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AP sources: Former CIA chief Brennan to brief Dems on Iran

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Democrats will hear from former CIA Director John Brennan about the situation in Iran, inviting him to speak next week amid heightened concerns over the Trump administration's sudden moves in the region.

Boeing acknowledges flaw in 737 MAX simulator software

Boeing acknowledged Saturday it had to correct flaws in its 737 MAX flight simulator software used to train pilots, after two deadly crashes involving the aircraft that killed 346 people. "Boeing has made corrections to the 737 MAX simulator software and has provided additional information to device operators to ensure that the simulator experience is representative across different flight conditions," it said in a statement. Its statement marked the first time Boeing acknowledged there was a design flaw in software linked to the 737 MAX, whose MCAS anti-stall software has been blamed in large part for the Ethiopian Airlines tragedy.

White House 2020 hopefuls turn to foreign policy, slam Trump on Iran

The relationship between Washington and Tehran has become increasingly strained in recent weeks, raising concerns about a potential U.S.-Iran conflict. Trump and hawkish foreign policy advisers like national security adviser John Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo want Tehran to give up its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Trump has tightened economic sanctions against Iran, aimed at forcing its leaders into negotiations.

Democratic Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards prepares to sign restrictive abortion bill

"My inclination is to sign it," Gov. John Bel Edwards said when discussing a "heartbeat bill" currently under consideration in the state Legislature.

Here Is Russia's Plan to Build a Fleet of Su-57 Stealth Fighters

The Su-57 is coming—76 of them over the next decade, to be exact.Russian President Vladimir Putin announced at a Kremlin meeting that the Russian Defense Ministry plans to procure 76 Su-57 fifth-generation fighters by 2028, himself acknowledging that these new quantities dwarf previous Russian defense ministry estimates: "The 2028 arms program stipulated the purchase of 16 such jets… In the nearest future we will sign a package contract to supply 76 such jets equipped with modern weapons of destruction and provided with the necessary land infrastructure."The announcement defies the western defense analysis consensus, which concluded that the Su-57 will not enter production until the late 2020’s. Even then, it was alleged that Russia lacks the industrial output to churn out Su-57 fighters in militarily meaningful numbers.If the Kremlin’s new forecast proves to be accurate, what accounts for this drastic output increase?

Wild video shows the moment an F-16 fighter jet crashed into a California warehouse

In a wild story that was captured on video, an F-16 fighter jet crashed into a warehouse in Riverside, California shortly after takeoff yesterday afternoon. The pilot managed to safely eject from the plane before the crash and is said to have suffered no injuries, according to a report from the Los Angeles Times.A full-on investigation into the cause of the crash will certainly yield more details, but early reports suggest that a hydraulics failure was the reason behind the malfunction and subsequent crash.Video of the impact was captured by a nearby car's dashboard cam.> Ty Stanonis was on the freeway when the crash occurred ahead of him, he told FOX11. His vehicle's dashboard camera recorded the moment the jet crashed, showing the plane dropping into the building.> > "Everybody was slowing down, just trying to figure out what just happened," Stanonis said.> > The pilot's parachute deployed after he ejected, and he landed in a field inside the base. Stanonis said the pilot was still for a few moments but finally rose to his feet.The moment of impact can be seen in the first few seconds of the video below.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9j4dzuttA1wFootage captured from within the warehouse can be seen below. It's worth noting that the video contains explicit language.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ho35RgfUfIMiraculously, no one in the warehouse was seriously injured as a result of the crash, though a few individuals were taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation for minor injuries.Further, the F-16 was said to be carrying live ammunition which thankfully -- and remarkably -- did not go off. All in all, what could have been an all-out disaster resulted in no deaths or serious injuries

Death row inmate dies 1 day after fellow inmate's execution

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A Tennessee death row inmate died in prison on Friday, less than three months before his scheduled execution and less than a day after a fellow inmate was executed .

Democrat 2020 hopefuls eye coveted Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez endorsement

She is the great young hope of America’s Left-wing, an articulate and impassioned progressive whose policies have gained traction and Twitter feed is followed by four million.  Now Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the 29-year-old first-time congressman from New York, is seeing her newfound political clout manifest in a new way – a race for her endorsement.  With two dozen Democrats seeking their party’s presidential nomination, the support of Ms Ocasio-Cortez is being seen as a way to win over the young, energised voters who will help shape the race.  Chief among the contenders are Bernie Sanders, the independent 77-year-old senator from Vermont, and Elizabeth Warren, the former academic now representing Massachusetts in the Senate.  Both have made tacit acknowledgement of Ms Ocasio-Cortez’s influence in public in recent weeks – whether for policy reasons, or for political gain, or both.  Earlier this month, Mr Sanders appeared alongside Ms Ocasio-Cortez at an office table where they discussed the importance of reducing credit card interest rates.  At the end of the 25-minute video, shared on social media and viewed by more than half a million people, the pair patted each other on the back warmly and smiled.  Last month, Mr Warren wrote a 180-word ode to Ms Ocasio-Cortez for Time Magazine when the latter was named in its top 100 most influential people.  “A year ago, she was taking orders across a bar. Today, millions are taking cues from her,” Ms Warren wrote of the congresswoman’s remarkable political rise. “And she’s just getting started.” Those two are not the only Democratic hopefuls vying for an endorsement, it appears. Politico reported that both senator Kirsten Gillibrand and former housing and urban development secretary Julian Castro have made “overtures”.  There is no reason a person should pay more than 15% interest in the United States. It’s common sense - in fact, we had these Usury laws until the 70s. It’s a debt trap for working people + it has to end.https://t.co/sO0p5NF7WR— Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@RepAOC) May 9, 2019 The enthusiasm is understandable. The Democratic Party’s progressive base appears fired up for change and many candidates hoping to win the right to take on Donald Trump are leaning its way.  Government-funded health care for all, a $15 minimum wage and bold action on climate change have been widely adopted by the field ahead of the first debate in June and the first primary vote next February.  Ms Ocasio-Cortez, who last year shocked the political establishment by ousting a 10-term Democrat in her own party to take his seat, has become the progressive movement’s most recognisable star.  That was underscored this week as Joe Biden, the former US vice president who is polling top and running on a centrist ticket, was forced to defend his climate change stance after Ms Ocasio-Cortez dismissed it as “middle of the road".  Elizabeth Warren, the Democratic senator for Massachusetts, has developed a reputation for standing up to Wall Street Credit: AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall Mr Sanders is best placed to win the endorsement race. Ms Ocasio-Cortez worked on his 2016 presidential campaign, identifies like him as a democratic socialist and shares many of the same policy beliefs.  Ms Warren has also laid out a left-wing platform taking on Wall Street and redistributing wealth but makes clear she remains a believer in capitalism.  Asked recently about an endorsement by a CNN reporter, Ms Ocasio-Cortez said: “What I would like to see in a presidential candidate is one that has a coherent worldview and logic from which all these policy proposals are coming forward. "I think senator Sanders has that. I also think senator Warren has that.” And, the questioner followed up, would she consider endorsing Mr Biden? Ms Ocasio-Cortez turned and walked away without a definitive answer.

De Blasio's Escape From New York Includes Iowa Voters' Welcome

The critics also include some of his past political allies, including state Attorney General Letitia James, who served with de Blasio in the City Council and described him as a friend while also saying “we need a mayor who is going to be on the job 24 hours a day.” Former political consultants who helped him achieve two overwhelming mayoral election victories aren’t working for him on this campaign. De Blasio’s chances at overcoming his underdog status might be better if he had ignited more enthusiasm among New Yorkers. “It’s sure to come up,” said Iowa Democratic Chairman Troy Price, when asked about the negative reaction to de Blasio’s candidacy among some New Yorkers.

Michael Bennet Understands Exactly What's Gone Wrong in America

Zach Gibson/GettyAs frightening as this historical moment is in so many ways, it’s hopeful in one respect. We may finally be at a point when a majority of people are ready to ditch supply-side economics. The economy is doing very well right now, so it seems in one sense a counterintuitive argument. But Americans are increasingly recognizing that even this good economy is mostly good for the top 10 percent, especially the top 1 and .1 percent; and that if you live in one of these 50 counties or hundreds of others like them where the unemployment rates are more than twice the national average and the poverty rates are above 25 percent, the economy doesn’t feel that great at all.There’s a story for the Democrats to tell here. A story of a country where prosperity was once broadly shared, because politicians of both parties in those days agreed that investments in ourselves and our future were good, and that there was an inextricable link between democracy and broadly shared prosperity. I wrote about this link recently in the Times, and they tell me it did gangbusters traffic, not because it was Shakespeare but because it’s a subject people care about devoutly and want to hear public figures address.Enter Colorado Senator Michael Bennet. One morning a while back I’d dropped the kid off at school and I tuned in to Morning Joe. I heard a voice saying: “Trump is not the cause of our problems. The cause of our problems is 40 years of economic immobility for 90 percent of the American people. Stagnant wages over that period of time. Periods when we had economic growth, but for most Americans, those were periods of recession. We have to fix that. It’s going to take us a generation to do it.”Oh my God. Naturally I thought this person was brilliant, because he was talking exactly the way I write. As the segment ended I heard them say thank you, senator, but they didn’t say a name. I emailed a guy I know who works on the show and asked. Yep, he wrote, that was Michael Bennet.Shortly thereafter, Bennet, a former schools superintendent, got a prostate cancer diagnosis. Today he declares himself “miraculously cured,” and makes sure to tell a visitor that the cost of his cure was $55,000, of which he had to pay only $1,800. “It made me realize just how insane it would be to get the same diagnosis without insurance,” he said. “Or not to get the diagnosis at all because you didn’t have a primary care doctor because you didn’t have insurance.”Now, Bennet—the brother as it happens of New York Times editorial page editor James Bennet, the only one-t Bennets I’ve ever heard of—is running for president. Is he likely to win? No. Woke lefties write him off as too moderate, because he is not for Medicare for All and because he says things about how he still thinks it’s possible to find reasonable Republicans in the Senate to work with. But however you feel about his proposals, whether you’re center or left, you must listen to his analysis of the problem, because he is exactly correct, and he’s saying it better and more clearly than anyone else running.So I sat down with him last week in his Capitol building hideaway office (complete with foosball table!) between votes. Unlike most pols, who stay focused on the moment, his perspective is relentlessly historical. “Maybe,” he mused, “we’re finally at the end of the Reagan era. Maybe there are things we can do together as a country to improve the economic condition of all of us.”This is why he’s running, he tells me—to say these things: “I didn’t think this was getting the articulation it deserves among the people who were running… I thought it was important to give voice to this and see what would happen.”To that end, most of our interview was him showing me a PowerPoint presentation—“this’ll be the first time I’ve walked anybody through his,” he says—that he and his staff assembled to tell the story of the inequality and stagnation of the last 40 years for the vast majority of the population. Slide 1, Wages for most Americans have been flat for decades; Slide 2, The rich are getting richer; Slide 4, The building blocks of the middle class are out of reach; Slide 12, America is no longer leading the world in investment. He goes into much deeper detail in an upcoming book, The Land of Flickering Lights: Restoring America in an Age of Broken Politics. It’s a campaign book, yes, but it’s a smart and substantive one. As much as this sort of thing excites me, I’m unfortunately not confident it’s going to get the hearing it deserves. He’s not bombastic. He’s no moralist. He did say one thing in particular during our chat that really caught my ear and may catch others’: “Since 2001, we’ve spent $5 trillion on tax cuts, almost all of which has gone to the richest people in the country, and we’ve spent $5.6 trillion on wars in the Middle East. So that’s $11 or $12 trillion we haven’t spent addressing any of the issues we could have addressed.” If his rhetoric were a pop song, that’s the line that strikes me as the hook. That, plus the fact that he says he wants to take on Big Pharma, which I think is a great issue.So we’ll see what happens. The one thing he said that I really disagreed with and challenged him on was that if he were president and the Democrats took control of the Senate, he would not ditch the filibuster. I said: So you’d pass nothing. He has no illusions about Mitch McConnell (“ruthless,” “immune to give-and-take unless he’s taking everything”), but he still thinks a few Republicans could be pressured or persuaded to vote with him. OK, good luck with that.But that’s hypothetical. What’s real is his analysis of the recent economic history of this country. As they said in a movie that came out back when the supply-side era started, nobody does it better.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get 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.

Rocket attack hits near US Embassy in Baghdad's Green Zone

BAGHDAD (AP) — A rocket crashed Sunday night in the Iraqi capital's heavily fortified Green Zone, landing less than a mile from the sprawling U.S. Embassy, an Iraqi military spokesman said.

Modi’s jobs deficit: J&J’s largest India plant idle three years after completion

It was to eventually employ at least 1,500 people and help bring development to a rural area near Hyderabad in southern India. Two sources familiar with J&J's operations in India and one state government official told Reuters production at the plant, at Penjerla in Telangana state, never began because of a slowing in the growth in demand for the products. One of them said that demand didn’t rise as expected because of two shock policy moves by Prime Minister Narendra Modi: a late 2016 ban on then circulating high-value currency notes, and the nationwide introduction of a goods and services tax (GST) in 2017.

Fox Poll: Voters give Barr negative ratings for his handling of the Mueller report

The latest Fox News Poll finds voters give Barr negative ratings for his handling of the Mueller report (35 approve, 44 disapprove), and by a 12-point margin more think he is “covering up” for the president than being transparent with the American people (45-33 percent).

Royal baby Archie's birth certificate shows he was born in London hospital

The birth certificate for Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor says Duchess Meghan gave birth gave to Harry's son in an American-owned London hospital.

US: Iran military could misidentify airliners amid tension

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Commercial airliners flying over the Persian Gulf risk being targeted by "miscalculation or misidentification" from the Iranian military amid heightened tensions between the Islamic Republic and the U.S., American diplomats warned Saturday, even as both Washington and Tehran say they don't seek war.

Austrian president calls for September poll in wake of scandal

Austria's president on Sunday called for fresh elections in September after a corruption scandal embroiling the far-right brought down the coalition government in spectacular fashion. Just days before key EU elections, Vice-Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache was forced to resign in disgrace Saturday following explosive revelations from a hidden camera sting. Conservative Chancellor Sebastian Kurz -- whose 18-month coalition with Strache's far-right Freedom Party (FPOe) had been held up as a model by many on the European right -- reacted by pulling the plug on their union.

Glock 31 Gun: All You Need To Know About this Powerful Pistol

In the early 1990s, a handful of calibers emerged to challenge the nine-millimeter as the dominant semi-automatic handgun round. One of these, the .357 Sig, is the caliber of choice for the Glock 31 pistol. The Glock 31 is the company’s offering for those into high velocity or long distance handgun shooting. The G31 also comes with a large magazine capacity, making it an excellent self-defense or duty sidearm.The now infamous 1986 FBI Miami shootout was a watershed moment in the history of law enforcement. Eight FBI agents armed with pistols and shotguns engaged two bank robbers armed with superior weapons. Over the course of the gun battle, which saw the federal agents pinned down by suppressive fire from a Ruger Mini-14 semi-automatic rifle, two agents were killed and another five wounded. The two bank robbers were hit multiple times by incoming fire but were both able to continue shooting, contributing to the very high law enforcement casualty rate.In the aftermath of the shootout, the FBI and other government agencies began the search for a new, more powerful handgun round. Nine-millimeter and .38 Special proved ineffective at stopping the robbers, while .357 Magnum was a revolver cartridge that limited the user’s carrying capacity to six rounds at a time. Law enforcement wanted a powerful round that could be carried in large quantities.

Nearly 180 former Ohio State University students claim sexual abuse by doctor

Dr. Richard Strauss was accused of abusing at least 177 male students when he worked as a physician for the university's athletic department and the student health center from 1978 to 1998, the report said, detailing the findings of a year-long independent investigation. Staff members knew of the abuse as early as 1979, but complaints were never elevated to administrators and senior officials of the athletics or student health departments until 1996. At that time, the school suspended and ultimately removed Strauss after a "very limited investigation" into a student's claim that the doctor fondled him during an exam, the report said.

Former House Democratic Caucus Chair Joe Crowley on Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's impact on the 2020 race

Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez takes veiled swipe at former Vice President Joe Biden over climate change.

OPEC+ Has More Work to Do Because Inventories Are Rising, Minister Says

“The job is not complete,” Al Mazrouei told reporters in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah. Saudi Arabia, Russia and other oil producers in a global coalition are meeting in Jeddah this weekend to consider whether they’ll need to continue keeping supplies restrained during the second half of the year.

Cold Brew’s Insidious Hegemony

Soon, many parts of the United States will be unbearably hot. Texans and Arizonans will be able to bake cookies on their car dashboards; the garbage on the streets of New York will be especially pungent; Washington will not only figuratively be a swamp. And all across America, coffee consumers will turn their backs on traditional coffee in favor of a more “refreshing” vehicle for caffeine: cold brew.As conservatives, we are inherently skeptical of any change of language norms that seeks to warp the objective meaning of words, and so we defend terms such as “man and woman,” “traditional marriage,” and now, we must defend “coffee.” “Coffee” is defined as a hot beverage made by steeping coffee in boiling water. Cold brew is made by soaking beans overnight, and the drink relies on time instead of heat to extract the flavor. The major disqualifying factor is that it's cold.Starbucks’s imperial command over coffee is greatly responsible for this Orwellian redefinition. Its ubiquitous mermaid logo may read “Starbucks Coffee,” but the corporate café caliphate makes most of its profit from drinks sugary enough to induce a diabetic coma in a small mammal. Even more sinister is that Starbucks expanded into Milan in 2018, irreverently flexing its muscle at coffee purists who turn up their noses while its ostentatious drinks conquer the international beverage forum, marginalizing and undermining traditional coffee.Smaller coffee shops have followed in Starbucks’s footsteps. Today, “Let’s go out for coffee!” seems like an innocent request from a coworker or friend, and it should suggest that the order will include a cup of boiled water that was brewed with coffee beans — whether it’s a single shot of espresso or a cup of café americano, made with a French press or Moka Express. But too often, they mean something else. In the summer, they mean cold brew.One New York City coffee-store owner told the New York Times in 2017 that in the summer, 65 percent of the “coffee” he sells is iced — every other part of the year, 75 percent of the “coffee” sold is hot. Iced coffee itself is a cousin of cold brew, but with nearly all of hot coffee's features except the most significant one: heat. It's brewed the same way, and then cooled. But demand for cold brew specifically is increasing, unsurprisingly, among my generation: Millennials. A habit of subversive behavior among Millennials has driven us to attack all of our civilization’s most sacred institutions, including coffee — the backbone of American productivity.As cold brew’s popularity metastasizes, usurping coffee for several months of the year, will we forget our proud national heritage? Cold brew requires patience and planning: One must make a prediction of business the next day in order to estimate how much to make the night before. This is a clear break from our proud tradition of urgency. While the harvesting and roasting of good coffee beans surely requires patience, has prepared coffee ever been associated with anything other than the quick satiation of a morning addiction, or the rush to meet a deadline? Like bread, coffee is a staple for good reason: One needs only five minutes, a heat source, a filtration method, and the beans. It’s dependable and democratic.Coffee has even provoked constitutional debate. Would we have considered tort reform within the framework of the Seventh Amendment had it not been for 1994’s infamous hot-coffee lawsuit, Liebeck v. McDonald’s?To those who will, during the summer months, abandon the beverage that gives many of us our will to live in the mornings, I ask just one concession to coffee purists: Drink your cold brew, but please, don’t call it “coffee.”

Michigan GOP congressman says Trump conduct is 'impeachable'

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Republican congressman from Michigan on Saturday became the first member of President Donald Trump's party on Capitol Hill to accuse him of engaging in "impeachable conduct" stemming from special counsel Robert Mueller's lengthy investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

Poor boy Modi becomes India's nationalist powerhouse

Stern, sharp and shrewd, Narendra Modi fought his way off the streets to become one of India's most popular and polarising prime ministers. There is no middle ground between admirers and adversaries of the man -- now running for a second term -- who helped his father run a railway station tea stall before launching his career in nationalist politics. The 68-year-old makes much of his humble roots while unashamedly portraying himself as the tough guy protecting India's national security and Hindu values, pressing its claims to be the world's rising power.

Let Me Tell You About the Worst Submarine of All Time

For the Worst Submarine of All Time, I go further and nominate an entire silent service: the undersea arm of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN).There are many candidates for this dubious honor. After all, submarining has been around for well over a century now. Many ships render honorable but unexceptional service. Standouts emerge, generally in times of strife, as do “floating coffins” and plain old hard-luck ships.And there are some that subtract value from the nation’s effort to reach its strategic and political aims. This is the unpardonable sin.The idea of ships that could submerge has been around since antiquity. Combat submersibles date to the Turtle, a hand-propelled contraption built to smite Royal Navy ships from beneath during the War of American Independence. But subs really became a going concern during the fin de siècle age, when propulsion technologies such as batteries, electric motors, and internal-combustion engines came to maturity around the same time.Combining these technologies yielded the diesel-electric propulsion plant, a hybrid affair that enabled subs to run silent, run deep on quiet electric motors when submerged and run on diesels and recharge batteries while cruising the surface. At the direction of First Sea Lord Jacky Fisher, the Royal Navy ordered five rudimentary boats designed by John Phillip Holland in 1900, and the age of modern undersea warfare was on.

Scouted: Tevas Sandals Will Survive Anything You Put Them Through And Look Good Doing It

In two weeks, I’m traveling to Africa for the first time. When I step off that plane I’ll be stepping onto my third continent in roughly a year. When I step off that plane, I’ll be stepping out wearing my trusty Tevas. Africa will be their third continent in a year, too. I paired my Tevas with a silk jumpsuit while wedding dress shopping in L.A. I wore my Tevas on assignment in the Florida Everglades, crouched down in the hull of a swamp boat, hoping an alligator wouldn’t chomp on my exposed toes. I protected said toes’ modesty by wearing socks with my Tevas in Oman’s Grand Mosque. I was wearing my Tevas a few nights ago when, slightly drunk on mezcal in Mexico, I fell into an open sewer.The fact that my Tevas seemed like the appropriate footwear for all of these scenarios is what makes them the perfect travel companion, and it’s this low-key adaptability that makes me so obsessed with the brand. Now listen, I was (as perhaps you are now) skeptical at first. The last time I owned Tevas I was still wearing polar-fleece half-zip pullovers and eating raisins in the backseat of a neighbor’s Volkswagen as they carpooled me to mandatory recreational sports practice. Developed in the 80s by a geophysicist/whitewater rafting guide, the brand (whose name translates to “nature” in Hebrew) has always represented a certain crunchy outdoorsiness that angsty kids who grew into East Coast city-goths like me shun out of habit. Tevas were for kids whose parents took them hiking and taught them the proper pronunciation of the word “nature” in Hebrew (it’s Teh-vuh, not Tee-vuh.) But times, and I, have changed. Last year my travel schedule created the need for something I could only describe as a “performance sandal.” After scoping the orthopedic curves and elastic straps of brands like Keen and Merrell, I was desperate for something that was simultaneously utilitarian and cute. In walked Teva. Women's Original Universal Sandal, $50 from TevaAs a brand, they know their reputation, but rather than ignore it by earnestly marketing to outdoor enthusiasts, they seem to be cheekily owning their identity. Like Timberlands, or other labels that have successfully made the jump from utility to streetwear, Teva isn’t forsaking their core product; they are just having a little fun with it. Not only does their website have a section about how to pair their products with socks, you can even choose the height of the platform. Platforms might not be the best choice for long-endurance activities, but the brand’s recent bright collab with Outdoor Voices signals that they aren’t straying too far from their roots -- only updating it for a new type of colorway-conscious, Instagram-styled consumer. My Instagram DM’s have been a battleground of opinions from friends and followers. . This divisiveness isn’t all that surprising considering that Tevas are manufactured by the same parent company who own UGGs. Both brands flaunt a pragmatic anti-style that breeds intense loyalty. By designing shoes that apparently never even take into account sex-appeal, they’re allowing women to subvert the tired old “fashion over function” trope. By insisting that function is fashion, fans can winkingly claim their comfort while feeling like provocateurs. At least, this is the narrative that runs through my head when I strap my amazingly adjustable Tevas on my much-abused feet and walk into a fancy restaurant. Their minimalist sensibility blended with unsentimental design, contribute to the effortless road-savvy, cool-girl travel aesthetic so many woman (including myself) try to project. Besides, as anyone who grew up in the 90s can attest, a strappy sandal pairs well with everything, even when drenched in Mexican sewer water. Scouted is internet shopping with a pulse. Follow us on Twitter and sign up for our newsletter for even more recommendations and exclusive content. Please note that if you buy something featured in one of our posts, The Daily Beast may collect a share of sales.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get 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.

Target is selling a giant unicorn float that will hold up to 6 people

Ever wanted to lay out on the water at the beach in a giant unicorn float withfive of your friends? Sure you have! And this summer, it's happening

U.S.-China Feud Widens, Europe Populists Buoyant

U.S.-China relations hit a new low this week after President Donald Trump’s administration slapped new tariffs on imports from China and targeted its biggest technology company, Huawei Technologies. Elsewhere, residents in the Iranian capital, Tehran, worry more about feeding their families than the rumors of war with the U.S., and populists hoped to score unprecedented gains in next week's elections to the European Parliament.Read about those topics and more in this edition of Weekend Reads, and click here for some of Bloomberg’s most compelling political images from the past seven days. China Vows ‘People’s War’ as Trade Fight Takes Nationalist TurnAs China’s state media ratchets up the rhetoric in the deepening trade dispute with the U.S., Peter Coy reports on how Trump’s tariffs on China will place a heavier burden on America’s poor and working class.

Does Sunscreen Expire?

The unofficial start of summer, Memorial Day, isn’t too far off. And it’s around this time that many people start taking stock of their sunscreen supply. Do you need to buy a new bottle, or will ...

Trump says 'good chance' Democrats will back his immigration, border plan

A day after unveiling a plan to shift to a "merit-based" immigration system, the Republican president said there was a "good chance" that Democrats would back him and provide funding to manage record migrant flows along the U.S.-Mexico border. "The Democrats now realize that there is a National Emergency at the Border and that, if we work together, it can be immediately fixed. Such talk of bipartisan cooperation on the explosive immigration issue for years has ended in failure and finger-pointing.

Genesis Intends to Build the Essentia Concept as an EV, and It May Be Powered by Hydrogen

The premium brand doesn't want the concept from last year's show circuit to fade away.

Wynn and MGM in talks about sale of Encore Boston casino

Wynn Resorts and MGM Resorts International said in a joint statement they've engaged in conversations about the potential sale of Encore Boston Harbor. This comes as Wynn is about to open the $2.6 billion Everett, Massachusetts, casino. The companies say the talks won't delay the Everett opening scheduled for next month.

AT&T says it was perfectly legal to sell user location data, but stopped anyway

AT&T came under fire in the last year or so -- as did rival carriers Sprint, Verizon and T-Mobile -- when press reports surfaced about the practice of carriers selling location data about its users. The Federal Communications Commission opened an investigation, and the carriers promised to drop the practice.Meanwhile, a new letter made public from AT&T actually defends the behavior it got called to the carpet on, saying the company stayed within legal bounds -- but that, fine, we went ahead and stopped the practice anyway.In the letter to FCC commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, AT&T defends the practice of making customer location data available to aggregators in some scenarios that it says are perfectly legitimate. "There can be real, and potentially life-saving, benefits," the carrier writes, "when a towing company receives the location of a stranded motorist who does not know the nearest mile marker; or a son or daughter uses a medical alert device to locate an injured elderly parent; or a bank uses location information to thwart fraud and identify theft."Highlighting those emergency use cases is actually an important point. AT&T explains in the letter that it hasn't violated federal law because the data it's made available to third parties unbeknownst to the user is data that's known as A-GPS. That's a kind of data gathered for use in emergency situations as well as when GPS is needed, like when your Uber ride is trying to find you by your phone signal. That's different from a kind of data the FCC doesn't allow to be sold and data that's housed in what's known as the NEAD (which stands for National Emergency Address Database), which AT&T says is much more specific that A-GPS is.Thus, the AT&T letter continues, media reports "regarding the legal requirements associated with A-GPS,' are inaccurate and misplaced." The company also stresses that it ended the practice of selling user location data to aggregators and other third parties in March.A piece from The Verge on Friday, however, notes that while AT&T may be "technically correct" by saying it hasn't violated FCC rules, the sale of location data may still constitute a violation of Section 222 of the Communications Act of 1934.

How Architect I.M. Pei Achieved Greatness By Forever Testing and Challenging Himself

Famed architect I.M. Pei designed some of the greatest buildings across the globe in his more than half century career.

Vineyard Vines arrives at Target on Saturday. How to shop the limited-edition collaboration

Set your alarm clock if you're interested in shopping Target's latest designer collaboration, Vineyard Vines. The new collection goes on sale May 18.

Australian PM heads to church, football after 'miracle' election win

Morrison's Liberal-led conservative coalition has won or is leading in 76 seats, the number needed to form a majority government, according to the Australian Electoral Commission. A jubilant Morrison hugged community members after an early Sunday service at the Horizon Church in Sydney's southern suburbs, from where he was first elected to parliament in 2007. The result drew comparisons with Republican Donald Trump's victory over Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

What Are the Best Inexpensive Small SUVs?

This member question submitted to Ask Our Experts touches on a common need. We like that it is focused on the goal, rather than strictly how to achieve it. In this case, it would be wise to resis...

U.S. Treasury's Mnuchin rejects subpoena for Trump tax returns

In a widely expected move, Mnuchin rejected a demand for the documents from House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal, saying the panel lacks "a legitimate legislative purpose" for obtaining the tax records that Democrats view as critical to their efforts to investigate Trump and his presidency. "We are unable to provide the requested information in response to the committee's subpoena," Mnuchin said in a letter to Neal, released ahead of a 5 p.m. EDT (2100 GMT) deadline for delivering the documents. Neal later issued a statement, saying he was "consulting with counsel on how best to enforce the subpoenas moving forward." Hours earlier, the Democratic chairman had said he was inclined to turn to federal court to obtain Trump's tax returns, if the administration missed the deadline.

Turkey says to produce S-500s with Russia after S-400 missile deal

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday said Turkey and Russia would jointly produce S-500 defence systems after Ankara's controversial purchase of the S-400 missile defence system from Moscow. Turkey's push to buy the S-400s has further strained already tense relations with the United States which has repeatedly warned Ankara of the risks including sanctions as a result of the purchase. "There is absolutely no question of (Turkey) taking a step back from the S-400s purchase.

Russia says Syrian government forces halt fire in Idlib

MOSCOW (AP) — Syrian government forces have unilaterally ceased fire in the northern Idlib province, the last major rebel stronghold, Russia said Sunday, while opposition activists reported continued shelling and airstrikes.

Trump sows confusion on Iran as tensions appear to ease

WASHINGTON (AP) — It started with a surprise statement on a Sunday night that the U.S. was rushing military forces to counter alleged Iranian threats. What followed were two weeks of bombastic rhetoric and swells of fear and confusion over whether Washington and Tehran were lurching toward open conflict. And that's how President Donald Trump says he likes it.

Nothing Beats These Compact Handheld Egg Weights For Working Out While Traveling

As a short person, I’ve often been told that good things come in small packages. It may be true, but it's even better, as far as I’m concerned, when those small things also pack a hefty punch.Egg Weights are one example of just this sort of combination, literally: little but mighty, Egg Weights are highly portable, easier on sensitive wrists, and add numerous benefits to boxing, running, or any other workout.Coming in dense metal weights ranging from 1 to 5 pounds, the ergonomic Egg Weights slip comfortably around your middle finger and into your grip, making it easier to build muscle, tone, and burn extra calories while you punch the air, run, or even keep your arms straight in Warrior 2. They fit into your palms surprisingly naturally (even with my very little hands), and add a noticeable extra intensity to any workout. Used by certain Olympic athletes to train, Egg Weights says their product is scientifically proven to increase the intensity of any movement from 28-62 percent according to their site. It certainly feels that way.What I also like is that Egg Weights can reduce stress and risk of injury compared to dumbells, taking some of the pressure off certain joints. Unlike dumbells, you aren’t using your already-taxed-from-typing wrists to grip the weights — instead, you're engaging your shoulders and arms more fully. If you get sore wrists from lifting weights as I do, these will help. Egg Weights Hand Dumbbell Sets, $30-$50 on AmazonAnother huge added bonus for me is the fact that Egg Weights are so compact. They come with a nice carrying case, smaller than most toiletry bags, and though they’ll add some extra weight to your suitcase, they won’t take up much space at all. I pack them whenever I’m going somewhere where I might not be able to hit a gym but still want to be able to tone or amp up a quick home workout. The most common way I use them is to get on the floor in Boat Pose, boxing diagonally as I twist my abs. It quickly gets my heart rate up and works out multiple parts of my body at once. I’ll also use them to punch the air when I need to get some aggression out or to add toning as I dancercise alone in my room. It helps to have a solid beat playing in your wireless headphones to egg you on as well. (Sorry, couldn’t resist.)It’s definitely worth the investment for this small-but-punchy fitness tool — and if you want to get one as a gift for the knockout in your life, you can even purchase a monogrammed pair.Scouted is internet shopping with a pulse. Follow us on Twitter and sign up for our newsletter for even more recommendations and exclusive content. Please note that if you buy something featured in one of our posts, The Daily Beast may collect a share of sales.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get 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.

Comey tears into Bar for 'slimming his own department'

Reaction to Comey's remarks from former independent counsel Sol Wisenberg and national security attorney Bradley Moss.

Grumpy Cat, beloved meme star, dies at age 7: 'Some days are grumpier than others'

Grumpy died from complications related to a urinary tract infection, the cat's publicist said.