May 29, 2026

U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 91.

• Reports cite U.S. officials as saying U.S. and Iranian negotiators have reached a tentative agreement on a memorandum of understanding that would extend the Middle East war cease-fire by 60 days and provide for a later round of talks on Iran's nuclear program. Iran has yet to confirm the deal, and U.S. Vice President JD Vance said it was unclear when, or if, President Donald Trump would approve the agreement. [more]
• Ahead of Israel-Lebanon talks scheduled for today in Washington, DC, Israeli strikes targeting the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group continued yesterday in Lebanon, including attacks that struck an apartment building in the Beirut suburbs and multiple strikes on the southern city of Tyre in which at least 14 people were killed. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1,553 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here is your update:

• Romanian authorities say at least two people were injured overnight when a Russian drone believed to have been targeting Ukraine struck an apartment building in the eastern Romanian city of Galati. [more]

U.S. ECONOMY | According to data released yesterday by the Commerce Department's Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Bureau's personal consumption expenditures price index – a key inflation gauge – rose 3.8% in April compared to a year ago, while nationwide disposable personal income fell by $19.9 billion or 0.1%. On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.4% from March. [full report] [more]

U.S. COMPENSATION FUND | U.S. District ​Judge Leonie Brinkema of the Eastern District of Virginia today temporarily blocked action to set up ‌or ⁠operate President Donald Trump's $1.776 billion fund to compensate victims of what ⁠Trump has called government “weaponization" while related court proceedings play out. [more]

EPSTEIN INVESTIGATIONS | Former U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi Is scheduled to testify before the House Oversight Committee today on the Justice Department's handling of investigations into late financier and convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and his associates and the congressionally mandated release of the Epstein case files. [more]

U.S. CURRENCY | Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed yesterday that preliminary steps have been taken to release a $250 bill featuring the likeness of President Donald Trump to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States. Bessent noted that a final decision on actually releasing the $250 bill would have to made by Congress. [more]

TEXAS | Emergency officials say at least three people were killed, and five others were injured, yesterday in an explosion and fire at a Dallas, Texas, apartment building. Reports say firefighters were rushing to the scene of the incident in response to a reported gas leak when the explosion occurred and note that searches for possible additional victims are ongoing. [more]

U.S. SPELLING BEE | Shrey Parikh of California won the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee last night, beating Ishaan Gupta in a lightning-round tiebreaker by spelling 32 words correctly in 90 seconds. Parikh's winning word was "bromocriptine." [more]

U.S. AND BRAZIL | The U.S. State Department announced yesterday that it plans to designate two of Brazil's largest criminal groups – the First Command of the Capital and the Red Command – as foreign terrorist organizations. Reports note Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva previously stated that such a designation would be viewed as interference to favor his electoral rival, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, who visited the U.S. and met with government officials earlier this week. [more]

U.S. AND GUATEMALA | Following media reports that Guatemala and the U.S. had agreed to conduct joint anti-drug trafficking strikes, Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo yesterday denied the existence of an agreement between his country and the United States to conduct anti-drug trafficking operations on Guatemalan soil. Arévalo said only the Guatemalan Congress can approve such action and that his government has not, and does not plan to, request such approval. [more]

CUBA | According to Cuba's state-run National Institute of Water Resources, the Cuban water system is operating with only about 37% of its required fuel and nearly 3 million Cubans experience water shortages every day amidst the ongoing U.S. energy blockade of the Caribbean island nation. [more]

SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN CONFLICT | A new United Nations report expected to be publicly released today names 77 government and non-government parties in a dozen countries suspected of committing or being responsible for sexual violence in conflicts around the world in 2025. Both Israel and Russia are named in the report for the first time for their treatment of detainees in the wars against Hamas and Ukraine, respectively – allegations that the countries have denied. [more]

EBOLA | World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus arrived in the Congolese capital of Kinshasa today to view efforts being undertaken to fight the Congo's ongoing outbreak of Ebola. Also yesterday, the United States announced $80 million in additional outbreak-related aid, bringing its total commitment to more than $112 million. [more]

ISRAEL AND GAZA | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday that he has directed his country's military to seize at least 70% of Gaza. Reports note that such a move would be in apparent violation of last year's Israel-Hamas cease-fire agreement that included a provision for Israel to withdraw forces to demarcation lines that gave it control of about 50% of the Palestinian enclave. [more]

E.U. AND HUNGARY | European Union officials have reportedly agreed to release about $19 billion in funds to Hungary after meeting with newly installed Prime Minister Peter Magyar. The funds, reports note, were previously withheld due to rule-of-law violations by the government of former Prime Minister Viktor Orban. [more]

FRANCE | More than 175 years after France outlawed slavery in 1848, the country's National Assembly voted unanimously yesterday to formally repeal the Code Noir decree signed by King Louis XIV in 1685 that set out the legal status and treatment of Black slaves as property. [more]

SUDAN | The Sudan Doctors Network humanitarian group today accused the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group of killing at least 27 people in an attack on civilians yesterday in Sudan's North Kordofan region. [more]

PHILIPPINES | Senator Jinggoy Estrada was arrested and then released on bail today after the Philippines' anti-corruption court charged the prominent lawmaker with having received millions of dollars in kickbacks in a flood-control project. [more]

MEDICAL RESEARCH | According to a study published yesterday in The New England Journal of Medicine, administration of GSK and Ionis Pharmaceuticals' new drug bepirovirsen resulted in "functional cure" of hepatitis B in about 20% of patients treated. Researchers say the findings "represent a major step" in treating the dangerous liver virus, and reports note that the drug is currently being evaluated for approval in the U.S., Europe, and other locations around the world. [more]

R.I.P. | Claude Lemieux, a four-time National Hockey League Stanley Cup champion, died yesterday at the age of 60. Authorities in Palm Beach County, Florida, say Lemieux is believed to have taken his own life. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1953, following numerous failed attempts by others, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers to reach the summit of Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world. [more history]