Before you brew your first cup of coffee and instantly need another two or three because it's not Friday, YET, here are 10 things to keep you in the know to make you more informed than your friends.
1. Former Cuban Leader Raul Castro Indicted in U.S.
Federal prosecutors have formally indicted former Cuban Leader Raul Castro for his connections to military downing of two planes in 1996. The 94-year-old Castro, brother of Fidel, now faces more legal battles as he was indicted in April on counts of conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals. Yesterday's charges center around Cuba's air force when they shoot down civilian planes that resulted in the death of four people.
2. Former DOJ Lawyer Charged with Stealing
Carmen Mercedes Lineberger, former DOJ prosecutor, is being charged with stealing documents connected to ex-special counsel Jack Smith's probe into President Donald Trump. She's formally charged with obstruction of justice, concealing government records and two misdemeanor counts of theft of government property. According to the documents filed in her indictment, she changed the file names of the records to hide them in order to email herself the confidential files.
3. DHS Creates Ebola Restrictions for Travelers
The Department of Homeland Security will apply new restrictions on travelers coming to the United States from countries who have been affected by the recent Ebola outbreak. Flights from Congo, Uganda and South Sudan will be redirected to Washington-Dulles International Airport in Virginia. Flights have already begun to be diverted because of the outbreak, as an Air France flight headed to Detroit was forced to land in Montreal after a passenger was recently in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
4. Senate One More Step Closer to Ending Government Shutdowns
After Senator John Kennedy (R-La.) modified rules to eliminate pay to lawmakers during a shutdown, the Senate is making another push to prevent shutdowns entirely. Senators James Lankford (R-Okla) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) are pushing the Prevent Government Shutdowns Act, which was nearly passed years ago, and will be reintroduced in the Chamber with bipartisan support.
5. House Passes Housing Bill Against Senate Pressure
The House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a housing bill focused on boosting housing supply and homeownership. The bill was sent with a vote of 396-13 to the Senate, where it waits for a final sign-off before reaching President Trump's desk. The Senate pressured lawmakers to pass a rival housing bill, however, this provision is backed by the Trump administration.
6. Dems Introduce Bill to Block Trump's "Anti-Weaponization" Fund
Rep. Jamie Raskins (D-Md.) has introduced a bill to block the DOJ from awarding President Trump's newest fund aimed to combat political weaponization. Raskins' "No Taxpayer-Funded 5 Settlement Slush Funds Act of 2026" comes days after the Trump administration dropped a lawsuit seeking $10B in damages in exchange for the Anit-Weaponization Fund.
7. Amazon's Jeff Bezos Speaks on Taxes
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos believes that the bottom half of United States earners should not pay federal income tax which could discard financial strain, after speaking with CNBC. Bezos clarified he's not calling for a reduction, but to eliminate the income tax for Middle Class Americans. He also pushed against NYC Mayor Mamdani's push for taxing the rich campaign, stating that it won't solve many of the problems faced in the city.
8. Former Cop Wins Lawsuit Over Comments Against Charlie Kirk
Larry Bushart, 61-year-old retired police officer, won a settlement where he will be awarded $835,000 after being imprisoned for more than a month after he made comments about the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Bushart refused to delete Facebook memes about Kirk's death before he was arrested and jailed for 37 days.
9. 3 Dead, 20 First Responders Hospitalized After New Mexico Exposure
An "unidentified substance" in New Mexico left three people dead and sent another 20 first responders to the hospital. Torrance County Sheriff's Office responded to a suspected overdose when they found four people unresponsive in the home of the call. 18 first responders reported symptoms of nausea and dizziness after answering the call. Two people are in critical condition as the officials are being monitored and quarantined.
10. Gas Prices Estimated to Soar This Summer
GasBuddy is predicting that the average cost of gas will cross $4.80 a gallon between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day, signaling the most expensive summer travel season since 2022. Other predictions believe prices could rival the all-time high of gas, $5.02 a gallon.
