Rubio: ‘Slight progress’ in Iran talks; rejects Strait of Hormuz ‘tolling system’

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Lead: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday there has been “slight progress” in indirect negotiations with Iran mediated through Pakistan, while firmly rejecting any Iranian proposal to impose a paid “tolling system” on commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. The comments came in Sweden during NATO meetings as diplomats and militaries weigh … Read more

NATO Allies Bewildered by Trump’s Reversal on U.S. Troop Deployments in Europe

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At a NATO ministers’ meeting in Helsingborg, Sweden, allies and U.S. defense officials expressed surprise after President Donald Trump posted that he would send 5,000 U.S. troops to Poland just weeks after ordering a comparable reduction of forces in Europe. The announcement contradicted earlier administration statements and military moves that had begun to remove roughly … Read more

SpaceX Starship Flight 12 live launch updates: 1st Starship V3 launch scrubbed at last minute

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Lead: SpaceX’s upgraded Starship V3, scheduled for a critical test flight no earlier than Friday, May 22 at 6:30 p.m. EDT (2230 GMT) from Starbase, Texas, was scrubbed at the last minute during a May 21 attempt. The company paused countdown activity at roughly T‑40 seconds after an automated hold triggered while teams reviewed a … Read more

SpaceX Starship Flight 12: Live Updates — First Starship V3 Launch Scrubbed Minutes Before Liftoff

starship-v3-launch-scrub

Lead SpaceX’s inaugural flight attempt of the upgraded Starship V3 was scrubbed minutes before liftoff on May 21, 2026; the company set a new earliest launch opportunity for Friday, May 22 at 6:30 p.m. EDT (22:30 GMT) from Starbase, Texas. The firm paused the countdown at T‑40 seconds and later cited a last‑minute technical issue … Read more

Ebola outbreak live updates: Flight bound for Detroit diverted to Canada after Congolese passenger boarded ‘in error,’ U.S. officials say

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Lead U.S. officials say an Air France flight headed to Detroit on Wednesday evening was diverted to Canada after a passenger from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was allowed aboard “in error” despite travel restrictions tied to the ongoing Ebola outbreak. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said it ordered the diversion as a … Read more

Iran Reviewing U.S. Peace Offer as Trump Says He’ll Wait ‘a Couple of Days’

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Lead: Iran says it is studying a fresh U.S. peace proposal while President Trump told reporters he will wait ‘a couple of days’ for Tehran’s reply. The exchanges come amid continuing naval blockades and redirected shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and intensified diplomacy involving Pakistan and other mediators. U.S. Central Command says 94 commercial … Read more

DNC releases 2024 autopsy, with chair apologizing for ‘creating an even bigger distraction’

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On Thursday, Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin released the party’s long-delayed autopsy of the 2024 election and issued a public apology after weeks of mounting pressure from members, donors and outside groups. Martin said he had initially withheld the review because the draft he received late last year “wasn’t ready for primetime” and lacked … Read more

S&P 500 futures edge lower as traders parse Nvidia earnings

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On May 20, 2026, U.S. equity futures opened marginally lower as market participants weighed Nvidia’s blockbuster quarterly report and guidance against already lofty expectations. Early Thursday futures tied to the S&P 500 fell about 0.1%, while Dow futures were down roughly 50 points and Nasdaq 100 futures were near flat; later after-hours action showed S&P … Read more

Nvidia posts record $58.3bn profit as AI chip demand surges

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Lead: Nvidia reported a record quarterly profit of $58.3bn for the February–April period, driven by explosive demand for its AI chips. Revenue rose to $81.6bn in the quarter, while the company announced an additional $80bn stock buyback and boosted its quarterly cash dividend from $0.01 to $0.25 per share. CEO Jensen Huang described the results … Read more