Good Morning! Today’s edition is 1,044 words, a 4-minute read.

What’s on tap: 

• America’s hidden unemployment crisis

• Spain’s first Indy 500 winner

• Most car crashes by state

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Big Stories

Canada’s Royal Response

King Charles III will deliver a rare speech from the throne today in Canada, directly countering Trump's annexation rhetoric.

• Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney invited King Charles III to Ottawa to deliver the "speech from the throne" - a ceremonial address that outlines the government's agenda for Canada's new Parliament. This is exceptionally rare: Queen Elizabeth II only delivered this speech twice in her 70-year reign, last time in 1977.

• The visit sends a clear political message without being overtly confrontational. Carney specifically timed the invitation to underscore Canada's sovereignty after President Trump repeatedly suggested the US should annex its northern neighbor as the 51st state.

• Canada is a constitutional monarchy with the king as head of state, reflecting its history as a former British colony and member of the Commonwealth. Unlike the US, Canada's system combines a parliamentary government with a symbolic monarchy. (Read more about the parliamentary system here)

Post-Swap Bombardment

Russia fired 355 drones at Ukraine on Sunday night in what Ukrainian officials called the biggest drone attack of the entire war, escalating beyond Saturday's previous record of 298 drones and 69 missiles.

• This was the third straight night of massive bombardments. Russia launched around 900 drones total from Friday through Sunday, killing at least 18 people, including three children, and injuring 85 others across multiple regions.

• The escalation came despite the war’s largest prisoner exchange, which saw over 1,000 soldiers and civilians swapped in three phases over the weekend. The attacks were so intense that NATO member Poland scrambled fighter jets in response to Russian aviation near its border, while 32 flights at Moscow airports were diverted due to Ukrainian counter-drone strikes.

• In response to the attacks, Germany’s new Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced Monday that major Western allies have lifted all range restrictions on weapons supplied to Ukraine. 'Ukraine can also defend itself by, for example, attacking military positions in Russia,' Merz said, confirming that the US, U.K., France, and Germany now allow Ukrainian strikes deeper into Russian territory.

Hidden Unemployment Crisis

A new study reveals America's "true" unemployment rate is 24.3% - nearly six times higher than the official 4.2% figure.

• While government data shows unemployment near 50-year lows, the Ludwig Institute for Shared Economic Prosperity argues it misses millions of struggling workers. Their alternative measure counts people stuck in part-time jobs who want full-time work, plus those earning poverty wages that don't cover basic living costs.

• The official rate has a major flaw: it counts anyone as "employed" if they worked just one hour in two weeks, regardless of pay, says LISEP’s chairman, Gene Ludwig. LISEP's "True Rate of Unemployment" captures people who can't afford housing, nutritious food, or savings - essentially those in "survival mode."

• The disparities hit some groups harder than others. More than 28% of Hispanic workers and 27% of Black workers are functionally unemployed, compared to 23% of White workers. Women fare worse than men, with 28.6% functionally unemployed versus 20% for men.

• Millions of households are also struggling to achieve a “minimal quality of life,” according to another recent LISEP study.

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Quick Stories

US News

• President Trump honored fallen service members at Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day, calling them "great warriors." He placed a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier alongside VP Vance. (More)

• Former Arkansas police chief Grant Hardin escaped prison Sunday wearing a fake law enforcement outfit. He's serving 30 years for murder and rape. (More)

• An All Nippon Airways flight from Tokyo to Houston was diverted to Seattle on Saturday after an unruly passenger allegedly attempted to open the aircraft's exit doors during the mid-flight. (More)

World

• A car collided with pedestrians in Liverpool city center during a parade where thousands celebrated Liverpool FC's Premier League title win. Police detained a male driver and believe it wasn’t terrorism. (More)

• A machete fight at a Melbourne shopping centre prompted Victoria to fast-track Australia's first machete ban from September to Wednesday. Two teens were charged, and one person was hospitalized. (More)

• Venezuela's ruling party claimed overwhelming victory in regional elections boycotted by opposition parties. PSUV won 23 of 24 governorships while opposition leaders called it a "farce" with 15% turnout. (More)

Business & Economy

• US stock markets closed lower on Friday (S&P -0.67%, Nasdaq -1.00%, Dow -0.61%). All three indexes lost more than 2% on the week. (More)

• US futures jumped after Trump delayed his 50% EU tariff threat until July 9 following a call with EU Commission President von der Leyen. (More)

• BYD shares plunged 8.25% on Monday after the Chinese electric vehicle giant announced significant price cuts on 22 electric and hybrid models, with some reductions reaching 20-34% through June. (More)

Sports & Entertainment

• The New York Knicks rallied from 20 down to beat the Indiana Pacers 106-100 and avoided a 3-0 series deficit. (More) Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark will miss at least two weeks with a left quad strain. (More)

• Lewis Pugh became the first person to swim around Martha's Vineyard, completing the 62-mile journey in 47-degree water to raise shark awareness before "Jaws'" 50th anniversary. (More)

• Alex Palou became the first Spaniard to win the Indianapolis 500, passing Marcus Ericsson with 14 laps remaining. (More) Lando Norris won Formula 1’s Monaco Grand Prix from pole position. (More)

Science, Health, & Tech

• Strauss' "Blue Danube" will be beamed into space on May 31 to mark the waltz king's 200th birthday, performed by the Vienna Symphony Orchestra and livestreamed globally. (More)

• Amazon-owned autonomous vehicle company Zoox issued its second software recall this month after a collision between an unoccupied robotaxi and an e-scooter rider in San Francisco on May 8. (More)

• Scientists discovered Homo erectus bones on the seafloor off Java, revealing a previously unknown population from Sundaland—a now-submerged landmass that connected Indonesia’s islands during the last ice age. (More)

Extra Credit

Chaotic photos from the annual downhill cheese race.

Mapping the US states with the most car crashes. 

Border collies Hercules and Ned keep things running smoothly at Virginia’s busiest airport.

Science says summer heat makes us upset.