| US releases footage 'showing Iran removing unexploded mine' from stricken oil tanker Posted: 13 Jun 2019 10:52 PM PDT  The US military released a video on Friday that it says shows Iran's Revolutionary Guard removing an unexploded mine from one of the oil tankers targeted near the Strait of Hormuz. It suggested the Iran had sought to remove evidence of its involvement from the scene. US Central Command also released photographs showing the apparent mine, which attaches to the side of a ship magnetically. Release of the classified black-and-white images showed US determination to convince the international community that Iran was responsible for Thursday's attacks on the Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous, and the Norwegian-owned Front Altair. However, the Japanese operator of Kokuka Courageous said the crew saw "flying objects" just before the attack, suggesting the tanker was damaged by something other than mines. Yutaka Katada, the company president, said reports of a mine attack were "false". Both vessels suffered explosions, forcing crews to abandon ship and leave them adrift in waters between Gulf Arab states and Iran. All crew members were safely evacuated. Navy Captain Bill Urban, a Central Command spokesman, said the Revolutionary Guard vessel was observed at 4.10pm local time approaching the Kokuka Courageous. He said: "It was observed and recorded removing the unexploded limpet mine from the Kokuka Courageous." He added: "The United States has no interest in engaging in a new conflict in the Middle East. However, we will defend our interests." Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, said: "Taken as a whole these unprovoked attacks present a clear threat to international peace and security, a blatant assault on the freedom of navigation and an unacceptable campaign of escalating tension by Iran". Mr Pompeo said American assessment of Iran's responsibility was based on intelligence sources, the weapons used and the level of expertise, saying "no proxy group operating in the area has the resources and proficiency to act with such a high degree of sophistication". In a statement the Iranian mission to the United Nations said Tehran "categorically rejects the US unfounded claim with regard to 13 June oil tanker incidents and condemns it in the strongest possible terms." It accused the United States and its allies, including Saudi Arabia, of "warmongering." Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary, said the UK believed the US assessment that Iran was responsible but repeated his warning there was a serious danger of the US and Iran stumbling into an unwanted war. "We have no reason not to believe the American assessment and our instinct is to believe it because they are our closest ally," Mr Hunt told the Today programme. "We are very worried about the situation in Iran because at the moment both sides in this dispute think the other side doesn't want war and the risk you have is that then they doing something provocative that leads to catastrophic consequences that weren't intended." The explosions, which left one of the oil tankers burning outside the strategic Strait of Hormuz waterway, marked the most serious incident since the White House warned in early May that Iran was plotting attacks in the region. The incident came one month after Iranian forces allegedly used naval mines to blow holes in two oil tankers and two smaller ships off the Emirati port of Fujairah. The US publicly said Iran was behind that attack, while Tehran denied responsibility. Javad Zarif, the Iranian foreign minister, said "suspicious doesn't begin to describe" the incident in Gulf of Oman. He previously suggested without evidence that Israel was staging the attacks to undermine Iran. Responding to Mr Zarif's comments, Mr Pompeo said: " Foreign Minister Zarif may think this is funny but no one else in the world does." The explosions at sea came hours before Shinzo Abe, Japan's prime minister, met with Ayatollah Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran, on a diplomatic mission intended to try to ease tensions between Iran and the US. But the Japanese leader's efforts appeared to bear little fruit. Ayatollah Khamenei refused to hear any messages from Donald Trump delivered by Mr Abe, the Iranian government said. The ayatollah also said Iran was not seeking nuclear weapons but "America could not do anything" to stop Tehran if it did decide to pursue a nuclear course. Mr Trump on Thursday ruled out the possibility of making a deal with Iran, saying: "While I very much appreciate PM Abe going to Iran to meet with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, I personally feel that it is too soon to even think about making a deal. They are not ready, and neither are we!" Both tankers were carrying "Japanese-related" cargo, according to Japan's government. It was not clear if that was a coincidence or if the targeting of the ships was done deliberately to coincide with Mr Abe's visit to Tehran. While Iran's civilian government denies responsibility for any of the attacks, it is possible that the Revolutionary Guard, who answer directly to the supreme leader, are carrying out operations without the government's knowledge or consent. Iran tries to keep tensions between the two sides concealed but they spilled into the open early this year when Mr Zarif threatened to resign after he was left out of a key meeting while a senior Revolutionary Guard commander was invited. Markets Hub I Brent Spot The attacks capped six weeks of building tensions between Iran and the US during which time Mr Trump has ordered an aircraft carrier, a bomber taskforce and 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East. Both the US and Iran say they are not looking for war but Britain and other countries have warned of the danger that the two sides could stumble into an unintended conflict. Antonio Gutteres, the UN secretary general, condemned the attack and warned that the world cannot afford "a major confrontation in the Gulf region". Any fighting near the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway which transports 20 per cent of the world's oil, would likely cause serious damage to global energy supplies. Analysts said that Iran appeared to be lashing out in order to send a message in response to crippling US sanctions imposed by Mr Trump after he withdrew the US from the 2015 nuclear deal. "I think Iran is showing that it has teeth," said Charles Hollis, a former British diplomat in Tehran who is now managing director of the Falanx Assynt consultancy. "It's a way of showing that if they are backed into a corner they are not without means of causing grief." Iran has warned that it will begin enriching high-grade uranium, the kind that could be used for a nuclear weapon, in July unless Europe finds a way to get around US sanctions and prop up the Iranian oil and banking sectors.
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| After a family vacation in Italy, U.S. congressman's wife admits to misusing campaign funds Posted: 13 Jun 2019 12:57 PM PDT  The wife of a U.S. representative pleaded guilty on Thursday to federal charges alleging misuse of $250,000 in campaign funds and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors who are also bringing charges against her husband. The move by Margaret Hunter, wife of Republican U.S. Representative Duncan Hunter, came after she and her husband entered not guilty pleas in August 2018 that they spent campaign funds on items ranging from a holiday in Italy to Minnie Mouse ear headbands at Disneyland. The plea agreement recommends a five-year prison sentence, five years probation and a fine of up to $250,000, according to U.S. Attorney's office.
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| I'm Not Sure We Need a Ford Ranger Raptor Posted: 13 Jun 2019 09:00 AM PDT  The standard Ranger is probably more than you ever need off-road.
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| Trump defends secret talks with foreign govts Posted: 13 Jun 2019 07:16 AM PDT  President Donald Trump scrambled Thursday to throw off critics homing in on his insistence that he has the right to use dirt dug up on political opponents by foreign governments. Trump's comment in an interview aired late Wednesday by ABC News television reignited controversy swirling since his 2016 election, when his campaign accepted offers of opposition research from Russia on his rival Hillary Clinton. "I think you might want to listen..., there's nothing wrong with listening," Trump said when asked what he would do if a country such as Russia or China offered him assistance.
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| Southern Baptist leader bemoans abuse crisis, vows action Posted: 13 Jun 2019 06:17 AM PDT  Sharing a stage with tearful survivors of sex abuse, the president of the Southern Baptist Convention apologized Wednesday for the abuse crisis besetting his denomination and outlined an array of steps to address it. "We are broken-hearted and angry," said the Rev. J.D. Greear as the largest U.S. protestant denomination neared the end of its two-day national meeting. The Rev. Russell Moore, head of the SBC's public policy arm, said the abuse crisis is a result of satanic forces at work in the church.
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| 15 Automakers That Can Perfectly Fill Your Two-Car Garage Posted: 13 Jun 2019 06:00 AM PDT |
| Here's to Dad: The best gifts for Father's Day that won't break the bank Posted: 13 Jun 2019 05:48 AM PDT  Father's Day 2019 is on Sunday, and Jennifer Jolly gives a run down the best, budget-friendly gifts that will make Dad happy.
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| Anita Hill: I still hold Biden accountable but would consider voting for him Posted: 14 Jun 2019 10:31 AM PDT  Though Hill was not satisfied with Biden's apology over Clarence Thomas testimony, she could see herself voting for him in 2020 When asked whether Joe Biden's behavior was comparable to that of Donald Trump, who has denied multiple accusations of sexual assault, Anita Hill said: 'Absolutely not.' Photograph: Marla Aufmuth/Getty Images Anita Hill has said she could see herself voting for Joe Biden, despite his past treatment of her, saying she considers him "perfectly capable of running for president". Before announcing his presidential bid in April, Biden contacted Hill to express his "regret for what she endured" while testifying against US supreme court nominee Clarence Thomas in 1991, a hearing over which the former vice-president presided and where Hill was given little support as she alleged persistent sexual harassment from Thomas when they worked together. She later said she was not satisfied with Biden's comments and that she did not consider it a proper apology. In an interview broadcast on Thursday evening, Hill, now a law professor, said she still holds Biden accountable, but has not ruled out voting for him if he were to become the Democratic nominee in next year's presidential election. "I don't think it has disqualified him," she told NBC News. "He's perfectly capable of running for president. I think we will have to make our decisions about what we want our leaders to be doing in the future around these issues of gender violence." When asked whether his behavior was comparable to that of Donald Trump, who has denied multiple accusations of sexual assault, she said: "Absolutely not. I never said that and never intended to say that." Adding: "I'm not actually sure that anything I've said has actually hurt Joe Biden's campaign. He still is leading in the polls." In response to a question about whether she could see herself voting for Biden if he were to become the 2020 nominee, she said: "Of course I could." She declined to name a favorite from the packed field of Democratic candidates, but she that she would like to see gender violence discussed in the debates and for political leaders to take the issue seriously. "I want our leaders to stand up and say this is a serious problem that women are not safe in the workplace, not safe in our schools, they're not safe on our streets and that we are going to use the government resources to illuminate the problem," she said. Biden is ahead in the polls. Despite some signs that he is losing his lead, a recent poll put the former vice-president a solid 13 points above Trump. But his tendency for insensitive comments, inconsistency and gaffe-prone behavior on the campaign trail continues. A 2006 video uncovered by CNN shows him saying that he does not view abortion as "a choice and a right" and that "we should be focusing on how to limit the number of abortions". It comes after his about-face last week on the Hyde amendment, which prevents federal funding from being used for abortions – dropping his longstanding support of it following a backlash. Shortly before he announced his run, Biden faced a storm of complaints and criticism for initiating too much physical intimacy with women and girls he knew or met at events. He addressed the issue in public statements, but has since been joking on the campaign trail about it and continuing to make sexist remarks. He most recently drew criticism at an event after reportedly advising the brothers of a 13-year-old girl from Iowa: "You've got one job here, keep the guys away from your sister." And last month he told a young girl: "I bet you're as bright as you're good-looking" at an American Federation of Teachers town hall in Texas. But his biggest test to date will be the first Democratic primary debates later this month.
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| Snowy photo of fishing village in Greenland wins National Geographic travel photo contest Posted: 13 Jun 2019 05:31 AM PDT  A photo capturing a snow-covered, fishing village in Greenland at dusk and a small family spotlighted by overhead streetlights has been named the grand prize winner of National Geographic's 2019 Travel Photo Contest. "It felt so harmonious.
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| Second Ebola victim dies in Uganda as disease spreads Posted: 13 Jun 2019 05:37 AM PDT  A grandmother in Uganda has died from Ebola, health officials said Thursday, the second fatality in the country since a major outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo crossed the border. Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng announced Wednesday that Uganda had recorded three cases of Ebola in the first known cross-border spread since an outbreak began in eastern DRC last August. The patients were from a family of six, including four children, that travelled to DRC to care for a relative and later attended his burial after he died of Ebola. Upon returning to Uganda two brothers - aged five and three - and the 50-year-old grandmother tested positive for the virus, and the family was quarantined in Bwera, a border town in the country's west. The older boy died Tuesday - the first Ebola fatality in Uganda since the start of the DRC outbreak that has seen more than 2,000 cases recorded, around two-thirds of which have been fatal. Ebola | Health workers attacked amid mistrust from communities A health ministry official said Thursday the grandmother had also died overnight. "The deceased has been confirmed as the grandmother of the five-year-old boy who died. Both victims had attended the burial of an Ebola patient in DRC, but returned to Uganda," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity. The official said arrangements were being made to bury the woman in Kasese, the western district bordering Congo where her grandson was laid to rest Wednesday. About 25,000 people cross the district's main border crossing of Mpwonde at a daily basis, according to the DRC health ministry. The World Health Organization also confirmed the woman had succumbed to the haemorrhagic virus. WHO said 27 others in contact with the family had been placed under close monitoring. Uganda's health ministry said frontline health workers were due to be vaccinated Friday with a new drug designed to protect them against the virus.
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| EXCLUSIVE-Petrobras ignored warnings about fuel broker implicated in graft probe Posted: 13 Jun 2019 03:00 AM PDT ![EXCLUSIVE-Petrobras ignored warnings about fuel broker implicated in graft probe]( "EXCLUSIVE-Petrobras ignored warnings about fuel broker implicated in graft probe") Brazil's Petrobras found suspicious activity in its oil trading business - and failed to stop it - six years before an alleged bribery scandal erupted in that unit in 2018, according to three people with knowledge of the situation and documents seen by Reuters. A 2012 internal probe at the state-run oil company turned up more than two dozen instances in which traders in Petrobras' Singapore office overpaid for fuel, the people said. Some employees in 2013 recommended halting transactions with one particular fuel brokerage that had consistently sold fuel to Petrobras at above-market prices, according to the people.
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| U.S. Lawmakers Reintroduce Bill Supporting Democracy in Hong Kong in the Wake of Violent Unrest Posted: 13 Jun 2019 08:19 PM PDT  The legislation would require an annual assessment of the city's autonomy
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| Iran tanker attack: Donald Trump, Mike Pompeo should follow Ronald Reagan's lead Posted: 14 Jun 2019 09:01 AM PDT  During the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, the Reagan administration faced off a spate of tanker attacks with targeted military force and smart diplomacy.
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| The Latest: Dozens gather peacefully after Memphis shooting Posted: 13 Jun 2019 06:44 PM PDT  Friends and relatives of a black man who was killed by a federal fugitive task force in Tennessee have peacefully gathered near the site of the shooting. A few dozen people gathered Thursday evening near the Memphis house where 20-year-old Brandon Webber was killed Wednesday. Protesters on Wednesday night had reacted to the shooting by throwing rocks and bricks, injuring 36 law enforcement officers.
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| Pinterest Is Latest Tech Company Drawn Into U.S. Culture Wars Posted: 13 Jun 2019 11:58 AM PDT  The anti-abortion organization, Live Action, and conservative activist James O'Keefe allege Pinterest targeted the group for its abortion stance, not for the reasons the company claims. The dust-up is the latest in a wave of conservative complaints of social media bias.
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| Should you travel this summer to Mexico amid safety, algae and political concerns? Posted: 13 Jun 2019 07:08 AM PDT ![Should you travel this summer to Mexico amid safety, algae and political concerns?]( "Should you travel this summer to Mexico amid safety, algae and political concerns?") Safety concerns, the dismantling of the national tourism board and algae found on beaches have led to potential tourism issues for Mexico.
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| 12 White Male Cops Sue San Francisco for Gender and Race Discrimination Posted: 13 Jun 2019 08:33 AM PDT  Twelve white male San Francisco police officers are suing the city, arguing they were passed over for promotions because of their race and gender.
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| Trump Jr grilled by US senators, says unconcerned about perjury Posted: 12 Jun 2019 10:44 PM PDT  Donald Trump Jr wrapped up a return interview Wednesday with US lawmakers who questioned him about his contacts with Russians, with the president's eldest son dismissing concerns he may have perjured himself in his 2017 testimony. The 41-year-old appeared relaxed as he emerged from a three-hour closed-door session with the Senate Intelligence Committee as part of the Republican-led panel's two-year investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election. Trump Jr, who helms the Trump Organization collection of businesses that his real estate billionaire father ran for decades, earlier told reporters there was "nothing to correct" from his previous comments to the committee.
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| Target expands same-day delivery to basically everyone in order to combat Amazon Posted: 13 Jun 2019 03:04 PM PDT  Time was, Amazon led the way in pushing the e-commerce industry towards a consumer expectation that delivery should be free. Then came the push for a two-day delivery option, and now that Amazon is starting to move into an expansion of same-day delivery, its biggest retail competitors -- like Walmart and Target -- are following suit.Target on Thursday announced an expansion of its same-day delivery service that now covers just about everyone in the US. As part of today's announcement, Target is bringing the option to customers in 47 states, all of whom will be able to log on to Target.com and place orders for any of 65,000 eligible products that can show up to the customer's door same-day -- in some cases, in as soon as one hour.The orders are fulfilled by a delivery startup called Shipt that Target bought two years ago, and there's a flat fee of $9.99. When you're on the Target site looking for items to buy, products that are eligible for same-day delivery are clearly marked, and the other good news is that if you decide to pay $99 to become a Shipt member, you'll get free delivery on orders of $35 or more."With same-day delivery now available directly within the Target.com experience, we've made it even easier for our guests to shop at Target -- while still getting the great value, curated product assortment and helpful guest service they've come to expect," said Dawn Block, Target senior vice president, digital.Among other points to note, there are some additional perks to be aware of. When Target customers use their REDcard to pay, for example, that will give them an extra 5% off their purchase. They can also take advantage of weekly ad promos -- like buy three items, get a $5 Target GiftCard.If you want to try out Shipt's delivery service, Target is touting a free four-week trial. You can also pay a $9.99 delivery fee for each order on Target.com, which Target says effectively gives guests the benefits of same-day delivery without having to commit to an annual membership.
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| Joey Arias: ‘The LGBT Community Has Propelled Itself Like a Meteorite in a World of Narrow-Mindedness’ Posted: 13 Jun 2019 02:14 AM PDT  Photo Illustration by Sarah Rogers/The Daily Beast/Photos GettyIn this special series, LGBT celebrities and public figures talk to Tim Teeman about the Stonewall Riots and their legacy—see more here.Joey Arias is a performance artist, cabaret singer, drag artist, author, and comedian.How and when did you hear about the Stonewall Riots, and what did you make of them?Well, I was quite young when I heard of the Stonewall Riots. The '60s were a time of people standing up for justice. I'm from North Carolina originally. So of course I was still learning about my feelings. I would read all the magazines and thought how amazing it was that the gay revolution had also begun: standing up to police and demanding the rights of the gay way, and actually coming out of the closet. I never really knew what it meant to be in the closet 'cause I grew up just being me and I was as gay as could be!Peter Staley: 'I Wish I Could Have Witnessed Stonewall. I Would Have Torched a Police Car, for Sure'What significance do the Stonewall Riots have for you now?That everyone is created equal and everyone should treat each other with dignity. We only have a short time in life to respect the life force. Of course, throughout history certain people want to squash a lifestyle that is not in a box. When everyone finally wakes up, they will realize there's more than being told what you can and can't do. The conscience shines a light to make—or let—you push ahead. So the Stonewall Riots was an amazing push for gay rights. And that means everyone under that umbrella: Drag, Butch, Lesbian, F/M, Trans, Sissy, etc. How far have LGBT people come since 1969?The LGBT community has propelled itself like a meteorite in a world of narrow-mindedness. It's as though alien technology had some hand in it. From being gay as a taboo, it's all now really part of the norm. I have to say I think it was the drag community that had a major hand in it! For me, Suzanne Bartsch played a huge role. At her Copa parties, she showcased the artistry and magic of drag. Time will tell where it all evolves from here. Most importantly, we should be proud.What would you like to see, LGBT-wise, in the next 50 years?Plain and simple: We should leave Planet Earth and start to colonize Mars, and there heterosexuals would be the minority. They would be called 'homosensuals.' Haha. Everyone should come out of the closet, especially Hollywood actors. The stars belong to us: the LGBT community.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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| Kamala Harris Runs for Queen Posted: 13 Jun 2019 01:35 PM PDT  I'm going to let you in on a secret about the 2020 presidential contest: Unless unforeseen circumstances lead to a true wave election, the legislative stakes will be extremely low. The odds are heavily stacked against Democrats' retaking the Senate, and that means that even if a Democrat wins the White House, there will be no Medicare for All, no free college, and no "democratic socialism." Democratic candidates are racing to the legislative left for the sake of programs they'll never implement and legislation they'll never pass. The promises they use to fire up the progressive base (and inflame red America) are promises they simply cannot keep.Kamala Harris is smart enough to understand this fact, so she's switched tactics. Why run for president when you can run for queen? That's the upshot of the comprehensive immigration plan she released yesterday. Through executive action alone, it promises to create a roadmap to citizenship for millions of "Dreamers," illegal immigrants brought to the United States as children.Now, I happen to support a path to legal residence (and perhaps citizenship) for otherwise law-abiding Dreamers, but only in the context of a legislative deal that dramatically enhances our ability to control our border, including through asylum reform. (Otherwise, amnesty would be an illegal-immigration magnet that only intensifies the immense humanitarian challenge on the border.) But I also respect the constitutional order. I also know that no president — no matter how frustrated — has the ability to amend American law on his or her own. And that's what Kamala Harris intends to do.In addition to expanding President Obama's DACA program — in part by "eliminating the requirement that Dreamers apply before they turn 31 years-old" and extending the definition of a Dreamer to cover all those brought to the country at age 17 or younger, rather than age 15 or younger — Harris would attempt to render Dreamers eligible for green cards. To do that, however, she would have to wave the executive magic wand, unilaterally "paroling" them and declaring that their unlawful immigration status exists through "no fault of their own." Harris's plan explains:> Currently, the INA is interpreted as barring many Dreamers from adjusting their immigration status because they've failed "to maintain continuously a lawful status since entry." However, the INA includes an exception for immigrants whose inability to maintain status was, according to the statute, due to "no fault of [their] own." Harris will issue a rulemaking [sic] clarifying the term "no fault of [their] own" includes being brought to the U.S. as a child.Moreover, Harris would implement her own version of President Obama's Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) program, declaring that "parents of U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents will be eligible to apply for deferred action if they pass a background check and have lived in the U.S. since a specified date."The scope of the plan is immense. By Harris's own calculations, it will "protect over 6 million [illegal] immigrants from deportation."But how is it legal? How can this plan survive when a divided Supreme Court affirmed a Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals opinion blocking DAPA? Unlike Obama, who created the DAPA program simply by writing a memorandum, Harris pledges that she'll implement at least part of her plan through the Administrative Procedure Act. In fact, that's precisely why progressive legal experts Vox interviewed believe her plan will prevail where Obama's failed.But the APA does not act as a kind of baptismal water, cleansing dramatic, unilateral changes in the law of the stain of illegality. Rulemaking is not intended as a mechanism for amending statutes, and presently, the Supreme Court is perhaps as skeptical of administrative authority as it's been in recent history.So, we can predict what will happen if Harris wins the White House and attempts to carry out her plan. The instant she promulgates her rules, a coalition of state attorneys general will file suit in a favorable jurisdiction. A district judge will enjoin the rules, the appeals process will take months (if not years), and then the case will ultimately land in front of a Supreme Court that is unquestionably more originalist than the equally divided court that rejected DAPA in 2016.Harris's promises are worse than promises for unattainable legislation. She's promising to implement unattainable policy through unlawful means. She's perpetuating one of the most malignant practices in modern politics: the habit of declaring that the president acts as a backstop for alleged congressional failure, a sovereign who steps up to trump a squabbling parliament.Make no mistake, Harris isn't just following Obama's lead; she's also mimicking Donald Trump. Presidential overreach is a thoroughly bipartisan problem, and now we're seeing the logical next step — abuse of power as a campaign promise. Thankfully, it's a promise she likely can't keep.
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| The New Bentley Flying Spur Imagined Four Different Ways by Our Staff Posted: 14 Jun 2019 01:00 PM PDT |
| US blames Iran for oil tanker attack in Gulf of Oman amid rising tensions Posted: 13 Jun 2019 11:56 AM PDT  US points finger of blame at Iran Oil prices surge after suspected tanker attack Two tankers reportedly damaged by explosions Iran: 'Suspicious doesn't begin to describe this morning' Almost 50 sailors rescued from tankers Analysis: How the Strait of Hormuz became the world's most important choke point The US accused Iran of being behind attacks in the Persian Gulf on Thursday and said it would raise the issue at the United Nations after two oil tankers were seriously damaged in an attack. The explosions, which left one of the oil tankers burning outside the strategic Strait of Hormuz waterway, marked the most serious incident since the White House warned in early May that Iran was plotting attacks in the region. Mike Pompeo, the US Secretary of State, said: "Taken as a whole these unprovoked attacks present a clear threat to international peace and security, a blatant assault on the freedom of navigation and an unacceptable campaign of escalating tension by Iran". During a press conference Mr Pompeo said the US assessment of Iran's responsibility was based on intelligence sources, the weapons used and the level of expertise needed to execute the operation, saying "no proxy group operating in the area has the resources and proficiency to act with such a high degree of sophistication". All 44 crew members of the two oil tankers were safely evacuated. The 23 sailors aboard the Norwegian-owned Front Altair were taken to Iran while 21 more on the Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous were rescued by a US warship. There did not appear to be any spillage of oil or chemicals. Thursday's attack came one month after Iranian forces allegedly used naval mines to blow holes in two oil tankers and two smaller ships off the Emirati port of Fujairah. The US publicly said Iran was behind the attack, and pointed to similarities with yesterday's attack, while Tehran denied responsibility. Javad Zarif, the Iranian foreign minister, said "suspicious doesn't begin to describe" the incident in Gulf of Oman. He previously suggested without evidence that Israel was staging the attacks to undermine Iran. Responding to Mr Zarif's comments, Mr Pompeo said: " Foreign Minister Zarif may think this is funny but no one else in the world does." The explosions at sea came hours before Shinzo Abe, Japan's prime minister, met with Ayatollah Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran, on a diplomatic mission intended to try to ease tensions between Iran and the US. But the Japanese leader's efforts appeared to bear little fruit. Ayatollah Khamenei refused to hear any messages from Donald Trump delivered by Mr Abe, the Iranian government said. The ayatollah also said Iran was not seeking nuclear weapons but "America could not do anything" to stop Tehran if it did decide to pursue a nuclear course. Pictures on board an oil tanker (left, top right) shows it billowing black smoke, which can be seen from afar (bottom right) Credit: Fars News Agency/AP Both tankers were carrying "Japanese-related" cargo, according to Japan's government. It was not clear if that was a coincidence or if the targeting of the ships was done deliberately to coincide with Mr Abe's visit to Tehran. While Iran's civilian government denies responsibility for any of the attacks, it is possible that the Revolutionary Guard, who answer directly to the supreme leader, are carrying out operations without the government's knowledge or consent. Iran tries to keep tensions between the two sides concealed but they spilled into the open early this year when Mr Zarif threatened to resign after he was left out of a key meeting while a senior Revolutionary Guard commander was invited. The attacks capped six weeks of building tensions between Iran and the US during which time Mr Trump has ordered an aircraft carrier, a bomber taskforce and 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East. Gulf of Oman, US responds Both the US and Iran say they are not looking for war but Britain and other countries have warned of the danger that the two sides could stumble into an unintended conflict. Antonio Gutteres, the UN secretary general, condemned the attack and warned that the world cannot afford "a major confrontation in the Gulf region". Any fighting near the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway which transports 20 per cent of the world's oil, would likely cause serious damage to global energy supplies. Analysts said that Iran appeared to be lashing out in order to send a message in response to crippling US sanctions imposed by Mr Trump after he withdrew the US from the 2015 nuclear deal. "I think Iran is showing that it has teeth," said Charles Hollis, a former British diplomat in Tehran who is now managing director of the Falanx Assynt consultancy. "It's a way of showing that if they are backed into a corner they are not without means of causing grief." Details of the attack remained sketchy but the crew of the Front Altair reported reported hearing three explosions. Aerial footage from Iranian state television showed a fire raging on the starboard side of the ship while the rear also appeared damaged and blackened. Shinzo Abe met the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei during his official visit in Tehran, and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani Credit: IRANIAN SUPREME LEADER PRESS OFFICE - HANDOUT/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images The ship was "suspected of being hit by a torpedo", according to Taiwan's state-owned petrol company. The second tanker, Kokuka Courageous, was damaged in a "suspected attack" that breached the hull above the water line while on passage from Saudi Arabia to Singapore, according to Bernhard Schulte Ship management. Oil prices rose more than 4 per cent in response to Thursday's explosions, the strongest surge in five months. Prices later came down to around 2 per cent above their opening level and overall prices remain lower than they were a month ago. "This is a fairly small increase given the uncertainty and the potential knock-on effects of attacks such as these," said Cailin Birch, global economist at The Economist Intelligence Unit. She said markets had to some extent already factored in instability in the Gulf after the hostilities of recent weeks. Iran has warned that it will begin enriching high-grade uranium, the kind that could be used for a nuclear weapon, in July unless Europe finds a way to get around US sanctions and prop up the Iranian oil and banking sectors. Markets Hub I Brent Spot Such a move would be a violation of the 2015 nuclear agreement and the EU has warned Iran not to take this step. Britain, France, and Germany have defied the US by building a financial vehicle designed to circumvent American sanctions and allow trade with Iran. But so far there is little sign that businesses are prepared to risk getting caught in US sanctions by using vehicle, known as Instex. Heiko Mass, Germany's foreign minister, visited Tehran earlier this week to urge the Iranians not to violate the nuclear agreement. He said it was in Iran's "political and strategic interest to maintain this agreement and the dialogue with Europe". Iran accused the European states of failing to live up to their commitments. Want the best of The Telegraph direct to your email and WhatsApp? Sign up to our free twice-daily Front Page newsletter and new audio briefings. 7:55PM Trump: It is too soon to even think about a deal While Mike Pompeo was speaking, Donald Trump tweeted to say it's "too soon" to consider making a deal with Iran. He wrote: "While I very much appreciate P.M. Abe going to Iran to meet with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, I personally feel that it is too soon to even think about making a deal. They are not ready, and neither are we!" While I very much appreciate P.M. Abe going to Iran to meet with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, I personally feel that it is too soon to even think about making a deal. They are not ready, and neither are we!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 13, 2019 7:26PM US blames Iran for oil tanker attacks Mike Pompeo, the US Secretary of State, said that America believes Iran is responsible for the attacks on tankers in the Gulf of Oman. Mr Pompeo said the assessment was based on intelligence, the type of weapons used and the level of sophistication of the assaults. 5:16PM Analysis: Anti-Iran hawks will not necessarily see the attacks as a bad thing Roland Oliphant, Senior Foreign Correspondent writes: Iran hawks will almost certainly blame today's attacks on oil tankers on Iran. But that doesn't mean they will see the attacks as a bad thing. On the contrary, they are likely to argue that it shows their hard line on Iran is working. Donald Trump's White House has pursued a campaign of "maximum" economic pressure on Iran since pulling out of the 2015 nuclear deal - also called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) one year ago. The idea - championed by US National Security Advisor John Bolton and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu - is to make economic life so difficult that the regime in Tehran is forced to return to accept even more restrictive conditions. And the policy has indeed had a serious impact inside the country. So when Iran announced it would suspend some of its commitments under the deal in protest last month, it was read in those circles as a signal that Hassan Rouhani's government is feeling the pressure. And the May 12 attacks on four tankers days later were read as Iran's way of signalling its deep unhappiness with the status quo, without hitting the threshold of all out war. Today's attacks also appear to fit that pattern: the explosions may have been more spectacular than the May incident, but they also avoided actually sinking the ships or killing anyone. So expect the hawks to argue that Iran is hitting out because it is desperate, and that now is not the time to blink. Not everyone will be reassured by such an analysis. After all, no evidence that Iran was involved in either attack has been presented in public. And even countries that share US concerns about Iran's actions in the region, including the United Kingdom, disagree profoundly with Mr Trump about the best way to change Tehran's behaviour. 4:49PM How the Strait of Hormuz became a tinder box choke point in the proxy conflicts of the Middle East Adrian Blomfield writes: "There is arguably no more strategic, nor more vulnerable, waterway in the world. Even the United States calls the Strait of Hormuz 'the world's most important chokepoint.'" Click here for detailed analysis. 3:29PM The 'strange' Iranian claims Iranian state media reported earlier that 44 sailors from the two oil tankers had been rescued and taken to Hormozgan in southern Iran, The Telegraph's Middle East Correspondent reports. That seemed a little strange given that the crew of one of the tankers was evacuated onto a cargo ship linked to the UAE. Why would a UAE ship drop the sailors in Iran? The US Navy is now contradicting the Iranian report and says that 21 of the rescued sailors are onboard the USS Bainbridge, an American missile destroyer that was in the area at the time. US officers are likely speaking to the rescued crew and trying to understand what happened to the oil tanker. 3:02PM Highly likely Iran caused attacks' Just like a month ago, the US has pointed the finger at Tehran with regards to the suspected attack in the Gulf of Oman. A US defence official told CBS News' senior national security correspondent David Martin it was "highly likely Iran caused these attacks". Iran claimed to have rescued the crews of both vessels on Thursday, but the Pentagon official dismissed this version of events as "patently false." The USS Bainbridge picked up 21 crew members, the official said. 2:38PM Timeline of recent US-Iran events May 5: John Bolton, the White House national security adviser and a longtime Iran hawk, announces the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group and a bomber task force in response to "a number of troubling and escalatory indications and warnings," without providing details. He threatens "unrelenting force" in response to any attack. May 8: Iran vows to enrich its uranium stockpile closer to weapons-grade levels starting July 7 if world powers fail to negotiate new terms for its nuclear deal. The US responds by imposing sanctions on Iran's metals industry. May 9: The European Union urges Iran to respect the nuclear deal and says it plans to continue trading with the country despite US sanctions. Trump says he would like Iran's leaders to "call me." May 10: The US says it will move a Patriot missile battery into the Middle East to counter threats from Iran. May 12: The United Arab Emirates says four commercial ships off its eastern coast "were subjected to sabotage operations," just hours after Iranian and Lebanese media outlets air false reports of explosions at a nearby Emirati port. May 13: European foreign ministers urge the United States and Iran to show restraint, while Secretary of State Mike Pompeo briefs his counterparts on the alleged threats from Iran. Trump warns that if Tehran does "anything" in the form of an attack "they will suffer greatly." May 14: Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi rebels launch a drone attack on Saudi Arabia, striking a major oil pipeline and taking it out of service. The New York Times reports the White House is reviewing military plans that could result in sending 120,000 US troops to the Middle East if Iran attacks American forces or steps up work on nuclear weapons. Trump says it's "fake news," but that he would "absolutely" be willing to send troops if necessary. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says "no one is seeking war," but that it wouldn't be difficult for Iran to enrich uranium to weapons-grade levels. A senior military officer in the US-backed coalition fighting the Islamic State group says "there's been no increased threat from Iranian-backed forces in Iraq and Syria." In a rare public rebuttal, US Central Command says his remarks "run counter to the identified credible threats." May 15: The US Embassy in Baghdad orders all nonessential government staff to leave Iraq immediately. The Netherlands and Germany say they are suspending their training of Iraqi forces. May 16: Saudi Arabia blames Iran for the drone attack on its pipeline and an English-language newspaper close to the palace calls for the US to launch "surgical" strikes in retaliation. President Donald Trump says he hopes the US is not on a path to war with Iran amid fears that his two most hawkish advisers could be angling for a conflict with the Islamic Republic. Asked if the US was going to war with Iran, the president replied, "I hope not" - a day after he repeated a desire for dialogue, tweeting, "I'm sure that Iran will want to talk soon." May 19: A rocket lands near the US Embassy in Baghdad, without harming anyone. It's not clear who is behind the attack, but after the initial reports, Trump tweets: "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!" Iran's foreign minister responded by tweeting that Trump had been "goaded" into "genocidal taunts." May 20: Semi-official media in Iran report that it has quadrupled its production of low-enriched uranium, which is used for civilian applications but not nuclear weapons. Iran is allowed to enrich uranium to the low level of 3.67%, but increased production could lead it to exceed the stockpile limits in the nuclear deal. May 24: President Donald Trump says the US will bolster its military presence in the Middle East with an additional 1,500 troops. He says the troops will have a "mostly protective" role. - Senior Pentagon officer Vice Admiral Michael Gilday says the U.S. has a high degree of confidence that Iran's Revolutionary Guard was responsible for the explosions of the four tankers in the Gulf of Oman, and that Iranian proxies in Iraq fired rockets into Baghdad. May 31 and June 1: Saudi Arabia's King Salman hosts three high-level summits in Mecca, drawing heads of state from across the Middle East and Muslim countries to present a unified Muslim and Arab position on Iran. The monarch calls on the international community to use all means to confront Iran and accuses the Shiite power of being behind "terrorist operations" that targeted Saudi oil interests. June 12: Saudi Arabia says 26 people were wounded in an attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels targeting an airport in kingdom's southwestern town of Abha. The Houthis claim they'd launched a cruise missile at the airport. June 13: Two oil tankers near the strategic Strait of Hormuz were reportedly attacked in an assault that left one ablaze and adrift as 44 sailors were evacuated from both vessels and the US Navy rushed to assist. 1:32PM Oil supply to entire Western world 'could be at risk' The chairman of the Intertanko Tanker Association has issued a stark warning in the aftermath of the suspected attacks. Paolo d'Amico said: "We need to remember that some 30% of the world's (seaborne) crude oil passes through the Straits. "If the waters are becoming unsafe, the supply to the entire Western world could be at risk." Meanwhile oil tanker owners DHT Holdings and Heidmar have reportedly suspended bookings to the Arab Gulf, according to Marc Ostwold, Chief Economist/Strategist at ADM Investor Services International Ltd, quoting ship brokers. 1:20PM Dramatic video footage of burning tanker The Telegraph's Middle East Correspondent Raf Sanchez has obtained this dramatic footage showing a tanker on fire. Watch it here: Footage from Iranian state TV shows massive damage to the starboard side of one of the oil tankers pic.twitter.com/rLdwAealQt— Raf Sanchez (@rafsanchez) June 13, 2019 12:51PM White House 'aware' and 'addressing situation' Donald Trump has been on Twitter this morning, but has not mentioned the incident in the Gulf. Instead, he went on an earl-morning rant bashing the Democrats. But Sarah Huckabee Sanders has talked to Al Arabyia, and said: "We are aware of the reports of an attack on ships in the Gulf of Oman and we are assessing the situation. 12:32PM First pictures from on board burning tanker emerge The fire rages on board one of the tankers Credit: Fars News Agency Black smoke billows skywards Credit: Fars News Agency 12:09PM More tanker pictures emerge The Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA) has released aerial shots of what it claims to be the "attacked" tanker in the Gulf of Oman. ��تصاویری از آتش سوزی یک نفتکش خارجی در دریای عمان دو نفتکش ژاپنی و نروژی صبح امروز در آبهای خلیج عمان دچار حادثه شده و در پی آن انفجارها و آتش سوزیهایی در این دو نفتکش رخ داد. بعد از این حادثه کادر این دو نفتکش تخلیه شدند.https://t.co/F5n3TZLWDepic.twitter.com/vYiFucGapk— خبرگزاری ایسنا (@isna_farsi) June 13, 2019 This picture, obtained by AFP from Iranian State TV IRIB, reportedly shows smoke billowing from a tanker said to have been attacked off the coast of Oman, at an undisclosed location. This picture, obtained by AFP from Iranian State TV IRIB, reportedly shows smoke billowing from a tanker Credit: IRIB/AFP 11:56AM The suspected attacks, in graphics The Telegraph's graphics team have pulled together this map explaining the latest development. Gulf of Oman, US responds And here is a slightly different take on it: 11:40AM No 10: 'UK urgently seeking to establish facts' The UK is urgently seeking to establish the facts, the prime minister's spokesman told Sky News. 11:31AM The meaning behind that tweet from Iranian Foreign Minister Our Middle East Correspondent Raf Sanchez has dissected that incredible tweet by Iran's Foreign Minister. Javad Zarif, Iran's foreign minister, has just tweeted saying that "suspicious doesn't begin to describe what likely transpired this morning" in the Gulf of Oman. Reported attacks on Japan-related tankers occurred while PM @AbeShinzo was meeting with Ayatollah @khamenei_ir for extensive and friendly talks. Suspicious doesn't begin to describe what likely transpired this morning. Iran's proposed Regional Dialogue Forum is imperative.— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) June 13, 2019 He notes that the attack happened on the same day that Abe Shinzo, the Japanese prime minister, was meeting with Iran's supreme leader "for extensive and friendly talks". Mr Zarif doesn't say it explicitly but his implication is clear: he is suggesting that someone staged the attack to put blame on Iran and scupper the Japanese diplomatic visit. Last month, Mr Zarif pointed the finger at Mossad, the Israeli intelligence agency, and accused them of "fabricating intelligence about Iran's involvement" in the May 12 attack at Fujairah. The B_Team's boy who cries wolf is crying once again: this time Mossad is fabricating intelligence about Iran's involvement in sabotage in Fujairah. I've warned of "accidents" and false flags—we know what happens when you believe their lies. We've been here before, haven't we?— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) June 5, 2019 The reality is that Mr Zarif is part of the civilian government of Iran, which has no control over the Revolutionary Guard, who report directly to the supreme leader. It is quite possible that the Revolutionary Guard could carry out attacks and Mr Zarif would not know about it. Or that he would know but be powerless to stop them. Iran works hard to try to hide internal tensions between the civilian government and the Revolutionary Guard. But those tensions spilled into the open in March when Mr Zarif was left out of a meeting with Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian leader. His seat in the meeting was taken by Qasem Soleimani, a senior Revolutionary Guard commander. An incensed Mr Zarif tried to resign but his resignation was not accepted by the Iranian president and he eventually returned to his post. 11:08AM Iran: 'Suspicious doesn't begin to describe what likely transpired this morning' Iran's Foreign Minister has described the suspected attack on Thursday morning as "suspicious". In a tweet, published in English, he said: Reported attacks on Japan-related tankers occurred while PM @AbeShinzo was meeting with Ayatollah @khamenei_ir for extensive and friendly talks. Suspicious doesn't begin to describe what likely transpired this morning. Iran's proposed Regional Dialogue Forum is imperative.— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) June 13, 2019 11:01AM Tanker firm denies vessel has sunk Frontline's Front Altair oil tanker is still on fire in the Gulf of Oman and has not sunk, a spokesman for the company said on Thursday, citing information from a nearby vessel. Earlier, both Israeli and Iranian state media had reported the tanker was sinking. Separately, the ship's technical operator, International Tanker Management, said the cause of the explosion was still unknown. 10:50AM Another photograph emerges of tanker fire Al Hadath - an Arabic weekly newspaper based in Amman, Jordan - has released a photograph showing one of the tankers on fire. A fire on one of the two carriers in the Gulf of Oman Credit: Al Hadath 10:47AM Map of tankers in the Gulf of Oman These are the last known locations of the two tankers - the Norwegian-owned Front Altair and the Kokuka Courageous. Map of tankers Credit: Reuters 10:39AM Britain 'deeply concerned' by reports of suspected attack Britain said on Thursday it was deeply concerned by reports of explosions and fires on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Shipping firms and industry sources said two oil tankers were hit in suspected attacks in the Gulf of Oman and the crews have been evacuated, a month after a similar incident in which four tankers in the region were struck. "We are deeply concerned by reports of explosions and fires on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. We are in contact with local authorities and partners in the region," a British government spokeswoman said. 10:28AM Tehran will 'in no way repeat' negotiations with US Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says that Tehran "will in no way repeat" negotiations with the US amid tension over its unraveling nuclear deal with world powers. Khamenei made the comment on Thursday during a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who traveled to Tehran as an interlocutor for President Donald Trump to ease tensions between Washington and Tehran. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei meets with Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tehran Credit: Reuters But the comments by Khamenei could indicate that Abe's visit may not have succeeded. Khamenei's official website quoted him as telling Abe: "I don't regard Trump as deserving any exchange of messages and have no response for him and will give no response." Khameneni also said that while Tehran doesn't want an atomic bomb, "America could not do anything" to stop Iran if it did. 10:26AM Tankers were carrying 'Japan-related' cargo Japan's Trade Ministry says the two oil tankers reportedly attacked near the Strait of Hormuz carried "Japan-related" cargo. Thursday's comment came as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was wrapping up a two-day trip to Iran with a mission to ease tensions between Tehran and Washington. No one has claimed responsibility or explained how the tankers were attacked. However, the US previously blamed Iran for an attack last month on four oil tankers close to the nearby Emirati port of Fujairah. 10:13AM Tanker pictured on fire in Gulf This picture from the Iranian Student News Agency (ISNA) shows one of the tankers hit by the suspected attack on fire in the Gulf of Oman. مدیرکل بنادر و دریانوردی هرمزگان: *۴۴ دریانورد خارجی حادثه آتش سوزی دو نفتکش در دریای عمان با هماهنگی MRCC بندر شهید رجایی نجات یافتند *این دریانوردان تحویل شناور ناجی اعزامی از بندر جاسک شد که به این بندر انتقال یافتندhttps://t.co/t8lzhqX6YZpic.twitter.com/oLvCFqvFbD— خبرگزاری ایسنا (@isna_farsi) June 13, 2019 10:01AM The background of US-Iran bad blood The US has been building up forces in the Middle East since early May, when the White House said it had evidence that Iran was preparing attacks against American troops in the region, writes Raf Sanchez. US intelligence agencies were alarmed by photographs or Iranian forces loading armed missiles onto small boats in the Persian Gulf. US intelligence also reportedly picked up evidence that Iran had activated Shia militias in Iraq to carry out attacks against American forces and diplomatic facilities. Since then the US has sent an aircraft carrier, 1,500 additional troops, a bomber task force and several batteries of missile interceptors to the region. Donald Trump has repeatedly said he is not looking to provoke a war with Iran but the UK and other allies fear that the two sides could stumble into an unintended conflict. Meanwhile, Shinzo Abe, the prime minister of Japan, is visiting Iran. The trip is officially commemorating 90 years of diplomatic relations between Iran and Japan but Mr Abe has also said he is eager to try to calm tensions between the two sides. 9:58AM US Navy response A US Navy spokesman said: "We are aware of the reported attack on shipping vessels in the Gulf of Oman. "US Naval Forces in the region received two separate distress calls at 6.12am local (Bahrain) time and a second one at 7am US Navy ships are in the area and are rendering assistance." 9:56AM Almost 50 crew taken to Iranian port Forty-four crew members from two tankers involved in an incident near the Strait of Hormuz have been taken to an Iranian port, according to Iran state TV. 9:55AM First picture of tanker emerges A Saudi news outlet has claimed to have obtained the first photograph of one of the tankers hit by a suspected attack in the Gulf of Oman. Saudi @AlHadath claims this is a pictures of one of the oil tankers on fire pic.twitter.com/oxQAEsaL8v— Amichai Stein (@AmichaiStein1) June 13, 2019 Watch the Saudi news report here: الصور الأولى لناقلة النفط التي تم استهدافها في خليج عُمان pic.twitter.com/Y78HsE5myb— الحدث (@AlHadath) June 13, 2019 9:51AM One of the oil tankers 'sinks' One of the two oil tankers hit by explosions in a suspected attack has sunk, according to reports. Kann - the public broadcaster in Israel - said that the vessel had gone underwater, but that the crew had been saved. BREAKING: One of the two tankers attacked today has sunk. All crew members are safe.— Amichai Stein (@AmichaiStein1) June 13, 2019 9:44AM Surge in oil prices after 'suspected attack' Oil prices have bounced back from a five-month low after a suspected attack on two oil tankers in the Sea of Oman as geopolitical tensions simmer in the region, writes Tom Rees from our Business Desk. Price suddenly surged after the US Navy revealed that two tankers were damaged near the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway that transports a fifth of the world's oil. Markets Hub I Brent Spot Iran has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz after its oil exports were hit by American sanctions and the latest incident in the region comes shortly after two Saudi tankers were sabotaged in an attack the US has blamed on Tehran. Prices slumped yesterday after another unexpected rise in US crude stockpiles compounded fears of stuttering demand. The rise in tensions helped oil stage a recovery as prices surged as much as 4.5pc to above $62 per barrel in its biggest intraday jump in five months.
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| Here's what to know about about Chase's Marriott Bonvoy Bold credit card Posted: 13 Jun 2019 09:42 AM PDT  AOL Finance broke down the key points you should know as youconsider opening one of your own
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| Travel influencers detail 'dangerous' Dominican Republic experience, respond to backlash Posted: 14 Jun 2019 11:13 AM PDT  Great Escape bloggers Cora and Jay Smith say they are speaking out again about her 2018 sexual assault in the Dominican Republic to warn others.
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| FOREX-Dollar steady before Fed meeting, G20 summit Posted: 13 Jun 2019 07:00 AM PDT ![FOREX-Dollar steady before Fed meeting, G20 summit]( "FOREX-Dollar steady before Fed meeting, G20 summit") Tepid inflation and weakening economic data in the midst of a U.S.-China trade war has fed expectations that the Federal Reserve is close to cutting interest rates. "I think in order to see the dollar weaken further you need to see some follow through from the Fed on rate easing," said Mazen Issa, senior fx strategist at TD Securities in New York. The Fed is not widely expected to cut rates when it meets on June 18-19, though investors will watch for new signals that a cut may come in July.
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| Police face mounting brutality claims after Hong Kong clashes Posted: 13 Jun 2019 08:34 AM PDT  Tens of thousands of demonstrators occupying city streets scattered when police used tear gas, pepper spray, rubber bullets and bean bag rounds on Wednesday. Police insisted the force was necessary to fend off protesters throwing bricks and metal bars. Criticism of police tactics poured in Thursday as videos of the clashes went viral.
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| 6 paid iPhone apps on sale for free on June 13th Posted: 13 Jun 2019 11:02 AM PDT  Looking to fill your iPhone or iPad with premium apps without having to pay all that money? Well you've come to the right place. We dug through tons of paid apps that went on sale on Thursday to find the six best freebies of the bunch. You'll find them all laid out below, plus there are a few more in yesterday's roundup that are still free downloads today.This post covers paid iPhone and iPad apps that have been made available for free for a limited time by their developers. BGR is not affiliated with any app developers. There is no way to tell how long they will be free. These sales could end an hour from now or a week from now -- obviously, the only thing we can guarantee is that they were free at the time this post was written. If you click on a link and see a price listed next to an app instead of the word "get," it is no longer free. The sale has ended. If you download the app anyway, you will be charged by Apple. Some apps may have additional in-app purchases. Subscribe to our RSS feed to be notified as soon as these posts are published and you'll avoid missing the sales we cover. War of EclipseNormally $0.99.> People say > \- Another great game from Game Stew - by DarkDjango > \- An excellent follow-up to the quirky Tower of Fortune - by Retr0spective > \- Fantastically retro - by Stumpyjay > \- Great minimalist pixel art. Sharp looking game - by ForestRayColson > \- Gonna buy tower of fortune just because its from the same guys!!!! - by Droskie > \- Hard as heck but wonderful! - by Admiral Snackbar > \- Just as fun as Tower of Fortune! And just as addicting! - by Juliet M > \- Original and fun - by 4ppleseed > \- The gameplay is much deeper than what you see on the surface. Can't stop playing!! - by MilkcanRocks > \- Very charming and elegant - by Ponder_Rosa> > Review > \- War of Eclipse is great - by 148Apps, 4/5 > \- ... a near perfect balance between casual distraction and hardcore game - by AppsHappens> > Appstore Customer Ratings > Average rating for all versions: 4.5/5> > \----------------------------------------------------------- > War of Eclipse is a retro style game that combines timing action, role playing, and adventure elements. You play as a captain who crashed in a battle but is saved by human survivors. As the fight against the aliens wages on you will unveil the truth about the war for the human world.> > Features > \- One button gameplay that is easy to learn and play > \- Retro style pixel graphics with detailed 8 bit art > \- Challenge high scores in survival mode and see your ranking in the world > \- Detailed tutorial and tips that are available at any time > \- 7 air battleships to build and customize, including one ultimate battleship > \- 7 endings to discover, see the story and experience the possibilities from different angle > \- 35 enemy types to fight; they will shoot, charge, and ambush you, and also bomb your base > \- Collect lost data that unveils the history behind the aliens and human world > \- Random equipment includes: 20 kinds of parts combine with 50 kinds of abilities and 10 LV upgrade > \- Different challenges during the battle, such as avoiding an ambush, battling in a lightning storm, and destroying the falling boss enemies before atmospheric friction burned you > \- 20 achievements to conquer!Download War of Eclipse Calendarium - About this DayNormally $0.99.> Calendarium is new, easy to use calendar which gives you a new way to discover many interesting things about this day.> > Calendarium combines calendar of historical events with times of sunrise/sunset, number of week, day, day length, moon phase and more.> > -- What our users think --> > " Fascinating!" - Snaarl> > "It is a great way to see the history of the day. I always learn something new." - Nancy Rohe> > "Use this app every day! Fun to learn new info from a wide time range of history." - M1d2i3v4> > "This is a trivia nerd's Nirvana, and a history buff's Beulah! Bravo! to the developers of this app!" - jmhillpresley > ------ > • 1 App in 3 Countries > • 1 Reference App in 40 Countries > • Over half million downloads > ------> > Features: > • On this day in history - Discover historical events and holidays and share it with your friends via mail, Twitter, Facebook or text message > • Sunrise and sunset time > • Planets View - Shows how all planets of solar system are aligned right now > • Week number, day number, weekday and year > • Number of days passed from 1 Jan and days left until 31 Dec > • Moon phase > • Day length > • Geographic coordinates > • No Internet connection required> > \-- Calendarium uses your location only to provide accurate information about sunrise, sunset times and length of the day. We do not store it in any way. Disabling location settings will disable only these features --Download Calendarium - About this Day Anchor Pointer Compass GPSNormally $3.99.> Never get lost again with Anchor Pointer! Save location and find your way back whenever you are. Anchor Pointer is a great location saver app for travelers, hunters, fishermen, outdoor lovers, or anyone who simply needs a tool to find his or her car in a parking lot. Anchor Pointer uses GPS as the navigation system so you don't have to be online to use our app. Download our app now and feel the convenience!> > "Anchor Pointer: The navigation app that Apple should buy" - Financial Review, May 2016.> > There are so many times we need a navigation app beyond the standard Maps or Google Maps. First of all, we will need a reliable navigation app when we're not connected to the internet. Maybe we currently don't have a data plan or we can't find the signal. We might also need an app to save location and find our way when there is no map available, such as in wilderness or in a very large park. This is why you need a navigation app that uses your device's built-in GPS system instead of internet connection. This is also the reason why we built Anchor Pointer. This location saver app will free you from a lot of frustration in finding your way back. It will also guide you when you are in nature where map apps are unavailable/unusable. By using Anchor Pointer, you don't need to rent expensive navigation equipment anymore.> > =============================== > TOP FEATURES OF ANCHOR POINTER: > =============================== > • Mark your location easily. We know that making such app should simplify your life and not let you do complex steps and that's why we developed a very easy to use interface. > • Give you a direction to your saved location easily and fastly within a few seconds. > • Uses built-in GPS function. You should activate your Location before using our app > • Accurate and reliable. > • Work even when offline. You don't have to be connected to a 3G, 4G or Wi-Fi internet connection to use our app because we have a smart offline mode. > • Share your location with friends easily. > • Smooth user experience. > • iCloud Sync - automatically sync saved locations with your other iOS devices.> > There are some reasons why you should use Anchor Pointer now:> > SAVE TIME - you don't have to waste time finding your car in a great parking lot anymore. You can also save a lot of time when you need to meet or locate your friends. Just share your location and they can find you easily.> > SECURITY - As travelers, we often get lost in a foreign country. Now you can save location (such as your hotel's location) and find your way back easily. Furthermore, you can easily meet and locate friends or family in a big park when there's concerts or other crowded events. When you're hiking or doing outdoor sports, you can also find your way back to your camp safely and easily.> > SAVE MONEY - As hunters or outdoor sports enthusiasts, you don't have to rent or buy expensive navigation gadget anymore. Now you can use your iOS device as a navigation tool!> > You can share your saved locations via email, iMessage, Twitter, Viber, Facebook and other popular services. You can also open your saved location on Apple Maps or Google Maps.> > So, what are you waiting for? If safety is your priority and you want to be able to navigate your way whenever you are, download Anchor Pointer NOW!> > \---> > Note: please take note that there is a limitation to the GPS technology that we use. GPS technology isn't able to find your location when you're underground. Therefore, our location saver app doesn't work on underground parking or when you're underground.Download Anchor Pointer Compass GPS Get 'EmNormally $0.99.> *** WILL NOT WORK ON IPHONE 4S OR OLDER. WILL NOT WORK ON IPADS OLDER THAN THE IPAD AIR 1 ***> > Get 'Em is an action packed, first of its kind, open world free-roaming video game! Play as superhero crime fighting dogs, on a mission to track down the city's most ruthless gangster, save their dognapped friend, and make the police K9 unit! This is not your typical game APP. Get 'Em is a full-fledged video game, made for mobile devices!> > After Leila, a helpless Yorkie is dognapped, three best friends come together to find out what happened. You can start the game by picking one of 3 characters. Are you going to be Pump, the resilient Doberman, Bentley, the fierce Chihuahua, or Marley, the kind Beagle? As you accomplish more missions and get closer to tracking down the city's mob boss, you meet and unlock more dogs along the way! Not only can you play as many different dogs, but you can customize each dogs outfit, and enhance their powers!> > You have never played a game like this before! Get 'Em is fully indie-made, and will feature many different styles of gameplay, which will definitely tailor to everyone. Have you ever wanted to be an animal, in a big city? Have you ever wanted the ability to play a 3D cartoon or comic book like a video game? If you like first person games, guitarhero-style games, third person games, infinite runner games, top-down games, and open world games, Get 'Em is for you! If you love challenging games, dogs, action, adventure, and crime fighting, Get 'Em is for you!Download Get 'Em Pros n ConsNormally $0.99.> Pros n Cons - simple yet powerful decision helper.> > List all factors and set their importance. > List all options and assess them for each factor. > Options will be sorted from the best to the worst based on the assessments multiplied by importance of corresponding factors.> > Make the best decision!Download Pros n Cons NoLocation - Remove exif data from photosNormally $1.99.> "If you want to protect the privacy of your photos then NoLocation is a simple app that can help you with this. It's easy to use and the whole process only takes a couple of seconds." - appPicker> > "If you don't want to share your location, this is the app for you. It's remarkably easy to use." - AppAdvice> > Location data is stored in every photo you take with your iPhone. When your photos are shared on the internet, anyone that sees them can see exactly where they were taken. NoLocation is here to fix that problem. With just a few taps, you can remove that data. After the data is removed, it will automatically open the share menu so you can send it to the to the internet or your favorite social network.Download NoLocation - Remove exif data from photos Tweety Pro Widgets for TwitterNormally $0.99.> View your Twitter timeline, mentions, messages and even lists on the lock screen or inside any app to quickly get updated about the world around you with Tweety.> > Tweety adds a Twitter widget to your Notification Center so you no longer need to quit the app you're using or even unlock your device to check your Twitter feed. You can even favorite, re-tweet or open the tweet in the default Twitter app/Tweetbot/Twitterrific right from the widget!> > With Tweety you can see recent news, facts, quotes, mentions and everything on Twitter without even the need to unlock your device or quit the game/app you're using.Download Tweety Pro Widgets for Twitter
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| Hickenlooper denounces Sanders' democratic socialism vision Posted: 13 Jun 2019 02:43 PM PDT  Democratic presidential candidate John Hickenlooper on Thursday attacked rival Bernie Sanders' vision of an America remade under democratic socialism and chastised others in the 2020 race for not repudiating that political philosophy. The former Colorado governor said Sanders was "wrong" to call for policies such as "Medicare for All" that would dramatically increase public spending and government involvement in Americans' daily lives. "The Democratic field has not only failed to oppose Sen. Sanders' agenda, but they have actually pushed to embrace it," Hickenlooper said at the National Press Club.
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| Warren probes U.S.-backed loan to Kushner family firm Posted: 13 Jun 2019 08:25 AM PDT  The loan "raises serious questions about conflicts of interest" Sen. Elizabeth Warren said.
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| Donald Trump says he would 'want to hear' foreign dirt on 2020 election rivals Posted: 12 Jun 2019 10:10 PM PDT  Donald Trump was accused of inviting further interference in US elections on Friday after he suggested he would be open to accepting "dirt" on political opponents from foreign powers. The US president said he would gladly take incriminating information about an opponent from adversaries such as Russia, flying in the face of his own FBI director's recommendations. Leading Democrats were quick to seize on the comments, suggesting Mr Trump had not learned any lessons from 2016 and was inviting Russian help in the 2020 presidential election. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Mr Trump's suggestions were "disgraceful" and "shocking" as he took took to the Senate floor on Thursday. "It's as if the president had learned absolutely nothing in the past two years", he said, referring to the federal investigation into potential Russian interference in the 2016 election. The role of Mr Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, in organising a 2016 meeting with a Russian lawyer offering negative information on Hillary Clinton was a focus of the inquiry. President Trump is once again welcoming foreign interference in our elections. This isn't about politics. It is a threat to our national security. An American President should not seek their aid and abet those who seek to undermine democracy.— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) June 13, 2019 Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic leader of the House of Representatives, said: "The president gave us evidence once again he does not know right from wrong". Both Mrs Pelosi and Mr Schumer called for new legislation making it a legal requirement for candidates to report any efforts by foreign governments to influence American elections. Under US law it is already a crime for a candidate to accept money or anything of value from foreign governments for the purpose of winning an election, however there is some dispute among legal scholars whether incriminating information constitutes a thing of value. We have a president who thinks he is above the law. The House should immediately begin impeachment inquiries. https://t.co/1jetFwFRwd— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) June 13, 2019 Mrs Pelosi added that "everybody in the country should be totally appalled" by Mr Trump's comments, made during an ABC News interview broadcast on Wednesday night. Asked what he would do if Russia, China or other foreign governments offered his 2020 re-election campaign information on an opponent, he said: "There's nothing wrong with listening... I think I'd want to hear it," describing it as opposition research. Mr Trump also scoffed at the idea of calling the FBI, saying "life doesn't work that way," adding "the FBI director is wrong." EXCLUSIVE: Pres. Trump tells @GStephanopoulos he wouldn't necessarily alert the FBI if approached by foreign figures with information on his 2020 opponent: "It's not an interference. They have information. I think I'd take it." https://t.co/yWRxMOsgiupic.twitter.com/8Y4enHiqrd— ABC News (@ABC) June 13, 2019 However he did concede that he would call the agency "if I thought there was something wrong" with the information. Most Republicans remained silent on the issue however senator Lindsey Graham, a close ally of Mr Trump, issued a public rebuke. "I believe that it should be practice for all public officials who are contacted by a foreign government with an offer of assistance to their campaign - either directly or indirectly - to inform the FBI and reject the offer," he said. Mr Trump defended his willingness to accept campaign help from foreign governments in a series of tweets, equating it with the diplomatic meetings he holds with heads of state. "I meet and talk to 'foreign governments' every day," he said. "I just met with the Queen of England (UK), the Prince of Wales, the PM of the United Kingdom... Should I immediately...call the FBI about these calls and meetings?"
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| What Led Up to U.S. Marshals Fatally Shooting 20-Year-Old Man in Memphis Posted: 13 Jun 2019 08:54 PM PDT  New details are shedding light on why U.S. Marshals went to arrest Brandon Webber before shooting him to death, sparking unrest in Frayser.
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| UPDATE 1-China launches inquiry into FedEx parcel delivery errors - Xinhua Posted: 14 Jun 2019 03:55 AM PDT ![UPDATE 1-China launches inquiry into FedEx parcel delivery errors - Xinhua]( "UPDATE 1-China launches inquiry into FedEx parcel delivery errors - Xinhua") Chinese authorities have launched an investigation into FedEx Corp over parcels delivered to the wrong addresses, China's official Xinhua news agency reported on Friday. FedEx did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Xinhua previously reported that China would investigate whether FedEx damaged the legal rights and interests of its clients after Huawei Technologies Co Ltd said this month the U.S. company diverted parcels destined for the Chinese firm's addresses in Asia to the United States.
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| Planned Parenthood suing over 'right to refuse' Posted: 12 Jun 2019 06:21 PM PDT  Reaction and analysis from Fox News medical contributor Dr. Marc Siegel.
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| Khameini: ‘America Could Not Do Anything’ to Stop Iran from Developing Nuclear Weapons Posted: 13 Jun 2019 07:58 AM PDT  Iran's supreme leader said Thursday that the U.S. would be powerless to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and said no further negotiations with American leaders are forthcoming."America could not do anything" to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, although the state terror sponsor is not currently seeking them, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reportedly told Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, who was visiting Tehran in an effort to ease tensions between Iran and the U.S.Tehran "will in no way repeat" negotiations with the U.S., Khamenei reportedly also told Abe. "We have no doubt about your good will and seriousness, but . . . I don't regard Trump as deserving any exchange of messages and have no response for him and will give no response."Meanwhile, two oil tankers -- laden with "Japan-related cargo," according to Japan's Trade Ministry -- were apparently attacked in the Gulf of Oman Thursday, suffering a series of explosions that injured crew members. The U.S. Navy responded to the disaster offering assistance."Suspicious doesn't begin to describe what likely transpired this morning," Iran's foreign minister wrote on Twitter regarding the explosions.In May of last year, President Trump pulled out of the Obama administration's nuclear deal with Iran, which had given Tehran billions of dollars in relief from sanctions in exchange for a promise to curb its nuclear program. Since then, tensions have flared between the U.S. and Iran, escalating to a particularly high level in April, when Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced an end to the exemptions from U.S. sanctions on purchases of Iranian oil and gas that eight countries had been granted.Last month, the Trump administration deployed four bombers as well as the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier-strike group to the Persian Gulf amid fears that Iran was transporting short-range ballistic missiles in the region.
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| Joe Biden says he does not view ‘abortion as a choice and a right’ in unearthed video Posted: 13 Jun 2019 03:05 PM PDT  Joe Biden once said he did not believe abortion was a "choice and a right", according to a recently unearthed interview from 2006.Mr Biden, who has received criticism for his abortion positions as he leads a crowded and progressive 2020 primary field, made the remarks during an interview with Texas Monthly, acknowledging his stance on abortions had proved difficult as a Democrat."I'm a little bit of an odd man out in my party," Mr Biden said during that interview, which was uncovered on Thursday by CNN.He continued to note that he had voted against restrictions to abortion under Roe v Wade, but that he did not support public funding for abortions. Just last week, Mr Biden flipped his position on federal funding, and announced that he no longer supports the so-called Hyde Amendment, which prohibits the use of taxpayer dollars to fund abortion services.At the time of the interview in 2006, Mr Biden was running for president for the second time, and said that he recognised his stance would make things difficult for him. But, the Catholic politician continued to say he did not think of the procedure as a right."It's going to be very difficult," Mr Biden said. "I do not view abortion as a choice and a right. I think it's always a tragedy, and I think that it should be rare and safe, and I think we should be focusing on how to limit the number of abortions. There ought to be able to have a common ground and consensus as to do that."The issue has gained prominence in recent weeks after a series of states introduced and passed highly restrictive abortion legislation, with Alabama pushing forward with legislation that would essentially ban any abortions in the state.The laws appear to be aimed at getting abortion before the Supreme Court, with the goal of harnessing an increasingly conservative panel of judges there to overturn the landmark abortion ruling Roe v Wade, which essentially determined that abortion cannot be banned in the United States.In the meantime, most 2020 candidates have spoken out forcefully on the issue, calling in some cases for a federal law that would protection abortion rights.Mr Biden's campaign did not respond to a request for comment on the 2006 video.
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| Airbnb launches adventure travel experiences for intrepid globetrotters Posted: 13 Jun 2019 09:06 AM PDT  Airbnb has launched adventure travel experiences that include everything from treks in the Amazon jungle to camping on a cliff in Colorado and hunting for UFOs in Arizona.
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| VW says cooperation talks with Ford 'close to completion' Posted: 13 Jun 2019 04:49 AM PDT  Car giant Volkswagen's talks on co-operation with US-based Ford concerning electric vehicles and automated driving are "close to completion", the German company's chief executive Herbert Diess said Thursday. "Talks on cooperation with Ford on (electric vehicle platform) MEB and automated driving are going well and are close to completion," Diess told a meeting of almost 500 Volkswagen managers in Wolfsburg. In March, Diess said Ford could be granted a license to use VW's Modular Electric Toolkit "MEB" platform -- the technical underpinnings of all the future electric cars planned by the German giant.
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| Gulf Tanker Whodunit: Trump’s a Liar. So Are the Mullahs. Posted: 14 Jun 2019 09:52 AM PDT  Handout via ReutersPARIS—Who was it who blasted two tankers in the Persian Gulf on Thursday? Whodunit?The Trump administration says it must have been the Iranians. Trump told Fox & Friends on Friday the attack has "got Iran written all over it." And Iran says it must have been somebody else. And because both sides have such long records of deceit and, really, no regard for the truth, we the public and the press find ourselves sliding toward war with no firm grip on the facts. Gosh, that feels familiar: a plunge into "unknown unknowns." But the information situation is much worse today than when Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld uttered that delphic phrase amid the vanguard of lies that preceded the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. Now, after so many thousands of blatant falsehoods by the current president of the United States, it's almost impossible to believe anything he says or, indeed, to know what he actually believes himself. For every prevarication there are countless equivocations, the favorites being "could be" and "who knows?"So how do we begin to parse what really happened?Many would suggest we start with the question of motive. But the doorway to madness in the Middle East is marked with a sign that reads: "Ask yourself, who benefits from the crime?" Or, more legalistically speaking, cui bono? And in a world of untrue facts, which the Middle East has been since Biblical times, "who benefits" is propounded as if it were definitive proof of guilt or innocence, depending on your ideological inclination. Cui bono? My enemy, of course. Quod erat demonstratum.Why Would Iran Start a Tanker War?As The Daily Beast's Adam Rawnsley wrote in his well-reported piece about the latest tanker incident, Iran has an obvious motive: pushing back against the "maximum pressure" campaign the Trump administration has imposed on its economy. And Iran has the means, including its version of the U.S. Navy's SEALs, to place the sort of limpet mines that appear to have been used in the attacks. Iran is also good at playing the classic covert action game of "You know I did it, but you can't prove it." And whoever carried out the pinprick attacks on four tankers near the United Arab Emirates last month, or the more dramatic hits on the tankers off the Iranian coast this week, would seem to be ratcheting up the level of violence to gauge reaction, looking for the red lines. That would be typical of Iran as well.So far, by targeting ships carrying petrochemical products from Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and avoiding loss of life, whoever is doing this has sent some significant messages: the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Sea of Oman are not secure. Oil prices jumped dramatically and insurance rates for Gulf shipping are going up as well. Escalation could be around the corner. The world is wringing its hands over the prospect of war. But apart from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's warning against attacks on American personnel and installations, no red lines have been drawn, much less crossed. When Pompeo accused Iran of carrying out the attacks on tankers, he announced the response would be continued economic pressure and stepped-up diplomatic action.The problem for Donald Trump is that his "maximum pressure" campaign has left him, in fact, with little room to maneuver on the economic front. When your pedal's to the metal, you can't push it further down. And Trump's eccentric, insulting truculence has made it hard for Pompeo to pull together a strong diplomatic effort, even among traditional allies.Pompeo vowed to take the matter before the United Nations Security Council, but two of the five permanent members, China and Russia, have no reason at all to help the U.S. policy toward Iran. The latter is under U.S. sanctions, the former facing prohibitive U.S. tariffs. They have every incentive to work with Tehran, not against it, in efforts to defeat the weaponized American dollar—which is, in fact, Trump's weapon of choice. The core assumption of the cui bono crowd is that Trump wants a war with Iran, just as George W. Bush, Dick Cheney and the infamous "neocons" wanted war with Iraq in 2003. Another common reference is to the Gulf of Tonkin incident, exaggerated and falsified in 1964 to open the way for massive U.S. troop deployments to Vietnam.Reasoning by analogy, a common refrain is that the tanker attacks last month and this week may be, as the Institute for Public Accuracy put it, "Persian Gulf of Tonkin." They supposedly were "false flag" operations conducted by Iran's enemies but made to look like Iranian operations.Certainly that is the line taken by Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, noting the irony of hits on tankers carrying naptha and methanol to Japan just as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was visiting Tehran. "Suspicious doesn't begin to describe what likely transpired this morning," Zarif tweeted Thursday. But does Trump want war with Iran? There's no question Israel's belligerent Benjamin Netanyahu and Saudi Arabia's blood-soaked Mohammed bin Salman, both of them Trump buddies, would like to see the U.S. beat the hell out of the mullahs. They're ready to fight to the last American. And National Security Advisor John Bolton seems about as hysterically belligerent as Henery Hawk in the old Looney Toons cartoons. But he is also a skilled backroom warmonger, playing a game with sanctions and waivers on Iranian trade calculated to dispirit and infuriate the Tehran regime—perhaps provoking it to cross a fatal red line.Trump, on the other hand, likes to talk tough, as The Washington Post's David Ignatius pointed out recently, but that doesn't mean he wants to get into a shooting war of any kind. His entire focus is on the 2020 elections, and he knows his base likes the fiery rhetoric, as long as nobody is firing back at American soldiers on the ground.Is there a way out of a wider confrontation and conflagration? For the moment, Trump is saying he wants to talk and Iran's leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is saying that's not going to happen.Will that remain the case? If so, then the Bibis, Bin Salmans, and Boltons may be able to get the war they seem to want. But before that happens, it will be easier to understand what's going on if one puts aside cui bono and false flag arguments, and focuses instead on the game of covert and overt brinksmanship. Iran's pretty good at it. Trump? We'll see.What the Last War With Iran Tells Us About the Next OneRead 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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| Mortgage applications surge on refinances as rates hit 21-month low Posted: 12 Jun 2019 08:58 PM PDT  As mortgage rates fell to the lowest level since September 2017, mortgage applications surged 26.8% last week, led by an increase in refinancing.
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| Jupiter’s Europa is seriously salty Posted: 13 Jun 2019 08:07 PM PDT  Of all the places in our solar system (besides Earth, of course), Jupiter's moon Europa might have the best chance of hosting life. Scientists studying the planet are intrigued by its massive ocean of liquid water hiding beneath a thick icy shell, and it's possible that life is lurking there, too.Now, a new research paper reveals that the colossal ocean isn't just liquid water, it's salty liquid water, making it potentially even more like Earth's oceans than we originally thought. The study was published in the journal Science Advances."The potential habitability of Europa's subsurface ocean depends on its chemical composition, which may be reflected in that of Europa's geologically young surface," the researchers write.But actually visiting Europa to see what its oceans are made of isn't really in the cards at the moment, so scientists have done the next best thing. Using the powerful spectrograph instrument on the Hubble, researchers are able to sniff out the makeup of nearby worlds, and in the case of Europa it's very, very salty.If the planets are indeed as salty as they appear, it could be a sign that the waters there are suitable for life. Whether or not any life forms have ever taken root there, however, is a far more challenging question to answer.Researchers have considered the possibility of sending some kind of robotic probe to the planet's surface. Its incredibly thick sheet of ice would need to be penetrated in order to sample the liquid water below. Such a mission would be costly, however, and while there's plenty of interest among scientist searching for life outside of Earth, NASA and other groups are largely focused on trips to the Moon and Mars in the immediate future.
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| Floyd Furniture at West Elm, Plus 4 More Clever Finds Posted: 14 Jun 2019 05:00 AM PDT  A roundup of what we've been reading and needing this week
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| Judiciary Committee lawmakers begin reviewing Mueller report evidence Posted: 13 Jun 2019 02:40 PM PDT ![Judiciary Committee lawmakers begin reviewing Mueller report evidence]( "Judiciary Committee lawmakers begin reviewing Mueller report evidence") The groups will include Democratic and Republican lawmakers.
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| AP Explains: Mideast tensions threaten key global oil route Posted: 13 Jun 2019 09:02 AM PDT  The suspected attacks on two tankers near the Strait of Hormuz, between Iran and Oman, has renewed concerns about the vulnerability of world energy supplies to military tensions in a highly volatile region. About a fifth of all oil traded around the world goes through a body of water just 2 miles wide, so any conflict that threatens tankers could cause huge disruption to crude supplies for energy-hungry countries, particularly in Asia. Two oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz suffered suspected attacks on Thursday.
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| Photos of the New Renault Alpine A110S Posted: 13 Jun 2019 10:47 AM PDT |
| Pat McGrath is launching a 36-shade foundation line Posted: 13 Jun 2019 02:36 AM PDT  Pat McGrath is sprinkling her magic on the foundation business. The celebrity makeup artist and powerhouse creative behind the cult beauty label Pat McGrath Labs has unveiled 'Sublime Perfection: The System' -- a new trio of products comprising a primer, the label's debut foundation and a setting powder. The system begins with the Sublime Perfection Primer, which is infused with hydrating hyaluronic acid for a smoothing, skin-refining effect.
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| Last Ever Two-Door Range Rover Classic Heading To Auction Posted: 13 Jun 2019 05:17 AM PDT  Perhaps the most significant left-hand drive Range Rover Classic in existence, this 1994 200 Tdi presents a significant piece of Land Rover history. Rolling off the Solihull production line on January 11, 1994, '647644' was the very last production two-door model, destined for Portugal. How To Buy The Perfect Range Rover Classic!
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| President Trump Invoked Executive Privilege. Here's the History of That Presidential Power Posted: 13 Jun 2019 10:00 AM PDT  From George Washington to Richard Nixon to today
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