Trump calls off latest threats to strike Iran, citing progress in negotiations

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday he has called off new military strikes on Iran, hours after threatening to escalate the war. Trump had threatened major strikes on Iran and to seize control of its oil and gas industries as escalating attacks between the countries pushed the Middle East closer to full-scale war. The threats to seize Iran’s Kharg Island oil terminal came after the U.S and Iran traded strikes for a second straight day. Trump told Fox News that while he would prefer to take over Kharg Island, he’s not sure that “America has the stomach for it.” Iran’s parliamentary speaker warned on social media that an “endless quagmire” could result.

Iran’s Kharg Island is key to its oil exports. Targeting it carries major risks

Iran’s Kharg Island is home to a terminal through which the country exports most of its oil. The Persian Gulf island has emerged as a focus of the war launched by the United States and Israel. Strikes on oil infrastructure on Kharg — or a ground invasion — would severely curb Iran’s oil exports, a key source of revenue for the Islamic Republic. An assault would also mark a major escalation that could provoke even heavier retaliatory attacks on Gulf infrastructure. That would further drive up oil prices that already threaten the world economy.

Trump plans to nominate US Attorney Jay Clayton to be national intelligence director

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says he plans to nominate Jay Clayton, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York and a former Securities and Exchange Commission chairman, as director of national intelligence. Trump announced the nomination on social media Thursday amid pressure from Congress to name a permanent replacement for Tulsi Gabbard, who resigned last month. Trump faced intense pushback over his decision to name Bill Pulte, head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, as acting director. The situation has led to a standoff in Congress as Democrats said they would refuse to renew a foreign intelligence powers unless Trump pulled Pulte’s nomination and named a permanent nominee.

US puts up $750K to evacuate an American who was aboard hantavirus cruise ship from remote island

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has put up $750,000 to charter a private yacht to evacuate a single American citizen from a remote South Pacific island after she had been aboard a cruise ship at the center of a deadly hantavirus outbreak. That’s according to two U.S. officials and an internal government document obtained by The Associated Press. The woman, who may have been exposed to the virus while aboard the cruise liner in April, had gotten off the ship and flown to San Francisco before traveling to isolated Pitcairn Island through Tahiti. The costly evacuation has added strain to the State Department budget for unforeseen emergencies. Its balance is at the lowest level in seven years.

Man pleads guilty to killing a top Minnesota Democrat and her husband while posing as an officer

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A man who assassinated the top Democrat in the Minnesota House and her husband has pleaded guilty so that federal prosecutors would not seek the death penalty. Vance Boelter fatally shot Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman. He is also charged in the nonfatal shootings of state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette Hoffman. He came to their doors in the early hours of June 14, 2025, disguised as a police officer and driving a fake police vehicle. The attacks reverberated far beyond Minnesota, as elected officials across the country feared that escalating threats and polarization could lead to more violence.

El Nino is here and scientists fear it’ll be big, bad and costly with heat, floods, droughts, fires

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. meteorologists say an El Nino has formed. That’s the natural warming of parts of the Pacific that changes weather around the globe. It is likely to a major factor in extreme and deadly weather across the planet for the next year or so. The one announced Thursday is expected to rival the record and costly 1997-1998 El Nino. It is usually strongest in the wintertime, and it makes it incredibly likely that 2027 will set a record for the hottest year globally. The United Nations secretary-general says El Niño conditions will pour fuel on the fire of a warming world.

FISA spy powers are almost certain to expire after Congress fails to act

WASHINGTON (AP) — A key surveillance tool that allows the United States to collect intelligence abroad appears certain to expire. That’s because the House and Senate on Thursday failed to temporarily extend the program, which is set to expire on Friday at midnight. The votes are seen as a protest to President Donald Trump’s temporary pick of housing regulator Bill Pulte to head the nation’s intelligence agencies. After the votes, Trump announced he planned to nominate U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton, a former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, for the permanent job. It’s not unclear whether that might break the impasse.

US stocks jump, and oil prices fall after Trump calls off his threat to attack Iran

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are climbing, and oil prices are falling after President Donald Trump said he called off bombings of Iran planned for the evening, raising hopes for a deal that could get the global flow of crude going again. The S&P 500 jumped 1.3% Thursday, coming off a back-to-back drop that had yanked it back to where it was in early May. The Dow Jones Industrial Average leaped 802 points, and the Nasdaq composite gained 1.8%. Oil prices fell nearly 3%, though they remain higher than they were from before the war. Treasury yields eased in the bond market.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX is about to make its debut on Wall Street

Elon Musk’s rocket company SpaceX will make its debut on Wall Street Friday. Both institutional and retail investors are expected to gobble up the 555.6 million shares going up for sale at $135 apiece. Musk is already the world’s richest man and he could become its first trillionaire. Musk says the company is going public because it needs money to fund its ambitions of putting satellites and data centers in space.

World Cup what to know: Mexico kicks off a supersized, 48-team tournament

After years of preparation, a supersized World Cup has finally arrived. This year’s tournament is hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico. It was expanded to 48 teams that will play in 16 stadiums in a record 104 matches over the 39-day tournament. Mexico gets the World Cup started on Thursday and will be a heavy favorite when it hosts South Africa in Mexico City. The second game of the day will be between South Korea and the Czech Republic in Guadalajara, Mexico. All four teams are part of Group A. Canada and the United States will host their first games on Friday.