Trump Meets Global Leaders, ZEUS Laser Hits Record Power – 5/21/2025

President Trump engages with international leaders and pushes domestic policy, while a record-setting laser blast marks a scientific milestone. Economic challenges like rising car loan delinquencies and innovative tech advancements also dominate today’s news.

United States

  • Gas prices are expected to hit a 22-year low for Memorial Day when adjusted for inflation, per GasBuddy.
  • John Deere commits over $20 billion to boost manufacturing and production capacity across the United States.
  • Senator Rubio defends cutting foreign aid, stating “I don’t regret cutting $10 million for male circumcisions in Mozambique,” emphasizing U.S. interests.
  • United Airlines will equip its entire 300-jet fleet with Starlink internet by 2026, offering free Wi-Fi to MileagePlus members, per New York Post.
  • President Trump meets with the House Freedom Caucus today, urging passage of a major bill alongside Speaker Mike Johnson, per Punchbowl.
  • The Defense Department accepts a $200M Boeing 747 from Qatar, to be upgraded as Trump’s Air Force One, per Spokesman.
  • Sam Altman warns that the world is unprepared for the imminent rise of humanoid robots, per Business Insider.
  • Car loan delinquencies hit a record high, with over 6.5% of borrowers at least 60 days late, per Fitch.
  • Federal judge upholds union contract for thousands of IRS workers, thwarting Trump’s push to curb federal collective bargaining rights, per Reuters.
  • Mississippi’s plea for federal tornado aid remains unresolved, signaling potential delays for storm-hit communities as FEMA faces internal chaos, per NBC News.
  • Federal judge orders U.S. to retain custody of migrants reportedly deported to South Sudan, pending review of removal legality, per PBS News.
  • Phone companies allegedly failed to disclose government surveillance of senators, raising concerns about Congress’s ability to legislate, per Politico.
  • Kansas farmers Jacob and Jennifer Thomas lose 10% income after Trump administration cuts $1 billion local food program for schools, per The Washington Post.
  • House Speaker Mike Johnson and moderate Republicans reach deal on SALT deduction cap, resolving key issue for GOP’s major bill, per The Hill, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • President Trump proposes $175 billion “Golden Dome” missile defense shield, though costs could reach $542 billion, per NYT, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • Trump’s “Golden Dome” missile shield aims to surpass Israel’s Iron Dome, capable of intercepting space-launched missiles, per Fox News, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • Trump’s education policies mirror DeSantis’ Florida model, with moves to defund diversity programs and promote “patriotic” curriculum, per NYT, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • Anti-Israel students disrupt Columbia University’s acting president with chants and boos at graduation, per Fox News, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • Oklahoma court temporarily blocks law threatening noncitizens with arrest and deportation, per ACLU Nationwide, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • President Trump teaches White House staff’s children his “YMCA” dance during Take Our Kids to Work Day, per Fox News, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • First Lady Melania Trump hosts children for White House Take Our Kids to Work Day, leading flag-decorating activity, per Fox News, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • Johnny from Jesse Primetime confronts former FBI Director James Comey with tough questions at book signing, per Fox News, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • Report claims Jordon Hudson and Bill Belichick are engaged, adding twist to their relationship saga, per Fox News, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • Transportation Secretary Duffy enforces law requiring truck drivers to speak English to enhance road safety, per Fox News, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • Diddy’s Los Angeles mansion remains unsold as he faces legal battles in Manhattan, per NY Post, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • Rapper Kid Cudi expected to testify at Sean “Diddy” Combs s*x trafficking trial, per FOX5 Las Vegas, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • Mansion near Obama’s residence catches fire, triggering major emergency response, per Fox News, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • FBI Director Kash Patel reportedly shuts down the internal watchdog office overseeing surveillance compliance, per gizmodo, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • U.S. battery leadership hinges on advancing technological innovation, per fastcompany, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • ZEUS, America’s most powerful laser, achieves a 2-petawatt blast, per gizmodo, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • 3-year-old nonverbal autistic child dies at a Missouri daycare, per FOX5 Las Vegas, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • 24-year-old Ohio man arrested for posing as a 16-year-old to attend high school, per FOX5 Las Vegas, TheNextGenBusiness.

Western States

  • Alexis Crumback, 38, arrested for allegedly starting a fire that injured two housemates in Utah, per KUTV2News, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • Intoxicated man k*lled in shootout with armed bystanders after firing into a bar near 95th and Peoria Avenues (Phoenix), per FOX 10 Phoenix, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • 63-year-old man k*lled in crash after fleeing troopers at 140 mph on I-70 (Sevier County), per KUTV2News, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • High-speed chase from Riverside ends with sparks on an East Los Angeles freeway (Los Angeles), per KTLA 5, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • Governor Hobbs signs “Emily’s Law” to create a “turquoise alert” for missing Indigenous people (Arizona), per ABC15 Arizona, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • Adrian Roa, 19, arrested after leading police on a high-speed chase through Millard County (Utah), per KUTV2News, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • One dead, one seriously injured in sh**ting at a sports bar near 95th and Peoria Avenues (Phoenix), per FOX 10 Phoenix, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • Cedar Fire south of Oracle stopped after burning 10.5 acres (Arizona), per ABC15 Arizona, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • Kimberlee Kelly, 25, arrested for allegedly using a vulnerable adult’s credit card for thousands in unauthorized purchases (Utah), per KUTV2News, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • U.S. Justice Department ends Biden-era investigation into Phoenix Police Department (Phoenix), per Arizona’s Family 3TV & CBS 5, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • California Senator Sabrina Cervantes cited for DUI near State Capitol (Sacramento), per KTLA 5, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • Several injured in crash involving stolen truck on I-15 near Leeds (Utah), per KUTV2News, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • Victorville man sentenced to life without parole for decades-old k*lling (Ventura County), per KTLA 5, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • San Bernardino to pay $5 million to family of man k*lled by police during pursuit (San Bernardino), per KTLA 5, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • Utah National Guard member Derek Whitney arrested on child s*xual abuse charges (Utah), per KUTV2News, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • Surprise couple demands action after multiple cars crash into their backyard wall (Arizona), per Arizona’s Family 3TV & CBS 5, TheNextGenBusiness.

International

  • South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will confer with President Trump at the White House to mend strained bilateral ties, per Wall Street Journal.
  • Andriy Portnov, once an adviser to Ukraine’s pro-Russian ex-President, was fatally sh*t outside a prestigious American school in Madrid, per Euronews.
  • Ex-Arsenal footballer Jay Emmanuel-Thomas admits to masterminding smuggling of 60 kg of c*caine into Stansted Airport, per Britain’s National Crime Agency.
  • EU pledges emergency funds to Radio Free Europe, but the amount falls short of needs after Trump administration halts federal support, per The New York Times.
  • Alan Turing’s pivotal computer science papers, nearly destroyed, were saved at a family event, preserving his AI-influencing legacy, per The Guardian.
  • Canada, France, and UK warn of “concrete actions” against Israel if Gaza military operations expand, per Semafor.
  • SpaceX Starship 9 launch set for next week despite past explosions scattering debris, prompting UK calls for FAA flight plan changes, per ProPublica.
  • China condemns U.S. efforts to ban its advanced computing chips globally, demanding immediate correction, per CGTN, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • Indian Army confirms no air defense guns were deployed at Golden Temple during Operation Sindoor, per NDTV, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • China launches new communication satellite from Hainan’s Wenchang Space Launch Site, per CGTN, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • Texas executes man for setting elderly clerk on fire during 2012 robbery, per AP News, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • Senate Democrats criticize Trump’s Russia pivot and cuts to soft-power programs during Rubio’s confirmation hearings, per The Hill, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • Viral TikTok sparks debate over chivalry for pregnant women: “Chivalry for pregnant women doesn’t exist anymore,” per NY Post, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • Tropical primary rainforests lost a record 67,000 square kilometers in 2024, driven by global warming and El Niño-fueled fires, per newscientist, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • Ancient alchemy techniques are proving surprisingly effective for modern chemistry, outperforming traditional liquid solvent methods, per newscientist, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • Alicella gigantea, the world’s largest amphipod, remains elusive despite its massive size in the deep sea, per newscientist, TheNextGenBusiness.

Asia

  • The X870 AORUS STEALTH ICE motherboard, in sleek white, offers reverse connectors for tidy cable management and M.2 EZ-Flex slots for enhanced SSD cooling, per pcmag, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • The WindRunner, the world’s largest aircraft, is being designed to transport massive wind turbine blades, with potential military applications under review, per newscientist, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • Asus unveils the TUF Gaming T500 desktop at Computex 2025, combining a laptop processor with a full-size graphics card for unique performance, per pcmag, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • AMD reveals the Radeon RX 9060 XT graphics card at Computex 2025, per engadget, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • AMD’s Ryzen Threadripper 9000 series maintains up to 96 cores, matching its predecessor’s power, per engadget, TheNextGenBusiness.

Europe

  • Apple’s Siri overhaul faced setbacks with multiple delays and lawsuits, revealing internal challenges at Cupertino, per pcmag, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • Fortnite returns to Apple’s App Store with limitations, marking a partial comeback, per digitaltrends, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • Volvo deepens its Google partnership to integrate advanced features like Gemini into its vehicles faster, per engadget, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • Google Translate supports far more languages than Apple’s built-in option, and can be set as the default on iOS devices, per cnet, TheNextGenBusiness.

North America

  • Google’s Flow tool introduces AI-powered enhancements for video creation, per digitaltrends, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • Android XR devices showcased at Google I/O 2025 hint at familiar designs, per engadget, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • The Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny remaster highlights the unique charm of classic game design, per digitaltrends, TheNextGenBusiness.
  • The White Sox introduce a multimedia installation to honor Pope Leo, per fastcompany, TheNextGenBusiness.