(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 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 threatens workers around the world with economic and financial collapse.
(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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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…
(2026-05-18). Headlines for May 18, 2026. democracynow.org Trump Escalates Threats Against Iran as Ceasefire Negotiations Remain Deadlocked, Israel Kills at Least Six People in Southern Lebanon, Including Three Paramedics, Israel Assassinates Izz al-Din al-Haddad, the Head of Hamas's Military Wing, Israeli Cabinet Approves Plans to Build Military Compound at Former UNRWA Site, Israeli Forces Begin Intercepting Ships with the Global Sumud Flotilla, World Health Organization Declares Ebola Outbreak a Global Health Emergency, GOP Senator Cassidy Loses Primary After Trump Backs His Opponent, New Financial Disclosures Show Trump Made Between $220M and $750M in Securitie…
(2026-05-18). Trump Claims He Called Off Imminent Iran Bombing Campaign At Behest Of Allies (Updated). twz.com 
The president says the strikes were set for tomorrow, but it's one of many times Trump made grand threats then supposedly pulled back at the last moment.
(2026-05-18). How China is becoming the gravitational centre of global diplomacy. scmp.com When Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives in Beijing this week, just days after US President Donald Trump departed, following his summit with President Xi Jinping, the choreography will not be merely diplomatic. It will be show of "civilisational theatre". | For years, analysts framed China as a power caught awkwardly between a revanchist Russia and an increasingly hostile United States. That interpretation now looks obsolete. Beijing is no longer balancing between rival poles; it is…
(2026-05-18). 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.
(2026-05-18). Trump's China trip assessed, South Korea's AI problem: 5 weekend reads you missed. scmp.com We have put together stories from our coverage last weekend to help you stay informed about news across Asia and beyond. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. | 1. Trump leaves China after much pomp and pageantry, but little to show for it | 2. Trump and his CEOs want China's business — but has Asia moved on? | 3. What do travellers need to know when Hong Kong airport's Terminal 2 opens? | 4. Reality deficit: how South Korea lost the plot on AI…
(2026-05-18). Beijing summit: Strategic stability or business as usual? peoplesworld.org 
President Donald Trump's long-awaited state visit to China took place on May 13-15 in Beijing at the invitation of President Xi Jinping and the Chinese central government. Trump traveled with a striking entourage of U.S. CEOs—a collection of capitalist billionaires including Elon Musk of Tesla, Tim Cook of Apple, and Kelly Ortburg of Boeing, among …
(2026-05-18). China and Russia hold trade expo as Putin and Trump visits draw global attention. scmp.com China is stepping up economic engagement with Russia by hosting the 10th edition of a major bilateral expo ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin's expected trip to Beijing this week — just days after his American counterpart, Donald Trump, visited there last week. | The back-to-back visits to the Chinese capital by two of the world's most influential leaders highlight an uptick in diplomatic activity as Beijing seeks to stabilise relations with Washington while deepening coordination with…
(2026-05-18). Milei guts China currency lifeline after Trump ultimatum on financial ties: reports. scmp.com Argentina is on the verge of settling its debt with China's central bank, winding down a currency lifeline that kept the country afloat during years of financial turmoil and now sits at the centre of a geopolitical tug of war between Washington and Beijing. | Government officials confirmed to Argentine outlet Todo Noticias on Sunday that the repayment of the activated portion of the swap will be completed by mid-2026.
(2026-05-18). Trump Out, Putin In: What China's Diplomatic Timing Really Means. thinktank.pk Just days after U.S. President Donald Trump concluded his high-profile visit to Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping moved quickly to host Russian President Vladimir Putin for another strategic summit. The timing has triggered intense geopolitical debate across global capitals: was this merely diplomatic scheduling, or a carefully crafted signal from China to the West? The …
(2026-05-18). After Offering 'No Tangible Concessions' in Iran Peace Talks, Trump Issues Latest Violent Threat. scheerpost.com Julia Conley for Common Dreams With the economic impact of the war on Iran linked to President Donald Trump's plummeting approval rating, the president issued his latest threat to destroy the Middle Eastern country Sunday as he demanded negotiators "get moving, FAST" to end the conflict the US and Israel began by choice in February. "For Iran, …
(2026-05-18). US weighs drone threat from Cuba: report. tribune.com.pk 
Cuba has obtained more than 300 military drones and recently began discussing plans to use them to attack the US base at Guantanamo Bay, US military vessels and possibly even Florida, Axios reported Sunday, citing classified intelligence. | The report comes as tensions simmer between Washington and Havana and amid speculation that the United States may be building an argument for military action against the communist-run island. | The development underscores the Trump administration's concern with the threat from Cuba because of developments in drone warfare and the presence of Iranian military advisers in Hav…
(2026-05-18). Trump calls off new Iran attack at request of Gulf states. scmp.com US President Donald Trump said he has called off strikes on Iran planned for Tuesday at the urging of Gulf leaders as "serious negotiations" for a deal to end the war were underway. | Trump said in a social media post on Monday that leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have asked that the US "hold off on our planned Military attack of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which was scheduled for tomorrow, in that serious negotiations are now taking place".
(2026-05-18). Trump Admin Claims of Cuban Plans for Drone Attacks Denounced as 'Ludicrous Pretext' for War. scheerpost.com "Like any country, Cuba has the right to defend itself against external aggression," said the Cuban embassy. "It is called self-defense, and it is protected by International Law and the UN Charter." Julia Conley for Common Dreams Cuban officials said the Trump administration is making "increasingly implausible accusations" against the country as it pushes to justify, "without any excuse, …
(2026-05-18). Lula da Silva asked Donald Trump to lift U.S. blockade on Cuba. radiohc.cu Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva pointedly asked his counterpart Donald Trump to lift Washington's blockade on Cuba, according to an interview published on Sunday in The Washington Post. | Cuba "needs an opportunity," Lula said in his appeal to Trump to eliminate the unilateral blockade against the island. "What I know is that if the United States opens a negotiating table, not one based on impositions, Cuba will participate," he emphasized. | Lula reiterated to The Washington Post that, in his May 7th meeting with Trump at the White House, Trump assured him that he would not invade Cuba; However, th…
(2026-05-18). Cuba expone sus circunstancias en el ámbito de los BRICS. radiohc.cu Cuba llevó al ámbito del grupo BRICS su denuncia sobre las amenazas de agresión del gobierno de Estados Unidos y el impacto de las órdenes ejecutivas de Donald Trump, dirigidas a reforzar el bloqueo. | El canciller cubano, Bruno Rodríguez, participó en Nueva Delhi en una reunión de cancilleres del bloque, al que La Habana ingresó como socio. | Particularmente esclarecedora resultó la intervención del jefe de la diplomacia de la nación antillana, al abordar los pasos de Washington hacia el reforzamiento a niveles extremos del cerco económico, ahora también energético. | La exposición del Ministro antillano se insc…
(2026-05-18). "Staggering Corruption" : Rep. Raskin on Trump's $10B IRS Lawsuit, Stock Trades & Family Business. democracynow.org 
Donald Trump on Monday dropped his $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over a leak of his personal and business tax records, a bizarre case of a sitting president suing his own government and essentially acting as both plaintiff and defendant. This comes amid reports that Trump's Department of Justice was considering settling the case in exchange for the creation of a $1.7 billion fund to compensate victims of so-called weaponization of the DOJ under the Biden and Obama administrations. Trump allies who participated in the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol could file claims and be…
(2026-05-18). How the failure of Trump's Caucasus corridor helped spare Armenia. responsiblestatecraft.org Among the many unintended consequences of President Donald Trump's disastrous decision to launch a war on Iran is the
(2026-05-18). Trump's Christian Nationalist Agenda & Taxpayer-Funded D.C. Prayer Rally: Bishop Barber & Sarah Posner. democracynow.org 
Thousands of people gathered on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on Sunday for "Rededicate 250," a taxpayer-funded Christian evangelical service backed by President Trump. The eight-hour lineup featured songs, prayers and remarks by top government officials including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, House Speaker Mike Johnson and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The event included religious leaders like evangelist Franklin Graham and Cardinal Timothy Dolan. | "Nothing was Christian about what we saw yesterday," says Bishop William J. Barber II. "This is idolatry. This is heresy.
(2026-05-18). Ben and Jerry's Co-Founder Spearheads Campaigns to Cut Pentagon Spending and Sustain Company's Political Activism. covertactionmagazine.com At the end of March, Ben Cohen, the co-founder of Ben & Jerry's ice cream, carried out an act of guerrilla theater when he installed a statue on the National Mall depicting a tearful Donald Trump holding a hole-riddled golden dome like an umbrella as water streamed from model intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) overhead. The …