Key Events (10)
US and Iran held talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, with Vice President JD Vance leading the American delegation and Iran's parliamentary speaker heading their negotiators. Trump warned of fresh strikes if the Saturday talks fail to produce a deal, stating that warships are being reloaded with weaponry.
Melania Trump's surprise statement calling on Congress to hold public hearings on Epstein has reignited the scandal. More than a dozen survivors have accused the First Lady of 'shifting the burden' onto them, sparking significant media criticism and backlash.
Pope Leo delivered his strongest condemnation yet of the Iran war at a peace vigil, saying 'enough of war' and decrying the 'delusion of omnipotence.' His comments, while not directly naming Iran, represented a rebuke of the administration's military actions.
Trump reportedly stated he plans to issue mass pardons at the end of his presidential term. He has already issued sweeping pardons throughout his second term, including for 1,500 US Capitol riot defendants.
Federal workers continue to struggle in the job market more than a year after Trump's sweeping government cuts. Current and former government employees report facing significant challenges, with some having applied to over 250 jobs.
The UK shelved legislation aimed at transferring the Chagos Islands to Mauritius after the US withdrew its support. Trump had previously called the planned transfer 'an act of great stupidity.'
NASA's Artemis II mission returned to Earth with a 'textbook splashdown' at 5:07 PM PT, with commander Reid Wiseman reporting 'four green crew members.' However, Trump's proposed budget cuts have cast a pall over the space program despite the mission's success.
The State Department revoked the green cards of three Iranian nationals with family ties to Iranian military and security officials. The three were arrested by federal agents.
US officials claimed that Iran is unable to locate mines it laid in the Strait of Hormuz, suggesting that Iran dropped explosives erratically and may not have marked all locations, according to intelligence reports.
An ICE shooting video in Minneapolis has shattered the agency's account of events, causing legal cases against two Venezuelan men to collapse. Questions remain about whether the incident will lead to accountability within the agency.