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U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 55.

• Reports cite U.S. government sources as saying the Department of Defense told lawmakers on the House Armed Services Committee this week that it will likely take up to six months to clear mines placed in the Strait of Hormuz by Iran. The Pentagon denied the reports this morning, saying the information, originally reported by the Washington Post, was an example of the media cherry-picking leaked information. [more]
• A second round of direct Israel-Lebanon peace talks opens today in Washington, DC, with the possibility of extending the parties' current cease-fire, the disarming of the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group, and working toward a more permanent cessation of hostilities expected to be among the main topics of discussion. [more]
• The Associated Press cites information from shipping intelligence company Lloyd’s List Intelligence as indicating that, amidst the U.S. blockade in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, at least 11 Iran-linked oil tankers have left the gulf regions since April 13. [more]

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY | Using a parliamentary procedure known as budget reconciliation, which bypasses the requirement for 60 yes votes in the 100-member chamber, the Senate voted overnight to adopt a plan that would fund the Department of Homeland Security's ICE and Border Patrol agencies amidst the Department's partial shutdown. The measure will now be considered by the House. [more]

U.S. MILITARY | The Pentagon announced yesterday that Navy Secretary John Phelan was leaving his administration role immediately. No reason was given for Phelan's removal, which comes amidst high levels of U.S. Navy deployment and activity in the Middle East. [more]

WEST VIRGINIA | Emergency response officials say two people were killed, and about 30 others were sickened, yesterday in a chemical leak at a silver recovery facility near the Charleston-region town of Institute, West Virginia. A shelter-in-place order for local residents has since been lifted. [more]

U.S. SOUTHEAST WILDFIRES | Amidst widespread regional drought and low-humidity, windy conditions, crews are battling large wildfires in both Georgia and Florida. Governor Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency yesterday for more than half of the counties in Georgia, where more than 50 homes have been destroyed and hundreds of people have been forced to evacuate due to numerous fires. Emergency officials in Florida say more than 130 wildfires, mostly in the state's northern half, have burned at least 39 square miles recently. [more]

VIRGINIA | Following the approval of congressional re-districting by voters in Virginia on Tuesday, a judge in the state's rural southwestern region ordered the voting results not be certified, citing what he said was the improper use of procedures to bring the redistricting measure to a vote. The Democratic-led state government is expected to appeal the ruling to the Virginia Supreme Court. [more]

U.S. SUICIDE RATES | According to a study published yesterday in the JAMA medical journal, the availability and use of the 988 mental health crisis hotline appear to be associated with a reduction in suicide deaths among 15-to-23-year-olds between July 2022 – when the hotline was launched – and December 2024. [more]

ALASKA | A coalition of voting and civil rights groups in Alaska filed a lawsuit against state election officials yesterday, alleging that the sharing of the state's full voter registration list with the U.S. Department of Justice violates the Alaska state constitution's privacy protections. [more]

U.S. FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT | Reuters cites records received under the Freedom of Information Act as showing the U.S. Justice Department has cut more than 4,000 employees from some of its top law-enforcement agencies since 2024 amidst its plans to crack down on crime, with a 7% drop in the number of employees at the FBI and 6% and 14% reductions at the DEA and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, respectively. The Department's National Security Division, which handles intelligence and terrorism matters, showed a nearly 38% reduction in its staff. [more]

U.S. MARIJUANA | Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche announced today that products containing marijuana that are covered by the Food and Drug Administration or that have received a state medical-marijuana license will be reclassified from the current Schedule I dangerous drug list to Schedule III, and said he will convene a hearing to consider reclassifying all marijuana. [more]

EUROPEAN SECURITY | Amidst concerns over the Trump administration's commitment to NATO and overall European security, reports cite European leaders as saying a summit of E.U. envoys in Cyprus this week will include "table-top exercises" to simulate how bloc members could provide collective assistance to a nation in the event of an attack or invasion. [more]

U.K. | Under a new measure passed by the British Parliament, the minimum age to legally purchase cigarettes in the U.K. will be increased every year from the current minimum of 18, effectively banning those born after December 31, 2008, from ever buying cigarettes legally. Reports note that a similar measure was passed by New Zealand in 2022 but later repealed. [more]

SOUTH KOREA | Organizers say some 40,000 union workers took part in a protest today at a Samsung Electronics computer chip complex in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, to demand higher bonuses and warn of a potential strike. [more]

FRANCE AND U.K. | Under a new multimillion-euro deal expected to be announced today, France and the U.K. will cooperate to increase police patrols and enhance surveillance in northern France to reduce the number of migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats. [more]

TURKEY | Lawmakers in Turkey passed a measure yesterday to restrict access to social media platforms by children under the age of 15. According to Turkish media, the measure will require social media companies to implement age-verification systems, provide parental-control tools, and respond to content deemed harmful in a timely manner. [more]

DENMARK | At least five people were seriously injured today when two passenger trains collided on a rail line near Hillerød, Denmark. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. [more]

AUTO INDUSTRY | Electric vehicle and tech giant Tesla reported first-quarter earnings of $477 million on $22.39 billion in revenue yesterday – up 17% from the year ago period on what company head Elon Musk says was a 16% increase in automotive revenues. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1635, the Boston Latin School, open to all boys regardless of social class, was founded as the first public school in what would become the United States. Initially funded by donations and land rentals, the school is seen as contributing to the precedent for publicly supported education. [more history]