Daily SumUp

US moves to ease sanctions on Syria after Trump pledge Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rain 'expected every day next week' after unusually dry month Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Trump on Friday expanded his tariff threat against Apple to include Samsung and other smartphone companies as he pushes for the device-makers to move manufacturing to the U.S.Asked in the Oval Office whether he has the power to tariff a single company, Trump said “it would be more” than just Apple. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

According to the announcement, Joel has been diagnosed with Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH), a condition that causes an excessive buildup of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the brain’s ventricles. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pop great Billy Joel cancelled a series of global tour dates after being diagnosed with a brain condition that worsened because of recent performances, he announced Friday.“Billy Joel has announced that he will be cancelling all scheduled concerts following a recent diagnosis of Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH),” read a statement on the Piano Man’s website. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Russia and Ukraine swapped hundreds more prisoners on Saturday, as part of a major swap that was a moment of cooperation in otherwise failed efforts to reach a ceasefire.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russia's defense ministry said each side brought home 307 more soldiers, a day after each released a total of 390 combatants and civilians.The news came hours after Kyiv came under a large-scale Russian drone and missile attack that left at least 15 people injured, according to local officials. Explosions and anti-aircraft fire were heard throughout Kyiv as many sought shelter in subway stations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ex-Trump Adviser Fact-Checks 'White Genocide' Claim—'Just Not True' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In its lawsuit filed earlier Friday in federal court in Boston, Harvard said the government’s action violates the First Amendment and will have an “immediate and devastating effect for Harvard and more than 7,000 visa holders.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Supreme Court Is Chief Justice-Centric, Needs To Change": Justice Abhay Oka... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trump administration puts new limits on reporters at Pentagon... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Pentagon on Friday released new rules for reporters that cover the building, banning journalists from certain areas without an official escort or prior approval, heavily curtailing press access to military officials.Reporters can now only wander certain hallways, mostly near the Pentagon’s entrances and the food court, with the areas off limits including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s physical office spaces and the Joint Staff physical office spaces “without an official approval and escort from the Office of the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs,” according to a memo signed by Hegseth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Trump said Friday in the Oval Office that Harvard will “have to change its ways” after his Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said it would take away the university’s ability to admit foreign students. “Billions of dollars has been paid to Harvard. How ridiculous is that? Billions … Harvard’s going to have to change its ways,” Trump said. When asked if he is also looking at going after other schools’ ability to accept foreign students, as the DHS had floated a day earlier, Trump said, “We’re taking a look at a lot of things.” The president also went after Harvard for recently introducing an introductory to math course to address issues among students with foundational algebra skills.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A United Airlines flight to Los Angeles from Honolulu had to turn around after a "potential security concern" was found in the plane's bathroom. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Melania Trump releases audiobook version of her memoir. It's narrated by an AI voice Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Netanyahu blasts Starmer, Macron and Carney over Israel sanctions threat Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Paying to stand: Are vertical seats the future of budget air travel? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US President Donald Trump will host top purchasers of the cryptocurrency that bears his name at a gala dinner on Thursday.$TRUMP was launched shortly before his inauguration in January, initially rocketing in value before falling sharply shortly afterwards."It's fundamentally corrupt -- a way to buy access to the President," Democrat senator Chris Murphy wrote on X, one of a number of people to question the ethics of the event.Some have also suggested the expected attendance of many foreign investors poses a threat to national security.But the White House has batted away such allegations, saying Trump is only motivated by public service Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vented fury at his own military and other officials Wednesday after his country's second naval destroyer was damaged in a failed launch that he was there to witness, state media reported Thursday. Kim wants bigger warships to deal with what he calls escalating U.S.-led threats against his country, amid a long-simmering standoff over his nuclear weapons.It is uncommon for North Korea to acknowledge military-related setbacks or accidents, and observers say the disclosure of the failed ship launch suggests Kim is serious about his naval advancement program and confident of ultimately achieving that objective. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Russian armed forces are creating a “security buffer zone” along the border between Russia and Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin said Thursday.“I have already said that a decision was made to create the necessary security buffer zone along the border. Our armed forces are currently solving this problem. Enemy firing points are being actively suppressed, the work is underway,” Putin said.Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said the plan was “aggressive” and demonstrated that “Russia is the obstacle of peace efforts now.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why the Penny may finally disappear after over 200 years... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trump administration seeks to end court settlement protecting migrant children in U.S. custody.... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trump’s ‘big, beautiful’ spending bill, from tax cuts to mass deportations... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thousands of foreign students attending Harvard must now “transfer or lose their legal status,” according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

G7 finance ministers wrapped up talks in western Canada on Thursday with a show of unity, saying the economic policy uncertainty that has swept the globe was easing and vowing further progress towards stability.US President Donald Trump's wide-ranging tariffs have caused global economic turbulence, and this week's meeting was seen as a test of whether the Group of Seven advanced economies could overcome tensions since Trump's return to office.Leaders at the talks, which included central bank governors, conceded the discussions faced challenges, including continuing disagreement over tariffs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At least two people died and eight were hurt when a small plane crashed in Southern California, striking more than a dozen homes and vehicles in a military housing neighborhood and prompting evacuations in the area, officials said.Six people were on board the plane, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.Officials said at a late morning news conference after the crash May 22 that it was surprising the loss of life was not greater."There were many miracles and many acts of heroism," San Diego Councilmember Raul Campillo said.The early morning crash set multiple homes on fire and splattered jet fuel along streets in Tierrasanta, a community located about 10 miles northeast of downtown San Diego. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Johnson attempts to advance Trump’s massive tax break bill... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The man accused of fatally shooting two staff members of the Israeli Embassy in Washington outside a Jewish museum told police after his arrest, “I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza,” federal authorities said Thursday in announcing charges in the killings they called a targeted act of terrorism.Elias Rodriguez, 31, shouted “Free Palestine” as he was led away after his arrest, according to charging documents that provided chilling new details of the Wednesday night attack in the nation’s capital that killed an American woman and Israeli man who had just left an event at the museum. They were set to become engaged. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

U.S. President Donald Trump, on Wednesday (May 21, 2025), again claimed he had settled the recent hostilities between India and Pakistan following the killing of civilians in Pahalgam on April 22. Mr. Trump went on to suggest that trade was involved in the process. The remark was made in passing during a largely confrontational bilateral meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When questioned about the United States Air Force receiving a Qatari jet, Trump called the NBC journalist ‘a terrible reporter, and ‘a disgrace.’ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ramaphosa-Trump updates: US pushes South Africa on ‘genocide’ claims... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa apologized, apparently jokingly, on Wednesday to US President Donald Trump that he does not have an aircraft to present as tribute to the American leader."I'm sorry I don't have a plane to give you," Ramaphosa said in the Oval Office as Trump hosted him for a bilateral meeting and lunch."I wish you did. I'd take it," said Trump. "If your country offered the United States Air Force a plane, I would take it."The light-hearted exchange comes after Qatar gifted Trump with a luxury 747 jetliner to use as Air Force One. The Pentagon formally announced that the plane had been accepted just as Trump was hosting Ramaphosa.The gift of a plane estimated to cost $400 million has raised questions of ethics and legality from Republicans and Democrats alike. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

OpenAI buys iPhone architect’s startup for $6.4bn... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Donald Trump unveiled at the White House Tuesday afternoon his plans to build a massive missile shield system to protect the United States against threats from North Korea and elsewhere. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Under a draft of the 25-year agreement (signed on 24 June 2020 in Beijing) previously obtained by The New York Times, China is to invest US$400 billion in Iran's economy over that time period in exchange for a steady and heavily-discounted supply of oil from Iran. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US intelligence agencies recently warned both the Biden and Trump administrations that Israel will likely attempt to strike facilities key to Iran’s nuclear program this year, according to sources familiar with the assessments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Japanese minister resigns after saying he's never bought rice because he... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Israel Fires “Warning Shots” at EU Diplomats — Day After UK Suspends Trade Talks... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Israeli army on Wednesday fired shots at a delegation of regional, European and Western diplomats visiting the West Bank city of Jenin, sparking condemnations from the Palestinian Authority and several European capitals. An IDF statement said its troops fired "warning shots" and that the delegation "deviated from the approved route". No one was injured in the incident. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Poland's military intervened after a ship from the Russian "shadow fleet" was seen performing suspicious maneuvers near a power cable connecting Poland with Sweden, the Polish Prime Minister said on Wednesday.NATO has stepped up security in the Baltic following a string of incidents in which power cables, telecom links and gas pipelines have been damaged in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022."A Russian ship from the 'shadow fleet' covered by sanctions performed suspicious maneuvers near the power cable connecting Poland with Sweden," Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on X."After the effective intervention of our military, the ship sailed to one of the Russian ports."The term "shadow fleet" refers to vessels used by Russia to ship oil, arms and grains in violation of international sanctions imposed after the invasion.Speaking later to reporters, Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said a patrol flight scared the ship off and the Polish Navy's ORP Heweliusz was sailing to the scene.Vice Admiral Krzysztof Jaworski, Poland's Maritime Component Commander, told Reuters that the tanker in question was called Sun and that it sailed under the Antigua flag.The Russian Embassy in Warsaw declined to comment. In the past, Moscow has denied its involvement in undersea sabotage in the Baltic, saying the West was using such claims to curb its seaborne oil exports.The 600-megawatt undersea cable links the Swedish coast near Karlshamn with Ustka in northern Poland and allows both grids to rely on cross-border supplies when electricity is cheaper in the other system. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trump admin's new launch date for $5 million "gold card"... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trump pushes for 'golden dome' over US.... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rubio warns Syria could be weeks away from 'full-scale civil war'... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Russia has moved to classify key demographic statistics following a dramatic collapse in its birth rate, which has plunged to levels not seen since the late 18th or early 19th century, according to a leading Russian demographer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Prosecution releases dozens of 'Diddy' trial images... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elon Musk says he'll scale back political spending: "I think I've done enough" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

EU decides to review its trade ties with Israel over Gaza... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Google on Tuesday said it was beefing up online searches with even more generative artificial intelligence, as it presses on with embracing AI despite fears for its ad-based business model. The Barron's news department was not involved in the creation of the content above. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hungarian intelligence services have uncovered two alleged Ukrainian "spies," Hungarian government spokesperson Zoltan Kovacs wrote on the social media platform X on May 20.The new allegations escalate a diplomatic row sparked by mutual espionage accusations between Kyiv and Budapest.Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) claimed on May 9 that it had exposed a Hungarian espionage network in western Ukraine, detaining two agents. In response, Hungary expelled two Ukrainian diplomats, a move met with reciprocal expulsions by Kyiv.Kovacs said that Hungary's Fidesz party identified the individuals as Roland Tseber and Istvan Hollo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Israeli airstrikes killed at least 55 Palestinians in Gaza on Tuesday, local medics said, as Israel continued its bombardment of the strip despite mounting international pressure to stop military operations and allow unimpeded deliveries of aid.The attacks were carried out on two homes, where women and children were among the 18 dead, and a school housing displaced families, among other areas, according to Gaza medics.Israel's military, which on Monday warned those in the southern Gazan city of Khan Younis to evacuate to the coast as it prepared for an "unprecedented attack," had no immediate comment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Julian Assange's t-shirt at Cannes lists the names of 4,986 Palestinian children aged five and under, killed by Israeli forces since 2023. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.