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

US presses Palestinians to withdraw UN vice-presidency bid

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Lead: On 19 May a State Department cable instructed the US embassy in Jerusalem to press the Palestinian Authority to withdraw a bid for a vice-presidency of the UN General Assembly by 22 May, warning of unspecified “consequences” if it did not comply. The move reflects Washington’s concern that a Palestinian vice-president could be asked … Read more

US puts pressure on Palestinian leaders to withdraw bid for UN vice-presidency role – The Guardian

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Lead On 19 May a State Department cable instructed the US embassy in Jerusalem to press Palestinian Authority leaders to withdraw their bid for a UN General Assembly vice-presidency by 22 May, warning that “consequences will follow.” The intervention reflects Washington’s concern that a Palestinian vice-president could be asked to preside over high-profile Middle East … Read more

Live updates: US expected to file charges against ex-Cuban leader Raúl Castro – BBC

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Lead U.S. federal officials announced an indictment against former Cuban president Raúl Castro on charges tied to the 24 February 1996 shoot-down of two civilian aircraft near Havana that killed four people. The filing, unveiled at a Miami ceremony honoring the victims, names Castro and co-defendants on counts including conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, destruction … Read more

How contagious is Ebola? And how worried should you be about the current outbreak?

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Lead: Since the World Health Organization declared a public health emergency on Saturday, reported Ebola cases have been rising rapidly across parts of central and eastern Africa. Authorities have logged more than 600 suspected cases and 139 suspected deaths, with most infections concentrated in a northeastern province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) … Read more

Nvidia Earnings Could Cement Chip Rally or Trigger Market Jitters

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On May 20, 2026, Nvidia Corp. is set to publish quarterly results after the market close, a report that could either validate a months-long surge in chip stocks or intensify investor concern. For much of 2026, semiconductor names have driven market gains, powered by appetite for artificial-intelligence hardware from large cloud and tech companies. Wall … Read more

Meta Begins 8,000 Global Job Cuts in AI Efficiency Push

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May 19, 2026 — Meta Platforms Inc. began notifying thousands of employees that they are being laid off as part of a previously announced restructuring intended to cut costs while the company ramps investment in artificial intelligence. Notifications started early Wednesday in Asia, with staff receiving notices at 4:00 a.m. Singapore time, and U.S.-based employees … Read more

US President Trump, family granted immunity from pending tax audits – Al Jazeera

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Lead On 20 May 2026, the US Department of Justice issued a one-page directive that bars prosecution or pursuit of tax claims against President Donald Trump, members of his family and his businesses. The order, signed by acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, was posted on the Justice Department website as an addendum to a $10 … Read more

How Ken Paxton Courted Donald Trump — and Won His Endorsement

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Lead: In a dramatic late-stage maneuver, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton secured former President Donald Trump’s endorsement for the May 26, 2026 Republican Senate runoff after a 75-day waiting period. The sequence began after the March 3 primary, when Paxton finished narrowly behind Sen. John Cornyn and Trump signaled he would choose “soon.” Paxton’s March … Read more