News for May 20, 2026

A federal judge ordered White House staff to follow the Presidential Records Act and preserve covered records, rejecting the Justice Department’s claim that the law is unconstitutional.

The Justice Department indicted Raúl Castro over the 1996 shooting down of two civilian planes that killed four Cuban exiles.

Open Society Foundations said it will spend $300 million over five years on U.S. efforts to protect democratic rights and economic security, even as it faces pressure from the Trump administration.

Former USAID officials say the agency’s removal slowed Ebola detection and response in Congo, while the State Department says its new system is still working.

The European Union approved a tariff deal with the US that caps most EU export tariffs at 15%, after a tense internal debate over the agreement reached by Ursula von der Leyen and Donald Trump.