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Latest developments and key stories from across the United States
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has proposed increasing the state's homestead exemption from $50,000 to $250,000. This change could nearly eliminate property taxes for about 60% of Florida homeowners who qualify for the exemption.
Key Facts
The homestead exemption protects part of a home’s value from property taxes.
DeSantis wants to raise this exemption from $50,000 to $250,000.
About 60% of Florida residents currently qualify for the homestead exemption.
The plan aims to eventually increase the exemption even more in the coming years.
A special legislative session on property taxes was called by DeSantis to restart reform talks.
The Florida House had earlier passed a bill to raise the exemption gradually over 10 years.
The state Senate did not act on that bill, leaving the issue unresolved until now.
The plan focuses on helping homeowners facing higher property tax bills in Florida.
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A US company called MTC runs immigration detention centers in Australia and has faced penalties from the Australian government due to security problems, including multiple escapes and incidents involving staff injuries. Australian officials confirmed fines were issued but did not reveal how much, citing legal reasons related to the contract’s confidentiality.
Key Facts
MTC, a US private prison company, runs some Australian immigration detention centers through its local subsidiary, Secure Journeys.
Since May of last year, there have been at least 12 escapes from MTC-run facilities.
Security failures include detainees escaping, a stabbing incident, fires, and staff hospitalizations.
The Australian Border Force commissioner declined to say how much money MTC was fined because of legal confidentiality rules.
MTC signed a $2.3 billion contract to manage Australia’s immigration detention from early 2025.
Australian officials summoned MTC’s US director after serious incidents to discuss failures.
There were concerns about inadequate staff numbers and poor safety training and equipment for staff.
The Australian government continues to work with MTC to improve standards and ensure contract terms are met.
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The article explores the challenges American working mothers face with breastfeeding, focusing on the use of workplace lactation rooms. It highlights how the lack of paid family leave in the U.S. forces many mothers to pump breast milk at work, balancing the demands of their jobs with caring for their children.
Key Facts
The U.S. is the only wealthy country that does not provide paid family leave.
Many mothers return to work soon after childbirth and must pump breast milk at work.
Lactation rooms provide a private space for pumping but often have restrictions and logistical challenges.
The book "Milk Factory" by Corinne May Botz documents these experiences through photos and stories.
Pumping represents a mix of personal care for the child and the workplace’s productivity demands.
Mothers commonly experience difficulties such as limited access to lactation rooms and embarrassment pumping in public or on public transport.
The article shares personal stories from mothers, workers, and advocates, illustrating the complex realities of motherhood in the U.S. work environment.
The Alabama Prison Birth Project is mentioned, highlighting the harsh conditions for pregnant incarcerated women.
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Teachers in several schools across Waltham Forest, east London, are striking over planned job cuts and reduced support for children with special needs. Some parents support the strikes, citing concerns about school funding and services, while others worry about the disruption to their families.
Key Facts
Teachers at South Grove primary school and other local schools have been on strike, closing school gates to pupils.
Strikes are connected to planned job losses and cuts to special needs support, due to budget deficits and rising costs.
South Grove faces high expenses from a private finance deal, special needs provision, and a costly new catering contract.
Some parents joined the picket lines to support teachers and students, while others are concerned about the impact of frequent strikes.
The National Education Union (NEU) says strikes in Waltham Forest reflect a wider trend in London due to falling pupil numbers and school restructures.
NEU reports 13 workplaces in Waltham Forest and 26 across London have voted for strikes in the current school year.
Nationally in England, 171 workplaces have held successful strike ballots compared to 117 the previous year.
The NEU is asking the government for a pay increase above inflation; if not granted, they may organize a national strike.
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Scotland's highest criminal courts face a big increase in delayed trials, mainly because of more cases involving serious organised crime and old sex abuse claims. While the overall number of delayed court cases has decreased since the pandemic, the high court backlog has nearly tripled, causing long waits for victims, witnesses, and accused people.
Key Facts
About 1,000 trials were waiting in Scotland’s high court at the end of March, nearly three times more than before the Covid-19 pandemic.
The total number of delayed trials in the whole Scottish court system has fallen to 13,268, down from a peak in 2022.
Cases involving organised crime and historic sex abuse have contributed heavily to the high court backlog.
Prison populations are at record levels despite the early release of hundreds of prisoners.
Delays in trials affect victims, witnesses, and accused people by causing long uncertainty and stress.
Audit Scotland says progress is being made but warns that without clear evaluation and reporting, it is hard to judge what improvements work.
A programme called summary case management has helped reduce trial numbers in lower courts by speeding up evidence sharing and court discussions.
Officials are considering whether this quicker management style could be used for more serious court cases.
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The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating writer E. Jean Carroll for possibly lying under oath about receiving outside money for her lawsuit against President Donald Trump. Carroll accused President Trump of sexual assault and won a $5 million jury award, with an appellate court later upholding the verdict and ordering Trump to pay $83.3 million in damages.
Key Facts
The DOJ is looking into whether E. Jean Carroll lied in a 2022 deposition about funding for her lawsuit.
Carroll accused President Donald Trump of sexually assaulting her in 1996 and then damaging her reputation by denying it.
A jury awarded Carroll $5 million in 2023 after finding Trump responsible for sexual abuse and defamation.
An appellate court upheld the verdict in December 2024, and Carroll was ordered to receive $83.3 million in damages from Trump.
Carroll’s lawyers later revealed that billionaire Reid Hoffman helped pay some of her legal bills.
Prosecutors are focusing on Carroll’s statement that she received no outside funding, which conflicts with the revelation about Hoffman’s payments.
News organizations have contacted the DOJ and Hoffman's representatives for comments.
The case is ongoing and more details are expected to come out.
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The White House announced it will open a new health facility in Kenya to care for Americans exposed to Ebola in Africa. The facility aims to provide quick, advanced treatment close to outbreak areas and avoid long flights back to the U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that no Ebola cases will be allowed into the United States.
Key Facts
The U.S. is setting up a "state-of-the-art" Ebola treatment facility in Kenya.
The facility will serve Americans exposed to Ebola in affected African regions, like the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The goal is to give fast, high-quality care without requiring long medical evacuations to the U.S.
Treatment at the Kenya center will cover all Ebola disease stages, including critical care.
Some patients might be transported to other locations later for more advanced treatment if needed.
Secretary of State Rubio said the U.S. government will not let Ebola cases enter the country.
Multiple U.S. agencies, including the State Department and Centers for Disease Control, are working to contain the Ebola outbreak abroad.
The administration is using policies like Title 42 to limit travel and protect Americans from Ebola.
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The U.S. military struck a boat suspected of carrying drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing two men. This is part of a campaign by President Donald Trump’s administration targeting drug-smuggling vessels in Latin American waters.
Key Facts
The U.S. military attacked another boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean suspected of drug transport.
Two men were killed in this most recent strike.
The previous day, a similar strike killed one man and left two survivors.
The U.S. Southern Command shared a video showing the boat being hit and catching fire.
The campaign to destroy drug boats started in early September under President Donald Trump.
At least 196 people have died in these strikes so far.
The military has not shown proof that the boats were carrying drugs.
The Pentagon inspector general will review if the military followed targeting rules during the strikes but will not investigate their legality.
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The US military attacked a boat it said was involved in drug trafficking in the eastern Pacific, killing two men. This was part of an ongoing campaign launched under President Donald Trump that has resulted in nearly 200 deaths since last September.
Key Facts
The US military targeted a boat on a known drug smuggling route in the eastern Pacific.
Two men described as “narco-terrorists” were killed in the strike.
This was the second deadly attack in two days linked to the same campaign.
The overall death toll from the US anti-drug boat strikes is at least 195.
Survivors from an earlier attack were found in the water, and the US Coast Guard was alerted for rescue, but no further details were given.
The US launched Operation Southern Spear in early September under President Donald Trump.
Rights groups and legal experts warn these strikes might be unlawful extra-judicial killings if civilians are targeted without immediate threats.
Mexico has expressed concerns about US involvement in these anti-drug operations.
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The Justice Department is investigating whether author E. Jean Carroll lied under oath in her civil lawsuits against President Donald Trump. The investigation focuses on whether Carroll was truthful about receiving outside financial support for her legal expenses.
Key Facts
The DOJ’s criminal investigation is led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois.
E. Jean Carroll sued President Trump for sexual assault and defamation in two civil cases.
Juries found President Trump liable for sexual assault and defamation, awarding Carroll over $88 million in damages combined.
Carroll said in a 2022 deposition that she did not get outside funding for her lawsuits.
Billionaire Reid Hoffman helped pay some of Carroll’s legal expenses, which was not disclosed at that time.
Carroll accused President Trump of assaulting her in the mid-1990s in a department store.
President Trump denies all sexual assault allegations.
The acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who once represented President Trump, is recused from this investigation.
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The U.S. Department of Justice has started a criminal investigation into E. Jean Carroll. The investigation looks at whether she lied under oath during a legal deposition related to her civil case accusing President Donald Trump of sexual assault.
Key Facts
The DOJ is investigating E. Jean Carroll for possible perjury, which means lying under oath.
Carroll accused President Donald Trump of sexual assault.
The investigation centers on statements Carroll made during a deposition, which is a formal legal questioning.
CNN was the first news outlet to report on the DOJ’s investigation.
This probe is part of ongoing legal matters involving Carroll and President Trump.
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A Google software engineer, Michele Spagnuolo, has been charged with fraud for using secret Google information to make bets on the Polymarket prediction platform and win over $1.2 million. Prosecutors say he used confidential data about Google’s annual most-searched list to place these bets before the information became public.
Key Facts
Michele Spagnuolo is a Google software engineer living in Switzerland.
He made bets totaling about $2.75 million on Polymarket using insider knowledge.
The bets included predicting which person would be most searched on Google in 2025.
Prosecutors say he used an account named “AlphaRaccoon” for these trades.
He faces charges of commodities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering.
Google has placed Spagnuolo on leave and is cooperating with law enforcement.
Polymarket has worked with prosecutors and says this is the first insider trading case linked to its platform in the US.
A recent similar case involved a US soldier accused of using classified information to bet on Polymarket about Venezuelan President Maduro.
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CBS News covered the Texas primary runoffs and reported on President Donald Trump's unclear statements regarding peace talks with Iran. The segment was presented by Major Garrett.
Key Facts
CBS News aired a segment called "The Takeout with Major Garrett" on May 27.
The coverage included results and analysis of Texas primary runoff elections.
President Donald Trump addressed topics related to peace talks with Iran.
The information about the Iran talks was described as unclear or confusing.
The segment was available through the CBS News app and online browsers like Chrome and Safari.
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David Rush, a former CIA officer and senior government employee, is accused of stealing government money by lying about his education, military service, and military leave. Investigators found over 300 gold bars worth more than $40 million at his home, and he was arrested after the CIA and FBI launched an investigation.
Key Facts
David Rush worked as a senior government officer with top secret clearance and was a CIA officer.
He claimed to have degrees from Clemson University and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, but he never attended those schools.
Rush also lied about his military credentials and claimed 744 hours of military leave worth $77,000 after leaving the Navy in 2015.
FBI agents found more than 300 gold bars valued at over $40 million at his Virginia residence.
He requested large amounts of foreign currency and gold for work purposes, much of which could not be found.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe referred the case to the FBI after an internal CIA investigation.
Rush was charged with theft of public money and was arrested on May 19, 2026.
A detention hearing for Rush is scheduled soon, and the FBI continues to investigate the case.
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Human rights lawyer Francesca Albanese was sanctioned by the Trump administration last year, which froze her bank accounts and hurt her work. A US court briefly ruled in her favor in May, but the government won an appeal to restore the sanctions.
Key Facts
Francesca Albanese is a UN special rapporteur for Palestine.
She was sanctioned by the Trump administration in July of the previous year.
The sanctions freeze her bank accounts and savings.
They also prevent her from continuing her work as a lecturer.
Her family won a court case in the US in May against these sanctions.
The US government appealed the ruling and won, restoring the sanctions.
The sanctions were linked to her work on alleged crimes in Gaza and her engagement with the international criminal court.
She has faced accusations of antisemitism during the last two years.
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Mahmood Fazal, a reporter for the ABC’s program Four Corners, no longer works for the network after an investigation into his participation in a podcast sponsored by an online casino. The ABC ended his employment after finding issues related to the podcast, not because of his past involvement with an outlaw bikie gang.
Key Facts
Mahmood Fazal was a Four Corners reporter at ABC and a Walkley award-winning journalist.
He appeared on an external podcast about crime that included gambling advertisements.
Fazal had initial approval from his manager to join the podcast, but approval was withdrawn after the first episode.
ABC managing director Hugh Marks confirmed Fazal’s employment was terminated following an investigation.
The investigation focused on the podcast participation, not Fazal’s former involvement with the Mongols bikie gang.
Fazal joined ABC as a reporter in 2021 and started working on Four Corners in 2023.
Fazal was on leave during the investigation and has not publicly commented since.
ABC defended the decision to hire Fazal, saying it helped cover important topics about society.
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California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a new law to protect state elections from federal interference before the upcoming primary. The law stops anyone, including federal agents, from accessing voter information or election equipment without a court order and limits law enforcement actions at polling places.
Key Facts
The law took effect immediately, just days before California’s primary election.
It prevents federal agents and others from accessing voter rolls and election technology without court approval.
Law enforcement officers are limited from interfering with election workers unless there is a public safety emergency.
Newsom signed the law because of concerns about possible interference by President Donald Trump’s administration.
Trump officials say they do not plan to send agents to polling places.
The law also makes it illegal to knowingly remove voted ballots from election officials.
Earlier, the FBI seized 2020 election ballots from a county in Georgia, raising worries about federal actions in elections.
California’s primary uses an open system where the top two candidates, regardless of party, move to the general election.
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The U.S. Department of Justice has opened a criminal investigation into E Jean Carroll, who accused President Donald Trump of sexual assault. The inquiry looks at whether Carroll lied under oath about receiving outside help to pay for her legal fees during her lawsuits against Trump.
Key Facts
E Jean Carroll accused President Trump of sexual assault in a 2019 book.
Carroll sued Trump for sexual abuse and defamation, and juries found Trump liable, awarding her damages.
Carroll said she did not accept outside financial support in a 2022 deposition, but later it was revealed a nonprofit funded some of her legal costs.
Trump’s lawyers say Carroll hid this funding, which they claim damages her credibility.
Carroll’s lawyers deny she had contact with the nonprofit funding her legal fees.
A federal appeals court dismissed the claim that Carroll lied in her deposition.
The acting attorney general has recused himself from the investigation due to a conflict of interest.
The Justice Department previously opened criminal investigations into other political opponents of President Trump.
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A former CIA official, David Rush, was arrested after FBI agents found $40 million in gold bars at his home while investigating whether he lied about his education and military service. He is charged with stealing public money and making false statements about his background, and the investigation is ongoing.
Key Facts
David Rush, a former CIA official, was arrested last week.
FBI found about 303 gold bars worth over $40 million at his home during a search.
Rush is held in jail while attorneys and prosecutors prepare for a detention hearing on June 5.
The CIA referred Rush for investigation after an internal review found possible legal violations.
He is charged with stealing public money and making false claims about his education and military record.
Rush allegedly requested large amounts of foreign currency and gold bars from the government for work expenses between 2025 and 2026.
He was accused of lying about having degrees from Clemson University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and the Naval Postgraduate School.
Rush falsely claimed to be a Navy pilot and to still be in the Navy Reserves, which helped him get military compensation.
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California Governor Gavin Newsom plans to tax 100% of any payments from Donald Trump’s $1.776 billion fund for alleged victims of political targeting. This fund was set up as part of a settlement between President Trump and the IRS after Trump sued over his leaked tax returns.
Key Facts
The fund, called the “anti-weaponization fund,” is worth $1.776 billion.
It aims to compensate people claiming to be victims of political or legal targeting, but it's unclear who qualifies.
The fund comes from a settlement between President Trump and the IRS.
Governor Newsom wants California to tax all money paid from this fund to state residents at 100%.
Some critics suggest the fund could help people arrested during the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack.
Five officials appointed by the US attorney general will manage the fund.
Claims for compensation must be filed by December 1, 2028, or remaining money goes back to the government.
Newsom and President Trump have a history of public disagreements on several political issues.
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