President Trump announced a surprise three-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine to coincide with Russia's Victory Day celebrations, marking the Soviet Union's defeat of Nazi Germany. The ceasefire, running May 9-11, will be the first mutual ceasefire since the war began in February 2022 and includes a swap of 1,000 prisoners from each side. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy thanked Trump for his diplomatic involvement and expressed hope the U.S. would ensure Moscow honors the agreement.
The Department of War released 161 declassified files related to Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, now publicly accessible at WAR.GOV/UFO with no security clearance required. The documents span 60 years of research including videos, photos, government documents, and eyewitness testimony. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) was among Democratic lawmakers to praise the release, calling it a rare bipartisan moment of transparency.
Oil prices have surged to $126 a barrel — the highest since the Iran war began — while average gas prices nationwide have jumped to $4.48 per gallon, a roughly 60% increase from January lows. GasBuddy's Patrick De Haan estimates the Iran conflict accounts for about 80% of the increase. Rising energy costs are becoming a political headache for Republicans heading into the 2026 midterms.
A new Government Accountability Office report reveals federal agencies made approximately $185.8 billion in improper payments in fiscal year 2025, a $24 billion increase from the prior year. About 82% of the total — roughly $153 billion — were overpayments. The Earned Income Tax Credit had a 32.7% improper payment rate, while Obamacare exchange subsidies clocked in at 31.6%.
Iran launched its largest attack since last month's ceasefire, firing missiles and drones that set ablaze the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone in the UAE. The UAE intercepted 15 missiles and four drones, but multiple projectiles breached air defenses and struck oil infrastructure. Since hostilities began, the UAE has intercepted 549 ballistic missiles, 29 cruise missiles, and 2,260 Iranian drones. President Trump hinted a "Final Agreement" with Iran may be close and paused Operation Project Freedom.
The MV Hondius cruise ship remains at the center of a growing health crisis after the WHO confirmed the onboard hantavirus outbreak is the rare Andes strain — known to transmit between humans with a mortality rate up to 38%. Three passengers are dead, one remains in critical condition, and 150 passengers are being evacuated to the Canary Islands. U.S. states are monitoring 17 American returnees. The leading theory is a Dutch couple contracted the virus while bird-watching at an Argentine landfill before boarding.
Three hikers — two Singaporeans and one local — were killed when Mount Dukono in Halmahera, Indonesia erupted Thursday morning, sending an ash cloud 10 kilometers above the summit. About 20 climbers had set out despite the volcano's restricted-zone status and high alert level, with police saying many were motivated by the desire to create online content. Seventeen survivors were evacuated, five with injuries.
The Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration completed the removal of 30 pounds of enriched uranium from Venezuela's RV-1 research reactor, which had sat unused since 1991 with uranium enriched above the critical 20% threshold. The material has been shipped to the Savannah River Site in South Carolina, where it will be reprocessed into high-assay low-enriched uranium to support America's civilian nuclear energy expansion.
NASA's Perseverance rover has discovered a strange, shiny rock on the Martian surface, nicknamed "Phippsaksla," that scientists believe could be a meteorite forged in the heart of an ancient asteroid. The finding, after four years of Mars exploration, could provide new insights into the composition of early solar system bodies and the history of impacts on the Martian surface.
French cybercrime prosecutors upgraded their investigation into Elon Musk and X to a full criminal probe, alleging the platform knowingly permitted users of the Grok AI tool to create and spread nonconsensual sexually explicit deepfake images. Both Musk and former X CEO Linda Yaccarino were summoned but neither appeared. The U.S. Department of Justice reportedly refused to assist French authorities, accusing France of inappropriately interfering with an American business.
