Commerce Secretary Lutnick Testifies to House About Epstein

 

WASHINGTON — Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick appeared Wednesday before the House Oversight Committee to answer questions about his contacts with financier Jeffrey Epstein during the years after Epstein’s 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from an underage girl. Lutnick, a Cabinet member in President Donald Trump’s administration, said he welcomed the...

Valkyries prioritize continuity as season opener approaches

 

Oakland. The Golden State Valkyries entered Year 2 emphasizing roster continuity rather than headline signings, with general manager Ohemaa Nyanin saying Tuesday at a media day that the organization values athlete connectivity after a playoff season. Owner Joe Lacob's five-year championship mandate continues to inform decisions, including waiving second-round pick...

Trump Warns Iran: Reopen Strait or Face Bombing

 

Washington — President Donald Trump threatened renewed bombing on Wednesday if Iran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz, posting on Truth Social that 'the bombing starts' and warning the strikes would be at 'a much higher level and intensity' if Tehran refuses terms the administration outlined in a memorandum...

Investigation finds PFAS contaminating northwest Georgia water supplies

 

Calhoun, Georgia — An investigation this week by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Associated Press and FRONTLINE found that carpet mills in northwest Georgia used PFAS chemicals beginning in the 1970s and that mill wastewater released those chemicals into local sewer systems and rivers, while state environmental records indicate regulators were...

Industry Advances AI Integration Across Business and Government

 

San Francisco and Paris — Aircall announced it acquired Vogent to strengthen its AI Voice Agent technology, aiming to improve speech models, turn-taking, and live-call behavior. On May 6, 2026, ModelOp was listed in Forrester's Responsible AI Solutions landscape, and on May 7, 2026, ServiceNow Vice Chairman Nick Tzitzon addressed...

Local governments and districts unveil fiscal year proposals

 

New Hanover County, N.C. The New Hanover County Schools Board of Education voted 6-1 on Tuesday, May 5 to approve a proposed $333 million budget for the upcoming school year, requesting $110,474,571 from the county and budgeting a three percent raise for all employees to match anticipated state increases. Oakland voters...

Reaves struggles as Lakers fall to Thunder in Game 1

 

Oklahoma City — On Tuesday the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Los Angeles Lakers 108-90 in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals, while Lakers guard Austin Reaves, returning from a Grade 2 left oblique strain, shot 3-for-16, missed all five three-point attempts, and had four turnovers. LeBron James and coach...

Rodriguez, D-backs dominate Pirates 9-0 at Chase Field

 

PHOENIX — Eduardo Rodriguez delivered seven strong innings, allowing two hits and striking out seven as the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 9-0 on Tuesday at Chase Field. Arizona built an early 2-0 lead and broke the game open with a five-run sixth inning, producing the club’s largest margin...

Duren’s two-way play helps Pistons take early lead

 

Detroit — Jalen Duren delivered for the Detroit Pistons in Game 1 on Tuesday, making critical plays on both ends as the Pistons defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 111-101. He recorded 11 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and two blocks, including three dunks, two rebounds and a block during a 67-second...

Trump Pauses Project Freedom Amid Iran Negotiation Progress

 

Washington — US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that he paused 'Project Freedom', the operation intended to move stranded ships through the Strait of Hormuz, following requests from Pakistan and other countries and citing 'great progress' toward a 'complete and final agreement' with representatives of Iran. The pause, announced May...