• Urgent nuclear war warning: A Harvard professor has warned the world is dangerously close to nuclear war at a time when leading experts key to preventing such conflicts are "aging out," pleading with leaders to urgently seek help from a new generation of scientists and engineers.
• Democrats try to block Kennedy's run: Nevada Democrats are suing to stop Robert F. Kennedy Jr. from appearing on the state's presidential ballot. Here's why.
• Republican rejects Trump endorsement: Republican Senate candidate Larry Hogan has rejected an endorsement from Donald Trump, saying he has no interest in it. Read his full remarks.
• US-India joint IFVs talk: The U.S. and India are engaged in talks to jointly manufacture the latest generation of Stryker armored infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs or infantry combat vehicles) as New Delhi looks to replace the aging Russian-made ICVs. Here's what we know.
• World's most expensive office towers: The newest addition to Hong Kong's world-famous skyline has opened its doors, with its owners hoping to reap now the rewards of investing in the world's most expensive plot of land. Find out more.
• Coffee recall: All canned coffee products manufactured by Snapchill are being recalled because they could contain the deadly botulinum toxin. Learn more.
• In the ongoing war in Ukraine, one of Russia's largest oil refineries was damaged in an overnight drone attack, according to a local official.

The rundown: As nuclear fears deepen with the ongoing war in Ukraine and Russia's references to the possible use of nuclear weapons in the conflict, the U.S., like many other nuclear-armed states, is reevaluating its arsenal. Here are the nine countries that currently possess nuclear weapons.

Why it matters: The U.S. increased its nuclear spending by nearly 18 percent, or $51.5 billion, in 2023, the largest among nuclear states. China and Russia follow, spending $11.9 billion and $8.3 billion, respectively. The chart shows how the world's nuclear weapons stockpiles compare, with the U.S. and Russia together holding nearly 90 percent of the global total. Meanwhile, growing arsenals in China and North Korea have prompted nuclear warnings.

Read more in-depth coverage:
US To Announce Bold New Nuclear Strategy

What happens next? The U.S. is modernizing its nuclear triad and faces strategic concerns from China's growing arsenal, while ongoing NATO discussions influence nuclear deterrent strategies.

The rundown: A federal appeals court has rejected Steve Bannon's request to stay out of prison while he fights his contempt of Congress conviction. However, a Trump appointee, dissenting judge Justin Walker said he should be allowed to take his case to the Supreme Court. Here's what this could mean.

Why it matters: Bannon, a close ally of Donald Trump and host of the WarRoom podcast, faces imprisonment for contempt of Congress charges related to his refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House Select Committee investigating the January 6 attack. Despite Bannon's intent to appeal to the Supreme Court, the appellate court found his arguments insufficient, citing concerns over obstructing congressional investigations. Here's a glimpse into what his impending prison term might entail.

Read more in-depth coverage:
Steve Bannon's Legal Hail Mary Shot Down

What happens next? Only 11 days remain for the Supreme Court to intervene and keep Bannon from starting his prison sentence. If no action is taken, he must surrender July 1.

The rundown: Outrage is erupting over Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's decision to drop charges against dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters who barricaded themselves inside a building at Columbia University in April. Here's why he decided to drop the charges.

Why it matters: Bragg, best known for his recent successful criminal prosecution of former President Donald Trump, initially charged 46 protesters with misdemeanor trespass after an April 30 police raid on Columbia's then-occupied Hamilton Hall, however, on Thursday, it was announced that charges against 32 of the protesters—30 students and two Columbia staffers—would be dropped. Reactions on social media, mainly from Trump supporters and conservatives, focused on political implications, while some Jewish activists feared it might encourage similar protests.

Read more in-depth coverage:
Alvin Bragg Hit With New Legal Complain

What happens next? Charges against another 13 defendants remained active after they refused to accept a deal that would have seen the charges dropped if they were not arrested for any other reason during six months. Michael Nussbaum of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York denounced the decision as "turnstile justice," telling The New York Post that it amounted to "a green light for chaos" and "a green light for destroying property."

The rundown: Russia's fleet of suspected spy ships operating in the North Sea has grown to nearly 200 civilian vessels, an investigation has found. Here are the findings of the investigation.

Why it matters: Russian ships have been linked to spying on infrastructure in the North Sea since 2014. A previous investigation by Danish, Finnish, Swedish and Norwegian public broadcasters found that at least 50 Russian ships, supposedly civilian and fishing vessels, had loitered near power plants, oil and gas fields, and military training areas, and did so during NATO training drills. Sweden's Navy Chief Ewa Skoog Haslum also raised concerns about Russian vessels operating in the Baltic Sea in April.

Read more in-depth coverage:
US Ally Captures Chinese and Russian Ship Positions

What happens next? Agentstvo, an independent Russian investigative site, said on Friday, commenting on the latest findings, "Russia could use about 200 civilian vessels for espionage in the North Sea. This has not happened since the Cold War.”

The rundown: The rules around selling policies for Florida's state-backed insurer of last resort, Citizens Property Insurance Corp., are about to change as a bill was signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis last month. Find out how this could impact homeowners and insurers alike.

Why it matters: The law comes when Florida homeowners are struggling with skyrocketing premiums and limited policy offers as a crisis in the sector is unfolding in the state. Many factors, like excessive litigation, fraud, etc., have contributed to the rise in insurance costs and an exodus of private insurers in the state in the past few years. Find out how climate change-related weather disruptions have been blamed for higher insurance expenses. Citizens is now estimated to have more than 1.171 million policies—around 18 percent of Florida's insurance market.

Read more in-depth coverage:
Florida Insurance Company Sets Stage for Another Rate Hike

What happens next? The bill takes effect on July 1. The growth of Citizens has raised concerns over the potential insolvency of the company should it be hit by an explosion of claims after a particularly disastrous extreme weather event in Florida. In that case, all Floridians will have to pay for it.

ONE DEEPER READ:

It's been 11 years since the Food Network cut its ties with Paula Deen after she apologized for using racist language, but now her career is thriving again.

Deen was once a staple of the network, joining in 1999 and going on to be the face of a variety of cooking shows, including Paula's Home Cooking and Paula's Best Dishes. Viewers loved her for her Southern hospitality, and she has often been credited for popularizing the cuisine of the American South.

However, on June 21, 2013, the Food Network announced it hadn't renewed the TV chef's contract after she admitted that she had used racial slurs in the past. That month, Deen was sued by a former employee for racial and sexual discrimination. While Judge William Moore threw out the suit's race-discrimination claims, he let the claims of sexual discrimination stand. Want more stories like this? Subscribe to our For the Culture newsletter.