“Geopolitical tensions spilled over into the Venice Biennale contemporary art exhibition, which opens its most chaotic and contested edition in memory Saturday with no Golden Lions after the jury quit in protest of Israel’s and Russia’s participation and loud protests outside their pavilions. … Ahead of the opening, protesters objecting to Israel’s participation clashed with police on Friday. Earlier in the week, feminist groups from Ukraine and Russia converged on the Russian Pavilion and Palestinians remembered artists killed in Gaza.” (05/09/26)
“Passengers have begun to disembark the cruise ship at the center of the hantavirus outbreak, Spain’s ministry of health said, in a carefully managed repatriation operation in Tenerife involving multiple nations. Since the vessel departed Argentina last month, the deaths of three people have been linked to hantavirus — a rare disease typically caused by exposure to infected rats’ urine or feces. It remains a low risk to the general public, according to the World Health Organization. The boat’s arrival had caused tensions in the Canary Islands, an autonomous community of Spain, with the territory’s leader Fernando Clavijo saying earlier in the week that he was opposed to the ship docking.” (05/10/26)
“A mystery drone boat understood to be armed with explosives is being investigated by police after being found by fishermen in Greece. The vessel, a Ukrainian-made unmanned surface vehicle (USV), appeared on the Ionian island of Lefkada. It is not clear how the boat, located on Thursday in a cave, reached Greek waters. Preliminary findings indicate the MAGURA V3-type sea drone was fitted with three detonators, officials told Reuters. One source told the news agency the vessel was loaded with explosives, although this has not been confirmed by Greece’s army.” (05/09/26)
“An attack by armed rebels has killed at least 69 people in Ituri province in the conflict-torn northeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), according to security officials. For more than 30 years, the mineral-rich eastern DRC has been a battleground for various armed groups, vying for control of its many mines. … Armed men affiliated with the Cooperative for the Development of the Congo (CODECO) coalition of militia groups, which claims to protect the Lendu, carried out attacks in several villages on April 28, local and security sources told the AFP news agency.” (05/10/26)
“Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced on Friday a civil lawsuit against nonprofit We Push for Peace and its former directors, Trahern Pollard and Jaclyn McGuigan. The organization, which held lucrative contracts for community outreach and violence prevention, was driven into the ground by ‘rampant abuse’ and blatant self-dealing, prosecutors allege. According to the complaint, Pollard personally pocketed more than $6 million of the diverted charitable funds. Instead of helping the community, the charity’s money allegedly fueled a life of luxury for Pollard, paying for trips to Las Vegas, luxury vehicles and massive shopping sprees at a Harley Davidson showroom and spa stores. Pollard is also accused of using the nonprofit to pay off his child support, settle a personal tax bill with the IRS, and subsidize his private, for-profit businesses — including a used car dealership and liquor store.” (05/10/26)
“Consumer sentiment in the United States has hit another record low as Americans worry about the cost of life as gas prices continue to rise amid the war in Iran. A monthly University of Michigan survey found that consumer sentiment dropped 3.2% in the last month — from 49.8 to 48.2 — and was down 7.7% over the course of the year, the university’s Institute for Social Research said on Friday. Joanne Hsu, director of the university’s Surveys of Consumers, said that consumer sentiment is ‘essentially unchanged’ from April, while the current economic conditions survey dropped 9% because of high prices affecting personal finances and whether people will make major purchases.” (05/08/26)
“Australia’s One Nation party has won its first-ever lower-house seat in what is being seen as an important test for the right-wing populist party. With most ballots counted, One Nation candidate David Farley has won a two-candidate preferred vote share of 57% in Farrer, a vast regional constituency in New South Wales. Independent candidate Michelle Milthorpe is far behind. The contest was triggered by the resignation of Sussan Ley, who quit when she was ousted as leader of the opposition conservative Liberal Party. While the result will not affect the Labor government’s large majority, it is a clear sign that voters are moving away from traditional political parties in Australia.” (05/09/26)
“The Trump administration is nearing an agreement with TikTok to resolve an ongoing lawsuit over alleged child privacy violations in exchange for the social media company paying $400 million that the administration plans to use to fund President Donald Trump’s Washington, D.C., ‘beautification’ projects, sources familiar with the discussions told ABC News. … While the Department of Justice regularly reaches settlements with private companies accused of wrongdoing, the proposed TikTok settlement marks a departure from the practice of using the settlement funds to resolve the alleged wrongdoing or compensate victims.” (05/08/26)
“North Korea has updated its constitution to require a retaliatory nuclear strike if leader Kim Jong Un is assassinated, according to a report. The Telegraph reported the change comes amid heightened global tensions following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other officials during a recent conflict. Khamenei was killed in an Israeli strike in Tehran as part of a coordinated U.S.-Israeli military operation earlier this year, Fox News Digital previously reported. The constitutional revision was approved during a session of North Korea’s Supreme People’s Assembly, which opened March 22 in Pyongyang, the outlet said.” (05/09/26)
“British Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged to revive his struggling government but faced growing calls to resign after a disastrous set of local and regional elections for his Labour Party. As the final results came in Saturday, Labour had lost 1,000 local council seats across England and was booted from power in Wales after 27 years. Anti-immigration party Reform U.K. won almost 1,300 seats across England, came second in Wales and made significant gains in Scotland. It was a blunt verdict from voters in elections widely seen as an unofficial referendum on Starmer, whose popularity has plummeted since he led the center-left party to power less than two years ago.” (05/09/26)
