Los Angeles actor Brad Pitt skips daughter’s graduation

 

LOS ANGELES — Actor Brad Pitt did not attend the May 20, 2026 university graduation ceremony of his daughter Zahara Jolie, according to official attendance records and witness accounts. Event logs show that his former spouse Angelina Jolie was present at the ceremony to support their daughter, while Pitt did...

New York retailer Walmart flags fuel cost squeeze

 

NEW YORK — Walmart reported its first-quarter 2026 results on Tuesday, warning that surging fuel costs tied to the war in Iran are squeezing American consumers and its own margins. The retailer said U.S. comparable sales rose 4.1%, slightly above Wall Street expectations of 4.0%, while adjusted earnings per share...

New York musician Springsteen criticizes Trump, media executives

 

New York — Bruce Springsteen used a May 20, 2026 appearance on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” to deliver an extended, unusually direct on-air critique of U.S. media executives and President Donald Trump during the penultimate episode of Colbert’s tenure. Speaking at length before a live solo acoustic performance,...

Congress Urges Telecoms To Strengthen Scam Protections Nationwide

 

Washington — A bipartisan congressional panel this week asked AT&T, Verizon and T‑Mobile to provide detailed records about how they collect data, monitor for scams and act against fraudsters, after reports indicated Americans faced an estimated $200 billion in scam losses in 2024. The Joint Economic Committee’s letter, led by...

United States: SpaceX files record-setting IPO prospectus

 

SpaceX, the privately held U.S. rocket and satellite company led by Elon Musk, has filed an IPO prospectus with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that could become the largest initial public offering in history. Made public on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, the S-1 indicates SpaceX is targeting up to...

U.S. Moves to Promote Deep-Sea Mining Industry Rapidly

 

Washington. In the year since President Donald Trump signed an executive order to develop a U.S. deep-sea mining industry, businesses have raised millions, stock prices climbed, and federal regulators accelerated a permitting process as at least nine companies entered talks for access to seabed minerals across areas from American Samoa...

U.S. Panel Approves Trump's Proposed Washington Triumphal Arch

 

Washington — The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts on Thursday approved the design for the 250-foot triumphal arch President Donald Trump seeks to build at an entrance to the nation's capital. Commissioners, all appointed by Trump, advanced a revised design that includes a torch-bearing statue, gilded eagles and an observation...

US Retailers and Manufacturers Report Mixed Quarterly Results

 

Raleigh, North Carolina — On Thursday Advance Auto Parts reported first-quarter net income of $24 million, or $0.39 per share, with adjusted earnings of $0.77 and revenue of $2.61 billion, topping analyst estimates; the company issued full-year earnings guidance of $2.40 to $3.10 per share and revenue guidance of $8.49...

DOJ Establishes $1.8 Billion Anti-Weaponisation Compensation Fund

 

Washington — The Department of Justice announced this week the creation of a $1.776 billion Anti-Weaponisation Fund to compensate individuals who allege politically motivated investigations and prosecutions; the program was established under a settlement resolving a civil suit filed in January by President Trump and his sons over leaked tax...

Simi Valley wildfire expands, schools close amid evacuations

 

A fast-moving wildfire known as the Sandy Fire in Simi Valley, California, expanded to more than 2,100 acres on Wednesday, with containment reaching 22 percent by evening, up from 15 percent in the morning. More than 17,000 residents remained under mandatory evacuation orders, with additional evacuation warnings affecting communities in...