🌿 Your Peace Pulse

George Wendt, actor whose name everyone knew on ‘Cheers,’ dies at 76

On "Cheers," Wendt's entrances were always cheered with a warm “Norm!” — and his wisecracks always landed. He later crafted a stage career that took him to Broadway in “Art,” “Hairspray” and “Elf.”

Published on: May 20, 2025 | Source: PBS NewsHour

Johnson says House on track for Trump budget vote within two days 

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Tuesday evening that GOP leadersare on track to vote on President Trump's domestic agenda before Friday. Johnson has been in countless conversations with the two groups of lawmakers who, as recently as Tuesday morning, were still threatening to sink the package. But an 11th-hour offer to the SALT Caucus...

Published on: May 20, 2025 | Source: The Hill

RFK Jr. takes fire in Senate hearing on research cuts, expected farming report

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced intense questioning from the Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday as he defended the deep cuts to his department the Trump administration is requesting in its fiscal year 2026 budget proposal. The secretary sat for his third congressional budget hearing in the past week, with...

Published on: May 20, 2025 | Source: The Hill

Trump takes foot off ceasefire push in Russia-Ukraine war

President Trump stepped back from his demands for an immediate 30-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine following calls with Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday, instead suggesting Moscow and Kyiv should start negotiations over what broader peace talks might look like. The president’s rhetoric since the calls indicates a shift that will be welcomed...

Published on: May 20, 2025 | Source: The Hill

WATCH: Trump announces concept for ‘Golden Dome’ missile defense program in the U.S.

While the president picked the concept he wanted, the Pentagon is still developing the requirements that Golden Dome will need to meet — which is not the way new systems are normally developed.

Published on: May 20, 2025 | Source: PBS NewsHour

WATCH: Rubio pressed on Trump’s acceptance of $400 million plane from Qatar

Secretary of State Marco Rubio faced questions from Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., about President Donald Trump’s acceptance of a gift from Qatar – a nearly-$400 million aircraft that Trump says will replace Air Force One.

Published on: May 20, 2025 | Source: PBS NewsHour

Trump's Golden Dome raises major questions: Can it be built? Should it? What's Canada's role?

Published on: May 20, 2025 | Source: CBC News - Canada

Minister defends Canada's sovereignty as Trump says Golden Dome would cost 'zero dollars' for 51st state

Published on: May 20, 2025 | Source: CBC News - Canada

Trump's 'Golden Dome' raises major questions: Can it be built? Should it? What's Canada's role?

Published on: May 20, 2025 | Source: CBC News - Canada

NFL owners unanimously approve player participation in 2028 Olympic flag football

NFL owners unanimously approved allowing players to participate in flag football for the 2028 Olympics. No more than one player per NFL club would be permitted. Olympic rosters will be selected by the national committee for each country.

Published on: May 20, 2025 | Source: CBC News - Canada

What is habeas corpus, and what has the Trump administration said about suspending it?

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says the constitutional provision that allows people to legally challenge their detention by the government is actually a tool the Trump administration can use in its broader crackdown at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Published on: May 20, 2025 | Source: PBS NewsHour

WATCH: Noem fumbles definition of habeas corpus

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stumbled Tuesday when asked to define habeas corpus, the constitutionally protected right to unlawful detention.

Published on: May 20, 2025 | Source: PBS NewsHour

Chicago newspaper prints a summer reading list. The problem? The books don't exist

TheChicago Sun-Timesis being roasted online after it confirmed that a freelancer used AI to generate a summer reading list made up of real authors and fake books. The newspaper called it "a learning moment for all of journalism." Meanwhile, the paper's union said it was "deeply disturbed" by what it called "this slop syndication."

Published on: May 20, 2025 | Source: CBC News - Canada

UK cuts trade talks with Israel over Gaza offensive and blockade

The British government says it is suspending free trade negotiations with Israel and leveling new sanctions targeting West Bank settlers as it criticizes Israel’s military actions in Gaza.

Published on: May 20, 2025 | Source: PBS NewsHour

Israel’s latest military offensive kills 85 in Gaza despite mounting international criticism

Israel is pressing ahead with its new military offensive in Gaza despite mounting international criticism.

Published on: May 20, 2025 | Source: PBS NewsHour

New Orleans jail worker arrested after admitting he helped inmates escape when they threatened to ‘shank’ him

Authorities have arrested an Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office maintenance worker in connection with the escape of 10 jail inmates.

Published on: May 20, 2025 | Source: PBS NewsHour

Musk says he will cut back on political spending after paying at least $250M backing Trump in 2024

Elon Musk, the richest person in the world and a key financial supporter of President Donald Trump, says he’ll be spending less on political campaigns.

Published on: May 20, 2025 | Source: PBS NewsHour

Mississippi tornado survivors await assistance from FEMA as Trump overhauls agency

The emergency management director in one of the state's hardest-hit counties said debris removal operations have ground to a halt and people who lost their homes aren't getting the help they need.

Published on: May 20, 2025 | Source: PBS NewsHour

Canadian defender Vanessa Gilles joins Bayern Munich after soccer success in France

Canadian international defender Vanessa Gilles, who spent the last three seasons with France's Lyon on loan from Angel City FC of the NWSL, has been sold to Bayern Munich.

Published on: May 20, 2025 | Source: CBC News - Canada

Portugal's far-right Chega makes historic election gains. Some are comparing it to Trump's rise

Portugal’s third general election in three years has failed to deliver the result that could break the worst spell of political instability for decades in the European Union country of 10.6 million people.

Published on: May 20, 2025 | Source: CBC News - Canada

WATCH: White House holds briefing for ‘take your kids to work day’ as Trump visits Capitol Hill

If President Donald Trump had a superpower, it would be to "snap his fingers" and get the House budget bill passed, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday.

Published on: May 20, 2025 | Source: PBS NewsHour

Trump officials say yearly COVID shots will no longer be approved for healthy adults and children

The FDA said Tuesday annual COVID shots will still be regularly approved for seniors and younger people with increased health risks from the virus.

Published on: May 20, 2025 | Source: PBS NewsHour

Global pandemic accord adopted by WHO amid U.S. absence

Members of the World Health Organization have adopted an agreement intended to improve preparedness for future pandemics following the disjointed global response to COVID-19.

Published on: May 20, 2025 | Source: CBC News - Canada

IN PHOTOS | Chelsea Flower Show blooms with royals, celebs

Running from May 20 to 24, the Chelsea Gardening Show by the Royal Horticultural Society in the U.K. sees garden designers competing to earn coveted bronze, silver or gold medals with their imaginative landscapes and floral displays.

Published on: May 20, 2025 | Source: CBC News - Canada

Comey calls Trump seashell photo backlash a 'distraction' after Secret Service scrutiny

Former FBI Director James Comey on Monday called the recent backlash to his “8647” seashell photo a “distraction” and maintained that his intentions were “totally innocent” behind the now-deleted post. In an interview on MSNBC's "Deadline: White House," host Nicole Wallace asked whether he regrets posting the photo, which caused an onslaught of criticism from...

Published on: May 19, 2025 | Source: The Hill

Breaking up 'one big, beautiful bill'

Welcome to The Hill's Business & Economy newsletter {beacon} Business & Economy Business & Economy The Big Story Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ heads for next House hurdle President Trump’s bill of legislative priorities advanced out of the House Budget Committee in an unusual late-night vote Sunday, but conservatives have signaled more work is needed...

Published on: May 19, 2025 | Source: The Hill

Here's what’s in the GOP's 1,116-page ‘big, beautiful bill’

House Republicans cleared a major hurdle over the weekend in advancing a sweeping package of President Trump’s tax proposals, along with significant spending cuts and reforms for key federal programs. The House Budget Committee advanced the mammoth, 1,116-page bill in an unusual late-night vote on Sunday, as Republicans of various factions have clashed over the...

Published on: May 19, 2025 | Source: The Hill

After Biden’s diagnosis, a look at prostate cancer’s impact on men in the U.S.

Former President Biden has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer. Among men in the U.S., prostate cancer is the most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer deaths. Geoff Bennett spoke with Dr. Jay Raman, chair of the Department of Urology at Penn State Health.

Published on: May 19, 2025 | Source: PBS NewsHour

Naomi Biden calls new Tapper book 'political fairy smut'

Former President Biden’s granddaughter, Naomi Biden, tore into the authors of a forthcoming political book that makes new claims about steps taken in the Biden White House to shield the American public from signs of the former president’s cognitive decline. In a post Tuesday on the social platform X, Naomi Biden said that she just...

Published on: May 19, 2025 | Source: The Hill

News Wrap: Supreme Court allows Trump to end temporary protected status for Venezuelans

In our news wrap Monday, the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to strip legal protections from hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan immigrants, President Trump says Russia and Ukraine will ceasefire negotiations, the head of CBS News announced her resignation and the FAA is investigating a two-second outage involving the facility that handles air traffic at Newark airport.

Published on: May 19, 2025 | Source: PBS NewsHour

Trump's careful balance on AI

{beacon} Technology Technology The Big Story Trump walks 'geopolitical tightrope' in AI race Amid the global race to dominate artificial intelligence (AI), President Trump is facing growing pressure to withhold emerging American technology from foreign adversaries while ensuring U.S. chipmakers dominate the global stage. AP Photo/Alex Brandon Trump’s tech policy was a...

Published on: May 19, 2025 | Source: The Hill

Israel allows ‘minimal aid’ into Gaza as it intensifies airstrikes and ground operations

The Israeli military allowed humanitarian aid into Gaza for the first time in more than 11 weeks. It came after Britain, France and Canada threatened to sanction Israel if it did not provide assistance. Israel also ordered Gaza’s second-largest city evacuated, part of a new ground operation that Israel says will not only clear Hamas, but also hold “all of the Gaza Strip.” Nick Schifrin reports.

Published on: May 19, 2025 | Source: PBS NewsHour

Credit rating downgrade triggers warning signs for U.S. economy

The growing size of the U.S. debt, and the concerns over how much more it will increase, is very much on the minds of investors, markets and lawmakers. The developments were tied in part to Moody’s announcement that it was downgrading the U.S. credit rating over concerns about large annual deficits, debt and rising interest costs. Amna Nawaz discussed more with David Wessel.

Published on: May 19, 2025 | Source: PBS NewsHour

What Trump’s tariffs mean for the everyday products we rely on

Nearly one out of every three physical products made in the world today comes from China, including many items we use in our daily lives. Economics correspondent Paul Solman invites us into his home for a look at what tariff turbulence means for the products we rely on.

Published on: May 19, 2025 | Source: PBS NewsHour

How federal funding cuts have hit nonprofits and the communities they serve

A federal judge heard arguments in a legal challenge to the Trump administration’s sweeping cuts to AmeriCorps. Twenty-four states and the District of Columbia argue the administration overstepped its authority in slashing the program. Lisa Desjardins spoke with non-profit organizations facing budget cuts and conservatives who want their funding slashed.

Published on: May 19, 2025 | Source: PBS NewsHour