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President Trump told reporters Thursday that the U.S. retaliatory strikes near the Strait of Hormuz were "just a love tap" and that the ceasefire remains in effect. Iran's Revolutionary Guard disagrees, calling the strikes a violation and vowing further attacks. The exchange came after Iranian forces fired missiles, drones, and fast attack boats at three U.S. Navy destroyers transiting the strait.
The national average for regular unleaded has climbed to $4.54 per gallon — up 60% from January's $2.78 and the highest since July 2022. The Iran war and Strait of Hormuz disruptions are driving roughly 80% of the increase. Oil prices dipped 9% Wednesday after Secretary of State Rubio said Operation Epic Fury had concluded.
The U.S. economy added 115,000 jobs in April — roughly double the 62,000 Wall Street had forecast — with unemployment holding steady at 4.3%. Health care, transportation, and retail led the gains. The strong showing surprised economists who expected the Iran conflict and energy costs to weigh more heavily on hiring.
A dozen states hold primaries or runoffs this month, and the results could determine which party controls Congress after November. Trump has issued over 200 endorsements, including backing challengers to eight Indiana GOP state senators who defied him on redistricting. The Fox News Rundown reports intra-party battles are pitting MAGA loyalists against traditional conservatives in races that will shape the party's future.
The USS Truxtun and USS Mason fought through sustained Iranian fire — including ballistic and cruise missiles, drones, and fast attack boats — while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday. Both destroyers emerged without damage. The confrontation followed IRGC strikes on Fujairah Port in the UAE and marked the most intense exchange since the ceasefire was announced.
The Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius, carrying nearly 150 people, is heading to Spain's Canary Islands after a hantavirus outbreak killed three passengers. The WHO confirmed the virus is the Andes strain — rare and capable of human-to-human transmission. Spain plans to quarantine its 14 nationals in a military hospital while repatriating all other passengers.
After 422 migrants crossed the Channel Sunday in six small boats, the total number of known illegal boat arrivals since 2018 is nearing 200,000. Breitbart reports fewer than 8,000 have been deported in that same period. Two women died over the weekend attempting the crossing when their overcrowded boat encountered problems off the French coast.
The cybercrime group ShinyHunters claims to have breached Instructure, the company behind Canvas — the learning management system used by thousands of colleges and K-12 schools nationwide. Thousands of students lost access during finals week. The hackers set a May 12 deadline for institutions to "negotiate a settlement" or face a massive data dump.
NASA's SpaceX Crew-11 astronauts addressed reporters Thursday after spending 167 days aboard the International Space Station. The crew's extended mission overlapped with the historic Artemis II lunar flyby earlier this spring and a medical evacuation that prompted the early launch of Crew-12 in February.
The Trump administration released over 160 previously classified UAP files Friday, including photos from Apollo 12 and Apollo 17, FBI memos, and eyewitness testimonies. National Review's verdict: "All Hype, No Aliens." Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson warned the files would disappoint — and so far, he's right. Officials promise more releases are coming.