- PoliticsThe Guardian
Trump tweets threat: 'If Iran wants to fight, that will be the end of Iran'
Incendiary message follows disavowals of intent from both sidesOpinion: Trump supporters don’t want war with Iran In a picture released on Friday, the USS Abraham Lincoln sails in the Arabian Sea near the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge. Photograph: Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Brian M Wilbur/AP Donald Trump has issued one of his most direct threats yet to Tehran, warning that “if Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran”. The US president emerged from his golf club in Sterling, Virginia, on Sunday to tweet belligerently at around 4.30pm, thereby risking a quickening of tension that is already rising. “Never threaten the United States again!” he wrote. The tweet will do little to assuage jitters in the Middle East and in Washington about aggressive language coming out of the White House. Concern is already running high that Trump’s hawkish national security adviser, John Bolton, who played a key role in instigating the invasion of Iraq under George Bush, might be nudging the administration towards military action. In 2015, Bolton wrote a New York Times op-ed entitled “To stop Iran’s bomb, bomb Iran”. Trump withdrew the US from the Iran nuclear deal last year. On the other hand, Trump has a way of blowing hot one minute and cold the next. As with so many of his social media missives, the precise import of his Sunday tweet was hard to read. It directly conflicted with reports of just three days ago that the president had been telling the Pentagon he did not want to go to war and wanted to find a way to wind down tensions. Those reports were also subject to qualification. In response to reports about a draft plan for the deployment of 120,000 troops, Trump said that though he did not want war, if it came to it he would send “a hell of a lot” more soldiers than that. Earlier on Sunday, the Utah senator and former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney had joined the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards in dismissing the threat of war. “Going to war with Iran?” Romney asked on CNN’s State of the Union. “Not going to happen.” According to the Fars news agency, Maj General Hossein Salami followed foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif by saying Iran was not pursuing war either. But both men offered caveats. Romney, a member of the Senate foreign relations committee, said the threat to US interests was “real” and added: “We’re going to make sure they understand that if they take action against our people, against our allies and against our friends, there will be consequence and it will be far more severe than the initial action taken by Iran.” Salami said Iran was ready to fight, as the difference “between us and them is that they are afraid of war and don’t have the will for it”. The White House has not said what is behind its claim of an increased threat. Romney said the “intelligence community says there’s a great deal of risk” but did not elaborate. It has been reported that US intelligence believes Iranian commercial vessels have carried missiles and ammunition, which some analysts say indicates preparations to defend against a US attack. Saudi Arabia is the major US ally in the region. Four oil tankers, two of them Saudi, were attacked off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. Iran-allied rebels in Yemen claimed a drone attack on a Saudi oil pipeline. Adel al-Jubeir, Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, told reporters on Sunday his country also “does not want war … but at the same time, if the other side chooses war, the kingdom will fight this with all force and determination”. The US has sent an aircraft carrier strike group and cautionary moves include an evacuation of personnel by the oil firm ExxonMobil and a warning from the US to commercial air traffic of increased risk in the region. The Associated Press reported on Sunday that Democrats in Congress will be briefed by former CIA director John Brennan, a stringent Trump critic, and Wendy Sherman, a former state department official who helped negotiate the Iran deal. Among Democratic presidential hopefuls on Sunday, the presumption was that Trump either wanted war or was behaving irresponsibly. The Hawaii congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, a military veteran, told ABC’s This Week Trump was “leading us down this dangerous path towards a war in Iran”. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, another veteran, said war with Iran would be “exactly what John Bolton wants”. But David Petraeus, a retired general who led US troops in Iraq in 2003 and later led the CIA, told ABC it was “pretty clear” Trump “doesn’t want to go to war with Iran. He’s not after regime change”. Romney agreed. “I don’t believe for a minute,” he said, “that either the president or John Bolton or anyone else in a serious senior position of leadership in the White House has any interest in going to the Middle East and going to war. That’s just not going to happen … barring some kind of attack from Iran or something of that nature which I don’t think anyone anticipates. “Look, the president made it very clear that he thinks the greatest foreign policy mistake probably in the modern age was the decision by President Bush to go into Iraq. The idea that he would follow that by going after Iran, a more difficult enemy if you will, that’s just not going to happen.” Famously, Trump said at the time that he supported George W Bush’s invasion of Iraq. He has since vehemently denied that he did so.
WorldAFPAustrian president calls for September poll in wake of scandal
Austria's president on Sunday called for fresh elections in September after a corruption scandal embroiling the far-right brought down the coalition government in spectacular fashion. Just days before key EU elections, Vice-Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache was forced to resign in disgrace Saturday following explosive revelations from a hidden camera sting. Conservative Chancellor Sebastian Kurz -- whose 18-month coalition with Strache's far-right Freedom Party (FPOe) had been held up as a model by many on the European right -- reacted by pulling the plug on their union.
- NewsUSA TODAY
Missing girl Salem Sabatka found safe after 'heroes' lead Texas police to her kidnapper
Salem Sabatka, 8, was found safe and the 51-year-old man accused of abducting her was taken into custody, according to Texas police.
- BusinessPopular Mechanics
9 Cool Things We Learned Driving the Spectre Land Rover Defender
Created by the custom shop Himalaya, this Defender is a Land Rover like you've never seen before-complete with a Chevy V8 and a Jeep steering box.From Popular Mechanics
- PoliticsMashable
Elizabeth Warren has a plan to fix everything, even our sad love lives
Elizabeth Warren is all about making plans, and she's bringing her expert policy-making skills to social media.The 2020 presidential candidate has plans to forgive student debt, rebuild the middle class, and even end the opioid crisis. But she's also open to helping people navigate their tricky love lives.On Saturday, comedian Ashley Nicole Black asked her 88,000 followers if they thought Warren had a plan to fix her love life. On Sunday, Warren, queen of policies, unexpectedly replied to the tweet directly."DM me and let's figure this out," Warren tweeted. Simply iconic. DM me and let's figure this out. -- Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) May 19, 2019SEE ALSO: Elizabeth Warren takes a 'hard pass' on Fox News town hallBlack was absolutely shook upon receiving Warren's response, and she tweeted a screenshot of the exchange, along with the words, "I am deceased. And ready to welcome new love in my life. And then get our new pres elected. ~~~~ shehasaplan" We stan a Queen. Nay, a PRESIDENT. https://t.co/WIPCbUzWNJ -- Ashley Nicole Black (@ashleyn1cole) May 19, 2019Other Twitter users were equally impressed by Warren's hilarious tweet, and digitally bowed down to the Democratic candidate by showering her with praise. Welp, she did it. Elizabeth Warren just won the presidency. Give her the White House, the Iron Throne, a Nobel prize, a pony, whatever she wants. pic.twitter.com/AlKOC9oFDy -- Chuck Wendig (@ChuckWendig) May 19, 2019 This is the most magical thing I've ever seen happen on this website or anywhere -- Katie MacBride (@msmacb) May 19, 2019 How effin' awesome is this?! A POTUS with a heart, a mind, a sense of humor and two X chromosomes. Yes! We are so ready for this! ElizabethWarren Warren2020 -- Annie Fox (@Annie_Fox) May 19, 2019 All hail.... pic.twitter.com/RCNOy0SzMp -- Isaac Butler (@parabasis) May 19, 2019 This is the kind of leadership I want for this nation pic.twitter.com/3aVFYd88ki -- Karen Kilgariff (@KarenKilgariff) May 19, 2019 First, this is hilarious. Second, if you give folks student loan debt relief, some help with higher wages and access to affordable housing and daycare, all those things give space to actually wanna go on dates and make it possible to build a family. So she kinda does have a plan! https://t.co/Nrs0w74xiJ -- Brittney Cooper (@ProfessorCrunk) May 19, 2019 She has a plan for EVERYTHING! https://t.co/0fsaqJAuQD -- Jenny Han (@jennyhan) May 19, 2019 Whoever says women candidates aren't relatable or likeable or funny is nuts. I adore this woman. https://t.co/AJtlEhbRiR -- Belle Resists (@BelleResist) May 19, 2019Many were well aware Warren has established herself as the 2020 election's Sam from Holes by saying "I can fix that" in the face of any challenge. But to see her keeping things light, acknowledging, and extending her own strong policy plans to social media was a delight.Warren, the American people stan you giving relationship advice, but can you please make it public next time so we can all benefit? Thanks. WATCH: Beto O'Rourke announces $5 trillion climate crisis plan
BusinessReutersModi’s jobs deficit: J&J’s largest India plant idle three years after completion
It was to eventually employ at least 1,500 people and help bring development to a rural area near Hyderabad in southern India. Two sources familiar with J&J's operations in India and one state government official told Reuters production at the plant, at Penjerla in Telangana state, never began because of a slowing in the growth in demand for the products. One of them said that demand didn’t rise as expected because of two shock policy moves by Prime Minister Narendra Modi: a late 2016 ban on then circulating high-value currency notes, and the nationwide introduction of a goods and services tax (GST) in 2017.
- NewsNational Review
Fifth Migrant Child Since December Dies in Border Patrol Custody
A 16-year-old boy from Guatemala passed away Monday after being apprehended by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents, the fifth migrant child to die in Border Patrol custody since December, according to CBP.“The men and women of CBP are saddened by the tragic loss of this young man and our condolences are with his family,” read a statement from acting CBP commissioner John Sanders. “CBP is committed to the health, safety and humane treatment of those in our custody.”Customs and Border Protection said that the boy crossed the southern border illegally, and was arrested on May 13 near Hidalgo, Texas and placed in Border Patrol's Weslaco Station in the Rio Grande Valley Sector."Yet another child has died in US government custody," said Ashley Houghton, tactical-campaigns manager at Amnesty International USA. "This death, which comes days after the administration released a proposal to make it even more difficult for people to seek safety in this country, leads us to wonder how many deaths it will take for the administration to ensure the safety and security of children."Amnesty International, which advocates for undocumented immigrants, called for an independent investigation into the child's death and demanded the Trump administration end the detention of minors, saying, "it is dangerous and cruel to detain people, particularly children, in crowded and unsanitary conditions for seeking protection."After border authorities faced severe backlash when a seven-year-old girl from Guatemala died in their custody in December, the Department of Homeland Security said it was "begging" parents not to bring their children across the border illegally.Apprehensions at the southern border have spiked this year. 8,975 unaccompanied children and a record 53,077 family units crossed the border without authorization in March.
- WorldAssociated Press
11 people killed in reported gun attack at bar in Brazil
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — A gang of gunmen reportedly attacked a bar in the capital of Brazil's northern Pará state Sunday afternoon, and authorities said 11 people were killed.
PoliticsFOX News VideosErasing history? Buttigieg says eliminating Thomas Jefferson's name is the 'right thing to do'
Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg echoes far-left calls to rename buildings or events that carry the names of prominent U.S. figures who owned slaves.
- PoliticsThe National Interest
Is Joe Biden His Own Worst Enemy?
Former Vice President Joe Biden, the current Democratic presidential front runner, has had plenty of opportunities to prepare himself for the last campaign of his political life. He has already been involved in four presidential elections. Biden ran twice for president himself, in 1988 and 2008, and twice as the vice presidential nominee alongside President Barack Obama, in 2008 and 2012. Biden had months to ready himself to respond to questions about his past, and Donald Trump’s taunts sure to come his way, once he officially announced his candidacy. He had ample time to assemble a war room, recruiting the likes of David Axelrod and David Gergen to respond effectively within a news cycle to whatever comes his way. Instead, he is often fumbling like some newcomer who decided on the spur of the moment to join the race.When Trump stated that compared to Joe Biden “I just feel like a young man. I’m so young. I can’t believe it...I’m a young vibrant man.” Biden responded: “If he looks young and vibrant compared to me, I should probably go home.” It is a surprisingly lame response compared to, say, reminding Trump that these days one’s health status includes his mental health . . . Such a response would have led Trump to tell the world that his doctors told him he is the sanest president since sanity was invented and kept the news cycle on the question of whether Trump is fit to serve. Moreover, the expression “go home,” i.e. quitting, two days into the campaign, even if though it was raised in an ironic form, is surprising, to say the least.
WorldAFPKatyusha rocket crashes into Baghdad Green Zone: security services
A Katyusha rocket crashed Sunday into Baghdad's Green Zone which houses government offices and embassies including the US mission, Iraqi security services said in a statement. The rocket -- which came after Washington ordered the evacuation of non-essential diplomatic staff from the Baghdad embassy and the Arbil consulate citing threats from Iranian-backed Iraqi armed groups -- caused no casualties, it said. "A Katyusha rocket crashed into the Green Zone without causing casualties," it said in a brief statement without giving further details.
- WorldBloomberg
Ukraine's New Leader Starts Push for Snap Parliamentary Vote
Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who was sworn in Monday, won a resounding electoral victory last month on pledges to end decades of corruption and resolve the deadly conflict fomented by Russia after it annexed Crimea in 2014. “There will be serious legal debates about the terms of parliament’s dissolution,” Yuriy Yakymenko, an analyst at the Razumkov Center for Economic and Political Studies in Kiev, said by phone. On Monday, the second-largest party, the bloc of outgoing President Petro Poroshenko, said it would be prepared for a snap ballot, as long as such a step is justified.
- NewsThe Independent
Marlen Ochoa-Lopez: Police not alerted to early clues in case of murdered teenager who ‘had baby cut from womb’
Police and Illinois' child welfare agency have said staff at a Chicago-area hospital did not alert them after determining that a bloodied woman who arrived with a gravely-ill newborn had not just given birth to the baby boy, as she claimed.The woman, Clarisa Figueroa, was charged more than three weeks later with killing the baby's mother, Marlen Ochoa-Lopez, after police found her body outside Ms Figueoa's home.Chicago police said she cut Ochoa-Lopez's baby out of her womb on 23 April, then called 911 to report she had given birth to a baby who was not breathing.Paramedics took Ms Figueroa and the baby to Advocate Christ Medical Centre in suburban Oak Lawn.Ochoa-Lopez's family spent those weeks searching for her and holding press conferences pleading for help finding her, unaware that the child was in a neonatal intensive care unit on life support.The baby remained hospitalised on life support on Saturday, according to authorities.Prosecutors said when Ms Figueroa was brought with the baby to the hospital, she had blood on her upper body and her face, which a hospital employee cleaned off. They also said Ms Figueroa was examined at the hospital and showed no physical signs of childbirth.Advocate Christ Medical Centre has declined to say whether or when it contacted authorities, citing state and federal regulations.Oak Lawn police said they were not contacted about Ms Figueroa by the medical centre or any other agency.Illinois Department of Children and Family Services spokesperson Jassen Strokosch said on Saturday the agency was alerted 9 May that there were questions about who had custody of the child in order to make medical decisions. He said he could not speculate about why the agency was not contacted sooner."We don't know what was happening at the hospital," he said.Mr Strokosch said the Department of Children and Family Services was alerted by someone required by law to contact the department about suspected abuse or neglect, but he could not say who contacted the agency.However, that was after Chicago police had connected Ms Figueroa to Ochoa-Lopez's disappearance.Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said police learned Ochoa-Lopez was missing when her husband reported it on 24 April.On 7 May, Chicago police learned from one of Ochoa-Lopez's friends that she had been communicating via a private Facebook group with Ms Figueroa about buying clothing. Police then went to Ms Figueroa's home, where her 24-year-old daughter eventually told them her mother had recently had a baby."There was nothing to point us in that direction in the beginning," Mr Johnson told reporters on Thursday, after police had arrested Ms Figueroa and her daughter on murder charges.Police spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said on Saturday that authorities had to subpoena medical records from the hospital for Ms Figueroa and the child.He said police did not learn Ms Figueroa showed no signs of childbirth until "a couple weeks" after she was examined.Both Mr Johnson and Mr Guglielmi referred questions about hospital protocol and policies to the medical centre. A spokesperson said in an emailed statement: "We have been cooperating with authorities and as this is an ongoing police matter, we're referring all inquiries to local law enforcement."DNA testing determined Ms Figueroa was not the baby's mother and that Ochoa-Lopez's husband was his father.Mr Strokosch said his department let protective custody of the child lapse on 13 May because his father had been identified.Associated Press
PoliticsYahoo News'DM me': Warren wins over comedian with Twitter quip
"Do you think Elizabeth Warren has a plan to fix my love life?" comedian Ashley Nicole Black tweeted, probably not expecting the response she got from the senator and presidential candidate.
- NewsUSA TODAY
F-16 fighter jet crashes into warehouse near March Air Reserve Base in California
The crash happened as the pilot was landing following a routine training mission, March Air Reserve Base Deputy Fire Chief Timothy Holliday said.
WorldAFPBlast hits Egypt tourist bus, 17 injured: security, medical sources
An explosion struck a tourist bus on Sunday near Egypt's famed pyramids, injuring 17 people including foreigners, security and medical sources said. South Africans and Egyptians were among those injured when an explosive device went off, hitting the bus in Giza, according to the sources. Sunday's incident comes after three Vietnamese holidaymakers and their Egyptian guide were killed when a roadside bomb hit their bus as it travelled near the pyramids outside Cairo in December.
- BusinessBGR News
Anker’s true wireless earbuds fix everything wrong with the other brands’, and they’re down to $45 today
The Soundcore Liberty Neo Truly-Wireless Earbuds by Anker are a tremendous value at their full retail price of $65, especially when you consider the fact that they improve upon Apple's $159 AirPods in every conceivable way. The graphene drivers produce better sound and deeper bass, the silicone tips fit better in your ears, and the IPX5 rating provides better water-resistance. They're among the best cord-free earbuds we've ever tested in this price range, and they just dropped to an all-time low of $44.99! Definitely pick up a pair before this excellent deal is done.Here are the bullet points from the product page: * Breathtaking Sound: Exceptional clarity delivered via Graphene drivers with deep, resonant bass. * Smaller & Lighter: Each bud weighs only 0.2 oz for incredible comfort and seamless sound that sits effortlessly in your ears. * 12-Hour Playtime: Get 3.5 hours' playtime from a single charge and 9 extra hours in the compact charging case. * Ultra-Fast Pairing: Push and Go Technology simplifies the setup: process so the last-paired device automatically connects on startup. * IPX5 Protection: Resists liquids for workouts in the sun or songs in the rain. * Hand-Free Calls: A built-in microphone ensures easy on-the-go phone calls.
WorldAssociated PressThe Latest: Saudi Arabia won't hesitate to defend itself
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The latest on developments in the Persian Gulf region and elsewhere in the Mideast amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran (all times local):
- BusinessUSA TODAY
Here are the five worst Dow Jones industrial average performers as trade dispute escalates
The Dow turned volatile as the trade war between the US and China escalated the last two weeks, producing stock losers and winners.
BusinessReutersSchumer asks government to probe rail tech from China
The move comes after China's CRRC Corp Ltd
U.S.Yahoo News VideoColumbine school shooting survivor found dead in home
A Colorado man who survived the 1999 Columbine school shooting and later became an advocate for fighting addiction has died.
WorldAFPAl Jazeera suspends two journalists over Holocaust report
Qatari state-funded broadcaster Al Jazeera suspended two journalists on Sunday over a video they produced claiming the extent of the Holocaust was being misrepresented by Jews. The clip, posted by Al Jazeera's online AJ+ Arabic service, claimed "the narrative" that the Nazis killed six million Jews was "adopted by the Zionist movement". The video said that "along with others, the Jews faced a policy of systematic persecution which culminated in the Final Solution".
WorldReutersSwedish prosecutor requests Assange's detention over rape allegation
Sweden reopened the rape investigation last week. It was begun in 2010 but dropped in 2017 after Assange took refuge in the Ecuadorean embassy in London. "I request the District Court to detain Assange in his absence, on probable cause suspected for rape," Deputy Chief Prosecutor Eva-Marie Persson said in a statement on Monday.
- WorldThe National Interest
U.S. Support Has Fueled, Not Moderated, the Yemen War
The Yemen war grinds on. The U.S.-backed “coalition” managed a rare success as the Houthis, who now control the Sanaa government, withdrew from the port of Hudaydah. However, that leaves the Saudis and Emiratis still far from victory in a war begun in 2015 which was supposed to last just a couple of weeks.Unfortunately, Washington’s misguided relationship with the tyrannical Gulf monarchies led the Obama administration to back their aggressive assault on Yemen. Congress recently voted to end U.S. support for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) brutal military campaign, but President Donald Trump vetoed the resolution. Sounding like Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s press corps, the administration claimed that it hoped to end the war by backing Riyadh’s murderous attacks on Yemeni civilians.Modern Yemen has existed for about six decades. Modern Yemen has been at war for about six decades. Indeed, there once were two Yemens. Alas, unification merely moved the unceasing conflict from without to within the Yemeni state.The latest round of fighting involved the Houthis, who spent years battling strongman and President Ali Abdullah Saleh, before joining the recently ousted Saleh against his successor, President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi. This modern game of thrones mattered little to the United States, other than diverting the Yemeni government’s attention from extremist groups, such as Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). The fireworks also didn’t matter much to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, since the Houthis had only limited relations with Iran and no capacity to endanger their nation’s more powerful neighbors.
BusinessAFP Relax NewsMercedes-Benz launches X-Classes Element Edition pickup in the UK
On Monday, Mercedes-Benz announced the launch of a limited-edition Element trim for its turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine-equipped X-Class Progressive pickup. A new trim based on the Progressive model trim has become available for the X-Class pickup featuring a handsome collection of cosmetic enhancements and extras. The Element Edition pickup will feature a new black roof liner, a set of 19-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels, an Element livery, and a Sports bar in addition to the added Sports Pack which includes LED head- and taillights, privacy glass running boards and roof rails.
