News Briefs

Harvard discovers it has a rare copy of the Magna Carta. For decades, the university assumed it had a cheap copy of the landmark document in its collection, purchased for less than $30. But two researchers have concluded that it is actually a rare version from 1300 issued by Britain’s King Edward I. The original Magna Carta established the principle in 1215 that the king is subject to law, forming the basis of constitutions globally. There are four copies of the original, and until now, there were believed to be only six copies of the 1300 version.

Putin stands up Zelenskyy in Turkey talks. The Ukrainian leader waited for Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Turkish capital Ankara on May 15 after challenging him to face-to-face discussions on ending their countries’ 3-year-old war. With Mr. Putin absent and the Russian delegation in Istanbul, it wasn’t clear whether the sides would meet for their first such talks since March 2022, which happened one month after Russia’s full-scale invasion of its neighbor. Mr. Putin’s absence punctured hopes of a breakthrough in peace efforts that were given a push in recent months by the Trump administration and Western European leaders.

While US pushes peace, Ukrainian troops focus on keeping their country free

If US ends sanctions on Russia, will Russia welcome back US businesses?

Mali’s democracy crumbles. The president of Mali’s transitional government signed a decree dissolving political parties amid a backdrop of pro-democracy opposition, a government official announced. The decision on May 13 by Gen. Assimi Goita comes amid a surge in kidnappings of pro-democracy activists in the capital Bamako and just days after a demonstration by several hundred pro-democracy activists. Some political figures are planning to appeal to the Constitutional Court to overturn the decision. Mali has been under military rule since a 2021 coup d’état led by Mr. Goita.

In 2023, we wrote about a string of coups in Africa, including in Mali, that some experts suggested were not so much the twilight of Western influence but that African countries are breaking their dependence on one power.

Supreme Court rules on excessive force lawsuit. A unanimous Supreme Court ruling on May 15 revived the civil rights lawsuit against a Texas police officer who shot a man to death during a traffic stop over unpaid tolls. The justices ordered the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to take a new look at the case of Ashtian Barnes, who died in his rental car in April 2016 on the shoulder of the Sam Houston Tollway in Houston. Lower courts had dismissed the excessive force lawsuit filed against Officer Roberto Felix Jr. by Mr. Barnes’ mother, Janice Hughes.

Carla Hayden was named 2025 PEN/Faulkner Literary Champion. Dr. Hayden was fired by President Donald Trump as librarian of Congress with a year left in her 10-year term. The White House cited “concerning things” she had done “in pursuit of DEI.” The library called Capitol Police after an acting librarian was named, and refused entry to the president’s appointees until Congress acts. Dr. Hayden was chosen for the award last year for her lifetime of literary advocacy; a ceremony is set for Thursday. “She has been a devoted advocate to making sure that all of us get to enjoy the fruits of a literary life,” says Gwydion Suilebhan, executive director of the PEN/Faulkner Foundation. – Staff

Narco-terrorism charges were filed against a Mexican duo. They were the first since the Trump administration designated six Mexican cartels as foreign terrorist organizations earlier this year. Pedro Inzunza Noriega and his son Pedro Inzunza Coronel, linked to Mexico’s powerful Sinaloa Cartel, are accused of offering material support for terrorism through a smuggling operation that allegedly moves fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin into the United States. Labeling cartels as terrorist organizations allows federal prosecutors to bring charges with tougher penalties against traffickers. It is unclear what evidence there is to support the charges in court. – Staff

Gavin Newsom retreats on immigrant benefits. Under the California governor’s budget proposal, low-income, unauthorized adults will not be able to apply for health benefits starting next year. If approved, it would mark a significant reversal in California’s embrace of immigrants without legal status. It would also align the Democrat, a potential presidential candidate, with the president. The plan contradicts the view that health care for all poor people is moral and cost-effective. Still, the state’s facing a budget crunch, so he’s pausing this provision of California’s version of Medicaid. – Staff

FAA reviews Newark delays. The Federal Aviation Administration is holding a two-day meeting with major airlines this week to discuss its proposal to cut flights at Newark Liberty International Airport in order to address major delays. The meeting in Washington comes as a series of equipment outages and staffing issues plaguing the airport – one of the United States’ busiest and located in the New York metro area – have caused travel chaos. The FAA also cited ongoing runway construction at Newark that regularly forces the cancellation of dozens of flights daily and delays hundreds more.

Detained Georgetown student released. A federal judge ordered on May 14 that a Georgetown scholar from India be released from immigration detention after he was detained in the Trump administration’s crackdown on foreign college students. Khan Suri was arrested by masked officers late March 17 outside his apartment in Arlington, Virginia. Officials said his visa was revoked because of his social media posts and his wife’s connection to Gaza as a Palestinian American, and they accused him of supporting Hamas. U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles said she was releasing Mr. Suri because he had substantial constitutional claims against the Trump administration.

Drug overdose deaths in the U.S. continue to drop. There were 30,000 fewer overdose deaths in 2024 than the year before, according to provisional Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data released May 14. An estimated 80,000 people died from overdoses last year, a 27% drop from the 110,000 in 2023. The CDC has been collecting comparable data for 45 years. The previous largest one-year drop was 4% in 2018, according to the agency’s National Center for Health Statistics. Still, overdose deaths remain higher than they were before the COVID-19 pandemic. And some experts worry the decline could be slowed by reductions in federal funding and the public health workforce.

Remember the opioid crisis? 46 states recorded a decline in overdose deaths.

To address America’s opioid crisis, health care experts recommend a priority on preventing fatal overdoses in the short term while helping people become sober over time. Last summer, we reported how money from legal settlements may allow states to do just that.

Gaza faces a heightened risk of famine. United Nations aid officials say that a quarter of Gaza’s population is at risk of famine. The UN’s top humanitarian official blasted Israel for “deliberately and unashamedly” imposing inhumane conditions on Palestinians. The remarks from Tom Fletcher on May 13 marked the strongest condemnation by a high-ranking U.N. official of Israel’s war on Gaza since the start of the conflict. All the food needed to feed the entire population currently sits in warehouses in Israel, Egypt, and Jordan, most of which are under 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Gaza.

Israel is keeping food aid out of Gaza, saying it’s to pressure Hamas. The lives of tens of thousands of children are on the line.

A Wisconsin judge was indicted by a federal grand jury. Judge Hannah Dugan of Milwaukee County Circuit Court was accused of obstructing a U.S. agency and concealing an unauthorized immigrant to prevent his arrest at her court. An attorney for Judge Dugan says she “asserts her innocence and looks forward to being vindicated in court.” Immigration officers have made at least a dozen arrests at or near courthouses since January, reports CNN. – Staff

Chuck Schumer pushed back on the Qatari “gift” jet. The Senate minority leader called Mr. Trump’s plan to accept it to replace Air Force One “naked corruption,” and said Tuesday he would put holds on confirmation for all Justice Department political appointees until he gets answers. The proposed gift has faced criticism from across the political spectrum over concerns about legality, propriety, and security implications.

Senator Schumer said he wouldn’t lift the holds unless Attorney General Pam Bondi, a former lobbyist for Qatar, testified before Congress. Senate Republicans can still confirm DOJ nominees, but a hold makes the process much more time-intensive. President Trump is due in Qatar on Wednesday as part of his first foreign trip since returning to the White House. – Staff

Inflation rose at its slowest pace in more than four years. A decline in U.S. food prices helped offset a continued rise in housing costs. Prices only rose 2.3% in April compared with a year ago, below economists’ expectations. The core index, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, rose 2.8%, according to the Labor Department.

Normally, economists would cheer this cooling, but many don’t expect it to last. Tariff-related price increases are starting to kick in, boosting inflation. Even with Monday’s announcement of cuts in U.S. and Chinese tariffs, those duties remain historically high. And as President Trump pushes for tax cuts, the prospect of a widening federal deficit adds fuel to inflation expectations. – Staff

Trump to lift sanctions on Syria. President Donald Trump said on May 13 that he will normalize relations and lift sanctions on Syria’s new government to give the country “a chance at peace.” Mr. Trump is set to meet with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa on May 14 in Saudi Arabia. He said the rapprochement came at the urging of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi de facto ruler, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The comments marked a change in tone from Mr. Trump and put him at odds with longtime ally Israel, which has been deeply skeptical of Mr. Al-Sharaa.

The Monitor's View: Syrians learn to bend and blend

After more than a decade of civil war, and despite substantial economic hurdles, small investments by struggling Syrian families signal faith in a life beyond conflict, and hope for the country’s future.

Saudi Arabia pledges hundreds of billions in deals with U.S. President Donald Trump secured a $600 billion commitment from Saudi Arabia on May 13 to invest in the United States in areas including energy, defense, and mining. The U.S. agreed to sell Saudi Arabia an arms package worth nearly $142 billion, according to a White House fact sheet that called it “the largest defense cooperation agreement” Washington has ever done. The agreement covers deals with more than a dozen U.S. defense companies in areas including air and missile defense, air force and space advancement, maritime security, and communications, the fact sheet said.

Patterns Column: Saudi leader parlays oil wealth into global diplomatic clout

Duterte wins mayoral election while in custody for crimes against humanity. Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was elected as mayor in his home city by a landslide, official results showed on May 13, despite his detention by the International Criminal Court. Mr. Duterte served as Davao’s mayor for two decades before becoming president. He has been in the custody of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, since March, awaiting trial for crimes against humanity over a brutal war on illegal drugs that left thousands of suspects dead during his 2016-2022 presidency.

Journalist Maria Ressa covered death squads that operated under former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. When he was arrested in March, we reported how she sees hope – and accountability – as he faces charges at the International Criminal Court.

Australian government sworn in after landslide election. The new Australian Cabinet was sworn into office on May 13 after the center-left Labor Party was reelected in a landslide May 3. Labor expects to hold between 92 and 95 seats in the 150-seat House of Representatives, up from 78 seats in the previous Parliament. The conservative opposition alliance is on track to win 41 seats in one of its worst election results. On May 13, the conservative opposition Liberal Party elected former minister Sussan Ley as their new leader, the first woman to lead the party that was founded in 1944.