Japan defence minister denies militarism and criticises China's 'huge arsenal'

2 hours ago Tessa Wong Asia Digital Reporter, Shangri-la Dialogue, Singapore

Japan's defence minister has rebutted Beijing's claim that his country is engaging in a "new militarism" - criticising China for its military expansion and lack of transparency.

ICE eyes selling mega-warehouses purchased for mass detention

The agency is also considering selling several planes ICE purchased for deportations under former Secretary Kristi Noem, but no decisions have been made.

May 29, 2026

By Julia Ainsley and Laura Strickler

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is looking into selling some of the large warehouses that Immigration and Customs Enforcement had purchased earlier this year to serve as mega-detention centers for immigrants, according to two Department of Homeland Security officials.

Trump plans to appeal order allowing all importers that paid struck-down tariffs to seek refunds

Business

By MAE ANDERSON
Updated 3:24 PM PDT, May 30, 2026

NEW YORK (AP) — Businesses big and small have started receiving tariff refunds after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that President Donald Trump lacked the constitutional authority to impose higher import taxes on goods from nearly every other country.

‘Something dramatically wrong’: Questions but few answers after Longview mill tragedy

Troy Brynelson (OPB) Conrad Wilson (OPB) Lauren Dake (OPB)

May 30, 2026

As crews continue to work through hazardous conditions, company and government officials say it’s too early to know what might have caused the implosion in Longview that killed 11 people.

U.S. military hits commercial ship trying to reach Iran as peace talks continue

It's the latest effort to enforce President Donald Trump's naval blockade designed to weaken Iran's economy

Today at 2:16 p.m. PT

By Maegan Vazquez

U.S. military forces fired a missile into a commercial ship in the Gulf of Oman that was attempting to sail toward an Iranian port, Central Command said in a statement, the latest effort to enforce President Donald Trump’s naval blockade designed to weaken Tehran’s economy as peace negotiations continue.

Meteor over Massachusetts causes explosion reports, sightings from Delaware to Montreal

By Associated Press
3 hr ago
AP — Reports of an explosion from people across New England Saturday afternoon sent police agencies and others scrambling to understand what caused a double boom that shook buildings in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Maria Shriver, JFK’s niece, celebrates judge’s decision to remove Trump’s name from Kennedy Center

‘An appropriate birthday present on my uncle's birthday today,’ the daughter of Eunice Kennedy wrote on Threads

Amber Raiken in New York

Saturday 30 May 2026

Maria Shriver has responded to a federal judge’s order to remove President Donald Trump’s name from the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.

The literary world is sleepwalking into an AI disaster

Kelsey PiperMay 26, 2026

On May 13, a prestigious literary organization — Commonwealth Foundation — announced the regional winners of the 2026 Commonwealth Short Story Prize. There was just one problem, as people noticed very quickly: Several of the winning stories appear to have been written by AI.

Stephen Miller’s Wife Doxed This Young Dem. Then the MAGA Rage Hit.

Greg Sargent
May 29, 2026
DOING FINE, THANKS
Paulina Mangubat’s life was upended in a big way this week. She talks about it in an exclusive interview.

Katie Miller, who is married to Stephen Miller, lashed out at a young Democratic operative on Thursday, after the Democratic Party’s official account called Miller’s husband an “ugly f–k.” The aggrieved wife of the top White House adviser posted the operative’s picture on X and ridiculed her personal life, declaring, “She’s 30, unmarried with no kids,” and adding: “This is what a sad, unhappy, female Liberal looks like.”

Jeff Bezos’ Rocket Explodes Into Mushroom Cloud, Dealing Massive Blow to NASA’s Moon Plans

Bezos is calling it a "very rough day."

By Victor Tangermann

Published May 29, 2026 9:54 AM EDT

In what could turn out to be a huge setback for NASA’s highly ambitious plans to build a permanent Moon base, Jeff Bezos’ latest Blue Origin rocket erupted into a massive mushroom cloud on the launchpad last night.

Live updates: Trump says he’s meeting with aides to make ‘final determination’ on deal to extend Iran ceasefire

May 29, 2026
Edited By BRIDGET BROWN, BERNARD MCGHEE, LUENA RODRIGUEZ-FEO VILEIRA and DREW CALLISTER
Updated 9:49 AM PDT, May 29, 2026

Here’s what we’re following:
President Donald Trump said Friday that he’s holding a White House Situation Room meeting with his advisers as he looks to make a “final determination” on moving forward on a deal to extend a ceasefire with Iran. Trump confirmed the high-level talks a day after the AP reported that U.S. and Iranian negotiators had reached a tentative agreement to extend the fragile ceasefire by 60 days and start new talks on Iran’s nuclear program.

The Murder of ‘60 Minutes’

Bari Weiss is turning the best TV news show ever into Trump’s personal fleshlight.

Jonathan V. Last

May 29

1. Corporate

This week a bunch of people you’ve likely never heard of were pushed out of 60 Minutes by Bari Weiss. Simultaneously, Weiss handed control of the program to someone else you’ve probably never heard of.

Judge halts Trump ‘anti-weaponization’ fund after Jan. 6 prosecutor sues

Jan. 6 prosecutor Andrew Floyd and other targets of the Trump administration had sued to block what critics had described as a “slush fund” for Trump allies.

May 29, 2026

By Ryan J. Reilly

A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund, created as part of an unprecedented settlement with the president, his family and the Trump Organization.

Even if every California billionaire left tomorrow, it would take 25 years for the state to lose as much as it stands to gain from proposed wealth tax

Tristan Bove

Wed, May 27, 2026

California’s proposed, one-time billionaire wealth tax has its fair share of critics. From the ultra-rich Californians who have already voted with their feet by leaving the state, to the Trump administration itself, a common line of attack has been that the measure could drive away more billionaires and eventually starve the state of tax revenue.

A strong Canada 'will help make America great again,' Carney tells New York business leaders

Carney says Canada and U.S. need a 'new partnership'
John Paul Tasker · CBC News
Posted: May 28, 2026 7:01 AM PDT |
Last Updated: 2 hours ago

Prime Minister Mark Carney told a crowd of New York industry titans and financiers on Thursday that Canada and the U.S. need to pursue a new partnership — a bilateral relationship premised not on how things were done in the past but one where a stronger, more independent Canada can selectively help "make America great again."

Pentagon puts building blocks in place for Cuba invasion

The Navy's presence in the Caribbean remains unchanged despite the Iran war

By Paul McLeary

05/27/2026

The Pentagon has spent months positioning the troops and weapons needed for the U.S. to launch a military attack on Cuba — all it needs is a final go-ahead from Donald Trump.

Republicans are gutting southern Dem districts. Dems might front-load the South in its 2028 primaries to respond

Democrats could put up to two southern states in their early primary window for 2028 as the GOP looks to erase their power across the South.

By Lisa Kashinsky

05/28/2026 

Democrats are weighing whether they can use their 2028 primary calendar to try to rebuild their party’s strength in the South amid aggressive GOP gerrymanders.

US and Iran Reach Tentative Deal to Extend Ceasefire, US Sources Report. The question is, "Do you believe them"?

By Yiannis Damellos

May 28, 2026

Negotiators for the US and Iran have proposed a framework aimed at extending the current ceasefire by an additional 60 days and initiating discussions regarding Iran's nuclear program, according to US sources. However, it's important to remember that both sides are still striking each other, and, although the BBC is a decent media outlet, it's wise to believe only half of what you read in this volatile situation, because the Trump administration is known as the greatest source of misinformation nowadays.