Here are some of the stories making global headlines today.
Trump aims to unite against terrorism in Saudi speech
In a departure from the Islamophobic rhetoric he sometimes deployed on the campaign trail, Trump will speak out against the militant, political ideology of “Islamist extremism,” according to excerpts of the speech released by the White House.
On day 1 of first foreign trip, Trump was seen but not heard
The commander in chief uttered a total of 26 words in public during the first day of his maiden foreign voyage. The entirety of his public remarks, made ahead of a meeting with the Saudi crown prince, could have fit in a single tweet.
Partisans bend to label Trump’s ‘bow’
During the first stop on his inaugural trip abroad, President Donald Trump, like presidents before him, was honored with Saudi Arabia’s highest civilian honor, the Order of Abdulaziz al-Saud. But no sooner had the 6-foot-2-inch President leaned in so that the much shorter Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud could place the medal around his neck than the politically tinged questions started flying: Was it a bow?
Erdogan returns as head of Turkey’s ruling party
Turkey voted for a rash of constitutional changes last month in a referendum that will strip powers from Parliament and give the president unprecedented authority. Until the April vote, Turkish presidents were obliged to cut ties with their parties to show their neutrality.
Freed Chibok girls reunited with families
The former captives, now ages 18-21, are believed to have been among the 276 pupils forced from their beds by Boko Haram militants in the middle of the night in April 2014. The kidnapping from a boarding school in the town of Chibok sparked global outrage and the social media movement #BringBackOurGirls.
Plane collides with truck at LAX, injuring 8
There were no injuries among the 149 passengers on the Aeromexico Boeing 737, although one passenger reported pain following deplaning, the airport said. The right wing of Flight 642, which had arrived from from Mexico City, struck the utility truck, causing the truck to overturn near a taxiway, the statement said.
Pippa Middleton weds millionaire financier James Matthews
Middleton arrived with her father in an open-top vintage car shortly before rain started to fall, UK’s Press Association reported. Once at the picturesque St. Mark’s Church, father and daughter enjoyed a quiet moment before walking in. Heavy rain stayed away for most of the morning as guests streamed into the 12th-century church.
American Airlines passenger arrested
The man, identified as Anil Tuvanc Uskanli — a Turkish national born in 1991– was subdued by crew members and passengers, including an off-duty Los Angeles police officer. He is expected to face federal charges for interference with a flight crew, FBI special agent Paul Delacourt told reporters.
Joe Biden never thought Hillary Clinton was a very good candidate
In an interview at a hedge fund conference in Las Vegas on Thursday, Biden said this of Clinton: “I never thought she was a great candidate. I thought I was a great candidate.” If you’re surprised by Biden running down Clinton, you haven’t been paying close attention to the former vice president’s utterances.
The $110 Billion Arms Deal Trump Just Signed With Saudi Arabia May Be Illegal
WASHINGTON ― A $110 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia that President Donald Trump announced Saturday would be illegal because of the Saudis’ role in the ongoing conflict in Yemen, according to a legal analysis the Senate received Friday. The U.S.
Under Fire At Home, Trump Wins A Warm Welcome In Saudi Arabia
Under political fire at home, U.S. President Donald Trump sealed a $110 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia on Saturday on his maiden foreign trip as he struggled to shift attention from the aftermath of his firing of the director of the FBI. The arms deal, plus other investments that U.S.
Donald Trump Shows Power Of U.S. By Curtsying For Saudi King
While accepting Saudi Arabia’s highest civilian honor on Saturday, President Donald Trump showed the true might of the U.S. by curtsying for King Salman. Conservatives, including Trump, were quick to slam former President Barack Obama in 2012 when it appeared he bowed to then-Saudi leader King Abdullah at a G-20 summit.
The Rock Announced His 2020 Presidential Bid On ‘SNL’ (Kind Of)
One of the most likable men in Hollywood may have just announced his presidential bid for 2020. After weeks of teasing a run for presidency, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson told America “I’m in” during the season finale of ” Saturday Night Live.”
‘SNL’ Asks: Who You Gonna Believe? The FBI Director Or The Guy Who’s Lying?
Donald Trump isn’t “done yet,” conceded “Saturday Night Live’s” Colin Jost on “Weekend Update.” But “Mike Pence is definitely warming up in the bullpen.” Things don’t look too promising for the “president-for-now,” even though he denied that he told booted FBI Director James Comey to stop the investigation into Russian connections to the Trump campaign, Jost noted on the season finale Saturday.
Jeb Bush Delivers Huge ‘Told You So’ About ‘Chaos President’ Trump
On Friday, the former GOP presidential candidate publicly recalled his earlier warning to voters over a possible Donald Trump presidency. ” When I ran for office, I said he is a chaos candidate and would be a chaos president,” Bush told the annual SALT hedge fund conference in Las Vegas, reports CNN.
Dwayne Johnson and Tom Hanks seem kinda serious about running for the White House
When Dwayne Johnson told a journalist earlier this month that a run for president was ” a real possibility,” there was a part of us that kinda … took it seriously? Why not, right? Well, start the countdown clock for 2020, because you’re going to love his choice for running mate.
Twitter’s co-founder is totally sorry for helping Trump get elected
Twitter co-founder Evan Williams wants you to know he’s super sorry for any role the social media platform played in the election of President Donald Trump. The sort-of apology was made in an interview with The New York Times published on Saturday.
Can you find the hidden and scared government official?
Washington in the middle of a crisis of historic proportions, and our brave leaders are responding the best way they know how: by hiding in the bushes. The past few months have produced story after story of elected officials trying to run from the people they’re supposed to have relationships with.
Schwarzenegger says he’ll be back for ‘Terminator’ sequel with James Cameron
Heeeeeeeeee’s back. Maybe. Arnold Schwarzenegger is expecting to return to play a role in yet another Terminator movie, according to a report coming from the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday. With the mixed reactions to the latest Terminator film, some wondered if the franchise might be shuttered for good.
Twitter is incorrectly guessing the gender of trans users – and they aren’t having it
Transgender Twitter users aren’t here for the platform’s gendered assumptions. And they sure aren’t hesitating to make that known. Here’s the deal: Twitter released a new set of tools on May 17 which allow users to see and control the data advertisers use to target ads on the social media platform.
DJ Khaled crashes a college graduation ceremony
On Thursday, University of California, Berkeley’s Department of Statistics students were ready to celebrate their graduation as one normally does: armed with straight faces and prepared to sit through a very boring ceremony. Except DJ Khaled had other plans.
Try not to obsess over this monkey named ‘Uncle Fat’
Uncle Fat sits on a throne of half-eaten corn cobs, crumpled juice boxes, and the remains of fruits eaten long ago. He is the king of his junk food domain, and we bow down before him. Uncle Fat forever. OK, for context, “Uncle Fat” is the affectionate nickname locals have given this overweight Thai monkey.
You can now buy stuff without even having to leave Telegram
“Imagine a world where you can order pizza, pay for a pair of shoes, hire a cab, or refill your subway pass – all in a few button taps.” That’s what Telegram – which has some 100 million users – is promising, with the launch of its new Bot Payments.
