News Today at 7:20 am
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Negotiations between the U.S. and Iran have stalled as President Donald Trump warns that “the clock is ticking” for a peace deal, while military officials prepare for a potential resumption of strikes following a recent impasse. At the same time, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a global health emergency over an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Global & Domestic PoliticsIran Conflict Stalls: President Trump rejected Tehran’s latest peace proposals upon returning from high-stakes bilateral talks with President Xi Jinping in China. Maritime tensions remain elevated near the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump Polling Drop: A new New York Times/Siena poll shows President Trump’s approval rating hitting a second-term low of 37%, raising concerns for the GOP ahead of the midterm elections.
Louisiana Primary Upheaval: Republican Senator Bill Cassidy, who famously voted to convict Trump during his impeachment trial, has lost his primary race after failing to advance to a runoff. [1, 5, 6, 7]Health & Emergencies
Ebola Emergency: The WHO’s international emergency declaration comes after at least 80 reported deaths in Africa. Health officials report that at least six Americans in the region have been exposed to the virus.
Hantavirus Outbreak: A cruise ship experiencing an onboard hantavirus outbreak has docked in Rotterdam, Netherlands, forcing its crew to enter self-isolation. [3, 8, 9]National News & Rail Disruptions
LIRR Strike Continues: The Long Island Railroad strike has entered its second day. New York Governor Kathy Hochul has urged nearly 250,000 daily commuters to work from home to avoid massive gridlock.
Austin Shooting Rampage: Police in Austin, Texas, have taken three juveniles into custody following a weekend crime spree involving 12 random shootings that left four people injured. [10, 11, 12, 13]Sports & Entertainment Highlights
NBA Awards CeremonyShai Gilgeous-Alexander has officially secured his second consecutive NBA Most Valuable Player award.
NBA Playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers dominated the Detroit Pistons in a 31-point Game 7 blowout to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals against the Knicks.PGA Championship
English golfer Aaron Rai captured his first-ever major title at the 2026 PGA Championship.
Shakira AcquittedA Spanish court officially acquitted pop star Shakira in her long-running tax fraud case, ruling that authorities failed to prove she was a legal resident of Spain during the contested years. [14, 15, 16]
[1] youtube.com
[2] bbc.com
[3] cbsnews.com[4] apnews.com
[5] washingtonpost.com
[6] reuters.com
[7] nytimes.com
[8] bbc.com
[9] nypost.com
[10] news.google.com
[11] youtube.com
[12] nydailynews.com
[13] foxnews.com
[14] nbcnews.com
[15] cnn.com
[16] npr.org— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) May 18, 2026
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