5 Big News Stories Overnight - Wednesday, May 6, 2026

Vatican: Trump-Pope clash rehashes old gripes, casts cloud over Rubio's Vatican visit

France 24 reports:

Pope ​Leo XIV said on ​Tuesday he is hoping to spread the ​Christian ‌message by ⁠speaking about peace but that ‌people are free to ⁠criticize him, following the latest attack on ​the pontiff by ‌US President Donald Trump.

"The mission of ‌the Church is to ​preach the Gospel, to preach peace," said Leo, the ​first US pope. "If ​someone wants to ​criticize me for preaching the ​Gospel ... I hope simply to be listened to because of the ⁠value of God's words."

Trump's renewed criticism of the pope could potentially complicate a fence-mending visit that Secretary of State Marco Rubio plans to make this week to the Vatican.

At a press conference in Washington on Tuesday Rubio sought to downplay the latest rift between the pope and Trump before the top American diplomat, a devout Catholic, meets the pontiff.

Washington: Trump Changes Iran Strategy Again

Donald J. Trump

@realDonaldTrump

Based on the request of Pakistan and other Countries, the tremendous Military Success that we have had during the Campaign against the Country of Iran and, additionally, the fact that Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Representatives of Iran, we have mutually agreed that, while the Blockade will remain in full force and effect, Project Freedom (The Movement of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz) will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement can be finalized and signed. President DONALD J. TRUMP

PHOTO: Truth Social

Princess of Wales makes first overseas trip since cancer diagnosis

The Telegraph reports:

The Princess of Wales will return to official overseas travel next week for the first time since her cancer diagnosis when she visits Italy as part of her work on early childhood.

The Princess, who last completed a solo working visit in 2022, will fly to Reggio Emilia on a research trip with her Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood.

She will carry out her first multi-day foreign trip in nearly three-and-a-half years, in a milestone for her recovery and a show of support for the region’s ethos around raising children.

Indiana: Trump Punishes Republicans

New York Times reports:

On Tuesday, he got much of what he wanted, as at least five of the seven anti-redistricting Republicans facing Trump-backed challengers lost their primaries, according to The Associated Press. The results reflected Mr. Trump’s continuing sway over Republican voters and his ability to enforce political consequences for Republican officeholders who defy him.

In the other races, at least one incumbent won his primary and another race remained too close to call.

State legislative primaries are often low-drama affairs, but Mr. Trump’s involvement brought unusual levels of attention and outside spending. The president issued social media endorsements to the seven challengers and hosted some of them at the White House, while outside groups aligned with Mr. Trump poured money into the races.

Washington: EEOC Sues The New York Times for DEI-Related Race and Sex Discrimination

Press Release:

The New York Times Company, a global news publisher based in New York, N.Y., violated federal law when it passed over a white male employee for a promotion because of his race and/or sex, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit announced today.

According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, The New York Times chose not to promote a well-qualified white male employee because of his race and/or sex. The New York Times has a well-documented commitment to enacting race and sex conscious decision making in the workforce through its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies. In The New York Times’s 2021 “Call to Action” and throughout numerous other publications, the company stated goals and action plans to increase non-white and female representation in its leadership positions.

Acting in accordance with such goals, the company left a longtime New York Times editor, a white man with extensive experience in real estate journalism, out of its final panel interviews for a vacant Deputy Real Estate Editor position in early 2025. Every candidate who advanced through to the final interview process was not a white male. The company ultimately hired an outside candidate for the role — a non-white female with little to no experience in real estate journalism, despite such experience being a requirement for the real estate editor position. Further, the hiring manager greenlit this external candidate for inclusion in the final interview panel without her first going through the standard interview processes for the position. Moreover, The New York Times selected this candidate for the position despite the company’s own final interview panel rating her less favorably than two other final candidates.

“No one is above the law — including “elite” institutions. There is no such thing as “reverse discrimination”; all race or sex discrimination is equally unlawful, according to long-established civil rights principles. The EEOC is prepared to root out discrimination anywhere it may rear its head. No matter the size or power of the employer, the EEOC under my leadership will not pull punches in ensuring evenhanded, colorblind enforcement of Title VII to protect America’s workers, including white males,” said EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas. “Federal law is clear: making hiring or promotion decisions motivated in whole or in part by race or sex violates federal law. There is no diversity exception to this rule.”