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Somali piracy on the rise as Iran war forces ships into high-risk detours

Somali pirates are profiting from the war in Iran as commercial ships, bypassing conflict routes through lengthy detours around Africa, sail into their strike zone.The intensifying conflict in the Middle East has choked traffic through the Strait of Hormuz – a vital route for roughly 20% of the world’s oil, natural gas and critical raw materials. To avoid it, carriers are having to detour around Africa’s southern tip, extending travel times by weeks and pushing maritime traffic directly into the volatile Somali basin.This rerouting is costing an estimated $1 million in additional expense

Trump leaves China, short on deliverables but with signs of a stabilized relationship

Trump leaves China summit with Iran, Taiwan, and trade in focus

Business|Economy

Powell, the most battle-tested Fed chair, finishes his term

The sharpest economic decline in American history, the highest inflation in more than 40 years, aggressive political attacks from the White House, and the worst-ever global energy shock.Those are some of the extraordinary events that unfolded during the eight-year chairmanship of Jerome Powell at the Federal Reserve, an institution tasked with managing the economy to achieve maximum employment and stable prices. Powell’s term ends on Friday, with Kevin Warsh now confirmed by the Senate to take the reins.The outgoing Fed leader is known for being a steady hand who was collaborative and decisi

Trump administration rushes to steady Kennedy’s HHS, with an eye on the midterms

How a vote for Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ put Republican David Valadao in danger of losing his seat

Crime|Political|US

A timeline of former death row inmate Richard Glossip’s legal battles spanning nearly 30 years

Richard Glossip, 63, was released on bond Thursday –– the latest dramatic turn in a nearly three-decade legal saga that had seen the former Oklahoma death row inmate scheduled for execution nine times before his conviction was overturned last year by the Supreme Court.Over the years, the case evolved into one of the nation’s most closely watched death penalty battles –– marked by last-minute reprieves and questions over the integrity of his conviction in the alleged murder-for-hire plot of his boss.The case centers on the 1997 killing of Oklahoma City motel owner, Barry Van Treese, a

This Republican says he’s Trump’s ally. He’s getting in the way of Trump’s revenge in a key Louisiana Senate primary

Strike deadline nears for New York-area train system with 250,000 daily commuters

US News

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Crime|US

Justice Clarence Thomas laments ‘very dicey’ threats to judiciary and heightened security for Supreme Court

Justice Clarence Thomas lamented the heightened security that has become necessary for members of the Supreme Court in recent years, telling an audience in Florida on Thursday that it is now far more difficult for him to take part in activities outside the courthouse.The observation, which he repeatedly returned to as he spoke to a group of lawyers and judges gathered outside Miami, came as the court has sought millions of dollars in additional security funding from Congress amid increasing physical and cyber threats aimed at the judiciary.“The security concerns now are much different from t

Europe|MidEast|Political|US|World

US scraps deployment of 4,000 troops to Poland

The Pentagon has canceled plans to temporarily deploy 4,000 U.S.-based troops to Poland, two U.S. officials said, a surprise decision that renews questions about President Donald Trump's expected troop cuts in Europe.A Pentagon spokesperson declined comment, a lawmaker said the decision had not yet been notified to Congress, and no formal announcement has been made.The decision, first reported by Army Times, came just two weeks after the Pentagon announced it was withdrawing 5,000 troops from NATO ally Germany, in part due to a widening rift over the Iran war between President Donald Trump

Supreme Court preserves access to widely used abortion pill, while lawsuit plays out

US Border Patrol chief Michael Banks is resigning, in latest DHS leadership change

Crime|Europe|US|World

Neo-Nazi leader gets 15 years for recruiting violent attacks, including a Santa poison plot

The leader of an Eastern European neo-Nazi group has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for trying to recruit others to commit violent attacks against Jews and racial minorities, including one plot that would have involved dressing as Santa Claus to hand out poisoned candy to children. Michail Chkhikvishvili, a 22-year-old from the country of Georgia who goes by the nickname “Commander Butcher,” was sentenced by a federal judge in Brooklyn on Wednesday. He pleaded guilty in November to soliciting hate crimes and distributing information about making bombs and ricin.

Health|US|World

Supreme Court allows telehealth and mail access to mifepristone for now

The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed women to continue to access the abortion pill mifepristone through telehealth visits, maintaining the status quo while officials in Louisiana continue to push for limiting availability of the drug in lower courts.The conservative Supreme Court imposed a pause on a May 1 decision from the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals that abruptly required women to obtain the drug through in-person visits. The focus will now return to the New Orleans-based appeals court, which will decide the merits of Louisiana’s challenge.The court did not explain its reasoning, nor

US Supreme Court lets abortion pill mail delivery continue

Border Patrol chief Michael Banks resigns his position

World News

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Americas|Europe|Political|World

Trump is cutting the numbers of US troops in Europe. Here’s how

This week Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth abruptly cancelled two US military deployments to Europe and ordered the removal of other personnel from the continent, according to two defense officials, in a series of moves meant to reduce the number of US troops following criticism by President Donald Trump about support from European allies.A memo signed by Hegseth abruptly halted the scheduled deployment of 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, which was expected to rotate through Poland and other countries including the Baltic states and Romania, the two defense officials said.

Entertainment|Travel|World

Why Xi invited Trump to this highly secretive former imperial garden

US President Donald Trump spent his final morning in Beijing in Zhongnanhai — the highly secretive, tightly guarded leadership compound of China’s ruling Communist Party.Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping strolled through its pristine gardens, with Trump admiring the roses and Xi offering to send seeds before they held talks over tea and lunch.The central seat of power in China, the venue is sometimes compared to the White House or the Kremlin. Only a handful of American leaders have ever stepped beyond the centuries-old red ochre walls that separate the compound from the rest of the capi

Eurovision finalists to take the stage amid boycott from Spain, Ireland and others over Israel’s presence

FBI offers $200,000 for information on former Air Force intelligence specialist charged with spying for Iran

Business|Economy|Political|Travel|World

Trump leaves Beijing with few wins but warm words for Xi

U.S. President Donald Trump left China on Friday with no major breakthroughs on trade or tangible help from Beijing to end his Iran war, despite two days spent heaping praise on his host, Xi Jinping.Trump's visit to America's main strategic and economic rival, the first by a U.S. president since his last trip in 2017, had aimed for tangible results to beef up his sagging approval ratings ahead of crucial midterm elections.The summit was filled with pageantry, from goose-stepping soldiers to tours of a secret garden, but behind closed doors Xi issued a stark warning to Trump that any mishandli

Arts|Education|Health|Political|World

Justice Department accuses Yale medical school of illegally using race in admissions

The Justice Department on Thursday accused Yale University of illegally considering race in admissions to its medical school — the second institution to face discrimination allegations by the federal agency this month. In a letter to a lawyer for Yale, Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney general for civil rights, said a DOJ investigation found that Black and Hispanic students have a much higher chance of admission to the medical school than white or Asian students, despite having lower grade-point averages and lower test scores. “Yale has continue

CIA Director John Ratcliffe met with Raul Castro's grandson in Havana, US and Cuban officials say

Rory McIlroy has a bad finish for a rough start at the PGA Championship

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Business|Economy|Education|Health|Political

Newsom outlines his final budget proposal with no deficit, new major spending

Arts|Business|Economy|Entertainment|Lifestyle

OnlyFans is the star of TV’s hottest shows thanks to a messy economy

Crime|Economy|Health|Political

Fighting fraud is a top Trump administration priority. Here’s what you should know

Asia|Business|Economy|Environment|Technology

China's view on Elon Musk? Visionary, occasional villain

Asia|Business|Economy|Environment|World

China renews, then halts licenses for hundreds of US beef exporters amid Trump-Xi summit

Chinese customs appeared to have halted export clearances for hundreds of U.S. beef plants on Thursday, hours after Reuters

Economy|Environment|World

Cuba’s energy crisis to worsen as donated Russian oil runs out, minister warns

Oil ends flat as tanker crossings through Strait of Hormuz temper supply fears

Arts|Entertainment|Health|Political

As Trump fuels Vance vs. Rubio speculation, his vice president makes anti-fraud push

Crime|Political

GOP Rep. Mike Lawler blasts ‘disgusting’ antisemitic and homophobic comments from Sen. Rand Paul’s son

Crime|Economy|US|World

Taxpayer-funded sexual harassment settlements involving lawmakers exceeded $550,000, newly released documents show

California & Local

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Local

From LA to Scottsdale: The Founder Behind AdDynamix Is Building the Bridge Between AI and Business Tools

An LA digital advertising veteran of 28 years has moved to Scottsdale and is building what he calls the missing piece between business software and the AI assistants people now use every day. SCOTTSDALE, AZ. When Benoit Pecqueur talks about his latest company, he sounds less like a founder pitching a product and more like an operator who got tired of watching the same problem repeat itself. “Most small business owners are watching the AI revolution from the sidelines,” he says. “Not because they don’t want it. Because their tools don’t talk to ChatGPT or Claude. Their accountant still pulls