Oil prices dip, most stocks rise on lingering Iran peace hopes

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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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.

The European Union and United States signed an agreement Friday to coordinate on the supply of critical minerals needed for key industries including defense, as China's dominance becomes a growing concern.

The pact marks a rare embrace by President Donald Trump's administration of the role of the EU, which it often berates as it instead champions right-wing populists within Europe.

Flexing its muscle at times of tension, Beijing has restricted exports of critical minerals needed for products including semiconductors, electric vehicle batteries and weapons systems.

"The overconcentration of these resources, the fact that they're dominated by one or two places, is an unacceptable risk," US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said as he signed a memorandum of understanding with EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic.

Sefcovic told a separate press briefing that the agreement "formalizes our partnership across the entire value chain, from exploration and extraction to processing, refining, recycling and recovery."

- Cost of dependency -

On concerns that China could retaliate against a potential critical minerals deal involving multiple parties, Sefcovic said: "For us, it's really a matter of economic security. It's a matter of overcoming dependencies."

From recent experience, "we know how dependencies could be expensive, and we have a huge price tag for being dependent on the sources of our fossil fuels," he added.

"We simply want to learn from that experience and have a much more diversified portfolio of suppliers," Sefcovic said.

Rubio noted that the United States and the EU combined are "the largest customers and users" of critical minerals.

"We have to make sure that these supplies and these minerals are available for our futures and in ways that are not monopolized in one place or concentrated heavily in one place," Rubio added.

An action plan said that the EU and United States would explore setting minimum prices on critical minerals -- effectively preventing China or other outside powers from flooding the market with inexpensive exports.

They will also look at coordinating any subsidies and stockpiles of critical minerals, and could coordinate joint standards to ease trade across the Western world, and together invest in research.

The US Trade Representative's office said this plan will be the main mechanism to "coordinate trade policies and measures on critical minerals supply chains with a view to concluding a binding plurilateral agreement on trade."

The Trump administration has previously called for a preferential trade zone among allies on critical minerals. 

Washington has also unveiled critical minerals action plans with Mexico and Japan, alongside a supply framework with Australia and others.

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(The Center Square) – The Trump administration has suspended for an additional 90 days a law forbidding foreign-owned and crewed ships from transporting goods between U.S. ports in an effort to contain price increases and to advance national security aims.

“President Trump issued a 90-day extension to the Jones Act waiver,” Taylor Rogers of the White House said Thursday in a social media post.

On March 18, the president announced a 60-day suspension of the Jones Act, a 1920 law requiring that cargo moving between U.S. ports be carried on U.S.-built, -owned, and -crewed vessels. Foreign-flagged vessels are often cheaper to charter than American-registered ships.

“New data compiled since the initial waiver was issued revealed that significantly more supply was able to reach U.S. ports faster,” Rogers said.

Extending the waiver provides certainty and stability for the U.S. and global economies, Rogers wrote.

“The Trump administration has taken several actions to mitigate short-term disruptions to the energy markets, and this extension will help ensure vital energy products, industrial materials, and agricultural necessities are maintained,” Rogers said.

The waiver covers 659 product categories that include coal, jet fuel, propane, butane, urea and Anhydrous Ammonia. The 90-day extension takes effect on May 18 and covers the period through Aug. 15.

According to a published report based on data provided by the White House, the initial waiver allowed approximately 40 tankers to deliver oil between U.S. ports, effectively boosting the available domestic fleet by 70%. The White House cites deliveries between ports in California, Texas, Florida and Alaska. The vessels moved over 9 million barrels of American oil and fuel since the initial March waiver, according to the White House.

In the past, Jones Act waivers typically covered a period of 7-14 days and were issued only after events such as hurricanes, storms or other supply disruptions.

Energy producers, agricultural groups and lawmakers from Hawaii, Alaska and other coastal states requested the extension, seeking to minimize price spikes and to mitigate supply chain risks. American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall said when the waiver was issued in March it would help relieve pressure on supplies of fuel and fertilizer during the critical spring planting season.

While the White House focused on consumer costs on social media accounts, a formal request for the waiver from the Department of War framed the extension as a matter of national security. The department warned that a failure to extend the waiver would "degrade our national defense" by disrupting military planning and support for U.S. Central Command operations in the conflict with Iran. There is currently insufficient U.S.-flagged shipping capacity to meet rising defense needs, according to the War Department.

Since President Donald Trump began his second term, the administration has promoted the “Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance,” program, backed the SHIPS for America Act, and pushed for rebuilding U.S. shipyards, merchant fleets, and sealift readiness.

The American Maritime Partnership, a trade group representing the shipping industry, urged that the waivers be allowed to lapse, saying their existence undermines U.S. maritime policy. The industry group’s president, Jennifer Carpenter, said in a statement that an extension of the waiver would “blow a hole in the Trump agenda to restore American maritime dominance.”

“Waiving the Jones Act exports American jobs to foreign carriers, lets them skirt U.S. laws, and throws open our maritime borders,” said Carpenter. “Any extension would be an affront to hundreds of thousands of hardworking Americans who put this country – not foreign powers – first,” Carpenter said.

Waiving domestic shipping laws won’t change the price of crude oil on world markets, the primary driver of what Americans pay at the pump, Carpenter said. The shipping group estimates Jones Act requirements result in a cost to drivers of an additional one-tenth of a cent per gallon, which it contends is negligible compared to taxes and refining costs.

AAA reported the U.S. national average for a gallon of regular-grade gasoline Friday was at $4.05 per gallon, up for the second day in a row but down from a four-year high of $4.16 a gallon on April 9.

Aaron Smith, president of the Offshore Marine Service Association, a New Orleans-based trade association that represents the offshore energy industry, said in a statement fuel prices have increased in every U.S. market since the waiver took effect in March.

Smith said oil traders and foreign shippers benefitted from the waiver, rather than American consumers. Average U.S. gasoline prices have risen by 32.4 cents since the waiver was issued on March 18, Smith said.

“The initial waiver has not reduced gasoline prices, rather prices have increased in every U.S. market while benefiting NATO countries that have refused to support U.S. military operations,” Smith said. “To put it simply, a waiver extension sells out our American maritime industry and the foundation of our Navy to benefit oil traders and foreign shippers. Now is the time we should strengthen U.S. maritime capacity, not weaken it.”

Louisiana’s nearly 71,000 maritime workers contribute $18.2 billion annually to the state's economy, according to a recent study by PricewaterhouseCoopers for the Transportation Institute.