5 things to know for May 13: Price of war, drug cartels, hantavirus worries, Trump-Xi meeting, ICE rebrand

By Alexandra Banner, CNN

President Donald Trump is not giving up on his idea to add a 51st state. First, he floated annexing Canada. Now, he’s targeting a country in South America.

Here’s what else you need to know to get up to speed and on with your day.

1️⃣ Price of war

The Iran war has cost the US $29 billion so far — an estimate that’s higher than the $25 billion figure the Pentagon provided to Congress just two weeks ago. However, one war budgeting expert told CNN that the conflict will ultimately cost US taxpayers at least $1 trillion. Read more.

WATCH: Trump: “I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation”

2️⃣ Drug cartels

The CIA is escalating a secret war on drug cartels with deadly operations inside Mexico, CNN reported Tuesday. The agency’s involvement has varied, according to sources, from more passive intelligence sharing and providing general support to direct participation in assassination operations. After the story was published, the CIA called the reporting “false” but did not specify which details it was disputing. Read more.

3️⃣ Hantavirus worries

With grim memories of the Covid-19 pandemic still fresh, federal and state officials have repeatedly assured the public that hantavirus is not a comparable threat. It is true that it’s no Covid, but some health experts say the messaging has at times been overly confident and too quick to dismiss the possibility of a threat. Read more.

4️⃣ Trump-Xi meeting

President Trump has arrived in China to begin a multi-day state visit that carries global consequences, as the world’s two largest economies frame their trade relationship — and the tone of their rivalry. Trade, Taiwan and the war in Iran will all be items on the agenda when the president meets with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Read more.

ALSO: The elaborate preparations for Trump’s visit

5️⃣ ICE rebrand

President Trump thinks Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, needs a rebrand — starting with a new name: National Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or NICE. He’s teased the idea repeatedly on social media and in interviews, leaning into a softer acronym for one of the administration’s hardest-edged agencies. Read more.

Breakfast browse

Sibling duo contend for the PGA Championship

Two English siblings are battling for a major title this week. Fittingly, the showdown is unfolding just outside Pennsylvania’s City of Brotherly Love.

Catherine, Princess of Wales, visits Italy today

It marks her first overseas royal trip since her cancer treatment.

Video: Mamdani backs down from property tax hike

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has ditched a nearly 10% property tax hike in his budget proposal. CNN’s Katherine Koretski explains what it means for residents.

Agnes Gund’s art collection

She was one of the most powerful women in the art world. Three works from her collection could soon fetch nearly $150 million at auction.

The country where you don’t wear a rolex — you eat it

The country where you don’t wear a rolex — you eat it
When Emmanuel Jonathan Okello decided to open a restaurant, he already knew the star of the menu: Rolexes.

in memoriam

Basketball world mourns two losses
Jason Collins, the NBA’s first openly gay player who went on to become a pioneer for inclusion and an ambassador for the league, has died at age 47 after battling an aggressive form of a brain tumor, his family said Tuesday.

Separately, tributes are pouring in for Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke after his team and agency announced his sudden passing. He was 29.

And finally…

▶️ Is Gen Z just finding out about Scientology?

A new TikTok trend has young people racing into Scientology buildings for laughs and viral videos. But the prank could come with legal consequences.

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