Russia & Ukraine
Putin denounces NATO at scaled-back Victory Day parade Vladimir Putin declared Russia will “always be victorious” while overseeing a scaled-back Victory Day parade on Red Square under heavy security. The Russian leader used his annual speech to justify the war in Ukraine, invoking WWII sacrifices. Moscow was blanketed in heavy security amid fears of Ukrainian attacks and growing public fatigue with the conflict. The diminished event adds to a sense that Russian cities can no longer be insulated from the war. Sources: BBC · Guardian · NYT
Russia has lost more than 350,000 soldiers, new estimate finds A new estimate puts Russian military deaths at over 350,000, raising the prospect that about half a million soldiers in total have died on the Russian and Ukrainian sides combined. Source: NYT
Poland records unprecedented number of Russian espionage cases Warsaw has recorded an unprecedented number of hybrid attacks on its territory since 2024, according to Poland’s internal security service (ABW). Amateur spies once used by Russian intelligence have laid the groundwork for more complex operations, with researchers tracking the emergence of these “single-use agents.” Source: France 24
Iran & Middle East Conflict
US awaiting Iran’s response on ceasefire proposals, says Rubio Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington is expecting a response from Iran to US proposals for an interim deal to end the conflict, as Iran accused the US of breaching the increasingly fragile ceasefire announced last month. Recent days have seen the biggest flare-ups in fighting in and around the contested Strait of Hormuz. Source: Guardian
Expert reviews status of Iran negotiations NPR spoke with Mehrzad Boroujerdi of the Missouri University of Science and Technology about the status of the Trump Administration’s negotiations to end the war on Iran. Source: NPR
Trump’s counterterrorism strategy criticized as ‘largely slop’ Critics say the Trump administration’s 16-page counterterrorism strategy document is “completely Trumpian” and an “alarming” escalation in rhetoric, with counter-terrorism czar Sebastian Gorka reportedly describing critics of the war in Iran as “testicularly challenged.” Source: Guardian
Jordan sees collapse in tourism since Iran war Since the Middle East war erupted in late February, Jordan’s ancient city of Petra has been all but abandoned by the usual tourist crowds. Source: France 24
Israel & Palestine
Israel kills five in Gaza, raising death toll to 72,736 Israeli forces killed at least five Palestinians and wounded 15 others over the past day, bringing the death toll since October 2023 to 72,736 with 172,535 wounded. Medical teams said many victims remain trapped under rubble. Source: Middle East Eye
Israel allocates $345m for bypass roads in occupied West Bank Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Transportation Minister Miri Regev approved 1 billion shekels ($345m) for the construction of bypass roads on Palestinian lands in the occupied West Bank. Source: Middle East Eye
Israel set to release two Gaza flotilla activists Two Gaza flotilla activists — Spanish and Brazilian nationals — imprisoned by Israel are set to be released from detention. They were captured in international waters while aboard a humanitarian aid vessel bound for Gaza. Source: Middle East Eye
Palestinian Christian delegation warns EU of existential threat in Gaza A delegation from the Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs in Palestine warned EU officials that Israeli policies pose a serious threat to the survival of the historic Palestinian Christian presence. Reverend Mitri Raheb highlighted the sharp decline during a meeting in Brussels. Source: Middle East Eye
Displaced Lebanese children keep learning amid displacement A school in Sidon, Lebanon, is now home to displaced families from southern Lebanon, but classes continue to run for children. Source: Al Jazeera
Europe
Hungary’s Peter Magyar sworn in as PM, ending Orbán’s 16-year rule Pro-European conservative Peter Magyar arrived at parliament Saturday to be sworn in as prime minister, promising “regime change” after Viktor Orbán’s 16 years in power. The former government insider-turned-critic scored a landslide victory last month, pledging reforms to fight corruption. Source: France 24 · France 24
Labour suffers stark losses in UK local elections; Starmer under pressure Prime Minister Keir Starmer took responsibility as Labour lost more than a thousand municipal seats but insisted he would not resign. He brought in Gordon Brown as special envoy on global finance and Harriet Harman to focus on social and economic improvements for women and girls, in moves to ease mounting pressure. Sources: NYT · Guardian · France 24
WHO chief heads to Tenerife as hantavirus cruise ship crisis deepens The WHO chief is heading to Tenerife as the Canary Islands brace for the arrival of a cruise ship hit by a hantavirus outbreak. Germany, France, Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands, the US, and the UK have confirmed they will send planes to repatriate their nationals. Source: Guardian
Asia-Pacific
One Nation wins first lower house seat in Australian byelection Pauline Hanson’s One Nation won its first ever lower house seat in the Farrer byelection after the Coalition vote collapsed. Hanson declared her supporters want to “take the country back” and warned the party is “coming after those other seats.” Sources: Guardian · NYT
Antiwar protesters rally in Japan against military buildup Demonstrators in Japan are opposing Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s efforts to build up military power and move the country away from its pacifist constitutional identity. Source: NYT
United States
Supreme Court gutting of Voting Rights Act draws civil rights backlash Five civil rights activists, including Selma foot soldiers, condemned the Supreme Court’s recent decision to gut the Voting Rights Act, calling it “a way to discriminate, to silence voters who fought so hard for this right.” Source: Guardian
US military kills two in eastern Pacific Ocean attack The US military killed two people in a new attack in the eastern Pacific Ocean, marking the third such attack in May alone. Source: Al Jazeera
Science & Tech
China unveils AI-powered moon rover for Chang’e-8 mission China is sending a 100kg robot with a humanoid upper body and four wheels to the moon. Developed by a team led by Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, the AI-powered “porter” will transport, deploy, and install instruments for the Chang’e-8 mission, scheduled for 2029. Source: SCMP
Markets & Finance
Small-cap tech stocks outperforming large-cap peers Shares of small-cap tech stocks have outperformed their large-cap peers by an extreme magnitude, according to MarketWatch analysis. Source: MarketWatch
Robotaxi stocks gaining steam beyond Tesla and Alphabet Robotaxis are finally gaining traction, with investment opportunities emerging beyond the usual names like Tesla and Alphabet. Source: Motley Fool
Kraft Heinz reports Q1 2026 earnings The Kraft Heinz Company released its Q1 2026 earnings call results. Source: Seeking Alpha