Before you brew your first cup of coffee and get sick at work with a bad case of the Monday's, here are 10 things to keep you in the know to help you stay informed and smarter than your friends.
1. Hantavirus Cruise Ships Reaches Canary Islands
The cruise ship that's been stricken by the Hantavirus outbreak has arrived at Canary Islands as health officials across the globe rush to contain the disease and quarantine the 150 passengers from more than 15 countries. American passengers were evacuated and were flown back to the United States with one passenger already testing positive during transport.
2. President Trump Rejects Iran's Peace Proposal Response
President Donald Trump has sharply rejected Iran's counter-proposal after the regime failed to meet United States' nuclear program demands. The "totally unacceptable" offer included the U.S. paying for war damages and avoiding concessions on uranium and dismantling their nuclear program.
3. Netanyahu Reaffirms Iran's Threat
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed that the conflict with Iran is "not over" until the regime meets the demands in an interview with CBS' 60 Minutes. He defended the military action as necessary by standing firm with President Trump's message and also announced his intentions to reduce the dependence on United States financial aid.
4. Body of American Soldier Missing in Morocco Recovered
The body of United States Army soldier, 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr., was recovered in Morocco after he went missing during a military exercise. Key and another soldier disappeared after reportedly falling from a cliff near the Atlantic coast during a hike following a training operation. Officials are still searching for the second missing soldier.
5. Hegseth Targets Mark Kelly Over Anti-U.S. Comments
War Secretary Pete Hegseth says the Pentagon will review comments made by Senator Mark Kelly (D-Ariz) after the Senator spoke in opposition against the American weapons spending. The dispute is part of a larger fused between the Pentagon and several Democratic lawmakers over past comments encouraging military members to reject "illegal orders."
6. Taiwan Takes Center Stage as Trump Prepares for Summit with Xi
President Trump is preparing to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping at a major summit with the biggest talking point being the tension with Taiwan. The Trump administration has maintained its strong backing for Taiwan as reports claim China has increased its military pressure around the island.
7. Justice Gorsuch Defends Supreme Court Against Political Attacks
Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch pushed back against claims that the nation's highest Court has been driven by politics, with Gorsuch saying ideological differences between justices are based on "how you read the law." He defended the role of judicial independence and stressed that constitutional interpretation is what guides the court's decision making.
8. Russia and Ukraine Accuse Other of Breaking Ceasefire
Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of violating a ceasefire over the weekend after fighting was temporarily stopped due to celebrating V-E Day. Ukrainian officials claimed Russian drone strikes killed civilians and ruined communities while Moscow accused Kyiv of launching attacks against Russian positions.
9. Trump Admin. Considers Gas Tax Relief
Energy Secretary Chris Wright has said that the White House is "open to all ideas" as the administration is open to suspending the federal gas tax in response to soaring gas prices. National gas prices have surged over $4.50 per gallon in recent days with the conflict in Iran continues to drive the prices.
10. Trump Slams NFL Streaming Deals
President Trump has called out the National Football League over its growing push to move its games onto streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon, while pricing out loyal fans. Trump warned that the NFL is "killing the golden goose" by forcing fans to pay more expensive subscriptions just to follow their favorite teams.
