Trump issues new threat against Iran
Donald Trump on Wednesday morning issued a new threat to bomb Iran unless they agree to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Trump demanded that Iran accept a new proposal from the U.S. regarding ending the war, but did not reveal details about what’s in the proposal or when or how it was presented to Iran. China’s foreign minister, meanwhile, put out a video in which he said China believes that a ceasefire must be maintained. Trump is due to visit China May 14 and 15 and the situation in the Middle East is expected to be a major issue to be discussed. China depends on Iran for about 10% to 15% of its oil.
Russia launches attacks despite planned ceasefire
Russian attacks killed more than 20 people across Ukraine on Tuesday, and Russia launched new attacks early this morning, hours before the midnight start of an open-ended ceasefire proposed by Kyiv. After the Wednesday attacks, Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy said Moscow had clearly chosen to spurn Ukraine’s offer of a ceasefire. Ukraine had announced its halt in fighting after Russia said it would hold a ceasefire on May 8 and 9 ahead of commemorations Saturday to mark the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. In response, Zelenskyy announced at the time an open-ended ceasefire to begin at midnight on Tuesday, saying Ukraine sought lasting peace, not a brief respite to coincide with Russia’s “celebration.” Ukraine on Tuesday launched a missile and drone attack on an area of Russia more than 600 miles from the border killing two people and wounding 34.
Controversy over cruise ship with hantavirus cases
Three people with suspected hantavirus were evacuated Wednesday morning from the cruise ship hit by an outbreak of the illness, as local objections mount over plans for the vessel to dock at the Canary Islands. Fernando Clavijo, the leader of the Canary Islands, said Wednesday he’s opposed to the ship docking there and requested an urgent meeting with Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. The Spanish government said it would allow the ship to dock in Tenerife, one of the Canary Islands, in about three days. Oceanwide Expeditions, the tour company which operates the ship, had requested permission to dock in Tenerife on May 9. Meanwhile, another passenger previously on board the MV Hondius has tested positive for hantavirus and is being treated at a Swiss hospital, Switzerland’s health ministry said Wednesday. Three people have died in the suspected outbreak and several others have fallen ill.
Antisemitic attacks in the U.S. reach a record high
Antisemitic physical assaults in the United States reached record highs in 2025. They included Jewish fatalities on American soil for the first time since 2019, according to the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) annual report. It was the first time there were fatalities in the U.S. that resulted from antisemitic attacks since 2022, the report found. Two Israeli Embassy staff members were fatally shot last May outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. Just a month later, a man in Colorado firebombed a Jewish community event resulting in the death of an 82-year-old woman. Antisemitic physical assaults increased by 4% and assaults involving a deadly weapon went up by 39%, the ADL said. There were a total of 6,274 incidents of antisemitic assaults, harassment and vandalism in 2025, an average of 17 incidents per day, according to the report. That’s up from an average of 8 incidents per day between 2020 and 2022.
Democrats score victory in Michigan
Michigan Democrats on Tuesday won a special election for a State Senate seat in a district that was almost evenly divided in the last presidential election. Democrat Chedrick Greene defeated Republican Jason Tunney for a seat to determine whether Democrats would retain control of the State Senate. With an estimated 93% of the votes in, Greene led Tunney by 19 points. Michigan was one of the hardest-fought states in the presidential election and remains a top battleground in the midterms, home to competitive Senate and governor’s races. Former Vice President Kamala Harris carried the State Senate district by less than one percentage point in 2024. Greene’s victory was the most recent example of Democrats exceeding their 2024 margins in special elections across the country, a trend that has them feeling upbeat about their chances in the midterms.The candidates in Tuesday’s contest were vying to fill a seat that has been vacant since its former occupant, now-Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet, gave it up to enter Congress last year.
Brown wins in Ohio; Trump wins in Indiana
Former Senator Sherrod Brown won the Democratic Primary in Ohio for the nomination to run for U.S. Senate. This will put him on the November ballot against Republican Jon Husted who was appointed to fill the unexpired Senate term of Vice President Vance. In Indiana, Donald Trump got the revenge he had threatened against five candidates for Indiana’s State Senate who voted against a redistricting map Trump supported. Trump endorsed their opponents in the Republican primary and the candidates that Trump endorsed won. It appeared that the Trump-endorsed candidates in two other Indiana State Senate primaries lost according to incomplete results early Wednesday.
