May 18 Liberal mayor and conservative historian headed to presidential runoff in Poland, exit poll shows By Vanessa Gera, Associated Press Liberal Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski and a conservative historian, Karol Nawrocki, emerged as the front-runners in Poland's presidential election Sunday, according to an exit poll, putting them on track to face off in a second round in two weeks. Continue reading
May 18 Pro-EU centrist wins Romania’s tense presidential runoff over hard-right nationalist By Stephen McGrath, Justin Spike, Associated Press Pro-European Union candidate Nicusor Dan has won Romania’s closely watched presidential runoff against a hard-right nationalist, nearly complete electoral data shows. A huge turnout Sunday played a key role in the tense election that many viewed as a geopolitical choice… Continue reading
May 18 Analysis: Trump’s truce with China on tariffs comes at a cost to U.S. credibility By Zongyuan Zoe Liu, Council on Foreign Relations U.S.-China trade talks in Geneva resulted in a temporary slash of tariff rates, but the ripple effect of this tit-for-tat escalation won’t disappear anytime soon. Continue reading
May 18 Zelenskyy meets with Vance and European leaders ahead of high-stakes Trump-Putin call By Giada Zampano, Elise Morton, Associated Press The discussions came as Russia launched what Ukraine called its largest drone barrage against Ukraine since the start of its full-scale invasion in 2022, after the first direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv in years failed to yield a ceasefire… Continue reading
May 18 Airstrikes kill at least 103 people as Israel launches ‘extensive’ new ground offensive in Gaza By Wafaa Shurafa, Samy Magdy, Tia Goldenberg, Associated Press Israel launched “extensive” new ground operations in the Gaza Strip while airstrikes in its new offensive killed at least 103 people, including dozens of children, overnight and into Sunday, hospitals and medics said. The bombardment forced northern Gaza's main hospital to close as it… Continue reading
May 18 Pope Leo XIV vows to work for unity so that Catholic Church becomes symbol of peace By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press Pope Leo XIV, history’s first American pope, vowed Sunday to work for unity so that the Catholic Church becomes a symbol of peace in the world, offering a message of communion during an inaugural Mass in St. Peter’s Square before an estimated 200,000… Continue reading
May 17 Watch 4:42 Israel mobilizes new ground assault on Gaza to pressure Hamas into freeing hostages By John Yang, Harry Zahn Israel is mobilizing forces for a new ground assault in Gaza, after Palestinian officials said about 300 people died in waves of airstrikes over the past 72 hours. Israeli officials say the objective is to pressure Hamas into freeing the… Continue watching
May 17 Iran says it will continue nuclear negotiations with the U.S. despite Trump’s threats By Associated Press The negotiations have reached the “expert” level, meaning the sides are trying to reach agreement on the details of a possible deal. President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to unleash airstrikes targeting Iran’s program if a deal isn’t reached. Continue reading
May 17 Trump says he will call Putin and then Zelenskyy on Monday to discuss ending war in Ukraine By Yehor Konovalov, Joanna Kozlowska, Associated Press Trump's remarks came less than a day after the first direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv in years failed to yield a ceasefire. Continue reading
May 17 Israel launches new military operation in Gaza a day after Trump leaves the Middle East By Ibrahim Hazboun, Samy Magdy, Associated Press Negotiations between Israel and Hamas have yet to achieve progress in Qatar’s capital, Doha. Hamas, which released an Israeli-American hostage as a goodwill gesture before Trump’s trip, insists on a deal that ends the war and leads to the withdrawal of Israeli… Continue reading