Trump-Xi summit on Taiwan, AI safety order scrapped

Trump rejects Iran deal, Hormuz shipping collapses, gene therapy restores hearing

President Trump walked out of negotiations and rejected a finalized Iran memorandum, demanding new preconditions while Tehran countered with demands of its own. The economic fallout is severe: daily shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has plummeted from 140 vessels to just four. The FDA also approved the first gene therapy for genetic hearing loss, allowing deaf children to hear naturally without implants, while Hungary elected a new prime minister to end Orbán's 16-year rule.

Federal judges block Trump's $1.8B fund and Kennedy Center renaming

Two federal judges delivered sharp rebukes to the Trump administration on Friday. A judge temporarily blocked the Anti-Weaponization Fund—a nearly $1.8 billion settlement created from Trump's IRS lawsuit—while another struck down the administration's renaming of the Kennedy Center without congressional authority. Netanyahu also ordered Israeli forces to control 70 percent of Gaza, beyond ceasefire limits, as Israel killed the newly appointed Hamas military chief.

Kuwait intercepts Iranian missile as oil soars, Romania hit by drone

Kuwait's air defense system shot down an Iranian ballistic missile after U.S. strikes on Iranian drone sites, escalating tensions and pushing oil prices toward $100 a barrel. A Russian drone struck an apartment building in Romania, injuring civilians on NATO territory. Illinois unanimously passed the nation's first law requiring independent audits of frontier AI systems.

Consumer sentiment hits 74-year low as Iran war bites

Consumer confidence collapsed to its lowest level since 1952 as gas prices surge past $5 a gallon in the wake of the Iran conflict, hitting lower-income Americans hardest. Sonny Rollins, the jazz titan who reshaped the genre across seven decades, died at 95. Britain and Poland signed a landmark bilateral defense treaty formally naming Russia as a long-term strategic threat, while the Pentagon announced major cuts to U.S. forces in Europe.

China restricts AI researchers, UK shatters heat record, EU fines Google

China is now requiring advanced AI professionals at private companies to get government approval before traveling abroad, treating them like nuclear scientists in a major escalation of tech control. A historic heat dome shattered Britain's May temperature record by nearly 3 degrees—a margin unseen in over a century—while deaths mount across Western Europe. The EU is preparing its first major fine under new tech regulations, targeting Google for allegedly favoring its own services in search resu…