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May 13, 2026 - World

Mariyah Symone Collington and Kendrick Lamont Key Jr, who also died, had fallen off a cliff during an off-duty hikeThe remains of the second US army soldier who went missing during military exercises in Morocco have been recovered, the army said on Wednesday, ending a multinational search operation that deployed air, naval and artificial intelligence assets.The soldier was identified as Spc Mariyah Symone Collington of Taveres, Florida, the US Army Europe and Africa said in a statement. She was 19 years old. Continue reading...

May 13, 2026 - World

President Donald Trump has apparently directed Republicans to persuade a Democrat to leave his party and join the GOP, The New Republic reported on Wednesday.Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) — who has often sided with Republican lawmakers and been questioned by critics over his party loyalty — has reportedly become a target for the president. Fetterman was the only Democrat to vote against the latest war powers resolution on Wednesday and was the deciding vote in the seventh attempt to end Trump's military operation in Iran.Trump has viewed Fetterman as someone who can potentially help secure Republican control in Congress and wants to convince the Democrat "to switch parties to help retain the GOP’s fragile majority in the Senate." Fetterman has denied any plans to leave the Democratic Party and has said he would be a "s----- Republican." The president has called the centrist lawmaker his "favorite Democrat."

May 13, 2026 - World

President Donald Trump's high-stakes three-day China visit has revealed one person conspicuously missing — his wife, First Lady Melania Trump. Trump was accompanied to Beijing with his cabinet, his son Eric, and daughter-in-law Lara, and 16 corporate CEOs, The Daily Beast reported. And hours before taking off to leave the United States, the first lady's office dropped a cryptic confirmation in a statement to the South China Morning Post, without any explanation for why she would miss out on the trip. "First Lady Melania Trump is not travelling this time," Melania's spokesperson said. When pressed for additional details, her team went silent.The snub marks the latest chapter in what insiders describe as a widening rift between the first couple. "The move comes amid speculation about the first lady increasingly breaking with her husband as she seems to be trying to charter her own course," The Beast reported. "Trump and his White House aides were reportedly blindsided last month when she called a surprise press conference to read a statement declaring she had no ties to the late sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. The move appeared only to revive the scandal that Trump himself had been eager to put to rest."Melania has been noticeably absent at the White House throughout the second Trump administration and often does not travel with the president. And although first ladies don't always attend trips, the questions around her attendance have raised eyebrows. "Her absence is all the more glaring because it follows a trend that has stood out in Trump’s second term: She’s been appearing alongside him less and less on state visits," according to The Beast.

May 13, 2026 - World

New signs of strain were bubbling up among Republicans on Wednesday after three GOP lawmakers sided with Democrats on a vote to end the Iran war, Politico reported.The war has grown more unpopular among Americans as gas prices soar and Republicans consider the economic fallout ahead of the midterm elections, according to Politico. The 49-50 vote on Wednesday was the closest the Senate has come to having a war powers vote as the Trump administration has missed the legal deadline to tamp down its military operation, "which several Republicans have signaled would be a turning point for their support."Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) supported the resolution, joining Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Susan Collins (R-ME). Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) broke with Democrats again to oppose the vote."Paul has supported all seven attempts to rein in Trump, while Collins broke ranks for the first time last month, just ahead of the 60-day benchmark," Politico reported.Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) told Politico before the vote that he expected Republicans to oppose the war sooner, but that was not the case. Many Republicans have "still opted not to cross Trump, a sign of his continued sway over the bulk of the party." But Kaine and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), the resolution's co-sponsor, think that GOP lawmakers could be pressured by the economy to change their minds."We know what our colleagues are hearing. We know what they’re hearing from their constituents, and we’re starting to hear doubt creep into their words," Kaine told Politico. "There will be a day — and it might be soon, I believe — where the Senate will say to the president, ‘stop this war.’"

May 13, 2026 - World

A Democratic lawmaker laughed at a Trump administration official during a congressional hearing on Wednesday after the cabinet member made a peculiar claim that soaring gas prices were "exciting." Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA) pressed Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum to answer questions about the rising costs at the pump for Americans as Burgum testified about President Donald Trump's 2027 budget request before the House Natural Resources Committee in Washington, D.C."Mr. Secretary, while you're funneling billions into these vanity projects, gas is up by an average of $1.40 a gallon from last year," Huffman said. "In March, President Donald Trump posted this message. He said, 'the United States is the largest oil producer in the world by far, so when oil prices go up we make a lot of money," Huffman said, making air quotes with his hand while saying "we," and asking, "Who's the we?"Burgum responded to Huffman's question. "It could be states, the federal government, the American people, when we collect royalty rates on oil production on federal lands and so prices are higher than there's more revenue coming into the system," Burgum said.But Huffman wasn't satisfied with that response. "So this is good for American families that they're paying $1.40 more for gas?" Huffman asked."I'm not saying that, but I'm thrilled that they're paying about a buck less than they were during the Biden administration. I mean, that's exciting," Burgum said. "And these prices are going to drop quickly again because now we actually have supply, you know prices are based on supply."Huffman interjected and called out Burgum's claims."There's a real disconnect here," Huffman said. "Americans are not celebrating this spike in gas prices, that you seem to think is just great. And your only answer is to harken back to the depths of the pandemic."Burgum tried to argue again, and Huffman chuckled at his remarks."Americans are paying $1.40 more a gallon and there's no end in sight to this energy crisis created by the war in Iran," Huffman added. "They're the ones who can't afford to keep the lights on and keep food on the table, but the 'we' that's making a lot more money — let's be honest about it — are the big oil billionaires."BURGUM: I'm thrilled Americans are paying about a buck less for gas than they did during the Biden administration. That's excitingHUFFMAN: There's a real disconnect here. Americans are not celebrating this spike in gas prices, and your only answer is to harken back to the… pic.twitter.com/F1JbYUwz8x— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 13, 2026