish ambulances.

On the economic side, government borrowing in April came in at £24.3 billion, higher than expected because spending ran ahead of tax income. And health campaigners are urging ministers to treat dementia as a much bigger priority, arguing that diagnosis is too slow, support too patchy, and access to newer treatments still too limited.

In the U.S.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee has advanced a bill to make daylight saving time permanent, moving the twice-yearly clock change one step closer to history.

Donald Trump has dropped his IRS lawsuit in exchange for a new $1.8 billion fund for people he says were unfairly investigated, a deal critics are already treating with some suspicion. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has raised the possibility of military action against Cuba, saying the country poses a national security threat.

In international news

Ukraine says a Russian strike on Sumy injured six people, including a child, in a mass drone attack that also sparked fires in residential and industrial areas. In another heavily politicized confrontation, 422 Gaza flotilla activists arrived in Istanbul after being deported by Israel, and several said they were abused during detention.

European diplomacy is also busy, with senior EU officials in Mexico to finalize a revived trade deal, while NATO foreign ministers meet in Sweden against the backdrop of Washington’s increasingly unclear military posture in Europe.

In New Mexico

Three people died and 18 first responders were hospitalized in Mountainair after emergency crews were exposed to an unidentified substance while responding to what they thought was a drug overdose. Officials have not said what the substance was, only that the scene became a medical emergency for the people who showed up to help.

In defense

President Trump says the U.S. will send 5,000 more troops to Poland, a week after the Pentagon canceled a planned deployment of 4,000 troops there.

In Florida

Alan Chambers, a Winter Park businessman and former leader of a well-known “gay cure” ministry, was arrested after police say he messaged a 14-year-old boy and tried to arrange a meeting with him. Police say the case centers on alleged online messages and an attempted in-person encounter.

In the courts

Alex Murdaugh’s retrial, Luigi Mangione’s pretrial rulings, and Tyler Robinson’s fight over sealed evidence are all reaching key legal moments. In each case, the defense is pressing hard on what jurors can see, what prosecutors can hold back, and how much of the process happens in public.

In Philadelphia

Medical staff at six Philadelphia correctional facilities have gone nearly a month without pay after their employer, YesCare, filed for bankruptcy. The city has stepped in with emergency support to keep coverage going.

At the same time, Chester residents protested Philadelphia’s continued use of the Reworld incinerator, saying the trash burning is harming air quality and public health. They want City Council to pass the Stop Trashing Our Air Act before the city’s waste contract expires June 30.

In eastern Congo

Protesters set fire to Ebola treatment tents near Rwampara Hospital after rumors and mistrust pushed relatives to try to take a young man’s body by force. Aid workers and the WHO say the outbreak is being made worse by misinformation, unsafe funerals, and delays in treatment.

In science

A bright meteor lit up skies over eastern Australia, with sightings reported from Sydney to Canberra. Astronomers say it was likely a fragment of a comet or asteroid, not space junk, and they are now using video from witnesses to reconstruct its path and speed.

In Canada

Alberta voters will head to the polls next October on whether the province should remain in Canada or begin a process that could lead to a binding independence referendum.

In U.S. politics

Senate Republicans left Washington without taking up a roughly $70 billion immigration enforcement bill, after a standoff over the White House and a separate fight over a $1.776 billion settlement fund for Trump allies who say they were politically prosecuted. Meanwhile, the Trump administration says its sanctions stance on U.N. expert Francesca Albanese has not changed, after she was penalized for criticizing Israel’s policies toward Palestinians.

Democrats are also still arguing over their 2024 autopsy. Ro Khanna said the party’s losses were tied in part to what he called a blank check for Israel in Gaza, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said it was “pretty unbelievable” that the report omitted Gaza entirely. The rollout has drawn fresh criticism from Rep. Marc Veasey, the first House Democrat to call on DNC Chair Ken Martin to step aside.

In public safety and travel

A Detroit-bound flight was diverted after an Ebola concern emerged when a passenger from the Democratic Republic of Congo boarded in error. Public health officials have not said there was any confirmed exposure, but the plane was turned around as a precaution.

Police and prosecutors in several U.S. cities are also targeting parents as they respond to teen street takeovers spread through social media. Detroit has issued more than 50 parental responsibility tickets, while Washington is weighing charges and has revived curfews and juvenile gathering restrictions. Critics say the approach is too broad and may sweep up kids who are not the problem.

In defense and technology

The U.S. is pausing a $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan, with Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao saying the decision is tied to the war with Iran and concerns about munitions stockpiles. He told senators the U.S. still has enough missiles and interceptors, but the delay underscores how one conflict can quickly start borrowing from another.

President Trump also said he has postponed signing a planned executive order on artificial intelligence reviews, citing competitiveness. No new timeline was given.

In health

UK melanoma cases have topped 20,000 a year for the first time, with Cancer Research UK saying diagnoses reached 20,980 in 2022. The rise makes melanoma the latest reminder that the sun does not, in fact, negotiate.

In health and business

Eli Lilly says its next-generation weight-loss drug, retatrutide, helped nearly half of participants in a phase 3 trial lose more than 30% of their body weight after two years.

In the U.S. and the courts

The Supreme Court ruled 8-1 against four major cruise lines in their attempt to escape a $440 million judgment tied to use of docks at Havana’s port. Separately, the Democratic National Committee has now released its postmortem on the 2024 election after criticism over the earlier decision to keep it private, and the draft report points blame at Biden-era political operations for failing to position Kamala Harris properly.

In Oregon, an 85-year-old man was praised after authorities say he stepped in during a violent attempted kidnapping outside his home in Medford and helped a 25-year-old woman get away. Deputies say the suspect was later indicted on multiple charges, including attempted kidnapping and assault.

In the Americas

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin arrived in Mexico for meetings with President Claudia Sheinbaum and her security cabinet, with security cooperation high on the agenda. At the same time, a transatlantic passenger flight bound for the United States was diverted to Canada after U.S. authorities denied landing permission over Ebola-related travel restrictions. Russia also said it would give Cuba active support and condemned Washington’s efforts to increase economic pressure on the island.

In Europe and Asia

A French court convicted Air France and Airbus of manslaughter over the 2009 Rio-Paris disaster, in which Flight AF447 lost control over the Atlantic and crashed into the ocean. In Japan, a Buddhist hall on Miyajima Island, known for housing an eternal flame said to have burned for more than 1,000 years, was destroyed in a fire.

In U.S. news

A judge has dismissed the trial of Ebony Parker, the former assistant principal at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia, in the case involving a 6-year-old with a gun. The ruling came after three days of the prosecution’s case.

In California, police in Escondido say Thomas Caleb Butler has been charged with attempted murder after a violent assault outside a home known for its American flags and pro-Trump displays. Officers found an elderly man with severe injuries and a good Samaritan who was also hurt. The victim remains hospitalized in critical condition.

On Capitol Hill, Todd Blanche is meeting with Senate Republicans to defend the Trump administration’s compensation fund for people it says were harmed by Justice Department “weaponization.” The White House also released a one-page description of the fund saying it would have no partisan restrictions, and that senators whose records were secretly subpoenaed could apply. Subtle, in the way a foghorn is subtle.

In Democratic politics, a new New York Times/Siena poll says most Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters want the party’s 2028 nominee to move toward the center. The DNC has also released its 2024 election autopsy report after internal pushback, with chair Ken Martin saying he does not endorse the findings but wanted them made public.

In business and tech

Elon Musk’s new SpaceX pay package would only vest if the company reaches a $7.5 trillion valuation and helps establish a permanent human colony on Mars with at least 1 million people. So the bonus plan is basically a science-fiction screenplay with compensation attached.

Spotify says it will reserve concert tickets for top fans, using streams and shares to identify the most dedicated listeners through a partnership with Live Nation. It is also teaming up with Universal Music on an AI feature that lets premium users create covers and remixes of songs by participating artists.

Separately, researchers at EPFL say they have made volumetric 3D printing far more efficient by using holograms to encode shapes with light phase rather than brightness, boosting the process by 70 times.

In international news

Israel says it has deported all the foreign activists it detained after intercepting a Gaza-bound flotilla at sea, following international criticism over how they were treated in custody. More than 430 activists from countries around the world had been held after the flotilla was stopped on Monday.

In the U.K.

Rachel Reeves has announced cheaper theme park tickets and children’s meals for some attractions this summer as part of a package aimed at easing cost-of-living pressure. In a separate embarrassment, Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle rebuked her for announcing the policy on TikTok before telling MPs. Parliament still wants to be the first place government hears about government.

In Europe

The EU’s new digital border system is already causing problems for some travelers, automatically flagging overstays and visa breaches and denying entry to thousands of visitors. Separately, the European health agency says syphilis and gonorrhoea have reached record levels across the continent, with testing and prevention still lagging behind the spread.

On the security front, NATO chief Mark Rutte said too many member states are still underfunding support for Ukraine, while Latvia reported another drone incursion into its airspace. Russian officials kept up their usual routine of blaming everyone else for the war Moscow started.

In the U.S.

Roughly half of Americans are now using buy now, pay later services, a sign that what was sold as a convenience may be turning into a stress test for household finances. Meanwhile, SpaceX has taken a major step toward a public listing that could become one of the biggest IPOs ever in the U.S.

President Trump says he is in no hurry to cut a deal with Iran, even as Tehran reviews the latest U.S. proposal. At the same time, two officers who defended the Capitol on January 6 are suing to block Trump’s new anti-weaponization fund, and a federal judge has ordered White House officials to preserve records.

The U.S. has also opened a new consulate in Greenland, just as protests in the capital grow over Washington’s intentions for the island.

In Gaza

Students in Gaza are preparing for secondary exams in tents, with most schools in ruins and nearly 658,000 children out of classrooms for two straight years. There are no shortcuts here, just a shattered education system trying to function in the open air.

In the Philadelphia area

A severe thunderstorm watch remains in effect for Philadelphia and much of Pennsylvania after storms brought winds up to 70 mph, suspended trains, and damaged homes over Memorial Day weekend.

In Europe

Lithuania’s defence minister says the Baltic states need to brace for more drone incidents, after at least six actual or suspected incursions this month. NATO foreign ministers are meeting in Sweden, with the alliance’s ammunition stocks and Washington’s role under discussion, while the Baltic security picture grows more tense by the week.

In Italy, a 4.4 magnitude earthquake shook Naples at dawn, with tremors felt across the city. Italy’s INGV said the epicentre was in the Gulf of Pozzuoli, about 3 kilometres deep.

In business and markets

Jeff Bezos says the bottom half of U.S. earners should pay no federal income tax, and he plans to raise the idea directly with President Trump.

South Korean stocks jumped more than 8 percent, led by tech shares after Samsung reached a wage deal that helped avert a strike and Nvidia posted strong results. The won also strengthened as traders piled into the rally.

Questions are growing around the death of Mango founder Isak Andic, who fell from a cliff in Catalonia in December. What was first treated as a hiking accident is now drawing renewed scrutiny.

On the Gaza front

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir released video showing detained Gaza flotilla activists handcuffed on the ground at Ashdod port. Netanyahu later responded after the clip circulated, as the Global Sumud Flotilla’s attempt to challenge Israel’s blockade of Gaza continued to provoke political fallout.

Palestinian officials also condemned Israel after the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron was lit in the colours of the Israeli flag, along with slogans.

Health and aid

New global figures suggest nearly one in eight people worldwide lives with a mental disorder, and one person dies by suicide every 43 seconds. It is a bleak reminder that the scale of the crisis is still far larger than the public conversation around it.

And in Lisbon, volunteers are building an audio story collection for blind children through the Words that Embrace project, a small but practical effort to make books more accessible.