Iran pulling Hormuz 'lever' to maximum in US standoff

Peru's electoral tribunal on Friday rejected calls for a new election in Lima following irregularities during the April 12 vote and confirmed a presidential runoff will be held June 7.  

Ultra-conservative candidate and former mayor of Lima, Rafael Lopez Aliaga -- who is still vying to be on the June ballot -- had requested a new election in Peru's capital, arguing that problems at polling stations there had prevented thousands of his supporters from voting.

In a statement on social media, the National Jury of Elections (JNE) said the unanimous decision to move forward without redoing Lima's vote came "after a technical-legal analysis and in view of reports issued by competent bodies."

Aliaga accused JNE of tarnishing the electoral process and urged President Roberto Burneo to intervene.

Earlier Friday, Peruvian police raided the home of Piero Corvetto, the former head of the country's electoral authority who resigned this week in the wake of a chaotic presidential election.

The dawn raid in Lima took place simultaneously with searches of premises linked to other former officials of the Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE), as well as representatives of a company tasked with transporting election equipment, police said.

"The investigation, focused on the alleged crime of aggravated collusion, aims to uncover illicit agreements that may have compromised state resources," police said in a statement.

Corvetto resigned Tuesday, hours before he was scheduled to be questioned by prosecutors over the April 12 election.

Election day was marred by logistical problems in the capital, preventing tens of thousands of people from voting until the following day, and the ballot count has been painfully slow.

Final results from the first round will not be released until mid-May. The top two candidates will then meet in a June 7 runoff.

With 95 percent of ballots counted, right-wing candidate Keiko Fujimori easily qualified.

She will face either leftist Roberto Sanchez or Aliaga, with Sanchez narrowly ahead in the latest tally.

The European Union's observer mission cited "serious shortcomings" during the election, but said it had not found "objective evidence" of fraud.

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Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez and her Colombian counterpart Gustavo Petro pledged military cooperation to combat "mafias" on their shared border, as Petro became the first foreign leader to visit Venezuela since the ouster of strongman Nicolas Maduro.

Petro met with Rodriguez, who took over after the toppling of her former boss Maduro by US forces in January.

Petro said the joint military effort will be aimed at "freeing border areas from the mafias engaged in a range of illegal businesses, starting with cocaine, illicit gold, human trafficking and rare minerals."

"Both countries have undertaken the task of making...military plans, but also the immediate establishment of mechanisms for sharing information and for developing intelligence," Rodriguez said for her part.

Rodriguez assumed power in Venezuela after a lightning US military raid on Caracas on January 3 captured socialist president Maduro and brought him to New York to face drug trafficking charges.

President Donald Trump's administration backs Rodriguez's interim government, which has opened Venezuela's oil industry to US companies.

Petro fiercely criticized the US operation and has been vilified by Trump, who accuses the leftist leader of not doing enough to combat drug production.

A summit between Petro and Rodriguez had been scheduled for March in the Colombian border town of Cucuta, but was cancelled at the last minute.

The area around Cucuta is home to numerous drug-running, left-wing guerrilla groups, which Colombia has long accused Venezuela of funding and protecting.

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MISSOULA, Montana — An official announcement from the FBI Billings Division, Missoula Resident Agency and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana said a Missoula man was arrested under a federal criminal complaint.

Cupid Lamar Drakeford was charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, according to the announcement.

The affidavit filed in support of the complaint said investigators received information alleging Drakeford, who also went by “Q,” was distributing large amounts of methamphetamine in the Missoula area.

Drakeford appeared in U.S. District Court in Missoula on April 24, 2026.

The announcement said the FBI Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force conducted the investigation with help from the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office. The task force includes FBI agents and investigators from the Missoula Police Department, Missoula County Sheriff’s Office, Kalispell Police Department, Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office, Customs Border Protection, Border Patrol and Montana Probation and Parole.

Federal authorities said a criminal complaint is an accusation and that a person charged by complaint is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in later criminal proceedings.

The governor of Maine on Friday vetoed a temporary ban on building large data centers that aimed to rein in rampant construction driven by the AI race.

The buildout comes at a cost, as the power-hungry facilities strain local grids and drive up electricity bills.

Data centers also typically have massive footprints, taking up land that could be used for housing, businesses, recreation or green space.

Legislators in Maine earlier this month endorsed what would have been the first data center ban in the United States if it had been signed into law by Governor Janet Mills.

"A moratorium is appropriate given the impacts of massive data centers in other states on the environment and on electricity rates," Mills said in a statement announcing the veto.

Mills explained that her veto was based on the bill's failure to make an exception for a data center project in a part of the northeastern state where the closure of a mill three years ago had been a "devastating" economic blow.

"This decision is simply wrong," said state reresentative Melanie Sachs, a sponsor of the bill.

"By vetoing this bill, Governor Mills isn't just rejecting the advice of her own task force -- she is resisting the will of a majority of Maine people."

Public sentiment is hardening, with a recent Quinnipiac University poll finding 65 percent of Americans oppose having a data center built in their community.

A boom in generative artificial intelligence has sent data center demand skyrocketing, with dozens of projects springing up across the United States.

If it had become a law, the Maine bill would have paused new data center construction until November of next year.

It also called for the creation of a council to assess the risks and benefits of proposed data centers and provide input for planners.

Data center construction spending in the United States has surged in recent years, with tech firms pouring tens of billions of dollars into building out infrastructure amid the race to lead in AI.

Maine is among the US states that have seen home electricity bills soar in recent years, according to the US Energy Information Administration.

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(The Center Square) – Middle East Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will head back to Pakistan over the weekend to resume talks, as Vice President JD Vance remains on standby.

The group was scheduled to fly to Pakistan earlier in the week, when the trip was called off after President Donald Trump noted a fracture in the Iranian leadership.

On Tuesday, with just hours left before the two-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran was set to expire, the president extended it, citing a “seriously fractured” Iranian government.

Trump did not indicate a timeline for the latest ceasefire, and has since said he will not be rushed – instead putting the pressure on Iran, saying time is not on their side.

Following the announcement that the Tuesday talks had been postponed, Trump said his administration would await Iran's proposal before moving forward with negotiations.

"Based on the fact that the Government of Iran is seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so and, upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, of Pakistan, we have been asked to hold our attack on the country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal,” the president said in a statement.

Despite the extended ceasefire, the president remains committed to continuing the naval blockade on Iranian ports, put in place over two weeks ago.

Trump indicated that the U.S. stands “ready and able” during the ceasefire, waiting for a unified proposal to be submitted and until “discussions are concluded, one way or the other.”

The president has said Iran is losing approximately $500 million a day in oil sales as the blockade continues.

OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman has apologized to a Canadian town devastated by a February mass shooting, saying he was "deeply sorry" the company did not notify police about the killer's troubling ChatGPT account.

OpenAI had banned an account linked to Jesse Van Rootselaar in June 2025, eight months before the 18-year-old transgender woman killed eight people at her home and a school in the tiny British Columbia mining town of Tumbler Ridge.

The account was banned over concerns about usage linked to violent activity, but OpenAI said it did not inform police because nothing pointed toward an imminent attack.

Canadian officials condemned OpenAI's handling of the case and summoned company leaders to Ottawa to explain its security protocols.

The family of a girl who was shot and gravely wounded at the school is suing the US tech giant for negligence.

In a letter Thursday addressed to the community of Tumbler Ridge, published Friday by the local news site Tumbler RidgeLines, Altman said "no one should ever have to endure a tragedy like this."

"I am deeply sorry that we did not alert law enforcement to the account that was banned in June," Altman wrote.

"While I know words can never be enough, I believe an apology is necessary to recognize the harm and irreversible loss your community has suffered."

Van Rootselaar killed her mother and brother at the family's home before heading to the local secondary school, where she shot dead five children and a teacher.

She died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound after police entered the building.

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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to propose legislation within weeks to proscribe Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, a report said Friday.

Starmer made the comments while speaking to the Jewish Chronicle newspaper during a visit Thursday to a London synagogue targeted by arsonists nearly a week ago.

The commitment comes after the European Union in January agreed to designate Tehran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a "terrorist organisation" over a deadly crackdown on mass protests.

“In relation to malign state actors more generally, proscription, we do need legislation in order to take necessary measures, and that is legislation that we’re bringing forward as soon as we can," Starmer said when asked about the prospect of proscribing the Guards.

“We go into a new session (of parliament) in a few weeks’ time and we’ll bring that legislation forward,” he added.

Jewish residents in northwest London remain on "high alert" after a spate of arson attacks on synagogues and community sites which began after the US-Israel strikes on Iran since February 28.

Starmer has said he is “increasingly concerned” about countries using proxies for criminal activity in the UK.

The IRGC is the ideological arm of Tehran's military and was created after the 1979 revolution to protect the clerical leadership. 

The Guards control or own companies across the Iranian economy, including major strategic sectors.

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(The Center Square) - A Democratic lawmaker who voted in support of Washington’s new income tax said he didn't see anything scandalous in this week’s revelation of emails showing coordination between the office of Attorney General Nick Brown and crafters of the legislation for a “millionaires’ tax”. But he wants a discussion about a wider income tax that isn't just for people making more than $1 million a year.

As reported by The Center Square, the documents show efforts to skirt a vote of the people and push the issue to the State Supreme Court in hopes of overturning more than 90 years of legal precedent.

Rep. Larry Springer, D-Kirkland, told The Center Square though he supported the final bill as passed, he has major concerns about the impact on small businesses and about bypassing a vote of the people.

“It is a hot button. I mean, it's like a third rail of politics," he said. "When that is the case, then you should err on the side of giving everybody their say, one way or the other."

The Kirkland Democrat made headlines during the legislative session when he said Washingtonians should not believe backers of the income tax who say it will remain only a tax on the wealthy.

In Thursday’s interview, Springer reiterated that he expects should the income tax is upheld by the courts, it will be expanded to lower income earners.

“Any given legislature cannot bind the next legislature. They can do whatever they want. The next legislature can change that pretty easily. So, there's never going to be a guarantee,” Springer said. “I happen to believe that an income tax is a more fair, equitable, progressive tax. And so, the notion that this could be expanded to others…. there’s the precedent at the federal income tax level.”

Springer said he did not see any issues of concern with the AG and income tax supporters emails to convince him there was anything inappropriate in that collaboration.

As reported by The Center Square, former State Attorney General Rob McKenna has a much different opinion on what he’s seen. McKenna is leading the legal fight along with Citizen Action Defense Fund, challenging the constitutionality of the new income tax.

“I had not seen before this week an example of the AG’s office actively collaborating with a legislative sponsor on how to draft a bill that could get the get the Constitution basically reinterpreted, and 95 years of precedent overturned,” McKenna said.

Springer, who owned a small wine shop in downtown Kirkland until selling a couple of years ago, says he has major concerns about the impact of the income tax on small business owners.

“I had my own business for 42 years, and it was an S-corporation, so I had pass through income, that shows up on my income tax every year,” Springer said. “For those years there was a line on my income tax return that said net profit, net income, or net loss. One of the things that I argued about, and I hope the legislature will take into consideration, is the notion that if you are going to include pass through income from an S-corporation, that income should be subject to deductions for the cost of business.”

He noted he’s concerned about the current law not allowing deductions for business losses.

“So, you have two or three bad years, and then you have a really good year, and you get dinged,” said Springer noting he tried to get Democrats to back a five-year rolling average for business income. “I think that's a really good idea…they didn't accept it.”

As reported by The Center Square, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit challenging the new income tax, Curt Nuccitelli, owner of a trucking business called Spirit Transport Systems, suggests this latest business tax is one too many.

“This state is not a very business friendly environment. The taxes that we pay, B&O taxes, Department of Revenue taxes, payroll taxes, property taxes, personal property taxes. It’s all so much and this income tax would be a huge hit,” Nuccitelli  said.

Springer said he empathizes with Nuccitelli’s concerns and hopes lawmakers will address the burdensome taxes on business, even as the income tax challenge plays out.

“What I hope happens as a result of this is that we take a really careful look at the two most regressive taxes we have; sales tax, and the B&O tax,” Springer said. “That's what I requested specifically to support an income tax is that there be a reduction of the B&O tax. There has been one. It's not as big as I would like, but it was step in the right direction. And also that there'd be a reduction in the sales tax. We did that as well. Again, not as much as I would like, but it was a step in the right direction.

The income tax bill does offer some sales tax relief on hygiene products, including deodorant and diapers and on prescription medication.

Springer speculated a voter initiative to overturn the income tax will end up on the ballot, potentially this year.

“This is a pretty volatile topic. A lot of people are very motivated about it. I think it's entirely possible they could get the signatures. They have a short period of time to do it, but it's a hot item, so I wouldn't be counting our chickens just yet,” said Springer.

Jim Furyk was named United States captain for the 2027 Ryder Cup on Friday by the PGA of America, tasking him with obtaining the first US triumph in Europe since 1993.

Furyk was selected after 15-time major winner Tiger Woods withdrew from consideration for the job following his March 27 arrest on suspicion of DUI charges, to which he has pleaded not guilty. Woods has stepped away from golf and gone to Europe for treatment.

That sets the stage for Furyk to take charge of the Americans for the 46th Ryder Cup to be played on September 17-19, 2027, at Adare Manor in Limerick, Ireland.

It's the second time as captain for Furyk, who directed the US squad that lost to Europe in 2018 at Le Golf National in France.

"The opportunity to captain the US Ryder Cup team for a second time is a tremendous honor," Furyk said. "I am committed to putting our players in the best position to succeed as we work to reclaim the Cup on European soil."

Since making his Ryder Cup debut as a player in 1997, Furyk has represented the Americans in 14 consecutive editions of the event, serving as a player, vice captain and captain.

"Jim Furyk has been an influential figure in the US team room for nearly three decades," PGA of America vice president Nathan Charnes said.

"He's a trusted, widely-respected leader and possesses a wealth of Ryder Cup experience that can only serve to strengthen our team."

US teams have lost seven Ryder Cups in a row on European soil, last winning an away contest by 15-13 at The Belfry in England in 1993.

"Competing in Ryder Cups hosted in Europe presents unique challenges and we're confident in Jim's leadership to guide the US team over the next two years as we prepare for Ireland," Charnes said.

Furyk, 55, played in nine Ryder Cups from 1997 through 2014, the second-most appearances for any American player.

He served as a vice captain four times, including on triumphant teams at Hazeltine in 2016 and Whistling Straits in 2021.

"My passion for the Ryder Cup and dedication to the US team have never been stronger," Furyk said.

"Having previously captained the team, I understand the responsibilities and immense pride that come with this role. I look forward to drawing on that experience while incorporating some new ideas as we prepare for 2027."

The United States leads the all-time rivalry 27-16 with two drawn, but since a British and Irish squad was expanded to all of Europe, the Europeans have a 13-9-1 edge in the series.

Europe have won 11 of the past 15 meetings, including last year's emotional 15-13 triumph at Bethpage Black near New York.

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(The Center Square) – Following the drawn-out and politically calamitous release of millions of federal documents related to the exploits of sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, the Department of Justice will undergo an investigation.

Long called for by members of Congress, the DOJ Office of the Inspector General is initiating an audit into whether the department legally complied with the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

The DOJ OIG will issue a public report once the audit is complete.

“Our preliminary objective is to evaluate the DOJ’s processes for identifying, redacting, and releasing records in its possession as required by the Act,” Deputy Inspector General William Blier said in a statement.

“To accomplish this preliminary objective, the OIG plans to focus on reviewing (1) the DOJ’s identification, collection, and production of responsive material; (2) DOJ guidance and processes for redacting and withholding material consistent with the requirements enumerated in the Act; and (3) DOJ’s processes for addressing post-release publication concerns,” Blier added.

The DOJ and former Attorney General Pam Bondi received a torrent of criticism for their handling of the congressionally mandated release of federal files on the late Epstein and his close associate Ghislaine Maxwell.

The department failed to comply with the congressionally mandated release deadline and redacted thousands of documents.

Although the bipartisan Epstein Files Transparency Act forbade redactions of relevant information unless it could potentially jeopardize victim privacy, national security, or prosecution efforts, the DOJ has been accused of violating that edict.

As revealed on social media by investigative journalists, one of the uncovered redactions included information on how Epstein attempted to pay off witnesses of his sex trafficking operations and destroy evidence of his crimes.

Due to both congressional and public backlash, President Donald Trump fired Bondi in early April.

Lawmakers are still pushing, however, for Bondi to submit to a deposition before the House Oversight Committee, threatening to hold her in contempt of Congress if she continues to evade summons.

“We have heard nothing from Pam Bondi or her legal team. She didn't show up for her scheduled deposition, and half of the Epstein files are still unreleased,” committee Ranking Member Robert Garcia, D-Calif., told the press. “We are left with no choice. Contempt charges are coming.”

Though millions of files have been released and many prominent figures connected to Epstein have been questioned by the Oversight committee – including billionaire Les Wexner, former president Bill Clinton, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton – investigative efforts have not resulted in any criminal convictions.