4 states head to the polls. And, global conflicts are on the rise, new report says

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Israel and Iran committed yesterday to stop attacking each other, just hours after exchanging missile fire and heightening tensions across the Middle East. Even with this pledge, both countries cited conditions that could lead to renewed hostilities . Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said that troops would continue operations against the militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon. Iran said that Israel's operations against Hezbollah prompted its missile strikes on Israel, first on Sunday night and again on Monday morning. Iran's military said it was halting further actions for now, but warned that if Israel kept up attacks in Lebanon, it would retaliate with "much harsher and more forceful actions than before."

A man looks at the wreckage of an Iranian missile that landed near the West Bank city of Jericho on Monday. Mahmoud Illean/AP hide caption

Maine, North Dakota, South Carolina and Nevada are holding primaries today. Voters will cast their ballots for the U.S. Senate, House, governor and other officials. A significant amount of attention is focused on Maine's Senate race, where political newcomer Graham Platner is the presumptive Democratic nominee against Republican Sen. Susan Collins, who has held the seat for 30 years. Platner faces allegations published by The New York Times alleging that he was physically threatening in a past relationship, along with previous revelations that he sexted with several women early in his marriage. In Nevada, incumbent Gov. Joe Lombardo, a Republican, is facing what could be a tough challenge in the November elections. Attorney General Aaron Ford may have the best shot against Lombardo, but his path to the Democratic nomination isn't guaranteed. In South Carolina, amidst a field of MAGA-aligned Republicans, Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette stands out by securing Trump's endorsement in the gubernatorial race. Here are the key races to watch .

Los Angeles mayoral candidate Nithya Raman has secured enough votes to compete against incumbent Mayor Karen Bass in the November general election. This outcome eliminates reality TV personality Spencer Pratt from the runoff. The results come nearly a week after Election Day in California. Trump says that the delay in calling races is evidence of fraud. Local election officials say that they are doing their best in a state that prioritizes making voting accessible.

Global conflicts have risen to the highest number since World War II, according to a new study by researchers at a Swedish university. There were 65 active conflicts in 2025 , according to the Uppsala Conflict Data Program at Uppsala University, a leading source for information on global violence. Out of that total, direct conflicts between individual states doubled from the previous year, reaching eight — the highest since UCDP began collecting data in 1946. These conflicts included wars between Russia and Ukraine and between Iran and Israel; and disputes between India and Pakistan. The study also indicates that fatalities soared to approximately 244,600 in 2025, marking the highest toll since 1994. That's up from 187,000 deaths recorded in 2024.

To find the World Cup's Cinderellas, we have to start with the group stage

Hi. I'm Juliana Kim , a reporter on the General Assignment desk and avid World Cup fan. So much so that in college, I quit my summer job in order to watch every match in the 2018 tournament on TV. Each Monday, for the next six weeks, I'll be taking over this slice of the Up First newsletter to talk all things World Cup. To start, here's some viewing advice: Don't skip the opening rounds — a.k.a. the group stage — that kicks off June 11.