NEWS - SATURDAY, MAY 02, 2026 - NEWS
For years, the Southern Poverty Law Center has been one of the few groups monitoring activity by far-right extremists in California. But the organization was recently charged with fraud and money laundering by the Trump administration. LA Times
VOA VIEW: They are a bad organization.
Conflict in Iran has raised the cost of oil and downstream products like virgin plastic. That's a boon for recycled plastic, which is now cost competitive. LA Times
With states legalizing weed, we need to require a nationally standardized warning label about its risks, just as cigarette packs include a dire warning that “smoking causes lung cancer, heart disease, emphysema.” New York Post
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Iran’s 90 million people have been cut off from the internet for most of 2026, one of the world’s longest and strictest national shutdowns. New York Post
VOA VIEW: Iran is making it worse for themselves.
A TikTok demonstrating "pinky time" has gone viral with the promise that this simple daily digit exercise can stave off cognitive decline. New York Post
VOA VIEW: Tik Tok cannot be trusted.
Retired Gen. Jack Keane said Iran's merciless and violent crackdown on its own citizens show the leadership's true colors and proves any negotiation is fruitless. New York Post
The details of the latest plan were unclear, and President Trump did not specify his objections. New York Times
VOA VIEW: Iran cannot be trusted.
Americans can’t afford the higher health insurance premiums that resulted from Congress’s refusal to extend federal tax credits. New York Times
Legal challenges are mounting over the decision to suspend the state’s May House primary after a Supreme Court ruling found that the congressional map was unconstitutional. New York Times
VOA VIEW: It should be delayed.
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Patients with one of the deadliest cancers have been pleading for an unapproved treatment that may prolong their lives. New York Times
Nonprofit groups have applauded an investigation on trade in goods made with forced labor but say that the Trump administration should go further to enforce its own laws New York Times
Barry Christian, a Republican candidate running for Oklahoma’s Senate District 38, was found dead in a western Oklahoma wildlife refuge. OANN
Los Angeles Republican mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt has significantly bolstered his campaign's visibility following the now-viral release of his latest promotional video. OANN
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Representative Ken Calvert has introduced a resolution in Congress where he labeled the Golden State’s energy policies as a “mess” that is both “busting wallets” and “risking security.” OANN
Minnesota state Representative Kristin Robbins, the Republican candidate running to replace Democrat Governor Tim Walz, has announced she will be ending her gubernatorial campaign. OANN
John Eastman, the attorney who advised Mr. Trump on how to challenge the 2020 election results, tells "Seen, Heard & Whispered" that he will ask the U.S. Supreme Court to reinstate his license to practice law. Washington Times
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New California regulations on autonomous vehicles go into effect this summer, including one allowing police to issue citations for moving violations by the driverless cars. Washington Times
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp refused to cancel the state's May 19 primary to implement new congressional maps following the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down enforced racial gerrymandering. Washington Times
Meta is raising the prospect of shutting down its social media services in New Mexico in response to a push by state prosecutors for fundamental changes to the company's platforms, including Instagram, to protect the mental health and safety of children. Washington Times
Artemis astronaut Christina Koch said "teamwork is 100% everything" when it comes to the success of the moon mission. She called out her teammates "on the ground" as the "real heroes." CBS
Louisiana Secretary of State Nancy Landry said Thursday that the state will suspend its May 16 House primaries in the wake of the Supreme Court striking down the state's Congressional map. CBS
VOA VIEW: As they should.
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Kentucky State Police said a man went to a U.S. Bank in Brea, Kentucky, and shot and killed a man and a woman, both employees at the bank. CBS
The longest shutdown of a federal department in U.S. history came to an end on Thursday when President Trump signed a bill to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security following a breakthrough on Capitol Hill. CBS
VOA VIEW: Thanks to Dems, it took a long time.
Hershey says it's benefiting from the growing use of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs even as people cut down on snacks. CBS
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The suspect, a juvenile, was detained at the scene, police said. CBS
Under the 1973 War Powers Resolution, a U.S. president needs to withdraw troops 60 days after reporting their deployment to Congress CNBC
VOA VIEW: That may be true.
The move is expected to recoup millions of dollars a month for Scotland’s economy. CNBC
MAHA advocates said the language that was stripped could have provided liability protection for Bayer in lawsuits involving its Roundup weedkiller. CNBC
Trump also said he was not inclined to wear a bulletproof vest, as some people have suggested after the arrest of a gunman over the weekend. CNBC
A suspect is facing felony charges after allegedly running a secret meth lab operation at Michigan State University's Wells Hall, police said. FOX News
Keyshun Jones faces theft and money laundering charges after allegedly stealing $80,000 from a Texas Chick-fil-A through a fake refund scheme. FOX News
A Louisiana grandmother is on trial for first-degree murder, accused of forcing her 4-year-old granddaughter to drink whiskey as a punishment. FOX News
VOA VIEW: She should be put under the jail.
U.S. First Lady Melania Trump was instrumental in securing the return of at least 26 abducted children forcibly removed to Russia or occupied Ukraine. UPI
Federal prosecutors are suing New Jersey for offering qualifying noncitizen residents in-state college tuition and state-funded benefits. UPI
VOA VIEW: As they should.
China will take over the rotating presidency of U.N. Security Council in May, saying it will promote political solutions to international conflicts. UPI
VOA VIEW: China cannot be trusted.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth told a Senate committee it could take "months and years" to replace U.S. munitions used during the war in Iran. UPI
VOA VIEW: It is what it is.
The FDA has moved to exclude semaglutide, tirzepatide and liraglutide -- which are in several popular weight loss drugs -- from its 503B bulks list. UPI
The Senate Judiciary Committee temporarily halted a landmark proposal to allow child sexual abuse survivors to speak out against their perpetrators. UPI
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After nine days and more than 40 hours of deliberation, a Los Angeles jury delivered a landmark verdict finding Instagram (Meta) and YouTube (Google) liable for intentionally designing their platforms to “hook” young users. The court found that both platforms were engineered to encourage addictive behavior, awarding the plaintiff $3 million in compensatory damages. Responsibility for the award was split between the tech giants, with Meta assigned 70% of the liability and Google covering the remaining 30%. It is about time.
The case centered on a 20-year-old Californian identified as “Kaley” (or KGM) to protect her privacy. She testified that the platforms’ addictive designs fueled her depression and thoughts of self-harm. While both companies denied the claims — arguing that their platforms are safe and equipped with robust parental controls — the jury’s decision marks a significant legal shift in how social She testified that the platforms’ addictive designs fueled her depression and thoughts of self-harm. While both companies denied the claims — arguing that their platforms are safe and equipped with robust parental controls — the jury’s decision marks a significant legal shift in how social media design is held accountable. Meta also opposed the decision, stating, “We respectfully disagree with the verdict and are evaluating our legal options.”
Nonetheless, jurors found that Meta and Google acted with “malice, oppression, or fraud,” resulting in punitive damages on top of the $3 million total compensatory damages. TikTok and Snap, the parent company of Snapchat, were also originally named as defendants — though they settled ahead of the trial for undisclosed sums, leaving Meta and YouTube remaining in the case. Kaley had testified that her social media use began with YouTube at age 6 and Instagram at age 9, telling the jury that checking Instagram was the first thing she did every morning and her last action before sleep. This constant engagement, she explained, led to significant struggles at school, at home, and with her mental health.
Her legal team, led by Mark Lanier, focused on specific design features like YouTube’s “autoplay,” which allows videos to play endlessly and automatically. Kaley shared that she has since been diagnosed with anxiety, depression, and body dysmorphia. When asked if she had experienced these conditions prior to using social media, she testified, saying “No, I didn’t'.
