Before you brew your first cup of coffee and instantly need a second or third cup, stay informed with the 10 things to keep you in the know so you can out-smart your friends.
1. President Trump Pauses "Project Freedom"
President Donald Trump has paused "Project Freedom," a military campaign to guide ships' safety through the Strait of Hormuz while in talks with Iran making "great progress" that could lead to a deal soon. The stoppage of Project Freedom is meant to give more time at the negotiation table, though the U.S. blockade is still in place.
2. U.S., Israel Prepares for Possible Iran Strikes if Ceasefire Fails
The United States and Israel are supposedly preparing for renewed airstrikes targeting Iranian energy infrastructure and leadership sites if the current ceasefire collapses. President Trump still prefers a diplomatic outcome by pausing Project Freedom, citing that he envisions this conflict to come to a close within two to three weeks.
3. Trump-Back Candidates Dominate Primaries
GOP candidates that are backed by President Trump scored huge wins across primary races in Indiana and Ohio, defeating several Republican incumbents and signaling a shift across the country. Headlined by former Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy securing the Republican nominee for governor's race for Ohio, reinforcing the President's influence across voters and setting the stage for a pivotal midterm in November.
4. WHCD Shooter Indicted on Federal Charges
Cole Allen, the man accused of trying to assassinate President Trump at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, has been formally indicted on multiple charges which includes assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon. Prosecutors say Allen fired his shotgun at a Secret Service agent while trying to break through security and the suspect faces life in prison if convicted.
5. GOP Adds $1B in Taxpayer Funds for Ballroom Project
Senate Republicans have included $1 billion in taxpayer funding for upgrades for the White House ballroom in light of the security breach last week at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. The funding would go towards security and Secret Service agents featured around the site including underground and above-ground protections.
6. Hantavirus Cruise Ship Heads to Spain for Investigation
Spain has agreed to allow the cruise ship hit by a Hantavirus outbreak to travel to the Canary Islands so health officials can operate a full investigation and medical screenings. After being turned away by Africia's Cape Verde, the 150 passengers and crew members are headed to safety after three deaths have been confirmed and several other suspect cases continue to rise.
7. Pennsylvania Sues AI Company Over Chatbots Posing as Doctors
Pennsylvania has filed a lawsuit against Character.AI accusing the company's chatbots of acting as a licensed doctor and giving users fraudulent medical advice. In one insistence a chatbot provided a fake license number and claimed to be a certified psychiatrist. State officials are asking the court to block the company from allowing it to not pose as medical professionals as the case becomes one of the first major legal actions against regulating AI chatbots.
8. Two Dead, Three Injured in Mall Shooting Near Dallas
Two people were killed and three were injured after a 69-year-old opened fire at a shooting mall outside Dallas in what police say to be a targeted attack involving people the gunman knew. Authorities say the shooter fled the scene but was later taken into custody at a nearby grocery store while a motive is being investigated.
9. Kash Patel Blasts Sheriff Over Handling of Nancy Guthrie Case
FBI Director Kash Patel has criticized the Arizona sheriff who handled the Nancy Guthrie investigation after she went missing. Patel says local officials kept the FBI out of the case for four days and failed to deliver key DNA evidence that could have been processed and significantly help undercover the case.
10. Marco Rubio Gets Presidential Try-Out at Press Briefing
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has received attention as a possible 2028 Republican presidential contender after undergoing a press briefing in place of Karoline Leavitt as she's on maternity leave. Rubio answered questions regarding Operation Epic Fury, his upcoming trip to the Vatican and U.S. gas prices. While taking questions, Rubio joked that "this is chaos, guys."
