Tulsi Gabbard resigns as director of national intelligence, citing her husband’s health

WASHINGTON (AP) — Tulsi Gabbard has resigned as President Donald Trump’s director of national intelligence, saying she needed to step away as her husband battles cancer. She is the fourth Cabinet official to depart during Trump’s second term. In her resignation letter, which she posted on social media, Gabbard said she told Trump of her decision to leave office on June 30. She said her husband had recently been diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer and “faces major challenges in the coming weeks and months.” Trump posted that her principal deputy, Aaron Lukas, will serve as acting director of national intelligence.

Warsh is sworn in as the Fed chair after Trump’s bid for greater control over the independent bank

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has overseen the White House swearing-in of the new Federal Reserve chair. Trump said Friday that he’d like Kevin Warsh’s help in stimulating the economy even as the president tried to emphasize that the nation’s central bank would remain independent. Trump has spent months criticizing Warsh’s predecessor, Jerome Powell, for being reluctant to cut interests rates. Warsh noted the Fed’s mandate “is to promote price stability and maximum employment” and he pledged that the central bank would pursue those aims with “independence and resolve.” It was unusual that the ceremony didn’t take place at the Fed’s headquarters.

Trump heads to a competitive New York district to sell his tax law as voters sour on the economy

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is heading to one of the most competitive congressional districts in the country to test his midterm economic message. He plans to appear in New York with GOP Rep. Mike Lawler, who is up for reelection in a closely watched House race. The event focuses on promoting the tax law Trump signed last year, which expanded the state and local tax deduction. Trump established the SALT cap in 2017 through his Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Lawler, one of three House Republicans representing a district that backed Kamala Harris in 2024, has embraced Trump to energize GOP voters. The White House says Trump will highlight his record of making life more affordable for working families.

Rubio reports ‘slight progress’ in Iran talks as Pakistan army chief renews mediation efforts

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says “slight progress” has been made during talks with Iran. Rubio made the comment Friday as Pakistan’s army chief traveled to Tehran in a renewed effort to mediate a peace deal and uncertainty loomed over whether war will resume. The secretary of state’s remark comes days after U.S. President Donald Trump said he was holding off on a military strike against the Islamic Republic because negotiations were underway. Trump has been threatening for weeks that the ceasefire reached in mid-April could end if Iran does not make a deal.

Senators from both parties push Hegseth for action on Ukraine aid

WASHINGTON (AP) — A bipartisan group of senators is pushing back on delays by the Department of Defense in sending roughly $600 million in security aid to Ukraine and other allies in eastern Europe. They sent a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday that calls for the funding to be disbursed. Friction has grown between Congress and the Trump administration in recent weeks as lawmakers push for updates on what has happened with $400 million in Ukraine aid and $200 million more for defense programs in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania that was allocated by Congress last year. Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin and Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley led the letter. Republican Sens. Kevin Cramer and Thom Tillis, as well as Democratic Sens. Michael Bennet and Catherine Cortez Masto also signed it.

Congo suspends funeral wakes and big gatherings in Ebola outbreak, as WHO upgrades risk assessment

BUNIA, Congo (AP) — Authorities in northeastern Congo have banned funeral wakes and gatherings of more than 50 people to curb a rapidly spreading Ebola outbreak. The World Health Organization says the outbreak poses a “very high” risk for Congo, with 82 cases and seven deaths confirmed. The outbreak is believed to be larger, with 750 suspected cases. Supplies are being rushed to Ituri Province, where nearly a million people have been displaced by conflicts. Efforts to contain the virus face challenges, including misinformation and clashes with local customs. The United Nations has released $60 million to aid the response.

Trump’s Cuba strategy echoes his Venezuela playbook. But there are key differences

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration’s strategy against Cuba is looking a lot like the playbook for Venezuela. There’s an oil blockade, a growing U.S. military presence, federal indictments and repeated threats of intervention. But experts say that similar pressure points do not equal similar results. For example, there’s no obvious successor who would work with the Trump administration if the U.S. were to depose Cuba’s leadership. When the U.S. military captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in January, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez stepped in with U.S. approval and remains in power.

FDA staff blindsided by move allowing more e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches onto US market

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Associated Press has learned that officials at the Food and Drug Administration were blindsided by a recent policy change allowing more electronic cigarettes and nicotine pouches to hit the U.S. market. Two FDA staffers who spoke under condition of anonymity say some agency officials only learned of the change the night before it was published. The new guideline breaks with longstanding FDA policy requiring nicotine products to undergo scientific review before launching. The staffers say there is confusion within the FDA about how the guidelines were developed. The policy was published days before former FDA Commissioner Marty Makary resigned under pressure from vaping lobbyists.

Wall Street keeps rising, even as U.S. households keep getting more discouraged

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. stock market is rising toward the finish of an eighth straight winning week. The S&P 500 climbed 0.6% Friday and pulled closer to its all-time high set in the middle of last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 434 points, and the Nasdaq composite gained 0.5%. Ross Stores, Workday and Zoom Communications helped drive the market higher after reporting stronger profits than analysts expected. Such reports are keeping stocks near records even after a survey showed sentiment among U.S. households fell to a record low on worries about inflation caused by the war with Iran.

NASCAR’s Kyle Busch was short of breath, coughing up blood day before his death, 911 call reveals

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — NASCAR driver Kyle Busch died Thursday at age 41. A 911 call obtained Friday reveals he experienced shortness of breath, felt overheated, and was coughing up blood the day before. Busch was hospitalized with a “severe illness” three days before he was to compete in the Coca-Cola 600. He became unresponsive while testing in a Chevrolet racing simulator in Concord on Wednesday. An emergency call from the General Motors training facility described his symptoms. Busch was found on the bathroom floor, awake, and emergency responders were directed to the scene.