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Social Issues & Justice
See allTexas Set to Ban Social Media for Under-18s, Prompting Privacy, Free Speech Concerns
Austin, Texas: A near-complete bill would bar minors under 18 from using social media, mandating age verification for all accounts. Advocates...
French Farmers’ “Green Law” Protest Brings Tractors to Paris Streets
Paris, France: Hundreds of farmers drove tractors into the capital, protesting a proposed law to ease environmental rules “less than promised,”...
Autistic 6-Year-Old Dragged by Ankle at Illinois Special Education School; Federal Oversight Uncertain After OCR Office Abolished
Jacksonville, Illinois: ProPublica reports a shocking incident where a 6-year-old non-verbal autistic boy, Xander Reed, was dragged down a hallway...
Sports & Gaming
See allNintendo Expands Empire with Familiar Franchises: Theme Parks, Movies, and a “Switch 2” Console
Kyoto, Japan: Nintendo’s cross-media strategy extends beyond consoles—Super Nintendo World theme parks flourish in Japan and California, The Super...
Indy 500 Sees Alex Palou Triumph in Late-Lap Overtake, Marks First Spanish Winner
Indianapolis, USA: Spaniard Alex Palou snagged his first Indy 500 victory, edging out Scott Dixon in the final laps of a crash-marred race. A late...
Dodgers Reportedly Turning to Star DH Shohei Ohtani for Pitching Amid Rotation Injury Crisis
Los Angeles, USA: A rash of injuries has decimated the Dodgers’ starting rotation, forcing management to consider deploying star designated hitter...
Science & Innovation
See allNASA’s Mars “Slope Streaks” Confirmed as Wind-driven, Not Liquid Water
Mars: NASA and Brown University researchers concluded that mysterious dark streaks on Martian slopes—once hypothesized as water flows—are merely...
New Long-Necked Dinosaur Species Jinchuanloong Discovered in China’s Gansu Province
Gansu, China: Paleontologists found a nearly complete skull and partial skeleton of Jinchuanloong niedu, a mid-Jurassic sauropod bridging...
Research Payloads, Including Holographic Microscope and Nanomaterials for Medicine, Return From ISS
Low Earth Orbit: SpaceX’s 32nd commercial resupply mission successfully returned to Earth with a suite of scientific investigations from the...
Tech
See allSpaceX Starship Test Flight Fails Again, Musk Sets Sights on Mars Despite Tesla’s EU Decline
Texas, USA: SpaceX’s Starship launched from South Texas but disintegrated mid-flight—its third failed test. Elon Musk envisions Starship as...
Bipartisan Bill Seeks to Ban Kids Under 13 from Social Media
Washington, D.C.: Senators Brian Schatz and Ted Cruz reintroduced a bill banning social media for under-13s. Acknowledging mental health risks,...
Ex-Meta Exec Nick Clegg: Artist Permission Would “Kill” the AI Industry
London, UK: Former Meta executive Nick Clegg warned that requiring prior consent from artists to train AI models would “basically kill the AI...
Entertainment & Culture
See allCannes Film Festival Closes with Surprise Palme d’Or Winner and Hollywood Absences
Cannes, France: The 78th Cannes Film Festival awarded the Palme d’Or to Adèle Kayinda’s “La Terre Nue,” a Franco-Congolese ecological drama—an...
Disney’s Lilo & Stitch Remake Smashes Memorial Day Box Office Records
USA: Disney’s live-action “Lilo & Stitch” earned about $145.5 million over the Memorial Day weekend—setting a new holiday record for a family...
Modest Mouse Announces Extended 2025 North American Tour with Built to Spill on Select Dates
North America: Indie rock veterans Modest Mouse revealed an expanded 2025 tour schedule, adding fall dates with fellow cult-favorite Built to...
Career & Work
See allHistoric First: Philadelphia Whole Foods Workers Union Certified Despite Amazon’s Fight
Philadelphia, USA: Whole Foods employees voted 130–100 to join UFCW, marking the grocer’s first official union in its U.S. stores. Despite...
Chiquita Fires 5,000 Striking Workers in Panama, Sparking Labor Outcry
Panama City, Panama: Chiquita Brands sacked its entire unionized workforce—about 5,000 plantation laborers—after a three-week strike linked to...
Judge Blocks Mass Layoffs at Education Dept., Calls Plan an “Existential Threat” to Agency
Washington, D.C.: A federal judge halted Trump’s plan to fire over half of the Education Department’s workforce, calling it likely illegal and a...
Health & Wellness
See allNew Weight-Loss Drug Co-Pay Caps Aim to Boost Access as Feds Tackle High Prices
St. Louis, USA: Evernorth (Cigna’s health services arm) introduced a $200/month co-pay cap on popular GLP-1 weight-loss meds like Wegovy and...
HHS Moves Forward on “Most Favored Nation” Drug Pricing; Pharma Fights Back
Washington, D.C.: The Department of Health & Human Services, led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is implementing a “Most Favored Nation” model for...
MAHA Report: U.S. Facing Childhood Health “Emergency” from Chronic Illnesses
Washington, D.C.: A Trump administration-commissioned MAHA (Make Our Children Healthy Again) report warns of a “national emergency” in children’s...
Climate & Environment
See allToxic Sewage Wipes Out Famed Flamingo Breeding Site in South Africa
Kimberley, South Africa: Kamfers Dam, once a vital breeding ground for lesser flamingos, is now uninhabitable due to untreated sewage pollution....
FEMA Turmoil and NOAA Changes Stir Worry Ahead of “Above-Normal” Hurricane Season
Washington, D.C.: FEMA’s acting head was ousted amid Trump’s musings about dismantling the agency, and NOAA faces steep budget cuts. Both...
U.S. Solar Power Surges in Early 2025, But Rising Demand Leads to Increased Coal Use
USA: The nation saw a dramatic 44% spike in solar energy production in early 2025 compared to last year, driven by a rush to complete projects...
Politics
See allTrump Blasts Putin’s “Crazy” Ukraine Onslaught, Weighs More Russia Sanctions – Also Tells Zelenskiy to “Shut Up”
Washington, D.C.: President Trump condemned President Putin as “absolutely CRAZY” following Russia’s largest drone attack on Ukraine but...
House Passes Trump’s Sweeping “Big, Beautiful Bill” Slashing $1.1 Trillion in Social Spending
Washington, D.C.: In a narrow 215–214 vote, the GOP-led House approved President Trump’s flagship “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” cutting $1.1...
Trump Threatens to Redirect $3 Billion in Harvard Grant Money to Trade Schools Amid Ongoing Dispute
Washington, D.C., USA: Former President Donald Trump signaled an intent to reallocate $3 billion in federal grant money earmarked for Harvard...
Industry
See allChina Targets ‘Zero-Mileage’ Used-Car Loophole as Auto Sales Slump
Beijing, China: Regulators summoned major automakers and dealers to address the “zero-mileage” used-car trend—cars registered as used but never...
Trump Backs Nippon Steel’s $14.9 B Bid for U.S. Steel, Raising Questions
Washington, D.C.: President Trump unexpectedly endorsed Nippon Steel’s $14.9 billion purchase of U.S. Steel, reversing earlier opposition to...
WiseTech Global Acquires E2open in $2.1 Billion Landmark Logistics Deal
Sydney, Australia: Logistics software giant WiseTech Global is buying E2open for $2.1 billion, in its biggest-ever acquisition. The move adds...
Lifestyle
See allBusinesses Offer Free Meals and Discounts to Veterans on Memorial Day
USA: Many restaurant chains and retailers commemorated Memorial Day by providing complimentary meals or discounts for veterans and active-duty...
Memorial Day Travel Poised to Break Record with 45 Million Americans on the Move
USA: AAA anticipates 45.1 million Americans traveling over Memorial Day weekend, the highest volume on record. Around 39.4 million will drive,...
Scripps National Spelling Bee Commences, Marking 100th Anniversary
National Harbor, Maryland: The prestigious Scripps National Spelling Bee begins its 100th anniversary edition just outside Washington, D.C....
World
See allFrance and Vietnam Sign $10 Billion in Deals During Macron’s Hanoi Visit
Hanoi, Vietnam: French President Emmanuel Macron wrapped up a state visit by unveiling $10B in economic deals, notably Vietnam’s purchase of 20...
Hamas Agrees to U.S.-Brokered Ceasefire Proposal in Gaza
Gaza Strip: In a potential breakthrough, Hamas signaled acceptance of a U.S.-proposed ceasefire after intense fighting with Israel. The plan...
Russia Launches Largest Drone Attack; Captures Villages in Northeast Ukraine
Kyiv, Ukraine: Russia unleashed 355 drones, its most extensive aerial barrage yet, striking multiple Ukrainian cities. Ground forces reportedly...
Money
See allMarkets Tumble After Trump Threatens 50% Tariff on EU Imports
Washington, D.C.: President Trump’s vow of a sweeping 50% tariff on all EU imports shook financial markets, with the S&P 500 off 2.6% this week...
Capital One Finalizes $35 Billion Discover Purchase
McLean, Virginia: Capital One completed a $35 billion takeover of Discover Financial Services, forming the largest U.S. credit card issuer by loan...
MarketWatch Moneyist: Powerwashing Boyfriend Ignites Family Finance Debate Over Unspoken Expectations
Suburban USA: A homeowner felt blindsided when her daughter’s boyfriend, who offered to powerwash a section of her house while visiting, later...
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