Trump’s Budget Bill Fails, Global Tech Innovations Surge – 5/16/2025

The House Budget Committee rejected Trump’s “Big Beautiful Budget Bill” due to GOP dissent over insufficient spending cuts, marking a significant setback for his domestic agenda. Internationally, Russia and Ukraine executed a historic prisoner swap, while technological advancements, including SpaceX’s Starship milestone and Computex 2025 innovations, dominated global headlines.

United States

  • Trump’s approval rating climbs to 52%, up 4 points, while disapproval drops to 48%, per RMG poll conducted May 12-15
  • Verizon terminates DEI programs, aligning with Trump’s executive order, citing their “discriminatory” nature
  • Medicare patients face 42% higher death risk post-emergency surgery in private-equity hospitals, per MW
  • Trump’s net approval rating rises to -1, up from -8 in April, showing a “rising from the dead” trend, per Reuters Ipsos
  • US recession odds plummet to 36% on Polymarket as Trump’s trade deals and cooling inflation boost growth forecasts
  • Kash Patel declares FBI headquarters in DC will be shuttered, signaling major overhaul plans
  • US drug overdose deaths dropped nearly 30,000 in 2024, hitting the lowest level since 2019, per PBS News
  • US firms boost China shipments nearly 300% after Trump’s tariff pause, risking supply chain bottlenecks, per NBC News
  • Trump administration claims it won’t seek control over the Federal Reserve in ongoing court case, per USA TODAY
  • Universities face layoffs and cuts to perks like coffee as Trump’s funding reductions hit campuses, per The Wall Street Journal
  • New York’s migrant legal aid hub at Red Cross headquarters to close by June, ending key asylum support, per The New York Times
  • Trump alleges ex-FBI director Comey’s seashell photo spelling “8647” signals assassination plot, prompting Secret Service probe, per The Guardian
  • A military parade set for June 14, marking the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary, may cost $45 million and feature M1 Abrams tanks in Washington, per NYT, TheNextGenBusiness
  • The Secret Service probes ex-FBI Director James Comey’s Instagram post of seashells forming “86 47,” seen by White House as a threat to Trump, per Fox News, TheNextGenBusiness
  • 3M settles with New Jersey for up to $450 million over PFAS groundwater contamination, as Trump eases PFAS rules, per Perfect Union, TheNextGenBusiness
  • A brain-dead pregnant woman in Georgia remains on life support to comply with strict abortion laws, allowing her baby to develop, per AP News, TheNextGenBusiness
  • Denver airport air traffic control lost contact with up to 20 pilots for six minutes on Monday, per Perfect Union, TheNextGenBusiness
  • DHS’s Civil Rights Office was shuttered days after probing the unlawful arrest of Mahmoud Khalil for protected speech, per ACLU Nationwide, TheNextGenBusiness
  • AG Pam Bondi sold $1M-$5M in Trump Media shares the same day Trump’s tariffs crashed markets, per ProPublica, TheNextGenBusiness
  • Amazon’s “Spy High” docuseries exposes how school surveillance harms students’ rights and mental health, per ACLU Nationwide, TheNextGenBusiness
  • 74% of Sesame Workshop workers voted to form a union, a major win for behind-the-scenes staff, per Perfect Union, TheNextGenBusiness
  • Marco Rubio tells Hannity that Trump aims to end global conflicts and foster peace, per Fox News, TheNextGenBusiness
  • Bruce Springsteen condemns Trump’s administration as “corrupt, incompetent and treasonous” at his Manchester tour opener, per NYT, TheNextGenBusiness
  • The Supreme Court debates judicial power to curb unlawful Trump administration actions, per ACLU Nationwide, TheNextGenBusiness
  • Corporate investors now control 30% of single-family rental homes in Atlanta, per Perfect Union, TheNextGenBusiness
  • Karen Read’s attorney accuses prosecutors of ambushing with surprise evidence, seeking a Rule 14 violation ruling, per Fox News, TheNextGenBusiness
  • A big brother acted as a human step to help his little sister mount a pony for a special ride, per Fox News, TheNextGenBusiness
  • FBI Director Kash Patel says Secret Service will question James Comey over his “86 47” social media post, allegedly threatening Trump, per Fox News, TheNextGenBusiness
  • Prosecutors outmaneuvered Diddy’s legal team during cross-examination, an attorney explains, per Fox News, TheNextGenBusiness
  • The Supreme Court presses the government with tough questions in a birthright citizenship case, per ACLU Nationwide, TheNextGenBusiness
  • 11-year-old Wisconsin boy remains in ICU over 50 days after complications from tonsil surgery, per FOX5 Las Vegas, TheNextGenBusiness
  • DHS explores reality show concept where immigrants compete for faster citizenship, per KOIN 6 News, TheNextGenBusiness
  • Pennsylvania kindergartner brings Jell-O shots to school, shares with classmates, per FOX5 Las Vegas, TheNextGenBusiness
  • SpaceX’s Starlink aims to provide GPS-free navigation globally, positioning itself as a robust GPS alternative with upcoming direct-to-device service, per PCMag, TheNextGenBusiness
  • An unauthorized modification reportedly caused xAI’s Grok to fixate on ‘white genocide,’ raising concerns about AI integrity, per Engadget, TheNextGenBusiness
  • Reducing NSF funding could severely impact the U.S. economy and citizens’ well-being, experts warn, per FastCompany, TheNextGenBusiness
  • Trump’s policies reportedly favor data brokers, potentially compromising consumer data privacy, per FastCompany, TheNextGenBusiness
  • Congressional authority has eroded over decades, diminishing its constitutional primacy, analysts claim, per FastCompany, TheNextGenBusiness
  • With 54% of Americans hit by high gas prices, experts share strategies to save at the pump, per CNET, TheNextGenBusiness
  • 53% of New Jersey voters want the next governor to work with Trump, up 6 points, per Emerson poll May 11-13
  • Trump’s endorsed “Big Beautiful Budget Bill” collapses in House Budget Committee, rejected by GOP dissenters
  • House Budget Committee votes 16-21 against “Big Beautiful Budget Bill,” with GOP hawks Reps. Chip Roy, Josh Brecheen, Andrew Clyde, Ralph Norman, and Lloyd Smucker opposing due to insufficient spending cuts
  • Five Republicans block Trump’s tax-cut bill in committee, demanding deeper spending cuts, per Reuters
  • Five conservative House Republicans halt Trump’s domestic policy bill, seeking larger budget cuts, per The New York Times
  • Conservative House Budget Committee members derail Trump’s agenda bill over deficit concerns, per NBC News

Western States

  • Greer Fire in eastern Arizona burns thousands of acres, forcing evacuations, says Arizona Forestry official Tiffany Davila, per FOX 10 Phoenix, TheNextGenBusiness
  • Greer Fire prompts evacuation orders for residents in Greer and South Fork, eastern Arizona, per ABC15 Arizona, TheNextGenBusiness
  • Man critically injured in overnight stabbing during robbery attempt in Phoenix’s Maryvale area, per Arizona’s Family 3TV & CBS 5, TheNextGenBusiness
  • Phoenix Suns employee sues, alleging retaliation for reporting security threats, per FOX 10 Phoenix, TheNextGenBusiness
  • Second teen found responsible for starting barn fire in Gilbert, per Maricopa County Juvenile Court, per FOX 10 Phoenix, TheNextGenBusiness
  • Downtown LA faces sharp drop in apartment construction, ranking among top 50 US cities, per KTLA 5, TheNextGenBusiness
  • Mission District fire site, which k*lled one and displaced dozens, to become 181-unit apartment despite community opposition, per San Francisco Chronicle, TheNextGenBusiness
  • Elderly woman unharmed after crashing SUV into her San Marino home Thursday night, per KTLA 5, TheNextGenBusiness
  • Police hunt driver in fatal pedestrian crash in LA’s Florence neighborhood overnight, per KTLA 5, TheNextGenBusiness
  • Woman attacked unprovoked in Culver City, found bleeding and screaming, per KTLA 5, TheNextGenBusiness
  • Man arrested in San Bernardino for allegedly stealing car from Facebook Marketplace seller, per KTLA 5, TheNextGenBusiness
  • Sicides and mental health crises hit AI doomsday group before cult-like ‘Zizians’ kllings, per San Francisco Chronicle, TheNextGenBusiness
  • Life-size sculpture unveiled in 2020 during Trump’s first term, per KOIN 6 News, TheNextGenBusiness
  • Missing hiker found safe after nearly 3 weeks alone in wilderness, days after search scaled back, per FOX5 Las Vegas, TheNextGenBusiness
  • Police identify 39-year-old suspect in fatal stabbing of woman, allegedly his ex-girlfriend, in Riverdale apartment, per KUTV2News, TheNextGenBusiness

International

  • Taurine in energy drinks like Red Bull may “accelerate leukemia growth” by fueling cancer cells, per Independent
  • Russia and Ukraine exchange 1,000 prisoners each in their largest swap since the war began, per The New York Times
  • Zelenskyy criticizes Putin’s absence from Ukraine peace talks, while Trump awaits a meeting with Putin, per Virgin Media News Ireland, TheNextGenBusiness
  • A wildfire in Western Canada k*lled two Defendants unable to escape during a town-wide evacuation, per NYT, TheNextGenBusiness
  • Giant robotic centipedes could transform farming by enhancing efficiency, according to innovative research, per IEEESpectrum, TheNextGenBusiness
  • Android 16 introduces five transformative features set to enhance user experience significantly, per PCMag, TheNextGenBusiness
  • Adriana Marais’s vision of off-world living in ‘Out of This World and Into the Next’ sparks debate on its relevance amid political tensions, per NewScientist, TheNextGenBusiness
  • Google Gemini enhances web accessibility for users with vision and hearing impairments, improving digital inclusivity, per DigitalTrends, TheNextGenBusiness
  • Google re-enters virtual reality with Android XR, unveiling a fresh strategic approach, per FastCompany, TheNextGenBusiness
  • SpaceX’s Starship is poised for a groundbreaking milestone this year, hints its leader, per DigitalTrends, TheNextGenBusiness
  • NASA’s rover captures a striking image of Mars’ moon Deimos, revealing its enigmatic surface, per DigitalTrends, TheNextGenBusiness
  • Computex 2025 promises major tech innovations at Asia’s premier technology expo, per PCMag, TheNextGenBusiness
  • Recent experiments suggest quantum bits entanglement follows a pattern akin to Moore’s law, researchers say, per NewScientist, TheNextGenBusiness
  • Samsung’s ultra-thin Galaxy S25 Edge faces skepticism over its necessity, sparking tech debates, per Engadget, TheNextGenBusiness
  • A new guide simplifies canceling subscriptions on iPhone, streamlining user control, per Engadget, TheNextGenBusiness
  • Misrepresenting scientific facts enables tech moguls like Elon Musk to sidestep current issues, critics argue, per FastCompany, TheNextGenBusiness
  • Rochester emerges as a haven for those fleeing extreme weather, leveraging its history as a boomtown, per FastCompany, TheNextGenBusiness
  • Secret Service probes ex-FBI Director James Comey over social media posts allegedly inciting violence against Trump, per KUTV2News, TheNextGenBusiness
  • Russia and Ukraine exchange 1,000 prisoners each, says Russia’s Vladimir Medinsky, per KUTV2News, TheNextGenBusiness