THE NEWS

Millie Bobby Brown may have subtly teased a personal detail while sharing new beachside photos.The 22-year-old “Stranger Things” star shared a beachside Instagram carousel Sunday, kicking off the post with a close-up selfie in a textured yellow bikini.Brown, whose wet hair was swept back from her face, accessorized the swim look with hoop earrings, a colorful beaded necklace and layered chains. One necklace appeared to spell out “Ruth,” leading fans to wonder whether it referenced the couple’s daughter.LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSMillie Bobby Brown and husband Jake Bongiovi have not publicly revealed their daughter’s name. Some fans speculated the “Ruth” necklace could reference the couple’s child, while others pointed out Ruth was also the name of Brown’s late grandmother, who died in 2020.Brown captioned the post, “juicyyyy 🩵.”Fans quickly flooded the comment section with heart emojis and praise for the sun-soaked photos.MILLIE BOBBY BROWN, KIM KARDASHIAN KICK OFF SPRING IN THEIR BIKINIS: PHOTOSThe beach post also appeared tied to Brown’s beauty brand, Florence by Mills, with additional photos showing pineapples, coconuts and palm trees from a tropical brand activation.In another image, Brown was photographed floating underwater in a pool, her dark hair drifting across the bright blue water as sunlight reflected across the surface.MILLIE BOBBY BROWN UNVEILS NEW MARRIED NAME, ONE YEAR AFTER TYING THE KNOT WITH JON BON JOVI’S SONThe actress previously marked her 22nd birthday with a rare photo featuring her daughter. In the image, the actress sat in the sand at sunset beside the child, who appeared bundled in a teddy-bear-style outfit, as the pair looked out toward the ocean.MILLIE BOBBY BROWN LOVES LIVING ON A FARM WITH JON BON JOVI’S SON: ‘THAT IS WHERE I THRIVE'”22. grateful for my husband and daughter. for my family and friends. all of my animals. I am so blessed. thank you for the birthday wishes. Xoxo,” Brown wrote at the time.Brown and husband Jake Bongiovi, the son of rocker Jon Bon Jovi, announced in August 2025 that they had welcomed their first child through adoption, writing, “This summer we welcomed our sweet baby girl through adoption. We are beyond excited to embark on this beautiful next chapter of parenthood in both peace and privacy. And then there were 3.”CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTERBrown has largely kept her daughter out of the spotlight since becoming a mother. During a previous interview with British Vogue, the actress explained why she prefers to keep her child’s identity private.”For me, it’s really important to protect her and her story until she’s old enough to potentially one day share it herself,” Brown said at the time.Brown recently reflected on motherhood during an interview with Extra, saying, “We’re all mothers and no matter if we’re adoptive mothers, birth mothers, or you know, whatever, like a maternal figure. It’s just like everybody should be celebrated.”

President Trump on Monday afternoon asked the Justice Department to investigate Maryland officials for sending out “500,000 illegal mail-in ballots.”
Last Friday, Maryland election officials said they will be issuing 500,000 new ballots after a vendor made an error in sending out the first batch of ballots for the state’s gubernatorial primary election.
Statement from the Maryland State Board of Elections:
In order to maintain the highest level of confidence and accuracy in mail-in voting, SBE is working with the vendor to send replacement mail-in ballots. While it is possible only a small number of voters received the wrong ballot, and most voters received the correct ballot, all voters must be issued a replacement ballot. This action of resending ballots maintains the integrity and security of mail-in voting.
This error affects only voters who were mailed a ballot before May 14, 2026. If a voter requested and received their mail-in ballot by web delivery (Print at Home ballot), their ballot will not be affected. All affected voters will be notified.
“We are diligently working to address this error and provide clear instructions to those affected as quickly as possible,” said Maryland State Administrator of Elections, Jared DeMarinis. “The State and Local Boards of Elections remain committed to running an election that is verified, secure and accurate. Mail-in voting is an integral facet of the electoral process. With over
500,000 voters requesting mail-in ballots, we want to eliminate any doubt in its integrity or accuracy that is why I have arranged the sending of replacement ballots.”
On Monday, Maryland election officials insisted the first batch of ballots would be sequestered and voided.
President Trump said Maryland sent out illegal ballots.
Trump’s full statement on Truth Social:
In Maryland, they sent out 500,000 Illegal Mail In Ballots, and they got caught! So now, they’re going to send out 500,000 more Mail In Ballots, but nobody knows what’s happening with the first 500,000 they sent.
In addition, many of these Ballots went to Democrats, so any Republican running in Maryland doesn’t have a chance!
This was done by the Corrupt Governor of the State, Wes Moore. He allowed this to happen in order to make sure that Democrats win. It never made sense to me that Maryland was considered an automatic Democrat State, but now I see why.
I’m sure this has gone on for years. I’m going to ask the Attorney General of the United States, and the DOJ, to bring an immediate investigation into this situation. President DONALD J. TRUMP

Later Monday, President Trump told reporters that he instructed law enforcement to look into the mail-in ballot ‘error.’
“We’re the only country in the world that’s doing mail-in ballots. And mail-in ballots, just by just the nature of them, are going to be corrupt,” Trump said.
“So as you know, in Maryland, 500,000 fake ballots were sent out. When they were caught, they said, oh, we’ll pull them back. And they issued 500,000 new ballots and as you know, they never got the original ballots back. So there are a million ballots out there, many of them went to Democrats,” Trump said.
“So it’s a very, very serious thing that’s happened and I’ve asked the law enforcement to look at it very, very strenuously,” the president added.
WATCH:

The post Trump Asks DOJ to Launch Investigation Into Maryland After 500,000 Mail-In Ballots Were Sent Out in “Error” (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

The U.S. and China reaffirmed their shared goal of N. Korea’s denuclearization during last week’s summit between President Trump and President Xi.

Paige Spiranac hit the golf course on Monday and her content was hit with an unexpected age restriction. She’s used to creating internet buzz with her outfits, but didn’t expect to see the censors flag this one.She was getting in some practice time on the course and working on her swing when her post was flagged. This wasn’t an instructional video on how to swing with big boobs or anything close to it.In fact, the girls were nowhere to be found. Paige was on the course by herself in country club-approved attire hitting a golf ball. There’s nothing else going on but the sound of golf balls being launched.Apparently, her attire caused Twitter to malfunction or something. The censors must have been expecting a great cans-worthy post and panicked.PAIGE SPIRANAC ADDS NEW CHAPTER IN ‘CASE STUDY’ ABOUT HER GOLF GAMEThat or all of Paige’s posts are set up for the age restriction trigger, and it was applied to this post in question out of habit. Obviously, it was flagged by mistake. To the shock of some, she’s almost never this covered up.Paige had a little fun with it and joked her swing was to blame. She wrote, “I know my swing is so pure it’s sexual but to have an age restriction on this post where I’m the most covered up I’ve ever been is wild lol.”ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!The world’s No. 1 ranked golf influencer doesn’t have time for this. It’s bad enough when content that shows a little skin ends up being flagged.She’s trying to get some practice in before summer gets here, and she’s busy coming up with new content ideas. This doesn’t need to be in the back of her mind right now.Neither does the driver yips that Paige revealed she’s been dealing with lately. She’s all over the place with the yips, even placing some of the blame on her yellow-painted nails.The bottom line is the censors need to get it together and let Paige focus on what Paige does best. That’s elite golf content in the attire of her choosing.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent
More oil as the war drags on.
As the fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran still holds, with ‘serious negotiations’ being held, the effects of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz are still affecting oil prices and the energy security of many countries.
Today (18), Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that the Donald J. Trump administration will extend for another month a waiver that allows the sale of Russian crude that is already loaded on tankers.

Politico reported:
“The move is aimed at keeping more oil on global markets and tempering crude prices as the war in Iran, now nearing its third month, continues to choke off shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. But critics have blasted the waiver as allowing Russia to profit from elevated oil prices and enriching Moscow’s war machine.”

The US Treasury Department has extended the exemption from sanctions against Russian oil for another month. pic.twitter.com/KEDwApPO3q
— Chay Bowes (@BowesChay) May 18, 2026

“The general license from Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control allows any country to purchase Russian oil already on the water for another month. It extends the sanctions relief, first issued in March and renewed in April, for a third month.
‘This general license will help stabilize the physical crude market and ensure oil reaches the most energy-vulnerable countries’, Bessent said in an X post. ‘It will also help reroute existing supply to countries most in need by reducing China’s ability to stockpile discounted oil’.”
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent
 
Reuters reported:
“A source familiar with the decision had told Reuters that the second waiver extension was requested by poor and vulnerable countries that cannot get ​Gulf oil shipments due to the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
‘This extension will provide additional flexibility, and we will work ​with these nations to provide specific licenses as needed’, Bessent said. ‘This general license will help stabilize the physical crude market and ⁠ensure oil reaches the most energy-vulnerable countries’.
Bessent said the measure would help reroute existing supply to countries most in need, allowing them to compete with China for previously ​sanctioned oil.”
Read more:
TRUMP TO OIL TANKERS: “SHOW SOME GUTS!” – President Says Iran’s Navy Is Finished, Urges Ships to Sail Through Strait of Hormuz

The post US Treasury Extends Temporary Waiver for Vulnerable Nations To Access Russian Oil Stranded at Sea appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

A jury on Monday threw out Elon Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI and founders Sam Altman and Greg Brockman because he waited too long to file the claims.

The Great American Squeeze Of 2026

Authored by MN Gordon via Economic Prism,

Does your American dream feel like it’s being put through a hydraulic press?

If so, you’re not alone. Between rising rent and gas prices, escalating grocery bills, and sky-high health insurance premiums, Americans are feeling a relentless squeeze from all directions. That’s the painful reality.

Recent economic numbers point to a weary consumer. In fact, consumer sentiment is at a 74-year low. To put that in perspective, Americans feel more pessimistic about the economy today than they did during the 2008 financial crisis, the stagflation of the 1970s, or the height of the 2020 lockdowns.

What’s going on?

Why does it feel like your paycheck is evaporating before it even hits your bank account, while the S&P 500 is hitting record highs over 7,400?

The answer has to do with the K-shaped reality of 2026.

For years, economists have tried to gaslight American workers and consumers. They blamed social media and partisanship. They reasoned that if your preferred politician isn’t occupying the White House, you complain a bit more to a pollster.

Several years ago, Kyla Scanton coined the term “vibecession” to describe a situation where the data looks fine on paper, but people feel bad in their souls. But what about when the data looks bad on paper?

Heather Long, chief economist at Navy Federal Credit Union, recently pointed out today’s reality. The vibes have officially been replaced by cold, hard financial pain. When the University of Michigan sentiment reading drops to 49.8, it’s not just because people are grumpy on Twitter. It’s because the cost of basic survival has outpaced the ability to pay for it.

What’s more, as middleclass families drown in debt, the wealthy flourish. This creates a highly visible divide that presages social instability.

A Tale of Two Americas

The fact is you likely took a pay cut last month. Even if your boss gave you a 3 percent raise this year, you’re still losing ground. With inflation rising at an annual rate of 3.8 percent, per this week’s CPI report for April, your real wages are in the red. Thanks to the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran the energy component of the CPI is increasing at an annual rate of 17.9 percent.

When consumer prices rise faster than your income, that’s not a vibe. That’s the real time erosion of your income. And this is just the beginning…

Joseph Brusuelas, chief economist at RSM, warns that as the supply shocks from the Middle East filter through the system, May is going to be even worse. We are essentially footing the bill for global conflicts through higher prices.

Yet the effects of inflation are felt differently throughout the economy. Those in the higher income brackets are benefiting from an inflating stock market. Retail sales are up 4 percent year over year. So, too, Disney recently confirmed that its domestic park bookings and cruise reservations remain strong through the second half of 2026.

Then there are those in the middle- and lower-income brackets who can’t keep up. They don’t own stocks. They don’t own a house with a 3 percent mortgage. For this group, personal loan applications are spiking. Credit card debt is at an all-time high. They’re also being forced out of their cars and onto the bus because they literally can’t afford the commute.

These diverging stories are both true. This is the tale of the K-shaped economy.

The top line of the K is heading toward the moon. These are the households earning $150,000 or more. For them, the squeeze is a gentle love pat. Their homes have skyrocketed in value, and their stock portfolios are thriving as the S&P 500 bubbles up.

The bottom line of the K, however, is a steep slide downward. This represents the bottom 50 percent of the income distribution. For these families, the resilience everyone has talked about for the last few years has finally hit a wall.

Quiet Desperation

When wages don’t cover the bills, people don’t stop eating. They reach for the plastic. Hence, there’s been a massive increase in people turning to personal loans and credit cards just to make it from one Friday to the next.

This is the latent phase of a recession. It doesn’t show up in the unemployment numbers (which are still a steady 4.3 percent) or the payroll data (115,000 jobs added in April). It shows up in the quiet desperation of an ascending balance on a 24 percent interest credit card.

When people finally get to the end of their credit card rope, we enter the demand destruction phase. This is when people are too broke to buy stuff. Lower-income households are forced to cut back on gasoline and non-essential spending.

There’s also a big picture issue coming into focus that Mohamed El-Erian, chief economic advisor at Allianz, has zoomed in on. Specifically, labor’s share of GDP has hit its lowest level in BLS history.

What that means is that of all the wealth being generated in the USA, a smaller and smaller piece of the pie is going to the people who actually do the work. In other words, more and more of the economy’s capital is being directed to the people who own the stocks, land, and the companies.

This is why the stock market is hitting record highs while the average worker feels like they’re drowning. The market likes muted wage growth because it means companies keep more profit. But for the person trying to pay rent, muted wage growth is a disaster.

Beyond the Siren

Regardless of whether the economy enters a full-blown recession, a large segment of workers and consumers are suffering a painful squeeze. For those being squeezed it adds insult to see people booking luxury cruises when they’re having to choose between buying gas or buying groceries.

As households max out their credit cards, we can expect to see a wave of defaults. If this persists, the banks may get nervous and tighten credit. This will make it even harder for the bottom half to get the loans they need to survive.

Also, with the cost of living so high, middle-class families are raiding their 401(k)s or stopping contributions altogether. People are trading their future security for today’s gas and bread.

The American worker and consumer have proved to be resilient over many years. They persevered through pandemic lockdowns, supply chain meltdowns, and years of inflation. But even the strongest rubber band snaps if you stretch it far enough.

The current sentiment data isn’t a vibe. It’s a warning siren. While the top earners continue to power the retail numbers and fill up the Disney parks, the foundation of the economy – the working and middle class – is being hollowed out by a combination of geopolitical shocks and a declining share of the nation’s wealth.

Until wages outpace the cost of a gallon of gas and a bag of groceries, the American consumer will continue to get squeezed. Alas, there appears to be no relief on the horizon.

With the Strait of Hormuz effectively shuttered, this squeeze will only intensify. As global energy flows cease, surging crude prices will inevitably bleed into your grocery bill. From the diesel powering delivery trucks to the fertilizers growing our crops, the cost of survival is headed for a painful, sustained peak.

*  *  *

Get a free copy of an important special report called, “Cash Machine – Why You Should Own this Mineral Royalty with a 12% Yield,” when you join the Economic Prism mailing list today. If you want a special trial deal to check out MN Gordon’s Wealth Prism Letter, you can grab that here.]

Tyler Durden
Mon, 05/18/2026 – 19:15

Texas police have released the mugshot of one of the three juveniles arrested over the weekend in connection with 12 separate shooting incidents across Austin that injured four people, as well as a timeline of the alleged 28-hour rampage.Cristian Fajardo Mondragon, 17, was taken into custody Sunday after allegedly partaking in a citywide shooting spree that left four people injured, struck two fire stations and triggered a shelter-in-place order in South Austin, the Austin Police Department said in a statement. Mondragon was arrested alongside two additional suspects, a 15-year-old and a 16-year-old, police said. Their names have not been released due to a statewide law regarding what information can be made public involving juvenile suspects. DRAMATIC VIDEO SHOWS GUNMAN OPENING FIRE DURING CAR REPO IN TEXAS, SUSPECT ARRESTED AFTER BULLET HITS SUVThe incident began around 11:30 a.m. Saturday, when officers received a report of a stolen firearm from a local business. Surveillance footage subsequently revealed the vehicle driven by the suspects had also been recently stolen, according to authorities. Less than five hours later, authorities confirmed the first alleged shooting at a trailer residence. However, no injuries were reported. At 4:30 p.m., officers responded to another shooting at the Whisper Hollow apartment complex, in which multiple vehicles and an occupied apartment were struck by gunfire. Witness descriptions and surveillance footage of the suspects led authorities to believe the two shootings were connected.WILD TEXAS PARTY OF 800 AT AIRBNB BROKEN UP BY POLICE AS SHOTS FIREDApproximately two hours later, a third shooting was reported after witnesses observed a suspect wearing a black hoodie exiting a black sedan at another apartment complex and firing through the door of a third-floor unit, police said. Authorities said that at 7 p.m., a group of suspects matching previous surveillance footage of the alleged shootings stole a Hyundai Elantra from a Motel 6 parking lot, with another shooting being reported just 90 minutes later. At 8:49 p.m., authorities said a suspect fired a gun into an Austin Fire Department station while firefighters were inside. Thankfully, no injuries were reported.HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETE PARALYZED AFTER TRYING TO SAVE PAL DURING LATE-NIGHT BRAWL THAT ENDED IN GUNFIRE: REPORTJust six minutes later, authorities received a report that suspects matching the same description had fired shots from their vehicle and struck the windshield of an occupied car. One victim inside the vehicle was injured by broken glass, according to police. By 3:50 a.m. Sunday, police said the suspects allegedly stole another vehicle, with authorities discovering a previous vehicle containing bullet damage abandoned near 1800 E. Stassney Lane hours later.Authorities received a report around 8:46 a.m. regarding a victim who had been shot in the back and stomach near 7409 Janes Ranch Road by a suspect matching previous witness descriptions surrounding the alleged shootings.FACEBOOK MARKETPLACE SHOPPERS TERRORIZED AT GUNPOINT AFTER TEENS LURE VICTIMS WITH HOLIDAY GIFT ITEMS: POLICEShortly after, officers recovered several other stolen vehicles believed to be connected to the alleged shooting spree.GOT A TIP?A second incident involving shots being fired into another Austin Fire Department station was reported around 10:46 a.m., with the suspects allegedly stealing yet another vehicle — a white Kia Optima — three hours later. At 1:44 p.m., authorities said two victims were shot in a drive-by shooting involving a white Kia Optima, with two additional shootings being reported within 20 minutes.FOLLOW US ON XAt 2:29 p.m., authorities said surveillance footage showed a white Kia sedan approaching a victim before the individual fell to the ground with an apparent gunshot wound. The victim was subsequently transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. About one hour later, officers with the Manor Police Department spotted the Kia sedan believed to be connected to the alleged shootings, prompting a pursuit in which the three suspects abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot.GET BREAKING NEWS BY EMAILOne suspect was immediately detained, with authorities taking the other two individuals into custody separately after a brief search.The incidents led to the injuries of four people and five vehicles being stolen, police said.CLICK HERE FOR MORE US NEWS”At this time, investigators believe the incidents were a mix of random and targeted shootings,” APD said in a statement. “Some victims were known to the suspects, while other incidents appeared to occur without any known connection.”Davis went on to describe the investigation as “complex” because of the sheer number of crime scenes, stolen vehicles and random shootings throughout the city.Formal charges against the three suspects remain under review, but are expected to include aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault/motor vehicle, deadly conduct, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, evading arrest, theft of a firearm and other related offenses, APD said. Fox News Digital reached out to the Austin Police Department for comment. Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner and Michael Sinkewicz contributed to this report.

NPR announced it is offering buyouts to staffers just weeks after it received over $100 million in charitable gifts.According to a report from NPR’s media correspondent David Folkenflik, NPR CEO Katherine Maher wrote in a memo that the outlet “has to fill a gap of $8 million in its $300-million annual budget” after President Donald Trump and GOP lawmakers cut federal funding last year and that NPR is expected to “earn $15 million less in station fees this year and is anticipating a drop in corporate sponsorship revenue.””The network is offering buyouts to approximately 300 employees, mostly within newsgathering desks in the newsroom. Staff of NPR’s news programs, including hosts, are not eligible,” Folkenflik wrote.CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING BOARD VOTES TO DISSOLVE ORGANIZATION AFTER CONGRESS DEFUNDS NPR, PBSNPR reportedly is seeking up to 30 staffers to accept the buyout by May 26, and that layoffs could take place if not enough staffers take a buyout. The outlet has 425 newsroom employees, according to NPR editor-in-chief Thomas Evans.”We have to change this organization,” Evans said in a statement. “We have to think about this audience. We have to think about how they are consuming us. We have to think about the member stations. We have to keep what I consider to be the last truly independent newsroom in the country healthy and alive and vibrant.””We have made every effort to preserve the core capacity and strengths of what makes NPR different and distinct,” Maher wrote in the memo. “This is never an easy choice to make, to have to cut anywhere near the newsroom.”‘PBS NEWS WEEKEND’ AIRS FINAL EPISODE AFTER TRUMP’S PUBLIC MEDIA SPENDING CUTSLast month, NPR received a whopping $113 million in charitable gifts from two megadonors. One came from liberal philanthropist Connie Ballmer, who gave $80 million, while the rest came from an anonymous donor. However, that money was specifically dedicated to “technological innovation.””I support NPR because an informed public is the bedrock of our society, and democracy requires strong, independent journalism,” Ballmer said at the time. “My hope is that this commitment provides the stability and the spark NPR needs to innovate boldly and strengthen its national network.”CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST MEDIA AND CULTURE NEWSNPR did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.Over the past year, NPR and PBS have faced uncharted territory after the GOP-controlled Congress voted to cut funding from the two public media organizations, something Republicans campaigned on for decades.In recent years, NPR and PBS have been in the crosshairs of Trump and GOP lawmakers over allegations of political bias, which NPR and PBS leadership have vehemently denied.

Lawfare? Royal Caribbean Sinks After Mexican President Orders Review Of Resort Project

Shares of Royal Caribbean Group slid to session lows around midday after Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said her environment minister would review the cruise operator’s proposed water park project in Quintana Roo, injecting new regulatory risk into the company’s expansion plans.

President Sheinbaum was speaking at a regular press conference Monday morning, where she addressed a range of topics, from drug traffickers and President Trump to Royal Caribbean.

Sheinbaum said that SEMARNAT México, Mexico’s federal environment ministry – formally the Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales – is conducting a very detailed review of Royal Caribbean’s tourism project in Mahahual, Quintana Roo.

She assured that no construction would be permitted if it endangered the area’s ecological balance.

La presidenta Claudia Sheinbaum informó que la @SEMARNAT_mx realiza un análisis muy detallado sobre el proyecto turístico 🌊 de la empresa Royal Caribbean en Mahahual, Quintana Roo. Aseguró que no se permitirá ninguna obra que ponga en riesgo el equilibrio ecológico en la zona. pic.twitter.com/dpMolqYgDk
— IMER Noticias (@IMER_Noticias) May 18, 2026
Shares of Royal Caribbean fell to session lows, down about 3% around 12:45 ET.

The stock is locked in a bear market year to date, down 26%, and appears set to test $250 support. Shares have faced resistance and peaked at around $367 in August 2025.

There was no immediate indication as to why Sheinbaum’s administration singled out Royal Caribbean, or whether the scrutiny was connected in any way to rising tensions with the Trump administration’s war against drug cartels or pressure campaign on Cuba. 

Tyler Durden
Mon, 05/18/2026 – 18:50