“Authorities in Austria have expelled three members of the Russian embassy staff for suspected spying, Austria’s foreign minister said Monday. Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger said the diplomats were suspected of using a ‘forest of antennae’ on the roof of the Russian embassy in Vienna to collect illicit data, The Guardian reported. The equipment was allegedly used to collect the data from organizations using satellite internet. … The three suspected spies have left the country, which has now expelled 14 Russian diplomats since 2020, The Guardian reported. Russian officials called this most recent decision ‘outrageous’ and ‘unjustified’ and promised retaliation.” (05/04/26)
“Amazon.com is opening the supply-chain network that has powered its operations for decades to other businesses, pitting it directly against logistics heavyweights such as UPS and FedEx. ‘Amazon Supply Chain Services’ will allow companies across industries such as retail, healthcare and manufacturing to use the tech giant’s freight network spanning ocean, road, rail and air to move, store and deliver everything from raw materials to final products. … With a fleet of more than 100 cargo planes — behind only FedEx and UPS — along with a vast network of warehouses and sorting hubs, Amazon’s move could make it a key logistics player and intensify competition on pricing and speed.” (05/04/26)
“A federal judge told the U.S. government Monday not to cut down more than 10 trees without first providing notice amid a legal dispute at a historic Washington golf course that President Donald Trump plans to renovate. U.S. District Court Judge Ana Reyes said during a remote hearing that she wasn’t going to issue a temporary restraining order just yet in the case brought by the DC Preservation League. She also told the National Park Service that it should first discuss any plans with government lawyers if it is going to cut down more than 10 trees. Monday’s hearing came after the plaintiff’s emergency petition seeking to stop work at the course, citing news reports that major renovations were to begin Monday.” (05/04/26)
“The Democratic Party’s congressional campaign arm faced backlash on Monday for boosting the more conservative US House candidate in California’s 22nd District, where two Democrats are vying to unseat GOP Rep. David Valadao. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) has added Jasmeet Bains, a California State Assembly member, to its ‘Red to Blue’ program, which gives chosen candidates fundraising and organizational support as they seek to flip Republican seats. The DCCC’s decision to elevate Bains over Randy Villegas, an educator and political newcomer endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and major unions such as the United Auto Workers, was seen as the latest example of Democratic leaders seeking to thwart a progressive candidate with genuine grassroots momentum.” (05/04/26)
“Jean-Luc Melenchon, the leading politician in France’s left-wing Unbowed party, says he will run in next year’s presidential election, setting up a potential showdown with centrist and right-wing rivals. ‘Yes, I am a candidate,’ the 74-year-old told TF1 TV on Sunday. It is Melenchon’s fourth presidential bid; he also ran in 2012, 2017 and 2022, when he came third behind far-right leader Marine Le Pen and French President Emmanuel Macron, who made it to the second round of voting. Melenchon has been growing his share of the vote with each campaign.” (05/04/26)
“The family behind the South Korean corporate giant Samsung has completed its payment of a 12 trillion won (£6bn; $8bn) inheritance tax bill, the largest such settlement in the country’s history. Chairman Lee Jae-yong and other members of the family, including his mother Hong Ra-hee and sisters Lee Boo-jin and Lee Seo-hyun, paid the sum in six installments over the last five years. The bill is tied to the estate left by the firm’s late chairman Lee Kun-hee, who died in October 2020. Samsung is South Korea’s biggest chaebol, or family-owned business, with operations spanning electronics, heavy industry, construction and financial services. Lee Kun-hee left a 26 trillion won fortune, including shares, property and art collections.” (05/04/26)
“Rudolph Giuliani, the ex-mayor of New York City and a former adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, is in critical but stable condition at a hospital, his spokesperson said Sunday. Ted Goodman didn’t say what sent the 81-year-old to hospital or how long he’s been there. … Giuliani was hospitalized in September after suffering a fractured vertebra and other injuries in a car crash in New Hampshire.” (05/03/26)
“Gov. Gavin Newsom is celebrating a win after a judge ruled last week that his $787 million defamation lawsuit against Fox News can move forward. Newsom filed the defamation lawsuit in June against the conservative-leaning news network, alleging it misled the public about a phone conversation that took place between the California governor and President Donald Trump during civil unrest that erupted in Los Angeles earlier that month. Judge Sean P. Lugg said in an April 30 decision rejecting the network’s motion to dismiss that he found it ‘reasonably conceivable’ that Fox knew the statements were false before making them. ‘Looking forward to discovery,’ Newsom wrote Thursday on X after the judge’s decision, alluding to the legal process where each side turns over documents, including private communications that could be embarrassing.” (05/04/26)
“North Korea denied allegations that it was behind recent international cryptocurrency hacking and cybercrime cases, calling the claims ‘false information’ and warning that it would not tolerate them. A spokesperson for North Korea’s Foreign Ministry issued the statement Sunday in response to a question from the Korean Central News Agency. The ministry called the allegations ‘absurd slander’ aimed at damaging North Korea’s image for political purposes. … The international community has repeatedly identified North Korea-linked hacking groups as suspects in major cyberattacks and cryptocurrency thefts. The Lazarus Group, believed to be linked to North Korea, has been cited as a possible actor behind an April 18 hack of decentralized finance platform KelpDAO that reportedly involved about $290 million in cryptocurrency.” (05/03/26)
“A drone hit a residential tower in an upscale Moscow district in a rare strike near the city centre ahead of the traditional World War II Victory Day parade. Moscow air defences repelled an attack by two Ukrainian drones, and one hit the building on Mosfilmovskaya Street, according to a post on Monday by Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. Emergency services were sent to the scene, and there were no reports of casualties. Mosfilmovskaya is about 6-8km (about 4-5 miles) from the Kremlin, and local media showed damage to the upper floors of a high-end residential building.” (05/04/26)
