May 8, 2026

U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 70.

• The U.S. military's Central Command says its forces intercepted Iranian attacks on three U.S. Navy ships in the Strait of Hormuz overnight and that, in response, U.S. forces targeted the Iranian military facilities responsible for the attacks. [more]
• The United Arab Emirates says at least three people were wounded today in drone and missile strikes launched by Iran – the second round of Iranian attacks on the UAE this week. [more]
• Despite repeated trading of military strikes, U.S. officials, including President Donald Trump, insist that the cease-fire between Iran and the United States remains in effect. [more]
• Shipping data company Lloyd’s List Intelligence reported yesterday that Iran has created a new government agency, the Persian Gulf Strait Authority, in an effort to formalize control over the Strait of Hormuz by vetting and taxing vessels seeking passage through the strategic waterway. [more]

U.S. CYBERATTACK | Canvas, a leading course and student management system used by thousands of school systems and universities across the U.S., is reported to offline following a cyberattack claimed by the hacking group ShinyHunters. The outage comes as many schools prepare for end-of-term activities, prompting uncertainty about how to proceed with final examinations and assignments. [more]

U.S. EMPLOYMENT | Labor Department data released today shows that U.S. employers added 115,000 new jobs in April – higher than the 65,000 economists had predicted but down from the 185,000 jobs created in March. Unemployment remained steady for the month at 4.3%. [full report] [more]

U.S. DRINKING WATER | Officials at the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Water say the Trump administration will soon move forward with plans to ease some limits on so-called “forever chemicals” in drinking water that were put in place during the Biden administration. [more]

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY | A federal judge ruled yesterday that the cutting of more than $100 million in humanities grants carried out by the Elon Musk-headed Department of Government Efficiency in 2025 was unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon said the cuts, which were undertaken as part of the Trump administration's efforts to undo DEI, or diversity, equity, and inclusion, policies, violated constitutional equal protection rights and were a "textbook example of unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination." [more]

U.S. TARIFFS | A three-judge panel of the Court of International Trade in New York ruled yesterday that a global 10% tariff imposed by President Donald Trump on goods imported into the U.S. after the Supreme Court struck down his previous tariff framework was "invalid" and "unauthorized by law." Reports note that the Trump administration is expected to appeal the court's ruling. [more]

U.S. CHILD SUPPORT | The U.S. State Department announced yesterday that it will move forward with plans to revoke the passports of thousands of parents who owe significant amounts of unpaid child support. [State Department press release] [more]

FLORIDA | Amidst reports that his state has not received the $608 million reimbursement it has requested from the federal government for operating the so-called "Alligator Alcatraz" immigration detention center, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said yesterday that the facility was always meant to be temporary and that, "At some point, we will, of course, break it down." [more]

TENNESSEE | State legislators approved a new congressional districting map for Tennessee yesterday that splits Shelby County, the home of the majority-Black city of Memphis, into three separate Republican-leaning districts – a move analysts say is likely to result in eventual Republican control of the state's only district represented by a Democrat. [more]

U.S. UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS | The U.S. Department of Defense said today that it has begun releasing new files on UFOs so members of the public can "make up their own minds about the information contained in these files." The files, which the Department says will be released on a rolling basis, are housed on a new website at https://war.gov/UFO [more]

U.S. AND CUBA | The Associated Press cites unnamed U.S. officials as saying that, despite President Donald Trump's repeated warnings that "Cuba is next," there are no plans for imminent U.S. military action against the Caribbean island nation. [more]

U.S. AND EUROPEAN UNION | Following a phone conversation with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen yesterday, U.S. President Donald Trump said the European Union has until July 4 to ratify last year's U.S.-E.U. trade deal or face increased tariffs. [more]

GLOBAL DEMOCRACIES | The Denmark-based Alliance of Democracies Foundation released results of its annual Democracy Perception Index ⁠survey today. Reports note the survey, which ranks the perception of countries from -100% to +100% based on responses from more than 94,000 people in 98 countries, showed that net perception of the U.S. has swung from +22% two ​years ago to -16% this year, placing it behind both Russia and China. The alliance also reports that the United States was the most frequency named country in response to a question of which country poses the greatest threat to the world, with respondents citing the Trump administration's tariffs and threats to dissolve NATO and invade Greenland, and the war in Iran as reasons for the perception. [full report (sign-up required)] [more]

GLOBAL CLIMATE AND BIODIVERSITY | A study published in the journal Science yesterday suggests that between 7% and 16% of plant species around the world are likely to lose at least 90% of their habitats and be at high risk of extinction by 2100 due to climate change factors such as higher temperatures and shifts in rain and snow patterns. [full study] [more]

HANTAVIRUS | Health officials in Spain's Canary Islands say they are preparing to receive some 140 passengers and crew members from the luxury cruise ship at the center of an ongoing hantavirus outbreak in which at least three people have died and several others have taken ill. Officials say the passengers and crew will be held at a "completely isolated, cordoned-off area" while being evaluated. [more]

SOUTHEAST ASIA | The annual heads of state summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations begins today in the Philippines, with economic and supply chain issues from the war in Iran, regional security, disputes with China over the South China Sea, Myanmar's civil war, and the recent border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia expected to be among the main topics of discussion. [more]

U.K. | Early results from yesterday's local and regional elections across the United Kingdom suggest a poor showing for Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour Party and significant gains for the hard-right Reform U.K. party led by Nigel Farage. Starmer said today that he takes responsibility for the "very tough" results but that he does not intend to resign. [more]

CONGO | Local officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo's North Kivu and Ituri provinces say at least 40 people were killed this week in attacks by the Islamic State-affiliated Allied Democratic Forces group on villages along the country's border with Uganda. [more]

HUNGARY | Incoming prime minister Péter Magyar today urged the people of Hungary to participate in an all-day "regime change" celebration tomorrow to mark his inauguration and the end of outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orban's 16 years in power. [more]

NORTH KOREA | State media cites North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as saying his country will deploy new long-range artillery systems this year that are capable of striking the South Korean capital of Seoul. [more]

AUTO INDUSTRY | Citing higher material costs, delivery delays, and lower sales, Toyota – the world's largest automaker – said today that it expects effects of the Iran war to cost it about $4.3 billion this fiscal year. [more]

SOCCER | World soccer governing body FIFA adjusted its prices for the final of this summer's men's World Cup yesterday, with the price of the best available seats tripling to $32,970. [more]

COLLEGE BASKETBALL | The NCAA announced yesterday that its men's and women's college basketball tournaments will be expanded from 64 to 76 teams starting next year, with the previous "First Four" slate of games transforming into what will be called the "March Madness Opening Round." [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1945, following Nazi Germany's unconditional surrender, World War II in Europe officially ended at midnight. The war in the Pacific continued until the Japanese surrender in September. [more history]