Iniaes

In Arizona

Authorities in Tucson say they are continuing DNA and video analysis in the search for Nancy Guthrie, who vanished from her home in early February. Investigators say they have received more than 3,000 tips, which is a lot of public help, and a reminder that cases like this can move only as fast as the evidence does.

In U.S. security and politics

The Secret Service says a suspect fired a weapon on the National Mall after officers confronted him, injuring a bystander. Officials have not released more details yet.

Separately, Donald Trump stirred fresh debate over presidential term limits after saying at a White House business summit that his time in office could stretch to eight or nine years. Because apparently four years was just a warm-up.

And a report says Pete Hegseth made inaccurate claims under oath about Joe Biden twice, once before the House Armed Services Committee and once before the Senate Armed Services Committee. The report says those statements were contradicted by fact-checking and by a named National Guard official, with no clear sign of consequences yet.

In the Middle East and Africa

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned the U.S. and the UAE against any military action, saying there is no military solution to the political crisis. He said talks are making progress toward ending hostilities, while pointing to tensions around the Strait of Hormuz as a warning sign.

In eastern Congo, an ISIL-linked armed group has tortured, killed, and abducted civilians, including children. The attacks are deepening an already severe security crisis for local communities.

In culture and public protests

Outside the Met Gala in New York, protesters gathered over Jeff Bezos’ involvement, and one demonstrator briefly breached the entrance before being tackled by security. The event carried on, because very few things stop fashion’s biggest night, not even a protester making a point the hard way.

In the Strait of Hormuz

Washington is now asking China to help keep the Strait of Hormuz open after NATO allies refused to get involved. That sits neatly alongside another report that the U.S. Navy sank six small Iranian boats after they interfered with commercial shipping in the same waterway. A very normal day in the world’s most important oil choke point, just with extra great-power awkwardness.

In U.S. politics

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed a new congressional map that Republicans say reflects the state’s growth, and Democrats say is designed to squeeze out more GOP seats and weaken minority voting power. The same political calendar is also producing a separate round of primary meddling, with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee adding candidates to its “Red to Blue” list in several battleground districts. Everyone, as always, insists this is about principle.

In the Russia-Ukraine war

Vladimir Putin has announced a unilateral ceasefire for May 8 and 9, timed to Moscow’s World War II commemorations, while also warning of retaliation. Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy has proposed a separate truce starting a couple of days earlier. So far, the diplomacy is mostly happening in the familiar style of both sides announcing peace and menace in the same breath.

In U.S. courts

A federal judge sharply criticized the treatment of Cole Allen, who is accused of trying to reach the White House Correspondents’ Dinner and kill Donald Trump and other officials. Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui said he was disturbed by Allen being placed on suicide watch, five-point restraints, and in a safe cell, and ordered officials to explain the conditions. Allen remains in custody and has a preliminary hearing set for May 11.

In U.S. crime and violence

In Texas, a school behavior specialist has been charged with injury to the disabled after a 16-year-old student with autism was pushed and later died. In Philadelphia, police say a road rage chase ended with an SUV driver opening fire, killing 20-year-old Miguel Quinones-Barreto and wounding another man. Separate cases, same grim reminder that some people are catastrophically bad at handling conflict.

In Sweden

Swedish police say gang violence is killing increasing numbers of bystanders, including people hit by stray bullets, mistaken identities, and relatives of gang members. The warning is that the violence is no longer staying inside the gang world, which is usually how these things go just before everyone agrees they saw it coming.

In U.S. politics and courts

The Supreme Court is temporarily keeping mifepristone available through telehealth, mail, and pharmacies while the justices give both sides a little more room to argue. For now, the status quo stays intact, which is apparently still a controversial concept in 2026.

Meanwhile, Republicans are testing whether John Fetterman might be lured away from the Democrats, with Donald Trump dangling an endorsement and financial backing. Fetterman says he is staying put, though he is making no secret of his distance from parts of his party.

And Daniel Dale is calling out another Trump denial over Iran, this time on a remark that was already caught on video the day before. The footage, inconveniently, remains undefeated.

In security and geopolitics

China is trying to hedge its position as Trump weighs his next steps in the Iran war. Beijing is urging Iranian officials toward talks with the United States, while also keeping commercial channels open that could help Iran if the conflict flares again.

China is also reportedly developing a new stealth cruise missile designed to fit inside the internal bays of its J-20 and J-35 fighters. The point, as usual, is to make the hardware harder to see and easier to deny exists.

European leaders say Trump’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Germany caught them off guard. Norway’s prime minister said Europe should be taking more responsibility for its own security, which is a polite way of saying the warning was not exactly handled with care.

In the Channel, former Tory MP Mark Field backed Nigel Farage’s call for Royal Navy involvement as nearly 900 migrants crossed from France since Friday. British officials are still dealing with the crossings, and the politics around them are doing what politics always do: getting louder than the problem.

In crime and public safety

A Mecklenburg County sheriff’s deputy in North Carolina has been arrested after allegedly sending violent threats to a family member. Court records say he is accused of communicating threats and cyberstalking, and he remains in custody while the case is investigated.

In Pennsylvania, federal authorities arrested Raymond Chandler III after he allegedly left graphic death threats for a member of Congress, the lawmaker’s daughter, and President Trump. The FBI says the messages stretched across months and included threats tied to politics and anti-ICE rhetoric.

In U.S. news

Cole Allen remains in custody after being charged with attempting to assassinate Donald Trump, and a hearing is scheduled for today. Separately, the Trump administration is escalating its attack on SNAP, with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins claiming 14,000 recipients owned luxury vehicles, a claim critics say is part of a disinformation campaign against a benefit used by millions of low-income Americans.

In travel

Summer airfare is climbing as airlines face higher jet fuel costs and keep adding fees. Kayak says the average domestic flight is now $361, up from $291 at the start of the year, and carriers are also raising baggage fees and may trim some flight schedules. Flexibility still helps, because apparently the best way to save on a plane ticket is to treat your vacation like a hostage negotiation.

In tech and safety

A new Internet Matters study says age-verification systems on social media and other platforms are easy for many children to get around. In a survey of 1,000 UK children, 32 percent said they had bypassed the checks, 46 percent said the systems were easy to defeat, and 16 percent of parents admitted helping. The group says the findings show the safeguards are often ineffective in practice, and harmful content is still reaching children online.

In defense

The Department of the Air Force has picked three companies to potentially develop and operate nuclear microreactors at military bases under its Advanced Nuclear Power for Installations initiative. Radiant Industries is paired with Buckley Space Force Base in Colorado, Westinghouse Government Services with Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana, and Antares Nuclear with Joint Base San Antonio in Texas. The service wants at least one advanced reactor operating on an Air Force base by 2030 or sooner, with siting and environmental reviews next.

In Asia

China has ordered its companies to ignore U.S. sanctions, a sharp escalation that could pull more of its banking sector into the dispute as tensions rise between the two biggest economies. Beijing has long criticized unilateral sanctions, but until now it has mostly allowed major firms to comply to protect access to the U.S. financial system.

In the Philippines, Mayon volcano erupted over the weekend, sending ash into the air and forcing more than 5,450 people into emergency shelters. Officials issued alerts to nearby towns, and Mayon, the country’s most active volcano, last erupted in 2023.

In Africa

Nigeria says it will help repatriate nationals who want to leave South Africa after anti-migrant protests there turned violent. The move comes as the unrest has sharpened fears among migrants in the region, which is not exactly the kind of “welcome” tourism boards like to advertise.

In business and housing

PJM Interconnection says more than 800 power projects are now seeking grid connection as it reopens its review process for the first time in four years. The queue includes gas, battery storage, nuclear, solar, wind, and even one planned fusion plant in Virginia, because apparently everyone wants a piece of the grid before the grid collapses under data-center demand.

Separately, U.S. single-family housing starts rose in March to their highest level for that month since 2022, though new permits fell from a year earlier and existing home sales slipped. Builders may have been encouraged by warmer weather and hopes for steadier rates, but the pipeline still looks tight.

In Europe

A senior German MEP says Donald Trump’s threat of a 25 percent tariff on EU cars appears aimed squarely at Germany, after Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticized the U.S. position on Iran. He says the move would likely violate the trade deal struck last summer, which would be a charming way to start a transatlantic argument.

In Rome, Mayor Roberto Gualtieri is warning that Europe’s housing crisis has become an emergency, as a coalition of mayors prepares to press the European Commission and Parliament for action. At the same time, Armenia is hosting the European Political Community summit, where leaders are expected to scrutinize U.S. trade and defense moves.

Public safety and transport

Residents are being allowed back into a Bristol neighborhood after police declared the area safe following an explosion that killed two people. Authorities had been securing the site while they assessed the damage.

In New Jersey, a United Airlines flight struck a light pole on final approach and then damaged a tractor-trailer below. The truck driver was taken to hospital with minor injuries.

In global health and migration

Two women have died and three other people are critically ill after a small boat carrying 82 migrants ran aground in northern France during a failed attempt to cross the Channel. It is another grim reminder that the route stays dangerous even when the headlines move on.

Meanwhile, three passengers have died after a hantavirus outbreak on the Hondius cruise ship in the Atlantic, and another passenger is in intensive care in South Africa. Health authorities say one case is confirmed and five more are suspected, while investigators try to determine how the exposure happened.

In U.S. news

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is hospitalized in critical but stable condition, according to a spokesman. President Trump called him a true warrior.

In entertainment

Shakira drew an estimated 2 million people to a free concert on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, with city officials projecting a major boost for the local economy. Not every public event needs a security briefing, but this one practically came with traffic planning for a small nation.

In U.S. news

Rudy Giuliani is hospitalized in critical condition, according to his spokesman, and President Trump separately confirmed that on Truth Social. In Philadelphia, police say a woman was shot and killed Sunday afternoon after allegedly breaking into a home in North Philadelphia.

In Britain

New analysis from the Conservative Party says 635,218 British households received more than £32,000 a year in welfare last year, with 16,289 households above £60,000. Conservatives are using the figures to argue the benefits system is too large, while Labour says the highest payments go to households with the greatest need, including severe disability. A familiar debate, which is somehow always presented as a surprise.

In public health and the environment

A suspected hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean has killed three people, according to the World Health Organization and South Africa’s Department of Health. The cause is still described as suspected, and details remain thin. Separately, AI camera systems are being expanded across fire-prone western states to spot wildfires earlier, after one system in Arizona detected smoke from the Diamond Fire before it could grow beyond 7 acres.

In international affairs

President Trump says the U.S. Navy will begin “Project Freedom” to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran imposed a toll on transiting vessels. CENTCOM says it would support the operation with destroyers, aircraft, unmanned platforms, and 15,000 service members. In Germany, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he is not giving up on ties with the United States, while in India’s Manipur state, thousands gathered to mark three years since ethnic violence began. North Korea, meanwhile, denied involvement in recent cryptocurrency hacking and cybercrime cases.

In U.S. politics and security

Sen. Adam Schiff said the Justice Department sought another grand jury indictment of James Comey to help acting Attorney General Todd Blanche keep the job full time. It’s a claim made on television, which means it will now be treated by Washington as both evidence and entertainment.

Separately, federal investigators say a Secret Service agent was struck by buckshot from the gun of the man accused of trying to attack the White House Correspondents’ dinner. Prosecutors say there is strong evidence President Trump was the intended target, and the defendant is due in court on attempted assassination and weapons charges.

In health and science

The World Health Organization says one hantavirus infection has been confirmed on an Atlantic cruise ship, with five more suspected cases under investigation and three deaths linked to the outbreak. That is the sort of travel update nobody wants in their email inbox.

Imported infant formula has been recalled in large quantities over possible toxin contamination, and consumers are being told not to use it. In a separate biosecurity warning, researchers say honeybees may be spreading myrtle rust spores between plants, raising concerns for native forests and managed hives alike.

In the West

California, Arizona, and Nevada have proposed a three-year voluntary water-saving plan for the Colorado River as talks remain deadlocked. The states are trying to buy time while Lake Mead and Lake Powell stay historically low, after years of overuse, weak snowpack, and warming tied to climate change.

In the Middle East

Iran says it is reviewing the U.S. response to its latest peace proposal, a 14-point plan that was reviewed by President Donald Trump. So far, that leaves everyone in the familiar diplomatic position of saying they are very serious while reading each other’s homework.

In sports

Kimi Antonelli won the Miami Grand Prix, holding off Lando Norris in a race-long fight and extending his championship lead. Liverpool, meanwhile, lost 3-2 to Manchester United, and manager Arne Slot blamed the VAR decision on United’s second goal while also saying his own team had to own the result.

In U.S. news

Police in Nassau County, New York, have charged 22-year-old Rony Yahir Alvarenga Rivera in the stabbing deaths of two women hours apart. Investigators say he was taken into custody after approaching officers and admitting he had killed someone earlier that night. Authorities say the two victims, ages 42 and 32, were known to him. County Executive Bruce Blakeman used the case to renew criticism of federal immigration policy, though police have not publicly confirmed the suspect’s status. Everyone, naturally, is now discovering principles very quickly.

Separately, a man was arrested at Trump National Doral Golf Club after allegedly disrupting a security screening, refusing orders, and making physical contact with a Secret Service agent. Police charged him with battery on a law enforcement officer, disorderly conduct, and resisting without violence. The Secret Service said the incident was contained and did not affect security.

In military and security news

The U.S. Army and U.S. Africa Command are searching in southwestern Morocco for two U.S. service members who went missing during annual multinational military exercises. The disappearance was reported Sunday, and officials have not released further details.

In tech and policy

South Africa has withdrawn a draft national AI policy after a newspaper reported it included fake academic citations and appeared to have been compiled with AI assistance. A minister said the problem is a reminder that human oversight still matters when governments try to regulate machines that are, to put it mildly, very committed to being confident about things.

In consumer safety

Ghirardelli has recalled several powdered drink mixes, including hot cocoa and frappés, over a possible salmonella risk. Consumers are being told to check the products and avoid using them.

In international security

Iran is facing one of its longest internet shutdowns on record, and a clandestine network is smuggling Starlink terminals into the country so people can get back online. An Iranian man identified as Sahand says he has sent about a dozen terminals since January, while activists believe tens of thousands may already be inside Iran. The devices were criminalized last year, with prison terms of two to ten years depending on the scale. SpaceX has not commented, which is hardly a surprise.

Separately, Kyiv says Russian drone and missile strikes across Ukraine killed at least 10 people and injured more than 76 others in the past 24 hours.

In Britain

Police in Avon and Somerset say two people died after a house explosion in Bristol on Sunday morning, and the incident is being treated as suspicious. A major incident has been declared, and police say they do not believe it was terrorism-related.

In London, the Green Party’s Zack Polanski says he would discourage the chant “globalise the intifada,” but he does not support banning the phrase or stopping a planned pro-Palestine march. His comments come after Keir Starmer called for tougher action following last week’s attack on Jewish people in Golders Green. Polanski also says he still has concerns about the police response to that knife attack, after previously apologising for sharing a post about it too quickly.

The Met Police has issued written warnings to two officers who photographed a body on their phones, then apologised to those affected. A basic reminder that discretion is still part of the job.

In the U.S.

New polling from Washington Post-ABC News shows Donald Trump’s disapproval at 62 percent, the highest of either of his terms, while approval sits at 37 percent. Support among Republicans remains strong, but Trump is underwater on every issue measured, and two-thirds of Americans say the country is heading in the wrong direction.

Lawmakers from both parties are also starting to take AI more seriously as concern grows over jobs, energy costs, education, privacy, and mental health. The response is still cautious and uneven, which is apparently the bipartisan part.

Meanwhile, the conservative media company The Daily Wire says it is cutting about half its staff as Ben Shapiro’s YouTube views have fallen sharply.

In the Channel

Two migrant women died overnight after a dinghy carrying 65 people got into difficulty off Hardelot beach near Boulogne, French authorities said. Rescue teams mounted a major operation, while another boat nearby kept heading toward the UK. Officials said at least 200 migrants were on boats toward British waters this morning, and more than 100 had already been picked up by Border Force after reaching the 12-mile mark, because apparently the sea remains unconvinced by deterrence.

In U.S. politics and defense

Donald Trump opened a Florida rally with a widely criticized attack on Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar, repeating long-debunked claims about her personal life. Separately, Trump said the U.S. will cut troop levels in Germany further, after the Pentagon announced a 5,000-soldier withdrawal, and he again threatened to pull back forces in Spain and Italy.

In foreign affairs

China condemned U.S. sanctions on five small oil refineries accused of importing Iranian crude, saying the move violates international law. In a separate diplomatic move, Taiwanese President William Lai Ching-te visited Eswatini, met King Mswati III, and signed trade agreements despite Beijing’s efforts to stop the trip.

In the UK workplace

New polling suggests resistance to equity, diversity and inclusion schemes is spreading in British workplaces, with more than a third of HR decision-makers saying they faced pushback over the past year. The charity Working Chance says that opposition is starting to affect job prospects for people with convictions. The TUC is also calling for a ban on dynamic pay for gig workers, arguing that platforms like Uber are using opaque algorithms to set wages in ways that leave workers with little real certainty.

In technology

Some Claude chatbot subscribers say they have found unexplained credit card charges linked to gift cards, including one family billed twice for $200. The reports are still sparse, but not exactly the kind of “innovation” anyone puts in the product demo.