(2026-05-19). Iran talks making 'good progress': US VP Vance. al-monitor.com US Vice President JD Vance said Tuesday that Iran talks are making good progress but Washington was "locked and loaded" to restart military operations if there is no deal.Vance's comments came hours after President Donald Trump said he had come within an hour of ordering fresh strikes and gave Tehran "two or three days" to reach an agreement."A lot of good progress is being made, but we're just going to keep on working at it, and eventually we'll either hit a deal or we won't," Vance told a briefing at the White House.
(2026-05-19). "Ask E. Jean" Film Profiles the Woman Who Twice Sued Trump & Won, for Sexual Assault & Defamation. democracynow.org 
President Donald Trump is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to toss two verdicts against him resulting from civil litigation brought by writer E. Jean Carroll. In 2019, the famous advice columnist published a memoir describing an encounter in the 1990s when she says Trump sexually assaulted her in a department store. When Trump denied the account, Carroll sued him and won $5 million in damages, with a unanimous New York jury finding Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation. After Trump made disparaging remarks about Carroll, she sued him again and won a second defamation judgment for $83.3 million. Federal courts…
(2026-05-19). From Asia to the Middle East, US Bombs Are a Failed Foreign Policy Choice. truthout.org The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran opened not with a declaration, not with diplomacy exhausted, but with airstrikes. Among the first confirmed casualties were more than a hundred schoolchildren killed in a strike on their elementary school in southern Iran. Within a month, 850 U.S.-made Tomahawk missiles were used to strike Iran. President Donald Trump has delivered on his promise to bomb Iran… |
(2026-05-19). Trump puts off 'planned Iran strikes' at Gulf request. tribune.com.pk 
US President Donald Trump said on Monday he halted a planned military strike on Iran after urgent appeals from Gulf Arab leaders, while warning that Washington remains prepared for a "large-scale assault" if diplomatic efforts fail. | In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said he had been contacted by senior regional leaders seeking time for negotiations aimed at securing a nuclear agreement with Tehran. He said the leaders were optimistic about a deal. | Trump said that he was asked by Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and United Arab Emirates…
(2026-05-19). US imposes fresh sanctions on Iranian exchange house, 19 ships from shadow fleet. scmp.com The Donald Trump administration on Tuesday imposed sanctions on an Iranian foreign currency exchange house and what it said were front companies overseeing transactions on behalf of Iranian banks as the US maintains pressure on Tehran. | The move came after Iran ‚Äåsaid its latest peace proposal to the United States over the US-Israeli led war that started February 28 involved ending hostilities on all fronts including Lebanon, the exit of US forces from areas close to Iran, and reparations for…
(2026-05-19). US on its knees? After China snub & Barakah attack, Pentagon too scared to face Mojtaba's wrath. hindustantimes.com As Trump returns from an underwhelming China trip, Iran declares "final victory" and a top aide warns Washington is stumbling into an Israeli‚Äëset trap. With drones hitting near the UAE's Barakah nuclear plant, Mojtaba's camp mocks a "calculation crisis" in the White House while Trump posts AI battle maps and "clock is ticking" threats as CENTCOM tightens its Hormuz blockade.
(2026-05-19). Trump threatens renewed attack on Iran as emergency G7 finance summit opens in Paris. wsws.org The bloody US-Israeli war of aggression against Iran and the resulting blockade of the vital Strait of Hormuz threaten workers around the world with economic and financial collapse.
(2026-05-19). Alexander Zevin: Trump's Gulf War. newleftreview.org Asymmetries of the US-Israeli assault on Iran, as an uneasy balance holds between Tehran's tourniquet on the Strait of Hormuz—and the world economy—and the enormous firepower of the aggressors, at the end of the first round.
(2026-05-19). Putin is pushing for a blockbuster oil and gas deal in China. Will he get it? scmp.com Last week, US President Donald Trump landed in China aiming to secure the kind of blockbuster trade deals he championed nine years ago — spanning everything from soybeans to aircraft and energy. | By the time he departed, it was clear that reality would fall far short of expectations. Despite Trump hailing a "fantastic deal", China did not announce the massive buying spree that many had anticipated.
(2026-05-19). Trump-Xi Beijing Summit Signals Fragile Reset in US-China Relations. ummid.com US President Donald Trump's high-stakes visit to Beijing for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping has triggered global attention amid worsening geopolitical rivalries, trade tensions and security concerns.
(2026-05-19). Summit charts course for China-U.S. relations. ecns.cn President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump have agreed on a new vision of building a constructive bilateral relationship of strategic stability.
(2026-05-19). Why Marco Rubio's name changed before his entry to China? ummid.com US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in China Wednesday May 13, 2026 along with Donald Trump onboard Air Force 1 — the US President's official carrier, but not before his name changed.
(2026-05-19). Malacca Strait could be the next hinge point if Asia isn't careful. scmp.com US President Donald Trump's visit to Beijing, at a time of rising tensions over Iran, sanctions, tariffs and Taiwan, shows how far the Hormuz crisis has travelled beyond the battlefield. | What began as a regional war is now touching energy markets, currency politics and the balance of influence between Washington and Beijing. The US is trying to keep Gulf and Asian partners anchored to the US dollar system, while China continues to push for wider use of the renminbi in trade transactions.
(2026-05-19). How Was Trump's Beijing Visit Received in China? uwidata.com By Oràßun Gà∂ktàºrk, from Beijing, China The world's attention was focused on U.S. President Trump's visit to Beijing on May 13-15. While some commentators argued that a new phase of ceasefire had begun in US-China competition, others focused on Washington's attempt to seek Beijing's assistance in overcoming its difficulties stemming from the war against Iran …
(2026-05-19). Xi to host 'old friend' Putin as China projects stable global role after Trump visit. geo.tv 
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin walk at the personal residence of the Chinese leader Zhongnanhai in Beijing, China September 2, 2025. — Reuters China to host Russia's Putin after Trump's high-profile visit.Putin visits Beijing from May 19-20, his…
(2026-05-19). US President Donald Trump arrives in China to a rousing welcome. ummid.com U.S. President Donald Trump Wednesday May 13, 2026 arrived in the Chinese capital Beijing where senior officials and hundreds of school students were present to greet him.
(2026-05-19). Media reports highlight concerns in Japan over possible U.S.-China policy recalibration. ecns.cn Recent remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump on Taiwan and regional security have sparked discussion in Japanese media and policy circles over the future direction of U.S.-China relations and their potential impact on Japan.
(2026-05-19). Headlines for May 19, 2026. democracynow.org Trump Says He Called Off "A Very Major Attack Tomorrow" to Give Iran Negotiations More Time, U.S. Imposes Entry Ban on Travelers from DRC, Uganda and South Sudan as Ebola Deaths Top 130, World Leaders Condemn Israel's Abduction of Activists from Gaza-Bound Aid Flotilla, Teenage Attackers Kill 3 at San Diego Islamic Center in Suspected Hate Crime, Charges Filed Against ICE Officer Who Shot a Venezuelan Immigrant in Minneapolis, Report: 100,000 Children in U.S. Have Had a Parent Detained in Immigration Crackdown, DOJ Announces $1.776B Fund to Compensate Trump Allies, EPA Proposes to Kill Drinking…
(2026-05-19). Trump says held off on new Iran attack, upbeat for agreement. geo.tv 
US President Donald Trump delivers remarks about health care costs and affordability from an auditorium on the White House campus in Washington, DC, US, May 18, 2026. — Reuters Trump hopes for securing agreement to end the war.US president says had prepared a new attack for…
(2026-05-19). US plans to charge Raul Castro increases Trump administration's pressure on Cuba. scmp.com The United States is expected to unseal criminal charges against former Cuban leader Raul Castro on Wednesday in a move that could further deepen tensions between Washington and Havana and inject new strain into an already volatile regional relationship. | Multiple US media outlets, citing US Justice Department sources, have reported that federal prosecutors in Miami are preparing an indictment tied to Cuba's 1996 shooting down of two civilian aircraft operated by the Miami-based exile group…
(2026-05-19). Iran says new US aggression will result in 'stronger response'. tribune.com.pk 
Spokesperson for the Iranian Parliament's National Security Commission Ebrahim Rezaei stated on Tuesday that "any new aggression against Iran will be met with a stronger response and will make Trump even more ashamed," according to an X post by Iranian state broadcaster IRIB. | üö® "Any new aggression against Iran will be met with a stronger response and will make Trump even more ashamed." – Ebrahim Rezaei, Spokesperson for the Parliament's National Security Commission | — IRIB (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting) (@iribnews_irib) May 19, 2026 | "The Americans must either surrend…
(2026-05-19). Trump Admin's "Rededicate 250" Event Panned as Christian Nationalist Gathering. truthout.org Over the weekend, thousands of people participated in the "Rededicate 250" national public prayer at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., held as a faith-based "jubilee" to purportedly celebrate the country's upcoming birthday as "One Nation Under God." Despite being widely promoted — and the Interior Department using at least $100 million in taxpayer funds to help hold the event — the… |
(2026-05-19). Trump backs Paxton over Cornyn for Texas senator in shock endorsement. scmp.com US President Donald Trump endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the state's Republican Senate primary shortly after early voting began in an increasingly personal and expensive run-off against incumbent Senator John Cornyn. | "Ken Paxton has my Complete and Total Endorsement to be the next United States Senator from the Great State of Texas — KEN PAXTON WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!," Trump said in a social media post on Tuesday.
(2026-05-19). WHO opens annual assembly amid deepening Ebola crisis. wsws.org With at least 118 dead in the DRC and Uganda and an American physician among the infected, the Trump administration has imposed a Title 42 travel ban while refusing to account for the aid cuts that crippled the international response.
(2026-05-19). Director of E. Jean Carroll Film Says Distribution Was "Quite a Challenge" truthout.org President Donald Trump is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to toss two verdicts against him resulting from civil litigation brought by writer E. Jean Carroll. In 2019, the famous advice columnist published a memoir describing an encounter in the 1990s when she says Trump sexually assaulted her in a department store. When Trump denied the account, Carroll sued him and won $5 million in damages… |
(2026-05-19). Trump creates unconstitutional $1.776 billion slush fund to pay off fascist allies. wsws.org The "Anti-Weaponization Fund" defies Congress' power of the purse and creates a secretive claims process with no appeal or judicial review.
(2026-05-19). Trump Is Making America Uninsured Again. juancole.com By Sasha Abramsky | This article was originally published by In 2025, the Trump administration successfully pushed Congress to enact
(2026-05-19). US ends civil, criminal cases against Adani. tribune.com.pk 
The Trump administration on Monday moved to dismiss criminal fraud charges against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani, while also settling alleged Iran sanctions violations involving one of his companies. | The resolution of outstanding cases against one of the world's richest people came after Adani's attorney, who is also a personal attorney of US President Donald Trump, said last month his client wanted to invest $10 billion in the United States but could not do so while the cases proceeded, according to a source familiar with the matter. | It is the latest example of Trump's Justice Department abandoning a hi…
(2026-05-19). Tomgram: John Feffer, America's Flight 93 Moment. warisacrime.org This article originally appeared at TomDispatch.com. To receive TomDispatch in your inbox three times a week, click here. Hey, the news was already so good in 2025 that the Trump White House put up a "welcome to the Golden Age" post at its website, and things are so magnificent that it's still there! It said, in …
(2026-05-19). Trump gutted USAID. Hunger and violence followed. grist.org 
For decades, the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID, worked across many of the world's most food-insecure and climate-besieged regions, funding thousands of humanitarian, healthcare, food, and disaster relief programs. That all changed last year when, days after President Donald Trump's inauguration, his administration issued a stop-work order that suspended nearly all of USAID's overseas programs. Then, last July, the administration informally dissolved the agency — leading to the largest withdrawal of American international development aid in more than 60 years. | A new study published…
(2026-05-19). The President of Peace Makes War on the Planet. scheerpost.com Tom Engelhardt TomDispatch Hey, I always suspected that Donald Trump and I, having both grown up in New York City in the 1950s and early 1960s, had something in common. Now, I know just what it is — his boyhood love for the 1950s TV program Victory at Sea. ("Did you ever see 'Victory at Sea?' …
(2026-05-19). US to drop tax claims against Trump 'forever', in IRS lawsuit deal. scmp.com The US government will permanently drop tax claims against President Donald Trump, according to a settlement document that is part of a deal to resolve Trump's US$10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over the leak of his tax returns. | As part of the settlement agreement, the US is "forever barred and precluded" from examining or prosecuting Trump, his sons and the Trump Organisation's current tax issues, according to a one-page document posted to the Justice Department's…
(2026-05-19). Trump Adviser Loomer Peddles Falsehoods About San Diego Mosque Shooting Victims. truthout.org Following the deadly shooting at an Islamic center in Southern California on Monday, Laura Loomer, a right-wing commentator and informal adviser to President Donald Trump, issued multiple social media posts disparaging the victims and their community. The shooting occurred late Monday morning, when two individuals opened fire on the Islamic Center of San Diego. The pair reportedly killed… |
(2026-05-19). Democrats Decry Trump's $1.8 Billion "Slush Fund to Reward His Own Allies. truthout.org WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Justice announced Monday a new "anti-weaponization" settlement fund as a condition of President Donald Trump voluntarily dropping his multi-billion-dollar lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service for the leak of his tax returns several years ago. Trump, his sons Don Jr. and Eric, and the Trump Organization moved to drop the $10 billion suit Monday in… |
(2026-05-19). Trump's EPA Rolls Back Protections Against PFAS in Drinking Water. truthout.org The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Monday proposed dropping limits for four cancer-linked "forever chemicals" in drinking water established during the Biden administration, saying the changes were rushed and not in compliance with federal law. At the same time, the EPA said it is earmarking nearly $1 billion in grant funding for communities to tackle per- and polyfluoroalkyl… |
(2026-05-19). ICE Separated 145,000 Children From Their Parents Since 2025, Study Estimates. truthout.org Tens of thousands of children in the U.S. have had a parent detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since the start of Trump's second term, according to a new report released by the Brookings Institution on Monday. Brookings estimates that over 145,000 children who are U.S. citizens have had at least one of their parents booked into detention since Trump reentered the White… |
(2026-05-19). Robert Reich: Has Trump's Republican Party become a criminal enterprise? asiapacificreport.nz ANALYSIS: By Robert Reich On Saturday, Trump took revenge on Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy for Cassidy's vote five years ago to convict Trump, in his second impeachment, for instigating an attack on the US Capitol. Cassidy thereby became the first GOP senator defeated by a Trump-endorsed candidate in a Republican primary. (Other Republican senators who…