****** leader’s body found as peace talks with Israel pick back up
****** leader’s body found as peace talks with Israel pick back up
May 18 (UPI) — Israel reported Sunday it found the body of ******’ de facto leader, Muhammad Sinwar, in a tunnel in Khan Younis after he was killed in a series of airstrikes last week.
At least 100 people have been killed in the latest series of airstrikes, and Sinwar’s body was found as ****** has offered to release nine hostages in exchange for a 60-day military stand down in an effort to slow down the fighting in the ongoing war between Israel and ******.
Sinwar was the younger brother of Yahya Sinwar, the former ****** leader in Gaza. Another brother, Zakaria Sinwar, was killed in an airstroke Saturday night, other reports claimed. It’s the third Sinwar brother to be killed in the ongoing battle.
Israeli forces overtook a hospital in northern Gaza Saturday as an offensive to seize territory on the Gaza Strip continues, according to the ******-run health ministry.
Forces seized the Indonesian hospital in Beit Lahia, preventing patients, staff and medical supplies from arriving, the ministry said on Sunday, according to the BBC, leaving the medical facility inoperable.
Israeli soldiers’ knapsacks rest on civilian cars as IDF reservist infantry soldiers gather in a forward staging area near the Gaza Strip border in southern Israel on Sunday. Photo by Jim Hollander/UPI
****** made its hostage release offer on Saturday following a new round of peace negotiations in Qatar. Officials said there could also be a larger deal in the works to end the fighting that would include a ****** withdrawal.
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California fertility clinic bomb an act of terrorism anti-natalist ideology
California fertility clinic bomb an act of terrorism anti-natalist ideology
The street side of American Reproductive Centers clinic is seen after an explosion being investigated by law enforcement as an intentional act of violence in Palm Springs, California, on May 17, 2025.
Andy Abeyta/the Desert Sun | Via Reuters
The car bombing outside a California fertility clinic, which killed one person and injured four others, appears to be driven by anti-natalist ideology, according to two senior law enforcement officials briefed on the incident.
Anti-natalism refers to the belief that no one should have children. Investigators are focusing on social media posts made by the suspect, which they say support anti-natalist views. While the posts are still being verified, officials believe they reflect the ideology behind the bombing.
The suspect, who has not been identified, was reportedly dealing with depression and had personal relationship issues.
The seriousness of the injuries of those hurt by the blast were not disclosed.
The deceased, found near the vehicle, has not been identified, and the severity of the injuries was not disclosed.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation deemed the explosion an act of terrorism on Saturday.
Debris is spilled onto the street after what the Mayor described as a bomb exploded near a reproductive health facility in Palm Springs, California, on May 17, 2025, in a still image from video.
Abc Affiliate Kabc | Via Reuters
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Mike Johnson Memorial Day deadline for budget bill
Mike Johnson Memorial Day deadline for budget bill
U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) looks on, after President Donald Trump delivered remarks on tariffs, in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 2, 2025.
Leah Millis | Reuters
House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed optimism that the budget bill that failed to exit committee Friday would still reach the House floor before Memorial Day as lawmakers prepare to vote again at 10 p.m. ET Sunday night.
“We’re working around the clock to deliver this nation-shaping legislation for the American people as soon as possible,” Johnson said in an appearance on “Fox News Sunday,” as he stressed the importance of the timeline for the “historic” bill.
“The budget committee will reconvene this evening they’ll get that through the committee and the plan is to move that to the rules committee by midweek and to the House floor by the end of the week so that we meet … our original Memorial Day deadline.”
In a Truth Social post Friday, President Donald Trump said lawmakers “MUST UNITE, behind ‘THE ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL.’ But members of the GOP-led House Budget Committee voted 16-21 against passing the multitrillion dollar legislation. Five Republicans joined Democrats to vote against the bill, with Representatives Ralph Norman of South Carolina and Chip Roy of Texas specifically calling out concerns about Medicaid requirements and spending.
On Wednesday, Norman posted on X that, “Delaying work requirements for able-bodied adults on Medicaid isn’t ‘progress.’ It’s fiscally irresponsible and another sad excuse for the swamp!!”
“We are writing checks we cannot cash and our children are gonna pay the price,” Roy said to the press Friday.
“I appreciate Chip and Ralph,” Johnson said Sunday, largely blaming potential delays in enforcing new eligibility requirements on states’ abilities to implement changes in their systems.
Asked about the possibility of resistance in the Senate, where GOP Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin has referred to the bill as “the Titanic,” Johnson said he has met regularly with Senate Majority Leader John Thune to ensure swift passage.
“There’s no surprises, the package we send over there will be one that was very carefully negotiated and delicately balanced and we hope they don’t make many modifications to it,” Johnson said.
In addition to the Memorial Day deadline Johnson has imposed in the House, lawmakers contend with another looming target. “Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said we need to do this by July 4,” Johnson said.
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California fertility clinic bomb an act of terrorism anti-natalist ideology
California fertility clinic bomb an act of terrorism anti-natalist ideology
The street side of American Reproductive Centers clinic is seen after an explosion being investigated by law enforcement as an intentional act of violence in Palm Springs, California, on May 17, 2025.
Andy Abeyta/the Desert Sun | Via Reuters
The car bombing outside a California fertility clinic, which killed one person and injured four others, appears to be driven by anti-natalist ideology, according to two senior law enforcement officials briefed on the incident.
Anti-natalism refers to the belief that no one should have children. Investigators are focusing on social media posts made by the suspect, which they say support anti-natalist views. While the posts are still being verified, officials believe they reflect the ideology behind the bombing.
The suspect, who has not been identified, was reportedly dealing with depression and had personal relationship issues.
The seriousness of the injuries of those hurt by the blast were not disclosed.
The deceased, found near the vehicle, has not been identified, and the severity of the injuries was not disclosed.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation deemed the explosion an act of terrorism on Saturday.
Debris is spilled onto the street after what the Mayor described as a bomb exploded near a reproductive health facility in Palm Springs, California, on May 17, 2025, in a still image from video.
Abc Affiliate Kabc | Via Reuters
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Verstappen storms to victory in thrilling Emilia-Romagna GP – Formula 1
Verstappen storms to victory in thrilling Emilia-Romagna GP – Formula 1
Verstappen storms to victory in thrilling Emilia-Romagna GP Formula 1F1 LIVE: Emilia Romagna Grand Prix 2025 reaction & result as Max Verstappen wins in Imola BBCVerstappen wins Emilia-Romagna GP to close gap on F1 title rivals The GuardianWho got your Emilia-Romagna GP Driver of the Day vote Formula 1Live: F1 Imola GP updates – race | Live text Autosport
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Arizona Lottery Powerball, The Pick results for May 17, 2025
Arizona Lottery Powerball, The Pick results for May 17, 2025
The Arizona Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Arizona offers Powerball, Mega Millions, The Pick, Triple Twist, Fantasy 5 and Pick 3 as well as Scratchers, Quick Draw and Fast Play.
Lottery players have seen enormous jackpots recently, with previous winners of both the Powerball and Mega Millions breaking into the top 10 largest jackpots in U.S. lottery history. Money raised from Arizona lottery games goes toward funding higher education, health and human services, environmental conservation and economic and business development in the state.
Powerball
07-34-40-42-52, Powerball: 15, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
The Pick
02-11-21-29-38-41
Check The Pick payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 3
8-5-0
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Fantasy 5
04-06-14-26-37
Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Triple Twist
08-12-30-34-40-42
Check Triple Twist payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news and results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Arizona Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $100 and may redeem winnings up to $599. For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Arizona Lottery offices. By mail, send a winner claim form, winning lottery ticket and a copy of a government-issued ID to P.O. Box 2913, Phoenix, AZ 85062.
To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a winner claim form and deliver the form, along with the ticket and government-issued ID to any of these locations:
Phoenix Arizona Lottery Office: 4740 E. University Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85034, 480-921-4400. Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
Tucson Arizona Lottery Office: 2955 E. Grant Road, Tucson, AZ 85716, 520-628-5107. Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
Phoenix Sky Harbor Lottery Office: Terminal 4 Baggage Claim, 3400 E. Sky Harbor Blvd., Phoenix, AZ 85034, 480-921-4424. Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Sunday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes up to $49,999.
Kingman Arizona Lottery Office: Inside Walmart, 3396 Stockton Hill Road, Kingman, AZ 86409, 928-753-8808. Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes up to $49,999.
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at [Hidden Content].
Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network.
Where can you buy Arizona lottery tickets?
Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.
You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.
Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 18+ (19+ in NE, 21+ in AZ). Physically present where Jackpocket operates. Jackpocket is not affiliated with any State Lottery. Eligibility Restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. Terms: jackpocket.com/tos.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Arizona Republic editor. You can send feedback using this form. Our News Automation and AI team would love to hear from you. Take this survey and share your thoughts with us.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Lottery Powerball, The Pick results for May 17, 2025
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What to know about the Brooklyn Bridge ****** involving a ******** Navy ship – Axios
What to know about the Brooklyn Bridge ****** involving a ******** Navy ship – Axios
What to know about the Brooklyn Bridge ****** involving a ******** Navy ship AxiosCuauhtémoc ship: ******** Navy training ship strikes underside of Brooklyn Bridge CNNMexican ship was headed the wrong way before crashing into Brooklyn Bridge, killing 2 USA TodayMexican Navy Sailing Ship Crashes Into Brooklyn Bridge, Killing 2 Crew Members The New York TimesMexican Navy ship hits Brooklyn Bridge: 2 killed, 20 injured after training boat crashes in NYC ABC7 New York
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‘Should be discarded or returned’
‘Should be discarded or returned’
A recall of a popular frozen food product has shed light on the perils of plastic contamination.
What’s happening?
As Food Safety News detailed in early May, Lamb Weston Inc. recalled a whopping 34,801 cases of its frozen Lamb Weston Hashbrown Patties due to “the presence of foreign material, specifically plastic pieces ranging from 1 millimeter to 8 millimeters in size.”
The recall was initiated on April 19 and remains ongoing, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration told Food Safety News.
The Class II recall indicates “a low risk” of serious health consequences, though temporary or reversible effects remain a possibility. The products included in the recall were distributed to Arizona and Hawai’i, as well as internationally to Japan, Kuwait, Taiwan, and the United Arab Emirates.
“Consumers who have purchased the recalled Lamb Weston Hashbrown Patties are urged not to consume them,” Food Safety News stated. “The products should be discarded or returned to the place of purchase.”
Why is microplastic consumption concerning?
While no adverse reactions were reported at the time of the recall, this issue highlights the dangers of plastic pollution.
Watch now: How bad is a gas stove for your home’s indoor air quality?
As Food Safety News noted, “the presence of plastic pieces in food products poses risks such as choking, oral injury, or gastrointestinal damage if ingested.”
Unfortunately, this issue is becoming far too common. Even a major company like Kraft Heinz had to recall thousands of cases of its Singles American cheese due to a machine error that left plastic in the slices.
The recall was triggered after customers had reported choking or gagging incidents, and Kraft advised returning affected products to the store for a full refund.
These instances also raise concerns for microplastic consumption, as these tiny particles are already incredibly invasive, accumulating in the environment and even inside our bodies.
The health effects are still being determined, but microplastics have already been linked to ******* and neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and ALS.
Microplastics can be found everywhere, from the air we breathe to the food we eat, so ingesting food contaminated with plastic creates even more risks to our health.
What’s being done about this?
Any consumers experiencing adverse effects after consuming recalled products should seek medical attention immediately.
These cases of plastic contamination underscore the importance of seeking sustainable alternatives to plastic packaging. It’s necessary to reduce the reliance on single-use plastics in food products due to the hazards they can pose.
Supporting initiatives such as the development of biodegradable solutions and reusable food wraps are among the small changes that can go a long way toward reducing microplastic pollution and protecting the planet.
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don’t miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
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Scott Bessent calls Moody's a 'lagging indicator' after U.S. credit downgrade – CNBC
Scott Bessent calls Moody's a 'lagging indicator' after U.S. credit downgrade – CNBC
Scott Bessent calls Moody’s a ‘lagging indicator’ after U.S. credit downgrade CNBCView Full Coverage on Google News
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Royal Navy to replace tugs that ******* nuclear submarines through Scottish lochs
Royal Navy to replace tugs that ******* nuclear submarines through Scottish lochs
The Royal Navy plans to replace the tugs that guide Britain’s £1bn nuclear submarines through narrow Scottish lochs as part of an overhaul of its ageing support vessels.
Six tugs, including two that will operate at the Faslane nuclear base on the Clyde, are among 24 support boats due to be ordered under an £850m contract over the next decade.
The tugs will be responsible for towing Astute-class hunter-killer submarines and Britain’s four Vanguard-class vessels that carry Trident nuclear missiles, which are themselves due to be replaced with 17,000-tonne Dreadnought subs from the early 2030s.
The programme also involves the deployment of four new tugs to Devonport, a base for frigates and amphibious vessels. All of the craft are due to be built by Dutch shipbuilder Damen, which produces tugs, ferries and specialist craft.
Dreadnought subs will replace Britain’s four Vanguard-class vessels from the early 2030s – BAE Systems
Portsmouth, the main base for the Navy’s surface warships, already has a new supertug, the Tempest, which was commissioned from Damen to help manoeuvre aircraft carriers HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales.
The new vessels will replace some that are decades old, including the Faslane-based tug Impulse, which was built in 1993 and helped bring HMS Astute back to port in 2010 after the submarine ran aground off Skye during sea trials.
Some of the tugs scheduled to be retired in Devonport were built before the Falklands War.
Also due for replacement are vessels that transport personnel between warships in port, ammunition barges, barge-mounted cranes, a pilot vessel and a fuel barge, as well as craft that flush out the holds of other ships.
Support services company Serco will be responsible for procuring the new fleet following a contract award from the Ministry of Defence.
The company’s marine services arm operates more than 90 vessels and has been supporting the Royal Navy, Royal Marines and Royal Fleet Auxiliary for 28 years, although the latest renewal is the biggest it will have taken on.
Anthony Kirby, Serco’s boss, said the modernisation programme was vital to provide the Navy with “the support it requires, day in, day out”.
Serco was also awarded a five-year contract to support military training exercises at the British Underwater Test and Evaluation Centre, a marine firing range near Skye.
A third contract spanning 10 years includes offshore support for training exercises involving the Victoria and the Northern River, which carry rapid pursuit craft used by the Special Boat Service.
Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
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I used two GPS hiking apps for backpacking and I’ll do it again – The Verge
I used two GPS hiking apps for backpacking and I’ll do it again – The Verge
I used two GPS hiking apps for backpacking and I’ll do it again The Verge
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#GPS #hiking #apps #backpacking #Ill #Verge
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Rubio says intelligence community is incorrect in assessment of Tren de Aragua: “They’re wrong”
Rubio says intelligence community is incorrect in assessment of Tren de Aragua: “They’re wrong”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the intelligence community is incorrect in its assessment that Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua is not a proxy force of Nicolás Maduro’s government — an argument that has served as a justification for the Trump administration’s swift deportation of suspected gang members.
“They’re wrong,” Rubio said of the intelligence community assessment on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan.”
The National Intelligence Council determined in a report that the Venezuelan government does not direct Tren de Aragua, contradicting the Trump administration’s claims used to invoke the Alien Enemies Act, which gives it the power to swiftly remove migrants it identifies as members of the gang. The memo was released under the Freedom of Information Act following a request by the Freedom of the Press Foundation.
“While Venezuela’s permissive environment enables TDA to operate, the Maduro regime probably does not have a policy of cooperating with TDA and is not directing TDA movement to and operations in the United States,” the report says.
The question of whether the Maduro government controls Tren de Aragua is at the center of a clash over the Trump administration’s ability to continue to deport suspected gang members under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. In a March proclamation, President Trump invoked the act, which had only been invoked three previous times in U.S. history, treating suspected gang members like wartime enemies of the U.S. government. Mr. Trump had previously designated Tren de Aragua as a terrorist organization, along with MS-13 and other gangs and cartels.
Shortly after the March proclamation was signed, the administration used the Alien Enemies Act to remove more than 200 men, mostly Venezuelans, to a prison in El Salvador. An analysis by “60 Minutes” found that 75% of the Venezuelans deported had no criminal history.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan.”
CBS News
The move has sparked significant clashes with the federal courts, as the administration has pursued the swift apprehension and removal of Venezuelan nationals deemed alien enemies. On Friday, the Supreme Court said it would continue to block the Trump administration from deporting Venezuelan men detained in northern Texas while they pursue a challenge to their removals under the wartime Alien Enemies Act, maintaining an April directive.
Last week, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard fired the two top officials who were leading the National Intelligence Council, Mike Collins, acting chair of National Intelligence Council, and his deputy, Maria Lagan-Riekhof, CBS News confirmed. NBC News reported those were the officials who oversaw the Tren de Aragua memo.
Rubio refuted the National Intelligence Council report, while pointing to an FBI assessment that he said he agrees with. He outlined that not only is Tren de Aragua “exported by the Venezuelan regime,” but that there are warnings that it’s also a terror organization that’s “already been operationalized” to target an opposition member of another country.
“The FBI agrees that not only is Tren de Aragua exported by the Venezuelan regime, but in fact, if you go back and see a Tren de Aragua member, all the evidence is there, and it’s growing every day, was actually contracted to ******* an opposition member, I believe, in Chile a few months ago,” Rubio said.
Asked whether he completely rejects the intelligence community’s findings, Rubio said he agrees “100%” with the FBI’s findings. The FBI is overseen by the Trump administration’s Justice Department.
Rubio said “this is a prison gang that the Venezuelan government has actively encouraged to leave the country,” claiming that in some cases, “they’ve been in cooperation.” He added that suspected Tren de Aragua members who have been returned to Venezuela have been “greeted like heroes” at the airport.
“There’s no doubt in our mind, and in my mind, and in the FBI’s assessment that this is a group that the regime in Venezuela uses, not just to try to destabilize the United States, but to project power, like they did by murdering a member of the opposition in Chile,” Rubio said.
Kaia Hubbard
Kaia Hubbard is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital, based in Washington, D.C.
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Princess Eugenie speaks about childhood scoliosis surgery
Princess Eugenie speaks about childhood scoliosis surgery
Getty Images
The King’s niece had scoliosis surgery when she was aged 12
Princess Eugenie has said she “couldn’t get out of bed or do anything for myself” while recovering after scoliosis surgery as a child.
In an interview with the Sunday Telegraph, the King’s niece opened up about her surgery, saying that she felt “very embarrassed” ahead of the operation and later struggled with the emotional impact of post-surgery care.
Surgeons inserted titanium rods into her spine to correct a curvature caused by scoliosis when she was 12 years old and she spent 10 days on her back after the operation.
She said that her mother, the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, helped her see the post-surgery scar on her back as a “badge of honour”.
Scoliosis is a condition where the spine twists and curves to the side. The cause of it is often unknown, and commonly starts in children aged between 10 and 15, according to the NHS.
Eugenie was treated at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, in north London, and it was four months before she was able to return to school after it.
“I had a corner room in the hospital with two windows looking out over a car park,” the 35-year-old said. “I was too young to notice I couldn’t get outside; all I cared about was where my parents and sister were.
“But I do remember watching someone waving to my incredible red-haired nurse through the window and having this feeling that I couldn’t reach them,” she said.
“I couldn’t get out of bed or do anything for myself.”
Speaking about how she felt ahead of the operation, she said she felt “very embarrassed about the whole thing”.
“I remember being woken up really early before my surgery – I pulled my blanket over my head. I said: ‘I don’t want to see anyone and I don’t want them to see me’,” she said.
The operation left a visible scar on her back and she said her mother helped to “train” her brain to think that “scars are cool”.
AFP/Getty Images
For her wedding in 2018, Eugenie wore a wedding dress that showed her scar from surgery
“She was amazing. She’d ask me if she could show it to people, then she’d turn me around and say, ‘my daughter is superhuman, you’ve got to check our her scar’,” Eugenie said.
“All of sudden it was a badge of honour – a cool thing I had,” she added.
“It became a positive memory, a part of me, that I could do something with in the future. I could help heal other people.”
The princess’s wedding dress in 2018 showed the scar at the top of her back and ahead of the wedding, she spoke of the importance of showing “people your scars”.
Speaking to ITV’s This Morning at the time, she described it as a “lovely way to honour the people who looked after me and a way of standing up for young people who also go through this”.
“I think you can change the way beauty is, and you can show people your scars and I think it’s really special to stand up for that,” she added.
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LG OLED 27-inch QHD 480 Hz gaming monitor is only $799 at Amazon
LG OLED 27-inch QHD 480 Hz gaming monitor is only $799 at Amazon
When it comes to gaming monitors, it helps to know what specs you want to prioritize when looking for a deal. In general, we recommend a panel-type suitable for fast refresh and response times, a high resolution, and HDR support with good contrast. Today we’ve come across a deal on the 27-Inch LG 27GX790A-B OLED QHD gaming monitor which hits all of those points and then some. This screen has plenty of quality specs that are more than well-suited for a gamer looking to spoil themselves with a little treat. It released late last year to the tune of $999, but it’s currently discounted at Amazon to just $799.
We reported on the release of the LG 27GX790A-B in November of 2024 and were excited about the array of high quality specs, but not particularly blown away by the price. That said, today’s discount more than shakes things up a bit. If you want to get an idea of how well this monitor compares to others on the market, check out our list of best gaming monitors to see which ones we personally recommend.
The LG 27GX790A-B is built around a 27-inch OLED panel with a QHD resolution of 2560 x 1440px. This OLED panel can reach an impressively high refresh rate of 480 Hz. Moreover, the underlying tech enables a response time of just .03ms — much lower than what you can expect to find with a monitor based around a VA or IPS panel.
The screen is AMD FreeSync Premium Pro certified for its performance and covers 98.5% of the DCI-P3 color gamut. You get multiple input options, including a DisplayPort version 2.3 port and two HDMI 2.1 ports. A 3.5mm jack is included for connecting audio devices. A USB hub, plus a tilt / height / swivel / pivot stand is also part of the package. Your purchase comes with a 2-year manufacturer’s warranty.
The LG 27GX790A-B gaming monitor is available for $799 right now at Amazon, but an expiration has not been specified. Because the purchase is available through Amazon, it’s supported by their 30-day return policy.
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Sen. Chris Murphy: ‘Absolutely a mistake’ for Democrats not to address voters’ concerns over Biden
Sen. Chris Murphy: ‘Absolutely a mistake’ for Democrats not to address voters’ concerns over Biden
Sen. Chris Murphy: ‘Absolutely a mistake’ for Democrats not to address voters’ concerns over Biden
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Column | Gen Z users tested Instagram Teen Accounts; they got sex posts, body shaming – The Washington Post
Column | Gen Z users tested Instagram Teen Accounts; they got sex posts, body shaming – The Washington Post
Column | Gen Z users tested Instagram Teen Accounts; they got sex posts, body shaming The Washington Post
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Transcript: Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” May 18, 2025
Transcript: Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” May 18, 2025
The following is the full transcript of an interview with former Defense Secretary Robert Gates, a portion of which aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on May 18, 2025.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, if you’re ready, we’ll dig in.
FORMER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE ROBERT GATES: Okay.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And there’s a lot to ask you about, sir. So President Trump just concluded this week-long trip through the Middle East. He’s lifted sanctions on Syria and its interim new government. He is trying to get some kind of diplomatic deal with Iran. He’s courting a lot of Gulf money. So far, no success in getting Israel to stop its war in Gaza. But how would you judge his foreign policy focus to date?
SEC. GATES: What’s interesting to me is that we’re back in the Middle East, after all the talk about the pivot to Asia and- and China and so on. We have two aircraft carriers, strike groups, in the Middle East. We had the president in the Middle East. I don’t have to say this though, Margaret, I think, ironically, the Middle East may be one place where there are some real opportunities and- and- and possibilities. I think that Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, are all so focused on diversifying their economies, reforming, modernizing, bringing their populations into the 21st century. It’s a- it’s a place to do business, for China, for the United States, for everybody else. The actions of Israel, post the October 7 massacre by ******, has really changed the strategic equation in the Middle East, because Iran has been dramatically weakened, mainly by Israel’s attacks on ******, on the attack- our attacks on the Houthis, but also, and especially, Hezbollah, and the weakening of Hezbollah. And with the fall of Assad, Syria is no longer a conduit for Iranian weapons to get to Hezbollah. So- and then you add to that, the Iranian- the Israeli air attack on the Iranian nuclear facility that basically wiped out their air defenses. Iran’s in a very weak place now. And if there is an opportunity to do a deal on nuclear, this is it.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So, when it comes to that nuclear program, you didn’t really like the Obama era nuclear deal with Iran. President Trump is trying something that may be somewhat similar. What do you think has to be in it for it to really be a success?
SEC. GATES: Well, I think- I- I would agree with those in the Senate and- and elsewhere that Iran really has to stop their nuclear program. They have to stop their enrichment entirely. And they have to give up–
(BEGIN CROSSTALK)
MARGARET BRENNAN: Entirely, not just–
SEC. GATES: Entirely.
MARGARET BRENNAN: –highly enriched, all enrichment?
SEC. GATES: Entirely. And- and if they want to have a civil nuclear program, they need to import the uranium, the enriched uranium, to do that. But they need to get rid of the stockpile. They were- they were supposed to get rid of a big part of the stockpile earlier. But I think- I think just given the nature of their program and the secretiveness of the whole thing, I think in terms of monitoring compliance, you really have to get rid of- of- of their program in a way that it can be monitored by international experts from the IAEA or- or whoever. But I- you know, one of my concerns, and- and- that’s not going- with the earlier agreement, that’s apparently not going to be addressed and won’t be in this, was the need for them to get rid of their ballistic missile programs. And I think that’s not going to be in- if there is an agreement, it doesn’t look to me like that’s going to be a part of it.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So, you said, no enrichment. It’s not clear what the president’s policy is, because he has different advisors who say different things about what the end state is. And some of that, according to our reporting, is because the president has to make some of those very central policy decisions still. That’s a different approach, I’m sure, from White Houses you worked in, where you went in with a goal, a strategy, and you worked back from there. Not, let’s talk, and then figure out the strategy.
SEC. GATES: Well, I have the impression, and- and I- I don’t talk to anybody in the administration, but- so it’s just what I hear and what I read. But, I think that his approach is, let’s pursue these different avenues and see how far we can get, and if we can get a deal that includes getting rid of the entire- entirely of the enrichment, then that’s what we ought to strive for. But if we can’t, maybe we settle for something short of that. And- and I think it’s basically just playing it tactically, if you will, in terms of seeing what’s possible, but with the overall objective of getting some kind of an agreement, and I would hope one that can be monitored by the U.S. or by others to make sure the Iranians aren’t cheating.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Would you oppose an Israeli strike with U.S. support on Iran’s nuclear program?
SEC. GATES: The problem that I’ve had with a strike on the Iranian nuclear program, from the time I was secretary, is that it buys you a year or two. You’re not going to be able to destroy, short of- as long as you’re using conventional weapons, you cannot get at the very deeply buried parts of the Iranian nuclear program. That’s why on site inspection is so important, because you really can’t- there’s no- there’s no kind of ordnance. Even our massive ordnance penetrator won’t get that far down. So my argument is, if you attack their nuclear program in a way designed to try and destroy it, you will simply make the Iranians more determined to have a nuclear weapon and to bury the whole program even deeper. It buys you a little time, but it doesn’t solve the problem.
MARGARET BRENNAN: The president seems to be saying, the threat of military force exists, but he really wants a diplomatic deal.
SEC. GATES: That’s certainly my impression.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So you have a history with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. You’re smiling. His government, you’ve said, acts like an ungrateful ally. We’re starting to see some points of friction with the Trump administration and the Netanyahu government in particular. Are- are we at the point now where President Trump needs to publicly be clear that the war in Gaza has to end, and withhold U.S. support if it doesn’t?
SEC. GATES: I think it would be a very heavy political lift for the President to say he’s going to cut off military supplies to Israel, unless they stop in Gaza. I think he can say a lot of things in terms of putting pressure on Netanyahu to stop the war. He can put forward proposals on how humanitarian assistance and other things might might go forward. But I would- I- it would be very difficult for any U.S. president, I think, to say we’re just going to cut Israel off from military supplies–
MARGARET BRENNAN: But you did support- I remember President Biden’s decision to withhold very specific- actually, just delay delivery of very specific weapons.
SEC. GATES: Well, over time, and including when I was Secretary, I opposed providing Israel with certain kinds of ordinance, mainly because what they wanted was the kind of ordinance that would allow them to attack Israel- attack the Iranian nuclear program.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Is there a cost to this ongoing support of such a bloody war, given the projections from U.S. intelligence about the long term recruitment of- among terror groups around the world because of the devastation?
SEC. GATES: I think there is a cost. I think it does provide a basis for radicalization in the region. But it is interesting to me that you’re not hearing much out of the Gulf Arabs and- and others in terms of decrying the ongoing operations and so on. I think- I mean, what has been the case to- to date is that the Saudis have really insisted that there be something for the ************ people before they would do- before they would establish diplomatic relations with Israel. I don’t know as a result of this week’s talks whether that may have shifted in some way, but- but clearly they are worried about the feelings of their own people toward the- in their countries, about the- about what has happened to the Palestinians, and what is continuing to happen to the Palestinians. And I think they are worried that- that there could be some protests and- and strong feelings on the part of their populations. And the governments, I think, are all for establishing relationships with with Israel, as- as the UAE and others have done. But I think- I think that it’s still a problem for the Saudis.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I want to move to another part of the world, and that is Ukraine. Secretary of State Rubio said he believes that there won’t be a clear read on Vladimir Putin’s intentions until he sits down with President Donald Trump. You’ve met Putin before. Would you- what would you advise for that one-on-one? And does it really take a face-to-face to judge Putin’s intentions?
SEC. GATES: I’m not sure even in a face to face that you can judge Putin’s intentions. My own view, having dealt with him and having spent most of my life working on Russia and the Soviet Union, is Putin feels that he has a destiny to recreate the Russian Empire. And as my old mentor, Zbigniew Brzezinski once said, without Ukraine, there can be no Russian Empire. So I think the President is- based on what I read, is getting the sense that, as he put it, that Putin is tapping him along and- and that, you know, Putin hasn’t given up on any of his original goals in Ukraine. He’s going to insist on occupying all four of the eastern provinces of the Donbas. Perpetual recognition of Russian ownership of Crimea. A pro Russian government in Kyiv and a Ukrainian military that looks a lot like an enhanced police force. And, no membership in NATO and probably no membership in the EU he wants- he wants Ukraine, basically, to be a client state of Russia. And I don’t- I don’t see what it would take to get him to walk away from any of those goals in the foreseeable future. I mean, when you look at 900,000 or so Russian soldiers that have been killed or wounded. He’s paid a huge price- the Russian economy and so on. It hasn’t deterred him in the slightest.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Has he paid a price, though? Because there are analysts who look at the way he’s reoriented that economy around his military, the fact that he gets that lifeline from China, and say sanctions haven’t made him buckle one bit in his desire to continue this war.
SEC. GATES: No, that’s absolutely correct. And he has militarized the economy, and absolutely there has been a cost- a long term cost for the Russian people. You know, you’ve had upwards of a million young Russian- mainly men, flee the country. Young tech guys, entrepreneurs and others who thought they had a future in Russia and- and when the war started, decided they didn’t. And- and the complete reorientation of the- of the economy for the military industrial complex, as you will, it is very much what the Soviets did in many respects and- and I think he’s got 21% interest rates. I mean, the economy is chugging along, it’s got positive growth, but it’s artificial. The only source of income of revenue for the Russian government is oil and gas. The problem that Putin has is over time, those are old oil and gas fields, and what was enabling the Russians to extract from those fields was Western technology, the Exxons, the Chevrons, the other big oil companies from the West that had the technology. That’s all gone. So over time, the revenue stream from oil and gas from Russia is going to diminish, and probably fairly dramatically, but it’ll take time. So long term, he has- he has, I think, cost Russia enormously. But that doesn’t mean that in the short to near term, it’s going to force him to change any of his policies.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Would you advise President Trump not to take that face-to-face, even if Vladimir Putin was willing to do it?
SEC. GATES: I would like to see what if- I were ever asked, I would say you need to figure out some leverage that you have going into that meeting with Putin. What- what can- what can you do that puts more pressure to bear on Putin to make him believe his- his interests are served by not just a ceasefire, but a- basically, at least freezing things in place.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We’ve seen a very different approach to this diplomacy, too. The President has been relying on his close friend Steve Witkoff, this former real estate developer, to really be the face with some of the most thorny issues we have in the national security portfolio, including meeting with the Iranian negotiator over a nuclear program, including getting face-to- face with Vladimir Putin. There is a value in having a fresh set of eyes. But is it advisable to put aside the experts, including American translators, and not include them in those meetings?
SEC. GATES: Well, I’ve always believed that it’s a mistake not to have an American interpreter in meetings. The President and Mr. Witkoff are not the first Americans to believe- and he’s not the first president to believe, he doesn’t need an American interpreter in the room. I think it’s always a mistake, because you never know that what you’re saying is, in fact, being interpreted to Putin or whoever, exactly as you said it. And so I think that’s a mistake. On the other hand, you know, bringing fresh eyes and fresh blood to some of these problems. You know, I know people who’ve been involved in the Middle East negotiations for peace for 30 years, you know, and have not much to show for it, and then all of a sudden, you bring in somebody else, and things happen like the Abraham Accords. So I- I’m not- I’m not willing to say that you shouldn’t bring in some people that have not got a lot of experience. In fact, one of the reasons in 2016 I recommended Rex Tillerson to the- to President Trump for his first Secretary of State, was precisely because, as a businessman, not a diplomat, but as a businessman, Tillerson had negotiated with tough guys all over the world for most of his career. So I think bringing somebody with business background in who’s done this kind of thing, it may make a lot of sense.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Even when they’re sitting across some- from someone who has spent decades facing off with Americans? Or in the case of the Iranian nuclear negotiations, someone who negotiated the last nuclear accord? That’s a lot of experience–
SEC. GATES: –I think- I think just because the guy on the other side of the table has been doing it for a long time doesn’t mean you- you can’t bring in somebody- somebody fresh, somebody new.
MARGARET BRENNAN: How sustainable do you think it is for the Secretary of State to also be the national security adviser, the acting archivist and the acting director of USAID?
SEC. GATES: It’s interesting a lot of people point to the precedent of when Henry Kissinger was Secretary of State and National Security Advisor from 1973 to 1975. I was at the NSC during most of that *******, and all I can tell you is Henry Kissinger was an absentee landlord. I mean, what made it work in that time was that Henry had a very experienced and wise deputy in General Brent Scowcroft. And Scowcroft essentially ran the NSC day to day, and Henry would appear now and then, but- but mainly did his Secretary of State job. He still had the title and a lot of papers going to the presidents from the NSC still went through him, but- but day to day, the NSC and the whole interagency process was really managed by Scowcroft. So whether or not this will work, I think, depends on whether the Secretary of State has a deputy at the NSC who is very experienced, knows the interagency and- and- and is respected and trusted by the President.
MARGARET BRENNAN: There is a unique challenge with the NSC, with this president I’ve heard from officials which is he does not trust the National Security Council because of the history with the first impeachment. So he is suspect of a lot of people who sit there. What’s the danger of that, when you don’t trust the people who are briefing you on some of the most sensitive national security issues, or advising you?
SEC. GATES: I think it’s important for people to remember, and I tried to observe this myself- since I worked on the NSC under four presidents, the NSC is the President’s personal foreign policy staff. So I think if- if people on the NSC, and I don’t care whether they come from the State Department or CIA or the military or anyplace else or from the outside. If you can’t- in- on that staff, if you can’t be loyal to the president, then you should leave.
MARGARET BRENNAN: What do you mean loyal?
SEC. GATES: I mean be willing- embrace his policies and do what you can to implement those policies and to ensure that the other agencies are implementing the President’s policies. And when the time comes, if the time comes, that you disagree with those policies, then it seems to me it’s incumbent on you to return to your agency or to leave the government. I can’t- this is really an important point. This is his personal staff. This is the staff that drafts his letters going back to other leaders. This is the staff that does his talking points for meetings with foreign leaders and provides background information for him. So I think- I think he has a right to- to expect loyalty. What I- my line- my line, when I was at the NSC, was be loyal or be gone.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Including when it means having a different view of the last election or having family members who work in the Justice Department? I mean, there are some different definitions of loyalty.
SEC. GATES: Absolutely. And again, if, if you- if you- if your views are- if you hold views that are unacceptable to the President on things like that, like the election and so on, then you probably don’t belong in his NSC staff. Maybe you belong at the State Department or at CIA or someplace, but you don’t belong inside the White House complex. I mean, I know that’s a hard thing to say, but, but I’ve watched this and and, and I’ve seen- you know, if you go back to the Nixon days, a number of- a number of NSC staffers resigned from the NSC over Vietnam because of the bombing campaigns and so on. So that’s- those are the kinds of issues, it seems to me, where- where you need to be loyal. I think you need to give the president your honest views on things, on the subjects that you’re in charge of. And it may be unwelcome to him, but he needs to hear different perspectives and different points of view. So being loyal doesn’t mean not- it doesn’t mean pulling your punches in terms of the policy debate, but once the president’s made a decision, then you have to salute.
MARGARET BRENNAN: On the point of honestly briefing and giving sometimes hard to deliver information that’s necessary. You were not just a director at the CIA, you were a long-time CIA person yourself. The president gets that daily briefing. A lot of that intel comes from the agency. The current Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, CBS is reporting she’s really trying to exert more control over that daily brief, pull it away from the agency. Does that concern you?
SEC. GATES: She’s not the first to try and do that. There were moves in that direction, actually, during the Reagan administration. And we started including in the President’s daily brief contributions from, say, the Defense Intelligence Agency that had not been done before. But I think- I think that, you know, having that, you know, the Director of National Intelligence, I think, was not expected to sort of take a daily supervisory role over the content of the information flowing to the president. I think, you know, we would get information from NSA, from DIA, from all these different agencies. CIA did put together the president’s brief, but my understanding is in recent years, there’s been more and more of a move to have other members of the intelligence community collaborate on putting together the president’s daily brief. So I’m I’m not really aware of the details right now, but, but it seems to me that- I remember when, I when I was head of the analytical side of CIA, probably the Director of Central Intelligence who took the greatest day-to-day interest in the PDB was Jimmy Carter’s Director of Central Intelligence, Admiral Stanfield Turner, who would literally edit the PDB before it was put to bed. Most D.C. eyes have not touched the PDB. They have, they have let- let the professionals put in there what they needed to put in there, and then, and then they got the fury of the president when he disagreed with something that was in the PDB.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you have any concerns when you look at some of the reshaping, some of the firings within intelligence that- the two heads, for example, of the National Intelligence Council, were just dismissed by Gabbard.
SEC. GATES: Yeah. I mean, I don’t know. I don’t know enough about the details to be able to comment. The one thing that I would say concerns me, both at CIA and at the Defense Department, are the firings of probationary employees–
MARGARET BRENNAN: The new blood.
SEC. GATES: These are the- this is the future of these organizations. These are the young people dedicated to public service who bring in skills such as data analytics and so on, that- that are their older peer- people don’t have, and they’re the future of the agency. And there are ways to reduce the manpower and reduce the number of people at these agencies, and most agencies should be reformed and should be made more lean and more efficient, but there’s a way to do it that doesn’t shortcut the future and also doesn’t end up firing people that actually are really needed.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you think that’s what Elon Musk and the DOGE effort did?
SEC. GATES: I think so.
MARGARET BRENNAN: That America lost new talent–
SEC. GATES: I think there–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –that was important.
SEC. GATES: I think there has been a cost in talent with the categorization of the people. And I think the reason that probationaries were put at the top was because they’re easier to fire and- but that doesn’t mean that was the right thing to do.
MARGARET BRENNAN: When we look around the world right now, there are a lot of hot spots, not just this land war in Ukraine, in the middle of Europe, you have missile attacks between two nuclear powers, India and Pakistan, you have China’s increased aggression in Asia, the ongoing Israeli war, as we talked about. Two years ago, I re-read this essay that you wrote two years ago, and you said the U.S. confronts graver threats to its security than it ever has. Two years later, what does the playing field look like to you?
SEC. GATES: I think that if anything, the peril has gotten greater, simply because both Russia and especially China have significantly increased their arsenals and their military power. And particularly, as I say in the case of China, China has been much more aggressive in the Taiwan Strait and in the South China Sea than they were two years ago. I think they put themselves in a position, if they chose to do so, to put essentially a stranglehold around Taiwan in terms of shipping and so on. And you know, what we’ve never faced before is large, aggressive nuclear powers, both in Europe and in Asia, collaborating. And what we are facing today we’ve never faced as a country, is a country that’s almost as rich as we are, that is technologically advanced, competing with us in many areas of technology, technology advances and- and one that has unanswered ambitions, unfulfilled ambitions–
MARGARET BRENNAN: You’re talking about China.
SEC. GATES: –in the neighborhood, all China. And so, you know, China is the ******* threat by far, but doesn’t negate the 1,500 nuclear weapons that the Russians have either.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yet.
SEC GATES: I’m sorry?
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yet, they’re expanding, right?
SEC GATES: Yes.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So you’ve said, though, of China, I mean, you look at what’s happening with their expansion. There was this trade war that on Monday was paused in some way in terms of the tariffs. There are some that are still in place, but some delayed for at least 90 days. Was there a point? Was there a win that came out of this confrontation?
SEC. GATES: My view is that if China is your primary competitor, your primary rival, your primary adversary, and we can avoid a military confrontation with China, then the outcome is going to be- is going to be settled by non-military instruments of power, above all, economics. And you would think that if we were going to put significant additional economic pressure on China, we would want all the other countries around the world to be on our side of the table and willing to collaborate with us in putting those pressures on China and saying you can’t- you can’t behave the way you have been. You can’t dump, you can’t steal intellectual property, you can’t do these things. And to have most of the developed countries in the world, in essence, echoing each other and on the same page. Declaring trade wars on all of them did not, shall we say, enhance their willingness to collaborate with us against China. So who’s the main enemy? And I think that’s always the key question. I understand the imbalance in trade and- and that other countries, the Europeans, have never done as much since the end of the Cold War on defense as they should. I bellowed about it, like a lot of other American officials. But the question is, what’s the main strategic threat, and what’s the best strategy for dealing with that threat?
MARGARET BRENNAN: So having a tariff war with Europe, Japan, South Korea, all the allies at once, you’re saying is self defeating.
SEC. GATES: I think- I think it doesn’t make strategic sense. Now, others look at it from a more purely economic standpoint, and I understand that. But- but I think we have to, we have to decide, you know, is more revenue and reshoring- how does more revenue and reshoring of manufacturing balance off against what many in this administration consider, and both Republicans and Democrats on the Hill, consider to be the main, the main threat. And are there ways that you apply those tariffs in ways that maybe accomplish both goals.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You wrote in Foreign Affairs, President Trump’s “disdain for U.S. allies, his fondness for authoritarian leaders, his willingness to sow doubt about the United States’ commitment to NATO allies, and his generally erratic behavior undermined us credibility and respect across the globe.” That was about his first term. He’s back. Are you seeing a repeat of those behaviors now?
SEC. GATES: I think that- I think that he has been more cautious about the language that he has used. He has not talked about not fighting for other countries. He hasn’t said, well, I’m not going to participate in Article V, we’re not going to go to war for Europe. I mean, there’s been some tough language toward the Europeans, the Vice President in Munich and so on, but–
MARGARET BRENNAN: He said things again about, oh if they don’t pay up–
SEC. GATES: It’s clear–
MARGARET BRENNAN: We don’t take it seriously.
SEC. GATES: It’s clear he does not see the allies- see our allies as- as an important asset for America’s national interests, as a lot of us do. I think, and- and the Europeans have given him ammunition by not being willing to provide for their own defense in even the most modest way. But I think he has avoids- avoided some of the more inflammatory language toward NATO that he used in the first term.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I want to ask about the Pentagon, which you ran for a while. You hear a lot these days about identity politics, including when the Secretary of Defense addresses troops. Warrior and war fighting ethos is the mantra. You used to go out and speak to troops, including those serving overseas. What do you think that kind of message is doing? Is that the right tone?
SEC. GATES: Well, I think that- I mean it- as I understand it, it derives from a belief that in the Biden administration, that the leadership of the Pentagon was distracted by the need to pursue diversity in- initiatives and so on.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you think they were?
SEC. GATES: You know, I live a long way from the Pentagon. I don’t know. I think that, you know, if you look at what some of the military leaders have said, the amount of time that soldiers and leaders actually spent on those issues was pretty small, but it may have been more the focus of public remarks and things like that. I don’t know whether it distracted people or not, but I know- I mean, my view is that a big part of the warrior ethos is taking care of your people. Every Second Lieutenant learns that, first thing. And- and so I think- think having a focus on being combat ready, on fitness, on those kinds of things absolutely makes sense and- and I think making sure- and when we talked about various changes, such as the decision made that I made in terms of women serving on submarines, and women going into the Special Forces and so on, the line always was, you can’t compromise the standards. The expectations for women need to be exactly the same as they are for men and- and so a focus on that kind of meritocracy, I think, also makes sense. But I think you also have to remember the military needs to look like the American people, and it does. And you can call it whatever you want, but- but we are better served, in my view, by a military that reflects the American people and- and I think it does at this point.
MARGARET BRENNAN: The last two national defense strategies said the U.S. military is not postured or equipped to fight wars against two major rivals at the same time. You’ve talked about the need to fund defense more. Right now, even the Republican Chair of the Armed Services Committee says the White House isn’t doing enough. If the focus is on war, fighting and a warrior ethos, isn’t that contradictory?
SEC. GATES: I think there is a general understanding about two things. One is the Pentagon needs to get much more efficient and needs to be reformed, especially when it comes to acquisitions and the integration of new technologies. The second is that it needs more money to do those things and- and to fund new capabilities. The Department of Defense has not had a budget going into the fiscal year for 15 years. If there isn’t- if that isn’t a dereliction of duty by the Congress, I don’t know what is. Because when you have a continuing resolution, you can’t start anything new, you can’t add to anything. People talk about- about expanding the ship building capabilities, about expanding our defense industrial capability and so on. And for all the speeches they make, nothing’s happening because they haven’t voted a single dollar to do any of those things. So there is this- and I don’t understand, under the circumstances, why the administration’s budget puts forward a budget for the Pentagon that, as I understand it, is basically flat, which, given some inflation means a cut.
MARGARET BRENNAN: That’s exactly what the Republican Chair of the Armed Services Committee – he said “it’s going to shred to the bone our military capabilities and support to service members.” He said it amounts to a cut and that it contradicts what the President had promised.
SEC. GATES: There has to be an agreement between the president and the Congress on actually what has to be done to recapture our industrial- military industrial capabilities, and- and then for Congress to vote the money in a timely way. Let me give you one example of- of how big the gap is with China. Between 2017 and 2024, the number of warships in our Navy stayed essentially flat. During that same *******, China launched 150 warships. They have 250 times the ship cap- building capability we do. This was us in World War II, and now the tables have been turned. We represent kind of 1/10 of 1% of global shipping- ship building capability. They’ve got over half. So if we’re going to fix that, somebody’s got to get off the dime.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So then in that context, is it worth to spend as much as $45 million on a military parade on June the 14th, which happens to be the President’s birthday?
SEC. GATES: Well, I’ll leave that up to- up to the gurus in Washington. In my career, we had one military parade in Washington, and that was after the Gulf War, and I don’t- and I think we had to do some repair work on the streets in D.C. after that.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You served in public service for nearly 50 years. What is your advice to graduates who are looking at the administration’s message that the private sector is more productive than the public one, and when they look at all the cuts that are happening to federal agencies? Is it worth it to go into public service?
SEC. GATES: Well, I totally believe it’s worth it to go into public service. There are few things you can do that are more gratifying and more satisfying, and when you look back, being able to say that maybe you made a difference in keeping the nation safer or the nation better off. The reality is government- government- the American government has generally been an enabler of the American people, in terms of education, in terms of opportunities and so on, and protecting opportunities. People make government work, and you want the best people you can get in those jobs. For all the rhetoric, the American civil service is the most honest and efficient anywhere in the world, and has been for a very long time. Does that mean it can’t be improved? Absolutely not. Every organization needs to be reformed and improved, but these young people and their dedication and their- their possession of skills that older people don’t have, data analytics and so on, they’re crucial to the future of these agencies. And- and- and they shouldn’t be daunted. We’ve been through bad times before. I was- I joined CIA at the height of Vietnam. Those were pretty rough days. 1968 was as bad a year as the United States maybe has had since the Civil War, internally, and with deep divisions and- and distrust of government. And believe me, distrust of government didn’t begin recently, it began with Watergate and Vietnam. And so young people need to understand there are great opportunities to serve, and- and I would argue, if you’re unhappy about things at the federal level, go into local government or state government. There are lots of different places where you can serve. It doesn’t have to be at CIA or the State Department. It could be- it can be in a local NGO of some kind, or a charity. There are lots of ways to do public service, and- and young people who feel motivated to do that, this university has a lot of them. Texas A&M, where I was president, has the George H.W. Bush School of Government and Public Service. Lots of universities have these schools, and they’ve got a lot of kids who are eager to be helpful and help make the country better. My- my view is they ought to go for it.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You talked about loss of confidence. Wall Street Journal’s Peggy ******* recently wrote about the broken windows theory in law enforcement, where you go after the small crimes to dissuade ******* ones. But she was arguing, basically, we need to apply that in politics right now. Are you concerned that even the appearance of corruption, foreign influence peddling, wears away at that, and that perhaps, as she calls for in this piece, that our parties, the Republican and Democratic Parties, need to be a little bit more honest and explicit in policing themselves?
SEC. GATES: Well, I think so, absolutely. I mean, you can’t even get legislation on the hill about insider trading. And so I think appearances do matter. And you know, I mean, I remember how strict the rules were when I was in government. If I- if I got a gift when I was traveling from a foreign government, if it was valued at over $300 and I wanted it, I had to pay for it.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Including a Boeing plane from a Gulf country? Over $300. All right, we are out of time. We’ve covered a lot. There’s more to talk about, but I will leave it there, Mr. Secretary.
SEC. GATES: Okay. Thank you Margaret.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Thank you.
Face The Nation Transcripts
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How to balance fixed income and equities in your portfolio
How to balance fixed income and equities in your portfolio
00:00 Speaker A
bonds that are the drag on your portfolio until they’re the thing that saves your portfolio. For our chart of the day, we have a bar chart showing how bonds can protect your portfolio in the event of a recession here. How much bond exposure should you recommend investors have right now?
00:21 Speaker B
Look, I mean, I think everybody’s allocation is different, depending on their overall goals and objective and time horizon. But let’s say, you know, you’re you’re a mixed investor, half in equities, half in fixed income. We’d actually recommend a little bit more fixed income, above and beyond your target. And the reason being is simply return skew. Um, you know, right now, with a 450 tenure, let’s call it, shock interest rates up or down 100 basis points and look at what happens over the next year in terms of total return. Well, if if interest rates go up 100 basis points, you know, you’re down roughly 2 and a half percent, but if they go down 100 basis points, you’re up roughly 12%. And so the risk return skew there does is attractive. And you know, we walked through some of the stretch valuation in the equity space. If that were to reprice, uh, we do think bonds offer some attractive diversification, uh, characteristics for portfolio in that in that case.
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Forget AirTag: This Bluetooth tracker is my top pick for both iPhone and Android users – ZDNET
Forget AirTag: This Bluetooth tracker is my top pick for both iPhone and Android users – ZDNET
Forget AirTag: This Bluetooth tracker is my top pick for both iPhone and Android users ZDNETThese Trackers Show How Far Ahead Apple’s AirTag Still Is How-To GeekRechargeable Find My wallet trackers don’t get much more affordable than this: UGREEN FineTrack card now $21.50 9to5ToysJust 2 days left to grab the slimmest tracking card on the market for under $30 AOL.comThe ultra-sleek AirTag alternative you didn’t know you needed is less than $33 Mashable
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Wes Anderson says Gene Hackman was 'furious' over salary for 'The Royal Tenenbaums' – Business Insider
Wes Anderson says Gene Hackman was 'furious' over salary for 'The Royal Tenenbaums' – Business Insider
Wes Anderson says Gene Hackman was ‘furious’ over salary for ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’ Business InsiderGene Hackman’s ‘Royal Tenenbaums’ Salary Dispute with Wes Anderson Us WeeklyWes Anderson Gives Honest 3-Word Description of Gene Hackman Men’s JournalWes Anderson Says Gene Hackman Was ‘Furious’ About Flat-Fee Salary DeadlineWes Anderson says Gene Hackman was ‘furious’ about his Royal Tenenbaums salary: ‘We had friction’ The Independent
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‘We did not make this decision lightly’
‘We did not make this decision lightly’
Imagine waking up to find out that the biggest employer in your town is shutting its doors — and there’s little you can do to stop it.
That’s the tough reality that 135 workers in Napa County are now facing as Coca-Cola moves forward with the closure of its American Canyon bottling plant.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Coca-Cola will permanently shut down its 350,000-square-foot American Canyon facility by June 30, impacting 135 jobs.
The plant, which has operated since 1994, produces beverages such as Powerade, Minute Maid, Vitamin Water, and Gold Peak Tea.
Coca-Cola acquired the site in 2002. In a statement on the closure, the company said: “We did not make this decision lightly and are grateful to have had the opportunity to have been a part of the American Canyon community.”
Workers are being encouraged to seek positions within Coca-Cola’s broader network or with partners such as Refresco.
While shifting production overseas may streamline operations, the decision still devastates local workers and removes sustainability oversight from the equation, which is a growing concern as companies seek cheaper manufacturing options.
The closure is part of Coca-Cola’s “asset right” strategy, a business model focused on transferring bottling duties to third-party firms such as Refresco, allowing Coca-Cola to concentrate on brand management rather than in-house production.
According to a study in Science Advances, Coca-Cola is responsible for 11% of the world’s branded plastic pollution.
Analysis from Oceana, shared by the Guardian, estimated the company’s plastic waste in oceans will hit 602 million kilograms (over 1.3 billion pounds) per year by 2030.
Some bottlers, such as Liberty Coca-Cola Beverages, have introduced recyclable plastic ring packaging as a step forward, but critics argue these efforts don’t go far enough, especially since plastic can generally only be recycled a handful of times before it is no longer strong enough. That’s in contrast to aluminum and glass, which are infinitely recyclable.
Microplastics continue to pollute oceans and harm marine life, and without more aggressive action, Coca-Cola’s footprint will only grow.
Story Continues
While little can be done to reverse Coca-Cola’s decision in Napa, consumers can still push the company to take greater environmental responsibility.
Greenpeace is collecting signatures for a petition on Coca-Cola’s plastic pollution, urging stronger action against waste.
Shoppers can also send a message through their choices by supporting brands that take sustainability seriously.
Some companies now offer eco-friendly recycling programs and store credit as part of broader circular economy efforts.
It’s one small step that can lead to real change, showing big brands like Coca-Cola that people care about their communities and their planet.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don’t miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
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The market just gave investors a gift. Here’s how not to blow it
The market just gave investors a gift. Here’s how not to blow it
The stock market has come full circle from its April lows, with all of the losses suffered now recovered. For investors who long defied warnings about being over-exposed to U.S. stocks, especially with the dominant position of a handful of tech stocks in the S&P 500, the rebound in portfolios is a good opportunity to do what many had neglected to do in the past: diversify into international equities and other asset classes.
“You got a gift from the market gods,” said David Schassler, VanEck head of multi-asset solutions, on last week’s “ETF Edge.”
“We want to see people diversify, diversify internationally and into real assets as well, specifically gold and if you’re into it, also diversify into bitcoin,” he said.
Some investors already got the message early in 2025, as the ******* from January to April saw most major markets around the globe leave U.S. stocks behind in performance. Vanguard’s Total International Stock Index ETF (VXUS), as an example, has net inflows of over $6 billion this year, according to ETFAction.com, which places it No. 11 among all ETFs in flows this year. But to put that into perspective, Vanguard’s S&P 500 ETF (VOO), is now over $63 billion in inflows this year.
In fact, VOO is on pace to blow away the record for annual inflows it set just last year.
As investors who bought the dip in U.S. stocks are rewarded, ETF experts say those who have stuck with an S&P 500-heavy tilt and didn’t enjoy the drawdown experience of April should still use this opportunity to look at portfolio balance. “If your portfolio is predominantly U.S. [stocks], we want to see you diversity in international as well as emerging markets,” Schassler said.
Investing icons of the recent past, from Warren Buffett to Jack Bogle of Vanguard Group, broadcast a message that focusing on U.S. stocks over the long-term is the best bet. Bogle, in particular, often said the S&P 500’s multi-national corporate makeup delivers plenty of overseas revenue itself. But even Buffett has been lightening up on some big U.S. market positions, while adding to more of his more recent bets on Japan.
“We’re not anti-U.S., but just saying if you are predominantly invested in the U.S., you probably want to invest outside as well,” Schassler said.
U.S. stock valuation remains concern as investors rush back in
Valuation in the S&P 500 remains a primary concern for experts who say this is a good time to make sure a portfolio is properly diversified. According to Schassler, with the recovery in stocks, the U.S. market is “priced richly.”
He added that even as recession risks have declined after the U.S.-China temporary trade truce, the risks remain higher than the historical baseline. “We’re not calling a recession, but risk is high,” he said on “ETF Edge.”
The price to earnings ratio in U.S. stocks reinforces the message that there is “lots of value overseas,” he added.
In Schassler’s view, the big shift in U.S. government policy on a global basis is also a secondary catalyst for more diversification. As the world becomes more bifurcated, and countries are forced to move forward on their own and push their own growth, investors are in a backdrop that favors more growth from lower valuation international stock markets, he said.
Todd Rosenbluth, head of research at VettaFi, said on “ETF Edge” that this year has shown more investors embracing international diversification, though he added that we are “not fully seeing it” in the market yet. He also says investors should use this moment to be mindful of the concentration with their U.S. stock holdings.
“The flows have certainly been favoring the U.S. and investors been buying the dip are being rewarded,” Rosenbluth said. “We’ve seen growth equities rebound much more strongly, those tech and consumer discretionary oriented sectors,” he said.
The iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF (IVW) is up nearly 18% in the past month, while the iShares S&P 500 Value ETF (IVE) is up about 8%, according to ETF Action.
Rosenbluth says a good way to deal with the valuation and concentration risk within a U.S. portfolio is to invest in a “quality” stock funds, such as VictoryShares’ Free Cash Flow ETFs.
“We might not see this rally continue on the growth side so you want to have balance in the portfolio,” Rosenbluth said.
China, India and emerging markets
Both ETF experts said as global trade sentiment improves, investors should look at China and India as part of any international diversification plan.
Schassler said China is aggressively stimulating its economy, and India is one of the best growth stories in the world “like China 20 years ago,” he said. “Having China and India exposure makes sense,” he said.
Rosenbluth said there was strong interest in China at the beginning of the year, and in ETFs such as KraneShares’ CSI China Internet ETF (KWEB), but he described that momentum as now “faded.”
KWEB is still a good option for investors interested in China in this environment, Rosenbluth said, because it is still one of the largest of the China-focused growth-oriented ETFs, and is less likely to be negatively impacted from China tariffs. It is a “China-only” story as opposed to a broader ******** stock fund with exposure to multi-national businesses. KWEB is up 14% of the past month, and in the past week it saw close to $100 million in flows, compared to net outflows over $800 million during the prior three months, according to ETF Action.
On India, there are multiple options for investors, including the iShares MSCI India ETF (INDA), as well as Van Eck’s Digital India ETF (DGIN).
Schassler said the structural growth story in India is the reason to invest. “You’ve got a huge population, it’s tech savvy, well-educated, and the government is supporting the economy, so everything lines up there for a growth story,” he said.
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If Keir Starmer is not robotic enough for you, his AI twin is ready for your questions | Politics
If Keir Starmer is not robotic enough for you, his AI twin is ready for your questions | Politics
If you are one of the few people on the planet who fancies a chat with Keir Starmer, then there’s a new AI model for you.
A former chief of staff to a Tory minister has created Nostrada, which aims to enable users to talk with an AI version of each of the *** parliament’s 650 MPs – and lets you ask them anything you want.
Founded by Leon Emirali, who worked for Steve Barclay, Nostrada gives users a chance to speak to the “digital twin”, trained to replicate their political stances and mannerisms.
It is intended for diplomats, lobbyists and members of the public, who can find out where each MP stands on each issue, as well as each of their colleagues.
“Politicians provide such a rich data source because they can’t stop talking,” said Emirali. “They have an opinion on everything and when you’re building an AI product that’s perfect because your product is only as good as your data is.”
The accuracy of the chatbots is sure to be questioned by the politicians themselves.
The Guardian asked the digital twin of every cabinet member: “If the *** were to have a new prime minister after Keir Starmer, who would you like it to be?” The majority declined to answer. The health secretary Wes Streeting’s avatar voted for himself.
The models are trained on the vast array of written and spoken material from politicians that can be found online. And no matter how much you try to convince one, it will not change its mind. This is because it will not learn from input data, so no matter what you tell it, it does not learn anything. The Guardian would like to stress it is talking about the AI models.
Emirali says that his idea was born in 2017, when he unsuccessfully tried to persuade the Conservatives to create a chatbot of then prime minister, Theresa May – herself nicknamed the MayBot – in order to provide “bite-size, conversational overview” on key issues.
The AI has already been used by political figures, including an account registered to a Cabinet Office email as well as two separate accounts registered to emails in foreign embassies, possibly in order to research the prime minister and his cabinet. Emirali also says several prominent lobbying and marketing agencies have used the software in the past few months.
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For all of Nostrada’s possible potential uses, Emirali concedes there are risks the AI could be “a hindrance” for prospective voters who rely entirely on it to make up their minds for them.
He said: “There’s too much nuance in politics that the AI may not pick up for voters to rely on it fully. The hope is that for people who know politics, who have the eye for it, this can be very useful. The worry is for people who don’t have that eye for politics and don’t follow it daily, I wouldn’t want this tool to be used to influence how someone should vote.”
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If WNBA wants a true Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese rivalry, the Sky must grow quickly – The Athletic – The New York Times
If WNBA wants a true Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese rivalry, the Sky must grow quickly – The Athletic – The New York Times
If WNBA wants a true Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese rivalry, the Sky must grow quickly – The Athletic The New York TimesView Full Coverage on Google News
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