U.S. Bombs Iran While Negotiators Are Still at the Table

The United States military launched fresh strikes against Iran even as diplomatic talks aimed at ending the conflict remain active, illustrating the administration's dual-track strategy that has drawn fierce criticism from both parties. President Trump is set to meet with his Cabinet to weigh the terms of a fragile, still-unfinalized deal he announced on social media. Iran has not officially confirmed the proposed agreement, and state media have contradicted key elements of it. Three months into the conflict, neither military pressure nor diplomacy has produced a clear resolution.

NPR

Trump White House Wants Every Federal Worker to Sign an NDA

The Trump administration has unveiled a plan requiring all federal employees — both new hires and existing staff — to sign non-disclosure agreements in a sweeping effort to stop leaks to the press. The proposal marks one of the most aggressive internal information-control measures ever attempted across the federal government, raising immediate questions about its legality and chilling effects on whistleblowers. Critics argue it sets a precedent that could suppress accountability across the entire executive branch for years to come.

CBS News

ICE Rolls Out Mass Iris Scanning Across the Country

Immigration and Customs Enforcement is expanding its use of iris recognition technology, deploying hundreds of scanning devices nationally to quickly identify undocumented immigrants. The Department of Homeland Security is simultaneously broadening facial recognition use in immigration courts, deepening a biometric infrastructure that privacy experts warn is quietly becoming a vast surveillance database. The rollout has reignited a sharp debate about the legal boundaries of biometric data collection by federal agencies and the absence of congressional oversight governing its use.

NPR

NASA Awards First Moon Base Contracts to Four U.S. Companies

NASA has announced the first phase of its lunar base development, awarding hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts to four American companies to begin laying the groundwork for a permanent human presence on the moon. The announcement follows the Artemis II crew's April lunar orbit mission, which captured striking imagery of the moon eclipsing the sun. The contracts represent the earliest concrete funding step toward a sustained outpost beyond Earth orbit, moving a goal that has been discussed for decades into an active construction-planning phase.

AP

Cristian Mungiu's Culture-War Drama 'Fjord' Wins the Palme d'Or at Cannes

Romanian director Cristian Mungiu took home the Palme d'Or at the 79th Cannes Film Festival for Fjord, a culture-war drama set in Norway examining identity and social fracture in contemporary Europe. The ceremony featured Tilda Swinton and Sebastian Stan among the presenters, adding Hollywood wattage to a festival that leaned heavily into European auteur cinema this year. Mungiu, already celebrated for 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days, cements his standing as one of world cinema's most incisive voices with the win.

AP

The Knicks Are Going to the NBA Finals for the First Time Since 1999

The New York Knicks demolished the Cleveland Cavaliers 130–93 in Game 4 to complete a four-game sweep and reach the NBA Finals for the first time in 27 years. The blowout capped a dominant series run that has electrified a fan base enduring one of the longest championship droughts in professional basketball. New York will now await the winner of the Western Conference Finals before tipping off what promises to be one of the most-watched Finals in recent memory.

Fox News