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U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 76.

• The U.K. Maritime Trade Operations shipping information center says reports indicate a ship anchored off the eastern coast of the United Arab Emirates was seized by unauthorized persons today and is heading toward Iran. [more]
• British maritime security advisory firm Vantage says an Indian cargo ship carrying livestock from Africa to the United Arab Emirates sank after being struck by a missile or drone today off the coast of Oman. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1,538 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• Ukraine liberated more land in April than Russia seized during the month, according to analysts at the U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War, who note that the last time Ukraine had a net monthly territorial control gain in the conflict was in August 2024. [more]
• Ukrainian officials say Russia launched more than 1,500 drones at targets across Ukraine from yesterday through this morning, including an overnight strike that destroyed an apartment building in Kyiv, killing at least four people and wounding more than 30 others. [more]
• Hungary summoned Russia's ambassador to the country yesterday after Russian drones struck targets near Hungary's border in the Ukrainian region of Transcarpathia. Newly installed Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar said foreign ministry officials will ask the Russian ambassador "when Russia and Vladimir Putin plan to finally end this bloody war." [more]

U.S. AND CHINA | Meeting in Beijing today, U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are reported to have discussed a variety of issues, including Taiwan, the war in Iran, trade, technology, and potential areas for increased cooperation. Chinese state media reports that Xi warned Trump that differences over the status and future of Taiwan, which China views as its own, could lead to clashes or conflict between the two countries. [more]

U.S. MEDICAID | Vice President JD Vance, who heads the Trump administration's anti-fraud task force, announced the deferral of $1.3 billion in Medicaid reimbursements to California yesterday over fraud concerns and warned other states of the risk of funding losses if they fail to investigate Medicaid fraud. [more]

U.S. ELECTIONS | Amidst ongoing efforts by numerous U.S. states to redraw congressional districting maps to favor one political party or another ahead of November's mid-term elections, state legislators in Louisiana advanced a plan yesterday to eliminate one of two majority-Black congressional districts. Also yesterday, the Republican governors of Georgia and Mississippi announced plans to move forward with efforts to implement new congressional districting maps that would take effect after this year. [more]

U.S. FEDERAL RESERVE | The Senate voted, 54-45, yesterday to confirm President Donald Trump's nomination of Kevin Warsh to be the next chair of the Federal Reserve. Warsh will replace Jerome Powell as head of the monetary policy-setting Fed, though Powell has indicated he will continue to serve out the remainder of his term as a Federal Reserve Board member, which expires in January 2028. [more]

FLORIDA | Residents of Miami, Florida, filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump, Miami Dade College, and Florida state officials yesterday, claiming that the decision to donate a College-owned 2.63-acre parcel of downtown Miami property for Trump’s future presidential library violated the Domestic Emoluments Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits states from giving a financial benefit to a sitting president. [more]

U.S. MILITARY | Army officials say the remains of the second of two soldiers who went missing last week in Morocco were recovered yesterday. Investigators say the soldiers were in Morocco for the annual African Lion military exercises and went missing while on a recreational hike. [more]

RUSSIA AND AFGHANISTAN | The Moscow-based Interfax news agency cites Russian Security ​Council official Sergei Shoigu as saying today that Russia is establishing a "full-fledged partnership" with Afghanistan's ruling Taliban and is encouraging other countries ​in the region to expand cooperation with ‌Kabul. [more]

INDIA | Authorities in northern India say at least 96 people in the region have died over the past few days due to dust storms, heavy rains and flooding, and damage from lightning. Reports note that powerful storms are common across northern India during the annual hot season from March to June. [more]

BRICS | Representatives of the 11-nation BRICS cooperation organization begin a two-day foreign ministers' summit in New Delhi, India, today, with disruptions in global energy supplies linked to the Iran war, health and financing challenges, and heightened economic uncertainty expected to be among the main topics of discussion. [more]

U.K. | British Health Secretary Wes Streeting resigned today and is widely expected to announce plans to challenge Prime Minister Keir Starmer for leadership of the governing Labour Party. Reports say additional candidates for party leadership could arise in the coming days amidst ongoing calls for Starmer to resign following poor Labour showings in recent local and regional elections. [more]

PAKISTAN | The Baloch Liberation Army separatist militant group has claimed responsibility for an attack on security forces in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province yesterday. Pakistani military officials say five soldiers and seven militants were killed in the clash. [more]

SUDAN | At least 61 people, including nine children, have been killed in two weeks of escalating violence in Sudan's South Kordofan region, according to the Sudan Doctors Network medical group. Reports note that violence in the region has been linked to conflict between the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North rebel group and members of the Otoro tribe. [more]

CUBA | Amidst the Caribbean island nation's ongoing energy crisis, reports say hundreds of residents of Havana, Cuba, took part in protests yesterday to demand an end to rolling power blackouts and to the U.S. fuel embargo imposed in January. [more]

AUTO INDUSTRY | Japanese automaker Honda, citing heavy costs associated with plans for electric vehicle production, announced its first-ever full year loss today, saying it lost $2.7 billion in the 2025-2026 fiscal year. [more]

WORLD CUP | World soccer governing body FIFA announced today that this summer's men's World Cup final will be the first to feature a Super Bowl-type halftime concert, with featured performers including Madonna, Shakira, and the South Korean boy-band BTS. [more]

MUSIC PRESERVATION | Among the 25 albums and songs announced by the U.S. Library of Congress yesterday as being newly added to the National Recording Registry are: Beyoncé’s 2008 anthem "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It),” The Go-Go’s debut album “Beauty and the Beat," Taylor Swift's 2014 album "1989," and the singles "Put Your Head on My Shoulder" and "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)” by Paul Anka and The Byrds, respectively. [full list of 2026 additions] [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1607, Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America, was established by members of the Virginia Company. [more history]

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U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 75.

• In its monthly oil market report released today, the International Energy Agency projects that, due to effects of the Middle East war, including infrastructure damage and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, global oil supply will not meet total demand in 2026. [report highlights] [more]
• Reuters cites unnamed Western and Iranian sources as saying that Saudi Arabia launched numerous unpublicized airstrikes against Iran during the Middle East war in retaliation for Iranian strikes on Saudi infrastructure. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1,537 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said today that at least eight people were killed over the past day in Russian airstrikes on 14 Ukrainian regions. Zelenskyy noted that among the areas targeted by the Russian strikes were residential and railway infrastructure in the central Dnipro and northeastern Kharkiv regions, port infrastructure in the southern Odesa region, and energy facilities in the central Poltava region. [more]
• Russian defense officials say Ukraine resumed drone attacks on Russian oil refineries and ports today, targeting facilities in Russia's southern Krasnodar and Astrakhan regions. [more]

U.S. ECONOMY | Data released by the Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics today indicate that the Producer Price Index – a key measure of wholesale inflation – rose a higher-than-expected 1.4% from March to April – the largest monthly increase since March 2022. Compared to the year-ago period, PPI rose 6% in April – the largest annual increase since December 2022. [full report] [more]

U.S. ELECTIONS | In continuing moves by numerous states to redraw congressional districting maps to favor one political party or another ahead of November's mid-term elections, Missouri's Supreme Court yesterday upheld a lower-court ruling that approved a new map seen as likely to eliminate Democratic control of the House seat representing the Kansas City area, while South Carolina's state senate rejected a measure that could have eliminated the state's only Democratic-held seat. [more on Missouri] [more on South Carolina]

U.S. EDUCATION | According to the national Education Scorecard analysis of student testing in more than 5,000 school districts in 38 states, high- and low-income districts have shown the most post-Pandemic improvement in reading and math, with middle-income districts lagging behind. Researchers also note that data indicate a return to improvements in reading scores in 2025 and that high levels of student absenteeism continue to pose a challenge to education in grades 3-8. [full report] [press release] [more]

MARYLAND | Federal prosecutors announced criminal charges yesterday against two shipping companies and one person in connection with the 2024 collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge after the container ship Dali collided with one of the bridge's support columns. Along with charges related to obstructing investigations into the incident, the companies and the individual face charges of conspiracy and misconduct causing death. [more]

U.S. DEFENSE INFRASTRUCTURE | A new report from the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office says its analysis of one approach to building President Donald Trump's so-called "Golden Dome" national missile defense system could cost as much as $1.2 trillion over a 20-year period – a much higher cost than the $175 billion price the president estimated last year. [full CBO report] [more]

U.S. MEDICAL SYSTEM | New York's NYU Langone hospital system said yesterday that it recently received a subpoena from federal prosecutors in Texas seeking information about minors who received gender-affirming care at its hospitals and the medical providers who administered it. NYU Langone noted it was one of several institutions that received similar subpoenas earlier this month and said it is evaluating how to respond. [more]

U.S. IMMIGRATION | A federal judge ruled yesterday that federal immigration officers in Colorado have violated an order he previously issued on when officers can arrest people without a warrant. U.S. District Senior Judge R. Brooke Jackson said ICE agents violated the order by continuing to make warrantless arrests “without individualized, pre-arrest probable cause determinations of flight risk," and ordered that ICE agents receive instruction on warrantless arrest requirements within 45 days. [more]

U.S. AND CHINA | U.S. President Donald Trump said yesterday that his meetings this week with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing will concentrate on trade "more than anything else." Other topics expected to be addressed include artificial intelligence, Taiwan, and the Iran war. [more]

U.K. | Opening Parliament today with a speech written by the government, King Charles III laid out the U.K.'s legislative program and government priorities for the coming year today, emphasizing potential  economic, energy, and national security challenges from the wars in Iran and Ukraine and promoting cost of living reforms and the need to strengthen ties with the European Union. [full King's Speech] [more]

HANTAVIRUS | In an update on the hantavirus outbreak aboard a Netherlands-flagged luxury cruise ship, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus said yesterday that while a total of 11 cases of the disease have now been reported, nine of which have been confirmed, infections have only been seen in the ship's passengers and crew members, suggesting no additional known spread. [more]

AFRICA AND FRANCE | A two-day summit intended to showcase France's new Africa-related policies, including those related to the European country's former African colonies, closed yesterday in Nairobi, Kenya. The Africa Forward Summit was attended by about 30 national leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, who announced $27 billion in new joint France-Africa investments to fund various sectors in Africa, including energy, artificial intelligence, and agriculture. [more]

BRAZIL AND E.U. | The Brazilian agriculture ministry said yesterday that the European Union, citing having not received proof that animal products from Brazil and other countries were free of antimicrobial substances used to stimulate animal growth, has moved to limit Brazilian animal product exports to the European bloc starting in September. Reports note that the issue arose just days after the landmark trade deal between the E.U. and the South American trade bloc Mercosur went into effect. [more]

PHILIPPINES | Reports say gunfire broke out in the Philippine Senate office building today amidst reports that authorities have tried to arrest Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, who faces International Criminal Court charges of crimes against humanity for his alleged role in deaths that took place during former President Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-drug crackdowns. [more]

NIGERIA | Rights group Amnesty International alleges that about 100 civilians were killed over the weekend in a military airstrike on a market in Nigeria's Zamfara state. Reports cite government officials as saying that while an airstrike in the region has been confirmed, there is "no verifiable evidence of civilian casualties as being suggested in the media." [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1846, the United States Congress formally declared war against Mexico following clashes along the countries' shared border triggered by the U.S. annexation of Texas. The Mexican-American War continued for nearly two years before ending with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in February 1848.  [more history]

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U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 74.

• After rejecting Iran's response to the latest U.S. proposal to end the Middle East war, U.S. President Donald Trump said yesterday that the cease-fire with Iran is on "life support," increasing concerns of a possible resumption of active hostilities in the Persian Gulf region. [more]
• Iranian parliamentary spokesman Ebrahim Rezaei said today that one of Iran's options if it is attacked again would be to further enrich its uranium stockpiles to 90% purity – a level considered weapons-grade. [more]
• Mike Huckabee, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, said today that, amidst ongoing threats to Persian Gulf countries from Iran, Israel has provided the United Arab Emirates with advanced air defense systems and personnel to operate them. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1,536 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• A three-day temporary cease-fire having ended, Ukraine says Russian forces fired more than 200 drones at targets in Ukraine overnight, damaging civilian infrastructure and killing at least one person and wounding six others. The Russian Defense Ministry says its air defenses intercepted at least 30 Ukrainian drones overnight in Russian regions along the countries' shared border. [more]
• The European Union announced new sanctions yesterday against 16 officials and seven organizations accused of roles in the abduction of tens of thousands of Ukrainian children and their removal to, and forced assimilation in, Russia. [more]

U.S. INFLATION | According to Labor Department data released today, consumer inflation in the U.S., as measured by the Consumer Price Index, rose 3.8% in April, compared to the year-ago period – up from a 3.3% annual increase in March and the largest year-over-year increase since May 2023. On a month-over-month basis, consumer prices rose 0.6% from March to April. The increases in both monthly and annual prices were led by sharp rises in fuel costs. [full report] [more]

U.S. ELECTIONS | Amidst ongoing efforts in numerous states to redraw congressional districting maps ahead of November's mid-term elections, the U.S. Supreme Court yesterday blocked a lower court ruling that would have required Alabama to use a court-imposed districting map that included two Black-majority districts. [more]

U.S. FUEL PRICES | President Donald Trump said yesterday that he supports a temporary suspension of the federal tax on gasoline to help offset increased prices linked to the war in Iran. Reports note suspending the federal tax of 18.4 cents per gallon of gasoline would require approval by Congress. [more]

U.S. ABORTION | The U.S. Supreme Court yesterday temporarily extended nationwide access to the abortion drug mifepristone at pharmacies or through the mail, without an in-person visit to a doctor, while the Court further considers a Louisiana lawsuit challenging such access. [more]

U.S. PUBLIC LANDS | The Interior Department announced its intention yesterday to cancel a rule adopted under the Biden administration that allowed public lands to be leased for conservation or restoration in the same manner in which companies lease lands for logging, mining, and livestock grazing. [more]

U.S. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT | President Donald Trump yesterday nominated Cameron Hamilton to be the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Reports note that Hamilton was fired from his role as the temporary head of FEMA last year after contradicting the Trump administration's stated policy that the agency should be dismantled. [more]

CALIFORNIA | Automaker General Motors agreed in recent days to pay $12.75 million in civil penalties for violating the California Consumer Privacy Act by selling driving data on hundreds of thousands of California motorists to data brokers without their consent. The data sold to brokers reportedly included names, location information, driving behavior, and contact information. [more]

U.S. AND CHINA | U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to begin his travel to Beijing today for a high-profile meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this week. The visit comes amidst trade-, tariff-, and technology-related tensions between the world's two largest economies and follows indications of China's increased willingness to play a role in ending the war in the Middle East. [more]

ISRAEL | The Israeli parliament approved a bill yesterday establishing a special tribunal to try Palestinians on charges of taking part in the October 2023 Hamas-led attacks on Israel that triggered the war in Gaza. Reports note that, under the bill, the tribunal would have the authority to impose the death penalty on Palestinians convicted of taking part in the attacks and proceedings of the tribunal would be required to be live-streamed. [more]

E.U. SOCIAL MEDIA | As numerous countries around the world implement measures aimed at protecting minors online, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said today that a European Union plan to address youth online safety is expected by July and that the plan could include measures to set a minimum age for social media access. [more]

CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA | Amazon and Latin American Indigenous organizations sent a letter yesterday to U.N. member states and various U.N. agencies warning that illegal mining, drug trafficking, logging, and other organized crime activities are driving violence and accelerating environmental destruction in rainforest communities and weakening Indigenous governance and territorial control. [more]

PAKISTAN | Authorities in the Lakki Marwat district of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province say at least nine people were killed, and more than 20 others were wounded, today when a bomb attached to a rickshaw exploded in a crowded bazaar. The Pakistani Taliban militant group, which has carried out similar acts in the region, has denied responsibility for the attack. [more]

MALAYSIA | Authorities in the central Malaysian state of Perak say as many as 14 people remain missing after a boat believed to have been carrying about 40 Indonesian migrants capsized off the island of Pangkor yesterday. [more]

SOUTH AFRICA | In a televised address yesterday, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said he will not resign from office despite the establishment of a parliamentary impeachment committee to re-investigate allegations of misconduct against him linked to hiding the theft of more than $500,000 in cash that had been stashed in a sofa at his game ranch. [more]

ENTERTAINMENT | The first of two semi-final rounds of competition in the 70th Eurovision Song Contest takes place in Vienna, Austria, today. The second semi-final is scheduled for Thursday, and the competition's final is scheduled for Saturday. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1949, the Soviet Union lifted its 11-month blockade of Berlin, Germany, which Western powers had succeeded in circumventing with the Berlin Airlift.  [more history]

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U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 73.

• U.S. President Donald Trump yesterday rejected Iran's response to the latest U.S. proposal for ending the Middle East war. Trump characterized the response as "totally unacceptable" and warned again of renewed hostilities if an agreement is not reached. Reports cite Iranian officials as saying today that their response included demands to end the war, lift the U.S. blockade of Iranian shipping and ports, and release frozen Iranian assets. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1,535 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• Ukraine and Russia have each accused the other of violating a U.S.-brokered temporary cease-fire that was to have lasted through today, with authorities for both sides claiming to have suffered casualties in drone and artillery strikes over the weekend. [more]
• Following Saturday's scaled-back Moscow parade to celebrate the anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he thinks the Russia-Ukraine war "is coming to an end" and suggested he would be willing to negotiate a new security agreement with Europe. [more]

VIRGINIA | In a 4-3 decision announced Friday, the Virginia state Supreme Court threw out a congressional redistricting plan narrowly approved by voters last month, saying lawmakers failed to follow proper procedures in advancing the referendum that would have favored Democratic candidates for Congress in November's mid-term elections. [more]

COLORADO | Denver International Airport has returned to full operations following an incident late Friday in which a person believed to have been trespassing on airport grounds was struck and killed by a Frontier Airlines plane during takeoff. The collision, which sparked an engine fire and forced passengers to evacuate the plane, remains under investigation. [more]

U.S. MILITARY | Army officials say the remains of one of two soldiers who went missing last week in Morocco were recovered over the weekend. Investigators say the soldiers were in Morocco for the annual African Lion military exercises and went missing while on a recreational hike. [more]

U.S. AND CHINA | In-depth preparations are under way for U.S. President Donald Trump's summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping later this week in Beijing. Topics expected to headline the meeting include: trade and tariffs, artificial intelligence, rare earth minerals, the war in Iran, and the status of Taiwan. [more]

U.S. AND ISRAEL | In an interview broadcast yesterday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he wants to "draw down to zero" the financial support his country receives from the United States over the next 10 years. Reports note Israel receives about $3.8 billion in military support from the U.S. annually. [more]

GLOBAL WEATHER AND CLIMATE | In its latest monthly Global Seasonal Climate Update, the U.N.'s World Meteorological Organization says rapid increases in Pacific sea-surface temperatures indicate a likely return of El Niño conditions as early as May–July 2026, and that data supports predictions of particularly strong related increases in land surface temperatures in southern North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, as well as Europe and Northern Africa. [more]

HANTAVIRUS | The final passengers aboard the luxury cruise ship at the center of a hantavirus outbreak are scheduled to be removed from the ship today in Spain's Canary Islands and repatriated to their home countries. Reports say at least two people removed from the ship in recent days have since tested positive for the infection. [more]

U.K. | Saying his Labour Party is in “a battle for the soul of our nation,” U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer continued today to resist calls for his resignation following last week's poor showing in local and regional elections. [more]

PAKISTAN | Authorities say at least 14 police officers were killed late Saturday in a car bomb attack on a security post in the Bannu district of Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. A faction of the Pakistani Taliban militant group has claimed responsibility for the attack. [more]

MEXICO | Community and human rights groups said yesterday that as many as 1,000 families have been forced to flee their homes in the mountainous regions of Mexico's Guerrero state in recent days amidst increased attacks against residents by the Los Ardillos cartel. [more]

INDONESIA | More than 300 foreign nationals were arrested late last week across Indonesia as part of a crackdown on alleged illegal online gambling operations in the country, according to the Indonesian National Police. Reports note that similar mass arrests related to gambling operations have taken place recently in Surabaya, Bali, and Batam. [more]

CHINA | According to government data released Friday, China's exports rose a higher-than-expected 14.1% in April, compared to the year-ago period – up from a 2.5% yearly expansion in March. Reports note that the April data showed an 11.3% increase in exports to the United States compared to the same period last year. [more]

PHILIPPINES | The Philippines' House of Representatives voted, 255-26, today to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte on charges including misuse of funds and making threats against the president. Duterte will now face a trial in the country's Senate. [more]

VENEZUELA AND GUYANA | Acting President Delcy Rodríguez is scheduled to defend Venezuela's claim to the mineral- and oil-rich Essequibo region of western Guyana today before the International Court of Justice in The Hague. [more]

NIGER | Press advocacy group Reporters Without Borders claimed Saturday that the recent suspension of nine French media outlets on charges of "threatening public order and national security" by Niger's military government was a "coordinated strategy to repress press freedom." Government officials say the suspensions were necessary to "preserve peace, social cohesion, and the stability of institutions." [more]

OIL INDUSTRY | Amidst global shortages and increased prices due to the war in Iran and disrupted shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, Saudi Arabia-based Aramco, the world's largest oil company, reported a $32.5 billion profit for the quarter ended March 31 – a 25% increase from the year-ago period. Company officials say shifting its oil exports to a pipeline that runs to the Red Sea was key to maintaining its profits amidst the ongoing Middle East war. [more]

SOCCER | Barcelona clinched its second consecutive Spanish La Liga soccer championship yesterday with a 2-0 win over Real Madrid. [more]

WEEKEND MOVIES | "The Devil Wears Prada 2" topped the North American box office over the weekend with an estimated $43 million in receipts, followed by "Mortal Kombat II" and "Michael." [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 330, Constantine I dedicated Byzantium (later Constantinople; now Istanbul) as the new capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, an act that helped transform it into a leading city of the world.  [more history]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 69.

• Amidst ongoing statements of progress being made in indirect talks aimed at ending the U.S.-Israel-Iran war, the U.S. military said yesterday that its forces shot at and disabled an Iranian oil tanker that was trying to breach the U.S. blockade of Iranian shipping in the Persian Gulf. [more]
• NBC News cites unnamed U.S. sources as saying U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to suspend his "Project Freedom" effort to open the Strait of Hormuz after only one day came after key Gulf ally Saudi Arabia suspended the U.S. military’s ability to use its bases and airspace to carry out the operation. [more]
• Iranian officials say they are reviewing the latest U.S. proposal to end the Middle East war – a reported one-page memorandum that includes provisions on ending hostilities, easing U.S. sanctions, distributing frozen Iranian funds, suspending Iranian uranium enrichment, and opening the Strait of Hormuz. [more]
• Israeli forces struck the Lebanese capital of Beirut yesterday for the first time since a tenuous cease-fire went into effect last month. A commander of Hezbollah's elite Radwan force was killed in the airstrike, according to Israeli officials. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1,531 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• Russian officials say Ukraine launched more than 300 drones at targets in 20 Russian regions, including Moscow, overnight, while Russia targeted Ukrainian sites with more than 100 drones. The hostilities came amidst what was supposed to be a multi-day cease-fire ahead of Russia's upcoming World War II Victory Day celebrations. [more]
• Citing concerns of "terrorism" amidst the ongoing war with Ukraine, the Russian Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media said today that all mobile internet access and text messaging services will be shut down in Moscow during the country's World War II Victory Day celebrations on May 9. [more]

U.S. EMPLOYMENT | According to Labor Department data released today, initial claims for unemployment benefits in the U.S. rose 10,000 to a seasonally adjusted 200,000 in the week ended May 2, while claims for ongoing benefits fell to 1.76 million in the week ended April 25. [full report] [more]

U.S. IMMIGRATION | Speaking yesterday at the Border Security Expo in Phoenix, Arizona, White House border czar Tom Homan suggested Trump administration efforts to carry out mass deportations will be ramped up, saying "If you think last year's historic number is good, wait till next year and we have 10,000 more agents on the border. You ain't seen shit yet. This year will be a good year. Mass deportations are coming." [more]

CALIFORNIA | The U.S. Justice Department has accused the University of California, Los Angeles medical school of illegally considering race in admissions, saying a year-long investigation indicated the school discriminated against white and Asian American students by favoring Black and Hispanic applicants. UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine said its admissions process is "based on merit" and that it is committed to complying with all federal and state laws. [more]

U.S. GIG ECONOMY | Announcing its earnings yesterday, delivery company DoorDash said it expects to spend more than $50 million in the April-June quarter on a temporary program to provide its delivery drivers relief from increased gas prices linked to the Iran war. [more]

TRUMP LITIGATION | An attorney for President Donald Trump asked the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals yesterday to temporarily block the requirement that Trump pay the $83 million awarded to writer E. Jean Carroll in a defamation case while Trump appeals the case to the Supreme Court. Reports note that, in a filing earlier this week, the U.S. Justice Department announced plans to intervene in the case, saying the United States itself should be the defendant instead of Trump in Carroll's case – a swap rejected last week by the 2nd Circuit Court. [more]

VIRGINIA | The FBI carried out searches yesterday at the Portsmouth, Virginia, offices of Democratic state Senator Louise Lucas as part of what is reported to be a corruption investigation originally opened during the Biden administration. Reports note that authorities also searched a cannabis shop owned by Lucas, who played key legislative roles in Virginia's legalization of marijuana possession and the state's recent congressional redistricting effort. [more]

U.S. AND CHINA | Ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to China next week, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi characterized U.S-China relations as being generally stable but with "many twists and disruptions," and said both countries should work toward contributing to global peace. [more]

U.S. AND BRAZIL | Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is scheduled to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump today in Washington, with tariffs, cooperation in the fight against organized crime, and Brazil's rare earth deposits expected to be among the main topics of discussion. [more]

HANTAVIRUS | Oceanwide Expeditions, the company that operates the luxury cruise ship at the center of an ongoing hantavirus outbreak, said yesterday that 29 passengers left the ship on April 24 to return to their homes in at least 12 countries nearly two weeks after the first passenger died of the disease on board. Reports note that public health officials have begun efforts to track and evaluate the former passengers to help ensure the outbreak does not spread. [more]

U.K. | Local and regional voting for some 5,000 local councilors, several mayors, and seats in the semiautonomous parliaments of Scotland and Wales is taking place across the United Kingdom today, with analysts noting that the elections are widely seen as a midterm referendum on the government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer. [more]

CHINA | State media reports today that former Chinese defense ministers Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu have both been sentenced to death with ​a two-year reprieve after being found guilty on graft charges. Reports note that death sentences with reprieve in China are typically commuted to life imprisonment if the offender commits ​no crimes during the period of reprieve. [more]

TECH INDUSTRY | Apple agreed this week to a $250 million settlement in a class-action lawsuit that claimed the tech giant deceived consumers and misled them into buying some iPhones through a marketing campaign that promoted artificial intelligence features that did not yet exist. [more]

SOCCER | Eliminating Bayern Munich with a 1-1 draw yesterday, Paris Saint-Germain advanced to its second consecutive UEFA Champions League final. PSG will face Arsenal in the final in Budapest, Hungary, on May 30. [more]

R.I.P. | Media mogul, philanthropist, and conservationist Ted Turner, who founded CNN and whose media offerings grew to include channels such as the Cartoon Network, TNT, and Turner Classic Movies, died yesterday at the age of 87. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1915, a German U-boat torpedoed and sank the British liner RMS Lusitania off the southern coast of Ireland, killing 1,198 people, including 128 Americans, out of the nearly 2,000 on board and indirectly contributing to the eventual entry of the United States into World War I. [more history]

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U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 68.

• Reports cite Pakistani mediators and other sources as saying the U.S. and Iran are working toward agreement on a one-page memorandum that would formally end the Middle East war and provide for future discussions on unblocking shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, easing U.S. sanctions on Iran, and curbing Iran's nuclear program. Referring to the potential deal this morning, U.S. President Donald Trump said that bombing of Iran would resume at a "higher level and intensity than it was before" if an agreement is not finalized. [more]
• Amidst ongoing negotiations to end the Middle East war and following U.S. President Donald Trump's suspension of efforts to guide ships through the strategic waterway, Iran's Revolutionary Guard said today of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz that, "With the end of the aggressors' threats and in the shadow of new procedures, the possibility of safe and sustainable passage through the Strait will be provided." [more]
• In a social media post yesterday, U.S. President Donald Trump, citing "great progress" toward a peace deal with Iran and "on the request of Pakistan and other Countries," said the U.S. operation to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which began just a day earlier, was being suspended. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had both indicated earlier in the day that re-opening the Strait was the main U.S. priority in the ongoing conflict with Iran. [more]
• After meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi today in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called for a "comprehensive ceasefire" in the Middle East war and said that a "resumption of hostilities is not acceptable." [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1,530 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here is your update:

• Disregarding Ukraine's unilateral temporary cease-fire that was to begin at midnight, Russian forces fired dozens of drones at targets across Ukraine overnight. Russian defense officials claim that Ukraine, too, did not abide by the cease-fire, saying their air defenses shot down more than 50 Ukrainian drones over multiple Russian regions through dawn today. [more]

U.S. ECONOMY | According to Labor Department data released yesterday, U.S. employers hired 5.6 million workers in March, while total separations, including both quits and layoffs, totaled 5.4 million for the month. [full report] [more]

COLORADO | In a lawsuit filed yesterday, the U.S. Justice Department seeks to strike down an assault weapons ban that the city of Denver, Colorado, has had in place since 1989. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement that Denver's ban on assault weapons "directly violates the right to bear arms," while city officials said they would "not roll back a common-sense policy that has kept weapons of war off of these city streets for 37 years." [more]

U.S. FUEL PRICES | Auto club AAA reports that the average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in the U.S. rose to $4.53 today – a more than 50% increase from the nationwide average prior to the U.S.-Israel-Iran war. [AAA price tracker] [more]

U.S. ELECTIONS | Amidst similar actions in multiple states and following last week's U.S. Supreme Court decision weakening Voting Rights Act-mandated minority protections in congressional districting, Republican lawmakers in South Carolina announced plans yesterday to seek legislative approval for re-districting that would redraw a district long-held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn. [more]

GEORGIA | Amidst ongoing claims by President Donald Trump of voter fraud in the county in the 2020 elections, the Justice Department is reported to be seeking, via a grand jury subpoena, the names and personal contact information of every person who worked in the elections in Georgia's Fulton County, including of county employees, volunteers, and temporary poll workers. County officials say they have filed a motion to block the subpoena. [more]

WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM | As part of a GOP bill released Monday to fund immigration enforcement agencies, Senate Republicans are seeking to add $1 billion in funding for White House security upgrades related to President Donald Trump's planned ballroom on the executive mansion grounds. According to the proposed legislation, the funds would be used for above- and below-ground enhancements to the ballroom project but would not be used for non-security elements. [more]

U.S. VAPING | Reversing the agency's policies of recent years, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced its first authorization yesterday of fruit-flavored electronic cigarettes for adult smokers. The FDA said the flavored vaping devices, from Los Angeles-based Glas Inc., are only intended for adults interested in quitting or cutting back on cigarettes, but opponents of the move say the fruit flavors could lead to unwanted adoption by underage users. [more]

U.S. DRUG WAR | The U.S. military's Southern Command says three people were killed yesterday in its latest strike on a suspected drug-trafficking boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Reports note that at least 191 people have been killed in U.S. strikes on boats since last September as part of measures to stop "narcoterrorism." [more]

HANTAVIRUS | World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said today that his organization is closely monitoring the health of passengers and crew aboard a luxury cruise ship on which at least five people are believed to have been infected with hantavirus, noting that, "At this stage, the overall public health risk remains low." Reports cite health officials in both South Africa and Switzerland as saying the Andes strain of hantavirus, which is known to be transmissible from human to human, has been identified in people who had previously traveled aboard the ship. [more]

FRANCE | The French Armed Forces ministry said in a statement today that its Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier group is moving into the Red ​Sea and Gulf of Aden as ​part of efforts by France and Britain ⁠to prepare for a future mission ​to help ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait ​of Hormuz. [more]

GERMANY | Federal prosecutors say more than 600 police officers took part in about 50 raids in 12 German states today targeting people suspected of involvement in far-right criminal youth gangs, including the "Jung & Stark," or Young and Strong, and "Deutsche Jugend Voran," which means Forward German Youth. [more]

AI INDUSTRY | Five major publishing companies, including Hachette and Macmillan, have filed a class-action lawsuits against Meta, accusing the tech giant of unlawfully using copyrighted material from pirate websites to train the company's artificial intelligence models. Meta has argued that the practice constituted "fair use" of copyrighted materials and said it intends to fight the lawsuit aggressively. [more]

ENTERTAINMENT AWARDS | "The Lost Boys" and "Schmigadoon!" each earned a pack-leading 12 nominations for the 2026 Tony Awards yesterday, followed by "Ragtime" with 11 and "Death of a Salesman" with nine. [full nominations list] [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1935, the Works Progress Administration, which employed millions of Americans to work on public works projects during the Great Depression, began operating under an executive order signed by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt.  [more history]

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U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 67.

• Amidst a tenuous cease-fire, the United Arab Emirates says its air defenses engaged at least 15 missiles and four drones fired by Iran yesterday at a UAE oil facility and at cargo vessels off the UAE coast. [more]
• U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine said in a news conference this morning that Iran has attacked U.S. forces 10 times since the ongoing cease-fire went into effect on April 8 but that the attacks were "below the threshold" of necessitating a resumption of active hostilities "at this point." [more]
• Reuters cites unnamed sources as saying U.S. intelligence assessments indicate that the time Iran would need to build a nuclear weapon has not changed since last summer's targeting of Iranian nuclear facilities by the U.S. and Israel and that the unchanged timeline suggest that impeding Iran's nuclear program significantly could require destroying or removing Iran's remaining stockpile of highly enriched uranium. [more]
• The U.S. military's Central Command says two American-flagged merchant ships transited the Strait of Hormuz yesterday, and that it fired on Iranian forces, sinking six small boats that were targeting vessels in the strategic waterway. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1,529 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• Ahead of its celebration of the 81st anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, Russia's Defense Ministry has declared a unilateral ceasefire in Ukraine for Friday and Saturday. Responding to the move, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country's forces would observe a truce beginning at 12 a.m. on Wednesday but that Ukraine would respond in-kind to Russia's action from that point forward. [more]
• Ukrainian officials say at least five people were killed, and 39 others were wounded, overnight in Russian drone and missiles strikes that targeted Ukraine's energy infrastructure. [more]

U.S. ABORTION | The U.S. Supreme Court yesterday restored nationwide access to the abortion pill mifepristone through pharmacies or through the mail without an in-person visit to a doctor, temporarily blocking a lower-court ruling last week that ordered the drug be distributed only in person and at clinics. The Supreme Court order gives parties to the lower-court case a week to provide additional input while the Court considers the issue. [more]

U.S. AI OVERSIGHT | The Commerce Department's Center for AI Standards and Innovation said yesterday that Microsoft, Google, and xAI have all agreed to give the federal government early access to their new artificial intelligence models before their public release to allow for national security risk reviews. The announcement comes amidst reports of the potential for advanced AI systems, including Anthropic's Mythos, to supercharge hacking and cyberattack efforts. [more]

U.S. DRUG WAR | The U.S. military's Southern Command says two people were killed yesterday in its latest strike on a suspected drug-trafficking boat in the Caribbean Sea. Reports note that at least 188 people have been killed in U.S. strikes on boats since last September as part of measures to stop "narcoterrorism." [more]

U.S. TRANSGENDER | The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights opened an investigation yesterday into whether Smith College's policy of admitting transgender women violates Title IX, a 1972 law forbidding discrimination based on sex in education. Reports note that Smith College, an all-women private liberal arts school in Massachusetts, has admitted trans women since 2015. [more]

HANTAVIRUS | World Health Organization investigators say rare human-to-human transmission of hantavirus is suspected to have taken place aboard a luxury cruise ship currently quarantined off the coast of Cape Verde. At least three travelers aboard the ship have died from the disease, while four others have confirmed or suspected infections. [more]

CHINA | Officials in China's Hunan province say at least 26 people were killed, and 61 others were injured, yesterday in an explosion at a fireworks plant in the city of Liuyang. Reports cite authorities as saying all fireworks manufacturing in the region has been halted while investigations into the incident continue. [more]

CANADA | Separatist activists in the Canadian province of Alberta said yesterday that they have formally submitted more than 300,000 signatures on a petition as part of efforts to force a referendum on the province leaving Canada. Reports note that a "yes" vote in any potential referendum would not automatically trigger independence for the province, as negotiations with the federal government would have to take place and likely court challenges would need to be resolved. [more]

GERMANY | Authorities in the western German city of Leipzig say at least two people were killed, and more than 20 others were injured, yesterday evening when a car drove into a crowd in the city's shopping district. Police say the suspected perpetrator, a 33-year-old German citizen, has been arrested and that the motive behind the incident remains under investigation. [more]

SUDAN AND ETHIOPIA | The Sudanese military said yesterday that it has evidence of Ethiopia having been involved in recent drone attacks on sites in Sudan, including one yesterday that targeted the airport in Sudan's capital, Khartoum. Ethiopia’s foreign ministry rejected what it said were Sudan's "baseless accusations" today and, in turn, accused Sudan of supporting rebel forces in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region. [more]

JAPAN AND PHILIPPINES | Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi is scheduled to meet with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Philippine defense officials today in Manila for talks aimed at strengthening defense ties between their two countries. [more]

ROMANIA | Lawmakers approved a vote of no-confidence today in Romania's minority government of Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan. Reports say President Nicusor Dan, who nominates the prime minister, is now expected to invite parties for negotiations in an attempt to rebuild a coalition government under a different member of Bolojan's Liberal Party. [more]

CRYPTO INDUSTRY | Citing increased use of artificial intelligence and a need to reduce costs, cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase announced plans today to cut about 700 jobs – approximately 14% of its workforce. [more]

JOURNALISM AWARDS | Amongst the 2026 Pulitzer Prize winners in journalism announced yesterday were: The Washington Post for its coverage of the Trump administration's overhaul of federal agencies, the Associated Press for international reporting on surveillance, the Minnesota Star Tribune for its coverage last year of a mass shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic school, Bloomberg for its illustrated reporting about online scams that threaten arrest, and Reuters for its documentation of expanded executive power and acts of retaliation under the Trump administration. [full list of winners] [more]

LITERATURE AWARDS | Amongst the 2026 Pulitzer Prize winners in the literature categories announced yesterday were: "We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution," by Jill Lepore in the history category, "Angel Down," by Daniel Kraus in fiction, "There Is No Place for Us: Working and Homeless in America," by Brian Goldstone in general non-fiction, and “Ars Poeticas,” by Juliana Spahr in poetry. [full list of winners] [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1862, Mexico repelled the French forces of Napoleon III at the Battle of Puebla, a victory that became a symbol of resistance to foreign domination and is now celebrated as a national holiday, Cinco de Mayo. [more history]

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U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 66.

• U.S. President Donald Trump said yesterday that U.S. forces would begin an effort dubbed "Project Freedom" today to guide stranded ships safely through the Iran-controlled Strait of Hormuz. Iran denounced the U.S. move as a violation of the ongoing cease-fire and reports this morning cite Iran's navy as saying it has prevented U.S. ships from entering the Strait. The U.S. military's Central Command says, however, that two U.S.-flagged merchant vessels successfully transited through the Strait today. [more]
• U.S. officials warned on Friday that shipping companies could face U.S. sanctions for paying Iran for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. [more]
• Iran is reported to have delivered, via Pakistan, a new 14-point proposal to the U.S. to end the U.S.-Israel-Iran war over the weekend. U.S. President Donald Trump expressed skepticism that the Iranian proposal would lead to a deal, saying that Iran has "not yet paid a big enough price for what they have done to Humanity, and the World, over the last 47 years." [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1,528 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here is your update:

• Ukrainian officials say the key Russian oil export port of Primorsk, as well as a missile ship and multiple state-sponsored oil tankers, were hit in drone strikes yesterday. [more]

U.S. GUN VIOLENCE | At least 12 people were wounded yesterday when shots were fired at a group of young people at a party at a lake outside of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. No arrests have yet been made in the incident, which remains under investigation. [more]

MORE U.S. GUN VIOLENCE | Police in Amarillo, Texas, say two teenagers were killed, and 10 other people were wounded, early Saturday when yet-unidentified gunmen opened fire outside an apartment in which a party was being held. The incident remains under investigation. [more]

U.S. ELECTIONS | Amidst similar actions in multiple states and following last week's U.S. Supreme Court decision weakening Voting Rights Act-mandated minority protections in congressional districting, the Republican governors of Alabama and Tennessee have called special legislative sessions this week to consider redrawing the states' congressional maps to more heavily favor Republican candidates. [more]

U.S. ABORTION | In a ruling on Friday, a panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that abortion pills must be obtained in person nationwide, effectively blocking access to the medical abortion pills via mail. The ruling, which has been appealed to the Supreme Court, arose from a lawsuit filed by Louisiana last year in which the state argued that its abortion ban was being circumvented by prescriptions for the pills delivered by mail following out-of-state telehealth consultations. [more]

NEW MEXICO | After being ordered by a New Mexico jury to pay $375 million in civil penalties for harming children's mental health and now facing potential court orders to impose fundamental changes to its apps and algorithms, social media giant Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, warned that it could eliminate its social media services in New Mexico if forced to comply with "impractical mandates." [more]

U.S. AND GERMANY | U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday the U.S. will withdraw some 5,000 military troops from Germany over the next year. The move comes amidst tensions between the two countries over the war in Iran and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's recent comment that the U.S. was being "humiliated" by the Iranian leadership. There are currently about 36,000 U.S. troops stationed in Germany. [more]

U.S. AND EUROPEAN UNION | Citing what he said was the E.U.'s failure to comply with trade agreements, U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that he will increase tariffs on cars and trucks produced in the European Union to 25%. [more]

GLOBAL OIL | The OPEC+ group of major oil-exporting countries agreed yesterday to increase production by 188,000 barrels per day starting in June. Analysts note that the decision is seen as somewhat symbolic as much of the group's oil normally passes through the Strait of Hormuz, which remains almost completely shut down amidst the ongoing U.S.-Israel-Iran war. [more]

EUROPEAN SECURITY | Amidst ongoing security tensions and uncertainty over the United States' commitment to transatlantic relations under President Donald Trump's administration, the leaders of about 30 European nations, along with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky, are meeting in Armenia today for a European Political Community summit at which collective security, U.S. relations, and the wars in Iran and Ukraine are expected to be among the main topics of discussion. [more]

EUROPEAN MIGRATION | French officials say two people were killed, and 16 others were injured, yesterday when a small boat carrying migrants ran aground on the French coast while trying to cross the English Channel. Reports note that this was the third deadly incident involving migrants trying to cross the Channel to the U.K. in just over a month. [more]

KENYA | Interior Ministry officials say at least 18 people have died, and 54,000 households have been affected, in widespread flooding across Kenya over the past week. The Kenya Meteorological Department warns that higher-than-normal rainfall is expected to continue in the East African nation through the first two weeks of May. [more]

AUSTRALIA AND JAPAN | Meeting today in the Australian capital, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese agreed to deepen their countries' cooperation in a number of areas, including energy security, defense, supply chains, and critical minerals. [more]

HANTAVIRUS | The World Health Organization is reportedly involved in investigations related to a suspected outbreak of hantavirus aboard a Netherlands-based cruise ship. Reports say three people aboard Oceanwide Expeditions' MV Hondius, which departed Argentina for Cape Verde about three weeks ago, have died and that multiple others aboard the ship have been sickened. [more]

BRAZIL | The office of Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere says an estimated 2 million people attended Colombian superstar Shakira's free concert on Copacabana Beach on Saturday night. City tourism officials say the concert could generate as much as $155 million in revenue from an influx in visitors and money spent in restaurants, hotels, and shops. [more]

AIRLINE INDUSTRY | Saying high oil prices made it impossible to continue its services, U.S. air carrier Spirit Airlines announced early Saturday that, after 34 years, it has gone out of business and “started an orderly wind-down of our operations, effective immediately.” Reports note that Spirt employed about 17,000 people. [more]

HORSE RACING | Golden Tempo, ridden by Jose Ortiz and trained by Cherie DeVaux, won the 152nd Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on Saturday. DeVaux became the first-ever woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner. [more]

SOCCER | With a 2-0 win over Parma yesterday, Inter Milan clinched Italian soccer's 2026 Serie A title. [more]

TENNIS | With his win over Alexander Zverev yesterday in the Madrid Open final, world No. 1-ranked Jannik Sinner became the first men's tennis player to win five consecutive Masters 1000 titles. [more]

WEEKEND MOVIES | "The Devil Wears Prada 2" topped the North American box office over the weekend with an estimated $77 million in receipts, followed by "Michael" and "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie." [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1959, the first Grammy Awards ceremonies were held simultaneously at locations in Beverly Hills, California, and New York, New York. Winners included Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and the Kingston Trio.  [more history]

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U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 63.

• In a statement released on state media yesterday, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei insisted that his country will protect its nuclear and missile capabilities and said that the only place U.S. personnel should be in the Persian Gulf is "at the bottom of its waters." [more]
• In a communique to its embassies around the world yesterday, the U.S. State Department instructed diplomats to seek their host government's support for President Donald Trump's call for assistance in ensuring free and unimpeded shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. [more]
• Facing a deadline to seek congressional approval for military action that extends beyond 60 days, as mandated by the War Powers Resolution of 1973, Trump administration officials suggested yesterday that the ongoing cease-fire in Iran has effectively ended the war and that approval from Congress for further action is, therefore, not needed. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1,525 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here is your update:

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said yesterday that he is seeking clarification on a short-term May 9 cease-fire reportedly proposed by Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this week during a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump. [more]

U.S. SCHOOL VIOLENCE | Four students and an adult security guard were wounded in a stabbing incident carried out by a student yesterday at Foss High School in Tacoma, Washington. The incident remains under investigation, and school has been cancelled at the site for today. [more]

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY | The House passed, and President Donald Trump signed into law, a Senate-approved measure yesterday that funds most of the Department of Homeland Security, ending the department's record-setting partial shutdown. The measure, originally proposed more than two months ago, does not fund DHS' immigration enforcement operations, which are under continuing scrutiny and demands for reform in the aftermath of the deadly immigration crackdown in Minneapolis. [more]

U.S. SURVEILLANCE | The House and Senate approved a short-term extension yesterday of a controversial surveillance program used by U.S. intelligence agencies to monitor foreign communications without a warrant even when such monitoring can incidentally include the communications of U.S. citizens. The extended authorization of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act's Section 702 runs through June 12. [more]

LOUISIANA | Following this week's Supreme Court ruling seen as significantly weakening the Voting Rights Act and striking down a previously mandated second majority-Black congressional district in Louisiana, Governor Jeff Landry issued an executive order yesterday postponing U.S. House primary elections in Louisiana to give lawmakers time to approve a new congressional map. Reports note that early voting in the House primary had been scheduled to begin tomorrow. [more]

NEBRASKA | Nebraska today becomes the first U.S. state to implement new work requirements for Medicaid health insurance coverage, as mandated by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed into law by President Donald Trump last year. Under the law, Medicaid enrollees must work or volunteer at least 80 hours a month, attend school at least part-time, participate in job training, or qualify for specific exceptions. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that up to 4.8 million people will become uninsured over the next 10 years as a result of the work requirement. [more]

U.S. GAS PRICES | According to AAA, the average price for a gallon of regular gasoline in the U.S. rose 9 cents today to $4.39 – the highest level since July 2022 and a 47% increase since the start of the war in Iran. [more]

U.S. SENATE | In a unanimous voice vote yesterday, the Senate passed a resolution banning senators and their staff members from making bets on so-called prediction markets. Reports note that senators have called on the House and the Trump administration to adopt similar measures and that a bipartisan bill to ban all federally elected officials and government employees from using insider information to make prediction market bets has been proposed in the Senate. [more]

U.S. RETIREMENT SAVINGS | President Donald Trump signed an executive order yesterday calling for the establishment of a website where U.S. residents can find and compare private-sector retirement savings accounts. Reports note that the order comes ahead of the start of a new government retirement savings matching contribution of up to $1,000 for low-income workers, as mandated in legislation passed under the Biden administration and which starts next year. [full executive order] [White House fact sheet] [more]

U.S. SURGEON GENERAL | President Donald Trump pulled his nomination of Dr. Casey Means to be the U.S. Surgeon General yesterday amidst stalled confirmation hearings in the Senate, and announced his new nomination of radiologist and former Fox News Channel contributor Dr. Nicole Saphier for the role. [more]

MINNESOTA | U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz announced yesterday that the Trump administration is deferring $91 million in Medicaid funding to Minnesota over concerns about fraud in state-run federally funded social service programs. The new funding deferral follows an earlier $243 million withholding of funding to the state over fraud concerns announced by Vice President JD Vance in February. [more]

UNITED NATIONS | Following reports that the Trump administration had placed reform-related conditions on releasing funds owed to the United Nations, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said yesterday that the billions of dollars owed to the world body by the U.S. is "non-negotiable." [more]

E.U. AND SOUTH AMERICA | The landmark trade deal between the European Union and the Mercosur South American trade bloc took provisional effect today. Signed earlier this year, the trade deal creates a trans-Atlantic market with about 720 million customers and a trade value estimated at $22 trillion. [more]

SOUTH SUDAN | The U.N. Security Council voted yesterday to extend the United Nations peacekeeping force in conflict-torn South Sudan through April 30, 2027, and to reduce force levels in the East African nation from 17,000 to 12,000. [more]

MEDITERRANEAN MIGRATION | Officials at the U.N. International Organization for Migration say at least 17 people died, and nine others remain missing, after a boat carrying 33 Sudanese migrants to Greece capsized earlier this week in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Libya. [more]

MYANMAR | According to state media, Myanmar's ruling military junta has moved the country's former leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi from a military prison, where she had been held since being removed from office in a military coup in 2021, to house arrest. [more]

GOLF | Administrators of Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund said yesterday that the fund has suspended future funding of LIV Golf, the rival league to the PGA that was launched four years ago. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1960, the Soviet Union shot down an American U-2 reconnaissance plane over Sverdlovsk, Russia, and captured its pilot, Francis Gary Powers, in what became known as the U-2 incident. [more history]

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U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 62.

• Speaking to journalists yesterday, Russian presidential adviser Yuri Ushakov said President Vladimir Putin told U.S. President Donald Trump in a phone call earlier in the day that any U.S. military ground operation in Iran would be completely "unacceptable and dangerous," and warned of "dire consequences" if hostilities against Iran are resumed. [more]
• Responding to reports of U.S. plans for a potential new wave of military strikes on Iran, Iranian officials said today that any resumption of hostilities would be met with "long and ​painful strikes" on U.S. positions. [more]
• Amidst ongoing supply concerns linked to the ongoing Middle East war and projections of a longer standoff in the Strait of Hormuz, the price of international benchmark Brent crude oil rose to as high as $126 per barrel this morning before settling at about $122 per barrel. [more]
• U.S. Department of Defense budget and spending official Jules Hurst told the House Armed Services Committee yesterday that the war in Iran has cost $25 billion so far. [more]

U.S. VOTING RIGHTS ACT | In a 6-3 ruling announced yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court effectively struck down long-standing interpretations of the 1965 Voting Rights Act that allowed, and sometimes required, congressional districting maps to be drawn using race-conscious data to protect the voting power of minorities. [full ruling] [more]

U.S. ECONOMY | Commerce Department data released today shows that the Personal Consumption Expenditures price index – the Federal Reserve's preferred benchmark for measuring inflation – rose 0.7% from February to March and 3.5% from the year-ago period, with the sharpest increase in almost three years driven largely by higher food and energy prices. At the same time, the Department reports that the U.S. gross domestic product grew at a 2.0% annualized rate in the first quarter of 2026 – up from a 0.5% growth rate in the fourth quarter of 2025 – on a rebound in government spending. [more]

FLORIDA | Amidst similar moves by Republicans and Democrats in multiple states ahead of this November's mid-term elections, the Florida legislature voted yesterday to approve a new congressional districting map that analysts say could net Republicans four additional seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. [more]

U.S. FEDERAL RESERVE | Fed policy makers, as expected, left their benchmark interest rate unchanged at about 3.6% yesterday. Following the board's meeting, Fed chair Jerome Powell, said he plans to remain on the board of the Federal Reserve after his term as chair ends next month – potentially through January 2028 when his board term expires. [more]

U.S. MILITARY | In a hearing before the House Armed Services Committee yesterday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the $1.5 trillion military budget proposal for 2027 and, in response to questions about the Iran war, suggested that "the biggest adversary we face at this point are the reckless, feckless and defeatist words of congressional Democrats and some Republicans." [more]

MORE U.S. MILITARY | The Defense Department said yesterday that the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world's largest aircraft carrier, will leave the Middle East in the coming days and return to its home port in Virginia after a record-setting deployment of more than 300 days that included active operations in both Venezuela and Iran. [more]

U.S. AND GERMANY | Following what he has characterized as Germany's failure to support the U.S. in its war with Iran, President Donald Trump said yesterday that the U.S. is studying and reviewing a possible reduction of the U.S. military's presence in Germany and that a decision on the matter could be made in the near future. [more]

U.S. AND MEXICO | The U.S. Justice Department announced drug trafficking and weapons charges yesterday against 10 current and former government and law enforcement officials in Mexico's Sinaloa state, including against the state's governor, Rubén Rocha Moya. Reports note that it remains unclear how Mexico's government will respond to the charges and to extradition requests for those indicted. [more]

GLOBAL NUCLEAR TESTING | In the follow-up to both the U.S. and Russia suggesting last year that they could resume the testing of nuclear weapons, Robert Floyd, executive secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization, warned yesterday that if major nuclear powers do resume testing others are likely to do so, as well. [more]

ISRAEL AND GAZA | Israeli forces are reported to have intercepted dozens of boats attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza overnight near the southern Greek island of Crete. The Israeli Foreign Ministry said about 175 aid activists and more than 20 boats participating in the Global Sumud Flotilla were being taken to Israel. [more]

AUSTRALIA | A special commission investigating antisemitism after last December's mass shooting in which 15 people were killed at a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney's Bondi Beach, recommended today that Australia implement several gun reform measures, including: limiting the number of firearms that can be owned by an individual, passing nationally consistent gun laws, buying back guns from citizens, and implementing periodic reviews of existing gun licenses. [more]

EUROPEAN INFLATION | European Union statistical agency Eurostat reports that annual inflation in the 21 countries that use the euro currency rose to 3.0% in April – up from 2.6% in March – on a 10.9% increase in energy prices linked to the U.S.-Israel-Iran war. [more]

BRAZIL | In a move seen as a political blow to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Brazil's Senate yesterday rejected Lula's nomination of Jorge Messias to serve on the Supreme Court – the first such rejection in the country in more than 130 years. [more]

R.I.P. | Country singer-songwriter David Allan Coe, best known for writing the working-class anthem "Take This Job and Shove It," "Would You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone)," and other country hits, died yesterday at the age of 86. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1803, the United States completed its purchase of the 828,000-square-mile Louisiana Territory from France for 60 million francs, the equivalent of about $15 million. The acquisition roughly doubled the size of the United States. [more history]

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U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 61.

• The price of international benchmark Brent crude oil rose more than 3% to $114.76 a barrel early today following reports that U.S. President Donald Trump has instructed aides to prepare for an extended blockade of Iranian shipping and ports. [more]
• Amidst oil and gas issues linked to the Middle East war, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned today that E.U. nations risk wasting billions of euros if energy aid is not effectively funneled to vulnerable households and industries. Reports note that increased energy costs associated with the war are estimated to cost the E.U. as much as 500 million euros per day. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1,523 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• Reports say Ukrainian airstrikes this week damaged a Russian oil refinery on the Black Sea for the third time this month, prompting local evacuations and a warning by Russian officials of potential "environmental consequences." [more]
• The Ukrainian Defense Ministry said yesterday that its forces shot down or intercepted more than 33,000 Russian drones of various types in March – a record monthly level since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine more than four years ago. [more]

U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT | The Justice Department announced the federal criminal indictment yesterday of former FBI Director James Comey on charges of making threats to harm President Donald Trump by posting an image on social media in May 2025 that showed seashells depicting the numbers "86 47". The indictment claims that Comey's Instagram post was one "which a reasonable recipient who is familiar with the circumstances would interpret as a serious expression of an intent to do harm to a person." [press release] [full indictment] [more]

U.S. DHS FUNDING | The House is expected to vote as early as today on a Senate budget resolution passed last week that would advance efforts to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security, which has been partially shut down for more than two months amidst Democratic demands for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol reforms. [more]

U.S. INTEREST RATES | The Federal Reserve is widely expected to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged at about 3.6% today as the monetary policy board meets in what is likely to be the last meeting headed by Fed chair Jerome Powell. [more]

U.S. IMMIGRATION | The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments today in a Trump administration challenge of lower court rulings that blocked the ending of temporary protected immigration status for migrants fleeing war and natural disasters in Haiti and Syria. [more]

MORE U.S. IMMIGRATION | Contrasting with rulings by the 8th and 5th circuit courts, a panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, citing "serious constitutional questions," ruled yesterday that the Trump administration cannot deny detained immigrants the chance to seek bond. Analysts note that the Department of Homeland Security has suggested it will appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court. [more]

U.S. MEDIA | Following criticism of a joke by late-night TV host Jimmy Kimmel in which he said last week that first lady Melania Trump had "a glow like an expectant widow," the US Federal Communications Commission has announced plans to review the broadcast licenses of Disney-owned ABC television stations, which carry Kimmel's show. [more]

U.S. PASSPORTS | The State Department confirmed yesterday that it plans to issue between 25,000 and 30,000 commemorative U.S. passports that feature an image of President Donald Trump as part of celebrations for the 250th anniversary of the ​U.S. Declaration of Independence. Reports note that the commemorative passports will only be available to in-person applicants at the Washington, DC, passport office and that standard passports without the president's image will still be issued to those applying online or at other passport offices across the country. [more]

U.S. AND U.K. | Following yesterday's address to Congress and attendance at a White House state dinner, Britain's King Charles III continues his visit to the U.S. today with a trip to New York City, where he will take part in a wreath-laying ceremony at the National 9/11 Memorial and meet with Mayor Zohran Mamdani. [more]

U.S. AND CUBA | The U.S. Senate voted, 51-47, yesterday to reject a measure that would have required President Donald Trump to end the U.S. energy blockade on Cuba and to seek Congressional approval before launching any military action against the Caribbean island nation. [more]

E.U. VIOLENCE-FOR-HIRE | European Union police agency Europol said today that an international task force formed to crack down on violence as a criminal service led to 280 arrests in its first year and warned that a Europe-wide trend of criminals hiring people to carry out acts of violence appears to be rising. [more]

KOSOVO | Having failed to elect a new president by a midnight Tuesday deadline, Kosovo's parliament has been dissolved, meaning that the southeastern European country will hold its third parliamentary election in just over a year at some point in the next 45 days. [more]

PHILIPPINES | Philippine lawmakers found probable cause today to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte following accusations that she misused public funds and threatened the life of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, his wife, and his cousin. An initial House vote to advance to an impeachment trial against Duterte is expected to take place when Congress resumes session next month. [more]

U.K. | In the latest incident in a surge of antisemitic incidents in the U.K., authorities say at least two men were stabbed today in a Jewish neighborhood in London. A 45-year-old man has been arrested and charged with attempted murder in connection with stabbings. [more]

EUROPEAN SOCIAL MEDIA | European Union regulators accused tech giant Meta today of failing to adequately prevent underage users from accessing its Facebook and Instagram platforms in violation of the bloc's sweeping Digital Services Act regulations. [more]

SOCCER | International soccer governing body FIFA said yesterday that it will increase payments to each team participating in this summer's men's World Cup by $2 million to help offset higher-than-expected costs in North America. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1429, French national heroine Joan of Arc and her troops entered the besieged city of Orléans during the Hundred Years' War. [more history]

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U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 60.

• In an interview yesterday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested Iran's proposal to open the Strait of Hormuz, end the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports and shipping, and end hostilities without addressing, for now, Iran's nuclear program would be unacceptable, saying any deal would have to be one that "definitively prevents them from sprinting towards a nuclear weapon at any point." [more]
• Speaking to army commanders yesterday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu estimated that the ability of the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon to attack Israel has been sharply degraded, with the group retaining only about 10% of its pre-war arsenal. [more]

U.S. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY | All members of the National Science Board, which was created in 1950 to oversee the National Science Foundation, advise the president and Congress on science and engineering policy, and approve major NSF funding awards, were fired on Friday. Reports say members were notified in an e-mail sent from the Presidential Personnel Office “on behalf of President Donald J. Trump” that their positions were "terminated, effective immediately." [more]

U.S. PRESIDENTIAL SECURITY | Cole Tomas Allen, the armed man detained Saturday night outside the ballroom in which President Donald Trump was attending the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, was charged yesterday in federal court with three crimes: attempting to assassinate the president, illegally transporting a firearm across state lines, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. [DOJ press release] [more]

U.S. TARIFFS | The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has announced hearings on two investigations widely seen as part of President Donald Trump's plans to impose new import tariffs after his earlier global tariffs were blocked by the Supreme Court. A hearing this week will examine whether about 60 countries that account for 99% of U.S. imports do enough to prohibit trade in products produced using forced labor, and a second hearing next week will examine whether 16 major U.S. trading partners put U.S. manufacturers at a disadvantage by overproducing goods and driving down prices. [more]

FLORIDA | Amidst congressional redistricting efforts in multiple states ahead of November's mid-term elections, Florida lawmakers are scheduled to open a special legislative session today to consider a redistricting plan backed by Governor Ron DeSantis that would make it easier for Republicans to win four more of the state's seats in the House of Representatives. [more]

U.S. WIND ENERGY | Following two similar recent deals, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced yesterday that it will pay two companies, Bluepoint Wind and Golden State Wind, a total of nearly $900 million to end their existing offshore wind power leases and not pursue any new wind projects in the United States. [more]

WYOMING | Saying it is likely to violate the state's constitution, a Wyoming judge granted a temporary restraining order yesterday blocking a new state law that bans abortions after embryonic cardiac activity can be detected. [more]

U.S. AND U.K. | On the second day of his state visit to the U.S. today, Britain's King Charles II will hold a bilateral meeting with President Donald Trump, address a joint session of Congress, and attend a state dinner at the White House. [more]

GLOBAL NUCLEAR WEAPONS | The United Nations began a scheduled review of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty yesterday. Reports note that the opening of the review, which takes place every five years, was marked by the United States and several other nations objecting to the election of Iran as one of 34 vice presidents of the review conference. [more]

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES | Citing regional production and coordination issues, and amidst tensions linked to the ongoing U.S.-Iran war, the United Arab Emirates announced today that it is leaving the powerful OPEC and OPEC+ oil exporting groups. [more]

GREECE | Police in the Greek capital of Athens are searching for an 89-year-old suspect in connection with two shootings today – one at a social security office and one at a court building. Authorities say several people were wounded in the shootings and that the motive for the attacks remains unclear. [more]

INDONESIA | Emergency response officials say at least 14 people were killed, and more than 80 others were injured, today when a long-distance train crashed into the rear car of a stopped commuter train at Bekasi Timur Station outside Jakarta, Indonesia. [more]

SOUTH SUDAN | Aid groups, including Doctors Without Borders and the U.N. World Food Program, say their efforts to provide aid to thousands of displaced people in an isolated South Sudan village to which they fled to escape widespread violence have been blocked. Government and opposition forces have each blamed the other for preventing aid from reaching the estimated 30,000 people in the village of Nyatim, where, according to reports, dozens of people have died, including some of apparent starvation. [more]

MEXICO | Addressing the deaths of two U.S. Central Intelligence Agency agents in a vehicle accident last week following an anti-drug operation in the northern Mexico State of Chihuahua, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum suggested yesterday that Mexico and the U.S. should move past what was alleged to be the agents' unauthorized participation in the operation and said, "Let us hope this is an exceptional case ... and that a situation like this never happens again." [more]

MORE MEXICO | Mexican authorities say Audias Flores Silva, a top leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel for whom the United States had offered a $5 million reward for information leading to his arrest, was captured by Mexico's military yesterday in the northwestern state of Nayarit. [more]

UGANDA | Ugandan authorities say at least 231 foreigners have been arrested since yesterday in the East African nation in a crackdown on illegal migration, human trafficking, and cyberscam operations. [more]

AUSTRALIA | Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's government announced plans yesterday to introduce legislation that would impose taxes on digital giants Meta, Google, and TikTok to pay for news organizations' content. [more]

BASKETBALL | The Dallas Mavericks' Cooper Flagg was named the NBA Rookie of the Year yesterday after a season in which he became the first rookie since Michael Jordan to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, and steals. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1952, the Treaty of San Francisco went into effect, ending the Allied occupation of Japan after seven years of rapid social and economic change that followed Japan's surrender in World War II.  [more history]

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U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 59.

• Citing a lack of progress in negotiations, U.S. President Donald Trump cancelled the appearance of envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner at U.S.-Iran peace talks that were expected to take place in Pakistan over the weekend. Trump later suggested talks could take place by phone instead. [more]
• Reports say Iran, in a new proposal to the U.S., has offered to end its restrictions on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for the U.S. endings its blockade of Iranian ships and ports in the strategic waterway and suggests that active hostilities be permanently ended without addressing the issue of Iran's nuclear program. [more]
• Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is in Russia today for a scheduled meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. In a video interview posted by Iranian state media, Araghchi said the meeting is a "good opportunity for us to consult with our Russian friends about the developments that have occurred in relation to the war during this period and what is happening now." [more]
• Amidst accusations by both Israel and the Hezbollah militant group of the other having violated the fragile Israel-Lebanon cease-fire, Lebanese health officials say at least 14 people were killed, and 37 others were wounded, yesterday in Israeli strikes on several towns in southern Lebanon. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1,521 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here is your update:

• Ukrainian officials say at least nine people were killed over the weekend in Russian drone and missile strikes on the city of Dnipro and five others were killed in Russian attacks on a village in the Luhansk region. Russian authorities, meanwhile, say one person was killed in a Ukrainian drone attack on Russia’s Belgorod border region and one other was killed in a Ukrainian drone strike on the port city of Sevastopol in Russian-occupied Crimea. [more]

U.S. PRESIDENTIAL SECURITY | The White House Correspondents' Association Dinner – the first attended by President Donald Trump while in office – was evacuated Saturday night after a gunman rushed a security checkpoint outside the ballroom at the Washington Hilton. The gunman, identified as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, was apprehended by Secret Service agents and is expected to be arraigned on firearms-related charges today. In a manifesto written in the lead-up to the incident, Allen expressed his dissatisfaction with U.S. government policies and actions. [more]

U.S. DRUG WAR | The U.S. military's Southern Command says three people were killed yesterday in the latest military attack on an alleged drug-trafficking boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Reports note that at least 186 people have been killed in similar U.S. military strikes on boats since last September. [more]

GEORGIA | Emergency officials say the Highway 82 fire and the Clinch and Echols counties fire in Georgia have burned about 31 and 46 square miles, respectively, and were both less than 10% contained as of early yesterday. [more]

CHICAGO | Authorities in Chicago, Illinois, say one police officer was killed, and a second was critically wounded, Saturday when a man arrested on suspicion of robbery was taken to the city's Endeavor Health Swedish Hospital for observation, somehow obtained a gun, and fired on the officers. The yet-unidentified suspect was captured by police after fleeing the hospital. [more]

U.S. FEDERAL RESERVE | The Justice Department announced Friday that it was ending its investigation into Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell and the extensive renovations of the Fed's headquarters building in Washington, DC. Reports note that terminating the investigation clears a key roadblock in the Senate's confirmation of Kevin Warsh, who has been nominated by President Donald Trump to replace Powell. [more]

SOUTH CAROLINA | Health officials in South Carolina have declared the state's measles outbreak to be over after no new cases of the disease were reported in the state for more than 40 days. The South Carolina Department of Public Health says 997 people were sickened during the six-month outbreak, with 932 cases occurring in people who had never been vaccinated against the disease. [more]

U.S. AND U.K. | Britain's King Charles II is scheduled to arrive in Washington, DC, today, beginning a four-day state visit intended to celebrate the United States' 250th anniversary. The visit comes amidst relations between the U.S. and U.K. being strained over issues including trans-Atlantic trade and security and the war in Iran. [more]

U.S. AND MEXICO | Mexico’s Ministry of Security said Saturday that two U.S. Central Intelligence Agency agents killed in a car crash last week in the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua were not authorized to operate in Mexico. [more]

COLOMBIA | Authorities say 20 people were killed, and 36 others were wounded, Saturday when a bomb exploded on a bus traveling along the Pan-American Highway in Colombia's municipality of Cajibio. Colombian military officials have blamed the attack on former members of the now-defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia militant group. [more]

MALI | Defense Minister General Sadio Camara was among the dozens of people reported to have been killed or wounded Saturday in a series of coordinated attacks carried out by separatist forces and al-Qaida-linked militants across the West African nation of Mali. [more]

NORTHERN IRELAND | Police say yet-unidentified attackers carried out a car-bomb attack Saturday night outside a police station in the Belfast suburb of Dunmurry, Northern Ireland. Authorities have suggested the attack was an attempt to undermine the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which brought relative peace to the region after decades of violence between groups for and against British rule. [more]

ISRAEL | Former Prime Ministers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid announced yesterday that they would join forces in a coalition headed by Bennett to unseat long-time Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel's elections scheduled for later this year. [more]

CHAD | Authorities in eastern Chad say at least 42 people were killed, and 10 others were wounded, Saturday in clashes over water resources between members of two extended families in the village of Igote. Deputy Prime Minister Limane Mahamat said a "swift response" by the military prevented the violence from expanding further and that the situation was now "under control." [more]

SOMALIA | British maritime officials have raised the threat level to shipping in the region to "substantial" after pirates sized a cargo ship yesterday off the coast of Somalia – the fourth such attack in less than a week. [more]

MARATHON RUNNING | Sabastian Sawe of Kenya won the London Marathon in 1 hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds yesterday, bettering the previous men’s world record by 65 seconds and becoming the first runner to ever finish an official 26.2-mile marathon in less than two hours. [more]

GOLF | Nelly Korda shot a final-round 2-under-par 70 yesterday to win The Chevron Championship at Houston's Memorial Park and claim her third women's major championship title. [more]

WEEKEND MOVIES | "Michael" topped the North American box office over the weekend with an estimated $97 million in receipts, followed by "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" and "Project Hail Mary." [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1521, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan was killed in the Battle of Mactan in the Philippines as he attempted to expand Spanish colonization in the region. [more history]

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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]