US says it will give almost $38 million more for Ebola response

2026-06-05T18:50:59.627Z / Reuters

By Reuters

June 5, 2026 6:50 PM UTC Updated 1 hour ago

Congolese children Ibrah Asimwe and Alex Uketi read an advocacy poster as aid agencies intensify efforts to contain a new Ebola outbreak involving the Bundibugyo strain outbreak, in Bunia, Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo, May 20, 2026. REUTERS/Gradel Muyisa Mumbere/ Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

June 5 (Reuters) – The United States ​will give nearly $38 million in ‌additional funding toward its Ebola response efforts, bringing the total so far to more ​than $200 million in direct funding, ​the State Department said in a ⁠statement on Friday.

The department, which did ​not detail how the money would ​be spent, said it was working closely with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and ​Prevention, as well as the ​Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda to “mount ‌a ⁠rapid and comprehensive response” to the Ebola outbreak.

Keep up with the latest medical breakthroughs and healthcare trends with the Reuters Health Rounds newsletter. Sign up here.

The current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has ​resulted in ​344 confirmed ⁠cases of the disease and 60 deaths, according to ​the World Health Organization.

The State ​Department ⁠says U.S. citizens exposed to the virus but with no symptoms would ⁠be quarantined ​in Kenya at a ​facility it is building.

Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing ​by Ryan Patrick Jones and Aurora Ellis

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

First on CNN: DOJ sends prosecutor to observe LA ballot counting amid Trump’s baseless ‘cheating’ claims

2026-06-05T19:40:31.951Z / CNN

By Tierney Sneed, Ethan Cohen

20 min ago

PUBLISHED Jun 5, 2026, 3:40 PM ET

An election worker processes mail-in ballots at the Los Angeles County Ballot Processing Center during California’s state primary election in the City of Industry, California, on June 2, 2026.

Patrick T. Fallon/AFP/Getty Images

The Justice Department sent one of its attorneys to observe ballot processing in Los Angeles Friday morning, the county’s elections office told CNN, after President Donald Trump claimed earlier this week the US Attorney’s office there was investigating the vote counting.

A spokesperson for the county registrar-recorder said “our office was notified late yesterday that the U.S. Attorney’s Office would send an Assistant U.S. Attorney to the Ballot Processing Center to observe ballot processing activities.”

“The individual arrived this morning, was provided an overview of the public observation program, and participated in a walkthrough of the ballot processing operations,” the spokesperson, Mike Sanchez said in an email, noting that ballot processing in the county is open to public observation.

Trump has claimed repeatedly, without evidence, that the slow pace of the count from Tuesday’s primary was a sign of Democratic “cheating.” Several key races in the state have not been called, and California has long had a reputation for being slow to report the results. This is, in part, because a significant number of the total votes come in as mail ballots that are dropped off Election Day, according to the California Voter Foundation, a nonprofit organization that seeks to improve the election process.

The Justice Department did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment.

Earlier Friday, First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli — a Trump appointee who leads the Los Angeles-based US Attorney’s office — said his office had “multiple election fraud investigations underway” in a social media post that bashed California’s election system.

The US attorneys office in LA confirmed that one of its lawyers was sent to observe the ballot counting, but did not respond to CNN’s inquiry about whether that move was connected to the fraud investigations Essayli touted on social media.

The county registrar-recorder’s office has defended its processes, writing on social media Thursday that its “dedicated staff is working hard to ensure that every vote is accurately processed and verified for counting.”

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office told CNN in a statement that it had “not received any complaints from the federal government regarding criminal misconduct related to vote-counting or fraud in the Los Angeles County primary election.”

Closely watched races

California this year has two marquee races — the governor’s race and the contest for Los Angeles mayor — that feature prominent Republicans. The top two finishers in each race will advance to the November general election.

People vote at a polling location at the Metro Headquarters Building during California’s state primary election in Los Angeles, California, on June 2, 2026.

Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images

Typically, as more votes are counted, Democratic candidates improve their standing compared to Republicans, and that pattern has been borne out this year. This happens because votes cast in person on Election Day are almost entirely reported on election night, while the votes counted later are predominately mail ballots. In recent years, Democrats have been much more likely to vote by mail while Republicans have preferred to vote in person on Election Day.

California Secretary of State Shirley Weber noted in a statement Thursday that state law gives election officials 30 days to complete the counting and certification process.

“(O)ur commitment is immediate: in California, every ballot is counted properly and every ballot is accounted for,” the statement said.

This story is developing and will be updated.

Judge orders detention of ex-CIA official found with $40 million in gold bars

June 5, 2026 2:15 PM EDT / CBS News

By Callie Teitelbaum, Kelly Jones

A judge ordered the detention of an ex-CIA official found with gold bars worth about $40 million in his home last month.

U.S. Magistrate Judge William Fitzpatrick said in a detention hearing Friday that David Rush must remain in custody pending trial, determining that he poses a severe flight risk. Fitzpatrick said Rush has the means and motive to flee law enforcement and evade detection.

David Rush was charged with one count of stealing public money. Alexandria Sheriff’s Office

In May, as FBI investigators were looking into whether Rush had lied about his educational and military background, they searched his home and discovered 303 gold bars, $2 million in cash and more than 30 luxury watches. The government’s lawyers alleged he was diversifying funds into commodities that could be traded. They claimed there is “strong evidence” Rush was trying to hide the funds.

During the open part of the hearing, which followed an hourlong sealed hearing, government lawyers called Rush a “master manipulator” who lied to his neighbors about being a pilot, lied to his co-workers and leveraged his “access to seniority.” A Justice Department lawyer said Rush “cannot be trusted” and is “fully willing and able to skirt the rules.”

Rush is currently being held in solitary confinement.

So far, Rush, who attended the Alexandria, Virginia, hearing Friday, only faces one charge alleging about $70,000 in fraudulent timesheets.

Prosecutors said large sums of funds remain unaccounted for, but Rush’s defense attorney, Jessica Carmichael, said all the gold bars have been recovered and are a “non-issue.” She said that when the FBI searched his home, Rush told the FBI about the gold bars and gave them the codes to access them in his basement.

The government contended Rush should not have had the gold bars in his home. The funds that are not yet accounted for may have been a reference to foreign currency, but Rush’s lawyer said the government has not provided any information about how the foreign currency was intended to be used or what steps it has taken to find it. An FBI affidavit alleges that around November 2025 to March 2026, Rush made several requests to obtain a significant amount of foreign currency.

Carmichael said it’s “not the defense’s burden to find foreign currency that’s unaccounted for.” She argued that the government is bringing “sensational” allegations.

“Mr. Rush never claimed the gold bars to be his,” she said in court.

Carmichael said that while some of Rush’s defense claims may “sound bizarre and secretive,” the nature of his job “can be bizarre and secretive.” She contended that Rush could have been held at home with an ankle monitor, rather than remaining in custody.

Rush’s attorney characterized the Justice Department’s allegations as being “like Whack-a-Mole” but said she’s playing with “a blindfold on.” Carmichael also said that during the sealed portion of the hearing, she learned about new evidence. She told the court she had asked prosecutors about discovery and did not receive a response.

FBI Director Kash Patel, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche briefed Gang of 8 lawmakers on the case earlier this week, sources said.

Sarah N. Lynch contributed to this report.

Bessent flips script on shouting Democrat: ‘No wonder people are leaving’ his blue state

June 5, 2026 12:20pm EDT / Fox News

The Treasury secretary jabbed Rep Brad Schneider over Illinois’ net outbound migration during a Ways and Means hearing

By Charles Creitz, Fox News

NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was shouted at during a House Ways and Means Committee hearing this week by a Chicago-area Democrat amid a heated exchange over the Trump economy.

Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Ill., followed several other Democrats in condemning rising prices during the Iran conflict, while Bessent repeatedly pushed back on assertions about his policies by pointing to higher commodity prices during the Biden administration.

At one point in the exchange, Bessent slammed Schneider’s Democrat-run Illinois for driving people away through its own economic policies — a comment that incensed the lawmaker.

Bessent first jabbed at Schneider after the Democrat asked whether he wanted to “correct the record” on a prior statement about the Iran conflict being “ended,” asking the secretary whether Iran was no longer a threat to Israel or U.S. allies and whether its offensive weaponry had been destroyed.

TOP FIERY MOMENTS AS DEMOCRATS CLASH WITH TREASURY SECRETARY BESSENT IN CHAOTIC HILL HEARINGS

U.S. Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent testifies during a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government hearing on “proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of the Treasury” on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on April 22, 2026.(SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images)

Bessent smiled and asked if that meant Schneider was “in agreement” with President Donald Trump — as the Democrat had listed off all the president’s goals otherwise ridiculed by critics.

“Unless an American life is lost, he does not believe that he will have to restart the kinetic attacks,” Bessent said.

Schneider became increasingly agitated and reclaimed his time as the back-and-forth grew heated.

Schneider connected the Iran conflict with increased commodities prices, saying that the cost of living is continuing to rise and blaming Bessent and his boss for overseeing such spikes.

Bessent countered that the Treasury calculated the current core inflation rate at 2.8%, close to the Federal Reserve’s 2% goal, and quipped to Schneider that “you can list off the most expensive groceries that have had the biggest price increases.”

HOW TRUMP HANDED THE DEMOCRATS A GIFT BY SEEMING TO DISMISS FINANCIAL WORRIES OF AMERICANS

Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Ill., left, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, right.(Graeme Sloan/Getty Images; Nathan Posner/Getty Images)

When Schneider responded that Bessent was out of touch and reiterated that he blamed Trump tariffs for commodity spikes for his Chicago-area constituents, Bessent smiled and offered him an invitation on how to fix that.

“Well, you Democrats should know — no wonder so many people are leaving Illinois. Why don’t you come see me in South Carolina?” Bessent said, as Schneider continued in an elevated tone and claimed people were not leaving the Land of Lincoln.

“You’re saying Illinois doesn’t have net outbound migration?” Bessent quipped.

https://www.foxnews.com/video/6397468758112

Schneider then changed the subject to Trump’s settlement with the IRS over former Booz Allen Hamilton contractor Charles Littlejohn’s leak of his and others’ tax returns.

When Schneider fumed that no one, including Trump, is “above the law,” Bessent said that the president is also not “beneath the law” and blamed Schneider’s party for “weaponizing the system.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“His taxes should never be leaked. No taxpayer information should be leaked…” Schneider began before Bessent injected his dry humor again.

“Then, congressman, would you like to apologize to the president right now on behalf [of your party]?”

Charles Creitz is a reporter for Fox News Digital.

He joined Fox News in 2013 as a writer and production assistant.

Charles covers media, politics and culture for Fox News Digital.

Charles is a Pennsylvania native and graduated from Temple University with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism. Story tips can be sent to charles.creitz@fox.com.

By

Katelyn Polantz

,

Tierney Sneed

2 hr ago

PUBLISHED Jun 5, 2026, 1:46 PM ET

The U.S. Capitol building on May 20, 2026 in Washington, DC.

Samuel Corum/Sipa USA/AP

Summary

• The chief of staff to a Texas Republican congressman has been charged with bringing a firearm into the US Capitol complex, according to court documents.
• Luis Angel Vega allegedly carried a pistol and ammunition through security in December without a license to carry, the documents say.
• Vega told Capitol Police he usually enters the building with Rep. Pete Sessions, who is exempt from security screening, according to the documents.

AI-generated summary was reviewed by a CNN editor.

The chief of staff for Rep. Pete Sessions, a Texas Republican, was charged Wednesday with bringing a firearm into the US Capitol complex, according to court documents obtained by CNN.

Luis Angel Vega is expected to make an appearance in DC Superior court Friday on the charges, which stem from an alleged incident in December.

Capitol security officers found the black pistol Vega and ammunition allegedly carried when Vega sent his bag through a security checkpoint at the entrance of a House office building that’s part of the Capitol complex, the court documents said. They then instructed Vega to lock up the firearm in his car and then return for his bag to be re-screened, which he did, according to the filings.

The charging documents describe a telephone interview that US Capitol Police conducted with Vega a week after the alleged December 22 episode. Vega told the police officer that he did not have a license to carry the pistol, according to the court filings, and that usually he enters the House office building with Sessions — referred to was “Witness-1” in the documents — who is exempt from being screened by the mags.

“The day of the offense was out of the ordinary in that Witness-1 entered the building separately from the defendant and the defendant forgot there was a pistol in his bag,” the court filings said.

It is not clear why the warrant for Vega’s arrest was issued months after the incident, prompting his first court appearance set for Friday.

CNN reached out to Session’s office for comment. A lawyer for Vega has not yet been identified.

The US Capitol Police and US Attorney’s office in DC didn’t immediately return requests for comment.

Vega faces two counts: carrying a gun outside his home without a license and carrying a firearm onto the Capitol grounds.

CNN’s Ellis Kim and Holmes Lybrand contributed to this report.

Rhode Island judge refers DOJ lawyers for possible discipline over handling of transgender care investigation

June 5, 2026 / 3:09 PM EDT / CBS News

Washington — A federal judge in Rhode Island referred Justice Department lawyers for possible discipline on Friday over their handling of an investigation into transgender youth care at a hospital in the state, after previously finding that the lawyers misled the court and withheld information.

The referral came after U.S. District Judge Mary McElroy quashed an administrative subpoena that the Justice Department issued to the hospital seeking years of sensitive medical information for every minor transgender patient who received medical care at Rhode Island Hospital, as part of a sprawling investigation into gender-transition treatments.

McElroy, who was appointed by President Trump in 2019, wrote in a decision last month that the subpoena lacked a congressionally authorized purpose and was issued “for an improper purpose in bad faith.” She also lambasted the Justice Department in her ruling, calling the difference between the “honorable conduct” expected of prosecutors and the department’s tactics in the case “unsettling.”

The Justice Department, she wrote in her May 14 opinion, “possesses immense prosecutorial authority and discretion. As citizens, we trust that federal prosecutors, when wielding this awesome power against a state, a company, or certainly against vulnerable children, will play fair and be honest with its counterparts and the judiciary. DOJ has proven unworthy of this trust at every point in this case. “

McElroy went on to accuse Justice Department lawyers of misrepresenting facts under oath and withholding information from her court and a federal court in the Northern District of Texas. She accused government lawyers of doing so “in an obvious effort to shield its recent investigative tactics — previously rejected by every other court to review them — from this Court’s review, in favor of a distant forum that DOJ deems friendly to its political positions.”

The judge was referring to the Justice Department’s decision to seek an order from a judge in Fort Worth, Texas, that would compel Rhode Island Hospital to turn over the documents sought by the administrative subpoena last year.

In its effort to obtain the order from the Texas court, a Justice Department lawyer named Lisa Hsiao said in a declaration that Rhode Island Hospital failed to comply with the subpoena and stopped communicating with the department in February. But McElroy, the Rhode Island judge, said that claim was “clearly misleading, if not utterly false,” because representatives from Rhode Island Hospital had responded to an email from Justice Department lawyers about search terms for compliance with the subpoena.

“This reckless disregard for the duty of candor owed to a federal court is appalling,” McElroy wrote.

The judge also questioned the Justice Department’s decision to pursue enforcement of the subpoena in Texas, noting that Hsiao and other government lawyers who appear to be assigned to the investigation are based in Washington, D.C. Still, the Texas court went on to grant the Justice Department’s bid to enforce compliance with the subpoena and ordered Rhode Island Hospital in late April to turn over all records covered by the demand. The hospital has appealed the decision.

The Justice Department’s Civil Division denied McElroy’s claims about its lawyers in a statement earlier this week.

“Such accusations against Department attorneys are rare and serious. The Department treats them accordingly and is committed to taking all appropriate remedial action where warranted,” it said.

The Justice Department continued: “The Civil Division has thoroughly reviewed the District Court’s allegations and concluded that they are without merit. Our attorneys did not misrepresent facts, withhold relevant information, or otherwise mislead the Court.”

受爱尔兰经济数据大幅下修拖累，欧元区首季经济由原估增长0.1%修正为萎缩0.2%。 （彭博社／示意图）

欧元区经济今年初出现萎缩，爱尔兰经济遭遇前所未有的下滑导致原本显示的微弱增长向下修正。

彭博社报道，欧洲统计局星期五（6月5日）公布，第一季度欧元区国内生产总值（GDP）下滑0.2%，初值为增长0.1%。这主要是由于爱尔兰GDP大幅下修为萎缩12.1%。

大量总部位于爱尔兰的跨国公司常常会扭曲欧元区的整体数据，但第一季度的大幅下滑使得判断该地区经济走向变得愈发困难。这增加了欧洲央行任务的复杂性，使其在评估中东冲突影响并制定适当的货币政策应对时面临更大挑战。

除爱尔兰的数据外，一些主要经济体的统计数据近日也修正。法国经济陷入萎缩，意大利的数据则好于初值。

英国摄影大师操刀 挪威国家队维京风写真照引爆全网

2026年6月5日 23:05 / 联合早报

挪威国家队发布的一组维京人主题团队照红爆全网。 （取自大卫·亚罗社媒）

（奥斯陆综合电）挪威国家队日前发布了一组极具戏剧张力的“维京人”主题团队照而风靡网络。在这组照片中，国家队球星们身着传统北欧战士风格的服饰，手持盾牌与长剑，在充满古老维京氛围的场景中飒爽亮相。

这组通过挪威足总官方平台分享的照片，瞬间在社交媒体上爆红。包括神锋哈兰德（Haaland）在内的多名挪威球员都参与了拍摄，化身为历史感十足的北欧勇士。

据《竞技》报道，这组维京主题的写真照于上周末在挪威首都奥斯陆拍摄，他们出自英国著名摄影师大卫·亚罗（David Yarrow）之手。挪威足总之所以策划这次拍摄，是因为他们决定“为球队（回归世界杯）的团体照注入些不一样的新意”。

此前，挪威球迷们在看台上高唱着维京传统战歌，并整齐划一地模仿坐在“维京战船”上奋力划桨的动作为球队呐喊助威的画面，也在全球各大社交平台上疯传。

这是挪威国家男子足球队自1998年以来，阔别28年首次重返世界杯正赛舞台。他们被分在了I组。同组对手包括传统豪门法国，还有非洲劲旅塞内加尔和亚洲球队伊拉克。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ykb4TTWY4Sk

点击《联合早报》世界杯专页，获知世界杯实时比分和最新新闻等资讯。

世贸组织：2026年全球货物贸易仍保持韧性

2026年6月5日 23:26 / 联合早报

世界贸易组织的报告显示，货物贸易增长可能开始放缓，但仍保持韧性。图为美国加利福尼亚州的洛杉矶港。 （法新社）

世界贸易组织发布报告说，尽管受到中东冲突持续的不利影响，2026年全球货物贸易仍保持韧性，与人工智能相关的电子元件需求上升是主要利好因素之一。

世贸组织星期五（6月5日）发布的本年度最新一期《货物贸易晴雨表》显示，全球货物贸易景气指数当前为101.7，较1月份的102.3略有下降，表明货物贸易增长可能开始放缓。

新华社报道，根据全球货物贸易景气指数的编制规则，数值100为基准点，如果指数大于100，表示全球货物贸易增长高于预期水平，反之则表示增长低于预期水平。

报告说，货物贸易驱动因素显示，与人工智能相关的电子元件需求激增，或在一定程度上抵消了中东冲突带来的负面影响。

世贸组织在今年3月发布全球贸易展望报告中预计，2026年全球货物贸易增速为1.9%，相比2025年增速下滑较大。若原油和液化天然气价格持续走高，2026年全球货物贸易增速将降低0.5个百分点至1.4%。

“少年善行网络”启动 年轻人主导创建公益交流平台

2026年6月5日 23:49 / 联合早报

少年基层公益组织“小手大行”由李俊凯（左起）、李俊毅和李佳颖创办。在过去的五年中，他们一直倡导“少年善行”运动，并入围去年“总统志愿服务及慈善事业奖”新设立的基层类别。 （梁麒麟摄）

基层公益组织“小手大行”星期五（6月5日）在淡马锡店屋首次举行“少年善行节”，启动“少年善行网络”。善行节将每两年举行一次，为少年主导公益项目提供学习和交流的平台。

今年的善行节邀请前总统、新加坡社科大学名誉校长哈莉玛作为主宾，为“少年善行网络”（Network of Deeds by Kids）主持启动仪式。活动全程由青少年义工操办，展出11项由少年主导的公益活动，以及两组座谈会，深入探讨少年主导公益的可持续性和“以人为本”的理念。

“少年善行网络”旨在为有意带来积极改变的少年提供同侪支持和合作平台，并为他们连接社会服务机构，增强项目的可持续性。发起该网络的“小手大行”，则负责管理成员与合作伙伴、项目管理与活动运营、宣传与沟通，以及收集数据并提交报告。

成员可借助网络的咨询委员会，寻求战略指导、合作伙伴关系和可持续发展等建议。初始成员预计200人，善行节的参与者都将受邀加入。

哈莉玛认为，“少年善行网络”正是为那些想做点什么，但不知从何开始、如何获取资源、没有经验的青少年们提供支持。“这时候，他们就可以使用网络，通过不同渠道获得支持，并动员志同道合的人。”

“小手大行”于2021年由李俊凯、李佳颖、李俊毅发起，倡导“少年善行”（Deeds by Kids）运动，通过儿童和青少年主导的义工活动，鼓励年轻人服务社区。

五年前，由于母亲太累，当时6岁的李佳颖代替母亲为李俊凯（当时9岁）和李俊毅（当时4岁）念睡前故事。这让三人萌生为其他小伙伴念故事的想法。

历经五年，团体从三人发展为集结超过80名活跃志愿者的组织， “小手大行”也逐渐由儿童公益拓展到其他公益活动。

李俊凯说：“志愿者多为小六至中四的学生。很多都是以家庭为单位加入的，我们最小的志愿者只有4岁。”

“小手大行”每年会推出约四个公益项目，每个项目会举办五到六期活动。举办过的项目包括儿童阅读公益（Kids Reading to Kids）和环境公益（FibreRevive）等旗舰项目，以及一系列鼓励乐龄参与的活动，如击鼓和手机摄影等。

善行节上介绍11个公益组织的活动与项目，并由民众投票选出四个奖项的得主。其中，关注客工群体的“Project Integrate”获得“少年善行奖”（Deeds by Kids Apex Award）。

项目由来自华侨中学（初中部）的王俊凯（16岁）、黄千峻（16岁）、林纯乐（16岁）和洪启智（16岁）负责推动。他们通过提供免费餐食、安排体检、组织节日游览等，让客工们感受温暖和关怀，积极融入本地社区。

黄千峻受访时说，印象最深刻的是“节日游览”，带领客工们到滨海湾花园体验新加坡的华人新年习俗。他因此了解到，为新加坡做出贡献的许多客工其实是第一次到那里去，希望通过善行帮客工融入社会。