Australia’s government announced Thursday it has filed a massive lawsuit against chemical manufacturer 3M, demanding more than $1.43 billion in compensation for contamination linked to firefighting foam containing dangerous PFAS chemicals.
The legal case represents the largest lawsuit ever initiated by Australia and targets both the Minnesota-based company and its Australian subsidiary for environmental, economic and cultural damages caused by the contamination, officials said.
“Make no mistake, this legal action against 3M is significant,” Attorney-General Michelle Rowland told reporters.
“The Commonwealth is seeking more than A$2 billion in damages to recover significant past and future expenses incurred in investigating and managing contamination resulting from the historical storage and use of this foam,” Rowland stated.
Australian officials claim 3M provided assurances that the firefighting foam was safe for disposal, would break down naturally, and posed no toxicity risks when the government utilized it at 28 military installations nationwide.
However, Rowland accused 3M of concealing its own research that demonstrated “significant adverse environmental effects” from the product’s use.
In response, 3M indicated it plans to contest the allegations in court proceedings.
“3M has never manufactured PFAS in Australia and ceased sales of the products at issue in Australia around two decades ago,” the company stated.
“Despite this, the Department of Defence continued to use PFAS-containing firefighting foams for nearly two decades longer,” 3M added.
PFAS represents a category of synthetic chemicals commonly found in products designed to resist heat, stains, grease and water.
These substances, dubbed “forever chemicals,” persist indefinitely in the environment without natural decomposition, creating concerns about their buildup in ecosystems, water supplies and human bodies.
Scientific studies have connected PFAS exposure to various health problems including liver damage, reduced birth weight and testicular cancer.
Assistant Defence Minister Peter Khalil revealed the department has invested $1.3 billion addressing contamination consequences, including $408 million in legal settlements with impacted communities.
The cleanup efforts have involved treating or removing over 200,000 metric tons of contaminated soil and processing more than 13 billion liters of water.
“This is the most significant legal action undertaken by Commonwealth and Defence in living memory,” Khalil said.
“To put it plainly, we are taking on 3M on behalf of the Australian people and the Australians that are affected,” he added.
3M has confronted thousands of PFAS-related lawsuits. The company reached a $10.3 billion settlement in 2023 with numerous U.S. public water systems to resolve water pollution claims.
A major South Korean technology company announced Wednesday that wage negotiations with its workers’ union have collapsed despite government intervention to help broker a deal.
Kakao Corp revealed that second-round discussions mediated by government officials failed to produce an agreement on employee compensation. The company stated it remains committed to continuing efforts to find common ground with union representatives.
Following the unsuccessful talks, a union representative confirmed to Reuters via text message that workers will proceed with their planned strike action in June.
Workers at Kakao Corp and four related companies, including headquarters operations, Kakao Pay Corp and Kakao Enterprise, had previously approved strike authorization through a formal vote.
The union has not disclosed exactly how many members from the main company and its four affiliates will join the work stoppage. However, approximately 700 union members gathered at a demonstration on May 20, according to a union leader.
In a statement released earlier this month, the union criticized management for providing “excessive bonuses” exclusively to executives while the company achieved record-breaking revenue and profits in recent years.
Union representatives also accused the company of failing to address concerns about overtime policies and showing a lack of genuine commitment during bargaining sessions.
Kakao Corp responded in its own statement, asserting that it had engaged in good-faith negotiations with the union regarding the 2026 wage agreement but could not come to terms on how to structure employee compensation.
Major League Baseball players are pushing for significantly higher minimum wages and broader free agency rights as labor negotiations intensify ahead of a potential work stoppage.
The players’ union submitted their demands on Wednesday, seeking to nearly double the current minimum salary while expanding both free agency opportunities and salary arbitration access. The proposal also calls for increased revenue sharing between teams, with a guarantee that smaller-market clubs would receive at least $240 million each year.
These demands arrived just one day before league officials are expected to counter with a salary cap proposal. The existing labor agreement ends on December 1, with many expecting a lockout to follow. League management has rejected the union’s requests, claiming they would create worse competitive balance problems across the sport.
Meanwhile, congressional leaders are attempting to resolve ongoing issues in college athletics through new bipartisan legislation. Republican Senator Ted Cruz and Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell have developed a bill aimed at breaking through legislative gridlock that has stalled efforts to regulate student-athlete compensation.
Their proposed legislation would limit college athletes to one penalty-free transfer during their careers while establishing what they call a “Lane Kiffin Rule” to restrict coaching changes during active seasons. The senators shared details of their proposal with reporters, expressing hope it could secure the 60 votes needed for Senate passage after more than a year of congressional inaction on the issue.
In professional football news, Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs has been released from custody while prosecutors continue reviewing domestic abuse allegations. Brown County District Attorney David Lasee announced Wednesday that more time is needed before making any formal charging decisions.
Jacobs was taken into custody Tuesday on allegations including strangulation and other offenses stemming from a weekend incident. His legal team expressed satisfaction with his release from jail while the investigation continues.
Soccer’s governing body FIFA faces new scrutiny over World Cup ticket pricing and sales practices that fans claim resulted in unfair deals. New York and New Jersey attorneys general announced Tuesday they are examining whether FIFA’s ticketing methods violated consumer protection regulations.
The investigation includes subpoenas demanding information about FIFA’s “variable pricing” system that caused ticket costs to skyrocket for most matches, along with stadium seating chart changes that allegedly moved fans’ seats away from the field. FIFA has not responded to requests for comment on the investigation.
President Donald Trump announced plans to attend NBA Finals games at Madison Square Garden next month after receiving an invitation from New York Knicks owner James Dolan. Trump said he would join Dolan when the Knicks face either the San Antonio Spurs or Oklahoma City Thunder in the championship series.
The Knicks advanced to their first finals appearance since 1999 after completing a sweep of Cleveland in the Eastern Conference finals. Trump, who grew up in New York, praised the team’s performance and called their championship return after decades of struggles “great to see.”
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has expanded his portfolio by purchasing a minority stake in the Cleveland Guardians baseball franchise. The team announced the investment Wednesday before their game against the Washington Nationals.
Kelce, who has won three Super Bowl titles and earned four All-Pro selections while being engaged to music star Taylor Swift, bought a small portion of David Blitzer’s 35% ownership share. The Cleveland Heights native joins the ownership group as Blitzer prepares to potentially become the controlling owner after the 2027 season.
At the French Open in Paris, Novak Djokovic advanced to the third round despite being challenged by 74th-ranked Valentin Royer in a four-set match lasting over three and a half hours. Djokovic ultimately prevailed 6-3, 6-2, 6-7 (7), 6-3 as temperatures climbed above 90 degrees Fahrenheit for the fourth consecutive day.
This year’s Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina suffered an upset loss to Ukrainian player Yuliia Starodubtseva 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (4). Ukrainian players had a strong showing overall, with Elina Svitolina and Marta Kostyuk both advancing after recent victories at the Madrid Open and Italian Open. Four-time French Open winner Iga Swiatek improved her Roland Garros career record to 42-3 by defeating 35th-ranked Sara Bejlek 6-2, 6-3.
New York Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton has reached an important milestone in his injury recovery by beginning outdoor running exercises. Manager Aaron Boone reported Wednesday that recent medical imaging of Stanton’s right calf injury has left the team optimistic about his progress.
Stanton has been sidelined since April 24 after experiencing stiffness while running bases during a game against Houston. Boone said the timeline for Stanton’s return remains uncertain despite the encouraging signs. Before his injury, Stanton was performing well with a .256 batting average, three home runs, and 14 RBIs through 24 games. Fellow Yankees prospect Jasson Dominguez is also preparing to increase his baseball activities this week as he recovers from a shoulder injury.
The Vegas Golden Knights have reached the Stanley Cup Final under coach John Tortorella, who was hired in March after the team dismissed Bruce Cassidy following a stretch where they lost six of seven games. Under Tortorella’s leadership, Vegas finished the regular season 7-0-1 and has compiled a 12-4 playoff record, including a sweep of Presidents’ Trophy winner Colorado.
If Tortorella guides Vegas to a championship, he would become just the eighth coach to win the Stanley Cup after taking over mid-season. This rare achievement has occurred five times since 2000, and a sixth occurrence would equal the combined total of such accomplishments across the NFL, NBA, and MLB throughout their histories.
The U.S. women’s national soccer team has reunited the “Triple Espresso” trio of Trinity Rodman, Mallory Swanson, and Sophia Wilson for upcoming training camp. All three players have been selected for the roster ahead of two June matches against Brazil’s national team.
The trio earned their nickname during the 2024 Paris Olympics and haven’t played together since the gold medal match. Swanson recently returned to her club team, the Chicago Stars, after taking time away following the birth of her daughter. Her last appearance for the national team was in October 2024.
WASHINGTON — Two influential senators are introducing bipartisan legislation aimed at addressing widespread turmoil in college athletics by establishing regulations on athlete compensation, restricting players to a single unrestricted transfer during their collegiate careers, and implementing what they’re calling a “Lane Kiffin Rule” to prevent coaching departures mid-season.
Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., who serve as the chair and ranking member of the Senate Commerce Committee that has jurisdiction over collegiate athletics, shared details of their proposed legislation with The Associated Press. They developed the bill with hopes of securing the 60 votes necessary for Senate passage.
“This is a stability bill, not just an NIL bill,” Cruz said, referring to the name, image and likeness compensation that has resulted in football programs with $30 million payrolls and transformed the landscape.
Cantwell said she and Cruz collaborated on the measure “because he and I really do believe the college sports system is in a bit of chaos.”
The legislation resembles a compilation of the strongest elements from two previous proposals — one called SCORE, another called SAFE — that have stalled in recent months. It includes two components the NCAA has endorsed: limited antitrust protection and provisions that would override much of the inconsistent state-by-state NIL regulations currently in place.
Meredith Page, the chair of the NCAA Division I Student Athlete Advocacy Committee and a former volleyball player at Radford, described the bill as “a phenomenal step,” particularly following the recent failure of the SCORE Act, which the SAAC had also endorsed.
“I think this has lots of great protections and gives the ability for us to stablize the field that is so, so unstable right now,” Page said.
NCAA President Charlie Baker said the association was examining the bill and anticipated “further productive dialogue with members of Congress.”
Antitrust Protection
College athletics has been seeking federal assistance as it confronts escalating costs of athlete compensation and an unmanageable transfer system that have endangered smaller sports programs, particularly women’s athletics, which form the foundation of the U.S. Olympic development system.
This legislation, titled the Protect College Sports Act, would provide what Cruz and Cantwell described as focused antitrust protections for organizations like the NCAA and the College Sports Commission, which was included in the primarily Republican-supported SCORE Act that faced Democratic opposition. In return, Cruz said there would be “public-facing protections” for athletes across multiple areas, including guaranteed health coverage and scholarships, stricter oversight of NIL agreements with outside parties and the agents who facilitate these deals.
“I think it’s better predictability,” Cantwell said. “Why did we do it? Because when you’ve got thousands of athletes being cut, hundreds of programs being cut, the risk to the whole infrastructure was too high to not try to get better predictability.”
Regulations for Athletes and Coaches
The proposed legislation would restrict athletes to one unrestricted transfer throughout their college careers — a concept with broad national support — and would implement something similar to the five-year eligibility timeframe that the NCAA appears prepared to establish next month.
The bill also attempts to control coaching mobility. Kiffin’s unexpected departure to LSU from rival Mississippi while the Rebels were preparing for the College Football Playoff last season highlighted an escalating problem in an environment where programs invest millions to assemble rapidly changing football rosters: Schools have decreased patience and increased financial resources to pursue coaches for immediate solutions.
According to the bill’s provisions, mid-season coaching changes would be banned.
“It’s not fair or right to poach a coach in the middle of the season while the team is still competing,” Cruz said. “There’s a reason the NFL has a rule that you can’t do that. Obviously, NFL teams hire coaches away from each other but they don’t do so in the middle of the season.”
Television Revenue Sharing
The bill would modify the Sports Broadcasting Act to permit conferences to combine their television contracts — a change supporters claim could generate billions of additional dollars for the system, though the Southeastern and Big Ten Conferences dispute this assessment.
The senators explained that leagues wouldn’t be mandated to participate in media pooling, but those choosing to do so would need to allocate a portion of any revenue increases to support women’s and Olympic sports. This requirement alone could prove unacceptable to the SEC, which has reportedly been discussing possibilities including separating from the NCAA and permitting athlete collective bargaining during its conference meetings in Florida this week.
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey, along with Jim Phillips of the Atlantic Coast and Brett Yormark of the Big 12 all indicated they were examining the bill, with Sankey stating “bipartisan engagement in Washington on these issues is critical.”
Prospects for Passage
The SCORE Act, which received minimal Democratic backing, was scheduled for a House vote last week but was suddenly removed when the Congressional Black Caucus and NAACP opposed it. Even if it had narrowly passed in the closely divided House, it had virtually no possibility of succeeding as written in the Senate, where 60 votes would be required to overcome a potential filibuster.
“The Congressional Black Caucus and I have the same objective: stop the ‘SEC SCORE Act,’” said Cantwell, referring to the SEC as one of numerous conferences that have backed that legislation.
Some Democrats were hesitant to endorse a bill like SCORE that prevented college athletes from being designated as school employees. The new bill adopts what Cantwell characterized as a neutral position on employment status.
However, it doesn’t address all Democratic concerns, as Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., outlined in a statement released shortly after the bill’s announcement.
“It gives the NCAA an antitrust exemption that no other industry gets just so they can keep underpaying the athletes,” he said. “Sure, there are some good things for players in this bill, but this seems like a great deal for the NCAA and the rich guys who run college sports, and a bad deal for athletes.”
Mit Winter, a Missouri attorney who specializes in sports law, said the proposal was so comprehensive he doubted it would pass in its current form.
“When you start getting into the stuff about giving the CSC and NCAA antitrust exemptions and liability protection from enforcing rules on athlete denial of compensation, I think that’s where things get a little more dicey,” he said.
A federal commodities regulator is requesting a judge cancel a $5 million fine it levied against a digital currency trading platform owned by twin brothers Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, who contributed to President Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign.
The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission stated Wednesday that regulators should not have charged the Winklevoss brothers’ Gemini Trust Company with providing false information related to its bitcoin futures operations.
Gemini resolved the CFTC allegations in January 2025 during the closing days of President Joe Biden’s term, paying the $5 million fine and accepting an order prohibiting the firm from providing false or deceptive information to the CFTC.
However, both Gemini and the CFTC now concur the agreement should be canceled, pointing to the CFTC’s revised approach to cryptocurrency enforcement under Trump.
Each Winklevoss brother contributed $1 million in bitcoin to his 2024 election campaign.
In joint court documents, the CFTC and Gemini argued the settlement should be reversed and that the CFTC had “resorted to inappropriate tactics” to file a lawsuit and “extract a settlement from Gemini.”
The CFTC and Gemini stated that the agency, during the Biden administration, filed suit against Gemini using a whistleblower report that lacked credibility, and that Gemini was actually defrauded by the company’s former chief operating officer and two clients who obtained illegitimate rebates from Gemini.
Instead of probing the fraud committed against Gemini, the CFTC investigated Gemini for supposedly making deceptive statements about its bitcoin futures trading operations’ integrity, the joint court filing stated.
During the case proceedings, regulators improperly used their authority by informing Gemini it would not gain approval for a new prediction market platform while the CFTC’s enforcement proceeding was active, the court filing indicated. Gemini obtained approval for its prediction market service, named Gemini Titan, in December 2025.
The court filing did not specify whether Gemini would receive a refund for the $5 million penalty it has already paid. Gemini did not respond immediately to a comment request late Wednesday.
The Winklevoss twins initially became publicly known after filing suit against Mark Zuckerberg, claiming he took their concept for Facebook. They reached a settlement in 2008 for cash and stock.
Trump’s original choice to head the CFTC, Brian Quintenz, alleged last year that Tyler Winklevoss lobbied the White House to delay his nomination due to the CFTC lawsuit. Trump eventually withdrew Quintenz’s nomination and appointed Michael Selig as the CFTC’s new chair.
NEW YORK (AP) — An Asian elephant at the Bronx Zoo who provided scientists with groundbreaking insights into animal intelligence and became the focal point of a high-profile animal rights lawsuit has died at 55 years old, zoo officials announced Wednesday.
The elephant, named Happy, was euthanized on Tuesday at the facility where she had resided for nearly 50 years. According to zoo representatives, several health issues related to her advanced age had worsened over recent weeks, with the animal displaying symptoms of declining kidney or liver function. Post-mortem examination uncovered arthritis and large uterine tumors that could not be surgically removed and are impossible to detect in elephants through standard medical examinations or imaging techniques, the zoo reported.
“She was a wonderful elephant,” said interim zoo director Craig Piper during a Wednesday interview, while saddened staff members mourned the loss of an animal some had cared for more than three decades. “She served as a tremendous ambassador for elephants and for elephant conservation.”
Following Happy’s passing, the zoo’s 57-year-old elephant Patty remains the sole elephant on display in the nation’s most populous city. The facility’s governing organization, the Wildlife Conservation Society, made the decision two decades ago to cease obtaining new elephants.
Happy entered the world in the Asian wilderness and was transported to America when she was just one year old. She received her name from a character in “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” prior to her 1977 arrival at the zoo.
The elephant demonstrated strong bonds with her caretakers and responded well to incentives like her preferred snacks, including watermelon and strawberries, according to Keith Lovett, the zoo’s director of animal programs. Piper noted that she would occasionally hide treats in her ear for later consumption.
In 2005, Happy demonstrated to scientists that elephants possess the ability to recognize their own reflection in mirrors — an indication of self-awareness observed in only a handful of animal species. Throughout the study, Happy stood before her mirror image and continuously used her trunk to touch an “X” mark painted above her eye, which she could only observe through the reflection.
She shared living space with other elephants until her final companion passed away in 2006. Happy subsequently lived apart from Patty and another elephant due to worries that they might not coexist peacefully, although Lovett explained the animals maintained visual, scent, and physical contact through a barrier. The third elephant, named Maxine, died in 2018.
Zoo representatives stated that the average lifespan for Asian elephants in American zoos is approximately 45 years. Their longevity in natural habitats is more challenging to determine.
Throughout Happy’s years, elephant exhibits at zoos faced growing criticism. Certain specialists argued that city-based animal facilities were inadequate for animals that travel vast distances in their natural environment. Animal welfare advocates contended that zoo enclosures were inappropriate for highly intelligent, socially complex elephants.
Several zoos eliminated their elephant displays and relocated the animals to sanctuaries, while other facilities continue supporting the housing and breeding of these creatures, maintaining that they generate public interest in wildlife preservation.
The Nonhuman Rights Project, an advocacy organization, filed a lawsuit against the Bronx Zoo in 2018, attempting to have Happy legally recognized as a “person” and relocated to a spacious animal sanctuary. This marked the first legal case of its kind involving an elephant, the group stated.
Using a legal concept typically employed to challenge unlawful human detention, the advocacy group characterized Happy as “an extraordinarily cognitively complex and autonomous nonhuman being” who was illegally denied freedom and suffered from confinement in an exhibit without elephant companions.
Zoo administrators maintained that Happy received excellent care and had access to areas for swimming, foraging, and other instinctive behaviors. Relocating her from her established home could cause her distress, the zoo argued.
New York’s highest court eventually dismissed the activists’ petition by a 5-2 vote. Colorado’s supreme court subsequently issued a comparable decision regarding five elephants at a zoo in that state.
However, two New York high court justices authored strong dissenting opinions. One described Happy’s confinement as “inherently unjust and inhumane” and “an affront to a civilized society.”
The Nonhuman Rights Project continues pursuing similar cases involving elephants in different states.
Happy chose to spend her last weeks in a non-public barn and yard area within her habitat, Piper reported. In what resembled zoo-based end-of-life care, staff members offered hydration, nutrition, and pain relief, he explained.
Officials report that Patty is currently in good health.
The Wildlife Conservation Society announced in 2006 that once only one elephant remained, the animal might be transferred to another zoo under appropriate conditions. Piper stated the zoo will approach any decision about relocating Patty from her 53-year home with careful consideration.
WASHINGTON — American forces carried out a deadly attack Wednesday on a vessel believed to be transporting narcotics in the eastern Pacific, resulting in two deaths.
U.S. Southern Command released footage on social media platforms displaying a watercraft floating on the ocean surface moments before an explosive strike. The final moments of the recording capture flames and smoke billowing from the targeted vessel.
Tuesday saw U.S. forces conduct a similar operation against a suspected narcotics boat in the eastern Pacific, resulting in one death and two people rescued. Southern Command stated it “immediately notified the U.S. Coast Guard to activate the Search and Rescue system for the survivors.”
The current administration’s strategy of destroying suspected drug-smuggling boats throughout Latin American waters, spanning the eastern Pacific and Caribbean Sea regions, has continued since early September and resulted in no fewer than 196 total deaths. Military officials have not released proof that any targeted vessels actually contained narcotics.
The Pentagon’s oversight office announced last week it would examine whether U.S. forces adhered to proper targeting procedures during these operations against suspected smuggling boats. The six-step Joint Targeting Cycle encompasses military commander objectives, target identification, analysis, decision-making, execution and evaluation.
The Pentagon inspector general’s office described the review as “self-initiated.” The investigation will not examine the legal basis for these operations, which have faced significant criticism from some Democratic lawmakers and military legal experts.
The current administration maintains the U.S. is engaged in warfare against Latin American drug organizations, which it blames for the epidemic of deadly drug overdoses affecting numerous American communities.
California’s governor put his signature on new legislation Wednesday designed to prevent federal interference in state elections, expressing concerns that President Donald Trump’s administration might attempt to disrupt this year’s midterm contests.
The new statute, which became effective right away and comes just days ahead of next Tuesday’s primary election, bars anyone — federal agents included — from gaining access to voter databases or election systems without obtaining a court order first. The measure also limits law enforcement from interfering with election personnel, except during public safety emergencies.
While Trump administration representatives have stated they don’t intend to deploy immigration agents to voting sites nationwide — a worry expressed by multiple Democratic secretaries of state this year — the governor cautioned that “we have to be prepared for everything” since “there’s no rules anymore with the Trump administration.”
California’s closely monitored gubernatorial primary is already seeing voter participation, with numerous Democratic candidates and two competitive Republicans competing for only two positions on the November general election ballot. The state’s open primary format allows just the top two vote recipients to move forward, without regard to party membership.
The governor, who is term-limited and cannot run again, described the election legislation as addressing “legitimate anxiety” regarding Trump’s methods, especially in states led by Democrats, where the president has sent federal agents despite local officials’ opposition. The Democratic leader cautioned against underestimating someone who “doesn’t believe in free and fair elections.”
“I expect the worst with Trump because he’s done the worst,” he stated during a press briefing.
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson responded to The Associated Press Wednesday evening that Trump remains dedicated to ensuring Americans maintain complete confidence in election administration.
“Instead of levying false attacks at the President, Newscum should look in the mirror,” she commented in a statement, referencing Trump’s disparaging term for the governor.
During a Vanity Fair interview last year, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles dismissed suggestions that Trump would use military forces to suppress voting, calling such claims “categorically false.”
The California statute also criminalizes knowingly removing completed ballots from election officials’ control.
Earlier this year, Trump’s FBI confiscated 2020 general election ballots from Georgia’s largest county, which leans heavily Democratic and has been central to the president’s unfounded allegations that fraud caused his electoral loss. The FBI and Justice Department have also requested records from past elections in the biggest counties in Arizona and Michigan.
Trump sparked nationwide redistricting activity before the midterms by encouraging Republicans in Texas and other states to redraw their U.S. House districts to help the party maintain control of the narrowly divided chamber. Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Florida and Tennessee have also approved new maps that may favor Republicans, with Louisiana potentially following suit.
Republicans currently believe they could pick up as many as 14 seats through redistricting in November, while Democrats estimate they could gain six in California and Utah.
The American dollar maintained strength close to its highest point in a week on Thursday following reports that the United States conducted fresh military strikes against Iran at a military facility, according to a Reuters report. At the same time, Japan’s currency declined toward levels that prompted central bank action last month.
The military action has created complications for ongoing diplomatic discussions between Washington and Tehran. On Wednesday, President Donald Trump expressed dissatisfaction with potential Iranian agreements, stating he was “not satisfied” regarding any deal with Iran. He also rejected claims from Iranian state media suggesting Iran and Oman would share control of Strait of Hormuz shipping as part of peace negotiations.
Energy prices climbed while the dollar found support as investors lost confidence in quick diplomatic solutions. Market watchers increasingly anticipate the American currency will continue rising as the Federal Reserve prioritizes fighting inflation amid higher energy costs.
“Geopolitics and the subsequent inflation risks remain a key concern,” wrote Alex Saunders, Citi’s head of global quant macro strategy. “We continue to see a trim in the USD underweight.”
European currencies declined against the dollar, with the euro dropping slightly to $1.1620 and the British pound falling 0.1% to $1.34176.
Currencies sensitive to market risk also weakened, including the Australian dollar which fell 0.2% to $0.71305, while New Zealand’s currency remained mostly unchanged at $0.58965.
The dollar index, tracking the greenback’s performance against six major trading partners, held steady at 99.288, approaching its strongest position since May 22.
Financial markets are now awaiting today’s release of the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation measurement, the core PCE deflator, which will influence future interest rate expectations.
Japan’s yen declined as low as 159.60 against the dollar Thursday, marking its weakest level since April 30 and approaching the 160 threshold that triggered Japanese government market intervention last month.
While that intervention provided temporary relief for policymakers, questions remain about its long-term effectiveness, according to Tony Sycamore, a market analyst at IG.
“The broader question is whether it was worth it for what essentially amounts to just a single month’s relief. And furthermore, will authorities have the stomach to write a similar-sized cheque if the 160 level is breached again in the coming sessions?” he said.
Financial markets are currently pricing approximately a 70% probability of a quarter-point interest rate increase at the Bank of Japan’s June 15-16 policy meeting, according to LSEG data.
Federal prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into writer E. Jean Carroll, who previously brought successful civil lawsuits against U.S. President Donald Trump, according to a source with knowledge of the matter.
The investigation centers on potential perjury charges related to Carroll’s testimony in connection with two civil cases she won against Trump – one involving her claims that he sexually abused her at a New York department store and another concerning defamation in 2019, the source told reporters Wednesday while requesting anonymity due to the ongoing nature of the investigation.
CNN was first to report this development.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago is leading the investigation, though the initiation of such a probe does not guarantee that charges will ultimately be filed against Carroll.
Neither the department nor Carroll’s attorney Robbie Kaplan provided immediate responses to requests for comment.
Trump’s Justice Department has initiated numerous investigations targeting the president’s critics since last year, with some resulting in criminal charges.
According to the source, prosecutors are focusing on a 2022 deposition in which the former Elle magazine columnist stated she had not received external funding for her legal case. Her legal team subsequently disclosed that Reid Hoffman, the billionaire co-founder of LinkedIn, had covered portions of her attorney fees.
In May 2023, a jury determined that Trump had sexually assaulted Carroll and defamed her through false statements, though they did not find him guilty of rape. A separate jury in January 2024 concluded he had defamed her and ordered him to pay $83.3 million in damages.
Trump has maintained his innocence regarding all allegations and continues to pursue legal challenges related to Carroll’s cases.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who has moved swiftly to implement Trump’s directives since replacing his predecessor Pam Bondi, has recused himself from this department investigation due to his previous role as one of Trump’s personal lawyers handling the Carroll appeals, the source noted.
Stock markets throughout Asia displayed caution Thursday after reports emerged of another U.S. military action in Iran, dampening investor hopes for an immediate resolution to regional tensions. Meanwhile, anticipated U.S. inflation figures posed additional concerns for bond markets and interest rate policies.
Energy prices surged 2% while Treasury bond yields climbed higher as the military action sent mixed messages about ongoing negotiations. This came after President Donald Trump rejected an Iranian announcement regarding a potential agreement to reopen shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz.
“Over the next 2 weeks, we expect either a deal for a new ceasefire, or the current ceasefire will have collapsed with active hostilities resuming,” said Madison Cartwright, a senior geo-economics analyst at CBA.
Cartwright estimated a 70% likelihood that negotiators would reach an agreement, though he warned that the shipping corridor’s future remained uncertain.
“Insurance through the strait has become prohibitively expensive and it’s unclear how and at what price insurance will be made available,” he added. “It is also not clear if Iran will charge a toll, or a toll by another name.”
Given that shipping traffic through the waterway remains severely limited, Brent crude prices climbed 2.3% to reach $96.50 per barrel, while U.S. crude increased 2.2% to $90.59.
Ten-year Treasury note yields rose 2 basis points to 4.502% as concerns about sustained high oil prices maintained upward pressure on inflation forecasts.
The uncertainty also slowed the technology sector’s recent market gains, with Japan’s Nikkei declining 0.2% and South Korean markets remaining unchanged. MSCI’s comprehensive Asia-Pacific stock index excluding Japan fell 0.1%.
Japanese media indicated the government intends to issue “bridging bonds” to finance major programs designed to stimulate investment in economic growth and security initiatives.
European market futures showed weakness, with EUROSTOXX 50 and DAX futures both dropping 0.2%, while FTSE futures declined 0.3%. S&P 500 and Nasdaq futures gained 0.1%.
Market attention now turns to upcoming U.S. personal consumption expenditure data, which contains the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation measurements.
Energy price impacts are projected to push headline PCE to a three-year peak of 3.8%, while core inflation is expected to increase 0.3% to an annual rate of 3.3%, significantly exceeding the Fed’s 2% objective.
The inflation acceleration has prompted additional Fed officials to advocate for abandoning the central bank’s accommodative stance or even considering rate increases.
“With inflation well above target but the growth impact of the conflict still uncertain, the Fed faces genuine two-sided risk,” argued analysts at NAB in a note.
“We see that uncertainty as the argument for holding rates through end-2027, whereas a firming in services core inflation would sharpen the case for higher-for-longer and a sharp moderation would shift attention to the emerging growth headwinds.”
Financial markets suggest equal odds for a quarter-point federal funds rate increase to 3.75-4.0% by year’s end.
Evolving Fed policy expectations have strengthened the U.S. dollar, which traded at 99.291 against major currencies, remaining stable for the week.
The dollar reached a four-week high against the yen at 159.57, approaching the 160.00 level that has previously prompted Japanese currency market intervention.
The euro declined slightly to $1.1620, though it maintains support from expectations that the European Central Bank will raise rates at its June meeting.
During Thursday remarks, ECB Chief Economist Philip Lane stressed the critical need to prevent energy price spikes from creating higher inflation expectations.
In commodities trading, gold dropped 0.3% to $4,445 per ounce, continuing to provide limited appeal as either a safe-haven investment or inflation protection.
The National Basketball Association plans to implement artificial intelligence technology to automatically handle certain types of calls during games, Commissioner Adam Silver announced this week.
Speaking on ESPN’s the Pat McAfee Show on Wednesday, Silver explained that the league will deploy an automated system to handle out-of-bounds determinations and similar possession decisions, aiming to accelerate game pace and eliminate arguments over ball possession.
Silver drew parallels to the Hawk-Eye electronic system used in professional tennis, which rapidly determines whether balls land within or outside court boundaries.
“We’re going to move to a system like that where that whole category of calls will be automatic,” Silver stated during the broadcast.
“It’s going to be Laker ball, Knick ball, whatever it is. Those calls will be done by an AI, automated system with cameras lined around the court,” he explained.
The new technology would provide immediate decisions and enable referees to concentrate on contact violations and foul calls instead.
“It will take all those so-called objective calls out of the hands of the referees,” Silver noted. “You won’t have to deal with challenges on those calls.”
While Silver didn’t specify an exact launch date for the system, he indicated implementation would happen “fairly quickly.”
The league has progressively adopted replay reviews and centralized decision processes to enhance officiating precision, though these reviews sometimes extend game duration.
Silver emphasized that referees will continue to play a crucial role in evaluating physical contact situations, where human judgment remains necessary to assess whether players have been hindered.
“There’s often contact on every play, but that doesn’t mean there’s a foul on every play,” Silver observed. “That’s something that can’t just be done on camera.”
WASHINGTON, May 27 — Federal officials on Wednesday imposed fresh sanctions targeting Iran by placing the Persian Gulf Strait Authority on the Treasury Department’s Specially Designated Nationals list, according to the department’s website.
The authority serves as Iran’s administrative body for handling passage requests through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s control over this critical waterway, which carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply, has created significant disruption to global economic markets.
The strait was shut down by Iran following the commencement of military operations by the U.S. and Israel against Iran on February 28.
Last week, the Persian Gulf Strait Authority released a map that reinforced Iran’s territorial claims over an extensive area of water surrounding the strategic chokepoint.
The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, which oversees the SDN list containing thousands of sanctioned individuals and organizations, made the designation official.
Drivers traveling on Faulkland Road should prepare for potential delays as construction work creates intermittent lane restrictions at the Oak Hill Road intersection.
The ongoing construction project will continue to impact traffic flow with periodic lane closures until 6AM.
Motorists are advised to allow extra travel time and exercise caution when navigating through the work zone area.
Drivers traveling northbound on S. College Avenue, also known as Route 896, should expect delays due to ongoing construction work that has shut down the right lane.
The lane closure affects the stretch of roadway between Exit 1B and Welch Tract Road, with the restriction scheduled to remain in place until 6 a.m.
Motorists are advised to plan for extra travel time and use caution when navigating through the construction zone.
Drivers traveling on southbound College Avenue should expect delays due to ongoing construction work that has forced the closure of the right lane.
The affected stretch runs from Plymouth Drive to Welch Tract Road on Route 896 southbound, where construction crews are working on an unspecified project.
According to traffic officials, the lane restriction will stay in place until 6 AM, though no specific date was provided for when the closure will be lifted.
Motorists are advised to plan for extra travel time and consider alternate routes if possible while the construction work continues.
A significant restructuring is underway in Australia’s private healthcare sector as HealthCo Healthcare & Wellness REIT announced Thursday that a nonprofit organization will assume control of a hospital previously managed by a troubled healthcare company.
The arrangement involves Mount Private Hospital, which will transition to management by Bethesda Health Care beginning in the first quarter of fiscal year 2027. The facility is currently part of a network owned by one of Australia’s major private hospital operators, which entered receivership twelve months ago.
Key elements of the transition include:
• The current hospital operator manages 38 facilities across Australia and has been under receivership for one year
• Mount Private Hospital is among 11 facilities in the network owned by Unlisted Healthcare Fund and HealthCo Healthcare
• Bethesda Health Care, operating as a nonprofit private hospital company, will assume operations under a new extended lease arrangement
• The Western Australia state government will serve as guarantor and provide financial support to facilitate the operational transfer
• State health authorities plan to utilize the facility for procedures including elective surgeries to reduce public healthcare waiting lists
• Officials have granted due diligence periods to potential operators, including Calvary Health Care, for 27 additional hospitals in the network
• New lease agreements are already established for 10 other facilities with Healthe Care, Acurio Health, and KnG Healthcare operating in Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland respectively
A prominent defense research organization warned Thursday that military confrontation between the United States and China over Taiwan could spiral into nuclear conflict, with both nations likely to launch extensive attacks on each other’s command and communication centers.
The London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) released the strategic evaluation before this weekend’s major annual defense gathering in Singapore. The organization stated the world stands at the threshold of a fresh nuclear arms competition “with the Asia-Pacific at its core.”
“Regional states and those with strategic interests are expanding their nuclear arsenals, while non-nuclear weapons states pursue long-range conventional-strike capabilities: both challenging strategic stability,” the IISS assessment said.
Taiwan is anticipated to be a major discussion point at the IISS’ Shangri-La Dialogue, alongside Iranian conflicts and questions about American regional commitments.
The unofficial conference spans May 29 to 31, bringing together a diverse group of ministers, generals, intelligence chiefs, diplomats, analysts and weapons makers.
The gathering follows a summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump in Beijing earlier this month, which led to some concern in Taipei about the U.S. commitment to help the democratically ruled island defend itself.
Beijing has never ruled out the use of force to take control of Taiwan, but has also said it would prefer “peaceful reunification.” Taiwan’s government rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims.
China has ramped up pressure on Taiwan by increasing its military presence around the island, keeping Taipei on high alert for further Chinese moves following the summit.
Trump’s Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth will be speaking at the Singapore conference on Saturday, China has yet to confirm that its Defence Minister Dong Jun will be attending.
The 156-page IISS assessment examines evolving military doctrines across the region as well as how a conflict over Taiwan might play out.
Although American and Chinese forces would have different objectives in a Taiwan situation – the Chinese seeking to keep the U.S. and its allies away while America strengthens Taiwan’s defenses – both nations could be anticipated to initiate massive operations spanning all military areas.
“Conflict with China would risk escalation, potentially to a nuclear level, given the strategic importance of Taiwan to Beijing,” the document says.
“There is currently little public evidence to suggest that both militaries understand the necessary guard rails to prevent, or rules of engagement that would restrict, both sides potentially targeting each other’s key command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance nodes,” the assessment says.
“The prospect of nuclear escalation will thus continue to loom large in an major U.S.-China conflict.”
While both the U.S. and Russian nuclear arsenals still dwarf China’s stockpiles, U.S. officials and arms control analysts say China is expanding and improving its atomic weapons capabilities faster than any other nuclear power.
A Pentagon report released in December said China was on track to field 1,000 warheads by 2030.
The Federation of American Scientists estimates that Russia and the U.S. field 4,400 and 3,700 active warheads respectively while China has 620.
Motorists traveling eastbound on Naamans Road are encountering lane restrictions due to ongoing construction work.
The right lane is currently closed along the stretch between Peach Tree Road and Hickman Road, creating potential delays for commuters and other drivers in the area.
Transportation officials indicate the lane closure will remain in effect until 6 AM, when normal traffic patterns are expected to resume.
Drivers are advised to allow extra travel time and exercise caution when navigating through the construction zone.
Washington imposed new economic penalties Wednesday on Iran’s maritime control agency as part of an extensive financial pressure strategy during ongoing hostilities, focusing on the nation’s recently established organization that oversees vessel movement through the Strait of Hormuz.
The action, initially disclosed by The Associated Press, represents Washington’s continued strategy of combining financial pressure with military measures to compel Iranian officials toward a settlement that would conclude the conflict and reopen the crucial shipping lane through which one-fifth of global oil and natural gas typically flows. President Donald Trump has indicated an agreement is approaching, though discussions continue.
The decision arrives amid increasing energy costs and other expenses resulting from Iran’s effective blockade of the strait, creating political challenges for Trump and fellow Republicans before upcoming midterm congressional elections.
“The Iranian military’s latest attempt to extort global maritime trade is proof that Economic Fury has left the regime desperate for cash,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement.
The penalties focus on Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority and any individual or organization working with the recently announced agency that authorizes passage through the strait and imposes fees potentially reaching $2 million per ship.
Iran’s influential paramilitary Revolutionary Guard has supported this supervision initiative, claiming the sole secure passage for transit through the vital waterway follows their designated corridor and warning that vessels departing from that route encounter multiple attacks and dangers.
Iran’s grip on the strait has triggered global energy disruptions following the commencement of hostilities by the U.S. and Israel on Feb. 28. Costs have increased for oil, gas and associated products, with analysts indicating recovery of shipping and pricing would require weeks or months after the waterway’s reopening.
Meanwhile, the U.S. has maintained a blockade of Iranian ports for more than a month, with Trump stating it “will remain in full force and effect until an agreement is reached, certified, and signed.”
These recent financial measures occur as Washington and Tehran have participated in some of their most intensive diplomatic discussions and negotiations in years, seeking to conclude the war and establish a framework for addressing longer-term disputes between the long-standing adversaries.
Trump stated Wednesday that Iran is “negotiating on fumes” and indicated the parties are approaching an agreement even after U.S. military officials reported conducting strikes on missile facilities and vessels deploying mines in “self-defense.” Later Wednesday, American forces executed additional defensive strikes on an Iranian military installation after destroying Iranian attack drones, according to U.S. officials who lacked authorization for public comment and requested anonymity.
“They want very much to make a deal,” Trump said at a Cabinet meeting Wednesday. “So far, they haven’t gotten there. We’re not satisfied with it, but we will be — either that or we’ll have to just finish the job.”
The Republican president has also restated his warning that combat would continue without a settlement but has stepped back from those threats multiple times over recent months.
Federal prosecutors in Miami have been instructed by the Trump administration to halt criminal investigations targeting Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez, who has long been monitored by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, according to current and former law enforcement officials. The directive signals improving diplomatic relations between Washington and the oil-rich South American nation.
Whether prosecutors had connected Rodríguez to criminal activity or were preparing charges remains unknown. A Justice Department representative stated via email that “there was never an investigation into her to shut down.”
However, DEA documents acquired by The Associated Press this year reveal that Rodríguez has repeatedly appeared in federal law enforcement reports since at least 2018, despite never facing criminal charges in the United States unlike other high-ranking Venezuelan officials.
The order to halt scrutiny of Rodríguez aimed to prevent interference with the administration’s efforts to bring stability to Venezuela following the arrest of her predecessor, Nicolás Maduro, among other considerations, according to an official. Whether the White House participated in this decision remains uncertain, as they directed inquiries to the Justice Department.
“Everybody has been told to stand down,” stated one former official.
The former officials, who received briefings on this development, along with the current official, all spoke to The Associated Press under anonymity because they lacked authorization to discuss internal matters publicly.
Rodríguez, a U.S. attorney representing her, and the Venezuelan Communications Ministry did not respond to comment requests.
Eliminating the possibility of charges, even temporarily, reduces pressure on Rodríguez while the Trump administration attempts to collaborate with the acting leader to stabilize Venezuela after Maduro’s removal and welcome U.S. investment to the country.
President Donald Trump called Rodríguez a “terrific person” shortly after the U.S. military transported Maduro and his wife to New York to face federal drug charges. Both have entered not guilty pleas.
Recently, the U.S. has removed sanctions against Rodríguez and acknowledged her as Venezuela’s singular head of state, enabling her to restore connections with western financial institutions and collaborate more freely with U.S. investors interested in accessing the world’s largest oil reserves. As relations between both governments have strengthened, some point to the Venezuelan approach — marked by oil embargoes, leadership indictments, and military intervention threats — as a blueprint for promoting internal regime change while the U.S. pressures other long-standing adversaries in Iran and Cuba.
Rodríguez and her brother, Jorge Rodríguez, who leads the National Assembly, faced U.S. sanctions during Trump’s first presidency for their involvement in weakening Venezuelan democracy and solidifying Maduro’s authoritarian control.
Rodríguez “is doing a great job,” Trump posted on social media in early March. “The Oil is beginning to flow, and the professionalism and dedication between both Countries is a very nice thing to see!”
In recent months, Rodríguez has organized events with numerous American oil executives, some participating in prominent delegations headed by U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum.
Absent from all the mutual praise is any discussion of elections, despite Rodríguez exceeding a 90-day deadline last month established by Venezuela’s high court to temporarily occupy Maduro’s role.
“I don’t know,” she answered in English when a visiting U.S. journalist earlier this month called out a question about her timeline for conducting elections. “Some time.”
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the leading Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has requested the administration justify its favorable approach toward Rodríguez, describing her as a “central figure in Nicolás Maduro’s repressive regime.”
“Sanctions have been lifted on Ms. Rodríguez without any indication that she has taken concrete and meaningful actions to restore democratic order,” Sheehan, alongside Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, stated in a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent last week.
Rick de la Torre, a former CIA chief of station in Caracas, explained that the decision to protect Rodríguez aligns with the Trump administration’s foreign policy objectives in Venezuela.
“She’s a lifelong Marxist and was a senior leader of one of the world’s most corrupt regimes but the U.S. is providing her with breathing space and carrots to lay the foundation for democracy and U.S. investment,” said de la Torre, the CEO of Tower Strategy, which advises companies on Venezuela.
“There’s a shelf life to her utility, however. At some point she will face justice,” he added.
The DEA had compiled an extensive intelligence file on Rodríguez from at least 2018, receiving accusations against her ranging from drug trafficking to gold smuggling, the AP reported earlier this year. One confidential informant told DEA in early 2021 that Rodríguez was using hotels in the Caribbean resort of Isla Margarita “as a front to launder money,” the records show.
Her name has appeared in nearly a dozen DEA investigations — several of which continued as recently as this year — involving field offices from Paraguay and Ecuador to Phoenix and New York. She had also been connected to Maduro’s alleged financial operative, Alex Saab, whom U.S. authorities first detained in 2020 on money-laundering charges, the records show.
Rodríguez expelled Saab this month during a cleanup of insider businessmen accused of enriching themselves through corrupt arrangements with Maduro.
Which Miami investigations mentioned Rodríguez’s name remains unclear. Two former officials said Rodríguez has also been discussed in meetings with investigators in Tampa assigned last year by former Attorney General Pam Bondi to examine financial crimes in Venezuela.
At that time, Rodríguez served as Maduro’s vice president. Justice Department policy requires the attorney general to personally authorize charging any foreign head of state, who typically enjoy immunity from prosecution under international and U.S. law.
The suspension of investigations into Rodríguez occurs as the Trump administration has similarly slowed ongoing federal investigations into another prominent Latin American leftist, Colombian President Gustavo Petro.
The DEA had also labeled Petro a “priority target” due to alleged connections to drug traffickers that federal prosecutors had investigated for months. The New York Times reported in March that U.S. officials recently assured the Colombian government Petro does not face charges in those cases.
Duncan Levin, a former prosecutor who worked for the U.S. attorney’s office in Brooklyn, said it would be “deeply troubling” for law enforcement to be “told to stand down from a legitimate investigation for political or transactional reasons.”
“The White House cannot use criminal enforcement as a diplomatic light switch,” Levin told AP. “DOJ decisions are supposed to be based on law, evidence, policy and public safety — not on whether a foreign official is useful to the administration at a given moment.”
South Korean exports are anticipated to climb for a twelfth consecutive month in May, fueled by worldwide artificial intelligence investment that has sparked increased demand for semiconductors, according to a new Reuters survey released Thursday.
Nine economists surveyed predicted that exports from Asia’s fourth-largest economy would increase 48.4% compared to the same period last year. The country’s trade performance serves as an important indicator for global commerce trends.
The projected growth rate would represent a slight uptick from April’s 48.0% increase, though it falls short of March’s 50.2% surge, which marked the highest level recorded since August 1988. Export growth has been sustained since June 2025, with double-digit increases documented since December.
“It is in line with projection that export growth will accelerate in the second quarter from the first quarter, but the pace is even stronger,” said Stephen Lee, an economist at Meritz Securities in Seoul.
Data from the first 20 days of May revealed exports jumped 64.8% year-over-year, with semiconductor sales more than tripling during that period.
“The export boom will continue for a significant period of time on the global manufacturing cycle being robust despite high oil prices and the boom in chip exports,” said Park Sang-hyun, an economist at iM Securities.
The survey also indicated imports would likely grow 21.5% this month compared to last year, representing an acceleration from April’s 16.7% gain and marking the fastest pace since August 2022.
Consumer inflation is expected to reach 3.0% in May, up from 2.6% in April, which would represent the quickest year-over-year growth since March 2024.
Official trade data for May will be released by South Korea on Monday, June 1, at 9 a.m. local time.
A federal agency responsible for protecting consumers in financial matters announced Wednesday it will bring nearly all of its field staff back to Washington, D.C., in what appears to be another effort to reduce the organization’s scope.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau plans to move approximately 450 workers from locations near its previous regional centers in San Francisco, Atlanta, Chicago and New York to its Washington headquarters. The agency will also eliminate remote work options, according to an internal email.
This consolidation is expected to prompt more employees to leave the agency, adding to a trend of departures that has already reduced staffing significantly.
For over a year, the current administration has been fighting in federal courts to gain approval for plans to cut the majority of the agency’s employees, though legal challenges have prevented this so far.
Agency representatives did not provide immediate responses to requests for comment made after regular business hours Wednesday.
High-ranking administration officials, including the president, have characterized the CFPB, which Congress established in 2010, as a politically motivated obstacle to business freedom. Meanwhile, opposition party members and supporters of the agency view elimination efforts as favoring corporations over consumer interests.
Workers currently based at the agency’s headquarters near the White House must return to in-person work five days per week starting in July, the internal communication stated.
Starting August 31, the email specified that “staff whose duty stations are greater than 50 miles from headquarters, staff associated with former regional offices” and all field workers will need to report to the new headquarters location.
The agency will provide relocation expenses for “eligible” employees following existing guidelines, according to a separate memo.
In February, the administration terminated the lease on the CFPB’s well-positioned Washington headquarters near the White House. The building now partially serves as workspace for Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, who also serves as acting director of the consumer protection agency.
The replacement office is located in a different area of the capital with less convenient public transit access, the email indicated.
Since the administration announced plans to eliminate the agency last year and suspended most of its operations, the CFPB has lost roughly one-third of its approximately 1,700 employees, court documents show.
Officials are currently seeking judicial approval to terminate about half of the workers who remain.
The chief executive of technology giant Nvidia has reportedly accepted a position on the advisory board of a Chinese university, according to a Financial Times report published Wednesday.
Sources familiar with the situation told the publication that the CEO has agreed to join the advisory board at Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management in Beijing. The board is currently led by Apple’s Tim Cook as chair.
The technology executive recently accompanied U.S. President Donald Trump during a visit to China, according to the report.
Neither Nvidia nor the Beijing university immediately provided responses when contacted by Reuters for verification of the report. Reuters was unable to independently confirm the information at the time of publication.
WASHINGTON, May 27 – American military forces conducted an operation in the eastern Pacific Ocean that resulted in the deaths of two individuals, according to military officials.
The U.S. Southern Command released a statement explaining the action, saying “Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations.”
NEWARK, Del. – The Blue Hens women’s basketball team has secured a major recruiting victory by signing Amalia Fruchtman, who captured the 2025-26 Gatorade Delaware Girls Basketball Player of the Year honor, according to head coach Sarah Jenkins who made the announcement Wednesday.
The addition of Fruchtman represents a significant coup for the University of Delaware program, bringing in the top high school talent from within the state’s borders.
Federal Reserve Vice Chair Philip Jefferson declared Wednesday that the nation’s monetary policy stance is appropriately calibrated as inflation concerns persist.
Speaking at the 2026 Bank of Japan-Institute for Monetary and Economic Studies Conference in Tokyo, Jefferson indicated the federal funds target rate range of 3.5% to 3.75% positions the central bank favorably “to respond to economic developments based on the incoming data, the evolving outlook, and the balance of risks.”
The Fed’s second-highest official refrained from previewing future rate decisions, stating regarding the June 16-17 Federal Open Market Committee meeting: “I have not prejudged the next meeting and look forward to engaging with my colleagues about the policy necessary to best achieve our dual-mandate goals.”
These remarks marked Jefferson’s initial public statements following Kevin Warsh’s swearing-in as Fed chair last Friday, replacing Jerome Powell, who remains as a governor temporarily.
Warsh, previously known for hawkish positions, has shown keen interest in rate reductions while pursuing the Fed’s leadership role, though analysts doubt such moves this year given inflation increases linked to President Donald Trump’s import tax policies and Middle East conflict.
In his address, Jefferson acknowledged that despite America’s significant oil production, the country remains vulnerable to energy market disruptions caused by ongoing warfare. While he anticipates inflation pressures will diminish later this year, he cautioned about potential upward risks to this projection.
Jefferson characterized the U.S. economy as performing strongly alongside a steady employment market marked by minimal hiring and layoff activity. He noted employment-related risks lean toward potential weakening.
Federal authorities have filed charges against a Google software engineer accused of exploiting confidential company data to place lucrative wagers on a prediction betting platform, according to court documents made public Wednesday.
Michele Spagnuolo, a 36-year-old Italian citizen, is accused of leveraging inside knowledge to wager on Google’s annual most-searched rankings through Polymarket, generating $1.2 million in winnings, prosecutors allege.
Court filings indicate Spagnuolo placed bets on unlikely candidates such as indie pop artist D4vd, who gained massive search traffic following his arrest in connection with a teenage girl’s murder. D4vd ultimately became the year’s most-searched individual when Google released its statistics on December 4, but Spagnuolo had allegedly placed his wager on November 27 using confidential data.
The D4vd bet proved especially lucrative since betting markets assigned virtually no chance that the musician would top Google’s search rankings, according to prosecutors.
Using the username “AlphaRaccoon,” Spagnuolo also allegedly exploited insider data for additional wagers tied to Google’s search statistics. In October, he bet on rapper Kendrick Lamar topping the most-searched list, at a time when Google’s internal metrics showed Lamar leading in search volume.
Spagnuolo resides in Switzerland, according to the federal complaint filed in Manhattan court. Reuters was unable to immediately locate legal representation for the defendant.
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton stated that prosecutors will aggressively pursue corporate employees who exploit confidential business data for betting market profits.
“Insider trading compromises the integrity of our markets, and the American people want this greed-driven conduct investigated and prosecuted,” Clayton said.
Google confirmed it is cooperating with law enforcement and emphasized that using confidential information for betting purposes violates company policy. A Google spokesperson said Spagnuolo has been suspended pending the investigation.
This case follows April charges against a U.S. Army soldier accused of using classified intelligence to place Polymarket bets regarding the potential capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
Chemical storage tanks number in the millions across the United States, and specialists indicate failures are extremely uncommon when facilities follow proper maintenance and inspection procedures.
However, the past week witnessed two significant hazardous material incidents on the West Coast. On Tuesday, a large container holding corrosive chemicals burst at a paper mill in Longview, Washington, resulting in two confirmed deaths and potentially nine additional fatalities. Additionally, around 50,000 residents were forced to evacuate in Southern California late last week when a chemical storage vessel overheated and posed a risk of catastrophic explosion. Officials successfully addressed the danger, allowing residents to return to their homes.
These events have sparked discussions about regulatory oversight for companies managing dangerous substances. A review by the Associated Press revealed that officials across local, state and federal jurisdictions share responsibility for maintaining safety at these operations.
Here’s what to understand:
According to chemical engineering professor Stephen Kmiotek, nearly all industries utilize chemical storage tanks. These containers are widespread because most manufacturing operations incorporate chemicals during production processes.
Kmiotek explained that while millions of tanks exist nationwide, they remain generally secure when companies adhere to construction, maintenance and inspection standards. The Worcester Polytechnic Institute professor noted that chemical tank failures occur at approximately 1 incident per 1 million tanks annually.
“There are a lot of measures in place to keep people safe,” Kmiotek stated, noting he has closely monitored the Washington situation.
However, companies must maintain adequate upkeep and inspections, especially as tanks age. He recommended increasing inspection frequency after tanks reach 10 years of operation. This becomes particularly crucial for containers storing highly caustic materials, such as the white liquor involved in the Washington incident. Tank valves require more frequent replacement in these applications.
Washington authorities reported they have not yet determined the tank’s age or when valves were last replaced.
Following the 1984 Bhopal, India, pesticide plant catastrophe that claimed at least 3,800 lives, the chemical industry implemented numerous safety improvements. These included ensuring proper tank construction and inspection, educating workers about hazards, and conducting failure analysis to identify potential risks and affected populations.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency participated in responses to both incidents, and the U.S. Chemical Safety Board announced Wednesday it would investigate the Washington event. This independent federal agency examines incidents that could result in “the catastrophic release of extremely hazardous substances.”
State agencies in Washington and California supervised safety at both companies, working alongside local fire marshals and hazardous materials teams, according to Marissa Baker, an associate professor in the University of Washington, Department of Environmental & Occupational Sciences. The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health and the Washington state Department of Labor and Industries would have handled inspections, she explained.
In Washington state, where chemical facilities outnumber available inspectors, the state labor agency typically initiates investigations following complaints or incidents, Baker noted.
Baker mentioned that the Washington company, Nippon Dynawave, had been subject to two state labor and industries agency investigations, though those issues were unrelated to the current situation, and the facility had experienced fires in recent years.
Federal regulations mandate that facilities storing or using hazardous chemicals maintain a “safety data sheet” outlining dangers and emergency response guidance. Companies must share this information with state, tribal and local authorities. Under an EPA right-to-know regulation, businesses must permit fire department inspections upon request.
The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration has established procedures for industries using or storing highly dangerous chemicals, called Process Safety Management standards. These encompass inspections, training, special work permits, operating procedures and emergency planning and response.
While the GKN Aerospace facility in Garden Grove, California, would be subject to this regulation due to manufacturing materials used, it remained unclear whether the Longview paper mill must follow Process Safety Management protocols.
Stephen Lester, a public health specialist and former science director of the Center for Health, Environment & Justice, expressed concern about unclear exposure level standards. One primary standard addresses workplace exposure, but no established guideline exists for safe chemical exposure levels following spills or explosions.
“Without these health-based guidelines, you’re ending up with some person making the judgment about what’s acceptable and what’s not,” Lester said, drawing from over 40 years helping communities evaluate health risks.
Additionally, workplace standards are based on an average man, failing to account for children, elderly individuals, or those with compromised immune systems.
“It’s a very tough situation. I don’t envy the scientists and the toxicologists in the position of advising the decision makers because that person’s going to have to make a judgment call in their best opinion based on what information he knows and he’s been able to research and generally accept it about the exposure to these chemicals,” Lester said.
NEW YORK (AP) — New York has enacted legislation making it a criminal offense to prevent individuals from accessing houses of worship or to engage in behavior that causes worshippers to feel threatened when entering religious facilities, following a wave of disruptive demonstrations at synagogues across the state.
Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the legislation on Tuesday, which also grants law enforcement the authority to create 50-foot protective zones around religious buildings where demonstrations are prohibited.
“Every New Yorker should be able to enter their house of worship and practice their religion without fear,” Hochul, a Democrat, said in a statement.
However, opponents express concern that these protective zones might be utilized to suppress peaceful protests or restrict constitutional speech rights.
“This law risks chilling activism at a time when the voices of New Yorkers are more needed than ever, which will be a gift to the Trump administration,” said Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union. “This effort to trade away New Yorkers’ rights was needless and reflects the worst kind of governance.”
The governor enacted this legislation following multiple demonstrations at synagogues that were hosting real estate gatherings encouraging relocation to Israel and territories under Israeli control in the West Bank.
Organizations supporting Palestinian causes have contended that these gatherings are components of an extended effort to displace Arab populations from Israel and territories under its authority. They further assert that such events support the expansion of unauthorized Jewish communities in occupied regions.
However, certain Jewish community leaders have characterized these demonstrations as antisemitic in nature.
At one demonstration outside a Queens synagogue, protesters voiced support for Hamas. Additional protests have escalated into confrontations between groups supporting Israel and those backing Palestinian causes.
The recent legislation establishes misdemeanor charges for individuals who obstruct access to religious facilities.
The concept of establishing protest-free zones has been under review for several months, creating questions about how authorities can maintain equilibrium between constitutional speech protections and religious freedom rights in legislation that could withstand legal challenges. In 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated a 35-foot demonstration-free area outside Massachusetts abortion facilities, ruling it violated constitutional principles.
Hochul’s signed legislation will take effect across the entire state and encompasses all religious facilities, including mosques, which have also faced protests in previous years.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has additionally enacted separate municipal legislation requiring the New York Police Department to reveal strategies for managing demonstrations outside religious buildings and guidelines for implementing security perimeters.
Mamdani rejected similar legislation that would have covered protests near schools due to concerns about overly broad definitions of educational institutions.
Crude oil prices experienced a significant surge on Thursday, climbing more than $1 per barrel as markets reacted to recent U.S. military action against Iranian targets, even as diplomatic discussions continue between the two countries.
West Texas Intermediate crude futures jumped $1.42, representing a 1.6% increase, reaching $90.10 per barrel by 2328 GMT. This sharp rise followed a substantial 5.55% decline in the prior trading session.
The price volatility reflects market concerns over potential supply disruptions as military tensions persist alongside ongoing peace negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
WASHINGTON — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s commanding victory over longtime Senator John Cornyn in Tuesday’s Republican Senate runoff delivered President Donald Trump a significant political triumph, but it may have also handed Democrats exactly the matchup they were hoping for in the Lone Star State.
Though Trump’s last-minute endorsement of Paxton proved successful, political analysts warn the outcome could jeopardize the GOP’s slim Senate majority.
Here are five key implications from the race:
CORNYN BECOMES AN UNPREDICTABLE FORCE
Trump’s backing of Paxton created friction with Senate Republican Leader John Thune and Senator Tim Scott, who leads the GOP’s Senate campaign efforts.
With no future election campaigns to consider, Cornyn could now operate as an independent voice during his remaining time in office, similar to retiring Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who successfully opposed Kevin Warsh’s Federal Reserve chair nomination, or Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, who lost his state’s primary runoff and recently joined Democrats in supporting an Iran war powers resolution.
Cornyn now finds himself in that same category of senators, though whether the former GOP leadership member will challenge Trump during his final months remains uncertain, especially after running a campaign closely aligned with the president.
FINANCIAL CHALLENGES LOOM FOR PAXTON
During his victory remarks Tuesday evening, Paxton urged supporters to contribute through his campaign website, cautioning that his Democratic opponent, state Representative James Talarico, will “raise more money than any Democrat in America.”
Recent financial disclosures revealed Paxton held $2.3 million in campaign funds as of early May, while Talarico possessed $9.9 million in early April.
A confidential memo from last year by the Senate Republicans’ campaign organization cautioned that a Paxton candidacy could “cause Republicans to divert hundreds of millions that would otherwise be spent winning key battlegrounds.”
With Paxton now the nominee, the source of that funding remains uncertain. The Senate Leadership Fund, the GOP’s main super PAC, declined to comment, as did MAGA Inc, Trump’s $356 million super PAC.
“This is the wrong election to have someone who’s as weak of a nominee as Paxton up against someone who’s as strong a fundraiser as Talarico,” observed one Texas political consultant, predicting that “MAGA Inc. will have to step in.”
TEXAS BECOMES MORE COMPETITIVE
Both Cook Political Report and Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics moved their Texas Senate race ratings from “likely Republican” to “lean Republican,” confirming concerns that Paxton represents a more vulnerable candidate than Cornyn.
Despite Trump carrying Texas by nearly 14 points in 2024, Republicans must now invest millions in what’s expected to be a contentious battle to protect what was previously a secure seat.
A Wednesday campaign memo from Talarico’s team positioned him as “the best positioned candidate in a generation to win Texas.” He characterized Paxton as “the most corrupt and damaged nominee in the modern Texas GOP,” referencing his felony charges, Texas House impeachment proceedings, corruption allegations, and reports of extramarital relationships.
Paxton and his supporters plan to target Talarico on cultural issues, including his support for transgender youth, describing God as nonbinary, his previous “non-meat campaign” purchasing only vegan products, and statements suggesting more than two biological sexes exist.
A Wednesday advertisement also highlighted Talarico’s comparison of the border to a “front porch” with “a giant welcome mat.”
OTHER COMPETITIVE RACES AT STAKE
Republicans currently maintain a 53-47 Senate advantage, meaning Democrats need to gain four seats for control.
Democrats must defend two states Trump carried in 2024 — Georgia and Michigan — while pursuing Republican-held territories including North Carolina, Maine, Ohio, and Alaska.
Lauren French, a spokesperson for the Democratic group Senate Majority PAC, suggested Republicans face a “tough conversation” about reallocating resources from other competitive states.
In North Carolina, former Governor Roy Cooper faces former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley to replace the retiring Tillis. Ohio features former Senator Sherrod Brown challenging incumbent Republican Senator Jon Husted. Both contests are rated as toss-ups and will be crucial for determining Senate control in November.
“Will it be less in North Carolina, where their candidate is already down?” French questioned. “Less in Ohio, where they put an astronomical amount of money signaling their concern over Husted?”
LOW TURNOUT AIDED PAXTON’S SUCCESS
While Trump may view Paxton’s win as proof of his endorsement power, the general election will feature a vastly different voter pool than the limited Republican runoff participants.
Paxton benefited from minimal runoff turnout, securing fewer than 900,000 votes — significantly below the March primary participation levels. Over 2 million Democrats voted in their primary, with more than a million supporting Talarico.
Without Trump appearing on the ballot, some voters may skip the election or leave the Senate race blank while Talarico appeals to independent and moderate Republican voters.
Professional golfer Tiger Woods has confirmed he will sit out all major championships this season after choosing not to register for The Open Championship, marking his continued absence from competitive golf since 2024.
While Woods lacks eligibility for next month’s U.S. Open, he maintained special qualification status for The Open. The golf star had previously spoken publicly about potentially making his return at last month’s Masters tournament.
However, a vehicle collision in late March that led to a DUI arrest changed those comeback aspirations. Following the incident, Woods revealed he would pursue treatment and step back from his organizational responsibilities, which included his positions on the PGA Tour Policy Board and the Future Competition Committee, while also removing himself from consideration as U.S. Ryder Cup captain.
Physical challenges have significantly impacted Woods’ professional involvement in recent years. A different automobile accident in 2021 caused injuries to his lower leg, and he has undergone seven back operations, including disk replacement surgery in October. The 15-time major winner has been unable to secure another championship since the 2021 accident, with his most recent victory coming at the 2019 Masters.
At age 50, Woods maintains his exemption status for The Open Championship through age 60.
Meanwhile, 55-year-old Phil Mickelson has chosen to register for the tournament, though his attendance remains uncertain due to his absence from multiple LIV events this spring while dealing with a family health matter. Mickelson’s last missed Open Championship occurred in 2009, and he claimed the title in 2013.
Woods captured Open Championship victories in 2000, 2005, and 2006.
California’s governor has declared his state will fully tax any money distributed to residents from the Trump administration’s $1.8 billion compensation fund targeting alleged victims of political persecution, according to an announcement made Wednesday.
Governor Gavin Newsom stated his intention during public remarks, saying “One thing I think we’re going to try to do … is tax 100%. Anyone from California who receives any of those funds, we want to tax 100% of those proceeds and that’s an action the state of California can take. It’s an action we look forward to taking.”
The governor’s office took to social media to label the $1.776 billion compensation program as a “slush fund.”
Newsom provided no timeline for when California would begin implementing this taxation policy.
Neither the White House nor the Justice Department offered immediate responses when asked for comment.
The compensation program emerged from a legal settlement between U.S. President Donald Trump and the Internal Revenue Service, following Trump’s lawsuit against the agency for releasing his tax information to news outlets.
More than 1,500 individuals connected to January 6 received presidential pardons from Trump last year. Many of these defendants are now tallying expenses from their legal proceedings, incarceration periods, and lost businesses while seeking reimbursement for what they consider misconduct by the Justice Department during former President Joe Biden’s tenure.
This unprecedented compensation effort already faces court challenges from two law enforcement officers who protected the U.S. Capitol during the January 6, 2021 riots.
Both Democratic and some Republican lawmakers have raised concerns about the fund’s legal foundation, particularly questioning a settlement provision that permanently prevents the IRS from conducting future audits of Trump, his family members, and his business enterprises.
Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina criticized the program, stating “(The fund) could potentially compensate someone who assaulted a police officer, admitted their guilt, got convicted, got pardoned and now we’re going to pay them for that? That’s absurd.”
American military forces launched fresh overnight attacks against an Iranian military installation that defense officials say presented a danger to US personnel and commercial shipping vessels navigating the Strait of Hormuz, according to a US official who spoke to Reuters on Wednesday.
The official, requesting anonymity, revealed that American forces have also destroyed several Iranian drones that presented comparable risks to regional security.
These previously unreported military operations took place while diplomatic efforts continue to resolve a three-month conflict that has resulted in thousands of casualties and caused worldwide energy costs to surge dramatically since hostilities began February 28 with American and Israeli military actions.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday rejected claims from Iranian state media suggesting that Iran and Oman would share control of Strait of Hormuz shipping operations as part of a potential peace agreement. Trump stated the critical waterway would continue operating normally.
American forces previously conducted what officials described as defensive military operations against Iran on Monday, which Iranian authorities characterized as breaking the nations’ delicate ceasefire agreement. Those US operations targeted vessels attempting to deploy mines and missile launching facilities that Central Command determined threatened American military personnel.
Motorists traveling southbound on Route 13 should expect periodic lane restrictions this morning due to ongoing construction work.
The intermittent lane closures are affecting the stretch of highway between Lorewood Grove Road and Biddle’s Toll Plaza, according to traffic officials.
The construction-related restrictions are expected to remain in place until 5:30 AM, potentially impacting early morning commuters in the area.
Drivers are advised to allow extra travel time and exercise caution when passing through the work zone.
Drivers traveling eastbound on Kirkwood Highway should expect delays due to construction-related lane restrictions currently affecting traffic flow.
The intermittent lane closures are occurring along the eastbound direction of Kirkwood Highway between Ogletown Road and Anna Way, with work expected to wrap up by 5 a.m.
Motorists are advised to plan for additional travel time and consider alternate routes when possible to avoid potential delays in the construction zone.
Federal prosecutors have brought criminal charges against an employee of Google for allegedly earning $1.2 million through trading activities on the Polymarket platform.
This represents the second documented instance where federal authorities have pursued criminal prosecution against an individual suspected of leveraging insider knowledge to generate substantial profits on a prediction market platform.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — New York Yankees power hitter Giancarlo Stanton has reached an important milestone in his recovery from a right calf injury, beginning outdoor running exercises after encouraging medical imaging results, though his return timeline remains uncertain.
The slugger has been out of action since April 24, when he felt stiffness in his right calf during base running against Houston.
“I think he wants it fully clear, and I think we got enough news today that allows us to take that step to hopefully the running goes in line with how he’s feeling, and we can start to ramp up,” manager Aaron Boone told reporters Wednesday before the team’s final game against the Royals.
Through his first 24 games this season, Stanton was performing well with a .256 batting average, three home runs, and 14 RBIs. The five-time All-Star’s right-handed power is particularly crucial when Boone fields lineups heavy with left-handed hitters like Ben Rice, Trent Grisham, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Cody Bellinger and Austin Wells.
“Having him in the middle, his presence is massive,” Boone noted. “So you know, hopefully not too much longer.”
When Stanton was injured, the team brought up Jasson Dominguez from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, but the young outfielder also landed on the injured list May 7 after straining his left shoulder’s AC joint in a collision with the outfield wall at Yankee Stadium.
Dominguez received a shoulder injection on May 11 and has been taking batting practice off a tee for approximately one week.
Team officials plan to increase Dominguez’s baseball activities this week as the Yankees finish their Kansas City series and travel to Sacramento for three games against the Athletics, wrapping up their six-game, seven-day road trip.
“Hopefully when we get back next week,” Boone explained, “there may be some live (batting practice) situations for him.”
Civil rights organizations filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday challenging new regulations from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau that advocates claim will weaken decades-old protections against lending discrimination targeting Black, Latino and other minority communities.
The legal challenge, submitted in Washington, D.C., targets modifications made this year to the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, which prohibits lenders from discriminating against loan applicants. One key change being contested eliminates the requirement for lenders to evaluate “disparate impact” — seemingly neutral policies that disproportionately harm specific demographic groups.
The organizations contend the regulatory changes would allow lenders to focus their marketing efforts on predominantly white communities, pushing minority borrowers toward dangerous, high-cost lenders offering predatory loans with excessive interest rates.
“This is the deliberate dismantling of 50 years of legal jurisprudence, regulatory guidance, and bipartisan consensus that lending discrimination has no place in America,” Lisa Rice, the CEO and president of the National Fair Housing Alliance, one of the plaintiffs that filed the lawsuit, said in a statement.
“This reversal by the CFPB is a continuation of this Administration’s efforts to gut fair housing and lending protections,” she said. “Eviscerating these guardrails will ultimately result in less credit access for many people, make our markets less sound, and cause our economy to be less productive.”
Paulina Gonzalez-Brito, the CEO of another plaintiff, Rise Economy, a California nonprofit that advocates for economic justice, accused the CFPB of ignoring “public comments, common sense, and decades of precedent in its misguided attempt to turn anti-discrimination law on its head.”
“The CFPB was created to protect consumers and small businesses from financial abuse and discrimination, and this final Reg B rule would do real harm, setting us back in our collective efforts to ensure that all families and small businesses have a fair chance to achieve the American Dream,” Gonzalez-Brito said.
The CFPB did not respond to a request for comment.
Plaintiffs argue that the rule change is part of a broader campaign by the Trump administration to dismantle regulations related to fair housing and lending protections.
The administration, the National Fair Housing Alliance said, has proposed eliminating the budget for the Fair Housing Initiatives Program, which funds nonprofits to ensure access to housing for seniors, disabled veterans, families with children and other groups. It also has cut staffing in half at the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity.
Several high-profile settlements in recent years indicate housing discrimination remains a significant problem.
In 2023, the Justice Department accused Los Angeles-based City National Bank of discrimination by refusing to underwrite mortgages in predominately Black and Latino communities, requiring the bank to pay more than $31 million in the largest redlining settlement in department history. In 2016. the Justice Department and the CFPB fined Mississippi-based BancorpSouth $10.6 million, alleging the bank deliberately discriminated against minorities in its lending practices.
Plaintiffs are asking court to vacate the rule, which they contend is arbitrary and capricious, in excess of statutory authority, and issued outside the procedures required by Congress.
“The Final Rule does not reflect reasoned decision-making or an expert, good-faith effort to implement our nation’s foundational credit antidiscrimination statute,” plaintiffs wrote. “Quite the opposite: The Final Rule is a drastic turn, without justification, from the CFPB’s (and its Federal Reserve Board predecessor’s) longstanding interpretation and enforcement of key ECOA provisions.”
The former first lady has revealed she was terrified during her husband’s catastrophic debate appearance in June 2024, believing the former president might be experiencing a medical emergency during the performance that ultimately ended his reelection bid.
“I was frightened, because I had never ever seen Joe like that before or since. Never,” the former first lady shared during a television interview with CBS News set to broadcast Sunday.
The former president’s unsteady, unclear, and at times bewildered presentation against Donald Trump during the June 2024 face-off reinforced existing concerns among voters regarding his capability to serve another four-year term. His subsequent efforts to dismiss the poor showing and provide confidence about his readiness for the presidency failed to calm voter anxieties. Facing increasing demands from fellow party members, he withdrew from the race, leading Democrats to select Vice President Kamala Harris as their nominee.
“I don’t know what happened,” the former first lady explained during the interview. “As I watched it, I thought, ‘Oh, my God, he’s having a stroke.’ And it scared me to death.”
The former first lady is currently publicizing her upcoming book titled “View from the East Wing: A Memoir,” which will be released next week.
Motorists traveling on Kirkwood Highway should expect periodic lane restrictions overnight due to construction activity in the area.
The work zone extends along the highway between Harmony Road and East Green Valley Circle, where crews are causing intermittent lane closures that will remain in effect until 5 AM.
Drivers are advised to plan for potential delays and exercise caution when traveling through the construction zone during the overnight hours.
The United States has reinstated Francesca Albanese, a United Nations expert on Palestinian territories, to its sanctions list, as shown on the Treasury Department’s website Wednesday.
Key developments in the case:
• The sanctions were originally imposed in July 2025 because of what the U.S. described as Albanese’s attempts to encourage the International Criminal Court to pursue action against American and Israeli officials, businesses and executives.
• Earlier in May, Albanese was taken off the sanctions list when a federal judge approved an injunction requested by her husband and daughter that temporarily suspended the sanctions.
• U.S. District Judge Richard Leon in Washington determined the Trump administration likely infringed on her free-speech rights by implementing the sanctions following her criticism of Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
• Last Friday, a three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit granted an administrative stay of Leon’s decision, permitting the government to reinstate Albanese’s status as a sanctioned foreign national.
• The appeals court emphasized that the administrative stay was procedural in nature and “should not be construed in any way as a ruling on the merits” of the government’s larger appeal to suspend the lower court’s injunction while the case proceeds.
Moscow announced Wednesday that its military forces have seized two Ukrainian settlements – one located in the northeastern Kharkiv region and another in the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, according to Russia’s Defence Ministry.
Ukrainian military officials and the nation’s most popular military monitoring blog questioned the validity of Moscow’s claims.
The Russian Defence Ministry stated its troops had gained control of Hraniv in the Kharkiv region near the Russian border, as well as Vozdvyzhivka in a heavily disputed area of Zaporizhzhia region.
Ukraine’s 14th Army rejected Moscow’s announcement, maintaining that Hraniv remains under Ukrainian military control.
“Units of the Defence Forces of Ukraine are reliably holding designated defensive lines, effectively repelling enemy offensive actions, and inflicting significant losses on them in personnel and equipment,” the unit posted on Facebook.
DeepState, a Ukrainian military blog that monitors both sides across the 1,250-km (775-mile) battle line using publicly available information, declared the Russian claim about Vozdvyzhivka’s seizure to be false.
The blog reported that while a contingent of Russian soldiers had temporarily entered the settlement earlier this month, they were either forced out or eliminated.
On Tuesday, the 14th Army also refuted the seizure of one of two settlements that Russian forces claimed to have taken in Sumy region, a border territory where Moscow says it seeks to establish an expanded buffer zone.
Russia, which controls approximately 20% of Ukrainian land, has maintained an extended military operation aimed at gaining full control of the eastern Donetsk region, declaring village captures on a weekly basis.
However, Ukraine’s military has reported in recent weeks that Russian progress has decelerated and its forces are in their most advantageous position in several months.
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson broke his public silence Wednesday during his second OTA practice, speaking for the first time since watching placekicker Tyler Loop miss a crucial short field goal that ended the team’s playoff hopes.
That missed kick capped off a difficult campaign for the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player, who sat out four games with injury. Jackson posted career-worst numbers, rushing for just 349 yards while getting sacked 2.77 times per game—also a career high. For the first time in eight largely successful seasons, he watched the postseason from home.
During Wednesday’s session, Jackson disclosed that the hamstring injury he sustained in Week 3 against the Lions continued to bother him even after he returned for the season’s final nine contests.
Significant changes have swept through Baltimore since that disappointing finish. The organization dismissed the only head coach the current Ravens roster had ever played under, with John Harbaugh quickly landing with the New York Giants.
“I gotta lot of respect for Coach. I was shocked in a way,” Jackson commented regarding Harbaugh’s firing. “I feel like (team owner) Mr. Steve (Bisciotti) did what was best for the team. I hope Coach has a great, great time in New York. Hats off to Coach because we did so much for the city, for the team, for this organization.”
Baltimore brought in Jesse Minter, the former Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator, as the franchise’s fourth head coach. The 43-year-old Minter added 30-year-old Declan Doyle as offensive coordinator, bringing over the former Chicago Bears’ OC (though head coach Ben Johnson handled play-calling duties). Doyle is only months older than his star signal-caller.
While Jackson skipped last week’s OTAs, he has maintained regular communication with both Minter and Doyle about the offensive system he’ll be running. The quarterback is anticipated to have significant influence in shaping that scheme.
“All of us are having fun with the new system, and what he (Doyle) sees on the field and the film,” Jackson explained, characterizing the environment at 1 Winning Drive in Owings Mills, Md. as “a breath of fresh air.”
“It means a lot because I feel like I should know what coach is thinking when he calls certain plays on the field. It sure makes my job a lot easier.”
Despite the absence of a contract extension this offseason, Minter expressed no concerns about Jackson’s dedication to the organization.
“Great to see him out there making the plays that he can make,” Minter stated.
Baltimore restructured Jackson’s 5-year, $260 deal from 2022 this past March, incorporating a voided year and reducing the 2026 cap hit to $34.39 million.
Though both Jackson and the Ravens organization remain quiet about his long-term status in Baltimore, the quarterback made his preferences clear Wednesday, stating his allegiance to purple and black.
“Absolutely. I love the Ravens. I love this organization. I love this city,” Jackson declared. “This is the team that drafted me. I love Baltimore. Everyone should know that by now.”
A Brazilian senator seeking his country’s presidency conducted high-level diplomatic meetings in Washington this week, including sessions with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday.
Senator Flavio Bolsonaro confirmed the Wednesday meetings occurred one day after he visited President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Tuesday.
These Washington visits take place while the senator faces political turbulence following his admission that he solicited funds from a banker, who is now imprisoned, to finance a documentary about his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro. The senator maintains his innocence regarding any misconduct.
Public opinion surveys show the senator’s support has declined since this controversy became public knowledge this month, though he continues to run neck-and-neck with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in projected runoff scenarios for the October presidential race.
According to the senator, his conversations with American officials this week covered topics including combating organized crime, rare earth minerals, and freedom of expression issues.
Bolsonaro revealed that his father’s medical situation was also discussed during the meetings, including the Oval Office session with Trump. His father is currently under house arrest while serving a 27-year prison term following his conviction for attempting to orchestrate a coup.
President Lula had previously met with Trump at the White House earlier this month.
Thousands of Southern California residents who fled their homes when a chemical storage tank overheated are back in their neighborhoods, but many remain anxious about living close to an aerospace facility with a troubled safety record.
Last week, approximately 50,000 people were forced to leave their homes in and around the Orange County community when a cooling system malfunction caused authorities to warn of a possible devastating blast. The storage container eventually developed a crack that released pressure naturally, allowing the temperature to stabilize without additional measures and enabling people to return.
Bobbi-Lee Smart came back to her residence on Monday but keeps her luggage, pet carriers and vital paperwork prepared for a quick departure if necessary.
“I won’t even open the doors and windows in my house because I don’t know for sure that the air is safe,” said Smart, who lives in Anaheim, next to Garden Grove. “How do we know it is stable?”
The same day California officials ended the last evacuation warnings, a separate chemical container burst at a mill facility in Washington state, resulting in fatalities and missing persons in another dangerous industrial incident.
The storage vessel at GKN Aerospace Transparency Systems, a manufacturer of aircraft cockpit windows, canopies and windshields, holds between 6,000 and 7,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate, a highly combustible substance. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, contact with this chemical can lead to severe breathing difficulties, nervous system damage and irritation of skin, eyes and throat.
Orange County Fire Capt. Brian Yau reported Wednesday that the container’s temperature stayed steady at 91 degrees without requiring sprinkler cooling.
“The team will continually monitor the temperature,” Yau said.
Public health authorities have told residents no pollution or toxic gases escaped, and they plan to continue air quality testing for several months while also examining sewage and storm drainage systems.
Smart believes the business should have faced greater oversight given its violation history. She wants the company to relocate from the crowded, working-class area filled with family businesses, but only after providing compensation to residents and local business owners.
“The reality is the company has broken the public trust,” Smart said.
The United Kingdom-based GKN Aerospace stated it is working with officials and partnering with charitable organizations to assist community recovery efforts.
Legal action filed on behalf of a nearby couple claims the company failed to shield neighbors from “foreseeable chemical releases, toxic vapor migration, evacuation conditions, and catastrophic industrial failures.”
The legal complaint states residents experienced strong chemical smells, breathing problems, headaches and dizziness, leaving them concerned about ongoing risks.
During Tuesday evening’s city council session, community members questioned why the chemical facility was permitted to operate in such close proximity to residential areas.
The Orange County District Attorney’s office has opened an investigation. Mayor Stephanie Klopfenstein promised the company would face consequences for its actions.
In the previous year, GKN paid state regulatory agencies over $900,000 to resolve violations related to record maintenance, permit problems and nitrogen oxide emissions, based on documentation from the South Coast Air Quality Management District website.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has conducted four inspections of the company’s facility since 2018, discovering 10 violations according to public documents reviewed by the Los Angeles Times. Additional details about these violations were not readily accessible.
During 2019, the California Department of Industrial Relations asked an Orange County Superior Court judge to require the company to pay $2,898 in outstanding civil fines.
The violation, detailed in court documents obtained by the Times, accused the company of failing in April 2018 to “ensure that all machinery and equipment in service were inspected or maintained as recommended by the manufacturer.”
None of the documented violations appear connected to the overheated storage tank incident.
Purdue University engineering professor Andrew Whelton indicated the container would probably need replacement.
Whelton noted the California emergency resembles a 2014 chemical leak in Charleston, West Virginia, where storage containers failed at a Freedom Industries facility. That spill forced the state capital and surrounding communities to stop using tap water for multiple days. Local businesses temporarily closed and hundreds sought emergency medical care for symptoms ranging from nausea to skin rashes.
The West Virginia incident led to new state legislation mandating increased inspections and registration requirements for above-ground storage containers. Freedom Industries later filed for bankruptcy and two executives received federal prison sentences on pollution charges.
Soccer’s international governing body FIFA is facing legal scrutiny over dramatically inflated World Cup ticket costs and sales methods that supporters claim resulted in unfavorable purchases.
Top prosecutors from New York and New Jersey, the state set to host eight tournament games including the championship match, revealed Tuesday they are examining whether FIFA’s ticket sales practices broke consumer protection regulations.
Legal officials have issued subpoenas to the worldwide soccer organization seeking details about various ticketing concerns, including FIFA’s implementation of “variable pricing” systems that caused ticket costs to skyrocket for most games and revised venue layouts that supporters claim moved their seats away from the field.
The prosecutors, collaborating with the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, indicated their investigation centers mainly on ticketing procedures for games at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
“New Yorkers have been waiting years for the World Cup to come to their backyard, and they deserve a fair shot at affordable tickets,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said. “No one should be manipulated into paying sky-high prices for seats, and fans should be able to trust that the tickets they purchase will be the ones they receive.”
New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport accused FIFA of turning the act of buying a World Cup ticket “into a gauntlet of confusion, fake scarcity, and impossibly high prices.” It’s an honor for New Jersey to host the World Cup, she said, “but the event is not an invitation to exploit our residents and visitors.”
FIFA declined to comment.
The tournament begins June 11 with games in Mexico City and Guadalajara, Mexico. The opening game at the approximately 82,000-capacity MetLife Stadium — temporarily called New York New Jersey Stadium for the tournament — features Brazil facing Morocco on June 13.
Certain seats for the July 19 championship are selling for almost $33,000.
Last week, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani revealed that 1,000 tickets — roughly 150 tickets for each MetLife Stadium contest, not including the championship — will be offered to city residents through a lottery process costing $50 per ticket.
FIFA had earlier offered some $60 tickets for every game, distributing them via the national organizations of the competing teams.
A family-owned Iowa seed company has filed a federal lawsuit claiming Bayer engaged in illegal tactics to dominate the American market for genetically modified corn seeds, allegedly earning “hundreds of millions, if not billions, of ill-gotten dollars.”
The legal action by Latham Quality targets the concentrated U.S. seed industry as the current administration examines anti-competitive practices in agricultural supply chains. The Germany-based pharmaceutical and agricultural giant already faces thousands of separate lawsuits claiming its Roundup weedkiller causes cancer.
According to the complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri last month and made public Tuesday, Bayer artificially inflated costs for farmers and independent seed companies by dominating the market for corn seeds engineered to withstand Roundup.
“Bayer has the power to control market prices and exclude competition,” the lawsuit stated. “In fact, it does so.”
The civil case seeks class-action status and requests triple damages for losses allegedly suffered by Latham and similar companies. American crop producers have been grappling with elevated expenses for seeds, fuel and fertilizer while confronting a fourth consecutive year of declining profit margins.
Bayer, which purchased American seed manufacturer Monsanto in 2018, responded Wednesday that it considers the claims without merit and will address them through the court system. The company maintained it operates fairly across all areas of its agricultural operations while following applicable regulations.
“The crop input and corn seed markets are competitive, fair and diverse,” Bayer stated.
The Department of Justice announced last week that Bayer eliminated potentially anti-competitive elements from a loyalty program designed for independent seed companies that license its technology for seed production.
The lawsuit centers on corn seeds called NK603, which Bayer controls. Nearly all genetically engineered hybrid corn seeds distributed in America contain the NK603 characteristic that provides Roundup resistance, the complaint noted. Federal estimates indicate approximately 92% of corn acreage utilizes herbicide-tolerant seeds.
Despite Bayer’s final patent on NK603 expiring in 2022, demand has remained strong while no meaningful competition has developed, according to the filing.
“This is the direct result of Bayer’s anti-competitive conduct to maintain its monopoly,” the complaint alleged.
The lawsuit claims Bayer blocked independent seed companies from utilizing its genetic seed material to create competing generic corn products even after the NK603 patent lapsed. The company also continued collecting royalties on seeds grown from its genetic material and increased licensing costs for companies like Latham.
Latham had licensed rights from Bayer or Monsanto to incorporate NK603 into corn seeds that Latham manufactured and sold to farmers. When Latham began developing its own corn seeds that would compete with Bayer’s offerings, a Bayer representative allegedly warned the company to “stay 100% loyal to Bayer.”
After Latham continued its competitive efforts, Bayer brand sales representatives retaliated by using confidential information to steal the company’s customers, pushing Latham toward bankruptcy, the lawsuit claimed.
“Unfortunately, many independent companies are going out of business as these multinational companies have become more powerful and frankly predatory,” John Latham, president of Latham Quality, testified to a U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on competition in the seed and fertilizer sectors in October.
Bayer’s Crop Science division, which encompasses seeds, reported first-quarter earnings that increased 17.9% to 3 billion euros ($3.49 billion).
Professional golfer Justin Thomas was questioning whether his career at golf’s highest level could continue before he stepped onto the course at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in early March this season.
Thomas had received microdiscectomy surgery to address persistent hip discomfort, forcing an early end to his 2025 campaign in mid-November. Despite missing the cut at Bay Hill, completing 36 holes without pain validated his choice and the challenging, uncertain path back to full health.
“I had confidence and belief and faith in what I was doing was the best thing for me and my career,” said Thomas on Wednesday before he tees it up for the ninth time this season at the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth Texas.
“And that’s, you know, after all the information, everything that I had kind of gathered and talking, reading, whatever you want to call it, I felt like that was what it was. So it wasn’t necessarily a moment after the fact, because I felt like I had already kind of committed to that. But it’s also not something of like once you’ve hit that first driver and it feels good you’re like, OK, I’m good the rest of my life, I don’t have to worry about this ever again. It’s like everything, it’s a process and you got to keep working on it.”
Seven days after that tournament, Thomas placed T8 at the Players Championship. He advanced past the cut at the Masters, and recently carded a 5-under par 65 to claim a tie for fourth place at the PGA Championship.
The 33-year-old Thomas captured the 2017 and 2022 PGA Championships as part of his 16 tour victories. He sat out last week but will return to Colonial CC for his first appearance there since 2022.
“Yeah, probably wasn’t quite as much relaxing as it maybe could have gone for,” said Thomas. “But to go out there and play the round I did when I knew I needed to was great and, yeah, last week just was really a couple days off and then back to the grind.”
When asked about his tournament selection process amid ongoing talks about elevated PGA Tour events, Thomas explained his approach.
“Everybody’s different. I would say the most, the first and foremost, most important thing that a lot of the top guys… anybody that’s in the majors, you’re going to at least I would think, is what’s going to prepare me the best for the major,” he said. “So like I’ve had success in majors when I play the week before.
“So it’s very situational of when you play, don’t play in that regard. But I mean I really, really, really try with all my might to not do four in a row. Four in a row is like I’m not fun to be around. It’s very taxing. So I try to cap it at three. And, yeah, there’s a lot of great tournaments, we’re very fortunate to have to miss some great events, but you have to at some point. So just kind of start with the majors and fill it in here and there, I guess.”
Thomas is grouped with Russell Henley and Korea’s Sungjae Im for an 8:06 a.m. local time Thursday start.
Ben Griffin captured the Charles Schwab Challenge by one stroke over Germany’s Matti Schmid in 2025.
The Texas Rangers made the decision Wednesday to designate veteran outfielder Andrew McCutchen for assignment, dealing a significant setback to the 39-year-old’s professional baseball career.
The former National League MVP once ranked among baseball’s elite players, earning National League All-Star honors for five straight years while playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 2011 through 2015. However, his performance declined in recent years, and this season with Texas proved particularly challenging as he managed only a .192 batting average with a single home run and five runs batted in across 37 games, while recording 22 strikeouts in 73 plate appearances.
In a related roster move, Texas brought aboard infielder Nicky Lopez on a one-year contract. Lopez had appeared in just four games with the Chicago Cubs, going hitless in five at-bats before Chicago designated him for assignment this past Sunday.
McCutchen joined the Rangers organization in March as a free agent and is currently in his 18th major league campaign. Throughout his career, he has accumulated 333 home runs, 1,157 RBIs, and 220 stolen bases while maintaining a .271 batting average over 2,299 games. His career has taken him through multiple organizations including the Pirates (2009-17, 2023-25), San Francisco Giants (2018), New York Yankees (2018), Philadelphia Phillies (2019-21), and Milwaukee Brewers (2022). Pittsburgh originally selected him as the 11th overall choice in the 2005 amateur draft.
Lopez, who is 31 years old, brings a .245 career batting average along with seven home runs and 153 RBIs accumulated over 690 games during eight professional seasons. His career has included stops with the Kansas City Royals (2019-23), Atlanta Braves (2023), Chicago White Sox (2024), Los Angeles Angels (2025), and Cubs (2025-26). His best statistical season came in 2021 when he posted a .300 batting average across 151 games for Kansas City.
Venezuela’s interim government has selected U.S. financial firm Centerview Partners to guide the country’s massive debt restructuring effort without conducting a formal competitive bidding process, according to eight individuals familiar with the selection.
The oil-rich nation is working to overhaul more than $150 billion in debt obligations. When interim President Delcy Rodriguez’s administration announced this initiative, officials promised transparency that would distinguish their approach from past governments.
However, the selection of Centerview Partners as financial adviser has sparked concerns about fairness and openness among investors and government officials. The firm, which has grown in recent years by recruiting talent from established companies like Lazard, stands to earn tens of millions in advisory fees from this prestigious assignment.
Centerview will develop Venezuela’s financial strategy and lead negotiations on debt that the country stopped paying under former President Nicolas Maduro in 2017. The restructuring involves billions of dollars in obligations expected to be reduced, with the final amount determining the nation’s financial stability and economic recovery prospects.
Questions have emerged about investor Mauricio Claver-Carone’s involvement in securing Centerview’s appointment, according to seven sources. Claver-Carone served as a Latin America envoy during portions of President Donald Trump’s first and second terms but currently holds no official government position.
When asked about the absence of a competitive selection process, Claver-Carone told Reuters: “How does an open process work in Venezuela? What else right now has an open bidding?” He added that the Venezuelan government had discussions with other firms. “We want American firms that can work with the U.S. government, that have worked with the U.S. government, that can be trusted.”
Claver-Carone confirmed he has been assisting the U.S. government with Venezuela policy implementation since July. He said he provided his opinion about Centerview when Rodriguez and other officials sought his views, though he did not formally endorse the company.
A Centerview spokesperson stated: “Centerview was hired by Venezuela because our team is the world leader, with unique experience working on the largest sovereign-debt restructurings and no conflicts of interest.” The spokesperson emphasized that Claver-Carone “was not involved in our pitch for the business and we don’t have any financial or other relationship” with him.
Venezuelan government officials did not respond to requests for comment.
A State Department spokesperson described Claver-Carone as an expert with regional connections who “as a good U.S. citizen, routinely consults and shares his perceptions with U.S. officials.”
The U.S. capture of Maduro on January 3 created opportunities to reopen the Latin American nation, which possesses the world’s largest proven oil reserves, following years of severe sanctions and economic decline.
Washington’s licensing authority and influence in global financial and energy markets provide significant control over Venezuela’s economy, affecting investment decisions and trade relationships. Numerous investors and advisers have traveled to Caracas seeking business opportunities.
The capital’s luxury hotels are filled with investors exploring deals involving real estate, furniture, and rare earth minerals. While preliminary agreements are being signed, legal uncertainty and high asset valuations make it unclear how many will become final contracts, according to four lawyers and financial advisers.
Centerview representatives met with Venezuelan officials as early as February and made multiple trips through May, three sources reported.
Veteran banker Matthieu Pigasse leads Centerview’s team, which includes Charles Albinet and Hamouda Chekir. The group brings extensive sovereign debt restructuring experience, having advised countries from Argentina to Congo Republic to Greece, which involved the largest sovereign debt restructuring in history.
Pigasse, 58, is a prominent French banker often described as “left-leaning” in media coverage. His clients have included major corporations L’Oreal and Kering. The self-described punk music enthusiast owns media holding Combat in France and maintains ownership in newspaper Le Monde.
Recently, Pigasse has made media appearances opposing what he characterizes as expanding right-leaning media influence in France.
Regarding Centerview’s selection, Pigasse told Reuters: “I have known Delcy Rodriguez and worked with her for the past 15 years.”
Pigasse began his career at Lazard, where he worked alongside Chekir and Albinet advising governments. However, major debt advisory firms including Lazard, Rothschild and Alvarez & Marsal were not formally invited to compete for the Venezuela assignment, according to four sources.
Selecting an adviser without a formal competitive process is uncommon, three sources noted. Officials from Lazard, Rothschild and Alvarez & Marsal declined to provide comments.
Some observers point to Claver-Carone’s influence in the selection. He currently serves as managing partner of LARA, the Latin America Real Assets Opportunity Fund, which invests in energy, infrastructure and industrial projects throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.
His apparent government backing despite lacking formal authority has created concerns among investors and Venezuelan political figures, sources said.
Claver-Carone explained that his business partner, Jessica Bedoya, a former colleague from his time leading the Inter-American Development Bank, met with Rodriguez regarding U.S. policy relationships and security matters.
With diplomatic relations being reestablished, Claver-Carone said he expects his informal role to conclude soon. He confirmed having no financial interests in Venezuela or Centerview.
Bondholders anticipate Venezuela will maintain momentum and reach a creditor agreement by the end of 2027.
The Department of Defense revealed Wednesday it has signed a massive five-year software contract worth $9.69 billion designed to bring together Microsoft and other enterprise software licenses that have been spread across military branches, intelligence agencies, and the U.S. Coast Guard under one unified agreement, according to officials.
This cost-reduction initiative provides Microsoft with a guaranteed enterprise-wide presence throughout the U.S. armed forces while eliminating redundant expenditures that officials say had steadily grown over years of scattered, independent purchasing practices.
The agreement, known as the Core Enterprise Technology Agreement, does not represent additional spending since multiple Pentagon software contracts were set to renew at the same time. The funding comes from current budgets already being utilized to buy Microsoft 365 subscriptions — which include email, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and other applications — as well as cloud subscriptions and on-premises licensing, bringing them together under one umbrella where the department’s complete purchasing power can be leveraged to reduce expenses.
The Federal Reserve’s internal oversight office announced Wednesday it is conducting a review of procedures used by the central bank’s Board of Governors when reappointing regional Federal Reserve presidents and their second-in-command officers to five-year terms.
According to a press release from the Inspector General, the examination will determine whether the Washington-based board’s procedures “to approve the reappointment of Reserve Bank presidents and first vice presidents aligns with relevant Federal Reserve Administrative Manual requirements and leading practices.”
The oversight office also indicated it would evaluate “the quality and completeness of executive performance evaluations and other potentially relevant information necessary to assess the merits of a reappointment.”
The IG did not respond immediately to requests for additional details about the investigation or its timing.
Scrutiny of the reappointment procedures has intensified following U.S. President Donald Trump’s aggressive pressure campaign against the Fed, with some observers fearing it could be used to push out regional policymakers who declined to back his demands for interest rate cuts.
This investigation represents one of several reviews the IG is pursuing, including a high-profile examination launched late last year into cost overruns associated with the renovation of the Fed’s headquarters in Washington. That investigation, which the government has since closed and turned over to the Fed’s IG, became a major flashpoint between the central bank, then-Fed chief Jerome Powell, and the Trump administration.
The IG has maintained for some time a separate examination into how Fed regional bank presidents and their seconds-in-command are selected. That process has been criticized for its opacity and limited opportunity for public comment.
The 12 regional Fed banks are quasi-private institutions overseen by local boards drawn from the private sector. Those boards select new presidents subject to the approval of the central bank. The regional bank presidents help set monetary policy, collect local economic intelligence and provide services to the financial sector.
They undergo a reappointment process every five years for new terms that in almost all cases sees them retaining their jobs.
The most recent reappointment cycle concluded late last year, with the Fed’s board unanimously approving the 11 officials up for reappointment. It also reappointed the Atlanta Fed’s first vice president, Cheryl Venable, who is serving as acting president until it finds a successor for Raphael Bostic, who retired earlier this year.
The previous reappointment cycle occurred before a trading controversy at the central bank that led to the departure of several of its policymakers. The Fed was criticized in some quarters for not spotting the financial issues during the reappraisal period, although then-Fed Governor Lael Brainard described the review process as “rigorous.”
Listen to the Evening Delmarva Farm Report Update — May 27, 2026
DELMARVA — Persistent wet weather in the Midwest is pushing corn farmers up against critical crop insurance deadlines. Producers in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan face a June 5 cutoff for corn and June 20 for soybeans to maintain coverage.
According to Jason Williamson from Williamson Crop Insurance, every day planted after those final dates carries financial penalties. The pressure is mounting for growers balancing muddy fields against insurance requirements.
Policy
The USDA opened a review period today for base acre allocations under federal farm programs. Property owners across the country have until August 31 to examine their base acre status and explore potential increases under Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage programs.
Markets
Soybeans showed mixed results today. July contracts closed at $11.85¼, down ¾ of a cent. Soybean meal and oil provided some support despite falling crude prices. USDA reports soybean planting hit 79% complete, ahead of normal pace.
Corn at Laurel Grain Company in Laurel, Delaware is bringing $4.98 a bushel for July delivery. Soybeans there are $11.26 for July.
Forecast
The region has a chance of showers and thunderstorms through tonight with temperatures in the mid-60s. Thursday looks much better, mostly sunny, with highs around 72° and lighter northwest winds. Friday stays sunny with temperatures in the mid-70s. Good drying weather is ahead.
This article is based on the Delmarva Farm Report Update Evening Edition, May 27, 2026. Hosted by Tom Bradley.
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Victor Wembanyama delivered a subdued performance during Game 5 of the Western Conference finals and chose not to address the media following the contest.
The San Antonio Spurs are undoubtedly counting on witnessing a transformed player when they take the court Thursday evening.
The sixth game of the Western Conference championship series approaches, with San Antonio — confronting their first elimination scenario of these playoffs — preparing to welcome the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder to their home court. The Thunder hold a 3-2 series advantage and would maintain home-court benefit should a seventh game become necessary this Saturday.
“I think we’ll be fine,” Spurs forward Julian Champagnie said. “I think we’ll be ready to play next game. Obviously, it’s a win-or-go-home situation, so I’m 100% sure everybody’s going to come to play.”
This expectation extends to Wembanyama, who managed just 20 points — his lowest output of the series — during Tuesday’s Game 5 defeat in Oklahoma City. He declined to meet with media members following that contest, resulting in the NBA issuing him a warning Wednesday for failing to meet his media responsibilities.
San Antonio would undoubtedly prefer Wembanyama express himself through his play Thursday night. Ensuring he receives more than 15 shooting opportunities will be essential, according to Spurs coach Mitch Johnson.
“That’s probably the easiest (adjustment) in terms of just surface-level stuff,” Johnson said. “He’ll definitely need to take more shots.”
Numerous technical and sophisticated modifications occur throughout a playoff series, particularly during a competitive back-and-forth battle like this Western Conference final has proven to be.
Strategic approaches can appear quite complex. However, for Oklahoma City, their strategy entering a potential series-clinching Game 6 against San Antonio follows a straightforward approach.
“We’ve got to understand what’s going on,” Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said.
The situation is clear: San Antonio will battle for their postseason survival, supported by their home crowd hoping to witness their team extend the season for at least another game.
This competitive series — where San Antonio captured Game 1, Oklahoma City claimed Games 2 and 3, the Spurs bounced back in Game 4, and the Thunder responded in Game 5 — has now entered the elimination phase for San Antonio.
“We’ve been great when we’re desperate all year,” Spurs guard Stephon Castle said. “I can’t wait to see how we respond.”
Oklahoma City holds a perfect 2-0 record in elimination opportunities this season, securing Game 4 victories on opposing courts against both Phoenix in the opening round and the Los Angeles Lakers in round two. They finished 4-2 in closeout situations last season while capturing the NBA championship.
San Antonio successfully navigated elimination games in their previous two playoff series before this season, though they eventually fell in both of those matchups.
Betting lines suggest a seventh game is anticipated. They’ve established San Antonio as a 3.5-point home favorite for Game 6, indicating the series would return to Oklahoma City for a final deciding contest.
The Thunder remain the betting favorites to claim the NBA championship.
NEW YORK — Major League Baseball players launched their initial bargaining position Wednesday in what’s anticipated to be challenging labor contract talks, requesting broader free agency rules and salary arbitration eligibility alongside nearly doubling minimum wages and enhancing revenue distribution from high-earning teams to smaller-market franchises.
One day ahead of Major League Baseball’s anticipated salary cap presentation, the players’ union detailed their opening economic demands during negotiations at the union’s Manhattan headquarters.
The current labor agreement concludes December 1, with MLB anticipated to implement a lockout, which serves as management’s version of a work stoppage under federal labor regulations.
“Attendance, viewership, interest — by any measure you want to use, our game is moving in a positive direction,” Baltimore pitcher Chris Bassitt, a member of the union’s eight-man executive subcommittee, said in a statement. “We’ve put forward proposals designed to continue that trend. Support, incentivize, and reward clubs who are committed to competing, especially small-market clubs. Compensate players fairly for the work they are doing.”
MLB obviously opposes the union’s presentation and argues the union’s strategy would reduce revenue distribution.
“We understand their proposals are designed to benefit players. Unfortunately, they do not address and in fact exacerbate the competitive balance problem our fans are telling us we must address,” MLB spokesman Glen Caplin said in a statement. “The MLBPA’s proposal would reduce the amount transferred to lower-revenue clubs, weaken the competitive balance tax and lead to even more payroll disparity than exists today. For example, under the union’s proposal, the Dodgers would pay less in luxury tax payments, giving them an additional $70 million to spend on payroll.”
Marcus Semien and Sean Manaea of the Mets and Eugenio Suárez of Cincinnati were present for the meeting while additional players joined virtually.
“The players’ proposals provide increased revenue sharing initially guaranteeing every small-market club a minimum of $240 million in revenue every season,” interim union head Bruce Meyer, who replaced Tony Clark in February, said in a statement. “This enhanced revenue sharing includes added protections to ensure clubs prioritize winning over profiteering.”
Key proposal elements include raising the luxury tax ceiling from this season’s $244 million to $300 million by 2027, followed by $15 million annual increases. Draft pick penalties would be removed, and surcharge rates would decrease from the current 110% maximum to 10% above previous levels.
Free agency qualification, unchanged at six major league seasons since 1976, would drop to five seasons for players reaching age 30 by November 1. Teams could retain such players through qualifying offers, with refusal leading to arbitration eligibility.
Minimum salaries would jump from this year’s $780,000 to $1.5 million next season and $2.2 million by 2031.
Salary arbitration access would broaden with teams required to offer eligible players at least $3 million. The eligibility threshold moved from two to three years in 1986, with the super 2 classification beginning in 1991 at 17% and reaching 22% in 2013. The union proposes expanding this to 44%. Additionally, arbitration panel decisions would guarantee salaries, with some comparison salaries valued at 120%.
The pre-arbitration bonus fund, set at $50 million in the current 2022-26 agreement, would grow to $180 million next year with subsequent $15 million annual increases. Players signing multiyear contracts within their first 21 major league days would lose eligibility.
The qualifying offer system for six-year service players would end. This mechanism has limited some free agent markets since its 2012 introduction due to signing team penalties.
The amateur draft lottery would expand from six to eight teams.
Service time manipulation prevention rules from 2022 would broaden, including full service year credit for eligible prospects finishing top five in MVP balloting.
Lower-revenue franchises losing free agents would receive enhanced compensation, while low-revenue teams would gain additional draft picks.
A competitive integrity levy would target teams spending below 50% of the minimum tax threshold, with additional penalties for teams falling further behind. Franchises would face consequences for not investing received revenue-sharing funds in payrolls.
Every small-market franchise would receive guaranteed annual revenue of at least $240 million, while retaining more ballpark-generated income.
Low-revenue teams achieving winning records or playoff berths would earn additional revenue-sharing money, with local media income distributed more broadly among all teams.
The previous five-year agreement was finalized March 10, 2022, on the 99th day of a lockout, maintaining the 162-game regular season format. This marked baseball’s ninth work stoppage and first since the 7½-month strike spanning 1994-95 that cancelled the World Series for the first time since 1904.
President Donald Trump revealed Wednesday that he’s been extended an invitation to witness the New York Knicks compete in the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden next month.
Speaking to reporters, Trump shared that Knicks owner James Dolan has offered him tickets to watch the Eastern Conference champions face either the Oklahoma City Thunder or San Antonio Spurs when the series comes to New York.
The Knicks are set to host the third and fourth games of the finals on June 8 and June 10, respectively. New York has been on a remarkable postseason run, winning 11 consecutive playoff games after completing a four-game sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals.
The president, who hails from New York, had originally considered attending the fifth game of the conference finals at Madison Square Garden, but the Knicks wrapped up the series before that became necessary. Trump praised Dolan as a “great guy” and expressed admiration for the team’s performance.
“Boy, what a team,” Trump remarked. “They have some really great players.”
The president described the franchise’s first finals appearance since 1999 as “great to see.”
“The Knicks have really suffered for years,” Trump commented, drawing laughter from reporters. “They’re doing (well) right now.”
Throughout his political career, Trump has frequently attended major sporting events, including the College Football Playoff championship and a primetime NFL matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Jets just before the 2024 election.
Madison Square Garden has long been known for attracting celebrity fans to courtside seats, including filmmaker Spike Lee, who has previously had public disagreements with Trump.
Legal representatives for Don Lemon, the former CNN anchor now working as an independent journalist, filed court documents Wednesday requesting access to grand jury transcripts from his federal civil rights case, pointing to a pattern of prosecutorial misconduct nationwide as justification for the unusual request.
The former television host entered a not guilty plea in February to federal civil rights charges connected to a demonstration at a Minnesota church in January, where an Immigration and Customs Enforcement official serves as pastor. Lemon is among 39 individuals facing charges related to the January incident.
Lemon maintains his presence at Cities Church in St. Paul on Jan. 18 was strictly professional, stating he was there to document the protest as a journalist rather than participate in it.
Working alongside fellow independent journalist Georgia Fort, Lemon submitted a motion in February requesting access to grand jury transcripts that led to indictments against them and seven other individuals.
In their most recent submission to U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Lemon’s legal team contends that “the past 15 months have seen an unprecedented and growing distrust in the Justice Department’s use of the grand jury process,” making the release of his grand jury transcripts necessary.
“In the past two weeks alone, several courts have chastised Justice Department prosecutors for irregularities in the grand jury process and gone so far as to dismiss indictments for grand jury misconduct,” Lemon’s attorneys stated in Wednesday’s filing.
A spokesperson for the Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Lemon references the May 21 dismissal of all pending charges against four remaining activists who protested outside a federal building during last year’s immigration crackdown in Chicago. The dismissal came after a judge scrutinized allegations of grand jury misconduct by the prosecutor’s office.
Lemon also references the May 15 dismissal of nine felony grand jury indictments by three federal judges in Wyoming. The judges cited misconduct by the interim U.S. attorney that could have prejudiced the jurors, including comments he made to the grand jurors.
Lemon cites a third case out of Rhode Island where a federal judge on May 13 blocked the Trump administration’s sweeping demands for confidential transgender patient information from the state’s largest hospital that provides gender-affirming care to minors.
In that case, the judge rebuked actions by prosecutors, saying the Justice Department can no longer be trusted to enforce its power fairly and honestly.
Additionally, Lemon’s legal team highlighted the rejection of search warrants requested by the Justice Department for Lemon’s YouTube channel and account, as well as cellphone data for four other defendants. The magistrate judge determined the government failed to demonstrate probable cause that evidence of criminal activity would be discovered through the requested searches.
The search warrants were rejected in February, but the court record was unsealed on Tuesday.
Multiple judges — including Minnesota’s chief federal judge — determined there was insufficient probable cause to support the initial complaints prosecutors attempted to file against the two journalists, leading them to decline signing arrest warrants for Lemon or Fort before the government pursued grand jury proceedings.
Lemon’s legal representatives contend they deserve access to grand jury records due to the “checkered history of this case” and “numerous examples of grand jury misconduct by DOJ around the country.”
Lemon is “entitled to see whether the government allowed the grand jury to serve its role or whether, as elsewhere, the government interfered with the proper function of the grand jury,” his attorneys argued.
Federal aviation officials have suspended all SpaceX Starship rocket launches while they investigate problems that occurred during last week’s test mission.
The Federal Aviation Administration said Wednesday that the hour-long test flight from last Friday constituted a mishap due to issues with the massive rocket’s first-stage booster performance.
Following Friday’s liftoff from Texas, the booster detached normally but suffered engine failures during its return journey to Earth. Rather than executing a planned controlled landing in the Gulf of Mexico, the booster crashed into the water. The FAA reported no injuries or property damage occurred and will supervise the company’s investigation into the incident.
Meanwhile, the upper spacecraft successfully completed its mission around Earth, deploying 20 test satellites before concluding with an intentional fiery descent into the Indian Ocean as scheduled.
Standing 407 feet tall, this rocket represents the largest and most powerful version yet of SpaceX CEO Elon Musk’s Starship vehicle, engineered to transport crews to Mars. NASA plans to use this spacecraft for lunar astronaut missions beginning as early as 2028 and to establish a moon base.
Global equity markets achieved fresh record highs Wednesday as investors navigated mixed developments regarding possible U.S.-Iran diplomatic negotiations while preparing for Thursday’s critical U.S. inflation report.
Major American markets including the S&P 500, U.S. dollar, and Treasury bonds showed minimal movement as traders processed contradictory information about potential peace negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
Market analyst Jamie McGeever examined parallels between today’s artificial intelligence investment surge – described as the biggest on record – and the internet bubble of the late 1990s. While acknowledging increasing risks, McGeever suggested that a market collapse may not be immediate or certain.
Conflicting reports emerged Wednesday regarding diplomatic progress. Iranian state television referenced an unofficial agreement framework that would potentially reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 30 days. However, U.S. officials dismissed this as a “complete fabrication.” Despite the contradictions, markets responded as though negotiations were advancing, with oil prices dropping below $100 per barrel and stocks maintaining record levels.
Thursday brings the release of April’s Personal Consumption Expenditures inflation data, marking the first significant inflation report during Kevin Warsh’s tenure at the Federal Reserve. Economic forecasters anticipate headline annual PCE inflation will climb to 3.8%, matching headline Consumer Price Index figures, while core annual rates are expected to reach 3.3% – significantly above the 2.8% core CPI reading.
Speculation about resolving the U.S.-Iran conflict has reduced oil prices, bond yields, and Federal Reserve rate expectations, though traders still assign equal odds to a rate increase before year’s end.
Wednesday’s market performance showed South Korea surging 3% to new highs while China declined 1%. European markets remained flat with the UK gaining 0.1%. Wall Street presented mixed results as the Dow Jones and Russell 2000 posted new records while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq stayed essentially unchanged.
Individual stock movements varied significantly, with consumer discretionary sectors rising 1.9% while energy fell 1.5%. Notable decliners included Zscaler dropping 31%, Qualcomm falling 9%, and JPMorgan Chase down 2.4%. Gainers featured United Airlines climbing 6% and Procter & Gamble advancing 3%.
Currency markets saw the dollar index hold steady while New Zealand’s dollar led major currency gains with a 1% increase. The Japanese yen reached four-week lows, returning to levels that might prompt intervention.
Central banking developments globally showed increasing hawkish sentiment. New Zealand’s Reserve Bank maintained current rates in a split decision signaling potential future increases, following rate hikes in Australia and Norway. This trend reflects similar hawkish guidance from European Central Bank officials and shifting Federal Reserve tone.
Emerging market central banks also tightened policy, with Sri Lanka surprising markets with a 100 basis point increase this week, while Brazil’s easing trajectory faced complications from persistent inflation pressures.
Thursday’s calendar includes potential Middle East developments, South Korea’s interest rate decision, speeches from Bank of Japan and European Central Bank officials, eurozone confidence data, Canadian current account figures, U.S. jobless claims, PCE inflation data, durable goods orders, GDP estimates, Treasury auctions, and Federal Reserve official remarks.
The Chicago Stars dismissed general manager Richard Feuz on Wednesday following the team’s disappointing performance that has left them languishing near the bottom of the NWSL table with the worst goal differential in the league at minus-17.
Currently holding a 3-8-0 record for nine points, the Stars occupy 15th place in the 16-team league. This follows their last-place finish among 14 teams in 2025 with a 3-12-11 record totaling 20 points. This season, Chicago has managed just five goals while conceding 22, making them both the lowest-scoring and most porous defensive team in the league.
“What we hope for in a league like this is to be competitive,” Stars president Karen Leetzow told reporters on Wednesday, per ESPN. “You want to be in playoff contention all the time.”
“But at the very least, you need to have a compelling product on the pitch. I don’t think we have either this year. And that is not for lack of trying. That’s why we are disappointed with the outcome and why we decided to make the change that we made today.”
During Feuz’s tenure as general manager since his appointment in February 2024, the Stars compiled a 16-34-13 record in regular season play and 17-36-14 across all competitions. The team did secure a playoff berth in his first season as the eighth seed.
Head coach Martin Sjogren joined the organization in August 2025 but was unable to begin coaching duties until this season due to previous commitments in Sweden.
Speaking about the coaching staff on Wednesday, Leetzow stated that “right now, we’re confident in Martin and Martin’s process,” adding that “we feel good about the coaches we have.”
The general manager responsibilities will be shared among Leetzow, assistant general manager Beatrice Caliani, and director of soccer operations Olivia Wynn until a permanent replacement is found.
“We are seeking an experienced sporting leader who brings a proven track record of building competitive rosters and aligning organizations around a clear vision,” Leetzow said in a news release on Wednesday. “We are grateful for Richard’s dedication to the Stars and for his work in attracting world-class talent to Chicago.”
MEXICO CITY, May 27 – Latin America’s leading telecommunications company America Movil has revealed its business strategy extending to 2028, projecting consistent financial expansion while maintaining capital investments at roughly $7 billion annually, based on information from a J.P. Morgan analyst note.
The company’s investor presentation took place behind closed doors without media access. A company spokesperson did not provide immediate confirmation of the reported financial projections when contacted for comment.
During the New York investor meeting, America Movil forecasted annual service revenue growth averaging between 4.0% and 5.0% from 2026 through 2028. The company also expects earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization to climb by 4.5% to 6.0% each year during this timeframe.
The telecommunications leader intends to maintain its yearly capital expenditures near $7 billion, representing a total investment of $21 billion across the three-year span. Company leadership explained this spending level is achievable since America Movil has largely finished acquiring expensive radio spectrum licenses needed for its 5G infrastructure.
This consistent investment approach is projected to produce substantial cash flow, which the company plans to allocate toward corporate acquisitions, debt reduction, and shareholder returns.
Leadership confirmed they are pursuing potential acquisition targets, specifically noting interest in financially distressed internet service providers operating in Brazil and telecommunications companies located in Eastern European nations including Serbia and Slovenia.
Regarding major markets such as Brazil and Colombia, company executives expressed an “aspiration to join the club of 50,” describing their long-range objective of reaching 50% profit margins in these regions.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones is setting his sights on a Week 1 comeback as he continues his recovery from a torn Achilles that ended his season last November.
Six months after undergoing surgery, Jones participated in individual workouts and throwing sessions during the team’s voluntary organized activities in Indianapolis. The quarterback confirmed his goal to serve as the starter when Indianapolis hosts Baltimore for their season opener in September and intends to take part in all training camp activities.
“Absolutely,” Jones stated. “Definitely still work to be done and progress to be made. So, I think it’s just continuing to get stronger, continuing to run faster, cut harder. And progress kind of, according to the program.”
Head coach Shane Steichen remains open to possibilities with Anthony Richardson, who continues seeking a trade after Indianapolis chose to recommit to Jones. While Steichen noted Richardson maintains his desire for a new opportunity elsewhere, the team allowed him to practice with the offense Wednesday since “there’s the potential he could” remain with Indianapolis next season.
While Jones was expected to primarily observe during early organized team activities, Steichen anticipated his gradual integration into full participation.
“I’m actually not surprised, just because of the way he works,” Steichen commented.
Jones began the previous season strongly, helping Indianapolis to an 8-2 record while competing for the AFC’s top playoff position before injuries derailed their campaign – a recurring theme from his tenure with the New York Giants.
Indianapolis committed to continuing with Jones by securing him with a two-year, $88 million contract, avoiding another search for a franchise quarterback.
Riley Leonard remains with the team after Indianapolis brought Philip Rivers out of retirement to start in December when Jones was injured, Richardson dealt with an eye issue, and Leonard battled a minor knee problem sustained while replacing Jones during a game at Jacksonville.
Seth Henigan, formerly of Memphis, represents the only other quarterback currently on the roster heading into training camp. Indianapolis added him to their practice squad on Christmas Day last season for additional depth.
Technology giant HP exceeded Wall Street projections for quarterly earnings and revenue on Wednesday, powered by robust sales of artificial intelligence-enhanced computers and ongoing Windows 11 system upgrades.
Computer manufacturers like HP, Dell Technologies and China’s Lenovo Group are dealing with a memory chip shortage as data center construction absorbs available supply and drives up costs for smartphones and computers.
This supply shortage is encouraging some businesses to purchase higher-profit premium equipment during the Windows 11 upgrade period, following Microsoft’s decision to discontinue Windows 10 support in October of last year.
A week ago, competitor Lenovo announced an unexpected 27% increase in fourth-quarter revenue, as robust consumer interest in computers ahead of possible price increases helped the world’s top computer manufacturer grow its market position.
HP’s quarterly revenue increased 9% to $14.41 billion compared to the same period last year, surpassing the LSEG-compiled analyst consensus of $14.07 billion. The company’s adjusted earnings per share of 86 cents also exceeded projections of 71 cents for the quarter that concluded April 30.
Company stock climbed as high as 15% in after-hours trading following the announcement. The shares were most recently trading up approximately 1%.
“During the second quarter, we continued executing our future of work strategy through intelligent devices, edge AI, and connected experiences while navigating rising commodity costs,” HP interim CEO Bruce Broussard said in a statement.
The corporation’s “future of work” approach emphasizes AI-enhanced computers, hybrid workplace tools and office software.
HP announced it now anticipates fiscal 2026 adjusted EPS of $2.90 to $3.10, compared with previous projections of $2.90 to $3.20.
The company forecasts third-quarter adjusted EPS between 61 cents and 71 cents, with the midpoint slightly exceeding analyst expectations of 64 cents.
President Donald Trump announced his intention to attend an NBA Finals game at Madison Square Garden after receiving an invitation from Knicks owner James Dolan.
The president revealed he had been asked to attend Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals, but New York completed a four-game sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday, eliminating the Wednesday game before Trump could accept Dolan’s invitation.
“Boy, what a team,” Trump commented at the White House while taking a break from a Cabinet meeting. “I think I’ll be going to one of the games. Yeah, I was invited by numerous people.”
The Knicks have reached the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999 and are waiting to learn their opponent from the Western Conference finals. The defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder currently lead the San Antonio Spurs 3-2 in the best-of-seven series, with Game 6 scheduled for Thursday night.
The Western Conference winner will host the Knicks on June 3 and June 5. New York will host Game 3 on June 8 and Game 4 on June 10 in the best-of-seven championship series.
Throughout his two presidential terms, Trump has made appearances at numerous major sporting events, including the Super Bowl, U.S. Open tennis tournament, Ryder Cup and Daytona 500. Most recently, he attended a UFC event at Madison Square Garden in November 2024.
Trump, a former longtime New York resident, maintains connections to both the franchise and Dolan, who also manages the arena and the NHL’s New York Rangers.
A remote detention facility situated in the Florida Everglades that has earned the nickname ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ could be shutting down in the near future due to rising operational costs.
Officials indicate that maintaining the facility in the swampland location has proven financially unsustainable, prompting discussions about potential closure.
While students across the country typically ride buses to reach their classrooms, children in the remote Alaska community of South Naknek experience a very different daily commute. For nearly four decades, pilot Jon King has been transporting students to school by aircraft on almost every school day.
The remote location of South Naknek in rural Alaska makes traditional school transportation methods impractical, leading to this unique aviation-based solution for getting students to their education.
Motorists traveling on southbound Interstate 495 are experiencing delays due to a vehicle breakdown at the Christina River Bridge location.
The right lane has been shut down to traffic while authorities work to clear the disabled vehicle from the roadway. Drivers are advised to use caution when passing through the area and expect possible delays during the cleanup process.
A Pennsylvania-based manufacturing company has issued a voluntary recall of specific batches of popular chocolate-covered snacks due to potential allergen contamination.
Bazzini, LLC, located in Allentown, PA, which serves as a co-manufacturer for the SkinnyDipped brand, announced the recall of select cases of SkinnyDipped Dark Chocolate Coconut Almond Bites. The company took this precautionary step after discovering the products may contain peanuts that were not listed on the packaging.
The recall affects only a small number of product cases and was initiated out of an abundance of caution. Individuals with peanut allergies could face serious health risks if they consume the affected products.
Memorial Day weekend brought cloudy skies and overcast conditions that weren’t ideal for beach trips, but created perfect circumstances for fishing enthusiasts throughout Maryland waters.
Beginning June 1, striped bass regulations will become much simpler to follow as all Maryland sections of the Chesapeake Bay and tidal waterways will allow striped bass fishing through July 31. Anglers must follow a 19-inch to 24-inch slot restriction with a daily limit of one fish per person.
This week features a full moon – the second of the month, making it a blue moon. This lunar event will trigger the yearly May worm swarms, providing fish with abundant nutrition. Spot fish have reached many Bay areas, and fishing enthusiasts must remember they are required to use non-offset circle hooks when pursuing striped bass with live or cut bait.
Water Conditions: May 27 – June 2
NOAA monitoring stations report main Bay surface and river mouth temperatures have dropped slightly to the upper 60s and should remain steady throughout the week. Smaller waterways and streams are also maintaining temperatures in the upper 60s. Smaller streams and downwind locations on sunny days will heat up more quickly and frequently reach the low to mid 70s. As waters warm, bottom oxygen concentrations are beginning to decline. Currently, most Bay bottom waters have sufficient oxygen levels except around Quantico on the Potomac River and near the Bay Bridge.
Most Maryland rivers and streams should experience typical flow levels. Water clarity should be average for most Maryland Bay areas and rivers. Above-normal tidal movements are expected all week due to the May 31 full moon. Horseshoe crabs should begin appearing on beaches with salt levels above 6ppt for their spring mating migration.
Upper Chesapeake Bay
Weekend rainfall increased flows at the Conowingo Dam this week, where anglers are successfully targeting blue and flathead catfish in the dam pool. Blue catfish action mixed with channel catfish continues downstream along the Susquehanna and into the upper Bay. All regional tidal rivers also contain blue and channel catfish populations.
Overcast weather has created excellent striped bass fishing conditions that anglers are reporting this week. Casting paddletails and soft plastic jigs near structure and jigging along channel edges produces good results. Pooles Island, Hart-Miller Island, the Love Point rocks, the Patapsco River mouth, and Baltimore Harbor all offer productive light tackle fishing spots. Trolling umbrella rigs along 30-foot channel edges effectively locates striped bass when fish are scattered.
The season’s first spot are being caught off Sandy Point State Park, with enough numbers for live-lining striped bass. White perch are appearing at the Bay Bridge’s west end, the Magothy River mouth, and lower sections of regional tidal rivers.
Middle Bay
Striped bass fishing at Bay Bridge piers has been productive this past week and should continue. Boats anchor up-current of bridge piers on the east side and drift live spot and various baits back to pier foundations. Other anglers position near piers and cast soft plastic jigs to pier bases with good success.
Light tackle striped bass fishing is excellent for anglers casting and jigging at many traditional middle Bay locations. Eastern Bay, Poplar Island, Thomas Point, and the Choptank River mouth are among locations where casting paddletails and soft plastic jigs works well. Shallow waters are good for casting paddletails and topwater lures. Deeper channel edges are ideal for jigging with soft plastics. Bluefish have reached the middle bay region this past week, so soft plastics may get damaged.
Trolling along channel edges at approximately 30-foot depths effectively targets striped bass this week. Channel edges at Bloody Point, the Buoy 83 edge, and the False Channel are productive trolling locations. Umbrella rigs with bucktail trailers have been popular. With bluefish arriving in the region, adding Drone spoons to trolling spreads might be beneficial. Spot are arriving and anglers are already using this striped bass bait for live-lining at preferred locations.
White perch are gradually moving to summer habitat locations at tidal river and creek mouths near oyster reefs and structure including docks, piers, and submerged objects. Bottom rigs baited with grass shrimp or bloodworm pieces work well around deep structure. Casting spin jigs and small lures along promising shoreline structure provides enjoyable evening light tackle fishing.
Lower Bay
Deeper channel edge waters are being targeted by anglers jigging with soft plastic jigs or trolling with umbrella rigs along 30-foot edges. Adding several Drone spoons behind inline weights for regional bluefish is recommended. The steep Potomac channel edge from St. Georges Island to Piney Point, the lower Patuxent, and the eastern bay side from Buoy 76 to Buoy 72 deserve exploration.
Red and black drum are being found on the Bay’s eastern side from the Middle Grounds past the Target Ship and Tangier Sound. Finding them on depth finders and dropping soft crab baits is the most popular technique. Red drum can also be caught by jigging with large soft plastics or trolling large spoons behind inline weights.
Spot have arrived in the lower Patuxent River, St. Marys River, near Hoopers Island, and Tangier Sound, where anglers will begin live-lining spot near traditional channel edges. Anglers must remember to use non-offset circle hooks when targeting striped bass with live or cut bait.
White perch are steadily moving into typical summer habitats, though some report the process seems slower than previous years. Bottom rigs baited with grass shrimp or bloodworm pieces work well in deeper waters, while casting spin jigs and small lures in shallower waters provides entertaining fishing.
Blue Crabs
Many crabbers were active over the weekend during foggy and sometimes rainy conditions, attempting to provide crabs for Memorial Day Weekend gatherings. Most managed successful catches in all Bay regions. Recreational crabbers in the lower Eastern Shore performed best, with most reporting 8-12 feet of water as the optimal depth for crabs.
Freshwater Fishing
Maryland’s spring trout stocking season has concluded. Stocking began in February and finished on May 18. A total of 254,810 trout were stocked; 182,260 trout went into open waters and 72,550 were stocked during the closure period. Trout were placed in 118 waterbodies, including 53 streams and rivers and 65 lakes and ponds. The next regular trout stocking period begins in October.
Due to warming temperatures, some delayed harvest trout management waters (Group I) in central and parts of western regions will open to trout harvest from June 1 to September 30. Other areas known as Group II in the western region will open to trout harvest from June 16 to September 30. This strategy allows anglers catch-and-release fishing during months when cold temperatures provide good trout survival, and keeping five trout daily when temperatures become too warm for good survival.
Many Maryland rivers and streams received needed rainfall, resulting in increased flows. Upper Potomac River levels at Paw Paw were measured at four feet last Thursday and are predicted to reach 17 feet on May 28. The North Branch, higher in the watershed, only experienced a three-foot gauge increase. River flows will decrease in coming weeks.
The fish hatchery program supplements upper Potomac smallmouth bass and walleye populations annually with fingerlings to boost recruitment of these valuable species. Walleye fingerlings are also stocked in selected rivers and reservoirs to increase angling opportunities.
Triadelphia Reservoir will receive walleye fingerlings measuring about one inch. Fisheries biologist Ross Williams noted this program dates back to 1992. In a 2024 gill net survey at Triadelphia Reservoir, biologists surveyed 11 walleye weighing between 3 pounds. Walleye fingerlings are also regularly stocked in the lower Susquehanna River, Rocky Gorge, Liberty and Savage reservoirs.
Largemouth bass anglers are enjoying excellent fishing opportunities this week. Bass are in post-spawn feeding patterns and feeding throughout the day due to cooler temperatures and overcast skies. Intermediate waters outside shallow grass areas are good targets for spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, crankbaits and soft plastics. Shallower grass beds are good locations for topwater lures.
Chesapeake Channa, also known as snakeheads, can be found in grass bed areas in tidal waters, with many beginning to spawn. Noisy and disruptive topwater lures effectively attract attention from parent fish protecting eggs or fry balls.
Chain pickerel fishing always provides exciting entertainment and they can be found on grass bed outside edges. Crappie can be found near structure this month. Various sunfish species can be found roaming outside shallower waters.
Blue catfish and channel catfish offer active fishing in the bay’s tidal rivers while flathead catfish in the upper Potomac provide action. Blue and channel catfish are attracted to cut baits and scented baits. Flathead catfish prefer live bait.
Atlantic Ocean and Coastal Bays
Surf anglers are enjoying productive fishing off Ocean City and Assateague Island beaches. Anglers using large cut baits are catching large striped bass, red drum and bluefish. Most striped bass measure over the maximum slot size of 31 inches but provide exciting catch-and-release action, as do large red drum. Black drum are being caught on sand fleas and clams.
At the Ocean City Inlet and Route 50 Bridge area, anglers are catching striped bass by casting soft plastic jigs and paddletails. A fair number of striped bass being caught fall within the 28-31 inch slot. Anglers drifting cut baits in the inlet during evening hours are catching good numbers of striped bass. Flounder are moving through the inlet with catch and release tautog fishing available.
Back bay channels leading from the inlet are productive places to drift for flounder as they move through channels and spread throughout back bay waters. Striped bass are being caught near Route 90 and Verrazzano bridge piers by anglers casting soft plastic jigs and paddletails.
Offshore fishing at wrecks and reefs for black sea bass has been very productive with limit catches being common. Flounder and ling can be part of the mix for anglers. Farther offshore at the canyons, anglers are finding the first yellowfin tuna and dolphin with reports of bluefin tuna moving through canyon areas.
Maintaining steady climate conditions in museums throughout every season requires enormous amounts of power and comes with hefty costs. However, certain cultural institutions are discovering ways to address this challenge.
Museums must keep their internal environments at consistent temperature and humidity levels regardless of outside weather conditions, creating substantial energy demands that drive up operational expenses.
The winner of the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee is offering guidance to aspiring competitors looking ahead to next year’s competition.
The champion is revealing the strategies and preparation methods that led to victory, providing valuable insights for students who hope to compete successfully in the 2026 spelling competition.
The term “bird watching” doesn’t encompass the complete spectrum of individuals who enjoy seeking out wild birds in their natural habitats. Among these enthusiasts are numerous birders with visual impairments who rely on their sense of hearing to pursue their passion.
These dedicated nature lovers demonstrate that enjoying birds doesn’t require perfect vision, as they’ve developed skills to identify species through their calls, songs, and other auditory cues.
Conservation specialists are working to protect seeds from extremely rare plant species following a recent wildfire that swept through Santa Rosa Island off the California coastline.
Heather Schneider from the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden discussed the facility’s conservation initiatives during a recent interview, highlighting their work to safeguard genetic material from uncommon plant varieties found on the island where the fire occurred.
The botanical garden has been actively collecting and preserving seeds from rare flora native to Santa Rosa Island as part of their broader conservation mission to protect endangered plant species from extinction.
What appeared to be a desperate move by the Vegas Golden Knights when they dismissed Bruce Cassidy and hired John Tortorella late in the season actually follows a pattern that has produced championship results before.
After Tortorella led the Golden Knights through a sweep of the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado team on Tuesday night, he now stands on the verge of becoming just the eighth coach in NHL history to capture the Stanley Cup following a mid-season hiring.
Since 2000, this feat has been accomplished five times, with Larry Robinson’s journey with the New Jersey Devils in that year bearing the strongest resemblance to Tortorella’s situation, as Robinson also assumed control with only eight games left in the 1999-00 campaign. The other successful mid-season coaches had significantly more time to implement their systems.
Vegas turned to Tortorella following a disastrous stretch in March when the team dropped six of seven contests. Under his leadership, the Golden Knights posted a 7-0-1 record to close the regular season and have dominated the Western Conference playoffs with a 12-4 mark.
The most recent championship team to achieve success after changing coaches mid-season was St. Louis in 2018-19, when Craig Berube replaced Mike Yeo early in the campaign. Kris Knoblauch nearly accomplished the same feat in 2023-24 with Edmonton, falling just one victory short after losing Game 7 of the Final to Florida.
Should Tortorella successfully guide the Golden Knights to their second championship, the six instances of mid-season coaching changes leading to titles in the NHL since 2000 would match the combined total from the NFL (0), NBA (4) and Major League Baseball (2) throughout their entire histories.
This accomplishment occurred only twice in the NHL during the 20th century, with Toronto’s Dick Irwin achieving it in 1932 and Montreal’s Al MacNeil doing so in 1971, before becoming more common in recent years.
The NBA coaches who have won championships after mid-season hirings include Jack McKinney with the Lakers in 1980, Pat Riley twice with Los Angeles in 1982 and Miami in 2006, and Tyronn Lue with Cleveland in 2016. In baseball, Jack McKeon led the Florida Marlins to a World Series title in 2003, while Bob Lemon accomplished the same with the Yankees in 1978.
A detailed examination of the five most recent NHL coaches who captured Stanley Cup championships after taking over during the season reveals:
After firing Yeo just 19 games into the 2018-19 campaign, St. Louis promoted Berube. The Blues plummeted to last place by early January before mounting a remarkable comeback.
St. Louis secured second place in the Central Division and overcame a 3-2 series deficit against Dallas in the second round, winning in double overtime in Game 7. They then erased a 2-1 series deficit in the conference final, defeating San Jose in six games to reach their first Stanley Cup Final since 1970.
Berube then guided St. Louis through a seven-game series victory over Boston, delivering the franchise’s first championship.
Pittsburgh was struggling in the early portion of the 2015-16 season and appeared ready to squander another prime year of Sidney Crosby’s career when they dismissed Mike Johnston and elevated Sullivan from the AHL.
Energized by crucial midseason acquisitions and exceptional performances from Crosby, Pittsburgh surged into playoff contention and maintained that momentum. The Penguins dropped only three games total in the opening two rounds before rallying from a 3-2 deficit in the conference final to eliminate Tampa Bay.
They dominated San Jose in a six-game series, claiming the Stanley Cup for Crosby’s second championship.
The Kings sat in 11th place in the Western Conference during December and were struggling offensively when they fired Terry Murray and eventually convinced Sutter to leave his Alberta farm for his first coaching position in over five years.
Sutter’s direct approach and focus on fundamentals proved exactly what the Kings required, helping them secure a playoff berth as the eighth seed. They stormed through the playoffs, stunning top-seeded Vancouver in five games during the first round and winning 15 of their initial 17 playoff games.
Los Angeles ultimately defeated New Jersey in six games for the franchise’s first championship, with their four losses tying for the second-fewest in a Cup-winning playoff run since the first round expanded to best-of-seven format in 1987.
Following their Final appearance in 2008, the Penguins were barely above .500 by February the following season, prompting GM Ray Shero to dismiss Michel Therrien and promote Bylsma from the AHL.
Pittsburgh compiled an 18-3-4 record down the stretch to claim the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. The Penguins then navigated challenging series against Philadelphia and Washington before sweeping Carolina in the conference final.
This established a rematch opportunity against Detroit, and Pittsburgh prevailed this time, capturing Game 7 on the road for the franchise’s first title since 1992.
Despite holding first place in the East and owning the third-best record league-wide with eight games remaining in the regular season, GM Lou Lamoriello made the surprising choice to fire Robby Ftorek and elevate Robinson from his assistant coaching position.
New Jersey had managed just one playoff series victory over the previous four seasons and was faltering late in 2000 when Lamoriello determined a change was necessary.
His decision proved brilliant.
Robinson intensified practice schedules and emphasized defensive commitment, which proved crucial during a playoff run that included a comeback from a 3-1 deficit in the conference final against Philadelphia and a 2-1 double-overtime victory on the road in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final against defending champion Dallas.
SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s administration revealed Wednesday its commitment to spend $75 million on the BR-319 roadway that passes through Amazon rainforest territory, despite environmental advocates warning the project may speed up forest destruction and intensify climate issues.
The government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva concurrently revealed environmental safeguarding measures designed to protect the forest from possible highway-related damage. The roadway links northern states Amazonas and Rondonia to Brazil’s remaining regions.
“From an environmental standpoint, it will be the most modern road in the world,” Lula stated at an Amazonas state ceremony, joined by Environment Minister João Paulo Capobianco.
“Any foreigner who comes here to weigh in on the climate issue, we will show what we’ve done here,” Lula stated.
The BR-319 roadway opened in 1976 yet stays mostly unpaved. It passes through Amazon rainforest territory and connects to Manaus, the Amazon’s biggest city with over 2 million people. The route follows the Madeira River — a major Amazon River tributary affected by droughts that interrupt freight transportation.
During Wednesday’s event in Iranduba, an Amazonas city located approximately 23 miles (37 kilometers) from Manaus, Brazilian officials also revealed regional investments featuring projects from government oil company Petrobras and subsidiary Transpetro in Amazonas. Lula appeared with regional politicians anticipated to back his reelection bid for a fourth non-consecutive term this October.
Authorities presented a video detailing environmental safeguarding strategies for the roadway, featuring environmental oversight of a 50-kilometer-wide (31-mile-wide) zone on both sides of the route throughout its length. They explained the roadway needs enhanced government presence since it travels through one of the rainforest’s most delicate regions.
Officials also promised to establish inspection stations, enforcement agency facilities and develop new conservation areas. They stated plans to contract a private company in 2028 for enforcement support.
Tuesday saw Lula touring a highway section, photographing with equipment and workers, and seemingly operating machinery while work progressed on the unpaved route.
Environmental organizations, including the Climate Observatory, have legally contested the project. In 2024, Climate Observatory initiated legal action to reverse the 2022 preliminary authorization for BR-319 highway paving, claiming officials disregarded technical advisories from Brazil’s environmental agency and neglected to mandate essential protections like Indigenous consultation and climate impact assessments.
Additional legal actions temporarily stopped a related bidding procedure in April, though a superior court quickly reversed the halt.
Minister George Santoro stated Wednesday that the complete highway will be contracted and under construction by June’s end.
The Amazon, Earth’s biggest rainforest, serves a vital function in controlling global climate patterns. The route passes through one of the ecosystem’s most preserved areas, containing numerous protected zones and Indigenous lands.
Scientific studies have demonstrated that constructing new rainforest roads increases deforestation by encouraging illegal side route development. A 2014 study in Biological Conservation journal revealed 95% of forest clearing happens within 5.5 kilometers (3.4 miles) of roads. Each 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) of official roadway generates roughly 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) of unofficial routes.
Marina Silva, a previous environment minister under Lula’s administration, stated during last year’s Senate hearing that BR-319 area deforestation increased immediately following roadwork announcements. She left office in April to pursue Congress candidacy.
Marcio Astrini, executive director of Climate Observatory, stated the government is circumventing proper procedures in implementing environmental protection measures. A deforestation prevention strategy for the highway, he argued, should have been discussed, authorized and executed before paving started — not simultaneously as currently occurring.
“Just the simple announcement under (former President Jair) Bolsonaro’s government that the road would be rebuilt nearly doubled land grabbing and deforestation in the area. Laying asphalt there creates another incentive,” Astrini stated. “If there are no protection measures in place, it just becomes yet another driver of deforestation.”
Two dramatically different approaches to spelling success are on display as 54 young competitors vie for spots in Thursday’s National Spelling Bee finals.
Shrey Parikh, a 14-year-old from Rancho Cucamonga, California, exemplifies the intensive preparation method. After placing third in the 2024 competition but stumbling at his school bee last year, he’s gone all-in for his final eligible year. The teenager works with three different coaches, purchases specialized word lists and study materials, and dedicates himself to mastering Greek and Latin roots along with language patterns. He also participates year-round in online competitions against the nation’s elite spellers.
In stark contrast stands 12-year-old sixth-grader Sarv Dharavane from Dunwoody, Georgia, who also secured third place in 2025 despite being relatively unknown in spelling circles. His secret? Complete reliance on the Merriam-Webster’s Unabridged dictionary as his sole study companion.
“The book is my coach,” Sarv explained.
His methodology remained unchanged from his previous success. “I didn’t really change anything because my strategy got me far last year, but I did more of what I did before,” he noted. “I used to read the dictionary and set aside difficult words to study later. I did it a lot, so I got a lot of words and it was really easy just to go through them. I’ve always been able to remember pretty well, and I can read through long lists without getting tired, so this strategy works pretty well for me.”
These contrasting methods have reignited an ongoing discussion within spelling communities about whether language comprehension or memorization techniques prove more effective.
Sam Evans, who has coached the previous two champions, advocates for memorization’s importance. “At the end of finals, most of the words aren’t going to have a really clean-cut language pattern or rule that you can pull from. So I think memorization is really important,” he stated. “Sometimes it gets a bad reputation, but you have to do it.”
Reaching the finals typically requires understanding word components absorbed into English, including roots and origin languages. However, certain champions have distinguished themselves through exceptional memory capabilities – the capacity to immediately visualize encountered words or recite dictionary definitions word-for-word. This group includes Nihar Janga in 2016, Zaila Avant-garde in 2021, and Bruhat Soma in 2024.
Dev Shah, the 2023 winner, promotes what he calls an artistic spelling methodology, also supported by his coach Scott Remer. This approach emphasizes mastering roots and language patterns while learning to identify exceptions, enabling spellers to tackle unfamiliar words through deduction rather than recall.
Shah acknowledged the impossibility of memorizing the entire dictionary – “No one can,” he said – and believed unknown words could be solved through reasoning. “The skill of guessing is everything,” he wrote in a Washington Post opinion piece following his victory.
In a Wednesday interview, Shah recognized memorization’s value, particularly for unusual words with obscure backgrounds. He identified the top spellers, including Avant-garde, as those who balance memorization with mastery. Understanding conceptual spelling principles can also support performance under pressure when memory lapses occur, Shah noted, admitting he finds memorizing vast word volumes challenging.
Former champion Sohum Sukhatankar, who coaches Shrey, emphasizes loading competitors’ minds with the most valuable information. “When you’re at the highest level, you have to be prepared for hundreds of thousands of words,” he explained. “You want to do as little memorization as possible to avoid the chance that you just forget it, so it’s all about efficiency.”
While Shrey recognizes he may need to guess at the microphone, he aims to minimize uncertainties. This approach makes sense considering last year’s setback when he failed to become his school’s top speller.
“I had a fever at my school bee last year, and I just blanked on the word ‘calipers’ … and I missed it,” he recalled. “I was really devastated.”
Several months passed before Shrey felt motivated to resume studying. Upon restarting, he added Sukhatankar to his coaching roster. He’s developed techniques for slowing down at the microphone following a negative 2023 experience when rushing through a word led to unclear pronunciation and an incorrect ruling from judges.
Shrey also supports study guide usage. He credits an interactive, AI-powered platform called Onyma – offering personalized learning and inter-speller competition, launched this month by Sukhatankar and Evans – with improving his preparation. Additionally, he utilizes SpellPundit, an online resource developed by former spellers and their parents that gained prominence at the 2019 bee when most of that year’s eight co-champions used it. The company reports every subsequent champion as a client.
Despite winning the annual SpellPundit bee, the South Asian Spelling Bee, and several other online competitions, Shrey doesn’t view these victories as necessarily beneficial. “I feel like it (creates) more pressure to perform,” he said.
Evans believes spellers seeking victory should maximize study time efficiency, though no limits exist on learning every possible word. “There’s a common joke among spellers that says everything’s in the dictionary, so it’s all ‘on-list,’” he noted. “The dictionary is the most basic thing that spellers need to know.”
WASHINGTON — During what started as a routine Cabinet meeting, the president transformed into a construction foreman Wednesday, enthusiastically describing municipal improvement projects throughout the nation’s capital to his assembled officials and a national television audience.
The commander-in-chief spent considerable time detailing fountain repairs and pool cleaning operations, carefully explaining the differences between various blasting techniques and describing efforts to fix damaged walkways in a public park.
While the scene might have resembled a local municipal leader updating residents at a community meeting, this was the president drawing on his background in real estate development to showcase Washington renovation efforts.
“I love construction. It’s very exciting,” the president declared, asserting that the improvements he’s overseen mean “D.C. is looking beautiful.”
His construction commentary stretched for 10 minutes and provided more detail than discussions of other significant topics covered during the session, including military action in Iran. The meeting also touched briefly on rising fuel costs across the country and economic concerns that could impact his party’s efforts to maintain congressional control following November’s midterm elections.
The president revealed new aspects of his construction agenda, mentioning for the first time that improvements would reach the fountain at the World War II Memorial.
He reported that crews were enhancing 28 fountains under his supervision, then highlighted efforts to restore what he called the “reflecting lake” or “reflecting pond” — referring to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool — which he said had undergone steam-cleaning, fumigation and coating with “American flag blue” paint.
“Over the years, I built hundreds of pools,” the president recalled, referencing his construction career in 1970s and 1980s New York. “I always like to build Olympic-sized swimming pools.”
The renovation work included removing “more than 10 dumpsters of garbage,” according to the president.
“Every corner had massive amounts,” he explained, adding, “I guess that’s the way the tide goes” — despite the fact that no tide reaches the pool.
The president indicated the goal was finishing the work by Independence Day and progress was largely on schedule, though recent rainfall in Washington had caused some setbacks.
The most extensive details emerged when discussion turned to power-washing procedures.
Crews “sandblasted it, and then we pebble-blasted,” the president explained, describing it as “a bigger version of sand.”
To prevent leaks, he said workers were applying “a very sophisticated form of rubber.”
The president also claimed credit for rebuilding the park situated across Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House.
“I made a contribution to redoing Lafayette Park. That’s the entrance to the White House. And it was an embarrassment that floors were broken,” the president said, referring to the park’s brick walkways.
Throughout the presentation, most Cabinet officials listened attentively with minimal reaction, except Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick — already recognized for conspicuous laughter at such gatherings — who nodded frequently and enthusiastically. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum also provided comments about some renovation projects when asked.
Before shifting to city improvements, the president began the meeting by announcing that only selected Cabinet members would be permitted to speak to expedite proceedings.
“Everybody around here has got a lot to say. But we did that once, and it lasted for like four or five hours. It was a little much,” the president said.
While that was an overstatement, previous Cabinet meetings have featured extended remarks — often highly complimentary of the president — from senior officials. One such gathering last summer extended the public portion beyond three hours.
Ultimately, the president’s construction briefing consumed roughly one-eighth of the 80-minute session. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attempted to redirect the discussion toward Iran. “I think, actually, your efforts on the reflecting pool are actually a great segue,” Hegseth suggested.
“If you look at Washington and Lincoln, these are two men that faced monumental tasks and stood up in historic fashion and delivered for the American people,” the defense secretary continued. “And, when you step back and look at 47 years of what Iran waged — war against us and our people — there’s only one man, over the course of both presidencies, who has stood up and said they will never get a nuclear weapon.”
NEWARK, N.J. — Several Democratic congressional representatives toured a federal immigration detention facility in New Jersey on Wednesday, amid ongoing protests and claims that detainees are refusing to eat in protest of facility conditions.
Following his tour of Delaney Hall in Newark, U.S. Rep. Adriano Espaillat, a Manhattan Democrat, stated that detainees were declining meals due to what he characterized as “inhumane” conditions.
“We will shut this center down. We will shut it down,” Espaillat declared following the approximately one-hour inspection.
Manhattan Democrats U.S. Reps. Jerry Nadler and Dan Goldman subsequently addressed protesters and relatives of detainees who were demonstrating beyond the facility’s security entrance.
“We want to make sure the conditions here are going to be dealt with,” Goldman stated just before both legislators entered the complex.
Over 50 demonstrators carried placards reading “Stop Family Separation” while chanting “Free Them All” along with other rallying cries.
Several protesters directed comments at the armed, helmet-clad Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers positioned outside, shouting “cowards” and “idiots.”
The demonstrations started Friday and have experienced periods of heightened tension.
On Monday, U.S. Sen. Andy Kim, a New Jersey Democrat, reported being pepper-sprayed when he and New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill attempted to lead a group of Democratic officials to visit detainees but were refused access.
“Instead of engaging with me and others about the poor conditions, ICE sent in an armored vehicle and a line of armed agents that only poured gasoline on the fire,” Kim wrote on social media following Monday’s confrontations. “Civilians were tackled and restrained, and agents fired pepper balls and spray into the crowd.”
Gabriela Soto stated Wednesday that her spouse was among those detainees who joined the food refusal before being moved to a different location.
“At first it was just 300. Then it became a little bit more. Now, every single detainee inside there is participating. Every single one,” she explained, dressed in a black shirt reading “Abolish ICE.”
Amol Sinha, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey, indicated his group has received “horror stories” about detainees, including expectant mothers, not receiving adequate medical care for their health issues.
“Cruelty is the point,” he stated.
ICE officials have not replied to email requests for comment Wednesday, though the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which supervises the agency, has rejected claims of any hunger strike, mistreatment or substandard conditions within the center and characterized the complaints as political theater.
“The fact is, we’re giving them the calories they want,” Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said Wednesday regarding detainees at Delaney Hall. “This isn’t Holiday Inn.”
President Donald Trump also supported the detention facility.
“We run the finest facilities anywhere in the world — of their type — but we have some horrible killers,” he said Wednesday.
Situated along an industrial section of Newark Bay and operated by a private prison company, Delaney Hall has repeatedly become a center of demonstrations and confrontations between immigrant advocacy groups and immigration enforcement personnel.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and U.S. Rep. LaMonica McIver, a New Jersey Democrat, were among individuals detained during protests when the 1,000-bed complex opened last May.
The Atlanta Hawks announced Wednesday they have elevated general manager Onsi Saleh to president of basketball operations, rewarding him with a promotion after the team’s return to postseason play for the first time since 2023.
The 40-year-old executive, who initially came to Atlanta as assistant general manager in May 2024 before being elevated to GM in April 2025, has agreed to a long-term contract extension with the organization.
“I have such tremendous gratitude for the trust and partnership that the Resslers have shown me since my first day in Atlanta,” Saleh said of the team owners. “They have provided all the resources necessary for our front office to continue methodically building our program into one of the NBA’s elite. It’s an honor to lead this team, and I take seriously my responsibility to deliver for Hawks fans — I could not be more excited for what is ahead for our franchise.”
The promotion comes after Saleh finished as runner-up for NBA Basketball Executive of the Year recognition last month. Under his leadership, Atlanta compiled a 46-36 record, captured the Southeast Division championship, and secured the No. 6 playoff seed. However, their postseason run ended when the New York Knicks defeated them in six games during the first round.
“Onsi possesses a rare combination of valuable leadership qualities and a clear vision that will position our franchise to compete at a championship level. He is a gifted communicator and talent evaluator, widely respected by his peers within the NBA community,” Hawks principal owner Tony Ressler said.
Looking ahead to next month’s NBA draft, Atlanta holds valuable assets including two first-round selections at positions No. 8 and No. 23, plus the No. 57 pick.
The Hawks represent the only 2026 playoff qualifier possessing a top-10 draft selection this year, having obtained that pick through a 2025 draft-night transaction with the New Orleans Pelicans. Atlanta traded Derik Queen, who was selected 13th overall, to New Orleans in return for the better of two first-round picks controlled by the Pelicans and Milwaukee Bucks. The Pelicans’ disappointing season resulted in the pick falling into lottery territory for Atlanta’s benefit.
A top Federal Reserve official warned Wednesday that interest rates could go up if inflation doesn’t start moving in the right direction.
Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook told an economic policy conference at Stanford that while she currently supports maintaining steady interest rates, several factors are pushing prices higher and forcing the central bank to consider tougher action.
“I see elevated risks to both sides of our mandate, and from a risk-management perspective, I currently believe that the right course of action is to hold rates steady,” Cook stated during her prepared remarks at the AI policy forum at Stanford’s Institute for Economic Policy Research.
However, Cook expressed concern that inflation is “clearly moving in the wrong direction.” She pointed to several causes: tariffs implemented last year, oil price increases since the Iran war began on February 28, and rising demand for computer chips and software as companies invest heavily in artificial intelligence data centers.
The Fed official noted that while tariff effects should diminish soon, the combination of energy costs and AI-related investment is creating upward pressure on construction worker wages and overall prices.
Cook acknowledged that inflation has remained above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target for five consecutive years, raising concerns it could become embedded in how businesses set prices and wages.
“I want to be clear about my risk assessment: The risks remain tilted toward higher inflation,” she explained. “I am prepared to raise rates, if the expected disinflation does not appear in a timely manner.”
Cook, who faced an unsuccessful removal attempt by President Donald Trump last year in a case currently before the Supreme Court, joined the majority vote last month to maintain the policy rate between 3.50% and 3.75%.
Her stance on potential rate increases could create complications for new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh, whom Trump appointed with expectations of lowering interest rates once the Iran war concludes and energy costs decrease. Several other Fed policymakers have similarly indicated they might support rate increases.
Regarding artificial intelligence’s economic impact, Cook expressed optimism about AI boosting growth and productivity through rapid business adoption. However, she cautioned that job losses might occur before employment gains materialize, creating risks for the currently stable job market.
Despite these concerns, Cook believes the labor market will maintain stability without requiring interest rate cuts, though she indicated readiness to reduce rates if employment conditions worsen. April’s unemployment rate stood at 4.3%.
PARIS – Top-ranked tennis players experienced mixed results during Wednesday’s action at the French Open, with some stars moving forward while others suffered unexpected defeats in challenging weather conditions.
Four-time champion Swiatek managed to advance to the third round despite struggling with 38 unforced errors during her match against Czech player Sara Bejlek, winning 6-2 6-3 in the intense heat.
“It was a tricky match in terms of the rhythm, because Sara plays differently than most of the players,” Swiatek explained. “I’m happy with the way I adjusted and how I was making decisions, because sometimes it wasn’t obvious when to attack and stay back. In the end I felt pretty good.”
Three-time champion Djokovic faced a challenging battle against French player Valentin Royer but ultimately prevailed 6-3 6-2 6-7(7) 6-3, keeping his pursuit of a 25th Grand Slam title alive at age 39.
“I think Valentin deserves a big round of applause for his performance today. I hope I won’t play any more French players for the rest of the tournament,” Djokovic commented after the match.
The Serbian star noted the difficult playing conditions, saying “The feelings on the court are different when you win. But it was a tough match in difficult conditions.”
However, second seed Rybakina suffered a stunning early elimination, falling to Yuliia Starodubtseva 3-6 6-1 7-6(10-4). The recent Australian Open champion struggled significantly, committing 71 unforced errors throughout the contest.
“I feel like if you’re trying to beat one of the best, you have to think that you can,” Starodubtseva said following her first victory over a top-five player. “I was trying to go into this match with this mindset, try not to give too much respect, even though she’s a great player and someone you can look up to.”
Ukrainian players continued their recent success, with Rome champion Elina Svitolina defeating Kaitlin Quevedo 6-0 6-4 on Court Philippe Chatrier. Fellow Ukrainian and Madrid winner Marta Kostyuk also advanced, beating Katie Volynets 6-7(4) 6-3 6-3.
Drama unfolded off the court when Spanish player Alejandro Davidovich Fokina discovered his coach had abandoned him mid-tournament. Mariano Puerta left the venue after sending a text message and flew to Miami without explanation.
“After the match against Damir Dzumhur, we had lunch and after that, I went to cool down. He said he was feeling bad, he was going to the hotel,” Davidovich Fokina revealed after his four-set victory over Argentine Thiago Agustin Tirante. “In the afternoon … he texted me a message (saying) he’ll not continue … he didn’t say nothing to anybody, he just took the flight and flew to Miami.”
Additional tension arose during Tamara Korpatsch’s 6-2 2-6 6-3 victory over 32nd seed Wang Xinyu on Court Seven. The match concluded without a handshake after a disputed line call led to heated exchanges between the players.
The controversy began when Wang believed her shot had landed inside the baseline, but Korpatsch pointed to a ball mark outside the court. Wang crossed the net to examine the mark, earning a code violation from chair umpire Aurelie Tourte for unsportsmanlike conduct.
“I can’t say I’ll gift her the point,” Korpatsch explained. “I’m a bit surprised, because we have a good relationship, we’re not enemies. I didn’t offer her my hand because that’s not fair for me. She was unfair to come on my side, and I’m not an unfair player.”
Other notable results included Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Belinda Bencic’s commanding 6-4 6-0 victory over American Caty McNally. German player Alexander Zverev was scheduled to face Czech Tomas Machac in the evening session as he continues his quest for a first Grand Slam title.
Moscow has issued a stark ultimatum to Armenia, threatening to cut off discounted energy supplies if the South Caucasus nation continues its pursuit of European Union membership.
The warning comes as Armenia prepares for parliamentary elections on June 7, with polls showing Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party maintaining a strong advantage over candidates favoring closer Russian ties. Pashinyan has cultivated stronger relationships with Western nations, drawing Moscow’s displeasure.
Maria Zakharova, who speaks for Russia’s Foreign Ministry, confirmed the formal notification to the RIA news agency. “The Russian Embassy has officially forwarded a letter…stating that if the process of accession to the EU continues, the Russian side will suspend or unilaterally terminate the Agreement on Cooperation in the Supply of Natural Gas, Petroleum Products and Rough Diamonds,” she stated.
The landlocked country of approximately 3 million people has historically maintained strong connections with Russia and belongs to the Moscow-led Eurasian Economic Union. Armenia houses Russian military installations and relies heavily on Moscow for energy needs, with 82% of its gas originating from Russia last year, the Interfax news agency reported.
During a campaign event, Pashinyan indicated Armenia had no plans to exit the Eurasian Union, arguing that membership in both organizations could coexist. “For now, Armenia can be a member of the Eurasian Economic Union and proceed with reforms to achieve European standards. We are on this path,” Russian news outlets reported him saying.
“When the time comes to make a choice, we will make a choice. We must have an alternative so that no one can say of Armenia — who needs it, where is it heading?” he added.
Relations between the two countries have deteriorated significantly following Azerbaijan’s recapture of the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region in September 2023, which led to a massive departure of ethnic Armenians despite Russian peacekeeping forces being stationed there.
Pashinyan blamed Russia for failing to safeguard his nation during that crisis and has subsequently worked to strengthen connections with Brussels and Washington. Armenia has also halted its involvement in a Moscow-led regional defense alliance.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio traveled to the Armenian capital on Tuesday, where he finalized a strategic partnership agreement demonstrating improved bilateral relations. Armenia also passed legislation last year beginning its EU membership application process.
Moscow contends that EU membership would conflict with Armenia’s participation in the Eurasian Economic Union. This month, Russian officials criticized Armenia for being pulled into what they termed the EU’s “anti-Russian orbit” and for giving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy “a platform for anti-Russian remarks.”
The cooperation deal that Russia threatens to cancel enables Armenia to purchase oil, gas and rough diamonds without export taxes and at significantly reduced prices.
Moscow confirmed that Russian Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev sent the warning letter to Armenia’s Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Ministry.
According to the letter’s text published by Russia’s Kommersant newspaper, Tsivilev described Armenia’s EU orientation as “inconsistent with the nature of the partnership between the governments and economic entities of our countries.”
Armenian ministry officials told state media on Wednesday they had not received any correspondence from Tsivilev.
Private equity giant Carlyle believes defense sector investments offer boundless opportunities as nations worldwide boost their military budgets, according to Chief Executive Harvey Schwartz.
Speaking at the Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference in New York on Wednesday, Schwartz described the potential market for the company’s newly established defense-focused division as having no limits.
“The total addressable market for a new dedicated unit that the firm set up to invest in that sector is unlimited, because everywhere you go everybody’s increasing their defense budgets by 1%, 2%, 5%,” Schwartz explained.
He characterized the trend as a worldwide occurrence during his remarks at the conference.
According to a company statement, the specialized unit will focus on investments across aerospace, defense, and industrial companies.
Schwartz has emphasized Carlyle’s Washington, D.C. origins as a competitive edge over rival private capital firms based in New York while working to navigate the company through internal challenges and broader industry difficulties.
Data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute shows worldwide military spending hit $2.89 trillion in 2025, pushing defense expenditures as a percentage of global economic output to levels not seen since 2009.
The abundance of potential investment opportunities in the sector means “we’re saying ‘no’ to a lot of transactions of the smaller ticket size,” according to Schwartz.
He noted that the new specialized unit could enable the firm to pursue transactions valued at $200 million to $300 million.
A New Jersey-based frozen treat manufacturer has issued a voluntary product recall due to potential allergen contamination. DE DIOS’S ICE POPS II LLC, located in Paterson, New Jersey, is pulling 3.7-ounce packages of popsicles from shelves because the products may contain undisclosed ingredients including milk, pecans, pistachios, and food dyes Yellow #5 and Red #40.
The recall poses particular concern for individuals with allergies to these specific ingredients, as the substances were not properly declared on product packaging. Consumers who have purchased these frozen treats and have known sensitivities to any of the listed allergens are advised to avoid consumption.
Six individuals have been chosen to participate in the 2026 Maryland Horse Career Program, which will take place from June 1 through June 5, according to an announcement from the Maryland Horse Foundation.
The program represents a collaborative effort between the Maryland Horse Foundation, the Maryland Horse Industry Board, and University of Maryland Equine Studies. Its mission focuses on linking up-and-coming professionals with established figures in the equine industry.
Originally established in 2017 under the name Maryland Thoroughbred Career Program, the initiative has evolved to encompass broader aspects of the horse industry beyond thoroughbred racing.
Authorities have issued a warning about fraudulent activity targeting people and businesses in connection with the Old-Fashioned Ice Cream Festival.
Reports indicate that scammers are sending deceptive emails that falsely claim to offer vendor opportunities for the festival. These fraudulent messages are demanding complete payment upfront from potential participants.
Officials want to make it clear that these email solicitations are not legitimate and represent a scam operation targeting unsuspecting victims.
The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) revealed Wednesday the Most Outstanding Performers from the 2025 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships held in New Orleans.
Kai Smith received recognition as one of the championship’s Most Outstanding Performers following the competition. The USTFCCCA made the announcement after concluding the Division III outdoor track and field national championships.
Israeli military forces announced Wednesday they have expanded their designated combat zone in southern Lebanon and are directing civilians in the region to relocate northward, threatening to use “great force” against the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah within the area.
The military’s announcement on X appears to indicate an intensification of conflict following more than 120 strikes that targeted Lebanon’s southern and eastern regions on Tuesday, occurring despite a ceasefire that was announced on April 16.
“We advise residents of southern Lebanon to evacuate to the north of the Zahrani River, as all areas south of the river are considered a combat zone,” an Israeli military spokesperson posted on X.
The Zahrani River flows from east to west approximately 40 kilometres (25 miles) north of Israel’s border with Lebanon, with the Lebanese territory located south of the waterway encompassing roughly 2,000 square kilometres.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Tuesday that Israel required additional action in Lebanon to safeguard communities in northern Israel from Hezbollah threats.
Previously, the Israeli military had directed people living below the Litani River further south to depart. The forces had already issued specific evacuation orders and conducted strikes in several dozen towns situated between the Litani and Zahrani rivers.
Wednesday’s directive marked the first instance that residents were commanded to evacuate the complete zone south of the Zahrani.
The Israeli military encouraged civilians to maintain distance from Hezbollah operatives, facilities and weapons locations.
Lebanese security sources informed Reuters that people were moving north toward the port city of Sidon, which is already sheltering thousands of displaced individuals from other areas of southern Lebanon. The latest announcement occurred as Muslims throughout Lebanon were observing Eid al-Adha celebrations.
Over 1.2 million Lebanese citizens have been displaced due to Israeli strikes and evacuation directives since March 2, when Hezbollah launched attacks at Israel in solidarity with its ally Iran.
Following that date, Israeli strikes have battered Lebanon’s southern and eastern regions as well as its capital Beirut, resulting in more than 3,200 deaths, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.
Combat has persisted in southern Lebanon despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire announced on April 16. The World Health Organization has reported that at least 608 people in Lebanon have died in Israeli attacks since the truce began.
The Israeli military reported that 10 of its soldiers had died since the April 16 ceasefire, with six killed by Hezbollah’s explosive drones.
The Israeli military has extended its ground operations in southern Lebanon beyond a security zone occupied by its troops, though it provided no specifics regarding the scope of advancement past the so-called Yellow Line.
The Lebanese capital Beirut has avoided new strikes, though Israeli surveillance drones can be heard flying overhead daily and a warplane was audible flying low on Wednesday, according to Reuters reporters in the city.
Three senior Israeli officials indicated Israel believes it has operational freedom in southern Lebanon but faces more constraints in Beirut.
The officials informed Reuters that Israel seeks to avoid appearing to undermine U.S. President Donald Trump’s potential agreement with Iran by destroying buildings in the Lebanese capital.
Municipal workers from Salisbury, MD joined forces with Hope and Life Outreach (HALO) on May 27, 2026, to provide hot meals at HALO’s Café. The café operates as a vital resource for people facing hunger and homelessness throughout the area.
The volunteer initiative allowed municipal employees to work directly alongside HALO staff members and other volunteers, providing meals to those experiencing homelessness and other difficulties while creating a compassionate and inviting atmosphere.
This volunteer effort demonstrates the municipality’s ongoing dedication to civic involvement and backing organizations that create meaningful change in Salisbury.
“Opportunities like this remind us of the importance of coming together as a community,” said Mayor Randy Taylor. “We’re grateful for organizations like HALO that work every day to support individuals and families facing difficult circumstances, and we were honored to spend time serving alongside their team.”
HALO remains essential in delivering shelter, food services, resources and assistance programs for people experiencing homelessness and hardship throughout the Salisbury region.
Additional photos are available on the organization’s Facebook and Instagram pages.
About HALO Ministry
HALO Ministry operates as a nonprofit organization assisting people experiencing homelessness and hardship in the Salisbury region. The organization provides shelter services, food programs, outreach initiatives and community collaborations to deliver hope, stability and assistance for those in need while supporting individuals in achieving long-term independence.
About the City of Salisbury
Situated on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, the City of Salisbury stands as the largest municipality on the Delmarva Peninsula and functions as the economic, cultural and educational center of the area. Dedicated to innovation, sustainability and civic participation, Salisbury continues developing as a dynamic municipality where both residents and visitors can live, work and flourish.
A Brooklyn federal judge dismissed criminal charges Wednesday against a former Fox television executive following a prosecutor’s statement that the soccer corruption case no longer aligns with current administration enforcement priorities.
Judge Pamela K. Chen granted the government’s request to drop the indictment against Hernan Lopez after U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. explained the administration’s shift in focus away from international soccer corruption cases.
Lopez, who previously served as CEO of Fox International Channels, smiled as he departed the federal courthouse and expressed relief to reporters, saying “a case that never should have started is finally over.”
During the hearing, Nocella informed Chen that the current administration prioritizes cases involving domestic and international terrorist groups, national security matters, drug trafficking, human trafficking and violent criminal organizations.
The judge determined that Nocella’s explanation, combined with written documentation filed with the court, offered adequate grounds to approve the dismissal request.
In 2023, Lopez and Full Play Group SA, a South American sports media corporation, faced conviction for distributing tens of millions in bribe payments to secure broadcasting rights for World Cup matches and other premier soccer competitions. Chen later overturned those convictions with an acquittal ruling.
An appellate court reversed the acquittals in July, restoring the original convictions, though subsequent appeals left the prosecution’s future unclear.
Chen clarified during Wednesday’s proceedings that her decision to dismiss the charges was not influenced by her earlier acquittal ruling.
Government attorneys informed the Supreme Court in December that officials had concluded dismissing the criminal case serves justice, without providing additional reasoning.
Before issuing her ruling, Chen questioned all parties about how dismissing this indictment might impact the broader decade-long corruption investigation into television rights for international soccer tournaments, which has produced multiple convictions.
FIFA, the international soccer governing organization, stated in court documents filed two weeks prior that it supported the U.S. government’s position that dropping charges against Lopez and Full Play would not directly impact other defendants’ convictions.
FIFA noted its collaboration with the Department of Justice to eliminate corruption from soccer and described implementing disciplinary measures, including permanent bans, to address misconduct uncovered by U.S. authorities.
Justice Department officials wrote to the judge on March 12 explaining that each prosecution within the broader case involves distinct facts and circumstances.
In its filing, FIFA reported that the U.S. government had already transferred $201 million to FIFA and other organizations for distribution to soccer-related community impact projects globally.
FIFA highlighted various funded initiatives, including after-school soccer programs in disadvantaged Miami neighborhoods, renovated community soccer facilities in Ohio, Tennessee and Washington, D.C., teacher and coach training programs throughout the Caribbean, and youth soccer tournaments across South America.
DURHAM, N.C. — Researchers at Duke University have created a revolutionary robot that’s preparing to take on real-world challenges from every possible angle.
Rather than mimicking symmetrical forms found in nature by designing robots that resemble humans, canines, or bugs, engineering professor Boyuan Chen and his research team concentrated on consistency of movement, which he refers to as “dynamic symmetry.”
This approach led to the creation of Argus. The spherical robot takes its name from a legendary multi-eyed creature and features depth-sensing cameras mounted on 20 extending legs that project outward from a center hub. Without designated front, rear, top, or bottom surfaces, the machine can observe and travel in all directions without delay.
“Instead of measuring how your legs are arranged around a different part of your body, we’re measuring how fast you can move in any direction,” Chen said. “Who said, you know, if you have a robot to help us in a most effective way, it has to look like us?”
During testing phases, Argus has successfully traversed sandy shorelines and dense forest floor vegetation, rolling across barriers and regaining balance after being knocked off course. The robot can scale between parallel brick surfaces by alternating between bracing and pushing movements with its appendages. Even when one or multiple motors fail or a leg becomes damaged, operation continues.
“Watching Argus move is unlike watching any other robot we’ve worked with,” said Jiaxun Liu, a graduate student and co-author of a study about Argus published online Wednesday in the journal Science Robotics. “The first time we saw it navigate among trees and rough terrain, even under heavy collisions, we knew this was something different.”
During their research, the team established a new design concept called dynamic isotropy that evaluates robots on a measurement from 0 to 1 according to how evenly they can accelerate in all directions. Most currently operating robots, including humanoid models and drones, achieve scores under 0.6. Argus reaches 0.91.
“When a robot can accelerate equally well in every direction, it stops needing to face the world in any particular way,” said Chen, who hopes the same principle could guide the development of search and rescue robots, underwater or aerial vehicles or robots with the ability to grip objects.
“Instead of building a robot hand that looks like a human hand … one idea is to think about having Argus be the hand itself, and it can manipulate objects in any direction,” he said. “The knowledge we can transfer to the rest of the world is much more deeper than building an existing robot or copying an existing species.”
INTERLOCHEN, Mich. — A prestigious Michigan arts academy and summer program where Jeffrey Epstein allegedly encountered at least two victims plans to demolish a building that previously carried the convicted sex offender’s name.
Officials at the Interlochen Center for the Arts announced this week that trustees have given the green light to destroy the Green Lake Lodge, formerly called the Jeffrey E. Epstein Scholarship Lodge before administrators severed connections and removed all references to the deceased millionaire sex criminal following his initial conviction in 2008.
The disgraced financier was a camper at Interlochen Arts Camp in 1967 during his teenage years and contributed over $400,000 to the institution from 1990 through 2003, with $200,000 specifically funding the lodge’s construction.
“The lodge has, over time, come to carry associations that are not reflective of who we are as an institution or the values we strive to uphold,” Interlochen said in a statement. “After careful consideration, the Board determined that removing this structure in a safe and timely manner is the right step for Interlochen at this time.”
The internationally recognized institution for aspiring artists, performers and musicians has produced notable graduates including Grammy winners Chappell Roan and Norah Jones, plus Oscar winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph.
Two women who accused Epstein have stated they encountered him at Interlochen during the 1990s.
School officials acknowledged awareness of media coverage regarding these women’s allegations and extended invitations for them to meet with an independent investigator conducting an external probe into reports of past misconduct at Interlochen.
Two internal examinations, including one conducted after Epstein’s sex trafficking arrest in 2019, discovered no documentation of improper behavior involving Epstein in school files, according to administrators.
Epstein made regular visits to Interlochen, frequently accompanied by his associate and former romantic partner Ghislaine Maxwell, and used the lodge scheduled for demolition as his accommodation.
Justice Department documents recently made public reveal that Epstein arranged for student tuition payments from his donations and once transported violinist Itzhak Perlman to the campus using his private aircraft.
Epstein took his own life in a federal Manhattan detention facility in August 2019, one month following his indictment on federal sex trafficking charges. He previously served jail time in Florida in 2008 and 2009 after entering a guilty plea for soliciting prostitution from a minor.
Maxwell received a sex trafficking conviction in 2021 for her role in recruiting Epstein’s underage victims and is currently serving a 20-year prison term.
Atlanta quarterback Michael Penix Jr. continues his rehabilitation from a torn ACL and has not received medical approval for full-contact team practice sessions, according to new Atlanta head coach Kevin Stefanski’s Wednesday announcement.
The 26-year-old quarterback is making excellent progress in his recovery and will take part in position-specific training and smaller 7-on-7 practice sessions during organized team activities while he awaits complete medical approval for his left knee, Stefanski explained.
“He’s not 100 percent, but he’s exactly where he needs to be,” Stefanski said.
When Penix receives full clearance, the quarterback selected eighth overall in the 2024 first-round draft is anticipated to battle with newly acquired quarterback Tua Tagovailoa for the starting position.
Penix suffered the campaign-ending knee injury during Week 11 of 2025, which marked his first year beginning the season as Atlanta’s primary quarterback. He took over the starting role from Kirk Cousins partway through his 2024 debut season.
Throughout 14 professional games with 12 starts, Penix has achieved a 59.6% completion rate, throwing for 2,757 yards with 12 touchdown passes and six interceptions.
Tagovailoa, age 28, posted a 44-32 win-loss record during his time with the Miami Dolphins, completing 68.0% of his attempts for 18,166 yards, 120 touchdowns and 59 interceptions across six seasons.
Both signal-callers are adapting to a fresh offensive system under Stefanski and offensive coordinator Tommy Rees. Atlanta’s quarterback room also includes Trevor Siemian and undrafted rookie Jack Strand.
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs walked free from police custody Wednesday after being detained on multiple domestic violence allegations.
Prosecutors have not filed formal charges against the 28-year-old player. The Brown County District Attorney’s Office in Wisconsin explained there’s a difference between what’s needed for an arrest versus filing charges. While “probable cause” justifies an arrest, proving guilt “beyond a reasonable doubt” is required for criminal charges.
“After reviewing the available evidence in this case, the Brown County District Attorney’s Office is not yet prepared to make a formal charging decision,” District Attorney David L. Lasee said in a statement. “Our office has requested additional investigation, as there is reason to believe that additional evidence may exist that would impact whether criminal charges are appropriate.”
The Hobart-Lawrence Police Department in Wisconsin took Jacobs into custody Tuesday on allegations including battery (domestic abuse, criminal damage to property), domestic abuse, disorderly conduct (domestic abuse, strangulation and suffocation) and intimidation of a victim.
According to Brown County jail records, the strangulation and suffocation allegation carries felony status, while the remaining charges are classified as misdemeanors.
Jacobs’ legal team issued a statement Wednesday defending their client.
“We are extremely pleased that Josh has been released from custody and that no criminal charges have been filed against him,” a statement from David Z. Chesnoff, Richard A. Schonfeld and Clarence Duchac read. “As we previously stated, we encourage everyone to keep an open mind while the matter is fully reviewed. We remain confident that, once all of the evidence is gathered and evaluated, it will confirm that no charges should be brought against Josh in the future.”
When reporters asked Packers head coach Matt LaFleur about Jacobs during Wednesday’s organized team activities, he declined to elaborate.
“I’m going to stick with the statement we put out as an organization and just let the process play out,” he said.
Currently in his third year with Green Bay after inking a four-year, $48 million contract in 2024, Jacobs has earned Pro Bowl honors three times (2020, 2022, 2024) and first-team All Pro recognition in 2022, when he topped the NFL in rushing yards while playing for the Las Vegas Raiders.
Throughout his seven-year NFL career, Jacobs has accumulated 7,803 rushing yards on 1,840 carries with 74 touchdowns.
CBS News has decided against renewing the contract of correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi from “60 Minutes” following her disagreement with Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss regarding a December story about a Salvadoran prison, the New York Times reported Wednesday.
The network withdrew the story — which focused on a large prison facility where the United States has placed hundreds of primarily Venezuelan migrants without trials — just hours before its scheduled broadcast, leading to claims from “60 Minutes” staff and members of Congress that CBS was practicing self-censorship due to political influence.
Speaking to the New York Times Wednesday, Alfonsi confirmed she remains a CBS employee but lacks a contract and doesn’t anticipate returning to the renowned news program.
The network’s refusal to extend her contract “sends a chilling message to the entire newsroom,” Alfonsi stated to the Times. “I think it was a deliberate choice to penalize a journalist for refusing to sanitize accurate reporting.”
CBS falls under Paramount Skydance ownership. A network representative did not respond immediately to requests for comment. Attempts to contact Alfonsi directly were unsuccessful.
The prison story circulated online in December before eventually broadcasting on CBS one month afterward.
At the time, Alfonsi condemned the network’s choice, stating in a message to her colleagues that CBS withdrew the story for “political” motivations. Weiss defended the delay in a December staff email, explaining that regaining Americans’ confidence “sometimes means holding a piece about an important subject to make sure it is comprehensive and fair.”
Skydance Media, led by David Ellison — son of President Donald Trump supporter Larry Ellison — purchased Paramount in August and appointed Weiss as editor-in-chief in October. David Ellison helped obtain regulatory clearance for the transaction that formed Paramount Skydance, promising the CBS network would represent the “varied ideological perspectives” of American audiences.
Trump has consistently urged the Federal Communications Commission to remove broadcasting licenses from major networks NBC and ABC while demanding payment for their use of public airwaves, criticizing their news coverage.
Before the acquisition, Paramount settled a 2024 Trump lawsuit for $16 million concerning a “60 Minutes” interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris, which he claimed presented a misleading portrayal of his presidential opponent.
The FCC stated the settlement and regulatory approval process were separate matters.
Conference USA has finalized the television broadcast schedule and game timing for University of Delaware football, the conference revealed Wednesday through coordination with its media partners.
The Fightin’ Blue Hens are slated to appear on national television programming no fewer than seven occasions throughout the 2026 season, according to the announcement made from Dallas.
The United States poultry industry is showing signs of growth according to new data tracking broiler production activities.
Statistics reveal that broiler-type eggs set nationwide increased by 1 percent compared to previous periods. The data also shows that broiler-type chicks placed throughout the country experienced a larger jump of 3 percent.
These figures indicate positive momentum in the commercial poultry sector, which supplies much of the nation’s chicken meat production.
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Star running back Josh Jacobs of the Green Bay Packers has been freed from a Wisconsin detention facility as officials continue examining domestic violence accusations against the NFL player.
The 28-year-old athlete was taken into custody Tuesday in Brown County facing allegations of strangulation and suffocation stemming from an incident that allegedly occurred over the weekend. Legal representatives for Jacobs stated their client maintains his innocence.
District Attorney David Lasee indicated it remains premature to determine formal charges.
“Our office has requested additional investigation, as there is reason to believe that additional evidence may exist that would impact whether criminal charges are appropriate, and what charges would be issued. … The investigation remains open and is ongoing,” Lasee said.
The legal team representing Jacobs — David Chesnoff, Richard Schonfeld and Clarence Duchac — expressed satisfaction with his release from custody.
“We encourage everyone to keep an open mind while the matter is fully reviewed. We remain confident that, once all of the evidence is gathered and evaluated, it will confirm that no charges should be brought against Josh in the future,” they said.
According to Hobart/Lawrence Police Chief Michael Renkas, officers responded to a report involving Jacobs at approximately 8:30 a.m. Saturday morning.
The football player serves as Green Bay’s leading returning ground-game performer following a season where he accumulated 929 rushing yards and scored 13 touchdowns in 2025. This came after his 2024 campaign in which he gained 1,329 yards on the ground with 15 touchdowns while receiving his third Pro Bowl recognition.
Green Bay commenced organized team activities Tuesday. Team officials have refused to provide comment regarding the arrest.
“I know there’s going to be a lot of questions about Josh,” coach Matt LaFleur said Wednesday. “I’m going to stick with the statement that we put out as an organization and just let the process play out.”
Jacobs represents Green Bay’s most talented player at a position where the team has limited backup options. Emanuel Wilson, who finished as their second-leading rusher last season, has since joined the Seattle Seahawks. The organization did not select any running backs in this year’s draft.
The veteran spent his initial five NFL seasons with the Raiders. He received All-Pro recognition and led the league with 1,653 rushing yards while playing for Las Vegas in 2022.
Throughout his seven-year professional career, he has accumulated 7,803 rushing yards and 74 touchdowns. Among current NFL players, only Baltimore’s Derrick Henry (122) and Buffalo’s Josh Allen (79) have scored more career rushing touchdowns.
