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Sign up for CNN sleep, but a better newsletter series. Our 7-part guide offers useful tips for achieving a better sleep.
You’ve heard the rules: There’s no TV before bed.
But many people feel that listening to something, such as audiobooks, music, podcasts, or TV shows, can help them fall asleep.
A 2018 survey found that over half of people with sleep disorders use music as a sleep aid.
Scrolling or looking at the screen to watch the show before going to bed is poorly sleep hygiene, but what if you haven’t seen it?
“It’s like Goldilocks,” said Dr. Rachel Salas, a professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. “It’s the question of what’s useful for you…it’s not just about your bedtime routine practice, but your environment, everything.”
Everyone is different, and some may fall asleep if they hear something and fall asleep, Saras said. However, there are some practices to maximize benefits and ensure you are avoiding potential pitfalls.
The key to listening to audiobooks, podcasts, music or TV is to fall asleep. Dr. Shaliniparty, a doctor at John J. Cochran Veterans Hospital in St. Louis and an adjunct professor at St. Louis University School of Medicine, says that it’s not that you’re waking up, it’s helping you get rid of.
“When listening to something, this can be harmful to your health if the person actually gets more aggressive or awake and therefore replaces sleep time,” she said in an email. “We recommend that adults get at least seven hours of sleep on a regular basis for optimal performance.”
Meanwhile, predictable kinds of noise can help you tell your body it’s time to swell.
“If you realize that’s part of your bedtime routine and it’s kind of relaxing with comfort… that’s great,” she said.
Dr. Lindsay Browning, a Berkshire psychologist and sleep expert in the UK, should try selecting content to listen to it.
“Pick something less attractive so that your brain doesn’t motivate you to keep your brain awake and sleep in order to pay attention to it,” she said in an email.
Sleep stories may be a better choice than the audio of the book you want to read. A show that you’ve heard before and know how they end may be better than falling asleep on nail bitters.
A soundtrack for sleep may help you fall asleep, but if it lasts all night, it won’t always keep you asleep, Browning said.
“It’s important to set an automatic timer to mute the sound as soon as you fall asleep as soon as possible,” she said.
If there is an unexpected sound, frequency or volume in the show, podcast, or the music you are playing, you could warn your brain to pay attention, Salas said. Surprising noises don’t always wake you up completely, but it can cause many small awakenings you don’t know. It will interfere with your sleep, she added.
One stable sound, like white noise or ASMR, can help with sleep quality, especially if you live in noisy areas, Saras added.
“(If) the bar will close at certain times and people will go outside and walk to the house to talk and scream. That will disrupt your sleep,” she said.
Consistent, non-injected noise can suppress such types of ambient noise, she said.
Sometimes listening to something to fall asleep is not a great part of your bedtime routine, but a way to think of a quiet race at night. Some positive steps during the day may help, Browning said.
“If you keep waking up, if your brain turns out to be too active when you try to stay asleep, you can try to deal with busy thoughts and worries early in the day.”
Methods include spending dedication to thinking about those worries or using cognitive shuffling. This is a technique that involves thinking random, emotionally charged words to take your heart out of the thoughts of the race, Browning said.
“Learn how to calm your busy mind at night and learn how to avoid having to hide those unnecessary thoughts with external sounds is a much better idea,” Browning said.
If you’re listening to something to help insomnia and it doesn’t seem to help in 2-4 weeks, then it may be time to meet a board-certified sleep doctor and get to the root of the problem, Paruthi said.
“There are several proven treatments that are suitable for insomnia treatment, such as cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia. Or, if appropriate, you can consider the medication,” she said.
The level of scrutiny applied by the state courts was explained.
The state’s constitution protects many rights and freedoms of the residents of the state. Some of these rights are similar to those guaranteed by the federal constitution to all Americans, including freedom of speech and protection against unreasonable searches and seizures. However, the state’s constitution does not include federal equivalent rights either. The constitutional rights of these unique states vary from state to state, but the general example is the right to public education and a free and equal election.
If a law is passed that undermines a constitutionally protected right, the person can challenge the law in court, and the way government officials apply the law to them can infringe on rights called “applied” assignments, or argue that it is generally unconstitutional in all applications called “face” assignments. A court facing any type of claim must determine whether the law is acceptablely infringing the constitutional rights of the state in which it is arguedly violating.
Just because your rights are protected doesn’t mean it’s unlimited. According to all 50 state courts, state legislatures may pass laws that limit or ow the constitutional rights of a state, but only to a certain extent. In assessing the constitutionality of state law, state courts generally consider several factors, including the importance of rights, how the law limits those rights, and government reasons for invading those rights. When weighing these factors and determining whether restrictions are acceptable, state courts usually apply one of several tests known as the layer of scrutiny or level of scrutiny. The layer of scrutiny is also used to analyze many federal constitutional rights, and in most states, the analysis that courts apply to state constitutional rights is similar to the approach used for federal rights.
Strict scrutiny
Strict scrutiny is usually the strictest test court, normally applied and reserved for laws that restrict the most fundamental rights. The state constitution may specify that rights are fundamental, but in many cases it is left to the state court to determine whether a particular state’s constitutional rights qualify. The fundamental essence of fundamental rights is that there is never a valid reason for government interference, as it is considered the key to individual freedom. There are some variations in the constitutions and what the courts consider as fundamental rights in each state, but examples include privacy, religious beliefs and rights to court by a jury.
The basic principle is that the person who challenges the law is at risk to the court, and if the law shows the court that it violates that right, the court will apply strict scrutiny. In that case, the law or its application is only supported if the government demonstrates that it has been “narrowly adjusted” to further or achieve “attractive government interests.” In other words, even if the government has very good reasons to invade the right, the law generally must be the most restrictive way to achieve its objectives. Laws analyzed under strict scrutiny reviews rarely survive.
A reasonable basic review
If a right is not considered fundamental, the law restricting that right is usually determined under a review of reasonable basis. In many states, economic rights such as job, business, service, or interest qualifications lead to a reasonable basic review.
In contrast to strict scrutiny, rational evidence is the most generous test. For the law to be supported under this test, it must simply be “reasonably related to the interests of legitimate government.” That is, there must be a non-arrative relationship between the restrictions and reasons the government has to impose it. State courts that apply a review of reasonable grounds often do not even require lawmakers or officials to defend restrictions on identifying specific reasons for the law. Rather, the plaintiff must convince the judge who can provide his justification that there is no reason to consider in the law. As a result, laws are rarely repealed under a reasonable basic review.
However, particularly regarding occupational rights, some state courts have requested the government to meaningfully justify restrictions, making certain interests, such as protecting competitors, are inadequate. Some courts also found that if the impact of the law is too burdensome in light of government goals, then they cannot withstand reasonable grounds.
Interim vet
Between strict scrutiny and reasonable grounds, intermediate scrutiny, known as “strengthened” or “middle tier” scrutiny, is moderate. State courts generally apply interim scrutiny to argue that the law violates the right to “equal protection of the law.” The courts recognize that laws treating people differently based on certain characteristics such as race and national origin are essentially “suspectful” and thus lead to strict scrutiny. However, the courts have found that stricter than strict scrutiny is often appropriate, as it can be guaranteed to treat people differently based on other characteristics (most commonly gender or gender). For example, courts often find laws rooted in “biological differences” between men and women, such as those who treat paternity and obstetric claims differently, and therefore apply interim scrutiny.
If the plaintiff establishes that intermediate scrutiny should apply to the law, the state must show that the law is “relatively related to the interests of the government” in order for it to survive. Put another way by the court, the government must have a “very convincing” justification for the law to survive interim scrutiny.
While intermediate scrutiny applies most commonly to claims based on equal protection, some state courts also allow intermediate scrutiny, which is also suitable for laws that are not “important” but also hampering fundamental rights, such as the right to court remedy for legally false violations.
Tests specific to specific rights
Some state courts have developed specialized tests that apply to only one right. For example, laws that affect voting rights – rights granted positively in almost every state constitution – are areas in which state courts have considered their own tests and adopted state-specific variations.
Due to many challenges to voting restrictions under the US Constitution, courts use tests called Anderson Bulldick (It was named after two Supreme Court cases that it derives). This balances the burden that the law places on participation in the election process for states’ alleged interests. In this test, the court applies strict scrutiny if the law “badly burdens” the voting rights but otherwise tends to defer the government. In fact, the Federation Anderson Bulldick In many cases, tests work in the same way as a reasonable basic review.
Many state courts have departed Anderson Bulldick When analyzing laws that limit the right to vote under your constitution. Recent state-specific approaches include applying strict scrutiny to laws that “unacceptably interfere with” middle class scrutiny against laws with voting and minimal burden of power. Ask if the limit votes “the more burden it actually places on additional qualifications.” And in the case of “heavy burdens,” it induces strict scrutiny.
Similarly, states differ greatly in how they approach laws restricting abortion.
Courts in some states recognize the right to decide to essentially end a pregnancy based on an interpretation of the existing constitution or a constitutional amendment passed by voters. Some of such amendments actually go further and limit what could constitute “persuasive” government interests for the purposes of a rigorous scrutiny analysis in that state. In contrast, other state courts state that only a limited right, such as the right to abortion, are eligible as basic, only when provided in response to a medical emergency. At the other end of the spectrum, some states either apply a reasonable basic review of abortion restrictions or are not aware of their constitutional rights to abortion.
Some states apply another “overburden” test that is inherent to abortion rights. Modeled on federal standards clarified by the Supreme Court. Planned Parenthoodv. Caseybanned abortion restrictions that placed “substantial obstacles” to prevent access to abortion during pregnancy prior to fetal survival. Since dobbs However, it overturned that approach for the purposes of the federal constitution, but some state courts also left.
The state courts have also been in recent years, particularly the Supreme Court. New York State Rifle & Pistol Association. v. Bruneclaims to assert the constitutional right of a state to maintain or endure arms. Satisfy the Federation bridge Testing, gun laws should be similar to historical weapon restrictions. When assessing a state’s constitutional challenge to gun control, a state court can consider whether or not there is any individual right to a firearm under the state’s constitution and whether or not it applies. bridge An analysis of history and traditions, or a strict form of scrutiny, and whether constitutional amendments have been passed in some states requiring strict scrutiny of gun control should be considered as complementary. bridge A historical approach to creating even more rigorous combination tests.
••••
The application of courts to laws restricting certain rights often determines how possible it is for the court to uphold the law, and results in these examination criteria equally for the parties and the public. These tests appear different on paper, but often blurry when courts actually use them.
Morgan Man Law is a student at NYU Law School. She previously attended the Brennan Centre Public Policy Advocacy Clinic.
Sarah Kessler is an advisor and contributing editor State court report.
Suggested Quotes: Morgan Munroe and Sarah Kessler, The level of scrutiny applied by the state courts was explained.sᴛᴛᴇcᴏᴜʀᴛrᴇᴘᴏʀᴛ (May 12, 2025), https://statecourtreport.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/levels-scrutiny-applied-courts-explained
The outbreak of listeria in California, Nevada, leads to recreation of prepared foods
What is Listeria? This is what you need to know
Learn about Listeria, its symptoms, and essential precautions to protect against foodborne diseases.
At least 10 people have been ill and hospitalized due to several immediate food-related outbreaks of Listeria, which were spontaneously recalled, according to the US Food and Drug Administration.
The FDA said on May 10 that, in addition to state and local governments, IT and CDC are investigating outbreaks related to prepared foods produced by Fresh & Ready Foods LLC in San Fernando, California.
According to the FDA, the FDA and CDC began investigating the cluster in 2024, but “there was no sufficient evidence to identify sources of the outbreak.” The agency said it resumed its investigation in April 2025 after investigators discovered listeria in environmental samples collected from fresh food during routine testing.
The agency says that the recalled products are identified by their “use” dates from April 22nd to May 19th and include the following brands:
- Fresh and ready food
- City Point Market is fresh food
- Removes fresh cravings
What you need to know about the outbreak of Listeria includes the condition in which the affected product is on sale.
Which products have been recalled?
This is a complete list of products that have been recalled.
Where was the recalled product distributed?
The FDA said the recalled products were distributed April 18th to April 28th and sold in Arizona, California, Nevada and Washington.
According to the FDA, the product was sold in “various locations.” This includes hospitals, hotels, convenience stores, airports, and airline retailers and foodservice locations.
Of the 10 diseases and hospitalizations reported so far, eight have been reported in California and two in Nevada.
What should I do if I buy a recalled product?
The FDA advises consumers and distributors who have purchased or received recalled products to not eat, sell or serve the products.
Additionally, those and businesses who have purchased or received the recalled product must “carefully clean and disinfect” the surfaces and containers they touch.
Symptoms of Listeria infection
The FDA states that listeriosis symptoms usually begin within two weeks of consuming listeria-contaminated foods, but can begin as early as the same day, or ten weeks after that.
Mild symptoms include fever, muscle pain, nausea, fatigue, vomiting, and diarrhea. More serious symptoms include headaches, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and cramps.
According to the FDA, Listeria is most likely to get tired of pregnant women, newborns, adults over the age of 65, and people with weakened immune systems.
The FDA advises people who think they may have listeriosis to contact their health care provider immediately.
Contribution: Sergeant James, USA Today
Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter for USA Today. You can follow him with X @geuna Alternatively, email him at gdhauari@gannett.com.
GOP tax proposals help the wealthy and the poor, the report found
A new report shows that low-income families lose their income, Republicans extend tax cuts and reduce Medicaid and snaps will win the wealthy.
Millions could lose compensation based on the GOP plan to reduce Medicaid according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office
Republicans must cut more than $800 billion in programs. Experts say it’s not a way to cut them without affecting Medicaid.
WASHINGTON – Low-income families are losing hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in income, according to a new analysis of Congress’s Republican Tax and Budget proposals, but wealthy families can earn even more.
An analysis from the Urban Institute, a Washington, DC-based think tank, estimates low-income families will “incur a significant loss in net profit,” and lawmakers assume that they will extend temporary provisions in the 2017 Trump Tax Cuts and Employment Act.
The report estimates that families with revised adjusted gross income of less than $10,000 will lose more than $2,700 (or a near 15% reduction in income). Families earning between $10,000 and $20,000 will have a decrease in income of over $800 or more, or about 4.4%, while families earning between $20,000 and $30,000 will have a decrease in income of $400 or about 1.5%.
In comparison, families with higher incomes will benefit from an extension of the 2017 tax cut, including an expanded child tax credit.
For example, the Institute estimated that families with incomes between $75,000 and $100,000 had net income of $1,220 or 1.8% after tax transfer income. That figure increases to $2,360 for families earning $100,000-$200,000 and $13,200 for families earning more than $200,000.
The report states that the analysis “excludes other unspecified tax changes that could be included in the settlement bill.”
These estimates are because Congressional Republicans are eliminating the details of the giant building to advance President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda. According to the Tax Foundation, one of Trump’s demands is to make his tax cuts permanent.
Medicaid, which provides health insurance to over 70 million low-income Americans, has also been a subject of debate among lawmakers. Even Democrats and some Republicans are opposed to potential cuts in the program.
R-Mo. Sen. Josh Hawley of the New York Times opinion article published May 12, argued that Congress should do everything to make health care for working families “better” affordable.
“If Congress cuts funds for Medicaid benefits, Missouri workers and their children will lose healthcare. And hospitals will be closed. That’s simple. And that pattern will be replicated in states across the country,” he wrote.
House Republicans announced late Sunday a proposal to enact work requirements and more frequent Medicaid eligibility checks.
Frank Paron, a New Jersey Democrat who joins the Energy and Commerce Committee, denounced the proposal in a statement.
“This is cut back on bones rather than trimming fat around the edge. The overwhelming majority of the bill’s savings will come from stealing health care from millions of Americans. Everywhere on the bill, it cuts people’s health care and uses that money to give billionaires tax-free.
Contributor: Riley Begin, USA Today
The threat of screw bugs forces us to stop importing cattle from Mexico
The threat from carnivorous maggots known as the New World screw worms forced the Agriculture Bureau to suspend imports of live cattle through the southern border.
The US suspends import of live animals due to carnivorous parasites
New World Screwworms have now brought the US to halt the import of all living animals from Mexico indefinitely. Females lay eggs on the open wounds of warm, bloody animals, and eggs hatch in a few hours.
Fox-10 Phoenix
US Secretary of Agriculture Brook Rollins said she has stopped importing livestock “monthly” through the Mexican border “monthly” to protect US cattle from the threat of invasion of dangerous, carnivorous parasites.
Parasites are New World Screwworms, or NWS, and are actually fly, which were eradicated in the United States almost 60 years ago. The US Department of Agriculture said in a statement on May 11 that the NWS was recently detected on a remote Mexican farm within 700 miles of the US border. The statement cited “NWS’ unacceptable northward advancement,” saying additional action should be taken.
“Due to the threat of screw bugs in the New World, I am quickly announcing the import of cows, horses and bison that have lived through the entrance to the US tropical border,” Rollins said in a social media post. “It took our cattle industry 30 years to recover when this devastating pest invaded America. This cannot happen again.”
Luis Fernando Halo, chief of Mexico’s Agricultural Council, said the ban was not necessary and “it doesn’t solve the problem.” He said the established protocols already ensure that cattle that travel to the US are “guaranteed to be released from screwworms.” Mexico’s Agriculture Secretary Julio Verdegu said he opposed the ban but hoped that the two countries would soon reach an agreement.
Rollins called the protection of American animals and the security of the country’s food supply “the most important national security issue.” As increased surveillance and eradication efforts begin to show positive results, the border will resume for livestock trade, she said.
“This is not about Mexican politics or punishment, but rather about food and animal safety,” Rollins said.
According to the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Testing Agency, the USDA eradicated the NWS parasites in 1966 by ultimately leading to infertile flies to release sterile male flies and pups.
In November 2024, the United States stopped importing Mexican livestock after warning the US of detecting NWS cattle at a testing checkpoint near the Mexican border with Guatemala. The USDA then increased delivery of infertility flies, supported additional surveillance programs, and livestock imports resumed in February this year.
But last month, when Mexican authorities began cutting USDA planes’ seven-day flights and began cutting seven-day flights, imposing import duties on “critical aviation parts, distributed equipment, and infertile fly cargo,” Rollins said in a letter to Mexico’s Esteban Garden Barragan.
Mexico temporarily avoided the ban by allowing additional flights and reaching the transaction to waive customs duties.
Parasites get their name from the way maggots that produce larvae scar and open them when feeding animals, and “do great damage by tearing host tissue with sharp mouth hooks,” says USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Testing Service.
Adult screwworm flies resemble or slightly larger than a typical housefly, but have orange eyes, a metal blue or green body, and three dark stripes along their back.
The NWS does not regularly occur or spread in the US, but is usually found in South America and the Caribbean. People who travel to these areas, spend time among livestock animals, sleep outdoors, and suffer open wounds are at a higher risk of contracting the NWS.
‘It’s promising for what is still to come this season’ – Anna Van der Breggen steps up a level at Vuelta Femenina
After a Classics campaign of ups and downs, where she finished runner-up in the Strade Bianche but was hampered by illness in the Ardennes, the Vuelta Femenina was the first big stage race in Anna van der Breggen’s comeback to racing after three seasons away from racing. The SD Worx-Protime rider-turned-sport-director-turned-rider was back to her best, winning stage 4 with a downhill attack and finishing third on both mountain stages to finish third overall and so on the final podium with winner Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez) and Marlen Reusser (Movistar).
“I am really happy with this third place; it was a good stage for me. My teammates continuously kept us near the front. That only motivated me more. I wanted to do as well as I could on the final climb,” Van der Breggen said, looking back at her race.
Trump signs executive orders that seek to reduce US drug costs by challenging prices in other countries
CNN
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President Donald Trump pledged Monday morning to crack down on “irrational or discriminatory” foreign practices, and to ensure that Americans pay far higher costs for prescription drugs.
“From today, the US will no longer subsidize foreign healthcare. This is what we were doing,” Trump said before signing the executive order.
Drugmakers must also start offering patients the lowest prices paid for drugs in fellow countries known as “most preferred countries” prices. He directed the Department of Health and Human Services to meet its price target within 30 days.
“Big Pharma voluntarily adheres to this principle or uses the power of the federal government to ensure that we pay the same prices as other countries to accelerate these price restrictions and reductions,” Trump said, although his authority to request a certain price, especially in the private market, is unclear.
The executive order directed HHS to create rules to enforce policies, to allow more drug imports into the United States, and outlined some potential impacts if manufacturers do not make significant progress in price reductions, including altering or revoking approvals granted to drugs that are inappropriate, ineffective or inappropriate markets.
Trump’s efforts to establish “most preferred country” rules for Medicare’s particular drugs during his first term were immediately blocked by federal courts for procedural reasons before being revoked by then-President Joe Biden in 2021. The new executive order goes far beyond that measure, as it is not limited to Medicare or certain drugs.
Trump also warned that countries that do not lower price demands could face higher tariffs, but it is unclear what authority the administration will have to gain in negotiating drug prices in other countries. He specifically denounced the European Union for forcing drugmakers to offer products at low prices, adding that in many respects trade with Europe is more “troubling” than China.
“We’re going to tell countries like the European Union that the game is up,” Trump said. “If they want to be cute, they don’t need to sell their cars to America anymore.”
The directive is because the Trump administration is trying to impose tariffs on drug imports that were exempt from such taxation enacted during his first term of office. Tariffs could exacerbate shortages of certain drugs, particularly generic drugs, and ultimately raise prices, experts warn.
However, drugmakers did not appear to be rattling with the announcement, and stocks generally rose early in the afternoon. American pharmaceutical research and manufacturers, the industry’s leading trade association, praised Trump for working hard in other countries.
“The administration is entitled to use trade negotiations to make foreign governments pay a fair share of medicines. U.S. patients should not create bills for global innovation,” Phrma CEO Stephen UBL said in a statement.
However, the industry has also warned of enacting the “most preferred country” policy in the United States.
“Importing foreign prices from socialist countries would be a bad deal for American patients and workers,” UBL said. “It means there are fewer treatments and treatment options, and it means that member companies risk the hundreds of billions of people they plan to invest in America.
Some industry analysts said the order was more bark than chewing and wasn’t as intense as some people feared.
“This announcement represents headline risks, with some people scaring about the industry’s oceans changing,” wrote Evan Sagerman, a pharmaceutical analyst at BMO Capital Markets, in a note to his client. “Overall, the most preferred country pricing could be more rhetorical than actual implementable policies.”
The legality of pricing negotiations for the “most favourable nation” is “cloudy” and he wrote that substantial long-term pricing reforms would require Congressional actions.
Americans have long paid far higher prices for drugs than patients in other countries, as other governments often determine costs. According to last year’s HHS report, US prices across all drugs (both brand names and generics) were nearly 2.78 times the price of comparable countries in 2022. For branded drugs, US prices were at least 3.22 times more than they had adjusted for estimated rebates.
Executive orders that are likely to be challenged in courts aim to reduce drug costs in a variety of ways. While US presidents and lawmakers have long criticized Americans for paying drug prices higher than patients abroad, politicians have generally avoided taking widespread action in line with America’s free market philosophy. This is especially true for Republicans.
While Medicare has gained the historic power to negotiate prices for a small number of drugs each year, Trump’s executive order applies to many drug therapy and commercial market prices, as well as Medicare and Medicaid. The president rebutted the idea that the directive amounts to “price management” by telling reporters that the current system includes price management because pharmaceutical companies set prices.
If prices aren’t dropping quickly, the administration will consider various policy levers that can be used to enforce drug costs, White House officials told reporters Monday. The executive order calls on the Department of Commerce and US trade representatives to ensure that other countries do not adopt prices hikes in the US while keeping them low overseas.
The order also aims to be a benefit manager at pharmacies, the so-called intermediary between manufacturers and insurance companies that Trump has denounced in the past. The HHS calls for patients to bypass these intermediaries and establish ways to purchase medication directly from the manufacturer.
It also follows Trump’s April executive order, calling for changes to Medicare’s drug price negotiation program to make it easier for the state to import drugs from Canada.
It is unclear when and when Americans will see lower prices.
In the Truthful Social Post on Monday Morning, Trump wrote that “drug prices will be reduced by 59%.”
“Prescription drugs and pharmaceutical prices will drop by 30% to 80% almost immediately. They will be equal and will rise all over the world to bring equity to America over the years! I will establish the most favorable national policy where the US will pay the same price as the lowest prices in the world.”
This story and headings have been updated with additional developments.
How India and Pakistan agree to an uneasy ceasefire
New Delhi/Islamabad
CNN
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India and Pakistan engaged in the most intense fighting in decades in a four-day escalating conflict that included fighters, missiles and drones packed with explosives. It ended almost as abruptly as it began.
The new details reveal how the phone and diplomatic gusts ultimately led to a ceasefire between nuclear-armed neighbors and historic enemy.
And although the Indian and Pakistan accounts differ for some details, both sides agree that breakthroughs began to arrive on Saturday afternoon.
The ceasefire between Islamabad and New Delhi, which had been working for several days, according to Pakistani officials, was agreed after an Indian military personnel had sent a “hotline” message to Indian counterparts, Indian troops on Sunday provided new details on how the unexpected deal was hit.
During a briefing on Sunday, India’s military operations director said officials had received messages from his counterparts in Pakistan asking for communication as they flocked to the “wargames” early morning strikes from Pakistan on Saturday.
Pakistani forces confirmed on Sunday that it reached out but said they had contacted an intermediary regarding a ceasefire with India. Pakistani officials involved in the talks told CNN on Saturday that the US is making an important call, but did not identify which country.
According to Lt. Gen. Rajiv Gai, India’s military operations director, the ceasefire agreement was reached on a phone call held at 3:35pm local time. He said further calls will be made to “discuss the modalities that allow for longevity.” Pakistan has not confirmed whether the call was made, but officials involved in the diplomatic efforts said Pakistan had received an unspecified “guarantee” from the US that India would comply with the ceasefire.
The latest details of how the agreement, first announced by US President Donald Trump, came to the most clear picture of how Islamabad and New Delhi communicated directly to end the spiral conflict amid growing international pressure.
His true social status, Trump said on Saturday that the US brokered the end of the battle and blessed the leaders of both countries “with common sense and great intelligence.” Islamabad praised our involvement, but New Delhi downplayed it – portraying a ceasefire as a victory, saying that neighbors worked together “directly” in the ceasefire.
India’s military operations director Gai said India approached Islamabad on Wednesday.
India was not designated – it requested that it “was turned down and rejected on the indication that a serious reaction would be inevitable,” Guy told reporters. Pakistani forces said they had been approached by India earlier in the week regarding the ceasefire.
“The Indians have requested a ceasefire since May 8 and 9 after the operation began. We have told them they will return after retaliation,” Pakistan Major General Ahmed Sharif Choudhry said at a press conference on Sunday. After Pakistan’s military operation, “We arrived at international interlocutors and responded to requests for a ceasefire,” he said.
On Wednesday, Pakistani officials involved in diplomatic efforts after India’s first strike said they hoped that Pakistan was working with the US and that those conversations would have positive results.
He said Pakistan would give diplomacy a chance and refrain from retaliation as the US and others attempted diplomacy.
Pakistani officials said they were shocked when India attacked several Pakistani air bases early on Saturday morning as they thought diplomacy was still being played. Pakistan quickly fought back, he said, more difficult than they had planned before.
Pakistani forces called strikes at multiple Indian military bases “eye eyes” and said they targeted Indian air bases used to launch missiles in Pakistan.
Escalation strikes from both sides forced existing diplomatic efforts to HighGear to mediate the end of the battle, including those in the US, China, and Saudi Arabia.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement that he and Vice President JD Vance had spoken to the political and military leadership of India and Pakistan to ensure an agreement before the situation worsens.
According to multiple sources from the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vance has pushed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to find a potential “rump” that escalates tensions. Modi heard but did not commit, the source said.
According to a read from China’s Foreign Ministry, the Chinese Foreign Minister also spoke separately with senior officials in India and Pakistan, expressing Beijing’s support for the ceasefire.
Before 8am, 8am, around 5pm in India and Pakistan, Trump announced a ceasefire on true society, saying, “We are pleased to announce that after a long night of discussions via the US, India and Pakistan have agreed to a complete and immediate ceasefire.”
Shortly after Trump’s post, both sides confirmed a ceasefire.
India’s Foreign Ministry said the agreement was “directly between the two countries,” disregarding US involvement and contradicting Trump’s claims.
However, Pakistani officials praised Washington. “We appreciate President Trump’s leadership and his active role in regional peace,” Prime Minister Shebaz Sharif said.
A Pakistani source familiar with negotiations told CNN that the US, Rubio in particular, has helped to strike the deal, painting a picture of the suspected consultations, trusting missile attacks from India only in the final hours before a ceasefire is confirmed.
It’s no surprise that these bitter rivals give contradictory explanations of how the deal was hit.
India, considered a regional superpower, has long resisted international mediation, but analysts say Pakistan, which relies heavily on foreign aid, tends to welcome it.
The Indian military’s latest explanation of what happened raises further questions about Washington’s role in mediating the ceasefire and what exactly was.
For India and Pakistan, this ceasefire appears to be primarily violating cooperation despite violating each other’s early charges – has provided many necessary relief to both sides.
CNN’s Alayna Treene contributed to this report.
Eye drops, artificial tears, and more ophthalmic products are reminiscent of
According to the notice, over-the-counter ophthalmic products were voluntarily recalled due to manufacturing deviations discovered during an audit by the US Food and Drug Administration.
Pharmaceutical distributor Avkare has been notified of consumer-level drug recalls by recall company BRS Analytical Services LLC. The recalls were issued for several products as a result of a manufacturing deviation that “it could lead to products of unacceptable quality and the risks to patients due to the use of these products cannot be ruled out.”
This notification warns consumers to immediately stop using the affected products. Avkare said the FDA is aware of the recall and that the health hazard linked to the item is unknown.
USA Today contacted Avkare for more details.
When was the item distributed?
The recalled products were shipped from May 26, 2023 to April 21, 2025, Avkare said.
Which products were spontaneously recalled?
Avkare’s press release includes a detailed chart containing the lot numbers and expiration dates for the recall products listed below: Recall notifications posted on the FDA website identified the amount of cases associated with the recall.
- 13,104 cases of lubricant eye drop solutions; National Drug Code (NDC): 50268-126-15
- 32,876 cases of sodium carboxymethylcellulose ocular solution; National Drug Code (NDC): 50268-068-15
- 14,333 cases of polyvinyl alcohol eye solutions; National Drug Code (NDC): 50268-678-15
- Carboxymethylcellulose ophthalmic gel sodium 1% 1,610 cases 1%; National Drug Code (NDC): 50268-066-15
- Cases of 13,872 artificial tear liquid solution; National Drug Code (NDC): 50268-043-15
What should consumers do?
Buyers who may have these recall products in stock will be urged to fill out the “Quality” of the downloadable PDF in the form attached to the recall notification and faxed at 931-292-6229, or email customerservice@avkare.com.
The company then sends the customer “Return to Authorization Form” to return the recalled product to the listed address and obtain a full credit including shipping costs.
Taylor Ardley is a news reporter for USA Today. You can contact her at Tardrey@gannett.com.
The US and China agree to cut tariffs. 90-day suspension
The deal comes days after the Trump administration announced its contract with the UK.
The US and China agree to a transaction that lowers tariff levels
The US and China agreed to a trade agreement after face-to-face meetings with senior economic officials.
The US and China said Monday they agreed to cut mutual tariffs as the world’s two biggest economies are spurring fears of inflation and recession and ending a trade war that has disrupted financial markets around the world.
The US market surged higher after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters that both sides agreed to exceed 100 percent points. The US will cut the additional charges charged on Chinese imports in April from 145% to 30%, while the Chinese duties for US imports will fall from 125% to 10%. The new measures will be effective for 90 days.
President Donald Trump said in a briefing early Monday that key elements of the transaction include the removal of “non-financial” trade barriers from China’s pledge to the open market. He said China also agreed to block fentanyl flow to the US.
The transaction does not include tariffs on automobiles, steel, aluminum or medicines, Trump said. He said he plans to talk to Chinese leader Xi Jinping, “maybe at the end of the week.”
“We’re not trying to hurt China,” Trump said. “They were so happy to be able to do something with us.”
China’s Commerce Ministry said the agreement “lays the foundation for filling the differences and deepening cooperation.”
Bescent and trade representative Jamieson Greer began meeting with Chinese counterparts in Geneva on May 10th – just days after the Trump administration announced its contract with the UK.
Monday’s announcement was “clearly just the beginning” of broader, more comprehensive negotiations, Wedbush Securities Analyst Dan Ives said in a memo. This could mean new highs in markets and tech stocks in 2025. Ives said he believes the tariffs are already causing economic damage, but the 90-day suspension means supply chain concerns will be “significantly reduced.”
This is a “big victory for the market and the bull,” Ives writes.
Chris Zaccarelli, chief investment officer at Northlight Asset Management, said the stock market’s all-time high in 2025 was on the table in 2025 after a suspension with China, the US’s “most difficult and potentially important” trading partner.
“The market has been very positively responding to the news that the Trump administration had ultimately used tariffs as a negotiation tactic,” Zaccarelli said in an email.
Tarist tariffs will have “significant economic impacts,” according to Federal Reserve Governor Adriana Coogler. Kugler said even the average rates announced today are “still far higher” than in recent decades. It is likely that economic growth will be slower and higher inflation will mean that businesses can quickly pass higher costs to their customers.
“Given these expected price increases, real revenues will fall, operating costs will rise, and consumers will be demanding less final goods and services, and businesses will demand fewer input,” Kugler said in preparation for Monday’s event at the Central Bank of Ireland.
Coogler said changes in trade policy made it difficult to judge the growth of the US economy. She supported the Fed’s decision last week to stabilize interest rates, saying she believes the Fed is “well-placed” for changes to the macroeconomic environment.
Trump said the ceasefire mediated between India and Pakistan on May 10 evaded a potential nuclear war and the contract stemmed from the threat of halting US trade. He praised the leadership of both countries for “strength, wisdom and fortitude” in order to retreat from the conflict.
“They made it hot and heavy, and it seemed like it didn’t stop,” Trump said. “I said, ‘Now, we’re going to do a lot of business with you guys. Let’s stop it. Let’s stop it. If you stop it, we’ll do business.”
His deputy prime minister of China, his Lifeeng described the Sunday meeting as “fun, detailed and constructive,” and said, according to Chinese national media, “significant progress has been made and a significant consensus has been reached.”
“This was a bigger escalation than expected… The negotiation process could remain difficult,” said Linsongg, chief economist at Greater China at the Bank of Netherlands.
At 2pm ET, the Blue Chip Dow and the wider S&P 500 were above 2.5%, while the high-tech NASDAQ rose by more than 4%. The benchmark’s 10-year financial yield reached 4.457%. Click here for details.
– – Medra Lee
Investment Bank JPMorgan raised forecasts for China’s economic growth on Monday after announcing the announcement of a contract with the US to defeat the country’s trade war.
“The magnitude of temporary tariff cuts is greater than expected,” a US bank analyst said in a statement. The exchange of 34% “mutual” US tariffs on China was “surprisingly positive” with the 10% “universal” tariffs that other countries face too.
Analysts estimated that if maintained for the remainder of the year, the tariff rate would allow China’s full-year GDP growth to reach 4.8% compared to previous forecasts of 4.1%.
The executive order, signed on Monday, directs the government to take action against “discriminatory” policies abroad that curb drug prices overseas. The order directs the Ministry of Health and Human Services to adopt a policy that sets prescription drug prices in line with that of a comparable country.
Greer and the Commerce Department have been instructed to take action against “irrational and discriminatory policies in foreign countries that curb drug prices overseas,” White House officials in the background told reporters before the order was signed.
According to a 2024 report from HHS, drug prices in the US are almost triple in 33 comparative countries, with the gap rising.
Trump said on social media, drug prices will be reduced by just “above 59%!” However, critics argue that pharmaceutical companies can play the system by securing rebates transactions with foreign governments, thereby keeping our drug prices high. Others say that if the pharmaceutical industry loses profits, it could curb medical innovation. Trump’s executive order has been his attempts, as well as his attempts to lower drug prices during his first term, to face legal challenges.
– – Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy and Ken Alltucker
Contribution: Reuters
Giro d’Italia GC analysis: after two stages, Primoz Roglič is already the reference point
Before the Giro d’Italia started, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe sports director Patxi Vila told Cyclingnews that while the stage 2 time trial in Tirana would not be in any way decisive, it was at least challenging enough to show which GC riders were in top shape, and which would be left playing catch-up.
His analysis has proven 100% correct, with his own team leader, Primoz Roglič, delivering the first important blow in the GC battle in Tirana and claiming the overall lead. It’s true Roglič and his team were visibly one of the stronger GC squads on stage 1’s final hills, staying close to the front as Lidl-Trek powered up the pace to viciously high levels. But perhaps the scale of Roglič’s early success in the stage 2 individual time trial, too, was even something of a pleasant surprise for his own Red Bull team.
UK transition: Starge strengthens rules as a surge in reform
London
CNN
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The UK will step up its legal immigration requirements and extend its waiting list for newcomers to assert citizenship, Prime Minister Kiel Starmer said Monday that it announced numerous policy changes to resist the political barrage from the country’s brave populist rights.
Immigrants must wait up to 10 years before attempting to become British citizens, sourced from five years. He said the requirements surrounding English skill level and proficiency will be raised to ultimately reverse the long-standing increase in legal migration to the UK.
“The plan means migration will fall, and that’s a promise,” Starge said. He denounced the previous conservative government for its immigration records, saying, “The damages we have inflicted on our country are immeasurable.”
His intervention was accompanied by a much-anticipated white paper on migration, but the timing was no coincidence. Less than two weeks after the round of local elections crucially won by the populist British party in Nigel Farage, anti-immigrants are reflected, reflecting the sustained increase in support for the party in the vote.
Starmer adopted a tone related to Farage, in a Monday morning press conference on Downing Street, saying the UK risks becoming a “stranger island” without harsh reforms.
Government figures for the year ending June 2024 show that the figures significantly higher than the dominant political parties in British politics left it last year than more than 700,000 people have competed in the UK. This increase adds to the already high demand for housing and UK public services, but it also created a way for foreign workers to staff the country’s chronically unmanned health system.
Under the new plan, Priority sought to strengthen the rules without blocking these pipelines. The years before immigrants applied for citizenship have doubled to 10, but people who contribute significantly to society, such as doctors, nurses, and engineers, could be quickly tracked through the process.
All immigrants will need a higher level of English skills, and graduates will be allowed to remain in the UK two years later for 18 months after their degree is completed.
Overseas recruitment of social care workers will also be discontinued. This is a move that poses a threat of chaos to sectors that have failed to modernize successive governments.
Farage criticized the announcement Monday, calling it a “hypocrite who believes in open borders.”
But the government hopes the proposal will stick out from the surge in support for the right-wing party, which has been robbing votes from both Labour and Conservatives with a sharp immigration message.
Although priorities have sought to strengthen the party’s rhetoric on illegal migration, the number of people crossing the English Channel on small boats has so far been higher than this year in 2024, a political gift to Farage’s Party.
Wendy’s debut on May 12th, see Frosty Fusion: Flavor
Secret Ice Cream Shop offers mysterious flavors
Surprise Scoop, New York City’s first roulette ice cream shop, won’t let customers know the taste until they try it.
New dessert options have arrived at Wendy’s.
According to Fast Food Chain, after debuting Frosty Swirls on April 15th, Frosty Fusions will debut nationwide on May 12th. Wendy first unveiled both items at the Investor Day event in March 2025.
“Frosty is one of the most iconic items on Wendy’s menu, and we know that consumers are increasingly looking for new flavors and diversity,” said Lindsay Radkoski, the US chief marketing officer, in a statement obtained by USA Today in March. “Our new chilly swirls and chilly fusions give our fans even more ways to enjoy this classic treat.”
For cold swirls, customers can choose between classic vanilla or chocolate frosty and choose one of three sauces to mix.
- A chilly swirl of strawberries
- Caramel Frostiswirl
- Brownie Stutter Swirl
Frosty Fusion makes its dessert debut at Wendy’s
Meanwhile, the frosty fusion allows fans to add sauces to the mix-ins, for “extra flavors to silky smooth vanilla and chocolate frustries.” The three flavors that will be available from May 12th are:
- Pop Talt Strawberry Fusion: It combines Wendy’s chilly sweet strawberry sauce with a chunk of crunch poppers from a strawberry-flavored pop tart.
- Oreo Brownie Frosty Fusion: It features a classic Frosty swirl in a chocolate brownie batter sauce mixed with crispy Oreo cookie pieces.
- Caramel Crunch Frosty Fusion: Mix classic frosty and crispy toffee pieces with sweet caramel sauce.
“Consumers are always looking for ways to customize their orders with new flavors and sauces and mixins. No one can wait to experience more ways to enjoy the iconic Frosty!” Radkoski said in another email statement obtained by USA Today in April.
Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter for USA Today. You can follow him with X @geuna Alternatively, email him at gdhauari@gannett.com.
Trump claims that “total reset” of US-China ties agrees to trade war to suspend 90 days | tariffs
Donald Trump welcomed a “full reset” of China-US relations after agreeing to a 90-day suspension of the deepening trade war that the country threatened to overturn the global economy.
“They agreed to open China,” the US president argued at a press conference at the White House on Monday morning, spending months in tensions with Beijing ratcheting tariffs on the country’s exports.
After talks in Geneva, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bescent said both sides showed “great respect” in negotiations. “The consensus from both delegations this weekend was that neither side wanted decoupling,” he said.
Wall Street rose sharply after the announcement, with the benchmark S&P 500 jumping 2.7% and Dow Jones Industrial Average rising 2.4% during early trading in New York.
The S&P 500, which endured a fierce sale as Trump strengthened his tariffs in China and most of the world, has overturned all of its losses since his “liberation date” announcement in April. Much of what he announced that day has since been shelved.
“The discussions in Geneva were very friendly,” Trump said. “We’re not trying to hurt China.”
The US president, who has for months claimed that tariffs could raise trillions of dollars for the US federal government, appeared to change the tack on Monday. “The biggest thing for me is the opening,” he said of China. “If we can come in and compete, I think it’s great for our business.”
In an incident that focused primarily on his administration’s efforts to lower drug prices, Trump signaled that he might change his focus to the European Union, which he now claims was “more troublesome” than China.
“We have all the cards,” the president argued using similar rhetoric to explain his relationship with the EU, which he used about China a few weeks ago. “They treated us very unfairly.”
The 90-day tariff reduction applies to the obligations announced by Trump on April 2. This ultimately escalated to 125% for most Chinese imports, and Beijing responded with comparable measures.
China has also imposed non-tariff measures, including restricting the export of important minerals essential to the manufacture of US high-tech goods.
US trade representative Jamieson Greer said China’s retaliation was unbalanced and amounted to an effective embargo on trade between the two largest economies in the world.
The 115% point deduction will reduce China’s duties on US goods to 10% and US taxes to 30%. That’s because US tariffs include the 20% rate Trump imposed before the latest trade war. The president has said it is related to China’s role in the US fentanyl crisis.
Fentanyl-related tariffs still apply, and Trump stressed that sector-specific US tariffs on automobiles, steel and aluminum will not be affected.
A spokesman for China’s Ministry of Commerce said:
“Based on this meeting, we hope that the US side will continue to move in the same direction as China, completely revise the false practice of unilateral tariff hikes and continue to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation.”
The Chinese Yuan jumped to a six-month high with a signal that the trade war would be suspended. Some estimates show that up to 16 million jobs were at risk in China, but the US faced rising inflation and empty shelves thanks to the dizzying tariffs of the largest US supplier.
Bescent said he was impressed by the level of China’s involvement on the fentanyl issue during talks in Switzerland. “For the first time, China was realizing the magnitude of what was happening in the US,” Bescent said.
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A joint statement released Monday by the US and China said both sides “continuing to carry out relevant work with a spirit of mutual openness, continuous communication, cooperation and mutual respect.”
William Singh, chairman of hedge fund Spring Mountain Pujun Investment Management, told Reuters: “The results are far beyond the expectations of the market. Previously, there was hope that two sides could talk about and that the market was very vulnerable.
Hu Xijin, former editor of nationalist Chinese tabloid The Global Times, said on social media the agreement was “a big victory for China in favor of the principles of equality and mutual respect.” Hu said on Weibo that the recently agreed UK-US trade agreement maintains a 10% US tariff on UK imports, but that “the UK did not implement any mutual action.”
“This is an unexpected achievement in Sino-US tariff negotiations,” said Wang Wen, principal of the Financial Research Institute at Lenmin University in Beijing.
However, Wang also urged caution as the agreement “does not represent a resolution of the structural contradiction between China and the United States, and does not imply that there will be no friction or serious differences between China and the United States in the future.”
European stock markets rose in the aftermath of the US-China announcement. Germany’s DAX index rose almost 1%, as Mercedes-Benz, Daimler Truck and BMW were among the biggest risers. France’s CAC 40 index has increased by 1.3%. Shares of Danish shipping group Maersk rose 12%.
Brent crude rose almost 3% at $65.75 a barrel, but the dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies, jumped 1.2%.
After the US-China agreement was announced, analysts at the Bank of Dutch have lifted forecasts of China’s growth this year. ING has returned to forecasting a surge in exports from China to the US, predicting a 4.7% growth in the Chinese economy this year.
Additional research by Lilian Yang
Trump may travel to Turkey for the Russian-Ukraine peace talks
Trump said he might travel to Türkiye for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.
Ukraine, USA reaches mineral trade
The agreement will allow access to the new Ukrainian natural resources in the United States in exchange for investments in reconstruction.
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump said he may detour during his trip to the Middle East to visit Turkey for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, which will be held later this week.
“I was actually thinking about flying there,” Trump told reporters at the White House on May 12. “If you think there’s a chance that things can happen, I think that’s possible.”
Russia and Ukraine have agreed to direct consultations at the three-year-old war in Istanbul on May 15th. Trump insisted on the meeting and told reporters just before leaving that he might attend the Turkish discussion if he thought it would be helpful.
Trump said he hopes to halt the 30-day hostilities that European leaders and Ukraine joined him on the weekend despite Russia’s earlier denials to agree to an unconditional temporary ceasefire.
“I feel they’ll agree. I do. I have a feeling,” Trump said.
Trump is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates this week. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to be in Turkey for an informal meeting of the NATO foreign minister during proposed consultations between Russia and Ukraine.
“I don’t know where I’m at that particular point. I’m somewhere in the Middle East, but I’ll fly there if I think it helps,” Trump said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed consultations but did not say whether he would come personally or send a representative from his government. Ukrainian President Voldimir Zelensky said he was personally present and putin pushed him to do the same.
Trump told reporters he hopes leaders from both countries will be present.
Will Syria’s sanctions end?
Turkish President Recep Erdogan will become a “great host” for consultations, Trump said. He said this could lay the basis for ending US sanctions on Syria after President Bashar al-Assad collapsed in December 2024.
“We want to give them a fresh start,” Trump said. “We want to see if we can help them.”
Trump promotes direct talks, and Europe prepares Russian sanctions
After the meeting in Kiev on May 10th, leaders from France, Germany, Poland, the UK and Ukrainian demanded a comprehensive 30-day ceasefire starting on May 12th.
If Russia does not agree to a ceasefire, they said it should adopt more stringent sanctions, particularly those in Russia’s bank fuel and energy sector and shadow fleets of oil tankers used to avoid sanctions on exports.
Trump has not publicly committed to the United States with higher sanctions on Russia if Putin was attacking in a ceasefire, and he has not said that if the Russian president skips the Istanbul meeting before he sets off to the Middle East.
However, in the Truth Social Post on May 11, he said Ukraine should agree to directly take consultations. “At least, they can determine if a deal is possible, and if not, European leaders and the US can know where everything is and proceed accordingly!” Trump said.
Hamas releases Edan Alexander, the hostage of Israel, USA
The agreement to release Edan Alexander came after a meeting between Washington and Hamas, which does not include Israel.
Hostage Edan Alexander Community ahead of Hamas release
A crowd gathered with Israeli flags in Edan Alexander’s hometown, anticipating the release of the 21-year-old Captive.
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the battle was suspended to allow Alexander’s safe passage.
- The release was able to open up a way to unlock the remaining 59 hostages held in Gaza after a talk between Hamas, the US, Egypt and Qatar.
- Beyond that, “Israel has not committed to any kind of ceasefire,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said.
- Israeli Channel 12 stated that Alexander’s condition was “low” without citing the source.
JERUSALEM – Hamas said he has released Israeli American hostage Edan Alexander from Gaza, paving the way for a possible return to a ceasefire talks in the war-torn enclave. The International Committee of the Red Cross confirmed that Alexander had been transferred to Israeli custody.
Israeli military said the Red Cross had been notified that the hostages had been handed over without naming Alexander, the militant group last held. Israeli Channel 12 stated that Alexander’s condition was “low” without citing the source.
Al Jazeera’s television showed a photo of Alexander standing next to a masked fighter jet and a Red Cross official. Unlike previous hostage releases, he was dressed in civilian clothing. Alexander was expected to be picked up at Ichirov Hospital in Tel Aviv for treatment 19 months after his prisoner of war.
The May 12 announcement said the Israeli Prime Minister would not hold a ceasefire and that plans for an intensified military campaign will continue.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the battle was suspended to allow Alexander a safe passage. Three Palestinians from Gaza told Reuters early in the afternoon that they were calm during the day, with no sound of drones or fighter jets.
Netanyahu’s office said it had been notified by the US on May 11 that it would release Alexander after consultations between Washington and Hamas, which does not include Israel.
Alexander’s release came when Hamas was presented to Israel as a gesture of goodwill to President Donald Trump, when the global hunger monitor said that the entire population of Gaza was at a serious risk of hunger.
“American hostage Edan Alexander thinks he’s dead and is freed by Hamas. Great news!” Trump wrote in capital letters on his social media platform on May 12th.
The release was able to open up a way to release the remaining 59 hostages held in the Gaza Strip after four-way consultations between Hamas, the US, Egypt and Qatar, 19 months after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.
However, Netanyahu said that Israel only agreed to allow Alexander to pass safely, and that force recently continues to announce preparations to intensify the operation there. Israeli Police Minister Itamar Ben Gwil said the war with Hamas should not end and aid should not be granted to Gaza.
“Israel has not committed to any kind of ceasefire,” Netanyahu’s office said, adding that military pressure has forced Hamas to release.
Local health officials say the Israeli strike previously killed at least 15 people in families who were refugeed to refugees in Jabaria in northern Gaza.
Israeli forces said they targeted dozens of Hamas militants on sites that said they were preparing to attack Israeli forces.
Arab intermediaries Qatar and Egypt said the agreement to release Alexander was a encouragemental step towards his return to the ceasefire talks.
Trump plans to visit the Gulf countries on a trip that does not include stops in Israel.
Alexander’s family thanked Trump and Witkov, saying in a statement they wanted the path to clear the release of the other remaining hostages.
“We urge the Israeli government and the negotiation team. Don’t stop,” they said.
Israel is hoping for Trump
Israel is preparing to “conquer” and “clear” everything in Gaza
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he plans to “take over” Gaza and move civilians south.
US officials have tried to calm Israel’s fears of the increased distance between Israel and Trump.
The Israeli government faces criticism of the deal, which has stripped the priorities given to hostages who can rely on foreign government support.
Einav Zangarkar, among the 21 hostages that are believed to be still alive, said Netanyahu had chosen his political survival to end the war.
She addressed Trump in a statement read with the other hostage families, saying, “The people of Israel are behind you. End this war. Bring them all home.”
Netanyahu is scheduled to testify in the latest session of his trial on the corruption charges he denied, and faced pressure from hardliners in his cabinet to not end the war. Last week he announced plans to step up his operations in Gaza. Authorities said it could be completely seized by Israeli forces.
Israel resumed its activities in March in the enclave following a ceasefire agreement that suspended fighting in Gaza for two months and allowed the exchange of 38 hostages between Palestinian prisoners and detainees in Israeli prisons.
Since then, it has expanded its territorial control, removed a third of what it described as a “security zone,” blocking aid invasion into Gaza, and its population of 2 million has become increasingly food shortage.
Israeli US Ambassador Mike Huckabee outlined last week a plan for a new aid delivery system by private contractors not operated by Israel, but many details, including funding, are unclear.
Israeli forces have invaded Israeli forces in retaliation for Hamas-led attacks on Israel, according to Israeli tallies, which saw 1,200 people killed and 251 people held hostage.
More than 52,000 Palestinians have been killed since then, Palestinian health officials say, and the large belts of the enclave are devastated.
Carlo Ancelotti: The legendary soccer coach will become the new Brazilian manager
CNN
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One of the most decorated coaches in football, Carlo Ancelotti, will become Brazil’s new manager, the country’s federation announced Monday.
According to the Brazilian Football Federation (CBF), the 65-year-old, now manager of Spain’s giant Real Madrid, will begin his new role on May 26th after the end of the La Liga season.
“He is the greatest coach in history and currently leads the best national team on the planet. Together we will write a new, glorious chapter for Brazilian football,” CBF President Ednald Rodriguez said in a statement.
Ancelotti won 15 trophies last season with two spells at Real Madrid, including doubles from La Liga and Champions League.
However, the club is likely to finish without a major trophy this season, and was beaten 4-3 by fierce rival Barcelona at El Clasico on Sunday.
The final league game of Real Madrid’s season is May 25th, the day before Ancelotti officially began his new job.
Speculation is circulating that current Bayer Leberkusen manager Xabi Alonso announced he left the German club at the end of the season to play. white He is set to take over for the legendary Italian under his first spell Ancelotti at the club.
Meanwhile, Brazil is currently ranked fifth in the world, but has failed to impress at recent tournaments.
choice It was beaten by Croatia in the quarterfinals of the final World Cup in 2022, a tournament won by rival Argentina, and was also disappointed last year after being knocked out by Uruguay in the quarter final stage.
The team’s final manager, Dorival Júnior, was fired in March after a poorly-resulting run that left Brazil fourth in the World Cup qualifying table at Conmebol.
“Having Carlo Ancelotti led Brazil is more than a strategic move. It’s a statement to the world that we are determined to regain the top spot on the podium,” added Rodriguez.
According to CBF, Ancelotti will be the first foreign coach of the Brazilian national team as an Italian.
In that statement, the federation called its next manager a “icon” and thanked Real Madrid for allowing Ancelotti to leave his contract early.
Madrid has yet to publicly comment on Ancelotti’s future.
Ancelotti’s first match as Brazilian manager will face Ecuador in early June before his team faces Paraguay later that month.
However, the main focus will be next year’s World Cup, which is expected to be co-hosted by Mexico, Canada and the US.
Social Prescription: How Connecting with Others Helps You Live a Better Life
Shift Your Mindset is a monthly series from CNN’s Mindfulness, but a better team. We talk to experts about how to do things differently to lead a better life.
CNN
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With friends, you’ll spend less nights, and you’ll have more takeaway meals, fewer theatres. Americans spend more time alone than ever.
Whether this trend arises from the prevalence of loneliness, the fact remains that many of us are more frequent, whether it is people want a company or leave behind a century of solitude where individuals prioritize solo time. However, humans are social creatures whose happiness depends on belongings, and too much loneliness has significant health effects for individuals and society.
At the same time, the US healthcare system is “expensive, complicated, dysfunctional” and perhaps “broken,” experts say. Higher costs do not lead to better outcomes, and uneven access leads to avoidable disparities among people of color and other marginalized groups.
“Social prescriptions” involve providing healthcare referrals not only to medications but also to community activities, and are useful in all respects, claiming solution-focused journalist Julia Hotz. In her book, The Connection Cure: The The Powerful Movementive Power of Movement, Nature, Art, Service, and Noveling, Hotz shares ways to improve individual physical and mental health and strengthen the community by fostering interpersonal relationships and promoting community engagement. It is cost-effective and already popular in the UK, and the social prescribing movement has gained traction in the US.
Just as evidence that meaningful relationships are just as important to our well-being as diet and exercise, Hotz explains the science of connection and makes practical suggestions to combat our growing isolation.
This conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.
CNN: What is Social Prescription?
Julia Hotz: Social prescriptions are healthcare referrals for community activities and resources. Recognizing the important role our environment, relationships and communities play in our health outcomes, these prescriptions usually involve some element of movement, art, nature, service and belonging. When people struggle with issues like anxiety, depression, or even chronic pain, sometimes the most effective intervention is not just medication, but also reconnecting with the community. Social determinants make up 80% of our health, so it makes sense to incorporate them as healing modalities.
CNN: Is social prescription intended to replace traditional medicines?
cold: Not at all. This is complementing traditional medicines, treatments, and other treatments with evidence-based social interventions. I’m worried about overprescribing, but I also have a lot of empathy for doctors who find that medication, surgery, and other traditional treatments are the only option. The goal of social prescribing is to invest in alternatives rather than replacing or taking away standard treatment. You can take prescription antidepressants and take a walk with your friends.
CNN: Do social prescriptions work?
cold: Science supports the effectiveness of movement, nature, art and services prescribing to alleviate various diagnostic symptoms, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), chronic pain, dementia, and loneliness. For example, exercise can help treat depression disorders, stress, anxiety and type 2 diabetes. Treatment of symptoms only through traditional treatments and medication, and thus misses the powerful impact on our health of meaningful interactions with others in our community.
Here is an example of someone I interviewed: She had to leave work when Akeela’s back injury developed into chronic pain. Without her job as a caretaker, she would have lost her sense of purpose and become extremely depressed. She tried all the treatments, pills and surgeries that the doctor prescribed for her pain. Some of that helped.
But what really made her feel better was the unconventional prescription. Volunteering for children’s healthcare charities. The focus was moved away from her pain and her pain, and towards caring for others, reducing the severity of back pain. In a time when so many people suffer from chronic pain, it is important to take advantage of all the treatments available to us.
CNN: Does the same social prescription work for everyone?
cold: This is because social prescriptions are personalized. It is not pushing everyone into the same activity, but connecting individuals with activities that resonate with specific values and interests.
When her patients struggle, pain psychologist Dr. Rachel Zoffnes suggests that they visualize pain as a dial. Just like experiencing negative emotions like sadness and anger, you can raise the dial of pain and other things, including distractions, can refuse. She asks her patients to consider opportunities to get caught up in what they are doing. When providers ask these types of questions, they help patients understand the social prescription that is best for them.
CNN: Do US healthcare providers issue social prescriptions?
cold: Social prescribing is more mainstream in countries with nationalized healthcare systems, such as the UK, but the movement is growing. An increasing number of providers are issuing social prescriptions around 50 states. Social Formulation, a nonprofit organization, tracks initiatives, pilots and research projects across the country on interactive maps.
On the other hand, I would recommend that people start by prescribing their own spots in the community, either free or donation-based activities. To find the ideal activity, people can ask questions such as: What did I like to do as a child? If there’s an extra 2 hours a day, what would you spend on? What is my tracking time?
CNN: How do social prescriptions help solitude?
cold: Loneliness has a major impact on not only your mental health, but also your physical and mental health. If you are lonely, you are more likely to die prematurely. You are more likely to worry, feel depressed or develop dementia. You are more likely to go to the emergency room. All the results equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
Social prescriptions create meaningful connections because they align with the patient’s interests and values. This has great health benefits. The goal is not to “reach Kumbaya’s circle, hold your hands, become your best friend, and hold strangers in your arms.” Instead, social prescriptions reconnect with important things
CNN: Why is social connections so important?
cold: Humans are evolving and make social connections as important as food and water. But our record numbers have chosen to spend time alone. Life is tired. We work hard. We’re burning out. Digital media may feel like we are constantly moving, but it drains us so much that we don’t want to retreat into the house and leave anyone. We were not wired to live in the conditions that modern life requires.
CNN: How do online connections compare to face-to-face interactions?
cold: Online connectivity can be a lifesaver for some, such as those with limited mobility or those who feel isolated because of their differences from their community. However, most online interactions don’t offer a truly resilient element of connectivity, especially on social media.
A connection of quality provides the feeling of including who you are and what you are and what you are seen and asserted in a true sense of belonging. When you build a real connection, you feel like you know yourself well after spending time with that person. And it may be more beneficial to your health than spending time with 10 people you don’t know well.
CNN: How does creating a sense of belonging improve health?
cold: Loneliness is important to some of us. However, once being alone becomes the norm, you can begin to experience the health effects of loneliness without realizing it.
Science says that belonging is healing. A Harvard study of adult development, which has followed people for over 80 years, calls the strength of relationships the number one predictor of health and lifespan.
CNN: What is the social cost of a lack of attribution?
cold: This has great consequences. People who lack the sense of belonging elsewhere can sometimes be involved in very harmful and extreme political causes. For example, the story of former Qanoners includes discussions about depression, social isolation, loneliness, and lack of belonging.
People register social pain, such as physical pain, research shows. Witnessing social exclusion can also activate brain circuits. It can lead to despair that leads people to find themselves in places that deal a lot of damage. Society is not offered what it once was, so groups that mobilize to harm people are becoming more popular.
We can counter this trend by investing in other spaces – local opportunities to engage in movement, nature, art, service and belonging – sometimes truly healthy for us.
CNN: You call these 5 options – Movement, Nature, Art, Service, Attribution – The pillar of social prescriptions. What is their importance?
cold: These five pillars are more than just nice add-ons. These are the requirements of our lives. This proves true because of how our health improves when engaging in these activities.
As we move through our bodies, serotonin and endorphins are released, improving hippocampal function. Spending time in nature restores our attention and focus. Several studies have shown similar effects to taking ritalin. Engaging in the art reduces symptoms of anxiety and trauma. This makes sense given that humans used storytelling and art to deal with harsh emotions from the beginning of time.
Service and attribution are the largest. Because we were all big and bad wilds on our own and not survived. We survived in the group. Think about how last names reflect our function within our community for generations. Currently, many of us are not engaged in the community, but we choose artificial and often electronic sources of connection. That’s when our health began to suffer.
CNN: What is the future sense of social prescribing in the United States?
cold: Investments in the Social Prescription Bridge are split and provide a bipartisan solution to address issues that are important to people across the political spectrum. People on the left are concerned about access to healthcare and affordability. On the right, the Make America Heathy (Maha) move is concerned about the safety of our food and drugs and the decline in chemicals while fiscal conservatives focus on cutting costs.
Social prescriptions not only provide significant health benefits, but in fact they save money over time while reducing pressure on excess systems. Think of a 92-year-old who goes to the hospital just because she has no other place to go. Instead, prescribing her weekly phone calls with someone or knitting group spots saves medical resources and ultimately saves taxpayer money.
If you want to invest in an approach that can improve health outcomes, reduce health costs, and appeal to all politically persuasive people, recognize the ways the environment has an impact on our health and prioritize social prescribing.
Jessica Duron He is a book collaborator, writing coach, and author of “Saved at the Seawall: Stories from the Stories from the Stories from the Stories from the Stories” and “My River Chronicles: Adreakovering the America.”
‘I really wanted to go home’ – Arensman and Gee honest about poor opening day at Giro d’Italia, with comebacks started in time trial
Derek Gee (Israel-Premier Tech) and Thymen Arensman (Ineos Grenadiers) were among the biggest losers on the 2025 Giro d’Italia’s opening day in Albania, with the Canadian losing 57 seconds and the Dutchman 1:37 to the main group of GC favourites.
But on stage 2 and racing up to the same finish line in Tirana, both riders were able to start somewhat of a comeback for their overall ambitions by finishing in the top 20 on the stage, with Gee jumping 11 spots on GC and Arensman 15.
‘Suffering like a dog by yourself, but I enjoyed that’ – Tom Pidcock satisfied with time trial performance at Giro d’Italia
Few riders would say they enjoyed the brutal process that goes into competing in a Grand Tour time trial, with the utterly exhausted faces of the likes of Wout van Aert (Visma-lease a Bike) and Daan Hoole (Lidl-Trek) showing just what it takes to rip round 13 kilometres on city streets at over 50kph.
But when Tom Pidcock (Q36.5) spoke post-stage, you’d have thought the Brit had just been on a Sunday stroll, judging by how cheery he was, despite admitting that it was just under 17 minutes of “suffering like a dog.”