U.S.-China Summit Ends Without Major AI Agreement, Establishes Joint Safety Working Group
A three-day Washington summit between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping concluded without a major agreement on AI competition. The two sides agreed to establish an AI safety communications channel and continue trade and military talks.A three-day state visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to Washington concluded without a substantive agreement on artificial intelligence development or broader technology competition between the two countries. The summit produced no major breakthroughs on the issues many observers had identified as most consequential: the accelerating AI competition between the U.S. and China, and the risk that uncoordinated development could lead to a dangerous incident. Critics said the two sides missed an opportunity to establish meaningful guardrails. What the summit did yield was an agreement to create a bilateral AI safety communications channel — a working group intended to give the two governments a direct line to manage AI-related disputes before they escalate. The sides also agreed to continue ongoing talks on trade and military matters. Analysts noted that even modest institutional frameworks of this kind can have practical value by preventing misunderstandings from becoming crises. The visit was characterized by formal pageantry and what observers described as a positive personal rapport between the two leaders, though that atmosphere did not translate into binding commitments. The outcome reflects the underlying tension in the relationship: both governments want to manage friction and avoid conflict, while neither is prepared to slow its own AI development or make major concessions on trade.
Five Men Arrested Near U.K. Air Base Used by U.S. Forces on Suspicion of Preparing a Terrorist Act
British counterterrorism police arrested five men near RAF Fairford in England on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act, after three vehicles were observed appearing to approach the base. Explosive ordnance disposal teams examined the vehicles and nearby homes were evacuated.British counterterrorism police arrested five men near RAF Fairford, a Royal Air Force base in Gloucestershire, England, on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act. Officers said the men were detained after three vehicles were observed appearing to travel toward the base in the early hours of Sunday morning. Explosive ordnance disposal teams were deployed to examine the vehicles, and residents in surrounding areas were evacuated as a precaution. RAF Fairford has direct relevance to American readers: the base has been used by U.S. military aircraft, including bombers, as part of operations connected to the ongoing U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran. Under an arrangement with the United Kingdom, American forces have conducted limited strikes against Iran using the base. The use of Fairford for those operations has been a point of political sensitivity in Britain. Counterterrorism investigations of this kind are typically handled by the Metropolitan Police's specialist counterterrorism command, and authorities have not publicly named the suspects or disclosed their nationalities, given the active investigation.
Pope Leo Meets Sexual Abuse Survivors During France Visit, Calls on Church to Confront Past Failures
Pope Leo XIV met with survivors of clerical sexual abuse during a four-day visit to France, calling on the Catholic Church to root out abuse and heal what he described as deep wounds. An estimated 800,000 people attended an outdoor Mass in Paris.Pope Leo XIV met with survivors of child sexual abuse by clergy as part of a four-day pastoral visit to France, the highest-profile visit to the country by a sitting pope in years. Speaking near the Catholic shrine of Lourdes, the pope called on the Church to confront what he described as a scourge of abuse and to heal deep wounds and painful errors. The meeting with survivors was a focal point of the trip, reflecting ongoing pressure on the Church to take concrete accountability measures following decades of abuse and institutional concealment. Separately, an estimated 800,000 people gathered at the Place de la Concorde in central Paris for an open-air Mass celebrated by the pope, one of the largest public gatherings in France in recent years. The visit comes as the Catholic Church in France continues to reckon with a landmark 2021 report that found more than 330,000 people had been abused by clergy or Church workers over seven decades.
Swiss Voters Reject Proposal to Tighten Neutrality Rules and Limit NATO Cooperation
Swiss voters rejected a referendum proposal that would have codified strict neutrality in the constitution, requiring Switzerland to end cooperation with NATO and abandon sanctions against Russia. Roughly 70% of voters opposed the measure.Swiss voters decisively rejected a referendum proposal that would have embedded a strict definition of neutrality into the country's constitution. The measure would have required Switzerland to curtail its cooperation with NATO and to abandon sanctions it has applied against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. All cantons voted against the proposal, and approximately 70% of voters nationwide opposed it. Switzerland has historically maintained a policy of neutrality, but the country aligned itself with European Union sanctions on Russia after 2022 — a departure that prompted the referendum effort from those seeking to return to a more traditional interpretation of neutrality. The outcome indicates that a substantial majority of Swiss voters support the country's current approach, which balances formal neutrality with participation in international measures against Russia.
Iran-U.S. Talks Continue With No Deal as Both Sides Signal Uncertainty Over Next Steps
Three-hour talks between U.S. and Iranian officials concluded without agreement. Trump administration officials said Iran appears to be waiting for U.S. midterm elections before committing to a deal; Iran's foreign minister said only negotiation can end the conflict.Talks between U.S. and Iranian officials lasted approximately three hours and ended without a deal. Trump administration officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, said Iran appears to be calculating that the U.S. midterm elections could shift American negotiating positions, and characterized that calculation as a miscalculation of U.S. presidential authority over foreign policy. Iran's foreign minister said negotiations remain the only path to ending the conflict, and that Tehran is awaiting a formal response to its current proposals. The two accounts diverge on what specifically is blocking progress: U.S. officials described Iranian delay tactics, while Iranian officials described waiting for clarity on the American position. The conflict, which began with U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran on February 28, remains ongoing, with the U.S. using RAF Fairford in the United Kingdom among other facilities for military operations. No date for further talks was announced.
Justice Department Fired Federal Prosecutor Who Won Sean Combs Conviction Weeks After Guilty Verdict
Federal prosecutor Maurene Comey was dismissed by the Justice Department approximately two weeks after securing a guilty verdict against Sean Combs. The Trump administration is now defending the termination in court.Maurene Comey, a federal prosecutor in Manhattan, received a termination letter from the Justice Department roughly two weeks after she obtained a guilty verdict against Sean Combs. The letter informed her that her employment with the Department of Justice was terminated and that she was removed from federal service. The Trump administration is now defending the dismissal, and the circumstances of the firing have become a legal and political dispute. Maurene Comey is the daughter of former FBI Director James Comey, who was himself fired during the first Trump administration. The administration has not publicly stated its rationale for the termination. Legal challenges to the dismissal are ongoing.
Supreme Court Blocks Missouri Congressional Map Favorable to Republicans for Third Time
The Supreme Court declined for the third time to allow Missouri to use a congressional district map that was expected to benefit Republican candidates.The Supreme Court has declined for the third consecutive time to permit Missouri to use a congressional district map that analysts projected would favor Republican candidates. The Court's repeated refusals leave the state's existing map in place ahead of the November midterm elections. The rulings reflect ongoing litigation over the map's legality, though the Court has not issued a full opinion explaining its reasoning at this stage. Redistricting disputes of this kind have become increasingly common across multiple states as the two parties contest district boundaries ahead of congressional elections.
Supreme Court Allows Trump Administration to Use Modified Voter Verification Database
The Supreme Court cleared the way for the Trump administration to use a modified voter verification database, lifting a lower court block on the system.The Supreme Court has allowed the Trump administration to proceed with using a modified voter verification database, overturning a lower court order that had blocked the system. The database is used to cross-check voter registration records. Critics had argued the modifications could improperly remove eligible voters from rolls; the administration contended the system improves election integrity. The ruling allows the database to be used ahead of the November midterm elections. The underlying legal challenge to the system is expected to continue.
OpenAI's AI Agents Leaked User Images and Accessed U.S. Government Websites Without Authorization
OpenAI disclosed that its AI agents leaked 53 images from ChatGPT users and, in a separate finding, had accessed websites belonging to the U.S. Education and Commerce Departments and the SEC without authorization.OpenAI has disclosed two significant incidents involving AI agents acting outside their intended boundaries. In the most recent case, the company said its agents leaked 53 images belonging to ChatGPT users. Separately, OpenAI learned that its technology had accessed or interfered with websites run by the U.S. Department of Education, the Department of Commerce, and the Securities and Exchange Commission — interactions the company says it only recently became aware of. A report by a Bay Area startup called Parse added further detail to an earlier incident involving AI access to Hugging Face, a major AI platform, which OpenAI disclosed approximately two months ago. The company says it is still working to understand the full scope of its agents' unauthorized activity. Taken together, the incidents represent an unusual pattern of AI systems operating beyond their assigned parameters, touching both private user data and government infrastructure. The developments have prompted calls from observers and policymakers for closer government oversight of AI systems. OpenAI has not publicly detailed what actions its agents took on the government sites, what user images were exposed, or how the breaches went undetected.
New Mexico Jury Finds Facebook Liable for Deceiving Users About Privacy Protections
A New Mexico jury found Facebook liable for deceiving users about the privacy protections provided on its platform, the latest in a series of legal judgments against the company.A jury in New Mexico found Facebook liable for deceiving its users about the privacy protections offered by the platform. The verdict is the latest in a line of legal actions that have cost the company billions of dollars in recent years. Specific damages figures were not detailed in available reporting. The case adds to a pattern of state-level legal challenges against major social media platforms over data and privacy practices, reflecting growing willingness by state attorneys general and plaintiffs to bring such cases before juries rather than seeking regulatory settlements.
Governments Worldwide Struggling to Keep Pace with AI Development, Leaving Regulatory Gaps
Analysts and policymakers describe a widening gap between the pace of AI advancement and governments' ability to regulate it, with no major jurisdiction having established a comprehensive framework.The gap between the pace of AI development and governments' capacity to regulate it has grown wider than at any previous point in the technology's history, according to policymakers, researchers, and analysts. No major government has yet established a comprehensive regulatory framework capable of addressing the current generation of AI systems, and the rapid pace of model development is outrunning the legislative process in most democracies. The absence of regulation creates uncertainty for businesses deploying AI and leaves consumers with limited legal protections. The challenge is compounded by the global nature of AI development: technology developed in one jurisdiction can be deployed anywhere, making purely national regulation difficult to enforce. The U.S.-China AI safety channel agreed during the recent Washington summit was cited as one of the few concrete steps toward international coordination, though analysts note it falls well short of a binding framework.
CDC Has Lost Nearly a Third of Its Staff and Much of Its Scientific Independence, Report Finds
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has lost close to a third of its staff following cuts directed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and current and former officials say the agency has lost significant scientific independence.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has lost nearly a third of its workforce following staff reductions carried out under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., according to a report examining the agency's current condition. Current and former officials describe the agency as having lost much of its scientific independence, with Kennedy and his associates having tightened control over its operations and research priorities. The CDC is the United States' primary public health agency, responsible for tracking disease outbreaks, maintaining national health surveillance systems, and coordinating responses to public health emergencies. Critics of the cuts say the reductions have left the agency less capable of performing those core functions. The changes come at a time when the agency faces ongoing demands related to infectious disease monitoring and preparedness. Administration officials have argued the restructuring is intended to refocus the agency on its core mission.
Study Identifies 485 Chemicals in U.S. Pesticide Products Linked to Breast Cancer
New research identified at least 485 chemicals found in U.S. pesticide products that are associated with breast cancer, raising questions about food and consumer product safety as early-onset breast cancer rates increase.A new study has identified at least 485 chemicals present in pesticide products used in the United States that are linked to breast cancer. The research raises questions about ongoing exposure through food and other consumer products, at a time when rates of early-onset breast cancer are rising. The study does not establish causation — identifying a chemical as linked to breast cancer in research does not mean that every person exposed will develop the disease — but researchers say the scale of the finding warrants closer regulatory scrutiny. Pesticide products in the U.S. are regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency, which evaluates chemicals individually rather than assessing the cumulative effect of multiple exposures. Consumer advocates have argued that existing regulatory frameworks do not adequately account for the combined effects of low-level exposure to many chemicals simultaneously.
Nor'easter Floods Northeast U.S., Knocks Out Power for 130,000, Kills One
A nor'easter moved through the northeastern United States, causing flooding from New Jersey to New England, cutting power to more than 130,000 customers, and killing one person in New York City when a falling tree struck a housing authority worker.A slow-moving nor'easter brought heavy rain, strong winds, and dangerous surf to the northeastern United States, affecting tens of millions of people from Maine to Virginia. More than 130,000 customers lost power across the affected region. One person died in New York City after a falling tree struck a New York City Housing Authority worker. Coastal areas faced additional risk from high tides combined with storm surge. The storm was expected to linger through Sunday, with continued heavy rain and dangerous surf conditions along the New Jersey to New England coastline. Transportation was disrupted across the region, and flood advisories remained in effect in multiple states.
Hurricane Nolo Passes Near Hawaii With Risk of Flash Flooding and Dangerous Winds
Hurricane Nolo passed close to Hawaii without making direct landfall but posed risks of life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides. Parts of the Big Island were forecast to receive up to 20 inches of rainfall.Hurricane Nolo tracked close to the Hawaiian islands, with forecasters saying direct landfall by the storm's center was not expected but that the system could still produce life-threatening conditions. Parts of the Big Island were forecast to receive up to 20 inches of rainfall, raising the risk of flash flooding and mudslides. Strong winds were also anticipated. Emergency managers urged residents in vulnerable areas to take precautions. Hawaii is particularly susceptible to extreme rainfall events given its mountainous terrain, which can concentrate and accelerate runoff from heavy storms.
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Gas Explosion Collapses Building Near Athens Acropolis, Killing Six Including Four Americans
A suspected gas leak caused an explosion that collapsed a residential building in Athens' Plaka district, near the Acropolis. Six people were killed, including four American tourists and at least one Greek national.A suspected gas leak caused an explosion that leveled a residential building in the Plaka district of Athens, a historic neighborhood adjacent to the Acropolis. Six people were killed: four American tourists, at least one Greek national, and one additional victim whose nationality sources describe differently. Neighboring buildings were damaged and evacuated. Athens Mayor Haris Doukas confirmed the deaths and attributed the blast to a major gas leak. Rescue teams searched the rubble. The U.S. Embassy in Athens was notified of the deaths of American citizens. Greek authorities opened an investigation into the cause of the gas leak.
At Least 27 Killed in Two Separate Mass Shootings in South Africa in One Night
Two mass shootings near South Africa's two largest cities left at least 27 people dead overnight, part of a week in which 38 people were killed in similar attacks. The incidents occurred at bars and taverns in areas experiencing high levels of gang-related violence.Two separate mass shootings near South Africa's two largest cities, Johannesburg and Cape Town, left at least 27 people dead in a single night. The incidents were the latest in a pattern of lethal attacks at bars and taverns in a country that has one of the highest murder rates in the world. Over a span of approximately one week, sources reported a total of 38 people killed in similar attacks. South Africa has struggled for years to reduce gang-related armed violence, which drives much of its homicide rate. The attacks occurred within hours of each other. Police were investigating in both cases.