| Trump Admin Walks Back Anti-MEK Memo Posted: 13 Jan 2020 04:07 PM PST  At whiplash speed, the State Department is walking back an order barring American diplomats from meeting with controversial Iranian dissident groups—including one close with Trump World allies and previously designated as a terror group, the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq (MEK). The initial memo, greenlit by a career State Department employee, angered Congressional Iran hawks. And the Department's move to change its guidance has drawn cheers from them. The first memo, first reported by Bloomberg and reviewed by The Daily Beast, included sober warnings against meeting with the MEK, pointing to its terrorist past and saying most everyday Iranians have a low view of the group. The memo also warned about interactions with the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, highlighting its attacks on Iranian military targets; and directed diplomats to get permission from State Department headquarters before meeting with members of an Azeri separatist group. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo sent out the memo on January 7, and it cautioned that meetings with these groups could undermine U.S. efforts to reach a deal with Tehran. Joey Hood, a senior career State Department official, approved the memo, according to the document The Daily Beast reviewed. But now, the memo is being overridden. The Daily Beast obtained a cable, sent to U.S. diplomats Sunday night, superseding the week-old directive. "Posts should welcome opportunities to meet with and learn from members of the Iranian diaspora community," said the cable, which explicitly noted it "supersedes" the January 7 missive. "After 40 years of repression and violence at the hands of the Ayatollahs, the Iranian people's pride in their history has not diminished nor has their resolve to celebrate it in the face of the Islamic republic's abuses." Rudy Giuliani Calls Former Iranian Terrorists 'My People'The cable went on to say that U.S. diplomats should consider hosting members of the diaspora for "Persian cultural events," while noting that "not all Iranian opposition groups' interests and objectives align with U.S. policy priorities." "While it is up to the Iranian people to determine the future course of their nation, the United States will continue to stand with them and echo their calls for justice and accountability," the cable said.While the new memo did not mention MEK or the other groups, it said diplomats should simply "use good judgement when receiving invitations or meeting with opposition groups" and should raise questions and concerns with senior State officials––an apparent revocation of the order that they only take such meetings with Foggy Bottom's explicit approval. State Department spokespersons did not respond to multiple requests for comment on the cable.Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani—who the MEK hired to help it get off the U.S. list of foreign terrorist groups and who recently called the group "my MEK people"—welcomed the reversal. "[The MEK] is very supportive of a free…Iraq. It's run by a great woman who is committed to ending suppression of women and in a non-nuclear Iran," the president's personal lawyer messaged The Daily Beast. "They were of great assistance to us during [the] Iraq invasion and are supported by a very non-partisan group of American former and present public officials."The MEK is close with several other hawkish Trumpworld figures, including retired Gen. Jack Keane and former National Security Adviser John Bolton. Former Attorney General Michael Mukasey, Giuliani's longtime friend and former law partner, is a pro bono adviser to the group's political wing. The group has a controversial past. For, among other things, its alleged role in assassinating three U.S. Army officers and three more civilian contractors, the MEK found itself on the American government's official list of foreign terrorist organizations. It's also been accused of acting as a death squad for the late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. A 2009 Rand Corporation paper described the MEK's "near-religious devotion to [its leaders], public self-deprecation sessions, mandatory divorce, celibacy, enforced separation from family and friends, and gender segregation." The group and its allies vehemently deny all these charges. The fast-paced walk-back came after the initial State Department memo drew ire from Congressional Iran hawks. One noted that the memo went out to diplomats just days after a U.S. strike killed Soleimani, and as senior political officials at the State Department were presumably bracing for Tehran's retaliation. "It's a pretty significant 180 for State," said Christian Whiton, formerly a senior advisor to the Department under Presidents Trump and George W. Bush. "Even if it's worded diplomatically, it's not that common to have something issued and then rescinded almost immediately. And I think it just goes to show that the original statement was something done at a junior level that didn't have support or buy-in from senior political officials."It was the second time in recent months that Hood, the career official who greenlit the memo, angered Hill hawks. In Congressional testimony on December 4, he had a tense exchange with Sen. Ted Cruz about funding for the Lebanese government and whether that money went to Hezbollah. A transcript of the hearing indicates that Hood laughed in response to a question from Cruz; the episode left raw nerves. "They're undermining the president's policy when nobody's watching," said a Hill staffer for member pushing for a tougher policy toward Iran. Others, meanwhile, pointed to the reversal as the latest struggle by the Trump administration to clearly explain its stance on conflict with Iran. A Congressional staffer working on Iran policy and who favored the reversal noted that it comes as the administration has sent mixed messages on the legal basis for the Soleimani strike and the number of U.S. embassies threatened by Iranian-allied Shiite militias. "I think there's a lot of fog of war-type messages that have come out," said the staffer, who spoke anonymously to discuss the sensitive matter. "I think there's still a lot of fog of war."The State Department reversal, as reflected in the cable, comes as Pompeo and other U.S. officials, including Defense Secretary Mark Esper, have struggled to publicly articulate the U.S.' next steps after killing Soleimani and to reconcile their accounts of the intelligence that precipitated that strike.For years, the Trump administration had maintained a campaign of "maximum pressure," leveling crippling sanctions on Iran's economy in an effort to re-open talks with Tehran on a nuclear deal. Since the Soleimani strike, Trump administration officials have struggled to define the administration's Iran policy. Some have said the maximum pressure campaign always included a military option. Others say the U.S. has long communicated to the Iranians that if Tehran killed Americans, there would be military consequences.Now, it seems, the State Department is shifting its thinking on how to approach Iran on a diplomatic level following the Soleimani strike. In the hours immediately following the assasination, U.S. officials, in an attempt to de-escalate, described the hit as a warning and insisted that America was still interested in working with Iran on conversations about the nuclear deal. The U.S. special representative for Iran Brian Hook appeared on BBC World, saying that killing Soleimani was designed to "advance the cause of peace." Sunday's cable, meanwhile, will cheer Iran hawks––and frustrate Obama administration alums."There are at least two problems with this reversal," said Jarrett Blanc, a former Obama administration official who worked on Iran policy. "The first is that the policy is wrong. U.S. diplomats should not be meeting with MEK or its affiliates. They represent a dangerous cult. We should avoid all the mistakes of the Iraq war including being hoodwinked by purported diaspora opposition with no links at home. The second problem is that it reflects the total incompetence and chaos of this administration's policy making —to send out an instruction and less than a week later countermand it. They just don't know what they are doing."For years in the United States, lobbyists and advocates for the MEK have operated an aggressive, sustained, and successful campaign to have the group removed from the State Department's terror list, a move that was finalized in the Obama era. The organization's stateside backers also include Democratic figures such as retired Gen. Wesley Clark and Howard Dean, as well as attorneys Victoria Toensing and Joseph diGenova, two informal legal advisers to Trump.Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| U.S. commander: Iranian missile attack designed to 'inflict as many casualties as possible' Posted: 13 Jan 2020 04:05 PM PST  U.S. commanders at the Ain al-Asad air base in western Iraq do not think that last week's attacks by Iran were only meant to scare people."These were designed and organized to inflict as many casualties as possible," Lt. Col Tim Garland, Commander of Task Force Jazeera, told The Washington Post. Iran launched more than a dozen ballistic missiles, targeting al-Asad and a second base in northern Iraq. The bases house U.S. troops, and were already on high alert after Iran promised to exact revenge for President Trump authorizing an airstrike that killed Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani.The base was told late Tuesday that it should expect an attack from Iran, and went into lockdown. Troops moved into underground bunkers and shelters, while some remained outside to man the perimeter, due to fears there could be also be a ground assault. The strikes came in waves, the Post reports, with up to 15 minutes between each one, and troops felt the shock waves in the air. Two soldiers in a tower were thrown through a window, commanders said, and ultimately several dozen troops were treated for concussion.The barrage lasted more than 90 minutes, and when day broke, officials were able to fully assess the damage. Prefabricated buildings were mangled and living quarters and a helicopter launch site were damaged. There were no deaths, and Lt. Col. Staci Coleman told the Post it was "miraculous" that no one was seriously injured. Read more at The Washington Post.More stories from theweek.com More sources are confirming Sanders told Warren a woman can't be president, saying they heard it directly from Warren Bernie Sanders fires back on CNN report saying he told Elizabeth Warren a woman can't be president: 'Ludicrous' White House expects Republican senators to join Democrats in vote to call impeachment witnesses
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| Family of Canadian who died in Iran-downed jetliner shares its grief Posted: 13 Jan 2020 04:03 PM PST  Pain mixed with anger -- an Iranian-Canadian student who lost his mother when Iran shot down a Ukrainian jetliner with 57 Canadian nationals onboard shares his grief. "Once you start to cope with the sorrow a little bit, then came the tragic news that it was downed by a missile, and it was almost as if she died again," Amirali Alavi told AFP. "Thinking how it could have been avoided, how somebody's responsible for it," the 27-year-old Toronto law student said it made him furious and inconsolable.
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| Johnson’s Next Brexit Fight Looms on EU’s Fishing Access Demands Posted: 13 Jan 2020 04:01 PM PST  (Bloomberg) -- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson faces his first battle of the next stage of Brexit, after the European Commission warned that a trade deal this year must include a fisheries accord."Existing reciprocal access to fishing waters and resources should be maintained," the EU's executive arm said in a presentation to the bloc's remaining governments. Any trade deal must be "underpinned by level playing field and with a fisheries agreement," the Commission said in the document, which was discussed among EU diplomats preparing for the post-Brexit negotiations and published on Monday.One EU diplomat said this is the first time Brussels has made a fishing accord a pre-condition for a trade agreement. The demand risks triggering a backlash in London: Johnson told the commission's chief last week that Britain plans to reassert control over its fishing waters after Brexit.The prime minister's office was quick to fire back Monday night, issuing a blunt statement: "We have been clear that once we leave the EU, we will be taking back control of our fishing waters."EU governments are expected to give the commission a mandate to negotiate the bloc's future partnership with the U.K. as soon as next month. Countries including France, which would need to approve any potential deal, will likely back the demand for a fisheries accord, as European fishermen get 50% to 60% of their catch from British waters.When they struck a deal on the terms of their separation, both sides agreed in to reach an agreement on fishing by the end of June this year, as the industry is a major concern for Ireland, the Netherlands, France and Spain.In its presentation, the Commission also reiterated that the U.K. "will be treated like other third countries" when it comes to financial services, meaning that British banks will be granted limited ad hoc access to the bloc's market, only as long the EU deems U.K. rules to be equally thorough and strict as its own.\--With assistance from Ian Wishart and Robert Hutton.To contact the reporter on this story: Nikos Chrysoloras in Brussels at nchrysoloras@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Chad Thomas at cthomas16@bloomberg.net, Edward EvansFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Lebanon regains UN voting rights after paying arrears Posted: 13 Jan 2020 04:00 PM PST  Lebanon regained its voting rights at the United Nations after paying outstanding dues it owed the international body, a UN spokesman said Monday. According to a diplomatic source, Lebanon paid $1.3 million.
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| Mueller Witness Nader Pleads Guilty to Child Porn Charge Posted: 13 Jan 2020 03:16 PM PST |
| McConnell on US-Iran strategy: 'Let's not screw it up' Posted: 13 Jan 2020 02:43 PM PST  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says he opposes a Senate resolution asserting that President Donald Trump must seek approval from Congress before engaging in further military action against Iran. McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, said Monday that the Senate will "soon" debate a measure sponsored by Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia. The measure, co-sponsored by two Republicans, would send the wrong message to U.S. allies after the Trump administration killed Iran's top general earlier this month, McConnell said.
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| GOP’s Cornyn Hopes for Senate Vote on War Powers This Week Posted: 13 Jan 2020 02:28 PM PST |
| Iran denies 'cover-up' as anger mounts over downed airliner Posted: 13 Jan 2020 02:00 PM PST  Iran denied a "cover-up" Monday after taking days to reveal an airliner was accidentally shot down last week, a disaster that sparked demonstrations and calls for a fully transparent investigation. The Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737 was brought down by a missile shortly after taking off Wednesday from Tehran, killing all 176 passengers and crew on board. Videos on social networks on Monday purported to show protests occurring in Iran for a third consecutive day, including at Tehran's Sharif University, with demonstrators apparently shouting slogans against the Islamic republic.
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| Your Evening Briefing Posted: 13 Jan 2020 02:00 PM PST |
| Trump use of doctored Pelosi-Schumer photo draws Muslim ire Posted: 13 Jan 2020 01:59 PM PST  President Donald Trump circulated a fake image on Monday depicting congressional Democrats' top-ranked leaders in traditional Muslim attire in front of the Iranian flag, drawing criticism that he was promoting Islamophobic tropes. The manipulated photo retweeted by Trump showed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer in Muslim garb with the caption: "The corrupted Dems trying their best to come to the Ayatollah's rescue #NancyPelosiFakeNews." Trump, a Republican, had previously faulted Democrats for criticizing his administration's targeted killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, but his use of Muslim imagery as part of that effort drew pushback from Muslim American advocates. "The image is a hodgepodge of anti-Muslim tropes and garb from many traditions including some that are frequently used to stereotype and attack Muslims," Madihha Ahussain, special counsel at the nonprofit group Muslim Advocates, said in a statement.
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| Trump and Iran have hit pause, but the conflict between them isn’t over | Opinion Posted: 13 Jan 2020 01:51 PM PST  Watching President Trump give his Iran speech last Wednesday, my mind flashed back to a visit to Tehran just before the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq.
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| Trump says he 'couldn't care less' if Iran negotiates with US Posted: 13 Jan 2020 01:18 PM PST  Donald Trump has said he "couldn't care less" if Iran negotiates with the US — despite his own administration suggesting it was working to get the country "to come to the table" amid increasing tensions.The president tweeted about comments made during an interview on Fox News Sunday with National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien, in which the White House official said he believed "the maximum pressure campaign is working" and that "Iran is going to have no other choice but to come to the table" after the administration introduced a new round of sanctions against Tehran.
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| Trump is stepping back from war with Iran, but he isn't any closer to peace Posted: 13 Jan 2020 01:09 PM PST  Averting a shooting war doesn't put US-Iran relations back on the right path, writes Defense Priorities fellow Bonnie Kristian.
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| Pompeo says Iraqi leaders privately want US troops Posted: 13 Jan 2020 01:07 PM PST  Secretary of State Mike Pompeo alleged Monday that Iraqi leaders have told him privately they support the US troop presence, despite public appeals for them to leave. The Iraqi parliament last week voted to rescind the invitation to foreign troops after a US strike at the Baghdad airport killed a top general from Iran, which also has wide influence in the country.
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| Canada to get access to recorders from downed plane in Iran Posted: 13 Jan 2020 12:53 PM PST |
| A Timeline Of Donald Trump & Nancy Pelosi’s Intense Feud Posted: 13 Jan 2020 12:06 PM PST  In the latest installment of the White House's bleak iteration of Punch and Judy show, President Donald Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi are publicly squaring off once again. On Sunday, Pelosi stopped by ABC's "This Week" to make the vague and frankly terrifying claim that Trump has already been "impeached for life," regardless of whatever shenanigans Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is inevitably planning to pull during the president's upcoming Senate trial."This president is impeached for life regardless of any gamesmanship on the part of Mitch McConnell," Pelosi said. "There is nothing the Senate can do to ever erase that."The comment inspired its own Twitter hashtag, ImpeachedForLife, followed, in due time, by its unavoidable counterpart: NancyPelosiFakeNews. It's not the first time two of the most visible leaders of the free world have engaged in a spat so unproductive that it somehow makes the rest of Twitter look light and fun by comparison, and it certainly won't be the last. Trump and Pelosi's feud runs deep and unrelenting — from the infamous Pelosi clap to the practically daily Twitterstorm sponsored by @realDonaldTrump to that letter about Trump's impeachment. The bad blood between these two top-ranking U.S. leaders goes beyond just entertainment fodder — it's elicited some of the most intense political quarrels (and low-brow jokes) perhaps in history. So without further ado, let's take a look back at some of the high-profile clashes between Donald Trump and Nancy Pelosi. Pelosi cancels Trump's State of the UnionOne of the most recognizable hallmarks of our current political moment is that, while everything feels uniquely bad, it somehow simultaneously feels like it's all happening for the millionth time in a row — Groundhog Day-style. While it's hard to remember for sure if the 2019 government shutdown was for sure the first time Pelosi and Trump publicly butted heads since the latter took office, seeing as how time doesn't matter, it seems like a fine place to start. After the House Speaker publicly rescinded her collegial invitation to Trump to deliver his State of the Union, citing the ongoing government shutdown as her reasoning, the president responded by summarily announcing that Pelosi's planned trip to visit U.S. troops in Afghanistan had also been cancelled. "Dear Madame Speaker: Due to the Shutdown, I am sorry to inform you that your trip to Brussels, Egypt, and Afghanistan has been postponed," Trump wrote. "We will reschedule this seven-day excursion when the Shutdown is over," The infamous Pelosi Clap™Nearly a month after the public meltdown over cancelled flights, Trump arrived at the Capitol Building to deliver his State of the Union address at long last. What he likely didn't count on, however, was Pelosi being right there with him, locked and loaded, ready to antagonize like only someone who has spent their wading into political dogfights knows how to. Not only did Pelosi show up in white — white! On HIS day! — she expertly stole Trump's thunder with a couple of perfectly timed flashes of side-eye and an appropriately withering round of applause. Most importantly, the Pelosi Clap, which went down as one of the most meme-d moments maybe of Trump's entire presidency. In this moment, Pelosi sarcastically clapped for Trump, pursing her lips, and seemingly holding back laugher as he turned around to look back at her and Vice President Mike Pence. Pelosi announces the official impeachment inquiry into TrumpThe incident that really launched the whole thing into the sun was the moment Pelosi caved to months of political pressure and officially announced that she was reversing her longstanding position on refusing to impeach Trump on some bizarre bipartisan impulse. This was the official mark of the impeachment inquiry into the president, to which he has refused to tolerate every step of the way.At the close of one particular press conference Pelosi gave in the midst of a media firestorm over the impeachment proceedings, one reporter's question wafted above the others as the House Speaker attempted to maker her way offstage: "Do you hate the President, Madam Speaker?" The insinuation prompted to swivel around and hustle back to the podium for one final thought. "I don't hate anybody," she said. "I was raised in a Catholic house. We don't hate anybody… I still pray for the President. I pray for the President all the time. So, don't mess with me when it comes to words like that."It is widely acknowledged that telling somebody that you are "praying" for them is one of the most hilarious and classy ways to be rude, so hats off to Pelosi for really nailing the tone here. The baffling Trump impeachment letterDays before the House was slated to vote on two articles of impeachment against Trump, he published a jumbled six-page open letter addressed to "The Honorable Nancy Pelosi" in which he derided the entire proceeding as a partisan sham. Trump referred to the impeachment hearings as an "open war on democracy," and Pelosi responded in kind by calling it "sick."Also within the letter, Trump accused Pelosi of "violating your oaths of office… [and] breaking your allegiance to the Constitution." It quickly became the subject of Stephen Colbert's "impeachment eve" rant. Pelosi announces Trump's impeachment with a distinct "mom side eye"On December 19, 2019 — the day the House was set to vote on two articles of impeachment against President Trump — Pelosi once again threw a sartorial gauntlet. This time dressed in all-black and wearing a Mace of the Republic brooch meant to symbolize the legislative authority of the House of Representatives.Also under close scrutiny on that day? Pelosi's facial expression, which a body language expert told Refinery29 could have been not-so-subtly repressed glee. "She gave the mom side eye of admonishment," the expert said. "If you look at her lips, there's lack of symmetry. Part of her wants to be emotional and express outward." Merry Christmas, "Crazy Nancy Pelosi"This is Trump's go-to insult for the House Speaker on Twitter, and he's deployed it dozens of times at this point. But, he even did it on Christmas this past year amid a riveting impeachment announcement. Middling burn, 4.5/10 stars.Related Content:Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?Nancy Pelosi Wants Iran To Cease ViolenceWill The Iran Attack Affect Trump's Impeachment?Nancy Pelosi's Impeachment Death Stare, Analyzed
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| Crisis for Iran may present an opportunity for Washington Posted: 13 Jan 2020 12:01 PM PST  It is not clear Trump is ready to adapt any US policies based on latest developments in TehranDonald Trump hailed footage of Tehran students refusing to walk over a US flag as "big progress", but there is little sign his administration is prepared to offer more than verbal encouragement to what the US president called "wonderful Iranian protesters".Amid the furious popular backlash to the shooting down of Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752, students at Shahid Beheshti University took pains to walk around the big US and Israeli flags painted on a concrete campus thoroughfare, a gesture of defiance to all-pervasive state propaganda.The general revulsion that Iran's rulers shot down a plane with 176 passengers and then attempted to lie to the world about it has triggered a crisis of legitimacy for the government on top of economic protests that have spread across the country since November. In another striking sign of the change in mood, a former anchor for Iranian state television said she would never return to the role, writing in an Instagram post: "Forgive me for the 13 years I told you lies."The dramatic crisis for Tehran may present an opportunity for Washington, but it is not clear the Trump administration is ready to seize it by adapting any of its own policies.In his triumphant tweet on Monday, Trump did not mention that Beheshti University, and by extension the students he was lionising, were subject to US sanctions as part of the US campaign of economic suffocation of the country. Or that those students or any other ordinary Iranians are prevented from visiting the US under Trump's travel ban, a prohibition that has split many Iranian families.A US policy of "maximum pressure" has dramatically increased the hardships of ordinary Iranians. The blanket sanctions are supposed to have loopholes for basic foodstuffs and medicines, but the threat of secondary measures against banks have made them skittish about any kind of transactions with Iran.Maximum pressure has also contributed to the state of near-war between the US and Iran.NBC News reported on Monday that Trump had given preliminary assent to the assassination of Revolutionary Guard general Qassem Suleimani in June last year. That followed Iran's downing of a US drone as Tehran lashed out against the US oil embargo and sought to disrupt the flow of oil tankers in the Persian Gulf.The assassination order, according to NBC, was urged on the president by administration hawks, secretary of state Mike Pompeo and then national security adviser, John Bolton, but Trump said he would only carry out an attack if the Iranians killed Americans. That threshold was crossed at the end of December when a US contractor was killed in a rocket attack on an Iraqi base by an Iranian-backed Shia militia.The revelation further undermines administration claims that the killing of Suleimani in a drone strike in Baghdad was carried out to prevent imminent attacks on US embassies. The defence secretary, Mark Esper, admitted over the weekend that he had not been aware of intelligence to underpin Trump's claims that four embassies were to be targeted, and US officials have been seeking in recent days to water down the meaning of the word "imminent".Trump insisted on Monday that a attack driven by Suleimani was imminent but that "it doesn't really matter because of his horrible past", reflecting growing suspicions that the drone strike was more about what the general had done rather than what he was planning to do, which raises questions about its legality under international law and the US constitution.There were also questions over whether it helped or hindered the Trump administration's objectives. The killing of an icon of the Islamic revolution initially galvanised support for the government, bringing millions of Iranians out on to the streets. But that burst of enthusiasm was extinguished by the feckless behaviour of Iranian officials over the downing of PS752, redirecting public ire at the incompetence and callousness of the system overseen by the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.Bolton, now out of the White House, tweeted: "The Khamenei regime has never been under more stress. Regime change is in the air."Most analysts pointed out that the Islamic Republic has withstood extreme stress and popular dissatisfaction before and survived, usually by stepping up its own brutality. Many also believe the most likely consequence of a fall of the current system would be some kind of military government in which the Revolutionary Guard would play a dominant role.Dina Esfandiary, a fellow at the Century Foundation, said the best Washington could do would be to relax sanctions and the travel ban and then stay out of the way. She said: "At the risk of sounding brutal I think the best way of capitalising on that opportunity would be for the US and everybody else to butt out and let the Iranians figure out what it is that they want and how to bring about the change that they want."Both sides have undoubtedly been weakened in the region. Iran has lost credibility and also the services of Suleimani, who had a unique aptitude to work the complex world of rival militias in Iraq and Syria to Iran's advantage.The US has become an unwelcome guest in Iraq, a strategic foothold that is critical for it to fend off the threat of Islamic State and other extremist groups from a distance. It has ignored repeated Iraqi invitations to withdraw its troops, but that seems an unlikely recipe for long-term influence.Both sides would benefit from a negotiated compromise at this point. Trump has repeatedly signalled that he would be ready for negotiations, and even in the fury that followed the Suleimani killing, Iranian officials kept the door open to talks. The barriers to such negotiations are largely domestic and political on both sides.Dennis Ross, who served as a diplomat in the Middle East for several previous administrations, suggested that Vladimir Putin, who is looking for opportunities to expand Russian influence could seize the moment to become a mediator."What an irony it would be, indeed, if Trump's attraction to Putin could offer a pathway to defusing the Iranian threat," Ross wrote in the Washington Post.
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| Taekwondo Champion Kimia Alizadeh, Iran's Only Female Olympic Medalist, Defects to Europe Posted: 13 Jan 2020 11:56 AM PST  Iran's Only Female Olympic Medalist Defects to Europe
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| The unintended consequences of Taiwan standing up to China Posted: 13 Jan 2020 11:43 AM PST  A popular parable attributed to Taoism by Alan Watts goes something like this:A farmer's horse runs away. His neighbor commiserates at his loss, but the farmer demurs: "who knows if it is good or bad?" The neighbor leaves, puzzled how there could be any question.The next day, the horse returns with a new wild horse as its mate. The neighbor congratulates the farmer on his good fortune that a second horse had come into his possession. But the farmer demurs again: "who knows if it is good or bad?"Sure enough, the next day, the farmer's son is thrown from the saddle while breaking the wild horse, and breaks his leg. The neighbor commiserates again on his son's injury, but as expected, the farmer demurs: "who knows if it is good or bad?"And of course, the next day the army marches through to draft all the able-bodied men to go off to war, and the farmer's son is only spared because of his injury.You can take the story for as many turns as you want: any apparently bad news can lead to good fortune, and any apparently good news can lead to bad consequences.I've been thinking about that story apropos of the Taiwanese election.President Tsai Ing-wen's landslide re-election seems like unequivocally good news. Voting took place in the shadow of increasingly overt attempts at intimidation by Beijing, and the months of protesting in Hong Kong that demonstrated as clearly as possible that "one country, two systems" was a hollow promise — particularly when Chinese President Xi Jinping explicitly suggested Hong Kong as the model for Taiwan's future. Xi deserved a strong rebuke to his bullying, and he got one.But that doesn't mean the message will be received as intended. It's all but certain that Beijing will never willingly change their view that Taiwan is a renegade province that must be incorporated into China proper. What is harder to tell is whether Xi's increasingly personalized dictatorship is capable of softening its approach and biding its time, which is the only plausible path to peaceful unification.What are the other possibilities? First, China could redouble its efforts to isolate Taiwan diplomatically and pressure it economically. Taiwan has become quite integrated with the Chinese market over the past two decades, and one of Tsai's main priorities has been to seek alternatives to China for their supply chain. But Beijing could get more aggressive about trying to stymie those efforts, while also forcing Taiwanese firms that continue to do business with the mainland to side with China in America's ongoing trade war.How would Taiwan react to a further tightening of the screws? It's possible that they would reverse course and try to accommodate Beijing — but it's far more likely that they would redouble their own efforts to break out of that isolation. In the context of the great unwinding of America's relationship with China, Taiwan may find opportunities with the United States (and Japan). It's not hard to imagine, though, how China would view such moves, even if they were not accompanied by anything as provocative as a declaration of independence.Finally, there is the threat of war. At present, any military threats Beijing might make are largely idle; it is not clear that they have the capacity to subdue the island militarily. But as China's modernization proceeds, their confidence that they could achieve their military objectives will increase. In the context of deteriorating relations and an ever-stronger independent national identity on the island, it might eventually make sense for Taiwan to risk war while they still have a chance of winning.Ten years ago, it was possible to look at the Taiwanese situation and predict that China would eventually prevail through patience and the sheer preponderance of power. That is harder to believe today, as China has become increasingly threatening, and as its economic miracle has grown increasingly brittle. Ten years ago, it was also possible to look at Sino-American competition as part of a classic power transition, with the challenge being how America would manage China becoming the dominant power of the western Pacific without war. That is also much harder to believe today. As explicit great power competition has re-emerged, Taiwan has become a fault-line state, a place China cannot afford to relinquish lest its own regime lose legitimacy, but that America cannot afford to abandon lest its own position in Asia collapse.Today, we should celebrate Tsai's election as a triumph for democracy in a time when democracy could use some triumphs. But tomorrow, we should remember the many ways in which happy news can turn sour, and far more quickly than we might imagine.Want more essential commentary and analysis like this delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for The Week's "Today's best articles" newsletter here.More stories from theweek.com More sources are confirming Sanders told Warren a woman can't be president, saying they heard it directly from Warren Bernie Sanders fires back on CNN report saying he told Elizabeth Warren a woman can't be president: 'Ludicrous' White House expects Republican senators to join Democrats in vote to call impeachment witnesses
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| Trump news: President attacks Cory Booker and shares disturbing Iran tweets as Senate prepares for impeachment process Posted: 13 Jan 2020 11:27 AM PST  Donald Trump has retweeted what appears to be an image of a dead body and a meme of senior Democrats Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer dressed as Muslims as he continues to lash out over the Iran crisis and his upcoming Senate impeachment trial.The president reportedly first approved the assassination of Quds commander Qassem Soleimani back in June 2019, according to a new report, further clouding the administration's claim that it faced an "imminent threat" against four of its embassies in the Middle East from the late general.
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| A Week In Washington, D.C., On A $50,000 Salary Posted: 13 Jan 2020 11:25 AM PST  Welcome to Money Diaries, where we're tackling what might be the last taboo facing modern working women: money. We're asking millennials how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we're tracking every last dollar.Today: a Press Secretary who makes $50,000 per year and spends some of her money this week on a sheet of stamps.Occupation: Press Secretary Industry: Government Age: 26 Location: Washington, D.C. Salary: $50,000 Paycheck Amount (2x/month): $1,385 Gender Identity: WomanMonthly Expenses Rent: $1,250 (split unevenly with my boyfriend, he pays more because he makes more, this is about to change because we just bought a house!) Loans: $0 Health Insurance: $70 (pre-tax) 401(k): $100/paycheck (post-tax) Gym: $120 (tax included) Rent the Runway Unlimited: $170 Electricity: ~$40 Spotify/Hulu: $10 iCloud Storage: $3 Savings: I try to keep my checking account about $4,000 so I'm periodically transferring savings throughout the month (usually a few hundred a month) and have about $10,000 saved as an emergency fund. Day One5 a.m. — Helloooo 2020! I'm taking the first shift of driving my boyfriend, my brother, his girlfriend, and myself back to DC after the holidays. In between Christmas and New Years, my boyfriend, A., and I went under contract on a condo so we are headed back at this ungodly hour for the home inspection this afternoon. A. sleepily pulls out his wallet and says my dad gave him money for the tolls.9 a.m. — We are making great time and decide to stop for breakfast at McDonalds. I order a Sausage McMuffin, coffee, and hash brown. I can't believe how cheap this is! $3.1711:30 a.m. — Finally make it back to DC. It has been nearly two weeks since I left so unpacking the car takes a bit, but it feels amazing to be home. I crawl into bed for a quick nap before the home inspection. 1:30 p.m. — It is a gorgeous day for DC in January so we decide to walk to the home inspection. We are only moving about 10 minutes away from where we currently live, but it is exciting to explore our new neighborhood.3 p.m. — This begins the barrage of costs related to homeownership! It feels surreal to be Venmoing all of my money away, but a very exciting time. Everything comes back relatively clean — just need to change the air filters and fix a few outlets. Phew! We had an inspection contingency so we could've backed out if they found something major. Next hurdle is the appraisal. We had only seen the place once (huge relief to still love it as much!!) before we put in an offer so I take pictures of everything, put them in a shared folder, and send it to both our families. I Venmo the inspector and will later add it to our home budget spreadsheet. A. is going to pay for the closing costs, so this will ultimately get reimbursed. $5004 p.m. — High on excitement and beautiful weather, we decide to walk towards U St. so A. can try on new glasses and we can meet up with a friend after. We settle on a relatively new fried chicken and oyster bar for happy hour. I have one $5 beer and he has two. I pay because A. has picked up a lot recently. $207 p.m. — A.'s favorite takeout place is on the walk home so we pop in for another beer while he waits for his food to be ready. I'll nibble, but I'm so exhausted that I'm hoping to go to bed shortly after we get home. He pays.9 p.m. — We end up deciding to watch Bombshell. My review: it was fair, maybe I was a bit disappointed, but how progressive could the women of Fox News be?? The real gem of the movie is how much Charlize Theron looks like Megyn Kelly. Absolutely exhausted and wanting to get a good night's sleep before work tomorrow, I head to bed. Just kidding! The news about the airstrike in Iran just broke and my boss is going to be on TV. I work for someone in the political sector, which is a job that I love, but it does require attention outside of the typical workday. I'm watching from bed to see their talking points while struggling to keep my eyes open. It seems like my supervisor is taking it from here so I actually allow myself to pass out. Daily Total: $523.57 Day Two8:45 a.m. — I pull myself out of bed and get ready for work. We can dress casually today and I maybe take that a bit too far. I'm wearing track pants and attempt to dress it up with a nicer sweater — eh, there will be very few people in the office today so this should be fine. I live about a block away from the metro, making my commute about 20 minutes. Usually I'd try to pack at least breakfast, but we have no food so I head to the office empty-handed. (My job gives us a travel stipend so this is out of their pocket, not mine!) ($2.25 expensed)9:10 a.m. — On my way up to the office, I stop for a coffee and banana at a cafe by work. They have amazing flavored coffees and the last few weeks I've completely abandoned my coffee at home habit. That is all going to change starting next week so I cherish today's French vanilla coffee. I say hi to my favorite security guard and get on the elevator up! $2.959:45 a.m. — Look at the clock: 9:45. OMG! This day is already dragging. I share an office, so my officemate is here, but no one else on our floor is here yet. 12:30 p.m. — People finally trickle in and everyone is catching up about their break. They decide to head somewhere for a fun lunch, but I'm working on getting a statement on Iran through the approval chain so I can't join. I head down to the cafeteria and get sides from the hot bar. I don't eat a ton of meat so this ends up being a really affordable lunch — three huge sides (Indian eggplant, potatoes, and rice) for $5! $5.104 p.m. — I spend the afternoon incorporating edits, managing opinions, and finally getting the statement out. I head out a bit early because with impeachment starting soon, I likely won't be seeing the sun very much. A.'s sister, T., is coming over to try on a pair of my shoes for size. Her husband recently got her the same ones in half a size bigger and she isn't sure which size would be better. Metro home.6 p.m. — Waiting on T. and feverishly unpacking. Our apartment isn't very big so it completely throws me off when things aren't in their place. She stops by, tries on the shoes, and decides to keep her current size. We chat for a bit and she fills me in on their recent trip to California. A. is still at work and texts that he is going to a coworker's going away happy hour. Fridays are always a weird dance for us — do we stay in or do we go out? After the holiday travel and excitement, my answer is a clear stay home. He says he will keep me updated on movements. 8 p.m. — I've settled into a new Netflix show about a bipolar figure skater and there is no removing me from this apartment. A. texts with movements and keeps asking if I'm sure I don't want to join. Absolutely sure! After a few episodes, I transition to watching in bed. I'm just about to fall asleep when A. comes in. He's earlier than I thought and he tipsily tells me about his night. His attention then diverts to making fun of the figure skating show, which we watch while falling asleep.Daily Total: $8.05 Day Three9 a.m. — Every Thursday and Saturday, I work out with a trainer at the gym (this is a gift from my grandparents). I've always been the un-athletic one in a family of very fit people so this was used as an incentive a few years ago. I've fallen in love with lifting and they continue to buy me sessions as a reward for the healthy habit. Yes, I realize this is crazy, but I'm not going to not accept! My trainer F. and I haven't seen each other in a few weeks so we catch up about her trip to California and I tell her all about the new place. Today's workout is mostly chest and back and goes much better than I was anticipating. I'm ready to conquer the day!10:15 a.m. — We are out of coffee so I grab an oat milk latte for me and a black coffee for A. on the way home. He's still in bed when I get home and since we have no plans for the day, I put the figure skating show back on. We end up lounging for a few hours before heading out to look at furniture. $8.502 p.m. — After hitting all the nearby furniture stores and seeing a few things we like, A. and I go to Trader Joe's. We grab some essentials: green juice, chicken sausage, tempeh, Brussels sprouts, salad mix, strawberries, oat milk, apples, beef jerky, chips, and salsa. I Venmo A. for my half. I love the grocery store so this won't be my last trip this week. $39.442:30 p.m. — A. grabs an Uber and we head over to his sister's. She and her husband are painting their living room and we figure we will keep them company for a few hours. They receive our unannounced visit well and offer us a beer. I feel bad we are literally just watching them paint, but it is nice to catch up. Once we are ready to go, I grab the Uber home. $9.354:30 p.m. — Our plans for the night are starting to come together — take out and a movie. I reroute the Uber to our favorite taco place around the corner and we get a margarita while we wait for our food to be ready. There are a lot of great restaurants right near our house, and A. loves eating take out at home and I love eating out. We compromise by grabbing a drink while we wait for our takeout. I order tacos and he orders a whole bunch of food that I can't even remember what exactly, he loves to nibble all night. A. pays and we run home in the rain with takeout and groceries in hand.6 p.m. — It is so early, but we are homebound for the night. I turn on Jojo Rabbit while A. heats up the food. I had no idea what to expect from this movie and end up loving it. Highly recommend!! I head to bed while A. watches football.Daily Total: $57.29 Day Four8 a.m. — I'm a morning person so I've already been up for a half-hour when I get out of bed to get ready for pilates. A. is golfing this morning so I kiss him goodbye and head out for class. There is a studio right by my house that offers discounts on packs of "Off-Peak" classes. Whenever the deal is good enough, I pick up a few to occasionally use. This class is hard!! I usually go with a friend, but she couldn't get into this time. I see her on the way out and we make a plan to meet once she is done. 9:15 a.m. — In an effort to beat everyone else in DC that needs food, I walk over to Whole Foods. I usually only get produce here because the quality is great and I think the prices are extremely reasonable on produce. I'll probably get dragged for this in the comment section, but I challenge you to do a price comparison! I grab spinach, asparagus, broccoli, and mushrooms. $13.469:45 a.m. — This probably seems excessive, but I head to another grocery store. I need a few conventional items and don't see the point of paying Whole Foods prices, plus the store is only a few blocks from my apartment. Impeachment could start any day, which means I'll be crazy busy at work so I want to grab coffee and snacks for my desk. I grab two boxes of K-cups, snack packs of Goldfish, peanut butter, and gum. $21.7910:15 a.m. — Swing back by the pilates studio to pick up my friend and we walk around the corner to the most amazing bakery. I really should eat at home, but there is no denying myself one of these heavenly veggie scones. I recently turned her on to this place and she orders a mushroom tart. We sit, catch up on our respective holidays, and enjoy our pastries like the ladies of leisure that we are. $9.3811:30 a.m. — We walk home to drop off my groceries, grab my car, and do a few other errands. My mentality may seem like I'm preparing for impending doom with impeachment, but I just want to make the next few weeks as easy as possible on myself. First stop, Macy's for new tights. All of mine are disgusting and it is getting unprofessional. As someone who does a fair amount of online shopping, I'm thrilled to be walking out with exactly what I need! $50.4512 p.m. — While we are on the topic of refreshing clothing, we stop by Uniqlo to buy new Heat Tech long sleeves. I swear by these. They are warm, tight, and perfect for wearing underneath a short sleeve dress or with a skirt. My grandmother originally introduced me to the magic that is Uniqlo back in college and I turned on this friend shortly after. She also grabs a few and we head back to the car. $36.9112:30 p.m. — Another friend of ours, V., texts that she is heading to Trader Joe's and we decide to meet her there. I told you I love the grocery store. I forgot to grab the Kale Cashew Pesto yesterday and love love love it. It is dairy-free and delicious. TJs is an absolute zoo and of course, they are already out of the pesto. I pick up a regular one and an Indian sauce while my friends do their full shop. $6.231 p.m. — After surviving the post-holiday madness that was TJs, C. wants to head home and V. wants to continue to hang. C. and I are friends from college and met V. on a birthright trip to Israel. The whole trip was LOL, but C., V., and I have become super close in the last few years. We aren't far from my new place and they ask if we can drive by — of course, I oblige. I can't believe this is real!! I appreciate their excitement and can't wait until we actually move in. Drop of C. and head to V.'s house. I help her unpack her groceries and then make us a quesadilla to split. She just got back from Cabo so I lay on her bed while she unpacks and we catch up. A. is having friends over for the Eagles game so I say goodbye to V. and head home. 4:30 p.m. — After a much-needed shower and towel time, I join A. and his friends for the Eagles game. Oof.8 p.m. — Golden Globes time!! V. is back over and we are watching in my bed while the boys finish up the Eagles game. I made chickpea pasta with chicken sausage, asparagus, spinach, and peas for V. and me for dinner and she brought broccoli and cauliflower that we toss in. Yummmmm!! I pack up the leftovers for lunch tomorrow. Our hangouts have merged to one Golden Globes watching and A.'s friends start peeling off one by one. 9:30 p.m. — V. heads home and A. and I transition to watching the end of the Globes in bed. He lives for award shows so he must really be beat. Ahhhh, thinking about everything I have to do at work tomorrow as I fall asleep.Daily Total: $138.22 Day Five8:30 a.m. — Morning routine usually includes a workout, a shower, and then blowing my hair out, but on Mondays, I have a 9:15 meeting and I just can't make that happen. Luckily, I showered last night so I pack my workout clothes, grab my packed lunch plus the coffee and snacks I bought yesterday, and head out the door. 8:55 a.m. — First in the office, which is an absolute rarity. I put all my snacks away and make myself a cup of coffee. I mostly dug myself out of my inbox on Friday so I'm able to get a few emails out before the 9:15 meeting. 12:30 p.m. — Whole team meeting, small team meeting, and impeachment huddle are done. We are in a huge waiting pattern until impeachment, but I'm working on a few press releases related to Iran. I didn't pack breakfast today so I eat my lunch of leftovers on the early side. 2:30 p.m. — I impulse bought a few sweaters from The Real Real and need to return them today. There is a post office in my building so I run down there and grab a sheet of stamps for thank you cards for my holiday gifts. The return shipping from USPS ends up being less than the prepaid label, score! $22.216 p.m. — So long as I can, I try to leave work promptly since most of the time, I have to stay pretty late. There isn't much happening today so I leave right at 6. I was planning to head to the gym on the way home, but my landlord emailed about potential new tenants wanting to come see our place and we have to do some major sprucing before anyone sees it. I grab the mail on my way in and start making some rice in the Instant Pot. A. gets home shortly after me and we get to work!8 p.m. — Wow this place looks so much better!! All of our clothes from the holidays are put away and the stash of boxes I am saving from recent purchases have been broken down. I'm glad we ripped this Bandaid off and now our place will be in good shape for any future potential tenant visits. I eat a dinner consisting of chicken sausage, Brussels sprouts, spinach, asparagus, and rice with the Trader Joe's Amba Mango sauce on top. A. says he isn't hungry, but keeps going over to the kitchen and picking at the leftovers. We start watching the first episode of The Bachelor while we wait for them to drop by, obviously have libations in hand. 10 p.m. — The potential tenants seem to like the place and it would be great for our landlord to have this nailed down so quickly since we just gave her notice. This episode is LOL! Hannah Ann is bold and I can't wait to see how this plays out. A. is leaving on a work trip tomorrow so another early night for us. Daily Total: $22.21 Day Six6:45 a.m. — Quick workout before starting the day! I'm still pretty sore from Sunday's pilates class that I skip weights and run for 45 minutes.7:45 a.m. — Back from the gym and in the shower. I recently bought shampoo and conditioner from Act + Acre and I'm really liking it so far. I have psoriasis on my scalp, which makes hair products a challenge. I throw on a new black Heat Tech and tuck it into black work pants then add a blazer from Club Monaco. I try to make professional dressing as easy and comfortable as possible and it goes better some days than others. I'm also sporting a huuuge pimple on my chin so I skip makeup to let my skin breathe. 8:30 a.m. — Out the door and headed to work! I don't really *have* to be there until 9:30, which is when the rest of my team trickles in, but I'm trying to get moving a bit earlier since my commute will be about 10 minutes longer at our new place. I put away my packed food and make coffee once I get to my desk. 12 p.m. — More of the same at work. We still don't have any information on the timing of impeachment and it seems everyone is just in a wait and see pattern. I take care of a few house-related things while things are slow and then eat my packed lunch. Similar to the buying-coffee habit, I got into a really bad habit of failing to pack my lunch between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Today's lunch reminds me why I love packing — I get all the veggies I want, it is delicious, and I've already paid for it. 2 p.m. — Oooh look at the time — another email about a home charge! This one is for the appraisal and credit check. A. takes this one since he has been working more closely with the mortgage lender. 6 p.m. — Tomorrow is going to be a doozy so I head home just after 6. A. is gone for work and while usually I'd make plans, there was snow earlier today so the city has basically shut down. Even my favorite nail salon is closed! I'm homeward bound for a night of Siesta Key and Vanderpump Rules (it is what it is, okay). Just as I get home, the news breaks about the rockets in Iran. Oof. Tune into the news while answering a few emails. 10 p.m. — I finish my thank you notes, make dinner and lunch for tomorrow, and pour myself a glass of wine for my shows. Very productive night!! One of my best friends recently left DC and we used to watch this show together so while it is still entertaining, I find myself thinking more about how much I miss her. Ugh. But I remind myself that she's happier now in New York and that makes me happy. I get in bed early so I can read for a bit. I'm catching up on a Sally Rooney novel and drift to sleep.Daily Total: $0 Day Seven6:45 a.m. — I had high hopes for a morning workout and my bed is too warm to leave. I turn on the news and read for a bit. This is also productive?7:30 a.m. — Okay, time to get out of bed. I usually don't get hungry until later, but I make a frozen blueberry waffle and put peanut butter on top to eat while I get ready. Today is absolutely a ponytail day. I have a few bigger meetings so I put on makeup today. I'm simple: ice roll, cleanse, Good Genes, Vitamin C serum, moisturizer, then NARS concealer, swipes of bronzer, eyeliner, and mascara. Maybe not so simple?8:30 a.m. — All ready for work, grab my packed lunch and snacks and I'm out the door. 3:30 p.m. — Today is flying by! There was a briefing on the ongoing situation with Iran and I've been running around coordinating with reporters. When I finally get back to my desk, I could eat my hand. I heat up my lunch and get my bearings in my email. Days like today move quickly and are the really exciting parts of my job.6:30 p.m. — I'm wrapping up at work and text a few friends about their plans tonight. While I'm waiting for responses, I remember that I have book club tomorrow so I head home so I can finish tomorrow's book while doing laundry. My book club is made up of an eclectic group of women and I absolutely love it. Tomorrow's book is Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. 8:30 p.m. — Yesssss a few loads of laundry are done and folded. I'm going to hold on putting these clothes away because we are trying to both go through our clothes before we move. I FaceTime with A. after not talking all day. He travels pretty infrequently and this trip has made me think about how I definitely need to be more compassionate to my friends whose significant others travel all the time. I'm grateful for some alone time to really be productive, but I miss him! And wish we could just be chitchatting and basking in our new home excitement together. Daily Total: $0Money Diaries are meant to reflect individual women's experiences and do not necessarily reflect Refinery29's point of view. Refinery29 in no way encourages illegal activity or harmful behavior.The first step to getting your financial life in order is tracking what you spend — to try on your own, check out our guide to managing your money every day. For more money diaries, click here.Do you have a Money Diary you'd like to share? Submit it with us here. Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?A Week In Brooklyn, NY, On A $154,000 SalaryA Week In Seattle, WA, On A $78,000 SalaryMoney Diaries Readers Share Their Financial Goals
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| Authorities: Kosher store shooters planned attack for months Posted: 13 Jan 2020 11:21 AM PST |
| Judge: Hanukkah attack suspect may need death-penalty lawyer Posted: 13 Jan 2020 10:48 AM PST |
| Booker ends presidential bid after polling, money struggles Posted: 13 Jan 2020 10:32 AM PST  Democrat Cory Booker dropped out of the presidential race Monday, ending a campaign whose message of unity and love failed to resonate in a political era marked by chaos and anxiety. Since launching his campaign last February, Booker, a U.S. senator from New Jersey, struggled to raise the type of money required to support a White House bid. Booker also missed last month's debate and exits the race polling in low single digits in the early primary states and nationwide.
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| Gene-editing tool's pioneers win Israel's Wolf Prize Posted: 13 Jan 2020 10:29 AM PST |
| Russian-brokered Libya ceasefire agreement 'close' in diplomatic coup for Putin Posted: 13 Jan 2020 10:16 AM PST  One of the two leaders of Libya's rival governments signed a landmark cease-fire deal on Monday at the end of protracted talks in Moscow, leaving a tentative hope for settling the deadly conflict in the war-torn country. Fayez al-Sarraj, head of Libya's UN-recognised government, and his rival, General Khalifa Haftar flew into Moscow on Monday for talks mediated by Russia's and Turkey's foreign and defence ministers. Libya has been engaged in civil war since 2011 after the ousting and killing of long-term Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. Mr Sarraj's government is now in control of the country's west and its capital Tripoli while Gen Haftar's Libyan National Army occupies the east including the Mediterranean Sea port of Benghazi. Intense fighting flared up in Libya in December after Gen Haftar's forces closed in on Tripoli before the warring parties agreed on a truce that came into effect Sunday, providing the first respite in hostilities in months. Fighters loyal to the internationally recognised Libyan Government of National Accord keep lookout in Tripoli Credit: MAHMUD TURKIA/AFP via Getty Images Emerging from nearly seven hours of talks, Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, told reporters on Monday that Mr Sarraj was the only one to sign the agreement on a lasting cease-fire that Russia and Turkey had put forward. Gen Haftar "has asked for a bit more time until tomorrow morning to decide whether to sign it," the Russian foreign minister said, adding that the commander of Libya's east-based forces has a "positive view" of the deal. Russia has maintained a careful balancing act in Libya by both recognising Mr Sarraj's government but also negotiating with Gen Haftar and reportedly propping him up with mercenaries. By signing the agreement, both Libyan leaders will also be committing to a political settlement to resolve the current power deadlock, said Mehmet Cavusoglu, the Turkish foreign minister, pledging Russia and Turkey's help in seeing the deal through. With Monday's talks, Russia and Turkey tried to match their previous successful meditation efforts between bitter rivals such as when the two countries cut a deal in 2018, staving off an imminent offensive by the Syrian government on rebels in the Idlib province. Russia and Turkey have been supporting rival governments in Libya by sending in military aid, advisers and mercenaries. Russian President Vladimir Putin, however, denied on Sunday that Russians fighting in Libyan were acting on behalf of the Kremlin.
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| Design of AR-15 could derail charges tied to popular rifle Posted: 13 Jan 2020 10:10 AM PST  A subtle design feature of the AR-15 rifle has raised a technical legal question that is derailing cases against people who are charged with illegally buying and selling the gun's parts or building the weapon. For decades, the federal government has treated a mechanism called the lower receiver as the essential piece of the semiautomatic rifle, which has been used in some of the nation's deadliest mass shootings. Federal law enforcement officials, who have long been concerned about the discrepancy, are increasingly worried that it could hinder some criminal prosecutions and undermine firearms regulations nationwide.
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| UN says Lebanon made payment to restore UN voting rights Posted: 13 Jan 2020 10:05 AM PST |
| Israel's lawmakers deliver setback for Netanyahu immunity Posted: 13 Jan 2020 10:01 AM PST  Israeli lawmakers on Monday approved the formation of a committee to consider Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's request for legal immunity, a major setback for the embattled leader who is seeking to fend off corruption charges. Netanyahu was charged in November with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three cases involving trading political and regulatory favors for positive news coverage, and accepting gifts from billionaire friends. Netanyahu's opponents make up a majority in the current caretaker parliament, and his request for immunity is expected to be rejected.
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| A look at the major players in Libya's shape-shifting war Posted: 13 Jan 2020 09:46 AM PST  Libya's rival leaders meeting for rare peace talks on Monday with Russian and Turkish officials in Moscow was a stark reminder of how the Libyan civil war has shape-shifted in recent months. Russia and Turkey, which support opposing sides in the long-running conflict, have emerged as major players in Libya, largely outmaneuvering European powers that pressed for peace as violence in the strategic, oil-rich country accelerated. Field Marshal Khalifa Hifter's self-styled Libyan Arab Armed Forces control much of eastern and southern Libya.
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| Trying to Turn NATO Into NATOME: A Trump Administration Adventure Posted: 13 Jan 2020 09:46 AM PST  Donald Trump wants the U.S.-European alliance to do more work in the Middle East. But are America's allies on board with his counter-Iran campaign?
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| Impeachment? Iran? Early state voters more swayed by basics Posted: 13 Jan 2020 09:43 AM PST  President Donald Trump has an impeachment trial looming, and rising tensions with Iran have captured headlines. "The economy is much realer to me," said the 69-year-old retired professor who was attending a campaign event for businessman Andrew Yang ahead of her state's Feb. 11 primary. "Many Americans, for their own mental health, have taken Trump and his presidency and put it into a box and are doing their best to believe that it's some sort of aberration that's happening during our time and still staying focused on their own family," said Raymond Buckley, chairman of the New Hampshire Democratic Party.
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| Five MPs Vie to Succeed Corbyn as U.K. Labour Leader Posted: 13 Jan 2020 09:27 AM PST |
| Taiwan's anti-Beijing election could result in a more forceful China Posted: 13 Jan 2020 09:23 AM PST  Don't expect China to be deterred after Taiwan's pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen secured her re-election in a decisive victory over pro-Beijing challenger Han Kuo-yu on Saturday despite China's efforts to sway the vote.Tsai has pointed to the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong as a possible future for Taiwan should China refuse to scale back its attempts to interfere with Taiwan's governance. But experts think China and its President Xi Jinping may be emboldened by Saturday's results."This administration of Xi Jinping, but I would say more broadly the DNA of the Communist Party, does not do well to reflect and recalibrate in a way that signals reconciliation, compromise, or what they would frame as weakness," Jude Blanchette, the Freeman Chair in China Studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, told Reuters. "I thoroughly expect that the conversation right now in Beijing is about turning the screws even more."A Monday editorial in the Chinese state-backed Global Times said "we need to plan to crack down on Tsai's new provocative actions, including imposing military pressure."Zheng Zhenqing, a Taiwan expert at Beijing's Tsinghua University, agreed that military coercion is a "realistic" tactic for China. "For the mainland, 'one country, two systems' is a basically policy of the state," he said. "How can it be changed because of just one election on Taiwan?" Read more at Reuters.More stories from theweek.com More sources are confirming Sanders told Warren a woman can't be president, saying they heard it directly from Warren Bernie Sanders fires back on CNN report saying he told Elizabeth Warren a woman can't be president: 'Ludicrous' White House expects Republican senators to join Democrats in vote to call impeachment witnesses
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| Tensions between president Rouhani and Iran's Revolutionary Guard spill into open Posted: 13 Jan 2020 09:14 AM PST  Tensions between the Iranian government and the Revolutionary Guard spilled into the open on Monday as the president's office accused the elite military force of misleading them over the accidental shooting down of a civilian airliner. As protesters took to the streets for a third consecutive day, allies of Hassan Rouhani, the democratically elected president, appeared to be directing the public's anger towards their more hardline rivals in the Revolutionary Guard. A spokesman for Mr Rouhani said the Revolutionary Guard had falsely told the president they were not involved as he tried to explain why Iran spent the first days after the crash denying any responsibility for the 176 deaths. "All relevant authorities had assured us that there had been no missile involved in the downing of the Ukrainian plane," said Ali Rabiei, the government spokesman. Meanwhile, a leaked recording appeared to show a Revolutionary Guard officer complaining that Mr Rouhani's administration was leaving them out to dry as they faced widespread fury over the downing of Flight PS752. Hassan Rouhani's government has been at odds with the Revolutionary Guard for years Credit: PRESIDENT OFFICE HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/REX The recording, published by the Iranian opposition site Pyk Net, purports to capture an unnamed Revolutionary Guard commander addressing a room full of his comrades and urging them to weather the political storm. "The statement by the government admitting the cause of air crash was disgraceful," he said. "The statement should not have blamed the entire Revolutionary Guard and could have just said it was the fault of one individual." The commander goes on to suggest that the government could have waited "two or three months" before announcing the real cause of the crash to allow the Guard more time to bask in public support after the killing of Qassim Soleimani and the missile barrage fired against US forces in Iraq. He added that the Rouhani administration was failing to show gratitude to the Revolutionary Guard for crushing anti-government protests late last year. Several hundred civilians, maybe as many as a thousand, were killed during the crackdown. "The November protests were caused by the Rouhani government but the Revolutionary Guard sacrificed itself and put them down, but this time the government is so passive in the face of the attacks on the Revolutionary Guard," he said. Iranians shout slogans against the government after a vigil held for the victims Credit: Photo by Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images Gelare Jabbari, an Iranian state television anchor, also dramatically resigned from her post amid the outrage. "It was very hard for me to believe the killing of my countrymen. I apologise for lying to you on TV for 13 years," she said. Two female protesters were reportedly shot and wounded in Tehran on Sunday night while students staged a large protest on Monday on the campus of Sharif University in Tehran, widely considered one of Iran's top academic institutions. Netblocks, an internet freedom group, said the internet appeared to be partially cut off at Sharif University, in what appeared to be an attempt by authorities to stop news of the protests spreading. Tensions between the relatively moderate government and the more hardline Revolutionary Guard have been building for years as Mr Rouhani advocated diplomacy with the West, and Guard commanders called for continuing isolation. Javad Zarif, Iran's foreign minister, threatened to resign last year after Soleimani took his place in a meeting with Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian ruler. But faced with widespread public anger over the fate of Flight PS752 - and with parliamentary elections looming in February - the two sides appear to be at particularly bitter odds. "For Rouhani, I think this really represents quite a unique chance to get back at the Guard, the first since President Trump withdrew from the Iran deal, which invalidated Rouhani's strategy of negotiating with the West," said Michael Horowitz, head of intelligence at Le Beck geopolitical consulting firm. "The Revolutionary Guard have been gaining even more influence since the US withdrawal, and Rouhani will not pass this opportunity to discreetly hit the powerful Revolutionary Guards where it hurts."
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| How demise of Iranian nuclear deal rekindles Israel’s dilemma Posted: 13 Jan 2020 09:09 AM PST |
| Does Iran Have Secret Armed Dolphin Assassins? Posted: 13 Jan 2020 08:59 AM PST  Twenty years ago, Iran bought a fleet of military mammals from the Soviets. Are they still alive?
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| Varney: Trump giving Iranians their ‘best opportunity’ to return to freedom Posted: 13 Jan 2020 08:23 AM PST  Trump's hand in the Iranian revolution has turned Iran "upside down," said Stuart Varney.
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| 'I lived for her': Husband of Iran plane crash victim mourns wife of 10 years Posted: 13 Jan 2020 08:21 AM PST  Hassan Shadkhoo spoke with his wife 20 minutes before her Ukraine International Airlines flight took off from Iran on Wednesday.
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| High-gear diplomacy aims to avert U.S., Iran conflict Posted: 13 Jan 2020 08:21 AM PST  A flurry of diplomatic visits and meetings crisscrossing the Persian Gulf have driven urgent efforts in recent days to defuse the possibility of all-out war after the U.S. killed Iran's top military commander. Global leaders and top diplomats are repeating the mantra of "de-escalation" and "dialogue," yet none have publicly laid out a path to achieving either. The United States and Iran have said they do not want war, but fears have grown that the crisis could spin out of Tehran's or Washington's control.
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| Canadian exec blasts 'narcissist in Washington' over downed jetliner Posted: 13 Jan 2020 08:07 AM PST  The head of a Canadian food giant appeared to blame US President Donald Trump for the deaths of Canadians, including an employee's wife and child, in the downing of a jetliner in Iran. The Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737 was shot down by a missile shortly after taking off from Tehran before dawn last Wednesday, killing all 176 passengers and crew on board. Without naming Trump, the head of Canada's largest meat packing company pointed the finger at "a narcissist in Washington" for destabilizing the Middle East region.
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| Booker ends presidential bid after polling, money struggles Posted: 13 Jan 2020 08:00 AM PST  Democrat Cory Booker dropped out of the presidential race Monday, ending a campaign whose message of unity and love failed to resonate in a political era marked by chaos and anxiety. Since launching his campaign last February, Booker, a U.S. senator from New Jersey, struggled to raise the type of money required to support a White House bid. Booker also missed last month's debate and exits the race polling in low single digits in the early primary states and nationwide.
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| Thailand reports case of coronavirus from China Posted: 13 Jan 2020 08:00 AM PST  A Chinese visitor to Thailand has been confirmed to be infected with a new strain of coronavirus that has been linked to a pneumonia outbreak in central China, health officials said Monday. The U.N.'s World Health Organization said Thai officials have reported that a traveler from the Chinese city of Wuhan has been hospitalized in Thailand with the virus. The outbreak of the virus has been traced to Wuhan, where it affected several dozen people who had been to a major meat and seafood market.
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| Trump approved Soleimani assassination 7 months ago, report says Posted: 13 Jan 2020 07:53 AM PST  Donald Trump reportedly authorised the killing of Iran's top general seven months before he was hit in a drone strike.The US president said he would sign off on the operation to kill Qassem Soleimani if Iran crossed his red line of killing an American, NBC News reported, citing five current and former senior administration officials.
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| Trump reportedly okayed assassinating Soleimani 7 months ago Posted: 13 Jan 2020 07:50 AM PST  Gen. Qassem Soleimani's killing was reportedly in the works since June.As other sources have reported, President Trump had been given several options for acting against Iran, ranging from the relatively delicate to the most extreme. Killing Soleimani was on the latter end of that spectrum, but Trump still went with it — provided an American was killed first, five current and former senior officials tell NBC News.The Soleimani decision reportedly started back in June, when Iran shot down a U.S. drone over the Strait of Hormuz. John Bolton, Trump's national security adviser at the time, pushed for the harsh response of killing Soleimani, as did Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, officials said. Trump turned them down, but did say "that's only on the table if they hit Americans," a person briefed on the discussion told NBC News. That option became valid when an Iranian proxy attack killed a U.S. contractor and wounded U.S. servicemembers.This report is also backed up by a comment from Vice President Mike Pence at a Trump rally last week. "When one American life was lost at the hands of Iranian-backed militias just a few short weeks ago, President Trump launched the first air strikes against Iranian-backed militias in 10 years," Pence said to explain the rationale behind the Soleimani strike.More stories from theweek.com More sources are confirming Sanders told Warren a woman can't be president, saying they heard it directly from Warren Bernie Sanders fires back on CNN report saying he told Elizabeth Warren a woman can't be president: 'Ludicrous' White House expects Republican senators to join Democrats in vote to call impeachment witnesses
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| Potent winter storm turns deadly as it wreaks havoc across the Middle East Posted: 13 Jan 2020 07:49 AM PST  An Afghan man removes snow from his shelter in Kabul, Afghanistan January 12, 2020. REUTERS/Omar Sobhani A deadly winter storm brought severe impacts to millions of people from parts of the Arabian Peninsula to Pakistan beginning late last week and through the weekend.At least 54 people were killed by the combination of heavy snowfall, brutal cold and severe flooding in Afghanistan and Pakistan, according to the Associated Press (AP).The storm got underway on Thursday with scattered showers and a few thunderstorms from eastern Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and far northern Oman into southern Iran.The heaviest rain arrived across the UAE, far northern Oman and southeastern Iran late on Friday and continued into Saturday.> dubairain tried all the ways to Sharjah Airport. Couldn't make it! pic.twitter.com/dJhOKWp1y4> > -- Onur Yalcin (@Onrylcn33) January 11, 2020Widespread rainfall totals reached between 25-75 mm (1-3 inches) from Thursday to Sunday across the Middle East.Dubai, UAE, reported 60 mm (2.35 inches) and Muscat, Oman, reported 42 mm (1.64 inches).This magnitude of rainfall caused severe flooding and widespread travel disruptions.Locations from Doha to Dubai and Muscat typically average 75-150 mm (3-6 inches) of rainfall for an entire year.Across the Persian Gulf, torrential rainfall caused flooding chaos and also resulted in at least one death, according to Iran Front Page.More than 1,000 people were rescued amid the flooding which has left some towns completely isolated due to inundated roadways.The worst flooding occurred in Sistan-Baluchestan province where 186 mm (7.32 inches) was reported. The yearly average total rainfall is only 119 mm (4.69 inches).CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APPLocally heavy rainfall also spread across the lower elevations of Afghanistan and southwestern Pakistan through the end of the weekend causing significant flooding. In this Sunday, Jan. 12, 2020, photo, people walk on a road during heavy snow fall in Quetta, capital of Pakistan's southwestern Baluchistan province. Much of the damage was caused in Pakistan's southwestern Baluchistan province where Imran Zarkon, the head of provincial disaster management authority, said 14 people were killed in the past 24 hours because of collapsed roofs amid winter's unusual snowfall, which also blocked highways and disrupted normal life. (AP Photo/Arshad Butt) This storm also produced heavy snow across higher elevations from Iran into Afghanistan and northern Pakistan.At least 30 deaths have been reported in Pakistan due to the flooding and heavy snowfall.Eleven people died in Punjab province due to flooding while at least 16 people were killed in snow-related events across the country as many locations reported more than 30 cm (12 inches) of heavy wet snow which caused roofs to collapse.Multiple avalanches were also reported in northern Pakistan. The threat for avalanches will remain high into the middle of the week. People sit around a fire to warm themselves after a heavy snowfall in Quetta, capital of Pakistan's southwestern Baluchistan province, Monday, Jan. 13, 2020. Severe winter weather has struck parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan, with heavy snowfall, rains and flash floods that left more than 40 dead, officials said Monday as authorities struggled to clear and reopen highways and evacuate people to safer places. (AP Photo/Arshad Butt) Severe cold weather is also a concern across Pakistan and Afghanistan.As of Saturday, frigid cold ushered into the area has been blamed for four deaths in Ghazni, Afghanistan.At least 24 totals deaths have been confirmed due to the winter storm in Afghanistan. The government added that 131 homes had been destroyed due to flooding in southern parts of the country, according to the AP.Improved weather is forecast for the region on Tuesday before another storm targets parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan with rain and snowfall late this week.
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| How the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow stretch of water where ships carry $1.2 billion of oil every day, is at the heart of spiraling tensions with Iran Posted: 13 Jan 2020 07:36 AM PST  Iran could exact its revenge on the US and its allies by shutting or harassing tankers in the strait, which would heavily disrupt oil markets.
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| Protests Continue in Iran, Police Deny Use Of Live Ammunition Posted: 13 Jan 2020 07:28 AM PST |
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