May 16th, 2026

• ​Israel at 78: From a declaration heard around the world to a nation still defining itself
• Jerusalem Day: Caught between unifying celebration and political tensions
• Netanyahu links Iran war to Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria - The biblical heartland "is our land and it will always be our land," the prime minister declared at Jerusalem Day event
• Iraq exported 10 million barrels of oil though Hormuz in April, oil minister says
• Oil Prices Climb on Fears of Broader Energy Crunch - Hopes for an end to the war in Iran faded after President Trump failed to secure a commitment from China to help persuade Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz
• Stocks and bonds get swept up in a selloff, as Trump's China visit fails to pry open the Strait of Hormuz - Fears of a 2022-style inflation problem are bubbling back up, but there's also hope for a Trump pivot on the Iran conflict
• Trump wraps up China trip, says his patience with Iran is 'running out' - The U.S. president called Xi's pledge not to send military equipment to Tehran "a big statement."
• Trump says he's OK with Iran suspending nuke enrichment for 20 years if there's 'real' guarantee - President appears to back away from long-time demand for total end to enrichment and his pledge to ensure Iran never attains nuclear weapons; Iranian FM says Tehran has 'no trust' in US
• Trump Says He Wants Iran's Uranium Mostly for 'Public Relations'
• Araghchi: Iran doubts US 'seriousness' about talks amid nuclear deadlock - Iran's FM Abbas Araghchi spoke in India at a BRICS meeting about his "distrust" of the US regarding war negotiations
• Iran has 'no trust' in US, will negotiate only if it is serious, Araqchi says
• UAE rejects 'attempts to justify Iranian terror' after Tehran alleges role in war - Gulf country stresses right to respond to missile and drone attacks against it, following accusation by Iran's FM that it's 'an active partner in this aggression'
• UAE chooses to deepen ties with Israel amid war with Iran, risking rift with Saudis - Experts say UAE taking pragmatic view that Israel is 'like any other country,' sees it as partner for security, while Riyadh and other Gulf capitals view Jerusalem as a rogue actor
• UAE Building Massive 'Cope Cages' To Protect Energy Facilities From Iranian Drone Attacks
• UAE to accelerate oil pipeline project to help bypass Hormuz amid Iran war fallout - Pipeline will be free from oil output quotas following Abu Dhabi's exit from OPEC, and is expected to begin operating in 2027
• Trucks Are Just Driving The Oil Across The Arabian Desert To Avoid The Strait Of Hormuz
• Iraq seeking assistance from IMF and World Bank after oil income slashed by Iran war - Talks commenced during global lenders' meeting in Washington last month, and are expected to be finalized once a new government assumes power in Baghdad, officials say
• Tensions flare near Strait of Hormuz as one ship is seized and another is sunk
• Iran Seizes Ship Loaded with Weapons, Steers It Toward Territorial Waters: Report
• Iran forcing citizens to post pro-regime content, hand over personal info to regain internet access
• Hackers have breached tank readers at US gas stations; officials suspect Iran is responsible
• Pentagon quietly shut legally required program to prevent civilian deaths by military, watchdog finds - Trump administration accused of cutting military's civilian harm program in light of US strike on girls school in Iran
• Porous ceasefire extended for 45-days after third round of Israel-Lebanon talks - US says two days of talks 'highly productive,' while Israeli envoy says 'potential for success is great,' even as Hezbollah clashes with troops, fires rockets and drones at north
• Israel, Lebanon extend ceasefire as Iran says it "cannot trust" U.S. in negotiations
• Hezbollah drone launched at Mount Meron; no injuries
• Six reported killed in Israeli strike on civil defense center in southern Lebanon
• Nearly 60 children reportedly killed or injured in Lebanon in the past week despite the ceasefire agreement
• Israeli strike targets Hamas military leader Izz al-Din al-Haddad, 'last architect of Oct. 7' - Military officials indicate Gaza City airstrike eliminated terror group's chief; former hostages hail reports of death of the man responsible for their abduction and captivity
• The Rubble Doctrine: Inside Israel's new security policy in southern Lebanon - The destruction of El-Khiam reflects a profound shift in Israeli military thinking after October 7: deny the enemy not only the desire, but the capability, to strike
• US mulls asking Israel to provide PA tax funds for Trump's Gaza plan - PA official tells ToI proposal being weighed would see portion of $5 billion 'illegally' held by Israel transferred to Board of Peace, while equal cut would be released to Ramallah
• Backers of Abbas rival excluded from Fatah confab, despite Egypt's push for inclusivity
• Smotrich: End division of West Bank into Areas A, B and C; it all belongs to Israel
• Commentary: 'The settlers are in control': How the West Bank is being ethnically cleansed - Armed, funded and openly endorsed by Israel's far-right government, settlers are terrorising Palestinians with impunity
• Settler filmed brutally clubbing dog in Palestinian village - No reports of arrests after series of settler attacks across the West Bank on Friday, including burning of mosque overnight
• PA says IDF troops killed man outside Jenin refugee camp
• Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu: Time for a synagogue on the Temple Mount - Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu urges Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, government ministers, to advance establishment of a synagogue on the Temple Mount. 'The time has come.'
• Trump's 'Shabbat 250' call divides US Jews ahead of National Mall prayer rally - Call marks first time a US president has urged marking of Shabbat; some Orthodox rabbis have embraced it, while those on Jewish left warn of blurring between religion and state
• Palestinians in Gaza mark anniversary of 1948 mass expulsion and say today's catastrophe is worse
• Mamdani posts Nakba Day video, claims 'the catastrophe continues to this day'
• Mamdani slammed for 'corrupting history' about the creation of Israel in social media post marking 'Nakba Day'
• NYC Mayor Mamdani's Wife's Spotify Contains Anti-Israel Songs 'About Greedy Jews'
• Top Texas Democrat won't campaign with candidate who wants 'prison for American Zionists' - US Senate candidate James Talarico says no place for 'antisemitic rhetoric'; campaign confirms he won't stump for Maureen Galindo, who rants about 'Zionist billionaires, pedophiles,' if she wins run-off
• Antisemitic comments flood posts celebrating Jewish American Heritage Month - Blue Square Alliance says backlash over even apolitical tributes - from Sesame Street to the Grammys - is deterring groups from recognizing Jews when representation is most needed
• X agrees to UK crackdown on hate speech, terror content after antisemitic attacks - British regulator says commitments by social media platform are 'of particular importance' following recent attacks on British Jews
• Tens of thousands set to rally in London for concurrent far-right, anti-Israel protests - 4,000 police officers to deploy alongside horses, dogs, drones and helicopters; restrictions aim to keep 2 groups apart; major soccer event also being held in UK capital
• Australia bans neo-Nazi organization under new law criminalizing hate groups
• DOJ Seeks Death Penalty Against Man Who Gunned Down Two Israeli Embassy Staff Outside Jewish Museum in DC
• FBI arrests leader of Iraqi militia group backed by Iran for plotting to attack New York - Al-Saadi has been charged with six counts of terrorism-related offenses for actions that include his alleged involvement in 20 attacks and attempted attacks in the US and Europe
• 'Point of no return': 36 countries join special tribunal to prosecute Vladimir Putin
• Zelenskiy Warns Russia May Be Considering Attack From Belarus Toward Ukraine or NATO Territory - Ukrainian president says Kyiv is strengthening northern defenses amid concerns over growing Russia-Belarus military coordination
• The US and Cuba intensify negotiations as the island's collapse deepens - The unusual meeting between the CIA director and the Cuban interior minister represents a major milestone in two months of opaque negotiations
• US plans to indict Cuba's Raul Castro, DOJ official says
• With Possible Raul Castro Indictment, U.S. Eyes Venezuela Playbook - Amid stepped-up surveillance flights, a visit of the C.I.A. director and an energy embargo, the White House is trying to increase pressure on Cuba
• US Cancels Deployment of 4,000 Troops to Poland as Trump Distances Himself From 'Weak Allies'
• Trump leaves China without making a 'determination' on Taiwan arms sale
• In America's farming heartland, spiralling costs test loyalty to Trump - Pomp and ceremony of China summit feels far removed from Republican loyalists facing mounting bills
• Realtors panic housing slump is spreading as prices fall in nearly half of America's biggest cities
• Taxpayers to foot Trump's $1.7 billion bill as president sues his own government
• Scrutiny ramps up over mystery of missing lawmakers
• Supreme Court Denies Virginia Democrats' Bid to Revive Illegally Gerrymandered Congressional Map
• It's Been a Wild Week in British Politics. What Happens Next? Nobody has yet challenged Prime Minister Keir Starmer for the leadership, but his leading rival, Andy Burnham, finally has a route to Downing Street
• British Palace Coup: Trump Says 'It Will Be Tough' for Keir 'Not a Churchill' Starmer To Survive the Crisis With MPs Challenging His Premiership
• Eric Trump Threatens to Sue Lying Jen Psaki and MSNOW Over Blatant Fake News About China Trip
• Florida News Site Shuts Down After Getting Busted for Fake AI Reporters, Stolen Content - Even a Fake Editor-in-Chief
• AI chip bubble rivals French stocks in 1700s, surpasses Nasdaq during dot-com frenzy by one measure
• Trump says he discussed AI guardrails with Xi
• Politico: Silicon Valley Wants to Put a Chip in Your Brain - A battle is looming not just over privacy, but the future of the human species
• Waymo driverless cars overrun Atlanta neighborhood, circling cul-de-sacs and alarming families with kids - The company also recalled nearly 4,000 vehicles this week over a glitch involving standing water
• The Federal Government Tried To Spy on Your Financial Transactions. A Texas Court Just Said No.
• David Marcus: China trip a glimpse into the surveillance state America must never become - Baier's team showed how cameras catch jaywalkers and illegal parkers, sending tickets to phones almost instantly
• Retired Navy admiral makes bombshell claim about UFOs and 'non-human intelligence' controlling them - Gallaudet's military background brings extra gravity to claims about unexplained sightings in the sky and ocean
• UFO tracker maps eerie clusters of unidentified objects lurking beneath US shorelines: 'We're being lied to' - California and Florida lead in coastal UFO reports as experts question government transparency
• Asteroid 2026 JV3 passed Earth at 0.13 lunar distances
• Strong M6.7 earthquake hits near the east coast of Honshu, Japan
• 5.0 magnitude earthquake hits the Kermadec Islands region
• Central Bismarck Sea volcano on Papua New Guinea erupts to 28,000ft
• Sabancaya volcano in Peru erupts to 26,000ft
• Klyuchevskoy volcano on Kamchatka, Russia erupts to 24,000ft
• Popocateptl volcano in Mexico erupts to 20,000ft
• Dukono volcano in Indonesia erupts to 16,000ft
• Semeru volcano in Indonesia erupts to 15,000ft
• Fuego volcano in Guatemala erupts to 15,000ft
• Reventador volcano in Ecuador erupts to 15,000ft
• Santa Maria volcano in Guatemala erupts to 14,000ft
• Marapi volcano in Indonesia erupts to 11,000ft
• Bezymianny volcano on Kamchatka, Russia erupts to 10,000ft
• Kilauea episode 47 ends after 9 hours, fine ash and Pele's hair fall outside HawaiÊ»i Volcanoes National Park
• Crashes reported due to blinding dust storms in North Dakota
• White House gets an unexpected buzz as thousands of bees swarm the executive mansion's North Lawn
• 'Bee tornado' spotted near White House: 'Is this a biblical curse 2.0?' Videos circulating across social media showed dense clouds of bees swarming around the White House press corps' "Pebble Beach" media workspace
• Federal government sues Chick-fil-A franchisee, alleging religious discrimination - Chick-fil-A closes on Sundays, a policy going back 80 years, but the employee is a member of a Christian denomination that observes the sabbath on Saturday
• Walgreens Closing Chicago Location Due to Massive Theft, Local Political Leaders Who Enable the Crime Are Outraged
• Ugandan Evangelist Killed by Suspected Muslims After Sharing the Gospel
• Feds Foil Chilling ISIS Plot on Michigan U.S. Army Base Just Hours Before Mass Shooting - Planned by 19-Year-Old Somali-American Ex-National Guard Soldier
• Trump says top ISIS terrorist leader killed in joint operation in Nigeria
• Trump says Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, second in command of ISIS globally, killed in US-Nigerian operation - Trump says the mission was 'flawlessly executed' and thanked the Nigerian government for its cooperation in the operation
• Justice Dept. Aims to Use Terrorism Laws to Target Mexican Officials - In a new tactic, the Justice Department this week instructed federal prosecutors to build criminal drug cases against Mexican officials using terrorism statutes
• ICE violently arrested a US citizen and filmed it 'like a documentary', videos reveal
• Canadians busted by feds trying to smuggle Vietnamese nationals into US - An early morning alert of border crossing at the beach led to the apprehension of eight illegal aliens and charges against those who sought to profit from the smuggling event
• Minnesota Democrat accused of urging GOP lawmaker to kill himself after gun bill clash
• Judge declares mistrial in Harvey Weinstein rape retrial amid deadlocked jury
• Harvey Weinstein's third sex crimes trial ends in mistrial as all 4 female jurors vote to acquit
• Fed funding of pediatrics group questioned over its gender ideology stance - Parents concerned doctors group prioritizes politics and gender ideology before children's health while using tax dollars
• Texas Children's Hospital to Pay Millions, Create 'First-Ever' Detransition Clinic in DOJ Settlement
• Ken Paxton forces Texas Children's Hospital to open first-of-its-kind detrans clinic, fire woke doctors, pay back $10 MILLION for billing Medicaid for child sex changes - "Today is a monumental day in the fight to stop the radical transgender movement."
• Trans-centric Human Rights Campaign says LGBTQ+ voters will be '20% of electorate by 2040,' has $15 MILLION midterms war chest - "Look, LGBTQ+ people are a growing demographic. We're going to be 10% of the electorate this year, 20% of the electorate by 2040."
• The lab-grown brain that can play video games - Scientists hope the computer made from living cells could untangle the causes of ADHD and schizophrenia
• Hantavirus may survive in human sperm for up to six years and cause a transmission risk
• Possible hantavirus case under investigation in upstate New York; no connection to deadly cruise ship outbreak - Health officials say there is no risk to the general public from a 'suspected' case in Ontario County