These are the top stories for this week
Headlines
Cassidy Ousted
Sen. Bill Cassidy has lost his bid for a third term in a remarkable defeat, after two primary challengers — including Trump-backed Rep. Julia Letlow — finished ahead of him in Saturday's primary and headed to a June 27 runoff, making Cassidy the first elected Republican senator to lose renomination since Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana in 2012. Cassidy was one of seven Republican Senators who voted to convict President Trump in the January 7 impeachment. See Details
Trump Calls Off Iran Strike
President Trump said Monday he called off a U.S. attack on Iran that had been "scheduled" for Tuesday, after the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE requested he hold off, citing "serious negotiations" now taking place. Iran submitted a revised 14-point proposal to Pakistani mediators on Monday, though it's unclear whether the new proposal resolves key differences around Iran's nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz. See Details
NASCAR Champion Kyle Busch Passes Away at Age 41
Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch has died at age 41 after being hospitalized with a severe illness, his family confirmed Thursday. Busch is widely regarded as one of the greatest drivers of his generation. Source
The Sandy Fire grew to over 2,100 acres and reached 22% containment Thursday, with thousands of residents still under mandatory evacuation orders in Ventura County. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library was evacuated and remains closed, and all Simi Valley schools will remain shuttered through the week. See Details
President Trump announced that U.S. and Nigerian military forces had killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, a leader of the Islamic State group, in a "meticulously planned and very complex mission," describing him as ISIS's second-in-command globally and "the most active terrorist in the world." Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed al-Minuki was responsible for overseeing the planning of attacks, directing hostage-taking, and managing financial operations for ISIS globally; no U.S. service members were harmed. See Details
The U.S. government will permanently drop tax claims against President Trump, according to a settlement document made public Tuesday, in an extraordinary use of executive power that could effectively shield the president from further examination of his finances and legal conduct. The one-page addendum, signed by acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, declares the IRS "FOREVER BARRED and PRECLUDED" from pursuing "claims" or "examinations" of Trump, his family, trusts, companies, and affiliates based on tax returns filed before the settlement date. See Details
Politics
The DOJ's newly created $1.8 billion fund for Trump allies who claim they were unfairly investigated is drawing fierce backlash. At least one Republican congressman is exploring ways to kill the fund. Jan. 6 Capitol Police officers filed suit to block it, and Acting AG Todd Blanche confirmed that people who assaulted officers could be eligible for compensation. See Details
The 192-page report criticized Harris' outreach to key segments of America while including derisive references to "identity politics," and pointed to successful Democratic statewide candidates in Arizona, Nevada, and North Carolina who showed that "economic messaging, and addressing cost-of-living concerns resonate more than identity politics." Find out More
Republican senators openly pressed Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche over the DOJ's new $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund in a heated closed-door meeting, with multiple members raising legal and ethical concerns. A House bill has also been introduced to ban federal funding for the program. Source
President Trump renewed his call for Congress to pass the SAVE America Act by attaching it to a housing bil. The bil would require poof of citizneship to register to vote and voter ID to cast a ballot. Source
Maine Senate Democrat candidate Graham Platner is under fire as more lewd social media posts from his past surfaced. Platner is challenging incumbent Republican Susan Collins. Find out More
U.S. News
South Carolina's attorney general said he "respectfully" disagreed with the high court's decision to overturn Murdaugh's murder convictions and vowed to "aggressively seek to retry" Murdaugh as soon as possible, saying "no one is above the law." Murdaugh remains in prison on separate financial crimes convictions while awaiting retrial. Source
Vanessa Trump, ex-wife of Donald Trump Jr., publicly disclosed that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer. The family is rallying around her; Ivanka Trump has expressed public support. See Details
The northern lights are expected to be best observed on Saturday and Sunday nights across a wide portion of the United States, giving millions of Americans a rare opportunity to see the aurora borealis without traveling north. See Details
A judge ruled that prosecutors may use a gun and notebook found on Luigi Mangione as evidence in his case; Mangione has pleaded not guilty to nine state felony charges in connection with the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Source
A JP Morgan executive sued a former employee for defamation after he filed a lawsuit accusing the female executive of making him her sex slave. Read More
Business
orries around reaccelerating inflation pushed the 10-year Treasury to 4.657%, the 20-year to 5.189%, and the 30-year to 5.171% — the latter two at their highest levels in nearly two decades, threatening to raise the cost of borrowing for mortgages, auto loans, and credit card debt across the economy. Read More
Within 24 hours of SpaceX's prospectus release, CNBC and the Wall Street Journal reported that OpenAI is preparing to confidentially file a draft IPO prospectus, with Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley advising on the process; the company is targeting a public listing as early as September 2026 at a valuation above $1 trillion. Source
SpaceX is planning to disclose its prospectus as soon as next week, according to people familiar with the matter, as Elon Musk's reusable rocket company nears what's expected to be a record share sale; the company is aiming to kick off a roadshow on June 8 and is targeting a valuation of $1.75 trillion. Find out More
World News
Health officials are working to contain a new Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo of a virus strain with no known vaccine, raising alarm among global public health authorities monitoring the situation closely. Source
President Trump announced he is deploying 5,000 additional U.S. troops to Poland, a reversal from plans to draw down forces in Germany that had alarmed NATO partners. Alliance officials say they are "bewildered" by the rapid shift in U.S. troop posture. See Details
Russian President Vladimir Putin will travel to China for a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The trip comes less than one week after President Trump concluded his summit with Xi, where he sought breakthroughs on disputes over trade and Iran. See Details
Entertainment
During a press conference at the Cannes Film Festival, Adam Driver finally addressed Lena Dunham's allegations that he was violent when they worked together on HBO's "Girls," in remarks that drew significant attention from the international press corps gathered in the South of France. See Details
The newly released dashcam video shows Spears inviting police officers to her home after being pulled over, saying, "I'll make you food, a lasagna, whatever you want. I have a pool," before then failing a field sobriety test and being handcuffed; she had previously pleaded guilty on May 4 to reckless driving and was sentenced to probation and a DUI education program. Source
The new Star Wars film 'The Mandalorian and Grogu' opened to mediocre reviews in the latest blow to the troubled franchise. Source
“Nashville” and “Ice Princess” star Hayden Panettiere opened up in her memoir about the pressures of being a child star and her struggles with addiction as an adult. Read More
Sports
Napoleon Solo won the 151st Preakness Stakes on Saturday, overtaking the favorite Taj Mahal down the stretch and holding off Iron Honor by a length at Laurel Park in Maryland, in a surprising win for a horse that had finished fifth in both of his starts this year. With no Triple Crown on the line — Derby winner Golden Tempo sat out — the Belmont Stakes is set for June 6 at Saratoga. Read More
Nearly a decade after her unceremonious exit from the UFC, Ronda Rousey needed just 17 seconds to submit fellow pioneer Gina Carano with her signature armbar Saturday atop the first MMA event ever broadcast live on Netflix, after which Rousey confirmed her second retirement from the sport. Source
Texas Tech quarterback Brandon Sorsby sued the NCAA to regain his eligibility after the NCAA suspended him for the season following revelations that he bet on Indiana University football games while a member of the team. Find out More
Off the Wall
An impromptu rodeo broke out in a Denver park after an escaped cow made its way into the city from a nearby suburb, drawing a crowd of bewildered onlookers as locals and eventually animal control attempted to wrangle the animal. Read More
