June 1, 2025

Pope Leo XIV leads Marian vigil at Vatican

On Saturday, May 31, Pope Leo XIV  marked the end of May outside the Church of Santo Stefano degli Abissini in the Vatican. When they were there, the faithful began a candlelit procession as they made their way up to the Grotto of Lourdes. Following the procession, the pontiff joined those present at the Grotto and […]

June 1, 2025

IAEA report on Iran’s nuclear program deemed ‘damning’ and ‘not revelatory’

Various media outlets received a confidential report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on the past, present and future state of Iran’s nuclear program. While some called it “damning,” others say there’s nothing “revelatory” about it. The report, issued Saturday, May 31, was commissioned by the IAEA’s 35-nation Board of Governors last November. What […]

June 1, 2025

Friends, family arrested for aiding New Orleans escaped inmates: report

Multiple people have been arrested for allegedly helping the 10 men who escaped from a jail in New Orleans, Louisiana, according to court documents reviewed by the Associated Press. These court documents showed that those who escaped had assistance from at least 15 people, before and after they fled Orleans Justice Center on May 16. […]

June 1, 2025

Canadian wildfires worsen air quality in Upper Midwest

Smoke from Canadian wildfires has worsened the air quality across the Upper Midwest, affecting states such as Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio and the Dakotas. Northern Minnesota faces hazardous conditions, with officials warning that smoke levels could become “unhealthy for everyone.” Air quality alerts for sensitive groups, including children, older adults, pregnant individuals and people […]

May 30, 2025

Georgia media face fewer ‘ways to survive’ amid foreign funding crackdown

New York, May 30, 2025—A punishing spate of laws targeting foreign-funded media will dramatically curb Georgia’s independent voices and force many news outlets to shutter or shift their business operations, say Georgian journalists and press freedom advocates. Georgia’s populist ruling Georgian Dream party has pushed through its new Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA)—called an “exact copy” of the U.S. Foreign […]

May 30, 2025

USDA employee among six charged in $66 million food stamp fraud scheme

Authorities charged a U.S. Department of Agriculture employee and five others in a fraud and bribery scheme that prosecutors say defrauded the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps, of $66 million in unauthorized transactions. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York called it “one of the largest […]

May 30, 2025

Utah lawmakers stand by gender care ban after study refutes reasoning

Two years after Utah banned gender-affirming care for minors, state health officials have released findings that undercut key arguments made by lawmakers who supported the law. The Department of Health and Human Services, tasked with studying the potential risks to children, found little evidence to back claims that such treatments are inherently harmful. What is […]

May 30, 2025

Employees use AI more than bosses realize, keeping ‘secret advantage’ quiet

Artificial Intelligence might be your coworker’s secret weapon and you’d never know it. A growing number of Americans are using AI at work, but many are keeping it a secret from their bosses. Ivanti, an IT software company, published its 2025 Technology at Work report, examining trends around workplace productivity, return-to-office pressure, and AI usage. […]

May 30, 2025

Israel confirms first use of laser weapons in combat

Israel’s Defense Ministry confirmed the use of laser-based air defense systems during its current conflict, marking the first official acknowledgment of deploying directed-energy weapons in combat. The ministry used two systems to intercept dozens of aerial threats, primarily drones launched by Hezbollah from Lebanon. Officials declined to specify when they deployed the systems or how […]

May 30, 2025

Israel backs US ceasefire plan; Hamas holds off

Israel has agreed to a new U.S.-backed proposal for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza, according to the White House, though Hamas officials have not formally responded. President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, has been leading negotiations aimed at halting the war and securing the release of hostages still held by Hamas. White House press […]