The European Union will urge members to cut their dependence on Middle Eastern jet fuel and look into increasing imports from the U.S., in new guidelines expected next week, an official source told Reuters, as the Iran war disrupts global supply. The plans, previously unreported and still being finalized, will put a greater focus on self-sufficiency and resilience via Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) or synthetic fuels. European airlines have warned of potential jet fuel shortages within weeks ‌as a result of the Iran war, which could disrupt the summer travel season. Europe is particularly vulnerable as it imports some 30% to 40% of its jet fuel, at least half of that from the Middle East. The EU’s non-binding recommendations will emphasize the bloc’s limitations in increasing jet fuel output domestically and provide guidance on how to handle potential shortages, the source said. The person asked not to be named because the discussions are ongoing and the draft is not yet finalized. A European Commission spokesperson confirmed plans to present a response to the energy crisis next week, including measures on jet fuels. Availability of supply “remains the primary concern,” the Commission spokesperson said, adding that if supply remained snarled through the Strait of Hormuz, the EU could launch a possible coordinated release of jet fuel stocks. Iran opened the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, a key gateway for energy flows from the Gulf, after a ceasefire accord in Lebanon, though U.S. President Donald Trump said a naval blockade remains in place until a deal is sealed with Tehran. The EU spokesperson said he hoped a resumption of safe passage through the Strait would last, but reflecting the ongoing uncertainty, added: “Let’s see.” FLIGHT CANCELLATION THREAT GROWS Flights in Europe could start to be cancelled from the end of May due to a lack of jet fuel, the International Air Transport Association’s director general Willie Walsh said on Friday. Airlines are cutting flights and grounding some planes. The source familiar with the EU’s plans said the document would lay out guidance for airline handling issues in the case of fuel shortages such as losing airport slots due to cancellations and the EU’s anti-tankering rule, designed to prevent planes from loading extra fuel in cheap locations. It will clarify whether a fuel shortage can be considered exceptional enough for airlines to avoid paying compensation for cancellations. The source added that the EU has decided airlines’ calls for changes to or the suspension of the Emissions Trading System (ETS) and SAF allowances were not justified. The European Commission also plans to introduce EU-wide mapping of refining capacity for oil products and introduce measures “to ensure that existing refining capacity is fully utilized and ​maintained,” a draft proposal earlier seen by Reuters showed. EUROPEAN IMPORTS OF U.S., NIGERIAN JET FUEL RISE They will also look at the distribution logistics of increasing the use of U.S. Jet A fuel, traditionally seldom used in Europe because it has a higher freezing point than the European standard. Europe’s Jet A-1 is better suited to long‑haul, high‑altitude and cold‑temperature operations and is preferred by the military. Jet fuel imports from the U.S. and Nigeria rose sharply in April. Some of Europe’s key hubs in Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Germany rely on the NATO-operated CEPS pipeline, which supplies European grade jet fuel. A spokesperson for NATO did not immediately reply to questions about the pipeline’s logistics. Airlines are preparing for a potential supply crunch, with the International Energy Agency forecasting jet fuel shortages by June if the region can only replace half of the supplies it normally gets from the ​Middle East. Some airports have warned of shortages within three weeks if the Strait of ‌Hormuz remains ⁠closed to fuel shipments. The European Commission is expected to warn jet fuel supply could remain limited even if the Strait of Hormuz is unblocked. (Reporting by Julia Payne and Joanna Plucinska; Editing by Adam Jourdan and Elaine Hardcastle)

Country singer Shane McAnally responded on Friday to a wave of backlash directed at him over a video he’d posted to Instagram. In the video, his five-month-old called out for “mama” — and he laughed as he informed the baby that he had two dads and no mama. “We found it hilarious,” McAnally said of the video. “He’s five months old, he obviously doesn’t understand English.” “Babies usually say dada first, but people wouldn’t then say the babies are only wanting their dads? It doesn’t really make sense,” he added. The musician also complained that the whole thing had been taken “out of context,” saying that he was “appalled” by some of the comments he’d seen. McAnally did not explain what “context” he believed critics were missing, but a number of them pointed out the fact that it was not the first time McAnally had set the baby up as a social media punchline: a video posted in December of 2025 showed the same baby, all smiles as dad (off-camera) talked about his siblings and pets — and then suddenly appeared concerned at the mention of “two dads.” The video, still pinned to McAnally’s Instagram page, is titled “6 week old homophobic baby.” The country singer has been dabbling in stand-up comedy recently, but the “homophobic baby” got more backlash than laughs. “He may say — oh it’s just a joke. But mothers don’t joke about their children this way. Frankly, no father I know does either. It’s like making a joke about your kid dying and it shows a tragic absence of familial connection. This baby is a fetish for them. God help this child,” Kira Davis posted. “This is not the first time Tony winning musician Shane McAnally has made a joke out of his son’s instinctive desire for his mother, rather than two fathers. Children deserve better than this,” Concerned Women for America added. The Daily Wire’s Michael Knowles called it “the most horrifying video I’ve ever seen in my life.”

Tesla is rolling out its robotaxis in Dallas and Houston, the electric vehicle maker said on Saturday, marking further expansion of its nascent service in the United States since its Austin, Texas, launch last year. Tesla’s official robotaxi account on X announced the launch and posted two videos showing its best-selling Model Y SUVs running in the two cities with no human driver or monitor in the front seats. It posted two map images outlining service boundaries, but did not disclose further details such as fleet size or pricing. “Try Tesla Robotaxi in Dallas & Houston!” CEO Elon Musk said reposting the X post. Tesla’s move comes as the robotaxi business has regained momentum with Alphabet’s Waymo and Amazon’s Zoox speeding up expansion. Expanding the robotaxi service and wider adoption of its full self-driving software, a version of which underpins the technology, is key to Tesla’s growth strategy as Musk has pivoted the company’s focus to artificial intelligence and robotics from EVs. Much of the company’s $1.3 trillion valuation hinges on that bet. Tesla first deployed a small group of self-driving taxis in an area of Austin with human safety monitors and other restrictions. The company has since widened the service area and started removing the monitors. Last year, Tesla also started a ride-hailing service in the San Francisco Bay Area. Musk has promised to expand the robotaxi service rapidly in the U.S., but missed earlier predictions of its robotaxis operating widely in multiple U.S. metro areas by the end of 2025. (Reporting by Anusha Shah in Bengaluru and Abhirup Roy in San Francisco Editing by Nick Zieminski, Rod Nickel)

FBI Director Kash Patel is preparing for a full-scale legal battle against The Atlantic after the outlet published a bombshell report he says is riddled with falsehoods, and he’s making clear he intends to take it to the mat. “Print it, all false, I’ll see you in court — bring your checkbook,” Patel told the magazine ahead of publication, a warning that has now escalated into an imminent lawsuit. The Friday article by Sarah Fitzpatrick, titled “The FBI Director is MIA,” levels a barrage of allegations against Patel, painting a picture of a senior law enforcement official allegedly plagued by instability, heavy drinking, and internal dysfunction. The report claims Patel engaged in “erratic” behavior, suffered bouts of paranoia about his job security, and was frequently absent or unreachable during key moments. Among the most explosive claims: that Patel is “known to drink to the point of obvious intoxication” in front of colleagues, that members of his security detail have struggled to wake him due to alleged inebriation, and that officials once considered using breaching equipment to access a locked space when he could not be reached. The piece also alleges that meetings had to be delayed due to his condition and suggests his behavior could pose a “national security vulnerability.” Patel’s legal team has forcefully rejected every one of those claims. In a pre-publication letter, his attorney Jesse Binnall called the allegations “categorically false and defamatory,” emphasizing that most rely on anonymous sources using vague phrasing like “people familiar with the matter.” Binnall argued that such sourcing “could not possibly possess firsthand knowledge” and accused the magazine of reckless disregard for the truth, a key component in proving defamation involving a public figure. He also pointed to what he described as glaring factual holes, including the alleged “breaching equipment” incident, which he said has “no corroborating public record whatsoever” and appears to be either fabricated or based on a single unreliable source. Reaction on X was immediate and sharply divided, with Patel allies and critics clashing over the credibility of The Atlantic’s reporting. FBI media adviser Erica Knight blasted the article as a recycled collection of rumors that “every real DC reporter chased, couldn’t verify, and passed on,” while laying out a lengthy defense of Patel’s record. She pointed to internal metrics under his leadership — including tens of thousands of arrests, major increases in violent crime enforcement, and large-scale fentanyl seizures — while dismissing the report’s central claims outright. “The so-called ‘intoxication incidents’ The Atlantic breathlessly reports have happened exactly ZERO times,” Knight wrote, adding bluntly: “Lawsuit is being filed.” Others with direct ties to Patel echoed that pushback. Clint Brown, who described himself as a “sherpa” during Patel’s transition into the role, said he spent months working closely with him, and never witnessed any of the behavior described in the report. “Your anon sourced story is BS,” Brown wrote, adding that Patel was consistently responsive, detail-oriented, and deeply engaged in his work, often reviewing briefings at all hours. Patel himself leaned into the fight, framing the controversy as proof he’s doing his job. “Memo to the fake news — the only time I’ll ever actually be concerned about the hit piece lies you write about me will be when you stop,” he posted, adding that criticism would not deter the FBI from “making America safe again.” On Capitol Hill, the reaction broke along predictable lines. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) seized on the report, saying it confirmed Patel is “completely unfit to serve” and calling for his resignation. But Tom Cotton (R-AR), who works directly with Patel as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, dismissed the story as a “dishonest smear” and pointed instead to what he described as tangible results from the bureau. Cotton followed up, adding, “Here’s what’s really happening: Liberal reporters and disgruntled deep state leakers — who have zero knowledge of what the story alleges — are bitter that the FBI is no longer targeting Catholic parents and pro-lifers.” The clash underscores what is quickly becoming more than just a media dispute: a political and legal showdown that is now playing out in real time across both the press and the courts. Inside the administration, Patel has drawn swift and public backing. “Patel has accomplished more in 14 months than the previous administration did in four years. Anonymously sourced hit pieces do not constitute journalism,” acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said when reached out to by The Atlantic for comment. FBI Assistant Director of Public Affairs Ben Williamson, who pushed back on the allegations when first contacted by the outlet, didn’t mince words in his response. He dismissed the report as a reheated collection of long-circulating rumors that had never held up under scrutiny, saying: “This article is a compilation of pretty much every obviously fake rumor I’ve heard the last 14 months except the Atlantic is the only one dumb enough to actually print it.” Patel himself has gone further, publicly accusing the magazine of acting with “actual malice,” the high legal bar required in defamation cases involving public officials. He went further, saying, “See you and your entire entourage of false reporting in court.” His team is also demanding that The Atlantic preserve all internal communications, drafts, and source materials related to the story, a clear signal that litigation is not just a threat, but imminent. For her part, Fitzpatrick is standing by her reporting, citing interviews with more than two dozen sources and insisting the story is accurate. Neither side is backing down and so the high-stakes collision between a top federal law enforcement official and a major national publication seems imminent. If Patel follows through, the case could become a major test of modern media practices, particularly the reliance on anonymous sourcing in stories involving national security figures, and whether courts are willing to scrutinize those standards more aggressively. The next round seems likely to play out in court, where both sides will be forced to back up their claims under oath, and where the consequences could be far more serious than a war of words.

Hospitality workers across the country say they’re seeing bigger tax refunds this year, but many told The Daily Wire they had never heard of President Trump’s “No Tax On Tips” policy. “Really? No, I did not know that,” one person said. Another reacted with disbelief: “What? Oh my gosh.” The Daily Wire asked one waitress at Pearl Dive Oyster Bar, “Was your refund better than last year’s?” She said she received a refund this year, whereas last year, she had to pay taxes. When we asked her why she believed her tax situation suddenly changed, the waitress guessed that she must have made more money at her old job. We followed up by asking her if she thought it could be because her tips weren’t taxed this year, and the waitress said she had never heard of the policy. “Is that a good thing for us?” she asked. “Well, if you got more money back,” we responded. “I guess that’s one good thing he did,” she added of President Trump. Bartenders and servers told me their tax refunds were better than last year but they had no idea why… Republicans have a messaging problem pic.twitter.com/XgqMzHhcfQ — Brecca Stoll (@breccastoll) April 18, 2026 One bartender said he thought his tax situation changed because he claimed his son as a dependent. “Why do you think you got so much back? Really? Because my son—I claim him—so, you know, it just boosted the profit,” he said, before adding, “Other than that, I wouldn’t have gotten too much at all.” However, after hearing about “No Tax on Tips,” he laughed and said, “Oh yes, I would definitely say that was it.” Another worker said, “I’m not sure why it was better, but it was better.” Her coworker answered for her, saying it was because tips weren’t taxed up to $25,000 this year, and neither was overtime. 2025 was a historic high for tax refunds, with the average refund being $3,274 — which is 11% higher than last year. Trump touted the policy in Las Vegas on Thursday. “Las Vegas is the home of the largest concentration of tipped workers anywhere in the country, and thanks to our tax cuts, this week, thousands of Nevada waiters, casino dealers, bartenders, caddies, and valets received the biggest tax refunds of their entire lives.” Originating in Las Vegas, the policy—along with “no tax on Social Security” and “no tax on overtime”—was a frontrunner on the campaign trail. Yet, the majority of hospitality workers The Daily Wire interviewed in Washington, D.C., had not heard of the flagship proposal. The issue is not new. A lack of awareness about current events is a trend The Daily Wire has observed firsthand. When the outlet interviewed Kamala Harris supporters at her book tour in Nashville, Tennessee, many couldn’t name her “best policy.” A viral spring break video also highlighted how little some teenagers knew about foreign affairs, with several saying they had never heard of Iran’s Supreme Leader, the Ayatollah—let alone claims that the U.S. had killed him. Daily Wire host Matt Walsh commented, “I actually don’t mind the fact that a bunch of 18- and 19-year-old kids are totally ignorant about world affairs… but the problem is that these kids can vote… raise the voting age to 25.”