GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy fights to hold onto seat in Louisiana primary against Trump-backed challenger

May 16, 2026 / 6:00 AM EDT / CBS News

Washington — Louisianans are voting Saturday in the state’s Senate primaries as Sen. Bill Cassidy fights to hold onto his seat.

A handful of Republicans are facing off Saturday in a competitive primary to win the GOP nomination as Cassidy — a Republican who has occasionally broken with his party — seeks a third term in the Senate.

Cassidy, 68, was one of seven Senate Republicans who voted to convict Mr. Trump in his impeachment trial after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol in 2021. And although he’s emphasized his cooperation with the administration in recent years, the president endorsed Rep. Julia Letlow in January, encouraging her to challenge Cassidy for the seat.

Letlow, 45, became the first Republican woman elected to represent Louisiana in Congress in 2021 after winning a special election for Louisiana’s 5th Congressional District following the death of her husband, who died in 2020 from complications related to COVID-19 before he could be sworn into office. She’s hammered Cassidy as disloyal to the GOP, claiming Louisiana “shouldn’t have to wonder how our senator will vote when the pressure’s on.”

In addition to his vote to impeach Mr. Trump, Cassidy has been at odds with the administration over Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s leadership, despite delivering the key vote to advance Kennedy’s nomination last year. Cassidy, a medical doctor, has broken with the HHS secretary on multiple occasions, including slamming a change to the hepatitis B vaccine schedule for infants and calling for the postponement of key vaccine advisory panel meetings.

While Letlow has accused Cassidy of not being sufficiently conservative, Cassidy has claimed the same about his Trump-backed opponent, pointing to comments she made in 2020 supporting DEI programs in education. And the feuding between the two candidates has appeared to create an opportunity for another Republican — state Treasurer John Fleming, who previously represented Louisiana in the House and worked in the first Trump administration.

If no candidate receives a simple majority, the top two vote-getters will go to a runoff on June 27. An Emerson College poll from April indicates that the outcome is likely.

blob:https://www.cbsnews.com/760c44c3-8340-4386-9400-70e9ffa4b8d6

The contest will likely be viewed as a test of the president’s influence. Earlier this month, Mr. Trump’s gambit to push Republicans out of the state Senate in Indiana who defied his redistricting efforts was largely successful. Whether the same is true in Louisiana remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, the Senate Republicans’ campaign arm, the National Republican Senatorial Committee, has supported Cassidy. Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters Thursday that “Bill Cassidy has been a terrific senator for Louisiana.”

“Tim Scott and I at the NRSC, our job is to do what we can to support incumbents,” Thune said.

“But obviously the voters of Louisiana are going to make that decision.”

On the Democratic side, Nick Albares, a former policy advisor to Gov. John Bel Edwards, Navy veteran Gary Crockett and third-generation farmer Jamie Davis are facing off for their party’s nomination. But Louisiana is a solidly red state, where Mr. Trump won 60% of the vote in 2024. And the state last elected a Democrat to the Senate in 2008, making the winner of the GOP primary likely to face a glidepath to the Senate in November’s general election.

Louisiana’s Republican Gov. Jeff Landry suspended the state’s House primaries in the wake of the Supreme Court decision to strike down the state’s congressional map earlier this month, while other races, including the Senate primaries, were set to go on as planned.

美国加强世界杯安保 部署反无人机力量

2026年5月16日 18:45 / 联合早报

美国加强世界杯安保 部署反无人机力量

本届世界杯由美国、墨西哥和加拿大联合主办；图为将举行世界杯最后一场赛事的纽约新泽西体育场。 （法新社）

（纽约彭博电）美国联邦调查局（FBI）计划在世界杯期间，向各体育场部署约60名受过专门训练的州和地方警察，以侦测敌对无人机并进行电子干扰。

本届世界杯由美国、墨西哥和加拿大联合主办，将于6月11日开打，7月19日结束，预计到时将有数百万游客穿梭于美国11个主办城市。

安全官员警告，过去多见于海外战场的无人机威胁，如今在美国本土出现的可能性正日益增加。

知情者透露，相关人员目前正在积极接受培训，来自纽约州和新泽西州警察局、纽约市和洛杉矶警察局等机构的警员，将在FBI的监督下操作反无人机设备。

这次部署反映了联邦当局日益加深的担忧，即市售无人机可能被用于扰乱或袭击大型公共集会。

熟悉培训计划的消息人士说，FBI将直接监督洛杉矶、迈阿密和纽约的无人机防范工作，国土安全部下属机构则负责其余八个主办城市。

最近在亚拉巴马州进行的训练演习，展示操作员如何在不中断比赛或制造恐慌的情况下击落无人机。

他们利用摄像头、雷达和射频传感器探测到进入禁飞区的无人机，并通过电子方式进行干扰，在不开枪的情况下即可控制无人机。

FBI自2022年开始筹划反无人机训练项目，去年10月总统特朗普签署行政命令后正式启动。

美国国会去年12月通过法案，首次授权地方执法机构参与反无人机行动，并拨款5亿美元（约6亿4000万新元）用于这个项目。

美国联邦紧急事务管理局已向世界杯主办城市发放一半资金，用于采购检测等设备，预计今年较迟时候还将拨付另一笔款项。

本届世界杯由美国、墨西哥和加拿大联合主办；图为将举行世界杯最后一场赛事的纽约新泽西体育场。 （法新社）

（纽约彭博电）美国联邦调查局（FBI）计划在世界杯期间，向各体育场部署约60名受过专门训练的州和地方警察，以侦测敌对无人机并进行电子干扰。

本届世界杯由美国、墨西哥和加拿大联合主办，将于6月11日开打，7月19日结束，预计到时将有数百万游客穿梭于美国11个主办城市。

安全官员警告，过去多见于海外战场的无人机威胁，如今在美国本土出现的可能性正日益增加。

知情者透露，相关人员目前正在积极接受培训，来自纽约州和新泽西州警察局、纽约市和洛杉矶警察局等机构的警员，将在FBI的监督下操作反无人机设备。

这次部署反映了联邦当局日益加深的担忧，即市售无人机可能被用于扰乱或袭击大型公共集会。

熟悉培训计划的消息人士说，FBI将直接监督洛杉矶、迈阿密和纽约的无人机防范工作，国土安全部下属机构则负责其余八个主办城市。

最近在亚拉巴马州进行的训练演习，展示操作员如何在不中断比赛或制造恐慌的情况下击落无人机。

他们利用摄像头、雷达和射频传感器探测到进入禁飞区的无人机，并通过电子方式进行干扰，在不开枪的情况下即可控制无人机。

FBI自2022年开始筹划反无人机训练项目，去年10月总统特朗普签署行政命令后正式启动。

美国国会去年12月通过法案，首次授权地方执法机构参与反无人机行动，并拨款5亿美元（约6亿4000万新元）用于这个项目。

美国联邦紧急事务管理局已向世界杯主办城市发放一半资金，用于采购检测等设备，预计今年较迟时候还将拨付另一笔款项。

Trump returns from China with no Iran breakthrough — and a decision to make

2026-05-16T08:00:51.639Z / CNN

By Alayna Treene, Adam Cancryn

3 hr ago
PUBLISHED May 16, 2026, 4:00 AM ET

President Donald Trump walks on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on Friday.

Alex Wroblewski/AFP/Getty Images

As Donald Trump grew increasingly frustrated with diplomatic efforts to end the war with Iran, administration officials were closely watching whether the president’s trip to China — a nation with close ties to Tehran — would yield a significant breakthrough.

But Trump landed stateside Friday with seemingly no progress to report.

Speaking to reporters on his journey back to Washington, the US president claimed Chinese leader Xi Jinping said he would like the Strait of Hormuz to be reopened and that he agrees Iran should not develop a nuclear weapon. But those were statements China had made previously.

“He would like to see it end. He would like to help. If he wants to help, that’s great. But we don’t need help,” Trump told Fox News’ Bret Baier about his Chinese counterpart in an interview airing Friday.

Several administration officials said they wanted to see how the talks between Trump and Xi played out before determining a path forward on Iran.

But now the president has to decide whether launching more strikes on Iran is his best option for ending a conflict that has dragged on well past the six weeks he initially projected, spiking gas prices and sinking his approval ratings on the economy.

In a Truth Social post made Friday morning China time, Trump said his military campaign against Iran is “to be continued!”

There have been differing views within the administration about how to proceed, sources familiar with the talks said. Some, including officials in the Pentagon, have argued for a more aggressive approach — including targeted strikes — that they hope would further pressure Iran into compromising.

Others, however, have argued for a continued focus on diplomacy. Trump himself has leaned into this approach in recent weeks, in hopes the combination of direct negotiations and economic pressure would convince Iran to strike a deal. But Tehran hasn’t moved much in its terms for a deal since Trump announced a ceasefire in April.

“Well, I looked at it and if I don’t like the first sentence, I just throw it away,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Friday about the latest Iranian proposal.

Vice President JD Vance projected confidence earlier this week, telling reporters he had “spent a good amount of time on the phone with both Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff this morning, and a number of our friends in the Arab world this morning,” referencing the top diplomats Trump has tasked with reaching a deal with Tehran.

“Look, I think that we are making progress. The fundamental question is: Do we make enough progress that we satisfy the president’s red line?” Vance said.

“The president has set us off on the diplomatic pathway for now, and that’s what I’m focused on,” he added.

President Donald Trump speaks with members of the media as he returns to the White House after his trip to China, in Washington, DC, on Friday.

Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

But with Iran showing no willingness to move off its hardline stance, Trump has grown increasingly impatient. He’s been particularly irked by the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz — which has sent oil and gas prices soaring — as well as perceived divisions in Iranian leadership that have further complicated negotiations, the sources said. Iran’s latest response to the US proposal, and its rhetoric in recent days, has led many officials to question Tehran’s commitment to a serious deal.

“He’s tried bluster, that didn’t work. He’s tried negotiations, that’s hasn’t worked,” said Ivo Daalder, a former US ambassador to NATO. “He’s trying to find a way to unstick his stuckness.”

There’s rising urgency within Trump’s orbit to find a way out of the conflict as time ticks toward the midterm elections. The war has taken a significant toll on the president’s approval rating as voters feel the economic squeeze, and Republicans are anxious that they’ll suffer the consequences come November.

US gas prices have topped $4.50 a gallon on average and are likely to rise higher as Iran maintains its grip on the strait, a major oil thoroughfare. Inflation is picking up at a concerning pace, exceeding Americans’ wage gains in April for the first time in three years.

And while the broader stock market is largely holding onto its gains, corporate leaders have grown more insistent behind the scenes as they press Trump and his advisers to find a resolution.

“They just want the war over,” said one Trump adviser who recently spoke with Wall Street executives, who characterized the overarching message as “just hurry up.”

Trump has frequently downplayed the domestic impact of the war, insisting that he expected conditions to be far worse than they are. He waved off economic concerns earlier this week — and then doubled down.

“I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation. I don’t think about anybody. I think about one thing: We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon. That’s all. That’s the only thing that motivates me,” he told reporters earlier this week when asked how much Americans’ economic concerns were behind his push for a peace deal.

Pressed on that remark, Trump told Fox’s Baier: “That’s a perfect statement. I’d make it again.”

Still, Trump and his team are keenly aware of their precarious situation — juggling the search for a victory in Iran against a vanishingly short political timeline.

“When I’m driving down the street and see $5 gas, that scares the hell out of me,” the Trump adviser acknowledged.

“They’re trying to figure out a way, but this is not going to go on much longer. By hook or by crook, they’re going to get the strait open — they have to get it open.”

美国指伊拉克真主党旅要员策划袭击欧美

2026年5月16日 18:52 / 联合早报

美国指伊拉克真主党旅要员策划袭击欧美

萨阿迪被指是亲伊朗的伊拉克武装组织真主党旅的要员。根据美国司法部公布的照片，几年前萨阿迪（右）与伊朗伊斯兰革命卫队指挥官苏莱曼尼见面。苏莱曼尼在2020年1月被美国击杀。 （美国司法部档案照片）

（纽约综合电）美国司法部周五（5月15日）指控亲伊朗的伊拉克武装组织真主党旅（Kataib Hezbollah）一名要员，参与策划针对欧洲、加拿大和美国犹太人的恐怖主义活动，包括要在纽约袭击一座犹太教堂及两家美国银行的欧洲办事处。

联邦检察官称，遭控的伊拉克人萨阿迪（Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi，32岁）参与欧洲至少18起恐怖袭击和加拿大两起恐怖袭击的策划、执行和宣传。

当局说，自美以伊战争爆发以来，萨阿迪指挥并呼吁其他人袭击美国和以色列的人民与目标设施，包括杀害美国人和犹太人作为报复。

萨阿迪被控六项罪名，包括合谋向真主党旅和伊朗伊斯兰革命卫队提供物质支持。美国把它们列为恐怖组织。

萨阿迪在土耳其的伊斯坦布尔被捕，过后移交给美国。他周四（5月14日）到达纽约后已被关押。

联邦调查局局长帕特尔在社交媒体平台X发文指出，萨阿迪涉及大规模的全球恐怖主义活动，是高价值目标。

美国指责真主党旅在2020年12月袭击伊拉克的美军基地，今年3月在巴格达绑架美国女记者吉特森（Shelly Kittleson）。五角大楼、联邦调查局和伊拉克最高司法委员会官员介入后，真主党旅将她释放。

美国指伊拉克真主党旅要员策划袭击欧美

2026年5月16日 18:52 / 联合早报

萨阿迪被指是亲伊朗的伊拉克武装组织真主党旅的要员。根据美国司法部公布的照片，几年前萨阿迪（右）与伊朗伊斯兰革命卫队指挥官苏莱曼尼见面。苏莱曼尼在2020年1月被美国击杀。 （美国司法部档案照片）

（纽约综合电）美国司法部周五（5月15日）指控亲伊朗的伊拉克武装组织真主党旅一名要员，参与策划针对欧洲、加拿大和美国犹太人的恐怖主义活动，包括要在纽约袭击一座犹太教堂及两家美国银行的欧洲办事处。

联邦检察官称，遭控的伊拉克人萨阿迪（Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi，32岁）参与欧洲至少18起恐怖袭击和加拿大两起恐怖袭击的策划、执行和宣传。

当局说，自美以伊战争爆发以来，萨阿迪指挥并呼吁其他人袭击美国和以色列的人民与目标设施，包括杀害美国人和犹太人作为报复。

萨阿迪被控六项罪名，包括合谋向真主党旅和伊朗伊斯兰革命卫队提供物质支持。美国把它们列为恐怖组织。

萨阿迪在土耳其的伊斯坦布尔被捕，过后移交给美国。他周四（5月14日）到达纽约后已被关押。

联邦调查局局长帕特尔在社交媒体平台X发文指出，萨阿迪涉及大规模的全球恐怖主义活动，是高价值目标。

美国指责真主党旅在2020年12月袭击伊拉克的美军基地，今年3月在巴格达绑架美国女记者吉特森（Shelly Kittleson）。五角大楼、联邦调查局和伊拉克最高司法委员会官员介入后，真主党旅将她释放。

莫哈末沙布（中）与大马黄梨工业局主席谢奥马（右）一起检查MD2品种黄梨。 （南洋商报）

马来西亚农业及粮食安全部长莫哈末沙布向国民大派定心丸，强调马国白米供应充足，预计将维持稳定至今年杪，民众无需恐慌性抢购。

莫哈末沙布星期五（5月15日）为哥打拉惹国会选区智能试点黄梨收成计划主持推介礼后说，政府将继续采取措施，确保白米供应稳定。

他呼吁公众照常购买生活必需品，避免囤积。

较早前，莫哈末沙布致词时，赞扬马国民众在面对中东局势引发的全球不确定性时，没有出现恐慌性抢购。

新加坡红十字会首办挑战赛 鼓励民众保持健康持续捐血

2026年5月16日 15:32 / 联合早报

捐血者在运动挑战中展现耐力与毅力，呼应持续献血所需的自律精神。 （新加坡红十字会提供）

新加坡红十字会为捐血者首次举办健身挑战赛，鼓励公众主动管理健康、持续献血救人，也保障我国的血库储备。

配合全国捐血计划80周年，新加坡红十字会星期六（5月16日）在蔡厝港战备军人协会俱乐部举办“RedRad Challenge”挑战赛，让热爱健身的人群向大众传达献血的意义，即献血不只是偶尔行善，还是健康的生活方式。

本地依赖民众定期捐血来应对每日的输血需求，并维持稳定的血液供应。每人每一次献血可挽救三条生命。

参与挑战赛的除了献血者，也包括接受过输血的人，共有超过300人。比赛分三个组别进行，即常规组、进阶组和欢乐双人组。献血者可单独报名，也可与另一名献血者搭档参赛。比赛通过八个功能健身站点，考验参赛者的耐力、力量与韧性，展现定期捐血者的自律和坚持。

从血库到健身场，红十字会第一次举行捐血者体能挑战赛，以推广健康生活方式，鼓励公众持续捐血。

程诗婷（23岁，学生）是参赛的献血者之一。她18岁那年，为了陪伴母亲完成捐血心愿，自己也首次献血。

“妈妈是启发我献血的人，她害怕针头，但献血一直是她想做的事。为了鼓励她，我决定陪她一起去完成第一次献血。看到妈妈努力克服对针头的恐惧，我也深受触动。从那之后，我们母女两人便开始定期献血。”

程诗婷陪伴母亲捐血完成心愿，从此开始定期捐血。（受访者提供）

马刺狂胜灰狼挺进NBA西部决赛 活塞力克骑士拖入抢七

2026年5月16日 15:34 / 联合早报

马刺新星卡斯尔表现神勇，砍下全场最高的32分。 （路透社）

（洛杉矶法新电）圣安东尼奥马刺（San Antonio Spurs）在新加坡时间星期六（5月16日）的美国职业篮球赛（NBA）季后赛西部半决赛中，以139比109大胜明尼苏达灰狼（Minnesota Timberwolves），强势挺进西部决赛；而在东部战场，顽强的底特律活塞（Detroit Pistons）则击败克利夫兰骑士（Cleveland Cavaliers）扳平大比分，将系列赛拖入抢七大战。

带着大比分3比2的领先优势客场挑战灰狼，马刺全场一路领先，从而以总比分4比2淘汰对手。他们将在西部决赛中，迎战卫冕冠军兼头号种子俄克拉荷马城雷霆（Oklahoma City Thunder）。

马刺新星卡斯尔（Castle）此役表现神勇，全场16投11中，砍下32分和11个篮板。福克斯（Fox）和法国球星文班亚马（Wembanyama）也分别贡献21分和19分。

这是自2017年以来，完成重建的马刺首次重返分区决赛。尽管雷霆是夺冠大热门，但在常规赛的交手中，马刺对雷霆取得了四胜一负的优异战绩。卡斯尔赛后受访时说：“我们不太在乎外界的声音。我知道要击败他们非常困难，但我们有信心能够这么做。”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UMounb2UQA

比赛中，马刺在首节便确立了领先优势，虽然灰狼在当家球星爱德华兹（Edwards）的带领下展开反扑，但马刺在第三节通过包夹战术成功压制了爱德华兹，并在第三节结束时将领先优势扩大到26分。在比赛还剩8分钟、落后25分的情况下，灰狼换下主力，爱德华兹也提前走向马刺席位祝贺对手，展示了大将之风，并赢得外界一片喝彩。

活塞客场报捷保生机

在东部半决赛中，康宁汉姆（Cunningham）轰下21分，带领东部头号种子活塞在客场以115比94大胜骑士，将大比分扳成3比3平。

此前在淘汰边缘的活塞，开局便反客为主建立起两位数的领先。此前在主场保持季后赛不败的骑士未能延续神话，双方将在星期一（18日）移师底特律进行第七场生死战。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKmS8i8tyWQ

康宁汉姆本场飙中五记三分球，中锋杜伦（Duren）在防守端表现统治力，贡献11个篮板、3次盖帽和1次抢断。活塞此役共有六人得分上双，替补出场的里德（Reed）斩获17分。

康宁汉姆说：“我们只是在打出属于我们风格的篮球，上场去竞争，尽我们最大的努力去执行战术体系，而且我们紧密团结在一起。

“无论面对什么，我们始终并肩作战，所以这对我们来说是一场伟大的胜利。”

骑士方面，哈登（Harden）攻下全队最高的23分，米切尔（Mitchell）则被限制到仅得18分。活塞在第二节凭借一波22比4的高潮奠定胜局，并在第三节打出30比19的单节比分，没有给骑士任何反扑的机会。

《联合早报》开设全新IG体育账号@zaobaosg.sports，欢迎关注，获取更多体育资讯！

假卖“机动战士”手办及追踪器 男子骗近90人逾10万元

2026年5月16日 15:47 / 管雅凡 新明日报

被告里兹尔在网上假装售卖“机动战士”手办骗钱。 （示意图／iStockphoto）

男子在网上假装售卖“机动战士”手办，以及追踪器，骗得近90人付款超过10万元后不发货，被判坐牢30个月又9周。

被告里兹尔（33岁，Muhammad Ryzal Bin Muhammad Ridha Abdullah Ho）共面对12项包括欺骗、偷窃和不诚实挪用财物等的控状，他承认当中六项，余项交由法官下判时纳入考量。

案情披露，被告在网购平台Carousell上使用不同的账号，兜售机动战士（Gundam）手办模型和苹果AirTags追踪器。然而，被告手中根本没有现货，也完全无意履行交易。

被告先是诱骗买家支付定金，有时还会发送物品照片给买家以索要更多定金，随后将骗得的款项悉数用于个人开销。

当受害者因迟迟未收到货而质问被告时，他便编造各种借口，如货物丢失、遭遇配额限制或快递延误等。为了拖延受害者报警，他甚至会向受害者发送伪造的快递投递照片。

在2021年6月21日至2024年10月22日期间，共有89名受害者因付了钱却没收到货而报警，涉案总金额高达10万3117元。

其间，为了安抚受害者并阻止他们报警，被告还采取“拆东墙补西墙”的手法，向部分受害者退还了总计8260元的款项。

当受害者表明要报警时，被告竟大言不惭称警方不会对他采取行动，甚至宣称自己已有12起案件在身。