WASHINGTON – The House has narrowly passed a resolution to halt U.S. military action in Iran, sending a warning to President Donald Trump for the second time as the war has escalated and the future of the conflict is increasingly uncertain. The 214-208 vote requiring congressional approval for the war comes as the Senate is expected to consider a similar resolution later Thursday. Though the votes forced by Democrats are largely symbolic, they’re meant as a strong signal to the Republican president his support on Capitol Hill is eroding as the war drags on and lawmakers in both parties question his administration’s endgame. Washington Democratic congresswoman Pramila Jayapal says the war has “no clear mission.”
CAIRO – Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels say they have attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea. That has the potential to open a new front in the Iran war as the U.S. military conducted a 12th night of strikes against Iran and international oil topped $100 a barrel. The Houthis have threatened to shut down another key trade route, with the world economy already reeling from Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran and the U.S. have meanwhile stepped up their attacks as they vie for control of the strait. Iran’s foreign minister said Tehran would adopt an “eye for an eye” policy on U.S. strikes against its infrastructure. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio retorted that President Donald Trump’s policy is “a head for an eye.”
KYIV, Ukraine – Ukraine is pushing on with its fight against Russia under new military leadership. President Zelenskyy fired his commander-in-chief after public pressure. This change follows a rift between the outgoing army chief and defense minister, both of whom lost their jobs. The new army chief, Maj. Gen. Mykhailo Drapatyi, is part of a new generation of Ukrainian generals. Zelenskyy has tasked Drapatyi with updating the defense strategy. Street protests in Kyiv demanded the return of the tech-savvy defense minister, Mykhailo Fedorov. Meanwhile, Ukrainian drones have struck warehouses in Russia, targeting facilities they say were used for drone production.
NEW YORK – A June 1 trial date has been set for Nicolás Maduro to face drug trafficking charges in New York. The trial date was set on Wednesday during a brief hearing. His lawyer says he plans to contest the charges against his client on sovereign immunity grounds. Defense lawyers have objected to the U.S. military action that snatched Venezuela’s president from power. Maduro was brought to the Manhattan courthouse early Wednesday from a Brooklyn jail. Maduro and his wife have pleaded not guilty to charges that they sided with drug dealers in a multidecade scheme to ship large quantities of drugs to the United States.
BUNIA, Congo – At least 999 people have died from the Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo, according to official data published overnight into Wednesday, a grim toll in what’s already been declared the fastest Ebola outbreak in history. The latest update from Congo’s Ministry of Health shows that as of Monday, 2,473 cases have been recorded in the latest outbreak, and 999 people have died. The outbreak, declared on May 15, is unlike most previous Ebola outbreaks because the Bundibugyo virus responsible for it has no approved vaccines or treatments. Ebola is rare, but highly contagious and can be contracted via bodily fluids such as vomit, blood or semen.
– The Associated Press
