Israel orders seizure of 70% of Gaza Strip

Iran has not confirmed the Trump administration's claim that a peace deal is imminent, Vice President JD Vance said Friday that the U.S. is "very close" to reaching a 60-day memorandum of understanding with Iran that would see both sides cease fire while nuclear talks continue, with Iran given 30 days to remove sea mines from the Strait of Hormuz, though President Trump has yet to give final approval and Iranian officials have not confirmed the report. This development comes as Israel ordered its army to seize 70 percent of the Gaza Strip, pushing further beyond lines established under a U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal, while simultaneously bombing Beirut for the first time in three weeks and expanding its assault on southern Lebanon, with the United Nations reporting 15 children killed by Israeli strikes on Lebanon over the past week. The escalation follows the U.N. adding Israel to a blacklist for sexual violence in conflict zones, with the annual report documenting systematic torture, rape and degrading treatment of detained Palestinians in Israeli prisons. The climate crisis continues to accelerate, with a new U.N. study finding global surface temperatures are projected to exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by 2030, passing a key Paris climate accord threshold, as heat waves cause record temperatures across Europe, including Portugal's hottest-ever May day. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the alliance "stands ready to defend" Romanian territory after a Russian drone struck an apartment building in Galați, injuring two people, while Ukraine launched waves of drones targeting Russian oil infrastructure, with Reuters reporting that virtually all major refineries in central Russia have halted or scaled back output, reducing fuel production by more than a quarter. Meanwhile, the Pentagon awarded Dell a nearly $10 billion contract days after President Trump disclosed purchasing shares worth up to $5 million in the company, prompting ethics watchdogs to raise concerns about conflicts of interest. In U.S. domestic news, the Commerce Department reported inflation rose to 3.8 percent in April, its highest rate since 2023, driven by soaring fuel prices following Trump's hostilities with Iran, while a study found 1.6 million fewer people are receiving SNAP food assistance after congressional cuts took effect. In Massachusetts, nearly 70,000 ride-share drivers with Uber and Lyft became the largest private workforce to win union recognition since 1941, with organizers calling it a historic turning point for labor organizing against big technology companies. Guatemala denied reports it agreed to allow U.S. military strikes against drug traffickers inside its territory, with President Bernardo Arévalo clarifying his government seeks joint collaboration but would not approve foreign military attacks.