DES MOINES, Iowa, May 21 -- The Iowa Democratic Party issued the following news release: * * * Ahead of War Powers Vote, Gas Prices in Randy Feenstra's District Are Higher Than the Iowa Average Ahead of today's planned vote in the House to continue the war in Iran that's sent gas, diesel, and fertilizer prices skyrocketing, the cost of gas in Randy Feenstra's congressional district is already higher than the Iowa average. Gas is $4.28 a gallon in Feenstra's home county of Sioux as a result o  more

WASHINGTON, May 23 -- The Center for European Policy Analysis issued the following commentary on May 22, 2026, by non-resident senior fellow Alexander Kolyandr: * * * The British and US Sanctions That Quietly Aren't US and UK sanctions relief aimed at easing domestic consumer pressures also transfer billions into Putin's war chest, at Ukraine's expense. * On May 19, the United Kingdom did two things at once. It legislated, for the first time in binding form, a ban on imports of refined petr  more

WASHINGTON, May 23 -- The Center for Strategic and International Studies issued the following commentary on May 22, 2026, by Navin Girishankar, president of the Economic Security and Technology Department: * * * Will the AI Economy Have a Middle Class? The Case for an AI Homestead Policy AI is beginning to split the U.S. economy. On one end, the data center buildout is generating strong demand for skilled trades, such as electricians, HVAC technicians, and construction managers, not seen in y  more

WASHINGTON, May 24 -- Rep. James Comer, R-Kentucky, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, issued the following letter to Blockratize Inc.: * * * Here is the text of the letter: May 22, 2026 Mr. Shayne Coplan Blockratize, Inc. d/b/a Polymarket 1280 Lexington Avenue Suite 1448, Front 2 New York, NY 10028 Dear Mr. Coplan: The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is examining the use of online prediction market platforms, including Polymarket, by some us  more

WASHINGTON, May 23 -- Hudson Institute, a research organization that says it promotes leadership for a secure, free and prosperous future, issued the following commentary on May 21, 2026, by Asia-Pacific Security Chair Patrick M. Cronin to Asia Times: * * * Trump-Xi Summit Didn't Change North Korea's Strategic Reality The Trump-Xi summit in Beijing may have projected calm at the leader level, but it should not be mistaken for strategic convergence. Whatever one makes of the new language of "c  more

WASHINGTON, May 23 (TNSrpt) -- Human Rights First issued the following news on May 22, 2026: * * * Bahrain's Rulers Return to 2011 Repression Methods, New Report Finds Bahrain's authorities have returned to their traditional methods of repression since the start of the U.S. war on Iran in February 2026. This includes detaining more than 400 people, stripping 69 of their citizenship in a single day, and returning to his family the body of a man tortured to death in custody. A report released   more

WASHINGTON, May 23 -- The Jamestown Foundation issued the following commentary on May 22, 2026, by Mamie Powers, managing editor of Eurasia Daily Monitor: * * * Turkiye and Armenia Initiate Official Bilateral Trade Executive Summary: * Turkiye announced that preparations for official bilateral trade with Armenia were completed on May 11. Goods no longer need to be reregistered in a third country before reaching their final destination when moving between the two countries. * Armenia and Tu  more

WASHINGTON, May 23 -- The Jamestown Foundation issued the following commentary on May 21, 2026, by analyst Aybaniz Ismayilova in the foundation's Eurasia Daily Monitor: * * * Turkiye Promotes Eurasian Transit Development Executive Summary: * Turkiye and Armenia signed an agreement on May 4 to restore the Ani Bridge, another step in their normalization process. This development is part of moves to expand regional connectivity projects amid transport disruptions caused by the Iran conflict. *  more

WASHINGTON, May 24 -- Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, D-New Mexico, issued the following news release: * * * Lujan, Cantwell, Colleagues Raise Major Alarms Over Foreign Government Influence in American News Media if FCC Greenlights Paramount-Warner Brothers Investment Deal * Paramount's financing scheme needs FCC approval so Saudi Arabia, UAE & Qatar can own significant stakes in its television stations Foreign governments hostile to a free press could exert extraordinary influence over CNN, CBS News,  more

WASHINGTON, May 25 -- The Senate Armed Services Committee released the following testimony by Air Force Gen. Dagvin R.M. Anderson, commander of the U.S. Africa Command, from a May 14, 2026, hearing on the fiscal 2027 budget request: * * * Chairman, Ranking Member, and members of the Committee, United States Africa Command (USAFRICOM) is guided by the 2026 National Defense Strategy (NDS) to protect the homeland, advance U.S. interests, and respond to crises across Africa. We work with our Afric  more

WASHINGTON, May 25 -- The Senate Armed Services Committee released the following testimony by Navy Adm. Charles B. Cooper II, commander of the U.S. Central Command, from a May 14, 2026, hearing on the fiscal 2027 budget request: * * * Events in the Central Region have shown how quickly the course of history can change. Decades-old features of the strategic landscape, once thought immutable, have been upended. Since 1979, the Iranian regime has terrorized the region. Its network of proxies expl  more

WASHINGTON, May 25 -- The Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities released the following testimony by Air Force Lt. Gen. Michael E. Conley, commander of the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command, from a May 12, 2026, hearing on the fiscal 2027 budget: * * * Chairwoman Ernst, Ranking Member Slotkin, and distinguished members, it is my profound honor to represent the more than 21,000 Air Commandos of Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). I cannot think  more