Putin declared Sarmat the "most powerful missile in the world", "mini-NATO" of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, Thomas Massie fights Epstein class, Lula fights crime, Sanchez charged, Fúnez arrested

Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed the successful test-firing of the new RS-28 Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on May 12, 2026, declaring it the "most powerful missile in the world". Israeli invasion of Lebanon has killed 2,883 people and injured 8,787 since March 2. Pakistan is moving to expand its September 2025 security pact with Saudi Arabia into a broader regional alliance, with Turkey in advanced talks to join and Qatar finalizing a similar, separate, yet linked defense agreement. This evolving bloc, often referred to as a "mini-NATO" model, aims to provide mutual defense, combining Saudi financing, Turkish defense tech, and Pakistani military strength. Kentucky Republican Representative Thomas Massie has argued that the "Epstein class"—a term he uses for the influential, wealthy figures associated with Jeffrey Epstein—is not being prosecuted in the U.S. and is instead being protected by a "two-tier system of justice". On May 12, 2026, Peruvian prosecutor has accused leftist presidential candidate Roberto Sanchez of financial crimes, including making false statements in administrative proceedings and falsifying information regarding campaign contributions. Honduran authorities have arrested Adán Fúnez, the powerful former mayor of Tocoa, for allegedly masterminding the 2024 assassination of environmental activist Juan López. Sam Altman testified that he never promised Elon Musk that OpenAI would remain a nonprofit, counter-claiming that Musk instead wanted a 90 percent stake and intended to pass ultimate control of the entity to his children. A delegation of more than a dozen major U.S. corporate leaders will accompany President Donald Trump to Beijing on May 14 and 15, 2026, for a high-stakes bilateral summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Facing rising security pressures five months before the election, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva launched a national anti-organized crime plan (May 2026) to curb gang violence. The Yindjibarndi people of Western Australia have been awarded a record A$150.1 million in compensation after a court ruled that Andrew Forrest’s Fortescue Metals Group mined on their traditional land without permission. U.S. annual consumer inflation jumped 3.8% in April 2026, marking the largest increase in three years.