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Trump administration proposes welcoming thousands more Afrikaners to U.S. as refugees, citing “emergency”

May 18, 2026 / 10:11 PM EDT / CBS News

The Trump administration is doubling down on efforts to resettle White Afrikaners from South Africa as refugees in the U.S., proposing to increase the government’s refugee cap to welcome thousands more of them, according to a State Department plan sent to Congress and obtained by CBS News.

The administration has effectively closed the U.S. refugee program for most nationalities, except Afrikaners from South Africa, arguing they’re the victims of racial oppression for being White. The South African government has denied persecuting the ethnic minority, composed of descendants of European settlers, mostly from the Netherlands.

Now, the State Department says there’s an “emergency refugee situation” that warrants more admissions of Afrikaners before the end of the fiscal year. The department told Congress it wants to increase the refugee cap from 7,500 to 17,500, and to offer the 10,000 additional spots to Afrikaners.

The admission of 10,000 additional Afrikaners would cost around $100 million, the State Department said in its proposal.

In that plan, the department argued that Afrikaners have faced “escalating hostility,” including critical statements by politicians and a December raid by South African authorities on a U.S. refugee processing center. At the time, South African officials said they had arrested Kenyans who were working at the center illegally, but the U.S. condemned the raid.

The U.S. resettled 6,069 refugees between October 2025 and the end of last month, with officials using most of the 7,500 record-low spots allocated by President Trump last year. State Department figures show 6,066 — or 99% — of the refugees were from South Africa, while the other three hailed from Afghanistan.

Mr. Trump has alleged that Afrikaners are facing a “genocide,” and in a tense Oval Office meeting last year, he confronted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa with a video that spotlighted murders of farmers in the country.

Those claims are heavily disputed. Earlier this year, “60 Minutes” spoke with Afrikaners who rejected the notion that White people are facing a “genocide,” and view murders on farms as part of a broader crime problem in South Africa that harms members of all races.

Mr. Trump has also pointed to a controversial South African law that could allow the government to seize land in some circumstances when it is deemed to be in the public interest. The law does not mention the races of affected landowners, though White South Africans own a disproportionate share of the country’s land, in a vestige of the apartheid system.

The State Department plan shared with Congress on Monday is a proposal that would need to be formally approved by the president before taking effect. But historically, the consultation with Congress, required by federal law, has been a formality.

CBS News has reached out to the State Department for comment.

在大裁员前 Meta将7000名员工调至AI相关岗位

2026年5月19日 11:31 / 联合早报

美国科技公司Meta正在将7000名员工调往与人工智能相关的新岗位，推进全面重组。 （路透社）

美国科技公司Meta正在将7000名员工调往与人工智能相关的新岗位，推进全面重组。公司的重组行动也包括定于本周晚些时候进行的裁员。

彭博社报道，Meta人力资源总监盖尔星期一（5月18日）发布的内部备忘录显示，这些员工将转入几个专注于人工智能相关产品的新团队，包括代理和应用程序。

盖尔在备忘录中写道，新的公司架构将“更加扁平化”，并意味着“团队规模更小”。

她补充说：“我们相信这将提高我们的工作效率和工作价值。”

Meta此前告知员工，为提高效率并“抵消”在AI领域进行的其他投资，公司将于星期三裁员10%，约8000人。备忘录称，公司鼓励北美员工星期三居家办公。

延伸阅读

Meta内部宣布裁员10% 约8000员工受影响

Meta首席执行官扎克伯格已将人工智能列为公司的首要任务，并重新调配团队和资源，以更紧密地聚焦于这项蓬勃发展的技术。推动人工智能的进步已成为Meta消费类产品的核心，也是扎克伯格企业愿景的重点。

古巴总统谴责美国燃料制裁“不道德、非法和无法无天”

2026年5月19日 11:02 / 联合早报

古巴总统谴责美国燃料制裁“不道德、非法和无法无天”

今年1月，美国对拥有960万人口的古巴实施石油封锁，导致古巴居民饱受全国性大面积停电之苦 （法新社）

古巴总统迪亚斯-卡内尔星期一谴责美国对古巴实施的石油封锁，他称“追查并威胁”那些希望向古巴出售燃料的第三方国家的美国行政命令是“不道德、非法和无法无天的”。

综合路透社和法新社报道，迪亚斯-卡内尔星期一（5月18日）警告，若美国发动袭击，将引发一场“血腥屠杀”。

此前一天，美国新闻网站Axios报道称，哈瓦那已从俄罗斯和伊朗获得了300多架军用无人机，并正在考虑将它们用于打击美国目标。

迪亚斯-卡内尔在社媒平台X上发文重申，古巴“不对美国或任何其他国家构成威胁”，并警告称，美国的袭击将“引发一场血腥屠杀，后果不堪设想”。

他没有提及古巴涉嫌囤积攻击无人机一事，但表示古巴拥有“绝对和合法的权利来抵御军事打击”。

今年1月，美国对拥有960万人口的古巴实施石油封锁，导致古巴的能源危机进一步恶化。之后，只有一艘载有73万桶人道主义原油的俄罗斯油轮于三月底抵达古巴。

燃料短缺加剧了本已破败不堪的电网问题，古巴居民饱受全国性大面积停电之苦。社交媒体报道显示，首都哈瓦那及周边地区不时爆发零星抗议活动。

自2024年以来，古巴人已经历了七次全国性停电，其中包括3月份的两次。

Hegseth unleashes on Massie in GOP primary showdown against Trump-backed Navy SEAL vet

2026-05-18T19:27:16-04:00 / Fox News

Hegseth appeared ‘in his personal capacity’ after awarding medals at nearby Fort Campbell, Pentagon says

By Paul Steinhauser , Jessica Sonkin Fox News

Published May 18, 2026 7:27pm EDT

Massie blasts ‘desperate’ attacks amid Trump-backed primary battle

Ahead of Tuesday’s closely watched Kentucky GOP primary, Rep. Thomas Massie says President Donald Trump’s

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HEBRON, KY– Ed Gallrein, the Republican congressional candidate backed by President Donald Trump who is challenging Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky for the GOP nomination, landed extra firepower on the eve of the state’s primary.

Gallrein, a former Navy SEAL and Kentucky farmer, was joined on the campaign trail Monday by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.

Massie has long been one of Trump’s most vocal GOP critics in Congress and the Republican primary in Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District, in the north-central part of the state, the latest test of Trump’s immense grip over the GOP.

“President Trump needs reinforcements, and that’s what war fighters do. They stand behind leaders and have their back,” Hegseth said at an event organized by America First Works, a Trump-aligned nonprofit political advocacy group.

TRUMP SCORES MAJOR PRIMARY VICTORY AS CASSIDY OUSTED IN LOUSIANA

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, right, joins former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein, at an event on the eve of Kentucky’s primary, in Hebron, Kentucky on May 18, 2026. Gallrein is backed by President Donald Trump as he primary challenges Rep. Thomas Massie for the GOP nomination in the state’s fourth congressional district.(Jessica Sonkin/Fox News)

Massie, a libertarian-minded lawmaker who repeatedly takes aim at the president over foreign policy, including the Iran war and unconditional U.S. military aid to Israel, also successfully pushed for the release of government files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

But Hegseth argued that Massie’s record is one of “too much grandstanding, too few great votes, years of acting like being difficult is the same thing as being courageous. It’s not. Real courage means stepping up when the mission matters most, when we need that tough vote to beat left-wing lunatic Democrats the most.”

“President Trump does not need more people in Washington who are trying to make a point, especially from his own party.He needs people willing to help him win, to vote with him when it matters the most,” Hegseth added.

Hegseth’s remarks, which came soon after a stop at nearby Fort Campbell to award medals for service members, were rare for the civilian head of the nation’s military. Defense secretaries have traditionally avoided appearing at political events.

Ahead of the stop, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said Hegseth would appear only “in his personal capacity” and that “no taxpayer dollars will be used to facilitate his visit.”

Hegseth noted the unusual appearance.

“I have to say up front, for the lawyers, that I’m here in my personal capacity as a private citizen, a fellow American, and a fellow combat veteran.”

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But Massie, who’s locked in a competitive clash with Gallrein in what’s become the most expensive congressional primary in history, claimed in a Fox News Digital interview on Monday that Hegseth’s stop “shows that I’m up in the polls. They wouldn’t be sending the Secretary of War to my congressional district if I weren’t.”

“I think it also shows I’m tougher than Iran, and I don’t even have a nuclear weapon. I mean, they are all in at this race. It’s basically a national race at this point, the most expensive race primary in congressional history, and that’s because, you know, I’m up there, I’m getting things done. I got the Epstein files released, I’m getting legislation in the farm bill, I’m getting legislation passed on the floor, and they want to shut me down,” Massie emphasized.

Gallrein, speaking with Fox News Digital ahead of his event with Hegseth, charged that Massie’s “running against President Trump, and the agenda that has been put forward by the Republican Party.”

Kentucky’s primary is being held two weeks after Indiana’s primary, where Trump-backed challengers ousted five sitting Republican state senators who last December teamed up with Democrats to defeat the president’s push for congressional redistricting in the GOP-dominated Midwestern state.

And the ballot box showdown in Kentucky comes three days after Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana was ousted as he sought renomination. The senator came in third in the primary, behind Trump-backed Rep. Julia Letlow and conservative Louisiana Treasurer John Fleming.

Cassidy’s political defeat came five and a half years after he voted to convict Trump after he was impeached by the House for his role in the violent Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters who aimed to upend congressional certification of former President Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory. Trump was acquitted by the Senate.

Massie said he “absolutely can” overcome the Trump endorsement of Gallrein. “I’ve got the groundswell here, like my events. I’ve got 100-200 sometimes 300 people show up. My opponent had to cancel events because he couldn’t get enough people, you know, to fill up a Dairy Queen, half a Dairy Queen.”

SCOOP: TRUMP-BACKED FORMER NAVY SEAL LAUNCHES GOP PRIMARY CHALLENGE AGAINST MASSIE

Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky campaigns on the eve of his state’s primary, in Mason County, Kentucky on May 18, 2026.(Paul Steinhauser/Fox News)

The race has become the most expensive in House history in terms of ad spending, with over $32 million shelled out, according to the nationally known ad tracking firm AdImpact.

Much of that money has been shelled out by Trump’s allies and pro-Israel groups.

“Here’s the thing, I’ve got nothing against Israel. I just have never voted for foreign aid. When I said America First, I meant it. I don’t vote for foreign aid to Egypt, to Syria, to Ukraine. I’ve got a flawless record on this, and I’m not going to ruin it by sending foreign aid to one country,” Massie said as he defended his stance on Israel.

And Massie touted that while Trump’s allies and pro-Israel groups have spent tens of millions to take him out, he said, “I’ve got tens of thousands of grassroots donors who are funding me $50 at a time, $20 at a time. We’ve been able to match them to go toe to toe with them on TV using grassroots donors, and it’s really galvanized the nation.”

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U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) leaves to speak with the media after the House voted 427-1 to approve the Epstein Files Transparency Act and the release of documents and files at the U.S. Capitol on November 18, 2025 in Washington, DC.(Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images)

Trump has repeatedly targeted Massie in social media posts in the closing days of the primary campaign.

The president said in a video posted to Truth Social on Monday that he hoped Kentucky voters would put Massie “out of business” and that “we’re in a fight against the worst congressman in the history of our country.”

And Trump praised Gallrein as “a great guy” and “a great patriot.”

But Massie said Trump’s taunts on social media may backfire.

“It shows he’s losing sleep, his reputation is on the line. He really shouldn’t have got involved in this race, because I vote with him 90% of the time,” the congressman said.

Paul Steinhauser is a politics reporter based in the swing state of New Hampshire. He covers the campaign trail from coast to coast.

Trump says TrumpRx will now carry 600 generic drugs

2026-05-18 21:33:00 UTC / Reuters

By Reuters

May 18, 2026 9:33 PM UTC Updated 2 hours ago

U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks about health care costs and affordability from an auditorium on the White House campus in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 18, 2026. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst Purchase Licensing Rights

WASHINGTON, May 18 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald ​Trump said on ‌Monday that TrumpRx.gov, a government-backed website offering ​discounted prescription ​drugs under his administration’s ⁠pricing deal, ​will now carry ​generic drugs.

“I’m thrilled to announce that ​we’re increasing ​the number of drugs ‌available ⁠on TrumpRx by nearly seven times, adding over ​600 ​affordable ⁠generics to the website,” ​Trump said ​at ⁠a White House event.

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Reporting ⁠by ​Ahmed Aboulenein ​and Costas Pitas; Editing ​by Chris Reese

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Senate Republicans confirm nearly 50 of Trump’s picks for energy, land management

May 18, 2026 6:36pm EDT / Fox News

Senate Republicans install 60% of Trump’s civilian nominees after rules overhaul

By Alex Miller, Fox News

https://www.foxnews.com/video/6378083595112

Senate Republicans seek to reduce time on nominations

Fox News senior congressional correspondent Chad Pergram reports on the new effort to expedite Senate confirmations by Republicans on ‘Special Report.’

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Senate Republicans moved one step closer to clearing out the backlog of President Donald Trump’s nominees.

The GOP confirmed 49 of Trump’s picks on Monday, a move that will have installed 60% of his civilian nominees. It’s also the fourth time Republicans have confirmed a slate of nominees in a batch since changing the Senate’s rules last year.

Included in the latest batch are 20 different positions, including a dozen U.S. attorneys, several U.S. marshals, ambassadors and members of a variety of agencies, including the departments of War, Transportation, Energy, and others.

GOP TRIGGERS NUCLEAR OPTION IN SENATE TO BREAK DEM BLOCKADE OF TRUMP NOMINEES

President Donald Trump arrives at Joint Base Andrews, Md., on Air Force One on May 15, 2026, returning from Beijing, where he met with China’s President Xi Jinping.(Mark Schiefelbein/AP)

Also included in the group is Trump’s pick to lead the Bureau of Land Management and a former member of Congress, Stevan Pearce.

Senate Democrats for much of last year had blocked most nominees from getting confirmed. Typically, civilian nominees were often confirmed without actually having to take a full vote on the Senate floor.

That obstruction, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., in a bid to prevent Trump from molding the federal government to fit with his agenda, spurred Republicans to go nuclear and change the Senate’s rules.

That move, the fourth time that lawmakers have turned to the nuclear option in the Senate, lowered the threshold for certain picks to just a simple majority rather than the typical 60-vote threshold needed to overcome a filibuster.

SENATE GOP RAMS THROUGH BLUEPRINT TO BANKROLL ICE, BORDER PATROL THROUGH END OF TRUMP ERA

https://www.foxnews.com/video/6378854482112

And it has proven a successful move for Republicans. Last year, they confirmed over 400 of Trump’s picks.

That leapfrogged his first term total during the first year, having only gotten 323 confirmed. And it also blew past former President Joe Biden, who during the same time period had 365 nominees confirmed.

Meanwhile, Republicans are also busy wrapping up work on another element of Trump’s agenda — funding immigration enforcement for the next three-and-a-half years.

SENATORS AGREE TO FORGO SHUTDOWN PAYCHECKS — BUT MANY WON’T FEEL THE PAIN

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer speaks during a news conference after a weekly Democrat policy luncheon at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on April 14, 2026.(Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Republicans are sprinting through the party-line budget reconciliation process in their bid to ram through a $72 billion funding package for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol by June 1.

Lawmakers have until the end of the week to wrap up the process, given that they’re scheduled for another recess next week for the Memorial Day holiday.

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But the package has hit some snags with the Senate’s rules referee, and some items, including $1 billion for security enhancements for Trump’s ballroom and funding for the Secret Service were stripped out.

Alex Miller is a writer for Fox News Digital covering the U.S. Senate.

Pay for American workers is lagging inflation — again

May 18, 2026 5:01 PM EDT / CBS News

Roughly three-quarters of Americans say their incomes are lagging behind inflation, according to a CBS News poll.

Recent economic data attests to the dip in so-called real wages. In April, U.S. inflation rose at an annual rate of 3.8% from a year ago, while workers’ paychecks grew 3.6% — the first time since 2023 that consumer prices have outpaced wage growth.

That sense of slipping backward, particularly driven by surging gasoline prices, is worsening the affordability challenges facing many people: 76% of survey respondents reported concern about their personal finances, CBS News found.

Some 64% also described the state of the economy as “very bad” or “fairly bad,” according to the survey, which was conducted from May 13-15.

“People are looking at higher prices across the board, and their dollar is not carrying them as far as it previously was,” Angela Hanks, a former Department of Labor official and currently chief of policy programs at The Century Foundation, a progressive think tank, told CBS News.

Surging energy prices accounted for 40% of the April inflation spike, labor data showed last week. On an annual basis, gasoline prices jumped more than 28% last month from a year ago. Steeper U.S. tariffs on imports are also contributing to the recent burst of inflation, according to economists.

“In the near term, higher energy prices will push up overall inflation,” former Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said on April 29 in his final press conference as head of the central bank. “Beyond that, the scope and duration of potential effects on the economy remain unclear, as does the future course of the conflict itself.

Higher fuel costs are seeping into the price of some consumer goods, Hanks said.

“People are paying more for gas to get to and from work, and it’s showing up in how companies are pricing in their costs for consumers as well,” she said. “All of those things together create more friction that makes it harder for businesses to hire and for the labor market to maintain its pace.”

Consumers bearing the load

Uncertainty over the Iran war makes it hard to predict when inflation might recede, according to some economists.

“There doesn’t seem to be any progress in resolving the Middle East conflict, tariffs are still hitting consumers and businesses hard, and cuts to food stamps and health care are making life harder for the average household,” Gbenga Ajilore, chief economist at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a nonpartisan think tank, said in a statement to CBS News.

Although consumer spending — which accounts for roughly two-thirds of economic activity — has largely held up this year, Ajilore worries that could change quickly.

“At some point, a majority of consumers — not just low-income ones — are going to pull back their spending, and that is going to lead to lower economic growth,” he said.

Actor Jon Voight met with Trump to advocate for Hollywood tax incentives

2026-05-18 22:56:44 UTC / Reuters

By Dawn Chmielewski and Lisa Richwine

May 18, 2026 10:56 PM UTC Updated 41 mins ago

Cast member Jon Voight attends a premiere for the film “Reagan” at TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles, California, U.S., August 20, 2024. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni Purchase Licensing Rights

• Summary

• White House says Trump wants to ‘make Hollywood great again’
• President named Voight ambassador to Hollywood along with Stallone, Gibson
• Goal is to lure production back from foreign locations

LOS ANGELES, May 18 (Reuters) – Actor Jon Voight met with President Donald Trump earlier this year to advocate for a federal ‌tax credit intended to help boost film and TV production in the United States, representatives of the actor said on Monday.

The previously undisclosed meeting at the White House on February 11 is part of a Hollywood effort to secure federal assistance to fight the flight of ​production overseas.

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When asked about the meeting, a White House spokesperson said Trump “is committed to Make Hollywood Great Again, ​and his administration continues to explore all possible policy options to ensure Hollywood remains a ⁠potent force of American culture.”

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Trump named Voight, who rose to fame following his role in the 1969 film “Midnight Cowboy,” as ​one of three special ambassadors to Hollywood along with Sylvester Stallone and Mel Gibson in January 2025.

To fight an exodus ​of entertainment production abroad, Voight is working with a coalition that includes the Motion Picture Association, the Directors Guild of America and unions representing actors, writers and other talent.

SP Media Group CEO Steven Paul, a film producer and Voight’s agent, and SP Media President Scott Karol ​have proposed a 20% federal tax credit for labor costs on a film or television production in the United ​States.

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An additional 5% could be earned for independent films or for filming in a disaster zone or a defined “enterprise zone.” Those credits could ‌be ⁠used in tandem with state incentives.

The goal is to make the cost of domestic production competitive with Britain and other places around the world that offer tax credits, lower labor costs and world-class soundstages.

Overseas incentives have been luring movie and TV producers to locations outside the United States for years. Filming in the U.S. declined 10% in the first quarter, compared ​with a year ago, according ​to ProdPro, which tracks ⁠worldwide film and television production.

The United States accounted for roughly 38% of film and television work in the first quarter of the year, while the United Kingdom and Canada together ​represented nearly one-third of global production, ProdPro reported.

In September 2025, Trump floated the idea of ​a 100% tariff ⁠on movies made abroad as a way to bring production back to the United States.

Industry advocates welcomed Trump’s desire to fight production flight but have urged the president to support tax incentives.

California more than doubled its annual tax incentives for film and television ⁠production in ​June 2025 to $750 million. Early results show the effort helped bring some ​projects back to Hollywood. Shoot days in Los Angeles rose nearly 11% in the first quarter of this year, according to permitting agency FilmLA.

Reporting by Dawn Chmielewski and Lisa Richwine in Los Angeles; editing by Jennifer Saba and Cynthia Osterman

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Senate Republican threatens to derail ICE, Border Patrol package over Trump’s billion-dollar request

May 18, 2026 4:01pm EDT / Fox News

Tillis’ defection, along with Sens. Curtis, Murkowski, Collins and Scott, could sink the bill given the GOP’s narrow margin

By Alex Miller, Fox News

Fox News correspondent Mark Meredith has the latest on the debate as many express security fears following the WHCA Dinner shooting on ‘Special Report.’

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An internal dispute could derail Republicans’ goal of funding immigration operations for the remainder of President Donald Trump’s presidency.

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., told his colleagues that he would not support the GOP’s $72 billion reconciliation package if it included $1 billion in funding for Trump’s ballroom.

His defection, along with a handful of other Republicans critical of the funding, could sink the bill.

SENATE REPUBLICANS BALK AT $1B WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM REQUEST: ‘YOU MADE THAT NUMBER UP’

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., told his colleagues that he would not support the upcoming budget reconciliation package if it included $1 billion for President Donald Trump’s ballroom.(Andrew Harnik/Getty Images; Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

And given the GOP’s narrow margin in the upper chamber, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., can’t afford Republicans to break from the party line.

Tillis’ opposition, which was first reported by Axios and confirmed by a source familiar to Fox News Digital, alone isn’t enough to torpedo the package meant to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol for the next three and a half years.

But others, including Sens. John Curtis, R-Utah, Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Rick Scott, R-Fla., aren’t thrilled with the funding.

Republicans were briefed by Secret Service Director Sean Curran last week on the funding, which included $220 million for “White House complex hardening.”

REPUBLICANS SLIP $1 BILLION IN TAXPAYER MONEY FOR TRUMP BALLROOM SECURITY IN ICE, BORDER PATROL PACKAGE

https://www.foxnews.com/video/6395414493112

That would fund “above and below ground” security enhancements for Trump’s ballroom, which the administration argued would “afford needed protection for the president, his family, and visitors, along with the below-ground, highest-level security functions,” according to an itemized readout obtained by Fox News Digital.

Those enhancements would include bulletproof glass, drone detection technology, chemical filtration and detection systems and “a host of other national security functions.”

An additional $180 million would go toward a White House screening center for visitors. The remaining $600 million would go toward Secret Service training, enhancing protection for Trump and other officials, and other security measures including countering drones and other aerial incursions.

But a saving grace for Republicans could be the Senate referee’s ruling that funding for the ballroom should get yanked from the package.

In order for budget reconciliation to pause the 60-vote threshold and pass under a simple majority of votes, the package has to comply with the Senate’s strict Byrd Rule. Senate Democrats pushed for the Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough to strip out the funding, and they were successful.

SEVERAL PROVISIONS FAIL TO PASS MUSTER WITH SENATE RULES IN ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’

President Trump and first lady Melania Trump join the royal couple for a photo in front of a model of the new presidential ballroom at the White House.(Aaron Chown/AFP via Getty Images)

McDonough ruled over the weekend that, given the complexity and scale of the ballroom project, it would involve the coordination of “many government agencies which span the jurisdiction of many Senate committees. As drafted, the provision inappropriately funds activities outside the jurisdiction of the Judiciary Committee.”

Thune said that Republicans had learned a lot from the parliamentarian’s rulings last year when they were crafting the “big, beautiful bill,” and that the process is a “give-and-take.”

But still, it’s full steam ahead for the GOP to try and advance the package by the end of the week.

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“I think that if we can get it done, we should get it done,” Thune said. “I’m always somebody who believes, especially around here, you want to strike while the iron’s hot, and I think if we, if we’re ready to go, the committees have acted, and we’re in a good place with parliamentarian, and we’ve got, you know, decent attendance here, then I think we want to try and wrap this up.”

Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., the top Democrat on the Senate Budget Committee, lauded the ruling, but noted that Republicans would likely try to find a way to work the funding back in.

“We cannot let Republicans waste our national treasure on a mission of chaos and corruption while turning a blind eye to the needs of the American people,” Merkley said.

Alex Miller is a writer for Fox News Digital covering the U.S. Senate.

Iran more than doubled executions in 2025 as global use of the death penalty hit 44-year high, report says

May 18, 2026 / 7:18 PM EDT / CBS News

By Emily Mae Czachor

The use of the death penalty skyrocketed last year, with documented executions reaching a worldwide high not seen since 1981, a new report found. A majority of the increase came from Iran, where the annual execution rate doubled, according to the report by human rights organization Amnesty International.

At least 2,707 people were executed globally in 2025, the report said, although it acknowledged the overall count was likely much higher. Amnesty International said thousands of additional executions are believed to have taken place in China, but any concrete information about them could not be verified because of the country’s secrecy surrounding its death penalty practices.

Excluding China, the overall number of documented executions still marked a 78% increase from the global tally that Amnesty International reported for 2024. Iran was responsible for at least 2,159 executions, the report said, more than double the number from the previous year.

According to the report, the remaining executions took place in just 16 different countries: Saudi Arabia, with at least 356; Yemen, with at least 51; the United States, with 47; Egypt, with 23; Somalia, with at least 17; Kuwait, with 17; Singapore, with 17; Afghanistan, with 6; the United Arab Emirates, with 3; and Japan, South Sudan and Taiwan, with one each.

Amnesty International said it was also able to corroborate executions or death sentences in Iraq, North Korea and Vietnam, “but had insufficient information to provide a credible minimum figure.” Like China, Vietnam classifies its use of the death penalty as a state secret, and restrictive state reporting practices in Belarus, Laos and North Korea meant “little or no information was available” regarding executions in 2025, the organization said.

Amnesty International

While Iran’s recorded use of the death penalty far outpaced those of other countries with definitive numbers listed in the report, several had notably higher figures last year than in previous years. Saudi Arabia’s executions in 2025 exceeded what was a record high set in 2024, as the country has increasingly sentenced people to death for drug-related offenses, according to the Death Penalty Information Center, a U.S.-based research organization that provides data on capital punishment.

Meanwhile, according to Amnesty International, executions nearly tripled in Kuwait between 2024 and 2025, and nearly doubled in Egypt, Singapore and the U.S., which had its busiest year for the death penalty since 2009. Experts told CBS News in November that the reasons for such a steep uptick within the U.S. were multifaceted, but that it was at least partly driven by political pressure.

Japan, South Sudan, Taiwan and the UAE all resumed executions last year, contributing to the higher global total.

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The new report emphasized that, despite the surge in executions around the world, the countries most responsible “remain an isolated minority.” China, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Vietnam, Yemen and the U.S. are the same 10 nations that have consistently put people to death over the last five years, and Amnesty International said those countries have “shown disregard for safeguards established under international human rights law and standards.”

“This alarming spike in the use of the death penalty is due to a small, isolated group of states willing to carry out executions at all costs, despite the continued global trend towards abolition,” Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s secretary general, said in a statement. “From China, Iran, North Korea and Saudi Arabia to Yemen, Kuwait, Singapore and the USA, this shameless minority are weaponizing the death penalty to instill fear, crush dissent and show the strength state institutions have over disadvantaged people and marginalized communities.”

Polling data indicates that regional views on the death penalty vary widely, although surveys conducted in the U.S., the United Kingdom and parts of Europe indicate declining support in recent decades. As of 2026, more than 70% of countries around the world have abolished capital punishment either legally or in practice, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.