This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. President Donald Trump announced he is nominating Justice Department official and his former defense attorney Emil Bove to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, a controversial nomination that would come as he continues to attack so-called "activist" judges for blocking his agenda. In a post on Truth Social, Trump praised Bove as "SMART, TOUGH, and respected by everyone." "He will end the Weaponization of Justice, restore the Rule of Law, and do anything else that is necessary to, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN," Trump added. Emil Bove, a former Trump attorney, pictured in court. There are currently two vacancies on the court, and if confirmed, Bove he would serve a lifetime appointment on the federal bench. This is a breaking news story. Breanne Deppisch is a national politics reporter for Fox News Digital covering the Trump administration, with a focus on the Justice Department, FBI, and other national news. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more Fox News politics content. By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. National Republican Senatorial Committee chair Sen. Tim Scott tells Fox News Digital his goal is 55 seats in next year's midterm elections The National Republican Senatorial Committee is revisiting a much-maligned year-old photo from Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer. The NRSC, which is the campaign arm of the Senate GOP, marked National Hamburger Day on Wednesday with a new video titled, "We Grill Right," which spotlights Schumer's viral social media post from last year's Father's Day. In the photo that appeared in the 2024 post, Schumer appeared to place a slice of cheese on an uncooked burger patty. "Our family has lived in an apartment building for all our years, but my daughter and her wife just bought a house with a backyard and for the first time we're having a barbeque with hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill!" Schumer was quickly grilled on X, formerly Twitter, by a chorus of conservatives who pilloried his cooking skills, and the longtime senator soon deleted the post. He was also called out by late-night host Stephen Colbert. Fast-forward a year and the NRSC, in their video maligning Schumer, urged voters to "join a real party, the Republican Party. The NRSC was also selling related merchandise on its website, including beer koozies that read, "I grill like I vote. The NRSC also used their email release to also highlight recent reports, confirmed by Fox News, that some Democratic strategists and consultants were spending millions of dollars to better communicate with male and working-class voters, whom the party has struggled to court in recent election cycles. "Shouldn't take much to know how to grill a burger or correctly call a pick six, but apparently for Democrats, figuring out how to be a normal American takes at least $20 million — and even that won't be enough," NRSC regional press secretary Nick Puglia claimed in a statement. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, April 29, 2025, in Washington. Republicans currently control the Senate with a 53-47 majority. The GOP aims to expand their majority in next year's midterm elections. Paul Steinhauser is a politics reporter based in the swing state of New Hampshire. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more Fox News politics content. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel outlines the key findings issued by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. A candy company has removed an ingredient from its popular and colorful rainbow candies. Skittles, owned by Mars Wrigley, will no longer be made with titanium dioxide. A spokesperson for Mars Wrigley, which is based in New Jersey, confirmed to Fox News Digital this week that the company has removed titanium dioxide from its Skittles portfolio in the United States. Titanium dioxide is an additive typically used to make food look whiter and opaque. The Make America Healthy Again Commission, chaired by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., released a report last Thursday assessing chronic diseases, particularly those suffered by children. Skittles will no longer be made with titanium dioxide, the company confirmed. The report listed additives of potential concern, including titanium dioxide. "Our commitment to quality is what has enabled Mars to be enjoyed by consumers for over a century, and nothing is more important than the safety of our products," the Mars Wrigley spokesperson told Fox News Digital. Titanium dioxide is an additive typically used to make food look whiter and opaque. A Mars Wrigley spokesperson said it is no longer an ingredient in Skittles. "All our products are safe to enjoy and meet the high standards and applicable regulations set by food safety authorities around the world, and that's something we will never compromise on." There are 4,362 candies containing titanium dioxide, according to a search of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration's (FDA) FoodData Central website. There are 4,362 candies containing titanium dioxide, according to the FDA's FoodData Central website. Experimental animal inhalation studies with titanium dioxide by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health found the substance to be a "possible carcinogenic to humans." A look at the top-trending stories in food, relationships, great outdoors and more. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper.

This undated photo provided by Polina Pugacheva in April 2025 shows Kseniia Petrova, a Russian-born scientist who was a researcher at Harvard University. Colleagues and academics also testified on Kseniia Petrova's behalf, saying she is doing valuable research to advance cures for cancer. “It is excellent science,” Michael West, a scientist and entrepreneur in the biotech industry, testified on Petrova's research papers. He said he does not know Petrova, but has become acquainted with her published work, citing one in which she explains that “by mapping embryonic development, novel ways of intervening in the biology of regeneration and aging.” She is expected to be brought to Massachusetts as early as Friday in preparation for a bail hearing next week on the smuggling charge, lawyers said in court. “We are gratified that today's hearing gave us the opportunity to present clear and convincing evidence that Kseniia Petrova was not carrying anything dangerous or unlawful, and that customs officers at Logan International Airport had no legal authority to revoke her visa or detain her,” Petrova's lawyer Gregory Romanovsky said in a statement. “At today's hearing, we demonstrated that Kseniia is neither a danger to the community nor a flight risk, and does not belong in immigration detention.” Petrova had been vacationing in France, where she stopped at a lab specializing in splicing superfine sections of frog embryos and obtained a package of samples to be used for research. As she passed through a U.S. Customs and Border Protection checkpoint in Boston Logan International Airport in February, Petrova was questioned about the samples. After being detained by immigration officials, she filed a petition in Vermont seeking her release. Petrova was charged with smuggling earlier this month as U.S. District Judge Christina Reiss in Burlington set the hearing date on her petition. Petrova's lawyer, Gregory Romanovsky, had asked Reiss to issue an order to stop the possibility of ICE re-detaining her if she is also released from detention in Massachusetts. Reiss said she was reluctant “to enjoin an executive agency from undertaking future actions which are uncertain” and would rely on U.S. Department of Justice attorney Jeffrey Hartman's comments that the government has no intention at this time to re-arrest Petrova. The Department of Homeland Security had said in a statement on the social media platform X that Petrova was detained after “lying to federal officers about carrying substances into the country.” They allege that messages on her phone “revealed she planned to smuggle the materials through customs without declaring them.”

Trump objected to the description when asked by a reporter, saying it was part of his wider strategy. … Six months ago, this country was stone-cold dead. We had a country, people didn't think it was going to survive, and you ask a nasty question like that,” the president said. And if you go down, if I set a ridiculous high number and I go down a little bit, a little bit, they want me to hold that number, 145% tariff. Wall Street is banking on Trump reneging on his tariff threats, to the extent that it helped buoy an unprecedented market rally. Investors have adopted an acronym for their new trade strategy: “Trump always chickens out,” or TACO. “But don't ever say what you said, that's a nasty question. To me, that's the nastiest question,” he added. Trump's April announcement of “Liberation Day,” imposing hefty tariffs on nearly every country, triggered a period of massive market volatility. April 7 saw some of the most volatile behavior in market history. At 10:10 a.m., traders became aware of an erroneous report amplified by CNBC, claiming Trump was considering a 90-day pause on his “Liberation Day” tariffs. The White House Rapid Response X page quickly shot down the report, calling it “wrong” and “fake news.” Announcements of trade deals, tariff deadline extensions, and the lowering of tariffs all helped contribute to a market revival after an initial crash. “So, the returns are somewhat conclusive: The TACO trade has worked and buying stocks on extreme tariff-related threats has worked,” Tom Essaye, founder of Sevens Report Research, said, according to Market Watch. Despite it paying off so far, however, he warned that long-term prospects are less certain. “What will determine the next 15%-20% in this market isn't Trump's tariff talk. Instead, it's the economy and whether it can hold up amidst tariffs, policy volatility, higher interest rates, no Fed rates cuts, and pressure on consumer spending,” Essaye said.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought addresses Democrats' criticism that DOGE is a 'big scam' and lays out his goals for the department's cuts on 'The Story.' An Obama-appointed federal judge has largely rejected the Trump administration's request for the dismissal of a DOGE-related legal challenge, though she did dismiss President Donald Trump as a defendant, while otherwise allowing the wranglings to proceed. President Donald Trump arrives to deliver remarks at the National Memorial Day Observance at the Memorial Amphitheater in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., on May 26, 2025. "Defendants' motion to dismiss Count I against President Donald J. Trump, in his official capacity as President of the United States, is GRANTED. Defendants' motion to dismiss Count I against all other defendants and Count II is DENIED," the order declares. In a statement to Fox News Digital, a Justice Department spokesperson said, "This Department of Justice has vigorously defended President Trump's ability to conduct official duties and will continue to do so whenever those actions are challenged in federal court." More than a dozen states lodged a legal challenge regarding Elon Musk's work on Trump's DOGE cost-cutting initiative earlier this year. "This Court should restore constitutional order and, consistent with the Appointments Clause, enjoin Mr. Musk from issuing orders to any person in the Executive Branch outside of DOGE and otherwise engaging in the actions of an officer of the United States, and declare that his actions to date are ultra vires and of no legal effect," the complaint filed in February declared. After heavily focusing on the effort, Musk later noted that he planned to reduce how much time he spends on it. Last week he declared in a tweet, "Back to spending 24/7 at work and sleeping in conference/server/factory rooms," noting that he needed to focus on various business endeavors. "The federal bureaucracy situation is much worse than I realized," he noted on Tuesday, according to the Washington Post. "I thought there were problems, but it sure is an uphill battle trying to improve things in D.C., to say the least." Alex Nitzberg is a writer for Fox News Digital. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper.

• Trump today: President Donald Trump said he'll know in two weeks if President Vladimir Putin is “tapping us along,” and warned of a shift if Russia is not serious about peace in Ukraine. Speaking after a swearing-in ceremony at the White House, Trump also said he believes Harvard University should cap the number of foreign students it enrolls. Speaker Mike Johnson signaled today that House Republicans were “eager and ready” to formalize the White House's so-called DOGE cuts as soon as President Donald Trump's team makes the official request to Congress. “The House is eager and ready to act on DOGE's findings so we can deliver even more cuts to big government that President Trump wants and the American people demand,” Johnson posted on X. House Republicans expect to receive the White House's formal request “very soon,” according to one GOP lawmaker familiar with the discussions. It is expected to target programs like the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a small chunk of the federal budget that provides some public funding for NPR and PBS. It is also expected to formalize DOGE cuts to foreign aid programs — an issue that has been dicey with GOP leaders in Congress who oversee the State Department. President Donald Trump appeared to indicate that a luxury Boeing 747 airplane gifted from Qatar is in the process of being retrofitted by the US military. Asked when the plane would become a new Air Force One, Trump said efforts to transform it were already underway. It's being refitted for military standard,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. He continued, “They tried to say, ‘Oh, it's Trump's airplane.' Last week, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth accepted the plane from Qatar, and a Defense Department spokesperson said it would be fitted with “proper security measures and functional-mission requirements.” Pressed Wednesday on how much it would cost to prepare it for presidential transport, Trump replied: “Oh, I don't know, whatever it is, a lot – hell of a lot less than building a new one. “I'm here today to say loud and clear with President Trump, crypto finally has a champion and an ally in the White House,” the vice president said. The crypto industry, created as a rejection of traditional finance, has long complained about being unfairly “debanked” as part of a coordinated federal effort. Banks are required to ensure their clients comply with a maze of rules, and those lenders have to assess risk on a case-by-case basis. Vance also championed the firing of a Biden-era chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Gary Gensler, who was openly hostile toward crypto. In one of his first speeches as chair, he described crypto as an asset class that is “rife with fraud, scams, and abuse in certain applications.” His stern stance toward digital assets made him a frequent rhetorical punching bag for the crypto industry. When President Donald Trump was asked on Wednesday if he had plans to pardon the men convicted of plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2020, he responded: “I'm going to look at it.” It looked to me like somewhat of a railroad job. I'll be honest with you, it looked to me like some people said some stupid things,” Trump said in the Oval Office. He continued, “You know, they were drinking, and I think they said stupid things, but I'll take a look at that. And a lot of people are asking me that question from both sides. Actually, a lot of people think they got railroaded. Six men were originally charged with participating in the kidnapping plot. President Donald Trump said that he urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to disrupt US-led nuclear talks with Iran, telling reporters Wednesday that he cautioned his counterpart that such a move would be “inappropriate.” Asked about reports that he warned Netanyahu against disrupting the talks during a phone call last week, Trump said, “Well, I'd like to be honest. Trump said that his team is having “very good discussions” with Iran, which have taken place over the last several weeks led by special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and moderated by Oman. “I said, I don't think it's appropriate right now, because if we can settle it with a very strong document, very strong with inspections. Trump indicated that any agreement with Iran would be “very strong,” saying, “I want it very strong where we can go in with inspectors. But, he added of Iran, “Right now, I think they want to make a deal. President Donald Trump doubled down on his attacks against Harvard University, saying Wednesday that the Ivy League school should have a cap on the percentage of foreign students. “I think they should have a cap of maybe around 15%, not 31%. We have people want to go to Harvard and other schools, they can't get in because we have foreign students there,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. Harvard has broadly refused many government demands, including that it hand over foreign students' entire conduct records and allow audits to confirm it has expanded “viewpoint diversity.” The Trump administration last week canceled Harvard's ability to enroll foreign students, a move that a federal judge put it on hold. “Harvard has to show us their lists,” Trump said Wednesday. We want to know where those students come… Are they troublemakers? Trump suggested, without evidence, that some of the international students included in Harvard's records will be “very radical people.” “They're taking people from areas of the world that are very radicalized, and we don't want them making trouble in our country,” Trump said. CNN's Alayna Treene and Andy Rose contributed reporting to this post. “We will be negotiating that bill, and I'm not happy about certain aspects of it, but I'm thrilled by other aspects of it. President Donald Trump downplayed any frustration with Israel's handling of its war with Hamas as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu readies a new offensive in Gaza. “No, we're dealing with the whole situation in Gaza. It was a horrible day, and people aren't going to forget that either. So we'll see how that all works out,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office when asked about the growing humanitarian crisis and Israel's plans. Wednesday marks 600 days of Israel's war against Hamas following the deadly October 7 attacks. And the military operations show no signs of abating despite rising international condemnation. Steve Witkoff, the president's special envoy for the Middle East who has been a key negotiator on the Trump administration's behalf, expressed some optimism as he previewed plans to send both sides a “new term sheet” aimed at resolving the conflict, as a peace deal has remained elusive. “I think that we are on the precipice of sending out a new term sheet that hopefully will be delivered later on today. The president is going to review it, and I have some very good feelings about getting to a long-term resolution,” Witkoff said. President Donald Trump said he'll know in a fortnight whether his Russian counterpart is “tapping us along,” vowing a change in course if he determines Vladimir Putin is not serious about achieving peace in Ukraine. But Trump declined to specify what actions he might consider to punish Russia, insisting instead his new harsh language toward Moscow should speak for itself. And he voiced concern that potential new sanctions on Russia could jeopardize a deal. Trump in recent days has grown increasingly frustrated at the state of the conflict, which he once vowed to end within 24 hours of taking office. On Wednesday, he laid out a near-term timeline for determining how to proceed. “I'll let you know in about two weeks,” Trump said when questioned in the Oval Office whether Putin wants to end the war. “We're going to find out whether or not he's tapping us along or not, and if he is, we'll respond a little bit differently,” Trump went on. Trump's two-week timeline has been a recurring feature of his presidency when he is asked about pending decisions. Trump said Wednesday he still believes Russia “seem to want to do something,” but suggested uncertainty in how serious the country is about ending the war. And he appeared cautious about slapping new sanctions on Moscow amid ongoing talks. The swearing in was preceded by remarks from President Donald Trump about Pirro. After the ceremony, Pirro brought up the shooting that killed two Israeli embassy staffers last week outside a museum in Washington, DC. Pirro outlined how she intends to approach the job, saying that “we need to send a message that justice will be honored in the District of Columbia.” “Just last week, here in our nation's capital, two people on the brink of beginning their life had hopes and dreams that were never realized, because a cold-blooded murderer made a decision to shoot them down on the streets on a cold, rainy night in our nation's capital,” Pirro said. Violence will be addressed directly with the appropriate punishment,” she added. Pirro is a longtime Trump ally who was a regular presence at Mar-a-Lago even before he ran for president the first time. This post has been updated with additional remarks from Pirro. When asked about the plaque – which was approved in 2022 and has not yet been hung by Republican leaders in the House – Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger said he thought the issue was so divisive “that I don't imagine there's any discussions even going on.” “I will tell you that my cops, many of them, were here on January 6,” Manger said Wednesday. The United States will restrict US visas from those who are responsible for alleged censorship of Americans, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced today. “We will not tolerate encroachments upon American sovereignty, especially when such encroachments undermine the exercise of our fundamental right to free speech,” Rubio said in a statement. They also detained a Tufts University student for writing an op-ed critical of the conflict. A federal judge ordered her immediate release earlier this month the case raised concerns about her First Amendment and due process rights. “It is similarly unacceptable for foreign officials to demand that American tech platforms adopt global content moderation policies or engage in censorship activity that reaches beyond their authority and into the United States,” he added. It is unclear how the policy will be applied and who will decide what amounts to “censorship.” CNN has reached out to the State Department for further information. Elon Musk raised concerns about President Donald Trump's sweeping tax and spending cuts package, saying in a video released Tuesday that he believes it would raise the US budget deficit and undercut efforts by the Department of Government Efficiency. “I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, not just decreases it, and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing,” the tech billionaire and Trump donor told “CBS Sunday Morning.” “I think a bill can be big or it can be beautiful, but I don't know if it can be both.” Musk is stepping away from full-time government work to focus on his companies, including SpaceX and Tesla, which have struggled in part as a result of Musk's alliance with the Trump administration. He noted the move in an interview with Ars Technica on Tuesday, hours before SpaceX's Starship test flight. “I think I probably did spend a bit too much time on politics, it's less than people would think, because the media is going to over-represent any political stuff, because political bones of contention get a lot of traction in the media,” he said when asked whether he feels his focus on politics over the past year has “harmed” SpaceX. It was just relative time allocation that probably was a little too high on the government side, and I've reduced that significantly in recent weeks. In an interview with "CBS Sunday Morning," Elon Musk raised concerns about President Donald Trump's "big, beautiful" bill, warning it could increase the US budget deficit and undermine the Department of Government Efficiency. Musk also announced he's stepping back from full-time government work to focus on his companies. The White House plans to officially swear in Jeanine Pirro today, after President Donald Trump named her interim US attorney for Washington, DC earlier this month. Prior to being named to the role, Pirro appeared on Fox News' “The Five” program and previously on her own weekend evening show called “Justice with Judge Jeanine.” She used her platform and her legal background to bellicosely defend Trump and deride his critics. President Donald Trump announced yesterday that he plans to release Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from government conservatorship — but he also said the two mortgage giants could still count on a government bailout in a crisis. Such a move would end 17 years of federal government control over the two companies, which play a central role in America's housing finance system by providing liquidity to the mortgage market. “Our great Mortgage Agencies, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, provide a vital service to our Nation by helping hardworking Americans reach the American Dream — Home Ownership,” Trump wrote on Truth Social yesterday. “I am working on TAKING THESE AMAZING COMPANIES PUBLIC, but I want to be clear, the U.S. Government will keep its implicit GUARANTEES, and I will stay strong in my position on overseeing them as President.” “These Agencies are now doing very well, and will help us to, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” he added. The announcement came less than a week after Trump said he was giving “very serious consideration” to bringing Fannie and Freddie public. Fannie and Freddie essentially grease the wheels of America's home lending market by buying mortgages from lenders and repackaging them for investors. The government conservatorship of the two companies was initiated in 2008 after Fannie and Freddie played a role in America's housing market crash. Privatizing Fannie and Freddie could spook investors who buy up mortgage loans, leading them to demand a higher return for their investments and pushing up mortgage rates, experts warn. Vice President JD Vance visited the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC, yesterday to honor Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, who were killed last week leaving an event at the Capital Jewish Museum. This was done in accordance with GHF protocol to avoid casualties.” A security source said American security contractors on the ground did not fire any shots and that operations would resume at the site on Wednesday. They denied carrying out aerial fire toward the site. “It's a big failure that we warned against,” said Amjad al-Shawa, director of Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network. The cable signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio comes as the Trump administration has revoked scores of student visas and has attempted to stop foreign students from studying at Harvard University — a move that has been halted by a judge for the time being.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin on Wednesday as Kyiv seeks further military support amid a recent escalation in Russia's bombing campaign, despite U.S.-led efforts to end the war. Russia launched a large strike on the city of Kharkiv and the nearby area overnight Wednesday, according to State Emergency Service of Ukraine. Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz, right, welcomes Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during an official military reception at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, May 28, 2025. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gestures during a news conference at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, May 28, 2025. Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz, right, and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attend a news conference at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, May 28, 2025. Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz, foreground, welcomes Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during an official military reception at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, May 28, 2025. In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, firefighters try to put out a fire following a Russian attack in Kyiv region, Ukraine, Sunday, May 25, 2025. BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Friedrich Merz pledged Wednesday to help Ukraine develop its own long-range missile systems that would be free of any Western-imposed limitations on their use and targets as the Kyiv government fights to repel Russia's invasion. Standing beside visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Merz said that under an intensified cooperation agreement, Germany “will strive to equip the Ukrainian army with all the capabilities that truly enable it to successfully defend the country,” including upgraded domestic missile production. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gestures during a news conference at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, May 28, 2025. “Ukraine will be able to fully defend itself, including against military targets outside its own territory” with its own missiles, Merz said at a joint news conference. Hours after Merz's pledge, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov invited Ukraine to hold direct peace talks with Moscow in Istanbul on June 2. In a video statement, he said Russia would use the meeting to deliver a memorandum setting out Moscow's position on “reliably overcoming the root causes of the crisis.” He also said that any Russian delegation would again be headed by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky. President Donald Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday that he is holding off on new sanctions on Russia because he doesn't want to interfere with attempts to negotiate an end to its invasion of Ukraine. Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz, right, and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attend a news conference at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, May 28, 2025. Merz declined to say whether Germany will supply its advanced Taurus long-range cruise missile to Ukraine — long a request by Kyiv and a step that Berlin has resisted. Merz loves “very strong personal statements,” but is not able to back them up with support from his coalition partners, Kiesewetter told The Associated Press. “We have a Moscow connection in Germany,” Kiesewetter said, suggesting some politicians are in favor of Ukraine ceding territory to Russia to end the war, along with lifting some sanctions. Asked about Germany's offer to fund long-range missile production in Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded that the move was an obstacle to reaching a peace agreement. Merz said last Monday that Germany and other major allies were no longer imposing range limits on weapons they send to Ukraine, although he indicated their use was limited to Russian military targets. Ukraine has launched its own long-range drones at sites that support Russia's military efforts, including refineries and chemical plants. Then-U.S. President Joe Biden last year authorized Ukraine to use U.S.-supplied missiles for limited strikes in Russia. In Berlin, Zelenskyy called for deeper defense cooperation across Europe and with Washington, stressing the need for long-range capabilities and sustained military funding to ensure Ukraine's resilience. Zelenskyy said Ukraine is ready to hold peace talks at the highest level, including a trilateral meeting with himself, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump. Zelenskyy said he would accept any configuration of talks, whether that includes one trilateral meeting or separate meetings with Trump. Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, said Russia is grateful to Trump for his mediation efforts. “At the same time, there is a big number of nuances to be discussed that can't be neglected and which neither party is going to sacrifice, because of its national interests,” Peskov told reporters. “Just like the United States, Russia has its national interests that are of primary importance to us.” Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz, right, welcomes Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during an official military reception at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, May 28, 2025. Meanwhile, fighting has continued along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line, where Ukraine's army is shorthanded against its bigger adversary. Zelenskyy claimed Tuesday that Russia is mobilizing up to 45,000 men every month, while Ukraine mobilizes between 25,000-27,000. Russia launched its biggest drone attack of the war against Ukraine on Sunday. Russian air defenses downed 296 Ukrainian drones over 13 Russian regions late Tuesday and early Wednesday, Russia's Defense Ministry said, in what appeared to be one of the biggest Ukrainian drone assaults of the war. Ukraine is increasing its domestic production of drones and missiles, according to Zelenskyy. He said late Tuesday that Ukraine wants European countries to help it invest in the manufacture of attack drones, air defense interceptors, cruise missiles and ballistic systems. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said that air defenses shot down Ukrainian 33 drones heading toward the capital. He said that drone fragments damaged three residential buildings in the village of Troitskoye, but no one was hurt. More than 60 flights were canceled Wednesday in Moscow as the capital's airports were forced to ground planes amid drone warnings, said the federal aviation agency, Rosaviatsiya. Overnight, Russian forces launched an attack on Ukraine using five Iskander ballistic missiles, one guided air-launched missile and 88 drones, Ukraine's air force said. Follow AP's coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Washington Jeanine Pirro announces charges during a news conference Thursday against a man accused of shooting two Israeli embassy workers in Washington, D.C., Wednesday night. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi administered the oath alongside President Donald Trump. "We need to send a message that justice will be honored in the District of Columbia," Pirro said after taking the oath. "My voice should be heard loud and clear: No more. "Violence will be addressed directly with the appropriate punishment, and this city will again become a shining city on a hill in an America that President Trump has promised to make great again and will make safe again," Pirro added. US President Donald Trump speaks during a swearing in ceremony for Interim Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro (R), as US Attorney General Pam Bondi (C) looks on in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. Trump tapped "The Five" co-host for her new role earlier this month. Pirro has left Fox News Channel and a rotation of Fox News personalities will fill her seat on "The Five" until a new co-host is named. The president noted Pirro's career in both the legal and media spaces ahead of her swearing in. "Jeanine Pirro has been a wonderful addition to The Five over the last three years and a longtime beloved host across FOX News Media who contributed greatly to our success throughout her 14-year tenure. Attorney General Pam Bondi swears in interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro during a ceremony in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C. (JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images) Pirro remarked on the recent murder of two Israeli embassy staffers on the streets of Washington during her address. She vowed justice would be brought to the "cold blooded murderer" who was responsible. Interim US Attorney Jeanine Pirro speaks during a press update on a shooting the night before, of two Israeli embassy staffers, at the US Department of Justice in Washington, DC. Pirro served as the assistant district attorney and district attorney in New York's Westchester County and became the first woman to serve as a judge in Westchester County Court. She joined Fox News Channel in 2006 and hosted "Justice with Judge Jeanine" for 11 years before joining "The Five," which has emerged as the most-watched show on cable news. Anders Hagstrom is a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more Fox News politics content. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper.

People stand in front of the city's largest construction site with four new high-rise buildings in Frankfurt, Germany, Sept. 24, 2024. BERLIN, Germany (AP) — Three people in Germany were charged with working for one of Russia's intelligence agencies and could have been plotting to kill a man, the German Federal Prosecutor's Office said Wednesday. The three men arrested in the “particularly serious case” on June 19, 2024 in Frankfurt were identified as Robert A., a Ukrainian citizen; Vardges I., an Armenian national; and Arman S., a Russian citizen. Their full names weren't released in line with German privacy rules. “The spying operation presumably served to prepare further intelligence operations in Germany, possibly even leading to killing,” the German Federal Prosecutor's Office said. German prosecutors said at the beginning of May 2024, Vardges I. received an order from a Russian intelligence agency to spy on a man living in Germany who fought in Ukraine's armed forces after Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. To do this, Vardges I. recruited Robert A. and Arman S., who are accused of trying to lure the man to a meeting in a cafe in downtown Frankfurt with the aim of identifying him and gathering further information about him. Because the man had previously been in touch with German police, no meeting ever took place, the Federal Prosecutor's Office said, adding that the three men remain in custody. The charges against the men, filed May 16, are the latest in a series of cases across Europe where Ukrainians and other nationals are accused of working on behalf of Russia's intelligence services. In May, German prosecutors said three Ukrainians were arrested in Germany and Switzerland on suspicion of agreeing to send parcels containing explosive or incendiary devices from Germany to Ukraine, apparently at the behest of people acting for Russia. Russia has previously been accused of trying to kill people in Germany who have a connection to the war in Ukraine. In July 2024, Western officials said a plot was uncovered to kill Armin Papperger, CEO of defense company Rheinmetall which provides weapons to Ukraine. Krasikov was sentenced to life imprisonment, but was released as part of a prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine in 2024. At his sentencing, German judges said Krasikov had acted on the orders of Russian authorities, who gave him a false identity, passport and the resources to carry out the killing.

President Donald Trump is holding the swearing-in ceremony for Jeanine Pirro, the interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. The ceremony is set to begin at noon. Pirro is replacing Ed Martin, whose term expired because he couldn't secure enough votes in the Senate for the permanent position. “I am pleased to announce that Judge Jeanine Pirro will be appointed interim United States Attorney for the District of Columbia,” Trump announced in a Truth Social post. “Jeanine was Assistant District Attorney for Westchester County, New York, and then went on to serve as County Judge, and District Attorney, where she was the first woman ever to be elected to those positions.” Trump described Pirro as a “powerful crusader for victims of crime” while in office and someone who “excelled in all ways.” TRUMP MAKES FOX NEWS'S JEANINE PIRRO DC'S TOP PROSECUTOR “In addition to her Legal career, Jeanine previously hosted her own Fox News Show, Justice with Judge Jeanine, for ten years, and is currently Co-Host of The Five, one of the Highest Rated Shows on Television. Jeanine is incredibly well qualified for this position, and is considered one of the Top District Attorneys in the History of the State of New York. She is in a class by herself. Congratulations Jeanine!” he concluded. Pirro, a longtime and vocal Trump ally with a penchant for controversy, will likely meet nearly as much opposition as Martin.

Get inspired by a weekly roundup on living well, made simple. Healthy people who regularly smoked marijuana or consumed THC-laced edibles showed signs of early cardiovascular disease similar to tobacco smokers, a new small study found. “To my knowledge, it's the first study looking at THC's impact on vascular function in humans,” said senior study author Matthew Springer, professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. More frequent marijuana use may damage an important memory skill “We're looking at a window in the future, showing the early changes that may explain why smoking marijuana has been linked to later heart disease,” Springer said. Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is the component of marijuana that provides a high. Whether marijuana smoke would impact the human vascular system, however, was unknown. “We can only state that the cannabis users have poor vascular function, not that cannabis use causes poor vascular function,” he said via email. The findings on THC-laced edibles was surprising, said Dr. Andrew Freeman, director of cardiovascular prevention and wellness at National Jewish Health in Denver. “Could it be that other forms of marijuana — teas, tinctures, edibles — are perhaps not as benign as we once thought?” said Freeman, who was not involved in the study. “We need larger studies to make a better conclusion about this finding.” When functioning properly, these specialized cells release chemicals such as nitric oxide that control the relaxing and contracting of the canal, thus regulating blood flow. Healthy endothelium cells also play a role in local cell growth and help prevent blood clotting. Marijuana hospital visits linked to dementia diagnosis within 5 years, study finds “The vessels just don't grow in diameter in real time when they need to pass more blood, indicating an unhealthy vessel wall that presages later cardiovascular disease,” he said. Prior studies have found strong links between marijuana use and later cardiovascular disease. A February 2024 study found smoking, vaping or eating marijuana led to a significantly higher risk of heart attack and stroke, even if a person had no existing heart conditions and did not smoke or vape tobacco. Young adult cannabis consumers nearly twice as likely to suffer from a heart attack, research shows Using marijuana every day can raise a person's risk of coronary artery disease by one-third compared with those who never partake, a February 2023 study found. Guidance released in 2020 pointed to studies that found heart rhythm abnormalities, such as tachycardia and atrial fibrillation, could occur within an hour after weed containing THC was smoked. None of the 18- to 50-year-old people in the study were tobacco smokers or vapers, and all had little exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke. Researchers performed an ultrasound on the major artery in the upper right arm in each person, then applied an extremely tight blood pressure cuff for five minutes. “Higher cannabis use — whether smoked or ingested — is associated with poorer vascular function, highlighting the cardiovascular risks that increase with higher potency and frequency of use,” Mohammadi said. Compared with people who never used marijuana, cannabis users didn't appear to have additional stiffness of the walls of blood vessels, the study found. A separate analysis added blood serum from cannabis smokers and edible users to commercially purchased cultures of endothelial cell in the laboratory. Blood from people who used edibles laced with THC didn't appear to harm the cells — they continued to produce adequate nitric oxide. Many Americans wrongly believe exposure to marijuana smoke is safer than tobacco, study finds That evidence is similar to what is found in tobacco, Springer said, pointing to a prior study by his team showing endothelial cells incubated in serum from tobacco smokers released 39% less nitric oxide than nonsmokers. “Rats exposed to marijuana smoke with no cannabinoids at all also had vascular and cardiac impairment, plus tobacco smoke is known to cause heart disease and it has no THC,” Springer said. “So you do yourself no favors by switching from smoking tobacco to marijuana. As for marijuana edibles, teas, tinctures and the like?

The sound of sparrows chirping on a rainy morning is punctuated by the occasional crackle of tires rolling on wet pavement. Soledad is, too, walking in the drizzle to a bus stop near her apartment. A short bus ride from her neighborhood leaves just enough time to grab a quick cup of coffee before her shift begins. Soledad has what's known as Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, which provides legal work permits and blocks the government from deporting her and many other immigrants who otherwise would be undocumented. That protection's days could be numbered; already the Trump administration has said it plans to end TPS for hundreds of thousands of people. Before long, Soledad fears TPS for Salvadorans like her could be next. As she walks from the bus stop to her janitor job, Soledad often passes the White House, where President Trump and administration officials have made no secret of their mass deportation plans. —Soledad, a Salvadoran immigrant who's lived in DC for more than 20 years During the previous Trump administration, DC's leaders were vocal about protecting immigrant residents. Lately, Soledad says, their silence has spoken volumes. But immigrant rights advocates have long argued that local officials play a critically important role. A city policy can be the difference between someone simply getting a traffic ticket or ending up in deportation proceedings. “Right now the immigrant community has two ways to defend ourselves. “And if local officials are running away from our community, that…has a devastating effect.” Nearly one in four residents of Washington and its surrounding metro area are immigrants, according to Census data. And in the past, Mayor Muriel Bowser frequently called Washington a “proud sanctuary city.” In a budget plan released Tuesday, Bowser took a dramatically different tack, proposing a repeal of the DC law that prohibits the city's Department of Corrections from cooperating with federal immigration authorities “absent a judicial warrant or order issued by a federal judge.” CNN is reaching out for further comment on why that measure, dubbed the “Detainer Amendment Act of 2025,” was included in Bowser's budget. Asked about the pages' apparent removal in recent months, first reported by Axios, a spokesman for the mayor referred to her remarks in a February press conference but declined to comment further. At that event, when asked by a reporter why she'd stopped using the term “sanctuary city,” Bowser called the phrase “misleading.” “I think it's misleading to suggest to anyone that if you're violating immigration laws, this is a place where you can violate immigration laws,” she said. Asked what message she'd send to undocumented immigrants in the city, Bowser instead offered what sounded more like a response to conservative critics. Bowser's shifting response on immigration matters is one of a number of ways the mayor, a leading figure in the Democratic resistance during Trump's first term, is now striking a less defiant tone. … You have to choose what your battles are.” —Abel Nuñez, executive director of the Central American Resource Center in Washington DC's status as a federal district puts the city and its more than 700,000 residents in a uniquely precarious position, Nuñez says. “That can be taken away at any moment. And no leader would risk her city's entire future for one group, he says. … You have to choose what your battles are. Contreras, who represents thousands of cleaners, security officers and maintenance workers at the SEIU, says workers will remember their local leaders' actions the next time elections come around. “Some of these elected officials…benefitted for years from having the support of a certain community, the immigrant community, in particular,” he says. “And then, when it comes time to defend our community, they run away from the issue as opposed to leaning in and saying, ‘Wait a minute, these are human beings, these are workers, these are not criminals.' “It has a devastating effect on how they go about their day. They have to be looking over their shoulders all the time. For safety reasons, it's just not good,” he says. Minutes after stepping to the podium earlier this month for his final press conference as DC's interim US attorney, Ed Martin said he had a warning for the city's citizens. The district's status as a sanctuary city is “crippling” local law enforcement efforts to make DC safer, Martin said. “There needs to be a robust discussion now about DC's sanctuary status, and its justice system and its judges, and if that means that home rule is on the table, then so be it,” he said. In the past, DC officials have used the sanctuary city term to describe things like the Metropolitan Police Department's policy of not asking people about their citizenship or residency status, or city funding for immigrant legal services. In 2020, the City Council passed a “Sanctuary Values Amendment Act,” which limits the city's Department of Corrections from cooperating with federal immigration authorities “absent a judicial warrant or order issued by a federal judge.” Critics — including President Trump — say they endanger public safety. The second Trump administration has made cracking down on sanctuary cities a pillar of its enforcement strategy, with the president calling them “death traps” that protect criminals. A federal judge recently ruled against the administration's efforts to block federal funding to sanctuary cities, finding that portions of Trump's executive orders were unconstitutional. Republican leaders in Congress also have criticized sanctuary cities, most notably in a March hearing before a House committee, where lawmakers grilled mayors of prominent sanctuary cities: Boston, Chicago, Denver and New York. Trump's “Making the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful” executive order, issued in late March, created a federal task force whose mission includes “monitoring the district's sanctuary-city status and compliance with the enforcement of federal immigration law.” The order also calls for the task force to direct “maximum enforcement” of federal immigration law, and to redirect available law enforcement resources “to apprehend and deport illegal aliens in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.” And Republicans in the House and Senate have introduced legislation aiming to remove DC's sanctuary laws, arguing they have “devastating, real-life consequences.” “President Trump's efforts to enforce immigration laws should not be undermined by local leadership anywhere in the United States, let alone Washington, DC.” “President Trump's efforts to enforce immigration laws should not be undermined by local leadership anywhere in the United States, let alone Washington, DC,” he said. It wasn't long ago that many immigrants saw Washington as one of the safest places to live, according to Antonia Peña, who represents nannies, house cleaners and care workers as a leader of the DC chapter of Care in Action. “And in terms of immigration, Washington has always been considered a sanctuary.” “And that is what we've been explaining to people, talking about it and accepting it in a way, because this is a huge impact under this administration, something that no one expected.” Already high costs were making many workers reconsider living in the city, she says. Just a few months into the new Trump administration, leaders of immigrant advocacy organizations in DC say fears are running high. Recently, he says he's gotten calls about people who've been evicted because some landlords no longer want to rent to undocumented immigrants. Many are worried the district's police department could be federalized, he says, converting the officers who patrol communities into immigration agents. “There is a big concern of what could come,” Hernández says. Organizers of this protest told her they were worried noncitizens could be targeted for speaking out. So Soledad doesn't tell this crowd about the years she's spent fighting for immigrant rights, or about her 15-year-old daughter, a star student — and US citizen — who's often stood alongside her. Some speakers at the rally are wearing masks to protect their anonymity. … We are the only people that can keep us safe.” Organizers and participants at this protest say DC's leaders should do more to fight back against Trump's immigration crackdown. “We fought hard to create the sanctuary policies, and we're not going to let Congress eliminate them without a fight,” Oliver Merino of the Immigrant Legal Resource Center tells CNN affiliate WJLA. An organizer onstage says that members of the City Council were invited to the event, but none of them showed up. One by one, each council member's name is read from a list, then their photo is taped to a railing onstage. It doesn't take long for the crowd to answer: “MISSING!” Asked via email whether DC remains a sanctuary city, the offices of the city's 13 sitting council members didn't respond to CNN's request for comment. It's no surprise to find critics of the president's immigration crackdowns in DC. Trump won less than 7% of votes cast here in the last presidential election. But DC isn't like other liberal cities, according to Rick Su, a distinguished professor of law at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Many cities that get in standoffs over immigration with the federal government have states to protect them, he says. Takeaways from the congressional hearing grilling ‘sanctuary city' mayors on immigration Though it's unclear whether Congress really wants to take on the challenge of running the city again, Su says, lawmakers could pass another statute to retake control. Given that reality, Su says it appears the city's leaders are currently pursuing a policy he's dubbed “silent sanctuary.” “We can still do our thing,” Su says city leaders are likely thinking, “as long as we keep a very friendly and…submissive public face.” Soledad walks in front of the Supreme Court carrying a tote bag emblazoned with the three red stars and two red stripes of DC's flag. But on this evening in early May, Soledad and the other protesters say they're pushing to bring attention to their cause before it's too late. Even though it's been raining all afternoon, a sizeable crowd has gathered, and the sun is coming out. But many of those gathered are worried – not just about the court's looming decision, but about reports and rumors that have been swirling in the city all week. Homeland Security Investigations agents served more than 100 notices of inspection at businesses around the DC area. The agency said it was an effort to ensure compliance with immigration and employment laws. Bowser told reporters the district's police weren't involved, and that she was “disturbed” by what she'd heard had unfolded. “It appears that ICE is at restaurants or even in neighborhoods,” she said, “and it doesn't look like they're targeting criminals. Soledad is worried ICE agents could show up at this protest, and she knows others are concerned about that, too. Recently she's been more cautious about speaking out. For her and so many others whose lives are at stake, she says, staying quiet simply isn't an option. “Un pueblo únido jamás será vencido,” she shouts into the megaphone. Then Soledad belts out a less common line that's become her favorite chant: The people who are silent will never be heard.

President Donald Trump's “one big, beautiful bill” includes a novel federal tax provision that would help nationalize school vouchers for private education tuition and home schooling programs. It would leverage the federal tax code to provide vouchers for students to attend private secular or religious schools, including in Democratic-led states where voters have rejected similar initiatives. The vouchers would be financed through charitable contributions from individuals to entities known as Scholarship Granting Organizations. In return, donors would receive a full federal tax credit equal to the amount of their contribution, creating a strong financial incentive to give. The SGO would allocate the donated funds as scholarships, which students could apply toward various educational expenses such as private school tuition, textbooks, and homeschooling materials. The program would cap total tax credits at $5 billion annually from 2026 through 2029 and would mark the first nationwide, federally funded tax credit initiative for private school education. “Expanding President Trump's tax cuts is about preserving the American Dream. Supporters of private and charter schools praise the move but urge Congress to go further by pairing it with a charter school expansion tax credit as part of the broader package. This act would provide a tax credit for charitable donations that would develop and expand the number of charter schools, giving even more students access to school choice options. Together with the Educational Choice for Children Act, this legislation brings parents, educators, and communities together in the fight to ensure every child has a fair shot at success,” Scott said in a statement. Opponents of a federal tax break for private school choice warned during a Thursday webinar hosted by AASA, the School Superintendents Association, that the plan could widen gaps in access to quality education and drain resources from already struggling public schools. Amy Hanauer, executive director of the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, noted that no other federal charitable program offers a tax incentive as generous as the one proposed in this plan. Hanauer explained the bill sets up a special tax loophole for the wealthy, letting them dodge capital gains taxes when they donate stocks to private schools. “The result would be a profitable tax shelter for wealthy people who agree to help funnel public funds into private schools, that is to say, they would get more money by donating their stock than by selling it,” Hanauer said. Only 51 votes are needed in the chamber because Republicans hold 53 seats. Eva Moskowitz, CEO of New York City's largest charter network, has urged Congress to seize this “once-in-a-generation” chance to pass sweeping school choice reform. “Congress has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to put families first and deliver on the President's promise of universal school choice,” she said in a statement. “It's hard to imagine a more meaningful policy than one that places parents, not bureaucrats, in charge; empowers American taxpayers, and unlocks private philanthropy to provide high-quality schools for every kid that needs it.”

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Strongly pro-Taiwan U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth is visiting the self-governing island democracy to discuss regional security and relations with the U.S. Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat, will hold a series of high-level meetings with senior Taiwan leaders to discuss U.S.-Taiwan relations during her visit Wednesday and Thursday, said the American Institute in Taiwan, which acts as the de-facto American embassy in Taiwan in liu of formal diplomatic relations. China routinely protests such visits, which it views as a violation of U.S. commitments. Duckworth and her staff are the second U.S. congressional delegation to visit Taiwan in as many days, demonstrating concerns in Washington over the island's security in the face of Chinese threats to invade, as well as its importance as a trade partner, particularly as the producer of 90% of the world's most advanced computer chips. Taiwan also faces 32% tariffs under the Trump administration, a figure the government in Taiwan is attempting to negotiate to a lower level without angering sectors such as agriculture that fear lower tariffs could open their markets to heightened competition from abroad. Duckworth is visiting at the same time as Lourdes A. Leon Guerrero, the governor of Guam, the U.S. Pacific territory that would almost certainly be a key player in any Chinese military moves against Taiwan. Taiwan and China split during a civil war in 1949 and Beijing still considers the island its own territory to be annexed by force if necessary. China refuses all contact with the government of President Lai Ching-te, whom China brands as a separatist, and seeks to maximize diplomatic pressure on Taiwan. While China sends military aircraft, ships and spy balloons near Taiwan as part of a campaign of daily harassment, special attention has been given this week to the location of the Liaoning, China's first aircraft carrier, whose hull was bought from Ukraine and then fitted out by China more than a decade ago. China has two aircraft carriers including the Liaoning, a third undergoing sea trials and a fourth under construction. Col. Hu Chung-hua of the Taiwanese Defense Ministry's' intelligence department told reporters Wednesday that the carrier was currently in waters southeast of Taiwan and has been under close surveillance by Taiwan's monitoring stations since leaving its home port in China. There are concerns the carrier might stage military drills close to Taiwan that could be a further step toward a blockade, an act the U.S. would be required to respond to under its own laws. We also carefully evaluate and act accordingly,” Hu said. China is considered a master of “grey-zone encounters” that bring tensions just to the point of breaking out into open conflict. “We will also react accordingly to safeguard national security,” Su said. This story has been corrected to show the Liaoning is China's first aircraft carrier, China's third aircraft carrier is undergoing sea trials and a fourth is under construction.

A U.S.-backed group that is slated to take over aid distribution in Gaza says it plans to launch operations imminently despite opposition from the U.N. and the unexpected resignation of its executive director, who said it was clear the organization could not meet humanitarian principles. Palestinians struggle to receive cooked food distributed at a community kitchen in the Muwasi area of Khan Younis, in the Gaza Strip, Friday, May 23, 2025. Palestinians struggle to receive cooked food distributed at a community kitchen in the Muwasi area of Khan Younis, in the Gaza Strip, Friday, May 23, 2025. TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — A U.S.-backed group approved by Israel to take over aid distribution in Gaza says it has started operations, despite opposition from the U.N. and most humanitarian groups and the unexpected resignation of its executive director. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation is the linchpin of a new aid system that would wrest distribution away from aid groups led by the U.N., which have carried out a massive operation moving food, medicine, fuel, tents and other supplies across Gaza since the war began in October 2023. The new mechanism limits food distribution to a small number of hubs under guard of armed contractors, where people must go to pick it up. Currently four hubs have been set up, all close to Israeli military positions. Israel has demanded an alternative plan because it accuses Hamas of siphoning off aid. The United Nations and aid groups deny there is significant diversion. They reject the new mechanism, saying it allows Israel to use food as a weapon, violates humanitarian principles and won't be effective. Israel blocked food, fuel, medicine and all other supplies from entering Gaza for nearly three months, pushing the territory toward famine. The Hamas-run Interior Ministry on Monday warned Palestinians in Gaza against dealing with GHF. So, how will this plan work, who's behind it and why are aid groups pushing back? GHF said it moved trucks of food to its hubs on Monday and began distribution, without giving details on how much aid was distributed. On Tuesday, thousands of Palestinians walked from tent camps outside the city of Khan Younis, crossing Israeli military lines, to reach the distribution points. At one point on Tuesday, chaos erupted as Palestinians overwhelmed a hub outside Rafah, breaking through fences. Nearby Israeli troops fired warning shots, sending people fleeing in panic. GHF publicly launched early this year and is run by a group of American security contractors, ex-military officers and humanitarian aid officials. He said Sunday night he was resigning because it was clear the organization would not be allowed to operate independently. Neither Beasley nor GHF have confirmed his involvement. It claims to have more than $100 million in commitments from a European Union government but has not named the donor. The U.S. and Israel have said they are not funding it. It says each of its initial four hubs would serve meals for roughly 300,000 people. It said it will create more hubs within 30 days, including in the north, but did not specify their exact locations. It said the aim is to deter criminal gangs or militants from redirecting aid. One of the hubs is in central Gaza, close to the Netzarim Corridor, a strip of land held by Israeli troops, according to a map issued by the Israeli military. Almost the entire population is currently in northern Gaza — where no hub is currently located — or in central Gaza. Just before his resignation, Wood spoke of some adjustments, but it is not clear if Israel agreed to them. In a letter to Israeli officials obtained by the AP, Wood said that until at least eight hubs are operating, the existing U.N.-led system will continue providing food in parallel to GHF. He also said the U.N.-led system would continue in the future to distribute all non-food humanitarian aid — everything from medical supplies to hygiene items and shelter materials. GHF was not capable of handling those supplies, Wood acknowledged. That would potentially violate international laws against forced displacement. “We cannot take part in a system that violates humanitarian principles and risks implicating us in serious breaches of international law,” said Shaina Low, communication adviser for the Norwegian Refugee Council, a leading aid group operating in Gaza. Last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that under the aid mechanism, Gaza's population would eventually be moved to a “sterile zone” in Gaza's far south. He said it was for their protection while Israeli forces fight Hamas elsewhere. Israel also says that after Hamas is defeated, it will implement a plan proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump to relocate the territory's population outside Gaza, though it portrays migration as “voluntary.” The Palestinians, along with nearly all of the international community, have rejected the idea. GHF said in a statement it is independent and apolitical and will not be part of any mass displacement. It said its system is fully consistent with humanitarian principles including impartiality and independence. GHF has said food will be given according to need, without eligibility requirements. Also, GHF has said each meal it distributes would have 1,750 calories. That is below the 2,100-calorie per day standard for meals in emergency situations used by the U.N.'s World Health Organization, UNICEF and World Food Program. Aid workers say the change is simply not necessary. The U.N. and other aid groups “have shown absolutely that they can meet the needs of that population, when allowed to,” UNICEF spokesperson James Elder said. Associated Press writers Tia Goldenberg in Tel Aviv, Israel, and Sarah El Deeb in Beirut contributed to this report.

A federal judge ruled that President Donald Trump's attempt to punish law firm WilmerHale for its association with the Mueller investigation was unconstitutional and ordered the government not to enforce his March executive order against it. “The cornerstone of the American system of justice is an independent judiciary and an independent bar willing to tackle unpopular cases, however daunting. “Accordingly, they took pains to enshrine in the Constitution certain rights that would serve as the foundation for that independence,” he added. “Little wonder that in the nearly 250 years since the Constitution was adopted no executive order has been issued challenging these fundamental rights.” Several law firms have made deals with the Trump administration to avoid its punishing eye, many offering legal services. WilmerHale was not one of them, though it participated in the Mueller investigation. “The Court's decision to permanently block the unlawful executive order in its entirety strongly affirms our foundational constitutional rights and those of our clients. Judges have already rejected executive orders aimed at Perkins Coie and Jenner & Block. One prominent law firm, Paul, Weiss, had its executive order rescinded after pledging to dedicate the equivalent of $40 million in pro bono legal services to support administration initiatives such as eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion policies and not denying representation to clients based on their political views. Leon believes Trump's actions are an attempt to intimidate the law firms.

The Justice Department sued North Carolina and its elections board on Tuesday, accusing officials of failing to maintain accurate voter rolls in violation of federal law. “Clean voter rolls are the foundation of secure elections and a prerequisite for any subsequent election integrity policy debate,” a DOJ official told the Washington Examiner. The complaint also cites Trump's March 25 executive order on safeguarding elections, noting that “only eligible citizens can vote in elections.” The lawsuit names the State Board of Elections, its five individual members, and new director Sam Hayes, who took over after the Republican-controlled board ousted former director Karen Brinson Bell. That leadership change followed GOP gains through 2024's Senate Bill 382, which shifted appointment powers from Gov. Josh Stein (D-NC) to Republican State Auditor Dave Boliek. Stein is challenging SB 382 in court, though the state Supreme Court ruled Friday for it to remain in effect during the appeal. Rest assured that I am committed to bringing North Carolina into compliance with federal law.” The new federal case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Louise Wood Flanagan, a former President George W. Bush appointee. Republican candidate Jefferson Griffin challenged over 65,000 ballots after narrowly losing to Democrat Allison Riggs. A federal judge declined to intervene, and Griffin ultimately conceded.