Listen to this issue.

0:00

/6:31

1×

U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 56.

• Amidst the ongoing U.S.-Iran cease-fire, officials in Kuwait say two sites along their country's northern land border with Iraq were struck by explosive drones launched from Iran this morning. [more]
• Following yesterday's second round of direct Israel-Lebanon talks in Washington, DC, U.S. President Donald Trump said that the parties agreed to a three-week extension of their current cease-fire. Reports note that the conflict largely centers on the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group, which has opposed the talks. [more]
• Reports cite an internal U.S. Department of Defense memo as indicating the Trump administration and the Pentagon are considering potential measures to punish members of NATO seen as failing to support the U.S. war against Iran. Among the measures reported to be under consideration are a suspension of Spain from NATO – a move for which, reports note, there is no actual mechanism in the trans-Atlantic alliance’s treaty. [more]

U.S. GUN VIOLENCE | One person was killed, and five others were wounded, yesterday in an exchange of gunfire that took place between two groups at a food court inside the Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge. Authorities say the shooting emerged from a confrontation between the groups and was not a random attack. [more]

U.S. MILITARY | The Justice Department arrested a U.S. special forces soldier yesterday in connection with the alleged use of classified information to win more than $400,000 on an online prediction betting market. According to federal prosecutors, Gannon Ken Van Dyke, 39, was involved in the planning and execution of the U.S. capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and placed bets regarding the timing of Maduro's ouster on the prediction market site Polymarket. [more]

OKLAHOMA | Emergency response officials say about 40 homes were damaged or destroyed, and multiple roads and highways had to be closed, when a confirmed tornado moved through parts of Enid, Oklahoma yesterday. Local authorities say there have been no reports of fatalities associated with the tornado. [more]

EPSTEIN INVESTIGATIONS | The U.S. Justice Department's inspector general's office announced yesterday that it has launched a review of the Department's compliance with a law mandating the full release of documents and files related to investigations into late financier and convicted sex-trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. [more]

U.S. IMMIGRATION | Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said yesterday that only one of President Donald Trump's so-called "gold card" immigration visas, which provide accelerated legal immigration into the U.S., has been approved since the program launched in December 2025. [more]

U.S. DRUG PRICING | As part of ongoing efforts to reduce prescription drug prices in the U.S., President Donald Trump announced an agreement yesterday with drugmaker Regeneron to lower the cost of all the company's current and future drugs for the Medicaid program. According to a White House fact sheet, the company has also agreed to fund $27 billion in research, development, and manufacturing in the U.S. by 2029. [more]

U.S. AIRLINE INDUSTRY | President Donald Trump suggested yesterday that he is considering a taxpayer-funded takeover of Spirit Airlines amidst the carrier's bankruptcy proceedings. Trump said he would "love to be able to save an airline," and that he would look to "sell it for a profit" in the event of a government takeover of the company. [more]

GLOBAL ENERGY AND CLIMATE | Representatives of about 50 countries are expected to attend a summit that begins today in Colombia’s Caribbean city of Santa Marta to discuss a "just, orderly, and equitable" transition away from fossil fuels, which organizers say are the main driver of global warming. The First International Conference on the Phase-Out of Fossil Fuels runs through April 29. [more]

RUSSIA | Gennady Zyuganov, the leader of Russia's Communist Party – the country's second  largest in parliament after President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party – warned in a parliamentary speech this week that Russia's faltering economy risks sparking a 1917-style revolution and that the government needs to take urgent financial, economic, and other corrective measures to prevent such an occurrence. [more]

SOMALIA | Somali officials say at least 17 migrants traveling between Algeria and Spain died this week when their boat capsized along the water route commonly used by migrants to reach Europe from North Africa. [more]

KOREA | South Korean prosecutors today requested a 30-year prison sentence for former President Yoon Suk Yeol over allegations that he ordered drone flights be carried out over the North Korean capital Pyongyang in 2024 to deliberately escalate tensions and help justify his short-lived imposition of martial law, which eventually led to his removal from office. [more]

DENMARK | A month after national elections, talks on forming a new Danish government are ongoing, with care-taker Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen leading coalition talks aimed at securing a parliamentary majority among parliament's 12 political parties. [more]

TECH INDUSTRY | Facebook parent company Meta said yesterday that it plans to lay off about 10% of its workforce – some 8,000 workers – as part of the company's increased focus on artificial intelligence infrastructure and use. Also yesterday, tech giant Microsoft announced that it plans to offer voluntary buyouts to about 7% of its U.S. workers – some 8,750 people. [more on Meta] [more on Microsoft]

FOOTBALL | The Las Vegas Raiders selected Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first pick in last night's 2026 NFL draft. Mendoza's selection was followed by Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey going to the New York Jets and the Arizona Cardinals taking Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love. [full draft board] [more]

WORLD CUP | Amnesty International, along with dozens of U.S. civil and human rights groups, issued a World Cup travel advisory yesterday, warning visitors of "rising authoritarianism and increasing violence” and a "deteriorating human rights situation in the United States" ahead of this summer's FIFA men's World Cup soccer tournament. The advisory was condemned by various U.S. tourism officials, including the U.S. Travel Association, which said that while there are legitimate concerns about U.S. entry policies, they are being blown out of proportion. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1800, the Library of Congress was established as U.S. President John Adams signed a measure appropriating $5,000 "for the purchase of such books as may be necessary for the use of Congress." From its initial collection of 740 books and three maps, the Library of Congress has grown to become one of the largest libraries in the world, containing approximately 173 million items. [more history]

Listen to this issue.

0:00

/6:42

1×

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]

Listen to this issue.

0:00

/6:44

1×

U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 54.

• U.S. President Donald Trump yesterday extended the cease-fire with Iran for an indefinite period, saying he was doing so at the request of Pakistan ahead of today's expiration of a preliminary two-week halt in hostilities. Trump noted, however, that the U.S. blockade of Iranian ships and ports would remain in effect. [more]
• Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard attacked three cargo ships early today in the Strait of Hormuz, according to state media. IRGC officials said the ships, two of which are reported to have been seized, were operating in the Strait without authorization. [more]
• Amidst a tenuous Israel-Lebanon cease-fire and ahead of scheduled talks in Washington, DC, the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group said that it fired a drone at an Israeli post in southern Lebanon today in response to what the group said were Israeli violations of the cease-fire. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1,516 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• Amidst the U.S. and global concentration on the war in Iran, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said yesterday that his country is pushing for face-to-face talks between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin to advance efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war. [more]
• Representatives of European Union nations are meeting today in Brussels, Belgium, in the latest effort to finalize a 90-billion-euro loan package for Ukraine that was held up by outgoing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán over disruptions in the delivery of Russian oil through a now-repaired pipeline that runs through Ukraine. [more]

U.S. GREEN ENERGY | A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction yesterday blocking some Trump administration policies that impose new reviews, roll back tax credits, and restrict subsidies for wind, solar, and other renewable energy projects on federal lands and waters. [more]

SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER | The U.S. Justice Department announced yesterday that an indictment on federal fraud charges had been returned against the Southern Poverty Law Center, alleging the civil rights group defrauded its donors in a now-defunct program that used funds to secretly pay members of various hate groups for inside information. In announcing the indictment, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche accused the SPLC of "manufacturing the extremism it purports to oppose by paying sources." The SPLC says its informant program was used to monitor threats of violence by hate groups and that the information it gathered was often shared with local and federal law enforcement. [more]

VIRGINIA | Voters narrowly approved a constitutional amendment yesterday to temporarily redraw Virginia's congressional district maps to favor Democrats. The effort, which is facing ongoing legal challenges, follows similar moves favoring both Republicans and Democrats in states including Texas, California, Utah, Missouri, Ohio, and North Carolina ahead of November's mid-term elections. [more]

TEXAS | Reversing a lower-court ruling, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said in a 9-8 ruling yesterday that Texas can require the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. Opponents say such display amounts to religious indoctrination by the government, while the appeals court majority opinion stated that no students are required to recite, believe in, or affirm the divine origin of the Commandments. [more]

FLORIDA | A three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled yesterday that the so-called "Alligator Alcatraz" immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades, operations at which were ordered suspended by a lower court because it didn’t comply with federal environmental law, can continue to operate because it was built entirely at state expense and, therefore, does not need to comply with a federal law requiring an environmental impact review. [more]

U.S. CONGRESS | Amidst ethics and criminal investigations into allegations of fraud and ahead of a House Ethics Committee hearings that could have led to her expulsion from Congress, Democratic Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida resigned from office yesterday. [more]

U.S. AND MEXICO | Reports cite government sources as saying two U.S. Embassy staff members killed in a vehicle accident following a joint operation with Mexican authorities to destroy a drug lab in Mexico's northern Chihuahua state over the weekend were working for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said her government was not aware of the joint operation. [more]

EUROPEAN ENERGY | The European Commission announced plans today to cut electricity taxes and coordinate E.U. nations' fuel supplies amidst price hikes and oil and gas supply issues linked to the Middle East war. [more]

PHILIPPINES | Rejecting a bid to dismiss the case over questions of jurisdiction, an appeals panel at the International Criminal Court ruled yesterday that the ICC can continue its trial of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on charges related to his alleged role in the murders of thousands of people. [more]

GERMANY | German airline Lufthansa said yesterday that it will cut about 20,000 short-haul flights from its schedule between May and October due to increased fuel prices and potential fuel shortages linked to the Middle East war. [more]

EL SALVADOR | Under the country's "state of exception" for battling criminal groups, prosecutors in El Salvador opened a mass trial of 486 defendants accused of being members of the MS-13 gang this week – a move human rights groups argue is an infringement on the right of the accused to defend themselves. The alleged gang members have been charged in connection with some 47,000 crimes, including homicide, extortion, arms trafficking, and kidnapping. [more]

E.U. IMMIGRATION | Citing Eurostat and ​U.N. Refugee Agency data, a new report from the Centre for Research and Analysis on Migration at RFBerlin says the number of immigrants residing in the European Union rose to a record high of 64.2 million in 2025, up about 2.1 million from 2024. [more]

U.K. | Amidst a sharp rise in cyberattacks across Europe, Richard Horne, the head of the U.K.’s National Cyber Security Centre, said in a speech today that most serious cyberattacks on British targets are now carried out by hostile nations including Russia, Iran, and China, and warned that the U.K. could be targeted "at scale" if it becomes involved in an international conflict. [more]

COLLEGE ATHLETICS | Winning the men's gymnastics national championship this past weekend, Stanford University extended its record of national collegiate titles across all sports to 50 consecutive years. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 2016, more than 170 countries signed the Paris Agreement on climate change – a landmark treaty aimed at controlling and reducing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere. [more history]

Listen to this issue.

0:00

/7:42

1×

U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 53.

• The status of a new round of U.S-Iran peace talks in Pakistan remains unclear, with mixed messaging from both sides ahead of tomorrow's expiration of a two-week cease-fire. [more]
• Mohammed Bagher Qalibaf, Iran's parliamentary speaker and chief negotiator, suggested this morning that Iran is prepared to "reveal new cards on the battlefield" in the event of a resumption of active fighting. Qalibaf's statement followed U.S. President Donald Trump's warning that “lots of bombs” will “start going off” if there is no agreement reached before the cease-fire's expiration. [more]
• Reports cite Israeli, Lebanese, and U.S. officials as saying a new round of Israel-Lebanon diplomatic talks are expected to take place in Washington, DC, on Thursday. [more]

U.S. GUN VIOLENCE | Police in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, say two teenagers were killed, and five others were wounded, yesterday when multiple people opened fire in the midst of a planned fight at a park on the city's outskirts. No arrests linked to the incident have been reported. [more]

U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CABINET | The White House announced yesterday that Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer will leave the department to "take a position in the private sector." The move comes amidst multiple reports of Chavez-DeRemer having been under internal Labor Department investigations for misconduct and abuse of her position. Reports note that Chavez-DeRemer's resignation is the third presidential Cabinet change since March, following the removals of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Attorney General Pam Bondi. [more]

VIRGINIA | Voters in Virginia will decide today on the ratification of a constitutional amendment that would allow the use of re-drawn congressional districts that favor Democrats in this year's mid-term elections. The proposed redistricting follows similar moves in several other states, which started with President Donald Trump's call for new districting in Texas to favor Republican candidates. [more]

U.S. FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION | FBI Director Kash Patel filed a $250 million defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic yesterday, claiming that an article in the magazine that alleged Patel's excessive alcohol consumption was affecting his job performance was a "malicious hit piece." The Atlantic says it will vigorously defend itself against what it characterized as Patel's "meritless lawsuit." [more]

U.S. ECONOMY | The Commerce Department reports that retail sales in the U.S. rose 1.7% in March with notable contributions to the higher-than-expected increase from higher gasoline prices due to the war in Iran and the spending of tax refunds. [full report] [more]

WASHINGTON, DC | The U.S. Justice Department and the State of Maryland each filed a lawsuit against Washington, DC's water and sewer authority yesterday seeking civil penalties and damages for costs associated with a sewage pipeline rupture in January that spilled 244 million gallons of raw sewage into the Potomac River. [more]

U.S. BOOK BANS | As part of National Library Week and the organization's State of America’s Libraries Report, the American Library Association has released its annual list of books most challenged at U.S. libraries. The most challenged books in 2025 were: "Sold" by Patricia McCormick, "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky, "Gender Queer: A Memoir" by Maia Kobabe, "Empire of Storms" by Sarah J. Maas, "Last Night at the Telegraph Club" by Malinda Lo, "Tricks" by Ellen Hopkins, "A Court of Thorns and Roses" by Sarah J. Maas, "A Clockwork Orange" by Anthony Burgess, "Identical" by Ellen Hopkins, "Looking for Alaska" by John Green, and "Storm and Fury" by Jennifer L. Armentrout. The ALA notes that 90% of book challenges in 2025 came from activist groups and government officials. [more]

U.S. AND CUBA | Amidst ongoing political and economic tensions, Cuba's government confirmed yesterday that U.S. and Cuban officials met in the Caribbean island nation earlier this month and that the U.S. energy embargo on Cuba was Havana's top priority for the talks. Reports note that the visit was the first to Cuba by American diplomats since 2016. [more]

U.S. AND MEXICO | President Claudia Sheinbaum said yesterday that Mexico is investigating the deaths of two Mexican officials and two U.S. embassy instructors in a vehicle accident while returning from a weekend operation to destroy a gang-linked drug lab in Mexico's Chihuahua state, and will demand explanations about participation in the operation by the U.S. personnel, which she says was not authorized by her country's federal government. [more]

JAPAN | Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s Cabinet approved new guidelines today that end a post-World War II ban on Japan exporting lethal weapons. Supporters of the new policy say it will improve Japanese security and regional stability, while opponents say it violates Japan’s pacifist constitution and will increase global and regional tensions. [more]

GAZA | According to a new report from the United Nations, the European Union, and the World Bank, recovery and reconstruction in Gaza following the Israel-Hamas war will cost an estimated $71.4 billion over 10 years. [more]

NIGERIA | Authorities in Nigeria say six people, including a retired army general and a serving police inspector, have been arrested and charged with terrorism and treason in connection with an alleged plot to overthrow President Bola Tinubu. [more]

HUNGARY | The European Court of Justice ruled yesterday that a 2021 Hungarian law prohibiting the display of content to minors that depicts homosexuality or gender change “stigmatizes and marginalizes” LGBTQ+ persons and fails to uphold the European Union's prohibition of discrimination based on sex or sexual orientation. [more]

CHAD AND HAITI | President Mahamat Déby Itno said yesterday that Chad plans to deploy 1,500 troops to Haiti as part of a U.N.-backed multinational force to combat widespread gang violence in the Caribbean island nation. [more]

SYRIA AND IRAQ | Touting potential benefits in trade in oil transportation, officials in Syria and Iraq announced the re-opening of a key border crossing between their countries yesterday. The crossing – known as Rabia in Iraq and Yarubiyah in Syria – had been closed since the beginning of the Syrian civil war in 2011. [more]

MEXICO | One person was killed, and 13 others were injured, yesterday when a gunman opened fire on tourists at the historic Teotihuacan pyramids near Mexico City, Mexico. The shooter, identified in reports as 27-year-old Julio Cesar Jasso of Mexico, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. [more]

TECH INDUSTRY | Apple CEO Tim Cook announced yesterday that he will step down from his position in September, ending a 15-year tenure that saw the company's market value increase by more than $3.6 trillion. John Ternus, Apple’s head of hardware engineering, will take over the CEO role upon Cook's departure. [more]

BOSTON MARATHON | Defending men's champion John Korir won the Boston Marathon yesterday, finishing in a course record 2 hours, 1 minute, 52 seconds. The women's race was also won by the defending champion, Sharon Lokedi, who finished in 2 hours, 18 minutes, 51 seconds. [more]

BASKETBALL | San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama was named the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year yesterday, becoming the youngest player and first-ever unanimous selection to receive the award. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1836, an army of Texans, led by General Sam Houston, defeated the Mexican army, led by General Antonio López de Santa Anna, in the Battle of San Jacinto, the last major battle of the Texas Revolution. [more history]

Listen to this issue.

0:00

/7:27

1×

U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 52.

• U.S. forces fired on and seized an Iranian cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman yesterday as part of operations involving the ongoing blockade of Iranian shipping in the region. Iran's military confirmed it did not actively resist the U.S. action but said it would take "necessary action against the terrorist U.S. military” in the future. [more]
• Ahead of Wednesday's expiration of the current U.S.-Iran cease-fire, Pakistani and U.S. officials have been planning for new talks with Tehran in Islamabad. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said this morning that Iran currently has no plans to attend any talks with the U.S. but did not explicitly rule out doing so. [more]
• Amidst the tenuous Israel-Lebanon cease-fire, the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group claims to have destroyed four Israeli tanks passing the southern Lebanon village of Deir Siryan yesterday. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1,514 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• At least two people were killed, and four others were wounded, in an overnight Russian strike on the northern Ukraine city of Chernihiv early Sunday, according to city officials. [more]
• Ukraine's military says domestically produced cruise missiles were fired at a drone factory in the southwestern Russian city of Taganrog on Sunday, sparking a fire at the facility. [more]

U.S. GUN VIOLENCE | In separate high-profile incidents of gun violence in the U.S. yesterday:

• A man identified by police as 31-year-old Shamar Elkins shot and killed eight children, including seven of his own, early yesterday at two homes in Shreveport, Louisiana. Two women, one of whom is Elkins' wife, were also shot during the attacks. The attacker was killed during an exchange of gunfire with police. [more]
• At least five people, including three students, were wounded early Sunday when a yet-unidentified gunman opened fire during an altercation in a nightlife district near the University of Iowa campus in Iowa City, Iowa. No arrests have yet been made in connection with the incident. [more]

U.S. TARIFF REFUNDS | Businesses that paid tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump under a national security justification that the US Supreme Court found earlier this year to be unconstitutional can begin claiming refunds for the duties through an online portal operated by US Customs and Border Protection that opens today. In related court filings, Customs and Border Protection said more than 330,000 importers paid a total of about $166 billion in tariffs that could be eligible for refunds. [more]

U.S. DRUG WAR | The U.S. military's Southern Command says it targeted an alleged drug-trafficking boat in the Caribbean Sea yesterday, killing three people. Reports note that at least 181 people have been killed in similar U.S. strikes since last September. [more]

WISCONSIN | Reports say dozens of protesters were arrested yesterday when hundreds of animal welfare activists attempted to gain entry to a beagle breeding and research facility in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin. [more]

WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM | A day after a U.S. district judge halted above-ground construction of President Donald Trump's $400 million ballroom on the White House grounds, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit late Friday put the lower court ruling on hold and allowed construction to continue pending a June 5 hearing to review the case. [more]

U.S. AND CANADA | Amidst ongoing trade and political tensions between the two countries, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a video address released yesterday that while Canada's strong economic ties to the United States were once a strength, they are now a weakness that must be corrected, and that hoping the U.S. "will return to normal" is not a viable strategy going forward. [more]

U.S. AND PHILIPPINES | More than 17,000 U.S. and Philippine troops are expected to take part in this year's Balikatan combat exercises, which begin today in the Philippines. Military contingents from Japan, France, and Canada are also scheduled to take part in portions of the exercises. [more]

GLOBAL WIND POWER | According to a report from the Global Wind Energy Council, a record 165 gigawatts of new wind power capacity was installed around the world in 2025 – up 40% from 2024 and led by a surge in installations in China. [more]

JAPAN | A tsunami alert has been issued for several prefectures in northern Japan after a 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Sanriku this morning at a depth of about 6 miles below the ocean surface. The Japan Meteorological Agency urged residents in the affected region to evacuate from low-lying areas and warned of possible aftershocks for the upcoming week. [more]

GAZA AND THE WEST BANK | Representatives of more than 60 nations are attending a meeting of the E.U.-backed Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution today in Brussels, Belgium, to discuss stability, security, and long-term peace in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. [more]

UKRAINE | Authorities say six people were killed, and at least 14 others were wounded, Saturday when a man armed with an automatic weapon opened fire outside an apartment block and a nearby shopping center in central Kyiv. Reports say the 58-year-old attacker, who was killed by police, was born in Russia and that the incident is being investigated as an act of terrorism. [more]

U.K. | London’s Metropolitan Police Service says two teenagers have been arrested in connection with an arson attack Saturday night on a synagogue in northwest London. The incident was the sixth violent action targeting Jewish community sites in the U.K. over the past few weeks. [more]

MALAYSIA | Authorities in Malaysia's Borneo island state of Sabah say about 1,000 homes were destroyed in a fire that spread through a coastal settlement yesterday, displacing more than 9,000 people. Reports note that the informal settlement in Sabah's Sandakan district consists largely of tightly-packed wooden houses constructed on stilts above the sea. [more]

NEW ZEALAND | Officials in New Zealand's capital of Wellington have declared a state of emergency amidst flooding brought on by torrential rain early today. The city's emergency management office has advised residents to avoid non-essential travel and for those living in low-lying areas to consider relocating for at least the next 24 hours. [more]

NORTH KOREA | In the latest of the country's weapons tests, North Korea is reported to have fired multiple ballistic missiles toward the sea off its eastern coast yesterday. North Korean state media says leader Kim Jong Un observed the test launches, which included upgraded surface-to-surface Hwasong-11 ballistic missiles with cluster bomb and fragmentation mine warheads. [more]

HAITI AND DOMINICAN REPUBLIC | Following more than two years of flights having been suspended over security concerns, Haiti and the Dominican Republic, which share the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, agreed Friday to open their airspace and allows flights between their countries to resume starting in May. [more]

ENTERTAINMENT AWARDS | Comedian and actor Eddie Murphy received the American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award Saturday at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California. [more]

WEEKEND MOVIES | "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" topped the North American box office over the weekend with an estimated $35 million in receipts, followed by "Project Hail Mary" and "Lee Cronin’s The Mummy." [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1919, in an ongoing dispute over the possession of the city of Vilnius, Polish forces drove out Russia's Red Army—which had previously ousted the newly established Lithuanian government—and occupied the city.  [more history]

Listen to this issue.

0:00

/5:48

1×

U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 49.

• Israel and Lebanon agreed yesterday to a 10-day cease-fire amidst ongoing efforts to reach a deal to end the wider Middle East war. The Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon said previously it would not comply with any potential cease-fire, and reports note that it remains unclear if Israel intends to halt operations against the group as part of the cease-fire. [more]
• Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a social media post today that, following the announcement of the Israel-Lebanon cease-fire, the Strait of Hormuz is "declared completely open" for all commercial shipping for the duration of the cease-fire. [more]
• French President Emmanuel Macron and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer are hosting international talks in Paris today aimed at re-opening the Strait of Hormuz. Representatives of about 30 countries are expected to attend the talks that Macron says will focus on defensive security for shipping through the strait "when security conditions allow." The United States is reportedly not participating in the talks. [more]
• General Dan Caine, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said yesterday that the U.S. has broadened the scope of its efforts to block Iran-linked shipping to include allowing its forces to stop ships anywhere in the world if they are suspected of ties to Iran or of carrying supplies that could help the Iranian government. A detailed list of goods "subject to capture" from Iran-linked shipping is detailed in a Joint Maritime Information Center notice. [more]

U.S. SURVEILLANCE | The House rejected five-year and 18-month extensions of a controversial Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act provision late last night. A stop-gap extension that expires on April 30 was approved early this morning and is expected to be considered in the Senate today. [more]

IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT | The Department of Homeland Security announced yesterday that Todd Lyons, the acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement who has led the agency's implementation of President Donald Trump's mass deportation policies, will resign at the end of May. [more]

MINNESOTA | Prosecutors in Hennepin County, Minnesota, have filed felony assault charges against Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer Gregory Donnell Morgan Jr. in connection with his alleged pointing of a firearm at occupants of a car after pulling alongside them on a Minneapolis-area highway – the first such criminal case against a federal immigration agent involved in the Minnesota immigration crackdown. [more]

NEW JERSEY | Democrat Analilia Mejía will represent New Jersey's 11th congressional district in the House after defeating Republican Joe Hathaway yesterday in a special election to fill the seat previously held by Democratic Governor Mikie Sherrill. [more]

CHICAGO | The U.S. Department of Transportation said yesterday that about 300 flights per day must be cut from the schedule at Chicago O’Hare International Airport during the busiest days of summer travel to reduce flight delays. Reports note that air carriers United and American are expected to face the highest flight cuts under the Transportation Department mandate. [more]

WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM | Responding to an appeals court instruction to review an earlier decision, U.S. District Judge Richard Leon yesterday blocked above-ground construction of President Donald Trump's planned $400 million White House ballroom while allowing below-ground work to proceed for "national security facilities" at the site. [more]

U.S. AND CHINA | Citing what they said was a pattern of harassment by U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel, Chinese government officials have urged their citizens to avoid entering the United States through Seattle, Washington. The advisory from China Consular Affairs follows recent incidents in which about 20 Chinese scholars with visas were refused entry into the U.S. at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. [more]

U.S. AND EUROPE | Reuters cites unnamed sources as saying the U.S. has informed multiple European countries that some contracted weapons deliveries are likely to be delayed as the Iran war ‌continues to draw on weapons stocks. [more]

HUNGARY | European Union officials are meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister-elect Péter Magyar’s team today in Budapest to discuss freeing up a massive E.U loan for Ukraine that was opposed by outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and the release of some $20 billion in E.U. aid for Hungary held up during Orbán's 16 years in power. [more]

SYRIA | According to the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. military finalized its withdrawal from all major bases in Syria yesterday, completing a planned drawdown following implementation of a deal between the Syrian government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. Reports note that U.S. forces are expected to continue supporting counterterrorism efforts in the country. [more]

CANADA | Reports say Canada Post has begun talks with 13 communities to end home delivery of mail and transition to the use of community mailboxes. The move, according to officials, is a first step in ending home delivery to about four million Canadian addresses over the next five years as part of efforts to reduce costs. [more]

PHILIPPINES | Amidst weakened, but ongoing, secessionist violence in the country's southern region, Philippine forces killed 10 suspected Islamic militants today in an hours-long gun battle in the village of Marantao, according to government officials. [more]

U.K. | British police said today that three people – Oisin McGuinness, 21, Nathan Dunn, 19, and a 16-year-old boy – have been charged with arson with intent to endanger life in connection with a fire-bombing attack earlier this week on a Persian-language media organization in northwest London. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1982, the Canada Act, also known as the Constitution Act, took effect, establishing certain individual rights, preserving parliamentary supremacy, and making Canada a wholly independent, fully sovereign state. [more history]

Listen to this issue.

0:00

/6:02

1×

U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 48.

• Reports cite mediators linked to U.S.-Iran peace talks as saying both sides in the conflict have an "in-principle agreement" to extend the two-week cease-fire deal that expires next week. [more]
• U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said yesterday that the U.S. is considering new secondary sanctions on financial institutions that do business with Iran that would be the "financial equivalent" of a bombing campaign. [more]
• Amidst continued Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon, reports cite Israeli officials as saying Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are expected to speak directly today – the first such direct talks between the countries' leaders in more than 30 years. [more]
• The Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group claims it carried out multiple attacks on northern Israel and on Israeli ground troops in southern Lebanon today. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1,510 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• Ukrainian officials say Russia launched nearly 700 drones and dozens of cruise and ballistic missiles at targets across Ukraine overnight, killing at least 16 people and injuring more than 80 others. [more]
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was awarded the Roosevelt Foundation's International Four Freedoms Award today in the Netherlands for his, and the Ukrainian people's, courage and resilience in resisting the Russian invasion. The award, established in 1982, honors the four freedoms outlined by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt in his 1941 State of the Union address: freedom of speech and expression, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. [more]

U.S. WAR POWERS | In its fourth war powers-related vote of 2026, the Republican-led U.S. Senate yesterday rejected a measure that would have required the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the Iran conflict until Congress authorizes further action. [more]

U.S. SUPREME COURT | Speaking yesterday at Yale Law School, Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson criticized the conservative-majority Court for what she said was its frequent use of emergency orders allowing President Donald Trump to implement controversial policies after lower courts found they were likely illegal. [video of Jackson speech] [more]

U.S. PRESIDENCY | The office of Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard confirmed yesterday that it has sent at least one criminal referral to the Justice Department seeking investigations of a whistleblower complaint and its handling by the intelligence community watchdog that led to the 2019 impeachment of President Donald Trump. [more]

WISCONSIN | Governor Tony Evers declared a state of emergency in Wisconsin yesterday following powerful storms that forced the closure of multiple streets and highways due to flooding in the state's southeastern region. [more]

NEW YORK CITY | In a move New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani praised amidst the city's budget shortfall, Gov. Kathy Hochul proposed a new tax surcharge yesterday on secondary residences worth over $5 million in the city. Hochul's office says the measure could generate up to $500 million for the city annually. [more]

U.S. MILITARY | According to reports, the USS Gerald R. Ford, which has taken part in recent military actions in Venezuela and the Persian Gulf, has been deployed for 295 days – the longest deployment by an aircraft carrier in the post-Vietnam War era. [more]

NEW JERSEY | Voters in New Jersey's 11th congressional district will choose today between Democrat Analilia Mejia and Republican Joe Hathaway in a special election to fill the U.S. House seat vacated by former U.S. Representative Mikie Sherrill, who was elected governor in November. [more]

U.S. PACIFIC TERRITORIES | A shelter-in-place order remains in effect for portions of the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in the Pacific Ocean today after the region was hit by Super Typhoon Sinlaku earlier this week.  Reports say thousands of people remain without power following the storm's passage and cite emergency officials as saying full restoration of electrical service could take weeks. [more]

AUSTRALIA | Citing "complex and threatening strategic circumstances" around the world, Defense Minister Richard Marles announced a major increase in Australia's defense spending today, from 2.8% of GDP this year to 3% of GDP by 2033 – an increase of about $38 billion. [more]

EUROPEAN AIR TRAVEL | Ahead of the summer travel season, the European Union is reported to be drafting plans to maximize oil refinery output and supplies to mitigate potential jet fuel shortages linked to the Middle East war. [more]

EL SALVADOR | President Nayib Bukele signed controversial constitutional reforms into law yesterday that permit life prison sentences in El Salvador for people as young as 12 years old who are convicted of various crimes, including homicide, femicide, rape, and gang membership. [more]

U.K. | Amidst what it has characterized as "substantial financial pressures," U.K. national broadcaster BBC has announced plans to cut up to 2,000 jobs over the next two years as part of efforts to reduce its annual budget by about 10%. [more]

CHINA | According to data released today, China's economy expanded by a better-than-expected 5% in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the year-ago period and 1.3% from the previous quarter. [more]

TURKEY | Reports say Turkish police have arrested 162 people accused of posting content online publicizing or praising two deadly school shootings that took place in the country this week. [more]

ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY | A New York jury yesterday found entertainment giant Live Nation and its Ticketmaster subsidiary have operated as an illegal monopoly over large concert and other event venues, resulting in higher event ticket prices for consumers. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1948, with the aim of restoring the economies of Europe after World War II, 16 European countries formed the Organization for European Economic Co-operation – later the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.  [more history]

Listen to this issue.

0:00

/6:07

1×

U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 47.

• U.S. President Donald Trump said yesterday that a second round of U.S.-Iran peace talks could be held in Islamabad, Pakistan, "over the next two days." [more]
• U.S. State Department officials described yesterday's direct talks between Israel and Lebanon in Washington, DC, as "productive," and said all parties agreed to continue direct negotiations "at a mutually agreed time and venue." [more]
• A spokesman for the U.S. military's Central Command said yesterday that 399 U.S. troops have been wounded so far in the war with Iran. Reports note that 13 U.S. service members have been killed in the conflict. [more]
• Amidst the ongoing blockade of Iran-linked ships in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, the U.S. Treasury Department announced yesterday that “the short-term [sanctions waiver] authorization permitting the sale of Iranian oil already stranded at sea is set to expire in a few days and will not be renewed.” [more]
• Reports cite Iranian military officials as threatening shipping in the Red Sea if the U.S. continues its blockade of Iran-linked shipping in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. [more]

JANUARY 6 | The Justice Department asked a federal appeals court yesterday to throw out the seditious conspiracy convictions of members of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers militant groups related to their actions surrounding the January 6, 2021, attacks on the U.S. Capitol. [more]

U.S. SURVEILLANCE | Ahead of its expiration next week and amidst concerns about warrantless surveillance of Americans, a provision of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act that permits U.S. intelligence agencies to collect and analyze overseas communications without a warrant even if the communications of Americans who interact with foreigners targeted for surveillance is intercepted, is under consideration for renewal in Congress. President Donald Trump, who had previously opposed renewal of the Act's Section 702, has announced his support for its continuation, saying it has proven its importance for U.S. military planning and action. [more]

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY | Senate Majority Leader John Thune said yesterday that Republicans in Congress will attempt to end the nearly two-month partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security with full funding through a legislative maneuver called budget reconciliation. The move comes amidst continued Democratic opposition to funding the department's Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Patrol agencies over demands for reforms in immigration enforcement policies and practices. [more]

U.S. FEDERAL RESERVE | President Donald Trump said today that he will fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell if Powell does not step down from his position when his term as the central bank's head expires next month. The statement comes amidst an ongoing probe into renovations of the Federal Reserve headquarters in Washington, DC, and concerns about possible delays in the confirmation of former Fed governor Kevin Warsh to replace Powell. [more]

U.S. DRUG WAR | In its fourth such action in three days, the U.S. military's Southern Command carried out a strike on an alleged drug-trafficking boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean yesterday, killing four people and bringing to 175 the number of people killed in such strikes since last September. [more]

U.S. JUDICIARY | A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled yesterday that Chief U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg must end his contempt investigation of the Trump administration for what he says was its failure to comply with an order related to flights carrying Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador last year. [more]

COLORADO | Gov. Jared Polis said yesterday that President Donald Trump had again denied a request from Colorado for FEMA public assistance to help in recovery and rebuilding efforts from wildfires and flooding in the state. Reports note that President Trump has approved disaster relief requests from states that voted for him in the 2024 election at double the rate of those from states that voted for his opponent. [more]

TURKEY | In the country's second school shooting in two days, at least four people were killed, and 20 others were wounded, today when a teenage student armed with several firearms opened fire at a middle school in southeastern Turkey's Kahramanmaras province. Authorities say the attacker shot and killed himself during the incident. [more]

SUDAN | Today marks the beginning of the fourth year of Sudan's civil war between government forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. According to United Nations reports, at least 59,000 people have been killed, and 9 million people have been displaced, over the course of the war, while as many as 19 million residents of the Northeast African country face acute hunger. [more]

INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION | In a joint statement released yesterday, the U.N. high commissioner for refugees and the International Organization for Migration said at least 250 people remain missing after a boat carrying mostly Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals capsized earlier this month in the Andaman Sea on the way to Malaysia. [more]

HAITI | Authorities in northwestern Haiti say at least 12 people died in recent days amidst heavy regional rains that also damaged more than 900 homes and flooded farmland. [more]

CAMEROON | The Unity Alliance of separatist groups in Cameroon has announced a three-day pause in fighting amidst a visit to the Central African country by Pope Leo XIV. [more]

CHINA AND RUSSIA | Meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov today in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping extolled the "precious" relationship between Russia and China and called for the two countries to "promote the development of the international order in a more just and reasonable direction." [more]

ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY | The Walt Disney Co. began a series of layoffs yesterday that is expected to cut about 1,000 employees from the company's television businesses, movie studio, and product and technology groups. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1947, Jackie Robinson, baseball’s first Black major league player of the modern era, made his official debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers on opening day at Ebbets Field. The Dodgers defeated the Boston Braves, 5-3. [more history]

Listen to this issue.

0:00

/7:03

1×

U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 46.

• U.S. President Donald Trump announced yesterday that an American military blockade of the Strait of Hormuz had begun as part of efforts to pressure Iran to accept a deal to end the Middle East war. The U.S. military’s Central Command said the blockade would be enforced “against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas” on the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. [more]
• Israeli and Lebanese negotiators are scheduled to meet today in Washington, DC, for what reports say are the first direct diplomatic talks between the two Middle East neighbors in decades. Of note, the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group says it will not abide by any agreements that may come out of the direct Israel-Lebanon talks, which the group opposes. [more]
• Following talks in Pakistan over the weekend that failed to result in an agreement, Pakistani mediators have reportedly proposed a second round of U.S-Iran talks to be held in Islamabad. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1,508 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• Speaking at the Brookings Institution in Washington, DC, yesterday, Finland’s President Alexander Stubb suggested that Ukraine is currently "in a much better place than it has been at any stage" of the Russian invasion and noted that, according to reports, Ukraine fired more drones and missiles at Russia last month than Russia launched at Ukraine. [more]
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in Berlin today for meetings with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, with Ukraine's continuing need for European support and a pending 90-billion-euro E.U. loan expected to be among the main topics of discussion. [more]

U.S. CONGRESS | Amidst allegations of sexual assault and/or sexual misconduct against them and calls in the House of Representatives for them to be expelled from the chamber, both Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas and Democratic U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell of California have announced plans to resign or retire from Congress. Gonzales specified that he would not seek re-election, while Swalwell did not provide a date for his departure after announcing yesterday that he plans to resign. [more on Gonzalez] [more on Swalwell]

U.S. DRUG WAR | Following two similar strikes over the weekend that killed at least five people, the U.S. military's Southern Command said it carried out another strike on an alleged drug-trafficking boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean yesterday, killing two people. [more]

U.S. PRIDE MONUMENT | According to a court filing yesterday, the Interior Department and National Park Service have, in settling a lawsuit, confirmed their intention to resume flying a Pride flag on a federal flagpole at the Stonewall National Monument, which commemorates a 1969 police raid on the Stonewall Inn gay bar in New York City and is the first national monument commemorating LGBTQ+ history. [more]

TRUMP DEFAMATION LAWSUIT | Miami-based U.S. District Judge Darrin Gayles yesterday dismissed President Donald Trump's defamation lawsuit against the publisher of The Wall Street Journal in which he claimed to have been defamed in an article in the paper about a birthday letter bearing Trump's name that was sent to late sex-trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. Gayles said in his ruling that Trump's complaint came "nowhere close" to meeting the standard of showing defamation. [more]

U.S. PACIFIC TERRITORIES | Super Typhoon Sinlaku is the strongest tropical storm on Earth so far this year, with sustained winds of 173 mph measured yesterday. Among the Pacific Ocean locations expected to be impacted by the storm today and tomorrow are the U.S. territories of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. [more]

GLOBAL ECONOMY | International Monetary Fund economists have presented three global economic growth scenarios for 2026 depending on how the Middle East war unfolds. Under a reference scenario in which the war is short-lived, the IMF projects 3.1% global GDP growth for the year – down 0.2% from its January forecast. In a longer-war adverse scenario in which oil prices stay around $100 per barrel, global growth of 2.5% is predicted, while a worst-case severe scenario with an extended Middle East war, deepening conflict, and even higher oil prices is projected to slow 2026 growth to 2%. [more]

TURKEY | Regional officials say a former student armed with a shotgun opened fire at a high school in the city of Siverek in southeastern Turkey today, wounding at least 16 people before killing himself. Authorities say the motive behind the attack remains unclear. [more]

CANADA | Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's Liberal Party secured a majority government yesterday following special elections to fill three vacant parliamentary seats. [more]

CHINA | Customs data released today indicates that exports from China grew 2.5% in March from the year-ago period – a significant decline from the 21.8% export growth recorded for January and February, while imports into China grew 27.8% year-over-year in March – up from 19.8% growth in the first two months of 2026. [more]

NORTH KOREA | According to state media reports, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised the launches of two strategic cruise missiles and three anti-ship missiles from his country's new destroyer-class warship on Sunday. The test launches come amidst Kim's pledge to boost North Korea's naval capabilities and nuclear arsenal. [more]

SPAIN | In what he characterized as an "act of justice" for "nearly half a million people who already form part of our everyday lives," Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has announced government plans to grant legal status to some 500,000 undocumented immigrants in Spain who have already been in the country at least five months and have clean criminal records. [more]

RUSSIA | Amidst price spikes linked to the war in Iran, Russian oil exports nearly doubled to $19 billion in March – up from $9.8 billion in February – according to the International Energy Association. [more]

BASKETBALL | UConn's Azzi Fudd was the No. 1 overall pick by the Dallas Wings in last night's WNBA draft, followed by TCU's Olivia Miles by the Minnesota Lynx and Spain's Awa Fam Thiam by the Seattle Storm. [full draft board] [more]

ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME | Performer category selections for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this year include: Phil Collins, Iron Maiden, Billy Idol, Oasis, Sade, Joy Division/New Order, Wu-Tang Clan, and Luther Vandross. [press release] [full induction class] [more]

R.I.P. | According to announcements made yesterday, Sid Krofft, who along with his brother Marty, created influential children's television shows including "H.R. Pufnstuf," "Land of the Lost," "Sigmund and the Sea Monsters," and "Electra Woman and Dyna Girl" in the 1960s and 70s, died last Friday at the age of 96. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1865, just after the effective end of the American Civil War, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln was shot and mortally wounded in Washington, D.C., by John Wilkes Booth while attending a production of the play “Our American Cousin” at Ford's Theatre.  [more history]

Listen to this issue.

0:00

/7:55

1×

U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 45.

• After U.S.-Iran peace talks in Pakistan ended over the weekend without an agreement, U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. would begin a blockade of Iranian ports and coastal areas in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman beginning today at 10 a.m. EDT. In response, Iranian officials said Gulf shipping security is "either for everyone or no one," and threatened unspecified retaliatory action against regional ports. [more on blockade] [more on failed talks]
• The price of international benchmark Brent crude oil spiked following failed U.S.-Iran peace talks in Pakistan and U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to blockade Iranian ports, reaching as high as $102.24 per barrel early this morning. [more]
• Back-and-forth rhetoric continued yesterday between U.S. President Donald Trump and Pope Leo XIV following Leo's criticism of what he said is a "delusion of omnipotence" fueling the war in Iran and other conflicts around the world. Posting on social media yesterday, Trump characterized Leo as "weak on crime, and terrible for foreign policy and said he is "not a fan" of the Catholic leader. [more]
• Representatives for Lebanon and Israel are scheduled to begin direct peace talks tomorrow in Washington, DC. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1,507 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here is your update:

• Russia and Ukraine accused each other yesterday of violating a 32-hour Easter cease-fire, with both sides citing what they said were hundreds of small-scale violations of the temporary cessation of hostilities. [more]

U.S. GUN VIOLENCE | At least one person was killed, and six others were wounded, Saturday night when a yet-unidentified gunman or gunmen, opened fire at a fast-food restaurant in Union, New Jersey. Reports cite local officials as saying they do not believe the attack was random and that "there is no immediate ongoing threat to the general public.” No arrests have been made in connection with the incident. [more]

U.S. DRUG WAR | The U.S. military's Southern Command said yesterday that it destroyed two suspected drug-trafficking boats in the eastern Pacific Ocean over the weekend, killing five people and leaving one survivor. Reports note that at least 168 people have been killed in U.S. military boat strikes since the Trump administration policy of such action against what it calls "narcoterrorists" was initiated last year. [more]

CALIFORNIA | Democratic Congressman Eric Swalwell suspended his campaign to be California's next governor yesterday following allegations against him of sexual assault of a former staffer published over the weekend. Swalwell apologized for what he said were "mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past," but denied the allegations of sexual assault. [more]

MORE CALIFORNIA | The Commerce Department's Pacific Fishery Management Council voted yesterday to open waters off the coast of California to commercial salmon fishing for the first time since 2022. The move comes after regional salmon populations rebounded following the easing of drought conditions. [more]

U.S. DISASTER RELIEF | According to information released by the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Saturday, President Donald Trump approved major disaster declaration requests for at least seven U.S. states last week, while some 15 other similar requests and three appeals of previous denials remain pending. Weather-related disaster declarations were approved for the states of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Washington. [full disaster declarations] [more]

WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM | A federal appeals court ruled Saturday that construction of President Donald Trump's proposed $400 million ballroom on the White House grounds can proceed while a lower court reconsiders what government attorneys have argued are critical national safety and security implications of suspending the project. [more]

U.S. FUEL PRICES | In a television interview yesterday, President Donald Trump suggested that gasoline prices in the U.S., which have spiked by more than $1 per gallon amidst the Middle East war, may remain high through November's mid-term elections, saying both oil and gas prices "should be around the same" or "maybe a little ‌bit higher" by fall. [more]

HUNGARY | Péter Magyar will be Hungary's next prime minister after defeating Victor Orban yesterday in the country's national election, ending Orban's 16 years in power. Magyar, a former Orbán loyalist, campaigned largely on domestic issues such as healthcare and public transportation, and has pledged to rebuild Hungary's ties with the E.U. and NATO. [more]

NIGERIA | Humanitarian groups and local officials say 100-200 people were killed Saturday in a Nigerian Air Force strike that mistakenly targeted a local market in Nigeria's northeastern Yobe state. Reports cite government officials as saying the Boko Haram militant group was believed to be operating in the affected area and was known to have used the market to buy food supplies. [more]

U.K. | After U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew his support for the plan, the British government announced Saturday that it does not intend to move forward, for now, with a proposal to return control of the Chagos Islands, which has been under U.K. control since 1814 and is home to the strategic Diego Garcia military base, to Mauritius. [more]

PERU | Following logistical issues at some polling places, electoral authorities extended the presidential election voting period by 24 hours for more than 52,000 residents of Peru’s capital, Lima. Reports note that voting is mandatory for Peruvians aged 18-70 and that failure to do so is punishable by a fine. [more]

SPAIN AND CHINA | Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is in Beijing for his fourth visit to China in as many years. The visit, during which Sanchez will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, comes amidst increasingly strained relations between Spain and the U.S. over the war in Iran and Sanchez's ongoing moves to strengthen political and commercial ties with China. [more]

IRELAND | Following several days of protests over fuel prices that have spiked amidst the Middle East war, Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin announced yesterday that his government will implement some $592 million in new fuel tax cuts as part of efforts to end the protests and ease cost of living pressures. [more]

HAITI | Authorities in northern Haiti say at least 25 people died, and dozens of others were injured, Saturday in a stampede during festivities at the Caribbean island nation's Citadelle Laferrière mountaintop historical fortress site. The cause of the incident remains under investigation. [more]

TAIWAN AND CHINA | Following last week's meeting between Taiwanese opposition leader Cheng Li-wun and Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Chinese government said today that it will resume some previously suspended ties with Taiwan, including direct flights to the island territory and the importation of Taiwanese aquaculture products. [more]

AUSTRALIA | Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced today that Lieutenant General Susan Coyle will be Australia's new chief of army – the first-ever female head of Australia's Army's in its 125-year history. [more]

GOLF | Rory McIlroy won the 2026 Masters golf tournament yesterday, joining Tiger Woods, Nick Faldo, and Jack Nicklaus as the only players to ever win the tournament in consecutive years. [full leaderboard] [more]

WEEKEND MOVIES | "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" topped the North American box office over the weekend with an estimated $69 million in receipts, followed by "Project Hail Mary" and "The Drama." [more]

ENTERTAINMENT AWARDS | Among the winners at yesterday's 2026 Olivier Awards for the London theatre industry were: "Paddington The Musical" for best new musical and six other awards, "Punch" for best new play, Rachel Zegler for best actress in a musical for her starring role in “Evita," and Jack Holden as best actor for his multiple roles in "Kenrex." [full list of awardees] [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1598, King Henry IV of France promulgated the Edict of Nantes in Brittany, granting a large measure of religious liberty to his Protestant subjects, the Huguenots. [more history]

Listen to this issue.

0:00

/6:40

1×

U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 42.

• U.S. and Iranian delegations are expected to begin peace talks tomorrow in Islamabad, Pakistan, where, according to reports, security has been increased and a two-day public holiday has been declared ahead of the talks. [more]
• In remarks made public today, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian military personnel shot down Iranian Shahed drones in multiple Persian Gulf countries during the Iran war, saying the operations were part of efforts to help countries counter the same weapons used against Ukraine by Russia. [more]
• State-run media in Iran cites national health officials as saying more than 3,000 people were killed in U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran during the war. [more]
• While maintaining that a halt to operations in Lebanon were a part of the U.S.-Iran cease-fire agreement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday that he has authorized direct negotiations with Lebanon to take place as soon as possible with the aim of disarming Iran-backed Hezbollah militants and establishing better relations between the neighboring countries. [more]
• Reports say only 12 ships have transited the Strait of Hormuz since the cease-fire went into effect. In social media posts last night, U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran was "doing a very poor job, dishonorable some would say, of allowing Oil to go through the Strait of Hormuz" and complained of reports that Iran was charging a toll for ships to pass through the Strait. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1,504 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here is your update:

• Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a 32-hour cease-fire in Ukraine starting tomorrow in recognition of Orthodox Easter. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had previously suggested that "people need an Easter without threats." [more]

U.S. INFLATION | Data released by the Commerce Department today indicates that consumer inflation in the U.S. rose 0.9% in March from February and 3.3% from the year-ago period – up from a 2.4% annual increase in February and the highest year-over-year monthly increase since May 2024. The consumer price index increase was led by a 10.9% overall increase in energy costs, which saw a 21.25% hike in fuel costs over the previous month. [full report] [more]

U.S. PRESS | Saying related Defense Department policies amount to "viewpoint discrimination," U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman ruled yesterday that the Department violated his previous order to restore full press access to the Pentagon. Department of Defense officials have indicated they will appeal Friedman's ruling. [more]

EPSTEIN INVESTIGATIONS | In a public statement made at the White House yesterday, first Lady Melania Trump denied reports of her association with late convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, calling the reports "completely false" and "mean-spirited attempts to defame my reputation." Mrs. Trump also called for Congress to hold public hearings that would give survivors of Epstein's crimes a chance to testify before lawmakers. [more]

U.S. POSTAL SERVICE | Amidst ongoing financial pressures, the U.S. Postal Service said yesterday that it will temporarily suspend its employer contributions to Federal Employees Retirement System annuities and will seek an increase in postage rates, including an increase in the price of First-Class Mail Forever stamps from 78 cents to 82 cents. [more]

U.S. ECONOMY | In a downgrade of its previous estimate, the Commerce Department said yesterday that the U.S. economy grew at a 0.5% annual rate in the fourth quarter of 2025 – down from its previous estimate of 0.7% growth and lower than the 3.8% and 4.4% growth rates seen in last year's second and third quarters, respectively. For the year as a whole, the Department says the economy grew 2.1% – slower than the 2.8% rate in 2024 and 2.9% in 2023. [full report] [more]

U.S. LIBRARIES AND MUSEUMS | Under an agreement announced yesterday by the American Library Association and other plaintiffs, the Trump administration has reportedly agreed to restore funding and personnel to the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences, which was established by Congress to "advance, support, and empower America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development" and which was targeted for reduction in an executive order from President Donald Trump last year. [more]

U.S. AND NATO | Reuters cites diplomatic sources as saying that, following what is reported to have been a contentious meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump yesterday, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has told European governments that Trump wants concrete commitments within days for help to secure the Strait of Hormuz. [more]

CHINA AND TAIWAN | Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Taiwanese opposition leader Cheng Li-wun in Beijing yesterday, after which both said they want to move forward with efforts to reunify Taiwan with mainland China. Reports note that the meeting was the first between the Chinese leader and the head of a pro-Beijing Taiwanese opposition party in more than 10 years. [more]

SUDAN | U.N. officials say a drone strike Wednesday on the town of Kutum in Sudan's North Darfur state hit a wedding party, killing at least 30 civilians. Local rights groups have blamed the attack, which comes amidst the country's ongoing civil war, on the Sudanese Armed Forces. [more]

ARGENTINA | Amidst opposition from environmental groups, lawmakers in Argentina approved a bill supported by President Javier Milei that would ease protections on glaciers to facilitate investments for metal mining. [more]

NORTH KOREA AND CHINA | Following a meeting of their foreign ministers yesterday in Pyongyang, North Korea and China pledged to deepen cooperation and exchanges between the two countries. [more]

IRELAND | Amidst ongoing protests over high fuel prices that have seen four days of slow-moving convoys and blocked fuel depots, the Irish government is reportedly set to meet with farmers, truckers, and agricultural contractors today to discuss the crisis. [more]

SPACE | The four crew members of NASA's Artemis II mission are scheduled to return to Earth today, having completed their 10-day circumlunar mission. The crew's Orion capsule is expected to re-enter Earth's atmosphere this evening at more than 23,000 mph before slowing to about 19 mph for an 8:07 p.m. EDT splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of southern California. [Artemis II mission website] [live coverage] [more]

GOLF | Sam Burns and defending champion Rory McIlroy share the lead at five-under-par following yesterday's first round of the Masters golf tournament. [full leaderboard] [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1998, the Good Friday Agreement was signed, calling for devolved government in Northern Ireland. The accord was ratified by Ireland and Northern Ireland the following month. [more history]

Listen to this issue.

0:00

/6:12

1×

U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 41.

• Ahead of tomorrow's expected U.S.-Iran peace talks in Pakistan and amidst ongoing uncertainty over the terms and status of a two-week cease-fire, U.S. President Donald Trump said in a social media post today that U.S. forces will remain in the Persian Gulf region until a definitive agreement with Iran is reached and "fully complied with." [more]
• Israel carried out its largest strikes of the war on Lebanon yesterday, with reports saying more than 200 people were killed and more than 1,000 were injured in large-scale airstrikes on central Beirut and other areas of Lebanon. Iran has insisted that a halt to Israeli attacks on Lebanon was part of the cease-fire agreement with the United States, which both the U.S. and Israel have denied. Iranian officials today warned of "explicit costs and strong responses" if attacks on Lebanon continue. [more]
• Reports cite maritime intelligence companies as saying just three ships transited the Strait of Hormuz on the first full day of the U.S.-Iran cease-fire, all of which had current or past links to Iran. [more]
• Mohammad Eslami, the head of Iran's nuclear agency, said today that protecting Tehran’s right to enrich uranium is 'necessary' for cease-fire talks with the United States. [more]

U.S. FERTILITY RATE | According to provisional data published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today, there were about 53 births for every 1,000 women of reproductive age in the U.S. in 2025 – down about 1% from 2024 and 20% lower than the rate seen 20 years ago. The report notes that birth rates among women 30 and older increased between 2024 and 2025, but not enough to offset a sharp decline in births among those younger than 30. [full CDC report] [more]

EPSTEIN INVESTIGATION | The U.S. Department of Justice said yesterday that former Attorney General Pam Bondi will not appear for a scheduled deposition next week before the House Oversight Committee to answer questions regarding the Department's handling of investigations into Jeffrey Epstein. DOJ officials contend the Committee subpoenaed Bondi in her capacity as attorney general, not as an individual, and that the subpoena is no longer valid since she no longer serves in that role. [more]

U.S. MILITARY AND AI | Contrasting with an earlier and separate federal court ruling, the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C. yesterday rejected a request to temporarily block the Department of Defense from taking action to limit government use of AI company Anthropic's products over a dispute about how the company's artificial intelligence models could be used. Additional hearings before the appeals court are scheduled for May 19. [more]

U.S. CLASSIFIED INFORMATION | The Department of Justice announced the arrest and indictment of Courtney Williams, 40, of Wagram, North Carolina, yesterday on charges of transmitting classified national defense information to individuals not authorized to receive it, including a journalist. Reports suggest Williams shared classified information relating to the operations of U.S. military special operations units obtained in her civilian support role for the units during cooperation with a journalist's investigation into sexual harassment in the military. [DOJ press release] [more]

U.S. IMMIGRATION | Boston-based U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy yesterday blocked a Trump administration plan to end temporary protected immigration status for more than 5,000 Ethiopians previously given permission to live and work in the United States, saying the Department of Homeland Security disregarded the statutory procedures Congress enacted that govern Temporary Protected Status. [more]

U.S. AND NATO | Following a meeting yesterday with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, President Donald Trump reiterated his frustration over members of the defensive military alliance not taking part in operations against Iran, saying "NATO wasn't there when we need them, and they won't be there if we need them again." [more]

GLOBAL HUMANITARIAN AID RISK | Speaking before the United Nations Security Council yesterday, U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher said that more than 1,000 humanitarian aid workers have been killed worldwide in the past three years – nearly three times the number killed in the previous three-year period. Reports note that the locations in which most of the deaths took place were Gaza, the West Bank, Sudan, South Sudan, Ukraine, and Congo. [more]

U.K. AND RUSSIA | Defense Minister John Healey said today that the U.K. carried out a month-long deployment of military vessels this year to prevent attacks on undersea cables and pipelines by Russian submarines that he said used the distraction of the Middle East war to conduct covert operations in an around British waters. [more]

NORTH KOREA | Weapons testing and demonstrations over the past three days in North Korea have included new anti-aircraft weapons, electromagnetic weapons systems, and ballistic missiles armed with cluster-bomb warheads, according to the country's official Korean Central News Agency. [more]

RUSSIA | Reuters cites analysis of available data as indicating that Russia will see revenue from its largest oil tax double to $9 billion this month due to the oil and gas crisis triggered by the U.S.-Israel-Iran war. [more]

VENEZUELA | Ahead of today's planned worker demonstrations in the capital Caracas to demand wage increases, Venezuelan acting President Delcy Rodríguez said in a nationally televised address that a wage increase will be implemented on May 1 and urged her country's citizens to be patient as the government works to improve Venezuela's overall economy. [more]

AUSTRALIA | Prime Minister Anthony Albanese warned today that increases in fuel prices due to the Middle East war are likely to last a "considerable period of time" and said his government has agreed to underwrite contracts for gasoline and diesel by the country's two largest fuel suppliers. [more]

FUEL INDUSTRY | Oil and gas giant Chevron said today that it expects upstream revenue increases of between $1.6 billion and $2.2 billion as a result of surges in oil and gas prices linked to the Middle East war. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1865, General Robert E. Lee, commander of the Army of Northern Virginia of the Confederate States of America, signed a treaty of surrender at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, effectively ending the American Civil War. [more history]

Listen to this issue.

0:00

/4:09

1×

U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 40.

• Shortly before the expiration of U.S. President Donald Trump's self-imposed deadline for Iran to agree to a deal and open the Strait of Hormuz last night, the U.S. and Iran agreed to a Pakistani appeal for a two-week cease-fire in the Middle East war. Both sides have claimed some sort of victory in reaching an agreement to pause hostilities, with Iran claiming it forced the U.S. to agree to a 15-point plan that includes Iranian control of the Strait of Hormuz and President Trump claiming the U.S. had "met and exceeded all Military objectives." [more]
• Despite a statement by Pakistani mediators that the cease-fire agreement included a cessation of Israeli military operations in Lebanon, Israeli officials say that is not the case and that operations against the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon would continue. [more]
• The overall status of the U.S.-Iran cease-fire remains unclear, with reports noting ongoing airstrikes in Iran and multiple Gulf region countries saying they are actively defending against Iranian airstrikes today. [more]
• Reports vary on whether or not Iran's nuclear enrichment is a part of the U.S-Iran cease-fire agreement. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a briefing this morning that the U.S. could strike Iran again if enriched uranium is not handed over. [more]
• Reports say the U.S. and Iran have both agreed to begin talks on formalizing the cease-fire agreement on Friday in Pakistan. [more]

U.S. ELECTIONS | Among election results of note from yesterday: Republican Clay Fuller won Marjorie Taylor Greene’s former U.S. House seat in Georgia, besting his Democratic challenger by about 12 points in a district that Greene had carried by 29 points two years ago. In Wisconsin. Democratic-backed candidate Chris Taylor won election to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, increasing the liberal majority on the court to 5-2. [more on Georgia] [more on Wisconsin]

NEW YORK | According to an indictment released yesterday, the two men arrested and charged last month with attempting to carry out an ISIS-inspired terrorist attack outside the home of New York City’s mayor were recorded on a car dashcam discussing their plans to "start terror" using homemade bombs and to carry out various other alternate actions, including a vehicle attack on crowded locations. [more]

U.S. IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT | Reports say U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents shot and wounded a man in central California yesterday while trying to arrest him. Department of Homeland Security officials say the suspect, Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez, is wanted for questioning in El Salvador and that ICE agents fired defensive shots at Hernandez after he tried to run over agents with his car. [more]

U.S. ABORTION | Louisiana-based U.S. District Judge David Joseph yesterday refused to issue a nationwide block on filling prescriptions for the abortion drug mifepristone by mail across the U.S. while challenges to FDA rules allowing such deliveries to take place play out in court. Joseph noted that he believes that Louisiana plaintiffs in the case in question are "likely to succeed on the merits" in challenging the delivery of mifepristone into states where abortion is banned. [more]

KOREA | North Korea launched ballistic missiles toward the waters off its coast for a second straight day today. The launches came after the North's Foreign Ministry said yesterday that South Korea would always be Pyongyang's "most hostile enemy state." [more]

TURKEY | In an initial move to join numerous other countries taking similar actions, Turkish lawmakers began debate today on a measure that would restrict access to social media platforms for children under the age of 15. [more]

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES | Authorities in the UAE say at least 375 people were arrested in the capital Abu Dhabi over the course of the U.S.-Israel-Iran war for filming sites impacted by the war and "disseminating false information" on social media. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1820, the Venus de Milo, an ancient statue commonly thought to represent the Greek goddess Aphrodite, was found in pieces by a farmer on the Aegean island of Melos. The statue was later reconstructed and put on display in the Louvre in Paris. [more history]

Listen to this issue.

0:00

/6:22

1×

U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 39.

• Amidst continuing reports of ongoing efforts to reach a cease-fire agreement in the Middle East war, U.S. President Donald Trump has set a deadline of 8 p.m. ET tonight for Iran to make a deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping traffic or risk its power plants and bridges being bombed. In a social media post this morning, Trump warned that, "A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again," but left open the possibility of Iran making a deal to avoid the military escalation. Reports note that Trump has set and then extended similar deadlines multiple times during the ongoing conflict.  [more]
• Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard Corps responded to U.S. President Donald Trump's statements this morning by saying it would "deprive the U.S and its allies of the region’s oil and gas for years” if Trump's threats against Iranian infrastructure are carried out. [more]
• Iran continued airstrikes on Gulf region nations today, with reports noting a missile strike on a United Arab Emirates telecommunications facility and a container ship in the Persian Gulf being struck by a projectile. U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran also continue, with 18 people reported killed in coalition airstrikes on Iran’s Alborz province and a railway bridge in Kashan, a train station in Mashhad, and a highway bridge near Tabriz all reported to have been targeted. [more]
• Reports say U.S. forces struck Iran's key oil hub of Kharg Island this morning – the second such attack on the island since the war began. [more]
• Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, revealed details of the weekend rescues of the two U.S. fighter jet crew members whose F-15 warplane was shot down over Iran on Friday, expressing his pride in both the airmen and those who took part in the rescue operations. [full video of Caine's commentary] [more]

U.S. IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT | Reuters cites a review of Department of Homeland Security data as indicating that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested more than 800 people following tips ​shared by federal airport security officials from the start of President Donald Trump's second term in office through February of this year. The report further notes that the Transportation Security Administration supplied ICE with information on some 31,000 travelers for possible immigration enforcement over the same period. [more]

GEORGIA | Voters in Georgia will choose between Republican Clay Fuller and Democrat Shawn Harris today to fill the seat in Congress left vacant by Marjorie Taylor Greene, who resigned in January amidst a fallout with President Donald Trump. [more]

IOWA | Overturning a lower court decision, a panel of the U.S. Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled yesterday that an Iowa state law that restricts teachers from talking about LGBTQ+ topics with students in kindergarten through the sixth grade and bans some books in libraries and classrooms can remain in force while related court challenges play out. [more]

FLORIDA | Governor Ron DeSantis signed a measure into law yesterday that gives him, along with other elected state officials, the ability to label groups as domestic or foreign terrorist organizations and to expel state university students who support such organizations. Opponents have argued that the law jeopardizes student speech, freedom of religion, and due process. [more]

U.S. AND HUNGARY | Ahead of this weekend's Hungarian national elections and in a show of Trump administration support for Prime Minister Victor Orban, who has been in power since 2010, U.S. Vice President JD Vance is in Budapest today for an official meeting and a later appearance at an Orban campaign rally. [more]

AFGHANISTAN | Disaster management officials in Afghanistan say the death toll from recent widespread flooding and landslides in the country has risen to 110. Authorities have issued additional warnings today for nearly the entire country as conditions suggest continued flood risks. [more]

VENEZUELA | Acting President Delcy Rodríguez remains in her role today, exceeding the 90-day limit specified in Venezuela's constitution for her temporary post and that specified by the country's high court following the arrest of former President Nicolas Maduro to face drug trafficking and other charges in the United States. [more]

GAZA | World Health Organization officials say medical evacuations from the Gaza Strip through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt have been suspended after an agency contractor was killed yesterday in what WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus called a "security incident." [more]

U.K. | Resident doctors of the U.K.'s National Health Service began a six-day strike today after rejecting a new government contract offer that the British Medical Association union said did not satisfy demands for increased pay and better staffing. [more]

TURKEY | Authorities say a gunman was killed and two other attackers were injured in an exchange of gunfire with Turkish police today outside the Israeli consulate in Istanbul. [more]

VIETNAM | Lawmakers elected Communist Party General Secretary To Lam to be Vietnam's president today. Reports note that the offices of party head and president have traditionally been held by different people in Vietnam and that consolidation of the roles in one person mimics the power structure of China under Xi Jinping. [more]

AUSTRALIA | Police have reportedly arrested decorated Australian special operations veteran Ben Roberts-Smith on multiple charges of war crime murder. Roberts-Smith was previously alleged to have killed five unarmed Afghans while serving in Australia's Special Air Service Regiment in Afghanistan from 2009 to 2012. [more]

NEWS INDUSTRY | The Associated Press has announced plans to offer buyouts to an unspecified number of the organization's U.S.-based journalists as it moves to decrease its focus on newspapers and their print journalism. [more]

COLLEGE BASKETBALL | Michigan beat UConn, 69-63, last night to win the school's first NCAA men's basketball national championship since 1989. Michigan guard Elliot Cadeau was named the tournament finals' most outstanding player. [more]

LITERATURE AWARDS | “Small Scale Sinners,” a story collection by Mahreen Sohail, has been selected as the winner of the 2026 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. [press release] [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1948, the World Health Organization, a specialized agency of the United Nations, was formally established to promote health and safety, help the vulnerable worldwide, and coordinate responses to international public health issues and emergencies. [more history]

Listen to this issue.

0:00

/6:44

1×

U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 38.

• Reports say both the U.S. and Iran have received a proposal from Egyptian, Pakistani, and Turkish mediators that calls for a 45-day cease-fire and re-opening of the Strait of Hormuz. [more]
• U.S. President Donald Trump over the weekend set and then extended a deadline for Iran to re-open the Strait of Hormuz or face attacks on bridges and other infrastructure, saying in a social media post yesterday that, "Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the Fuckin’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell - JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah.” Iran has rejected the new demand to open the Strait, saying it would do so only after it receives payments for war damages. [more]
• U.S. military, special forces, and intelligence operatives successfully rescued an American pilot in Iran early yesterday after an F-15 fighter jet was shot down on Friday. The aircraft's pilot was rescued shortly after the plane was downed while the weapons officer evaded Iranian military and civilian searchers for more than 48 hours before being rescued. [more]
• U.S.-Israeli airstrikes targeted Tehran's Sharif University of Technology early today. Reports note that the University has long been linked to research for Iran's military and its ballistic missile program. [more]
• Israel said today that its forces have struck a petrochemical facility near the Iranian city of Asaluyeh – the location of Iran's key South Pars gas field that was damaged in an Israeli attack in mid-March. [more]
• Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said today that the head of intelligence for Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, Maj. Gen. Majid Khademi, was killed in a targeted attack today. [more]
• New Middle East war death toll estimates: more than 1,900 people killed in Iran, 1,400 in Lebanon, two dozen in various Gulf Arab countries, 19 in Israel, and 13 U.S. military service members. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1,500 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said over the weekend that Russia fired more than 2,800 attack drones, nearly 1,350 glide bombs, and more than 40 missiles of various types at Ukraine over the past week. [more]
• Authorities in Ukraine's Black Sea port city of Odesa say two women and a child were killed overnight when Russian airstrikes struck an apartment building. Eleven others were wounded in the attack. [more]

WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM | The Trump administration filed an emergency appeal Friday seeking to block a federal judge's order that construction of a $400 million ballroom on the White House grounds be halted pending Congressional approval. Administration attorneys wrote in their appeal that the suspension of construction is "threatening grave national security harms to the White House, the President and his family, and the President’s staff." [more]

COLORADO | Union officials say thousands of workers at the Swift Beef Co. plant in Greeley, Colorado – one of the largest meatpacking plants in the United States – have agreed to return to work following a two-week strike after plant owner JBS USA agreed to resume contract negotiations. [more]

U.S. AND CONGO | Under an agreement announced by the Congolese Ministry of Communications yesterday, the Democratic Republic of Congo will receive an unspecified number of migrants deported from the United States under the Trump administration’s third-country deportation program. [more]

GLOBAL HUMANITARIAN AID | International aid groups say the ongoing Middle East war has severely disrupted their ability to deliver food and medical aid to millions of people worldwide due to rising costs, supply chain disruptions, and the closing of vital shipping routes. [more]

NIGERIA | Regional officials say at least 26 people were killed in three separate attacks on villages in northern Nigeria over the weekend. Reports say the identities of the attackers are still unknown, but note that the attacks took place in a region known for frequent clashes between mostly Muslim Fulani herders and largely Christian farming communities. [more]

AFGHANISTAN | Amidst warnings of additional heavy rains, Afghanistan's Disaster Management Authority said Saturday that 77 people had been killed, and more than 3,000 homes had been damaged or destroyed, in widespread flooding and landslides over the previous 10 days. [more]

KOREA | South Korea's National Intelligence Service says in a new report to lawmakers that North ‌Korean leader Kim Jong Un's teenage daughter, believed to be around ‌13 years old and ⁠to be named Kim Ju Ae, is being officially positioned as the successor to the Kim regime, as evidenced by her more frequent recent appearances with Kim at military demonstrations and other venues. [more]

BURKINA FASO | Authorities in the West African nation of Burkina Faso have rejected a recent Human Rights Watch report that claimed the governing military junta of President Ibrahim Traoré has been responsible for most of more than 1,800 violent civilian deaths in the country since Traoré seized power in 2023. [more]

BANGLADESH | Public health officials began an emergency vaccination campaign in Bangladesh yesterday amidst an ongoing and fast-spreading measles outbreak that is believed to involve more than 7,500 cases and at least 100 deaths in the South Asian nation. [more]

HUNGARY | Prime Minister Viktor Orban convened an emergency meeting of advisors today after explosives were found near a pipeline that carries gas into Hungary from Russia. Reports cite opposition leaders as accusing Orban's governing party of staging the incident ahead of next week's national elections in which Orban's party is behind in the polls. [more]

ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY | The Writers Guild of America West and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers have reportedly reached an agreement on a new four-year contract that includes improvement in workers' health care plans and contains protections against artificial intelligence. [more]

SPACE | NASA's Artemis II astronauts will begin their swing around the dark side of the moon today, setting a record for the furthest distance from Earth ever reached. [Artemis II mission info] [more]

COLLEGE BASKETBALL | UCLA beat South Carolina, 79-51, yesterday to win the team's first NCAA women’s basketball national championship. The men's championship game between Michigan and UConn is scheduled for tonight. [more]

WEEKEND MOVIES | "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" topped the North American box office over the weekend with an estimated $130.9 million in receipts, followed by "Project Hail Mary" and "The Drama." [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1917, the United States declared war on Germany, entering World War I three years after the conflict began.  [more history]