FBI Director Kash Patel faced intense questioning from Democratic senators, including Chris Van Hollen, during a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing, where he denied allegations of excessive drinking and offered to take an alcohol test.
President Trump is in Beijing for a high-stakes summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, with discussions expected to focus on trade and the ongoing Iran war, which has caused global energy disruptions and economic uncertainty. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is also accompanying Trump, a rare diplomatic move.
Five Republican lawmakers in the South Carolina Senate defied President Trump's demands to redraw congressional maps, voting with Democrats to block the redistricting measure, which would have favored the GOP.
U.S. consumer prices rose sharply in April, with inflation hitting 3.8%, the highest level in almost three years, primarily fueled by a 28% surge in gasoline prices and an 18% increase in overall energy costs due to the ongoing Iran war.
The United States and China have agreed on opposing tolls in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping lane, as tensions persist with Iran, which U.S. intelligence indicates retains substantial missile capabilities in the region.
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary resigned, with Kyle Diamantas named as acting commissioner, following reports of clashes with lawmakers, pharmaceutical companies, and President Trump, particularly over fruit-flavored vapes.
UK Labour leader Keir Starmer is facing a leadership crisis after several ministers resigned and called for his resignation following disappointing local election results, though he remains defiant and plans to unveil new legislation.
Eileen Wang, the former mayor of Arcadia, California, pleaded guilty to acting as an illegal agent for China, admitting to promoting Chinese government content on a fake news website, U.S. News Center, from late 2020 through 2022.
Jason Collins, the NBA's first openly gay player and a pioneer for inclusion, has died at age 47 from brain cancer, as announced by his family and the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that President Trump's proposed Golden Dome missile defense system will cost $1.2 trillion over 20 years, significantly higher than initial forecasts, raising concerns about its feasibility and effectiveness against an all-out attack.
Fugitive Malaysian financier Jho Low, accused of masterminding the $4.5 billion 1MDB financial fraud, has reportedly sought a presidential pardon from Donald Trump, nearly a decade after his disappearance.
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani unveiled a $124.7 billion budget for fiscal year 2027, aiming to close a $5.4 billion gap by taxing luxury second homes rather than implementing broad property tax increases.
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey has called a special primary election for August after the U.S. Supreme Court lifted a block, potentially allowing the state to use a new congressional map for the 2026 elections.