Israel-Iran live updates: Trump envoy in correspondence with Iranian officials, White House says
Israel and Iran continued to exchange strikes overnight as the conflict entered its ninth day. President Donald Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, remains in 'correspondence' with Iranian officials, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told The Washington Post, though Witkoff did not attend talks between the top diplomats representing Iran, Britain, France, Germany and the European Union in Geneva on Friday. Trump was dismissive of the talks, which ended without a breakthrough: 'Europe is not going to be able to help on this one,' he told reporters.
The Council of the Arab League issued a statement condemning Israel's actions in Iran as 'a clear violation of international law and a threat to the security of the region' and calling for a return to negotiations, after a meeting in Istanbul on Friday. 'The only way to resolve crises in the region is through diplomacy and dialogue,' the statement, which was shared by the Jordanian foreign ministry on social media, said.
Four days after President Donald Trump abruptly left a summit of global leaders in Canada, calling on civilians to 'evacuate Tehran' and stoking global talk of war, the president on Friday said he still wanted more time to decide.
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CNN
11 minutes ago
- CNN
The US-Iran conflict: A timeline of how we got here
Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images Since the early 1900s, the British government has retained control over Iran's oil reserves through the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company. By the time Mohammad Mossadegh is appointed Prime Minister, Iranians are tired of foreign involvement in their affairs, and calls for Iranians to regain control of their natural resources are growing louder. AP Photo The US helps stage a coup to overthrow Iran's democratically elected prime minister, Mossadegh. He had moved to nationalize the country's oil fields – a move the US and Great Britain saw as a serious blow, given their dependence on oil from the Middle East. After toppling Mossadegh, the US supports Iran's monarch Mohammad Reza Pahlavi to rule as Shah of Iran. Iranians resent the foreign interference, fueling anti-American sentiment in the country for decades to come. The US supported Mohammad Reza Pahlavi to rule as Shah of Iran. Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images The US signs a civil nuclear cooperation agreement with Iran. The agreement provides Iran with technology and resources that eventually become the foundation for its controversial nuclear program, which it begins developing in the 1970s with support from the US. Keystone/Getty Images Millions of Iranians take to the streets in protest of the Shah's regime, which they view as corrupt and illegitimate. Secular protesters oppose his authoritarianism, while Islamist protesters oppose his modernization agenda. On January 16, the Shah flees the country. On February 1, Ayatollah Khomeini, an Islamic scholar who had been arrested and deported by the Shah in 1964, returns from exile and becomes the supreme leader of the Islamic students storm the US embassy in Tehran and take dozens of Americans hostage. They demand the Shah, who had been admitted into the US for cancer treatment, be extradited to Iran to stand trial for 'crimes against the Iranian people.' After 444 days, Iran releases the hostages in exchange for state assets being unfrozen – minutes after President Ronald Reagan is sworn into office. During the crisis, the US cuts all diplomatic ties with Iran. Formal diplomatic relations have never been restored. The Shah dies in July 1980 in Cairo. Getty Images The bad blood between the two countries is only made worse when the US backs Iraq in its invasion of neighboring Iran, prompting an eight year regional war. Qasem Soleimani, who has joined the elite Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps by this time, fights on the frontlines of this war. Don Rypka/AFP/Getty Images Under Reagan's administration, the US declares the Islamic Republic a 'state sponsor of terrorism.' Decades later, this designation by the US still stands. Diana Walker/The LIFE Images Collection via Getty Images While the US is backing Iraq in its war with Iran, President Reagan's administration covertly begins looking into ways to improve its relationship with Iran. The press reveals that despite an embargo on selling weapons to Iran, Reagan approved a high-profit sale in hopes that it will yield the return of Americans held hostage in Lebanon by Hezbollah, a militia with close ties to Iran. AP Photo While American and Iranian ships are exchanging fire in the Persian Gulf, the US mistakes a civilian airliner for a fighter jet and shoots down Iran Air Flight 655. All 290 passengers and crew members on board are killed. Though the US says the attack is an accident, Iranians see it as intentional. Iranian Supreme LeaderQasem Soleimani, who has been rising through the ranks of the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps, is appointed chief commander of the Quds Force, an elite special forces unit that handles Iran's overseas operations. He is instrumental in spreading Iran's influence in the Middle East, and soon becomes one of the country's most powerful the 9/11 attacks, Iran quietly helps the US in its war against the Taliban, a mutual enemy of both countries. But in a State of the Union address, President George Bush refers to Iran, along with Iraq and North Korea, as part of an 'Axis of Evil.' The speech incites anger in Iran. Getty Images As the US voices concerns that Iran is attempting to develop nuclear weapons, inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency announce they've found traces of highly-enriched uranium at a nuclear plant in Iran. Tehran agrees to suspend production of enriched uranium and allow stricter inspections of its nuclear sites, but this is short-lived. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad would come into power a few years later and restart Iran's production of enriched uranium, prompting years of international sanctions against the country. Getty Images After years of negotiations with President Barack Obama's administration, six nations and Tehran reach a landmark agreement that slows Iran's nuclear development program in exchange for lifting some sanctions that caused the country's economy to stagnate. It's a huge breakthrough for the US and Iran, which have long been at odds.A week after his inauguration, President Donald Trump signs an executive order banning nationals from seven Muslim-majority nations, including Iran, from entering the US for 90 days. Iran calls the ban 'an obvious insult to the Islamic world' and responds by conducting a ballistic missile test. The back-and-forth marks a sudden escalation in tensions between the two countries, raising concerns about the future of the Iran nuclear deal. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and US President Donald Trump. Getty Images/Reuters Trump fulfills a campaign promise and announces he is withdrawing the US from the Iran nuclear deal, which he viewed as 'one-sided.' He also says he will place new sanctions on the regime. Critics warn the move could lead Iran to restart its atomic program and set the stage for more conflict in the Middle Trump announces that the US will formally designate the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps, Tehran's most powerful military institution, as a foreign terrorist organization. The move is unprecedented, marking the first time that the US designated a part of another government as a terror group. Iran responds by declaring the US a 'state sponsor of terrorism.' AFP via Getty Images Tensions further escalate after attacks on oil tankers in the Persian Gulf and oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, as well as the downing of a US drone, which Washington and its allies blame on Iran. American officials repeatedly stress that threats to the freedom of navigation in the Gulf and the oil trade are unacceptable, but the Trump administration takes no action. Iranian Presidency/After the US imposes several rounds of sanctions on Iran that were originally lifted under the Iran nuclear deal, Iran announces it will ramp up enrichment of low-grade uranium. This breaks the stockpile limit it agreed to in 2015, and brings the country one step closer to being able to build a nuclear bomb. Universal History Archive/UIG/Getty Images US forces conduct airstrikes on facilities in Iraq and Syria, which the Pentagon claims are linked to pro-Iranian militias responsible for attacking US service personnel in Iraq. At least 25 people are killed, an Iran-backed militia says. Days later, hundreds of pro-Iranian demonstrators attempt to storm the US embassy in Baghdad, scaling the walls and forcing the gates open, in protest of the US says he ordered an airstrike in Iraq to kill Iran's top general, Qasem Soleimani – a move that previous US presidents had considered far too provocative. Thousands of people flood the streets of Iran to mourn him. Iran is furious and vows retaliation, ultimately firing missiles at Iraqi bases that house American troops a few days later. No lives are lost, and Trump responds by promising more sanctions. As tension is running high, Iran mistakenly shoots down a Ukrainian passenger jet, attributing it to a fear of US aggression. All 176 people on board are killed. US Navy aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower at a training exercise in the Arabian Sea. Seaman Brennen Easter/US Navy/Reuters Tensions rise again when the US accuses Iranian naval vessels of harassing American warships in the northern Arabian Sea. Later that month, Iran conducts its first successful satellite launch, utilizing the same technology that is used in intercontinental ballistic President Joe Biden attempts to revive the nuclear deal. Iran and the US hold indirect talks in Vienna. The talks continue despite an apparent explosion at Iran's Natanz nuclear facility. Iran blames the explosion on Israel and announces it will ramp up uranium enrichment to 60% purity. Biden says this decision is 'not helpful.' Majid Asgaripour/WANA The nuclear talks stall after the ultra-conservative judiciary chief Ebrahim Raisi becomes Iran's new president. Raisi appoints a new, hardline negotiating team. The US, UK, France and Germany issue a joint statement saying they are 'convinced that it is possible to quickly reach and implement an understanding on return to full compliance' of the Iran nuclear deal. Raisi died in a helicopter crash in 2024. Russian rocket attack in Kyiv, Ukraine. Daniel Leal/AFP via Getty Images The nuclear talks are put on hold after Russia launches its full-scale unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. As the war drags on, Iran begins helping Russia, providing Moscow with weapons, including Shahed drones. Iranian demonstrators in Tehran. AFP via Getty Images Months of mass protests against the Iranian regime end in a brutal crackdown. The Biden administration's support for the protesters contributes to the stalling of the nuclear talks. After months of frustration, the Biden administration publicly says the nuclear deal is 'not on the agenda.' Indirect talks resume quietly towards the end of the year with Oman serving as intermediary. American returnees in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, US. Jonathan Ernst/Reuters Five Americans are freed from Iranian detention as part of a wider deal that includes the US unfreezing $6 billion in Iranian funds held in South Korea and the release of five Iranians from US custody. After the release, the US imposes sanctions on Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad over the lack of information about another American, Bob Levinson, who is believed to have died while detained in Iran. Erez crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023. Majdi Fathi/AFP Hamas and its allies launch a terror attack against southern Israel, killing more than 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. The US assesses that while Iran has provided material support to Hamas for decades, "Iranian leaders did not orchestrate nor had foreknowledge of" the attack. Missile debris near Arad, launches a direct attack on Israel for the first time, firing hundreds of missiles and drones in retaliation for what it said was an Israeli attack on its embassy in Damascus, Syria. The US and other allies help Israel defend itself against the barrage, shooting down most of the missiles. This comes after the US conducts a series of airstrikes against Iran-backed militias in Syria and Iraq in October and November 2023, as well as February 2024, in retaliation for their attacks on US troops in the Middle East. US authorities obtain intelligence from a human source on a plot by Iran to try to assassinate Donald Trump, sources tell CNN. The US government had repeatedly warned that Iran may try to retaliate for the 2020 US drone strike that killed Gen. Qasem Soleimani, by trying to kill Trump, who ordered the strike, or his former advisers. Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts rockets from Iran. Amir Cohen/Reuters Iran launches another direct missile attack on Israel after Israel attacks Iran. The US again assists Israel in shooting down most of the missiles. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/WANA Trump returns to office in January, reinstating his campaign of 'maximum pressure' on Iran. In March, he sends a letter to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei proposing negotiations on a new nuclear deal. He gives a two-month deadline to reach an agreement. The US and Iran hold largely indirect talks in Oman, the first between the Trump administration and Tehran. A second round of high-level talks between US and Iranian delegations takes place in Rome, with Oman again acting as a mediator. Both sides express optimism after the summit. Three more rounds follow, but Iran's insistence that it has the right to enrich uranium remains a major sticking point. Leah Millis/Reuters Trump says he believes his administration is 'very close to a solution' on an Iran nuclear agreement. He says he personally warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to disrupt the talks. The next round of talks between Iran and the US is scheduled for mid-June. Explosion at a residential complex in Tehran due to Israeli attack. Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto/Getty Images Israel launches a major attack against Iran. The US initially distances itself from the attack, but Trump quickly begins voicing his support for Israel and floats the idea of American intervention – although he opposes the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to sources.
Yahoo
12 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Social Security's 2026 Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Estimate Is Getting a "Trump Bump" -- Here's How Much Extra You Might Receive
As many as nine out of 10 retirees rely on their Social Security income to cover some portion of their expenses. Estimates for Social Security's 2026 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) are climbing, and President Trump's tariff and trade policy looks to be the culprit. Though an above-average COLA for a fifth-consecutive year would be welcome on paper, retirees continue to get the short end of the stick when it comes to annual raises. The $23,760 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook › Last month, Social Security's retired-worker benefit made history, with the average payout topping $2,000 for the first time since the program's inception. Although this represents a modest monthly benefit, it's nevertheless proved vital to helping aging workers cover their expenses. In each of the prior 23 years, pollster Gallup surveyed retirees about their reliance on the Social Security income they're receiving. Between 80% and 90% of respondents noted it was a "major" or "minor" income source. In other words, only around one in 10 retirees could, in theory, make do without their Social Security check. For an overwhelming majority of Social Security beneficiaries, nothing is more important than knowing precisely how much they'll receive each month -- and that begins with the program's annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), which is announced during the second week of October. This year's COLA announcement will be of particular interest, with President Donald Trump's tariff and trade policies expected to directly affect how much Social Security beneficiaries will receive per month in 2026. But before digging into the specifics of how President Trump's policies are expected to impact the pocketbooks of seniors, survivors, and workers with disabilities, it's important to understand the building blocks of what Social Security's COLA is and why it matters. The program's COLA is effectively the "raise" passed along on a near-annual basis that accounts for the impact of inflation (rising prices) on benefits. For example, if a large basket of goods and services increased in cost by 3% from one year to the next, Social Security benefits would need to climb by a commensurate amount, or buying power for Social Security recipients would decrease. In the 35 years following the issuance of the first retired-worker check in January 1940, COLAs were assigned at random by special sessions of Congress. Only a total of 11 COLAs were passed along during this timeline, with no adjustments made in the 1940s. Beginning in 1975, the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) was adopted as Social Security's inflationary measure that would allow for annual cost-of-living adjustments. The CPI-W has over 200 spending categories, each of which has its own unique percentage weighting. These weightings are what allow the CPI-W to be expressed as a single figure each month, which leads to crisp month-to-month and year-to-year comparisons to see if prices are, collectively, rising (inflation) or declining (deflation). When calculating Social Security's COLA, only CPI-W readings from the third quarter (July through September) are taken into consideration. If the average CPI-W reading in the third quarter of the current year is higher than the comparable period of the previous year, inflation has occurred, and beneficiaries are due for a beefier payout. Following a decade of anemic raises in the 2010s -- three years during the decade (2010, 2011, and 2016) saw no COLA passed along due to deflation -- beneficiaries have enjoyed four consecutive years of above-average cost-of-living adjustments and are hoping for this streak to continue. A historic increase in U.S. money supply during the COVID-19 pandemic sent the prevailing rate of inflation soaring to a four-decade high. This resulted in COLAs of 5.9% in 2022, 8.7% in 2023, 3.2% in 2024, and 2.5% in 2025, respectively. For context, the average annual increase in benefits since 2010 is 2.3%. While estimates for Social Security's 2026 cost-of-living adjustment came in below this average shortly after President Donald Trump took office for his nonconsecutive second term, the script has now been flipped. Nonpartisan senior advocacy group The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) was forecasting a 2.2% COLA for 2026 as recently as March. Meanwhile, independent Social Security and Medicare policy analyst Mary Johnson, who retired from TSCL last year, was calling for a 2.2% increase in April following the release of the March inflation report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). After the release of the May inflation report from the BLS, both TSCL and Johnson are now forecasting a 2026 COLA of 2.5%. A 2.5% COLA would increase the average retired-worker benefit by $50 per month next year, as well as lift monthly checks for the typical worker with disabilities and survivor beneficiary by $40 and $39, respectively. This 0.3% increase in both forecasts over the past couple of months is estimated to boost the average Social Security payout (for all beneficiaries) by approximately $5.57 per month in 2026. This "Trump bump" is the result of the president's tariff and trade policies having a very modest inflationary impact on domestic prices. Charging a global import duty on all countries while imposing higher "reciprocal tariff rates" on dozens of countries that have historically run adverse trade imbalances with the U.S. can result in these higher costs being passed along to consumers. Though a lot can change with Trump's tariff and trade policy in the coming weeks and months, its current design points to a modest bump in the 2026 COLA. On paper, a fifth consecutive year where COLAs are above average (compared to the previous 16 years) probably sounds great. With the average retired-worker payout cresting $2,000 per month, an added $50 per month would be welcome in 2026. But the fact of the matter is that a 0.3% bump in COLA estimates since Trump introduced his tariff and trade policy doesn't remotely move the needle when it comes to what retirees have been shortchanged for more than a decade. Though the CPI-W is designed to be an all-encompassing measure of inflation, it has an inherent flaw that can be seen in its full name. Specifically, it tracks the spending habits of "urban wage earners and clerical workers," who, in many instances, are working-age Americans not currently receiving a Social Security benefit. Urban wage earners and clerical workers spend their money very differently than seniors. Whereas the former has a higher percentage of their monthly budgets devoted to things like education, apparel, and transportation, seniors spend a higher percentage on shelter and medical care services. Even though an overwhelming majority of Social Security beneficiaries are aged 62 and above, the CPI-W doesn't factor in this added importance of shelter and medical care services inflation. The end result for retirees has been a persistent decline in the buying power of a Social Security dollar. According to a study conducted by TSCL, the purchasing power of a Social Security dollar has dropped by 20% since 2010. A very modest "Trump bump" isn't going to offset this. What's more, the aforementioned two costs that matter most to retirees -- shelter and medical care services -- have had higher trailing-12-month (TTM) inflation rates than the annually issued Social Security COLA. The BLS inflation report for May showed TTM increases of 3.9% for shelter and 3% for medical care services, respectively. As long as the program's cost-of-living adjustment trails the annual inflation rate for these two key expenses, retirees will continue getting the short end of the stick. If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. One easy trick could pay you as much as $23,760 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. Join Stock Advisor to learn more about these Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Social Security's 2026 Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Estimate Is Getting a "Trump Bump" -- Here's How Much Extra You Might Receive was originally published by The Motley Fool
Fox News
33 minutes ago
- Fox News
From Washington: Iran And The Risks Of A Broader War
President Trump is weighing his options on how best to eliminate Iran's nuclear capabilities. The U.S. assessment is that Iran could have several nukes ready to go in a matter of weeks. Should the president order an attack, the belief is it would include unique U.S. capabilities that Israel does not have, including massive bunker buster bombs flown by B-2 bombers. General Jack Keane, a retired four-star general, the Chairman of the Institute for the Study of War, and FOX News Senior Strategic Analyst, discusses what the U.S. and Israel can do to destroy Iran's program and the risks of a broader war. Plus, Florida Republican Senator Ashley Moody weighs in on President Trump's immigration enforcement policies and the legal fight over his deployment of the National Guard to quell violent anti-ICE protests. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit
