May 18, 2026
U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | UKRAINE | U.S. GUN VIOLENCE | NEW YORK | WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM | U.S. RELIGION | U.S. DRUG PRICES | U.S. AND CHINA | U.S., TAIWAN, AND CHINA | U.S. AND CUBA | EBOLA | GLOBAL OIL SUPPLIES | U.K. | NIGERIA | PHILIPPINES | MEXICO | KENYA | CHINA | ISRAEL AND GAZA | MORE...

U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 80.
- Amidst the lack of progress in reaching a peace deal with Iran, U.S. President Donald Trump warned in a social media post over the weekend that "the clock is ticking" and that "there won't be anything left of them" if a deal is not reached. [more]
- Attack drones struck near the United Arab Emirates' only nuclear power plant yesterday, sparking a fire. No claims of responsibility for the attack have yet been made, and while the UAE did not explicitly blame Iran, officials suggested the drones could have been fired by Iranian proxies in Iraq. [more]
- Amidst the country's ongoing role as a mediator in U.S.-Iran talks, Pakistan has reportedly deployed some 8,000 troops, a fighter jet squadron, and an air defense system to Saudi Arabia under a mutual defense pact. [more]
UKRAINE | Today is day 1,542 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said today that Russia fired 524 attack drones and 22 ballistic and cruise missiles overnight at targets across Ukraine, with the city of Dnipro being among the most targeted sites. [more]
- Reports say Ukraine fired hundreds of drones at targets in Russia over the weekend, including at cities in the Moscow area where at least three people are reported to have been killed in the strikes. [more]
U.S. GUN VIOLENCE | Three teenagers have been arrested in connection with a two-day series of at least 10 random shootings and robberies over the weekend in Austin, Texas. At least four people were injured in the incidents. [more]
NEW YORK | After weekend negotiations failed to result in an agreement, rail workers for the Long Island Rail Road, North America’s largest commuter rail system, are on strike today over pay and cost-of-living issues. New York City regional authorities say the strike is expected to affect about 250,000 commuters. [more]
WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM | Reports say the U.S. Senate parliamentarian has ruled that a proposal to include $1 billion in funding for White House security upgrades and President Donald Trump's planned ballroom on the compound does not meet procedural rules for inclusion in a roughly $72 billion package Republicans are seeking to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. [more]
U.S. RELIGION | Thousands of people, including government officials, took part yesterday in a mostly conservative Christian day of prayer gathering on the National Mall in Washington, DC. Among the officials taking part in the "Rededicate 250" gathering, which organizers billed as a "rededication of our country as One Nation under God," were President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and House Speaker Mike Johnson. [more]
U.S. DRUG PRICES | The Supreme Court today rejected a series of appeals by major pharmaceutical companies that were seeking to block a provision in the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act that allows Medicare to negotiate the prices of numerous popular drugs. [more]
U.S. AND CHINA | In a fact sheet following last week's meetings between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, the White House said yesterday that China has approved an initial purchase of 200 American-made Boeing aircraft, will purchase at least $17 billion of U.S. agriculture products through 2028, and restore Chinese market access for U.S. beef and poultry. [White House fact sheet] [more]
U.S., TAIWAN, AND CHINA | Following last week's meetings with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, U.S. President Donald Trump suggested he is still considering whether to move forward with a new $14 billion arms package sale to Taiwan, saying it "depends on China." Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te responded yesterday by thanking Trump for his support and maintaining that arms purchases from the U.S. are “the most important deterrent” of regional conflict and instability." [more]
U.S. AND CUBA | Following media reports that Cuba had acquired attack drones capable of striking Florida, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said yesterday that his country "neither threatens nor desires war" and accused the U.S. of building a "fraudulent case" for military action against the Caribbean island nation. [more]
EBOLA | The World Health Organization yesterday declared the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighboring Uganda a public health emergency. WHO officials say at least 88 deaths and 300 suspected cases have been linked to the outbreak and that the outbreak is serious enough to require a coordinated international response. [more]
GLOBAL OIL SUPPLIES | International Energy Agency head Fatih Birol said today that, amidst the ongoing Middle East war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, global commercial oil inventories are being rapidly depleted, with as little as "several weeks" of supply currently available. [more]
U.K. | Former health secretary Wes Streeting confirmed on Saturday that he will challenge U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer for leadership of the governing Labour Party. [more]
NIGERIA | Authorities in Nigeria's northeastern state of Borno say at least 80 children remain missing following a series of militant attacks on schools in the region over the past week. [more]
PHILIPPINES | The impeachment trial of Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte on charges of unexplained wealth, misuse of state funds, and threats against the president, began in the Philippine Senate earlier today. [more]
MEXICO | Authorities in Mexico's east-central state of Puebla say at least 10 people were killed yesterday in an attack by gunmen in the town of Tehuitzingo. No suspects have been named in the incident, but reports note that the region has seen a recent surge in cartel-linked violence. [more]
KENYA | Amidst a nationwide public transportation strike sparked by record-high fuel prices, protests broke out in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi today, with reports saying protesters lit bonfires in multiple locations throughout the city. [more]
CHINA | At least two people were killed, and 7,000 others were forced to evacuate Liuzhou city, following a 5.2-magnitude earthquake that struck southern China's Guangxi region early today. [more]
ISRAEL AND GAZA | Organizers of the Global Sumud Flotilla say the Israeli military has intercepted multiple boats attempting to carry humanitarian aid to Gaza in defiance of an Israeli blockade of the Palestinian enclave. The aid group says the boats, which left Marmaris, Turkey, last week, were intercepted about 250 nautical miles from the shores of Gaza. [more]
GOLF | Aaron Rai shot a final-round 5-under-par 65 yesterday to win the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club. Rai is the first player from England to win the tournament since Jim Barnes in 1919. [more]
BASKETBALL | Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was named the NBA's Most Valuable Player yesterday for the second consecutive season. [more]
MUSIC AWARDS | Among the winners at last night's 61st Academy of Country Music Awards were: Cody Johnson for entertainer and male artist of the year, Ella Langley for female artist of the year and song and single of the year for "Chosen' Texas," Parker McCollum for album of the year, and The Red Clay Strays for group of the year. [full list of winners] [more]
EUROVISION | Bulgarian singer Dara won the 70th Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday with her party anthem "Bangaranga." [more]
WEEKEND MOVIES | "Michael" topped the North American box office over the weekend with an estimated $26.1 million in receipts, followed by "The Devil Wears Prada 2" and "Obsession." [more]
TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1980, following a 5.1-magnitude earthquake, Mount St. Helens in Washington state erupted in one of the strongest volcanic explosions ever recorded in North America. [more history]