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Iran is again threatening shipping through the Strait of Hormuz just days after signing a ceasefire framework with Washington, putting global energy markets and regional diplomacy on edge. At the same time, Bolivia's deepening blockade crisis has triggered a state of emergency, while new polling shows President Trump's approval rating sliding as economic concerns continue to dominate voter sentiment heading into a critical political stretch.

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Iran's military declared the Strait of Hormuz closed to shipping Saturday, citing Israel's continued strikes in Lebanon as a breach of the US-Iran interim deal — though US Central Command disputed the closure, saying 55 merchant ships carrying 17 million barrels transited with American naval escort. Iran's top joint command warned the closure was "only the first step."

In a social media post hours later, Trump threatened to impose US tolls on the strait for "services rendered as the Guardian Angel to the countries of the Middle East" — a phrase with no precedent in maritime law. VP Vance and Iranian officials are both traveling to Switzerland Sunday for technical talks, though Tehran warns the negotiations are pointless unless Israel stops striking Lebanon.

Bolivia's President Rodrigo Paz declared a state of emergency Saturday, granting the military broad power to clear blockades that have isolated La Paz from food, fuel, and medical supplies for 50 days — with at least 14 people killed and 365 arrested during violent clashes between demonstrators and riot police. Indigenous groups began blocking national roads seven weeks ago to protest Paz's cancellation of fuel subsidies, a decision that triggered a crisis that has since ground Bolivia's economy to a halt.

Secretary of State Rubio called Paz last week to offer emergency US assistance as Bolivia formally requested UN Security Council recognition of its humanitarian emergency. Holding the world's largest lithium reserves, Bolivia's political instability carries weight well beyond the region — making every day the blockades continue a strategic concern for global EV supply chains.

President Trump's job approval has slumped to 36% in the latest NPR/PBS News/Marist poll, a new low. The driver isn't subtle: voters are anxious about the economy, and inflation and tariffs keep dominating kitchen-table conversations heading into a brutal summer stretch.

The drop cuts across independents and chips away at parts of his 2024 coalition. Midterms are 19 months out, and the White House is under pressure to reset its economic message before the numbers harden into something permanent.

Labour's leadership crisis hit its breaking point Saturday — cabinet ministers told Keir Starmer to set a departure timetable, and up to 200 MPs are prepared to back Andy Burnham in a leadership challenge. Starmer has vowed to fight any leadership vote, but senior allies describe the plan as "nuts."

A Spanish judge ordered Begoña Gómez to stand trial on corruption and influence-peddling charges, ruling she is a flight risk and requiring her to surrender her passport and appear before a court every two weeks. Spain's opposition immediately called for early elections.

Russia freed 24 Filipinos held for nine months in Siberia without charges, after a direct phone call between Presidents Marcos and Putin settled what had become a diplomatic impasse. Philippine officials said the workers had been performing contract labor in Russia when they were detained and never told why.

Congress is debating a provision blocking Defense Secretary Hegseth's travel fund until he delivers a report on a US strike that killed 165 people at an Iranian school, based on intelligence that proved wrong. Republican senators are separately challenging the $300 billion Iran reconstruction fund built into the interim peace deal.

A Justice Department memo reversed longstanding disability law, arguing states are no longer required to offer community-based care for disabled people — potentially allowing states to route 8.4 million Medicaid recipients back into institutions. Disability advocates warn the memo arrives precisely as Medicaid is being cut in the One Big Beautiful Bill, creating a pincer effect on the most vulnerable.

The Kennedy Center filed court papers Friday arguing it is not required to reschedule canceled programming, despite a judge having blocked its planned two-year closure — stages will remain largely silent while public spaces stay open. Critics say that amounts to the same closure the court specifically ruled against.

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Amazon, Alphabet, Microsoft, and Meta are projected to spend $750 billion on AI data centers this year — and with cash reserves depleted, all four are turning to the bond market for tens of billions each. Goldman Sachs noted AI capital spending as a share of tech cash flow is at its highest level since the dot-com era.

Spirit's collapse has left travelers with fewer ultra-cheap options, and analysts say the low-cost carrier model is permanently broken — fuel costs and pilot pay make cheap fares unviable without a scale no surviving carrier can achieve. Delta's 2025 revenues hit a record $58.3 billion while economy ticket sales fell, confirming premium cabins and loyalty programs now drive the industry.

State-level SNAP rules barring soda, candy, and processed foods are spreading fast, forcing major food and beverage companies to model new revenue scenarios. Coca-Cola, Kraft Heinz, and Mondelez are among those watching the patchwork rollout most closely.

Researchers identified a shared molecular target used by ETEC and Shigella to invade the gut, opening a credible path to long-sought vaccines. The two pathogens kill hundreds of thousands of children globally each year.

Researchers found that introducing a slight twist between ultra-thin layers of quantum materials can help stabilize delicate quantum states, potentially addressing one of the biggest technical hurdles facing quantum computing. The discovery suggests that precisely engineered materials could make future quantum computers more reliable and scalable, bringing practical real-world applications closer to reality.

With 23 states restricting SNAP junk food purchases, research firm Numerator estimates the changes could cut $830M in food and beverage sales — with Hershey, PepsiCo, and Walmart among the most exposed. Several states are also banning synthetic food dyes including Red 40 and Yellow 5 from school meals, widening MAHA's reach into the American food supply.

Tens of thousands flooded downtown Raleigh Saturday for the Carolina Hurricanes' first Stanley Cup championship parade since 2006. Hockey's Sun Belt shift is now undeniable — three of the last five Cup winners are based in non-traditional markets.

Brian Brobbey and Cody Gakpo each scored twice as the Netherlands dismantled Sweden 5-1 in Houston, going top of Group F in one of the most commanding World Cup group-stage performances so far. Crysencio Summerville added a 90th-minute finish, with only Anthony Elanga's consolation keeping this from a clean sheet.

Bryson DeChambeau crashed out of the U.S. Open after a second-round 75 marred by early double bogeys — his third straight missed cut in a major. The slump is raising real questions about his form heading into the back half of the season.

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Olivia Wilde told a podcast that Pamela Anderson helped her survive the media storm surrounding "Don't Worry Darling" in 2022, with Anderson advising that "the most rebellious thing you can do is stay soft." Wilde called the press hostility "so insanely disproportionate" and said she felt unable to defend herself publicly at the time.

British director Ben Wheatley said the back-to-back success of "Backrooms" and "Obsession" makes the case for indie film — calling this the best moment in decades to be a young filmmaker without a studio behind you. Wheatley credited a streaming-and-theatrical landscape that finally rewards original genre work over franchise installments.

Author Judy Blume announced she is done writing novels after a 50-year career that produced "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret," "Blubber," and dozens of other titles: "Fifty years is enough!" Blume now runs a bookstore in Key West and says she is completely at peace with the decision.

What it is: Politicians and officials across Mexico are increasingly using the country's civil and criminal codes to intimidate journalists and silence critics, turning the legal system itself into a censorship tool. Rather than relying solely on overt pressure or threats, public figures are increasingly pursuing legal avenues that can burden reporters with years of litigation and financial uncertainty.

The detail: The tactics include defamation suits, "moral damages" claims, and aggressive use of privacy and electoral laws to drag reporters and outlets into expensive, drawn-out litigation. Even when cases fail, the cost and time of defending them push smaller outlets toward self-censorship — and freelancers toward dropping investigations entirely. Media advocates say the strategy is especially effective because it creates the appearance of a legitimate legal dispute while achieving many of the same chilling effects as direct censorship. Regional journalists, who often lack the resources of national news organizations, have proven particularly vulnerable.

Why it matters: Mexico is already one of the deadliest countries in the world for journalists, with cartel violence and state-linked killings a constant threat. Adding lawfare to that pressure compounds an environment in which scrutiny of powerful figures — governors, mayors, party leaders — quietly disappears from the public record. The cumulative effect is not just fewer investigations but less accountability for corruption, abuse of power, and organized crime, especially in areas where local media serve as the primary source of oversight.

What to watch: Press-freedom groups are pushing for federal reforms to decriminalize defamation and cap civil damages, but state-level officials have shown little appetite. The trend lines mirror similar legal squeezes in Hungary, India, and the Philippines, suggesting Mexico's drift is part of a broader global pattern. International watchdogs are increasingly warning that legal harassment may become a preferred tool for governments seeking to suppress scrutiny while avoiding the international backlash that often accompanies more overt crackdowns on the press.

- A Florida couple who discovered their newborn wasn't genetically theirs after an IVF lab mix-up will keep the baby under an agreement with the biological parents, calling it "agonizing for everyone."

- Footage from the deadly Moscow refinery blast suggests a Russian air defense missile — not a Ukrainian drone — may have been the projectile that set the fuel silo alight.

- An Australian man reclaimed his own Guinness World Record for the loudest yell, producing a shout measured at more than 127 decibels — roughly comparable to standing near a jet engine during takeoff.

Thanks for reading Five Minute Daily. The headlines move fast, but the forces behind them often last much longer.

—The Five Minute Daily Team