US warns commercial flights near Persian Gulf could be 'misidentified,' amid tensions with Iran - Fox News

Commercial airliners flying over the wider Persian Gulf could be “misidentified” and targeted amid the increasing escalation between the U.S. and Iran, American diplomats said in a warning Saturday.

The warning, relayed by U.S. diplomatic posts from the Federal Aviation Administration, stressed that the current tensions, with Iran-backed militias reportedly moving missiles closer to American bases in Iraq, are posing a risk to global air travel.

All commercial aircraft flying over the waters of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman need to be aware of the ongoing escalation, the warning reads, adding that the threat presents “an increasing inadvertent risk to U.S. civil aviation operations due to the potential for miscalculation or misidentification," the warning said.

It also advised that aircraft could experience interference with its navigation instruments and communications jamming “with little to no warning.”

IRAN'S TOP GENERAL TELLS IRAQI MILITIAS TO PREP FOR 'PROXY WAR' AMID US-IRAN TENSIONS

The notice comes amid heightened tensions between the two countries. The Trump administration recently ordered warships and bombers to the region to counter the supposed threat from Iran that forced the U.S. earlier this week to pull all non-essential U.S. government personnel from Iraq.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told the Iraqi top brass that Iran-backed militias have moved their missiles closer to bases housing Americans.

Iran’s top general, Qassem Soleimani, a commander of Iran’s extraterritorial military operations Quds Force, meanwhile, met in recent weeks with the militias and told them to “prepare for proxy war,” the Guardian reported.

POMPEO SLAMS KERRY OVER MEETING WITH IRANIANS, UNDERMINING TRUMP ADMINISTRATION: 'IT'S TIME TO GET OFF THE STAGE'

“Iran or its proxies” were also blamed by the U.S. for targeting four oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, while Iran-aligned rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility for a drone attack on a crucial Saudi oil pipeline, prompting the Saudis to call on the U.S. to carry out strikes against the Iranian regime.

Other countries soon followed the threat assessment of the U.S., with Britain raising threat levels for its troops in Iraq on Thursday. Both Germany and the Netherlands suspended a training mission in Iraq.

But President Trump on Tuesday appeared to downplay the escalation and denied the reports that his administration was planning to send more than 100,000 troops to the region in the wake of heightened tensions in the region.

“If we did that, we’d send a hell of a lot more troops than that,” he said.

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Iran’s foreign minister, Mohammad Zarif, on Thursday deemed new sanctions imposed by the Trump administration as “unacceptable” but noted that the country is committed to the nuclear deal.

“We believe that escalation by the United States is unacceptable and uncalled for. We have exercised maximum restraints,” he said during a visit to Japan.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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2019-05-18 07:29:28Z
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US warns commercial flights near Persian Gulf could be 'misidentified,' amid tensions with Iran - Fox News

Commercial airliners flying over the wider Persian Gulf could be “misidentified” and targeted amid the increasing escalation between the U.S. and Iran, American diplomats said in a warning Saturday.

The warning, relayed by U.S. diplomatic posts from the Federal Aviation Administration, stressed that the current tensions, with Iran-backed militias reportedly moving missiles closer to American bases in Iraq, are posing a risk to global air travel.

All commercial aircraft flying over the waters of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman need to be aware of the ongoing escalation, the warning reads, adding that the threat presents “an increasing inadvertent risk to U.S. civil aviation operations due to the potential for miscalculation or misidentification," the warning said.

It also advised that aircraft could experience interference with its navigation instruments and communications jamming “with little to no warning.”

IRAN'S TOP GENERAL TELLS IRAQI MILITIAS TO PREP FOR 'PROXY WAR' AMID US-IRAN TENSIONS

The notice comes amid heightened tensions between the two countries. The Trump administration recently ordered warships and bombers to the region to counter the supposed threat from Iran that forced the U.S. earlier this week to pull all non-essential U.S. government personnel from Iraq.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told the Iraqi top brass that Iran-backed militias have moved their missiles closer to bases housing Americans.

Iran’s top general, Qassem Soleimani, a commander of Iran’s extraterritorial military operations Quds Force, meanwhile, met in recent weeks with the militias and told them to “prepare for proxy war,” the Guardian reported.

POMPEO SLAMS KERRY OVER MEETING WITH IRANIANS, UNDERMINING TRUMP ADMINISTRATION: 'IT'S TIME TO GET OFF THE STAGE'

“Iran or its proxies” were also blamed by the U.S. for targeting four oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, while Iran-aligned rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility for a drone attack on a crucial Saudi oil pipeline, prompting the Saudis to call on the U.S. to carry out strikes against the Iranian regime.

Other countries soon followed the threat assessment of the U.S., with Britain raising threat levels for its troops in Iraq on Thursday. Both Germany and the Netherlands suspended a training mission in Iraq.

But President Trump on Tuesday appeared to downplay the escalation and denied the reports that his administration was planning to send more than 100,000 troops to the region in the wake of heightened tensions in the region.

“If we did that, we’d send a hell of a lot more troops than that,” he said.

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Iran’s foreign minister, Mohammad Zarif, on Thursday deemed new sanctions imposed by the Trump administration as “unacceptable” but noted that the country is committed to the nuclear deal.

“We believe that escalation by the United States is unacceptable and uncalled for. We have exercised maximum restraints,” he said during a visit to Japan.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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2019-05-18 07:17:50Z
CBMijAFodHRwczovL3d3dy5mb3huZXdzLmNvbS93b3JsZC91cy13YXJucy1jb21tZXJjaWFsLWFpcmxpbmVycy1mbHlpbmctdG8tcGVyc2lhbi1ndWxmLWNvdWxkLWJlLW1pc2lkZW50aWZpZWQtYXMtaG9zdGlsZS1hbWlkLXRlbnNpb25zLXdpdGgtaXJhbtIBkAFodHRwczovL3d3dy5mb3huZXdzLmNvbS93b3JsZC91cy13YXJucy1jb21tZXJjaWFsLWFpcmxpbmVycy1mbHlpbmctdG8tcGVyc2lhbi1ndWxmLWNvdWxkLWJlLW1pc2lkZW50aWZpZWQtYXMtaG9zdGlsZS1hbWlkLXRlbnNpb25zLXdpdGgtaXJhbi5hbXA

US warns airliners flying in Persian Gulf amid Iran tensions - Fox News

Graphic locates the US Navy's fleet area of operations and shows the path the US strike group moving into position in the Persian Gulf; 3c x 4 3/4 inches; 146 mm x 120 mm;

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – U.S. diplomats are warning that commercial airliners flying over the wider Persian Gulf faced a risk of being "misidentified" amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran.

The warning relayed Saturday by U.S. diplomatic posts from the Federal Aviation Administration underlined the risks the current tensions pose to a region crucial to global air travel.

It also served as a grim reminder that 30 years ago, the U.S. mistook an Iranian passenger jet for a warplane after their last naval battle with Tehran, killing all 290 people aboard.

Concerns about a possible conflict have flared since the White House ordered warships and bombers to the region to counter an alleged, unexplained threat from Iran. President Donald Trump since has sought to soften his tone.

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2019-05-18 05:29:28Z
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Brexit talks collapse, setting up Theresa May’s likely departure - The Washington Post

LONDON — Brexit talks between Britain’s two main political parties collapsed in a heap of finger-pointing on Friday, with the opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn saying the “weakness and instability” of Prime Minister Theresa May’s government had damaged negotiations.

With her own Conservative Party lawmakers openly demanding a timetable for her departure, not a day goes by without Britain’s political class guessing when May will leave office. Will it be next month? Or July? Or October?

May has promised to offer a date soon. 

In the tragicomedy that is Brexit, the latest narrative casts a deeply unpopular, fatally wounded but principled prime minister doing all she can to get her unpopular Brexit deal passed in the House of Commons.

May said this week she will seek an unprecedented fourth vote on her withdrawal treaty — you read that number right — in early June. The first three attempts ended in failure.

The Financial Times caught the sacrificial lamb vibe with this headline: “Theresa May offers herself up to save Brexit deal.”

For the last six weeks, May and Corbyn have engaged in cross-party talks in hopes of finding a compromise that could break the Brexit deadlock and win a vote in Parliament.

Many saw it as doomed from the start — and a cynical play for time by both sides.

On Friday, Corbyn pulled the plug.

Labour said that they were uncomfortable striking a deal with a Conservative leader who could be gone within weeks.

“The increasing weakness and instability of your government means there cannot be confidence in securing whatever might be agreed between us,” Corbyn wrote. 

May’s position as prime minister is as precarious as it’s ever been. Her Conservative Party received a drubbing in local elections earlier this month and is expected to do poorly in next week’s European Parliament elections, with the opinion polls suggesting the Tories will get trounced by Nigel Farage’s upstart Brexit Party.

[In what may be Britain’s last European election, Nigel Farage’s new Brexit Party is expected to dominate]

May has agreed to discuss a timetable for her departure after Parliament votes on Brexit legislation in the first week of June.

If she defies the odds and wins that vote, it would be the political comeback of the century. If she loses, then plans could be made for her orderly departure.

But just because the starting gun hasn’t been fired on the leadership race to succeed May doesn’t mean that it’s not already happening, at least unofficially.

On Thursday, Boris Johnson, Britain’s ambitious former foreign secretary and a leading Brexiteer, said what everybody in Westminster knew already: He was going for it.

A Tory leadership contest for a new prime minister could last several months. From a possible field of a dozen candidates, Conservative lawmakers will narrow the race to two, and then the 125,000 Tory members will get their pick. The vote does not go to the general public.

In his letter to the prime minister, Corbyn said their Brexit talks had “gone as far as they can” and that the race to find her successor had undermined the process. 

He added that “while there are some areas where compromise has been possible, we have been unable to bridge important policy gaps between us.”

Corbyn’s Labour sought the softest sort of Brexit, one that would have kept Britain so closely aligned with E.U. customs rules and tariffs that it probably would have forbade it from seeing its own independent trade deals with countries like the United States, China and India. That was a red line for May — and a Brexit that hard-liners would never approve.

Speaking at a rally in Bristol, May blamed the failure of the talks on Labour’s position on Brexit, which many find ambiguous.

Although the two sides did find some common ground, May said, “We haven’t been able to overcome the fact that there isn’t a common position in Labour about whether they want to deliver Brexit, or hold a second referendum, which could reverse it.”

It was long expected that talks between May and Corbyn would be likely to end in tears. 

Striking a deal risked tearing apart both the Conservatives and Labour Party, both of which have factions that would be deeply uncomfortable with a compromise. 

On Labour’s side, there were critics who were uneasy about being seen to help deliver Brexit, and on the Conservative side, there were those who disliked Labour’s key demand for a customs arrangement with the European bloc.

Asked if he could do business with someone like Boris Johnson as prime minister, Corbyn told the BBC: “Whoever the Tory Party decide is going to be the leader we will put our case and we will challenge them.”

Read more:

British voters with Brexit on their minds punish main parties in local elections

Brexit: Parliament rejects soft Brexit, second referendum

Today’s coverage from Post correspondents around the world

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2019-05-17 14:07:05Z
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Has Samantha Markle Ever Apologized to Meghan Markle? - The Cheat Sheet

No matter what, it seems that royal fans are constantly hearing about the drama that is going on between Meghan Markle and her family. The Duchess of Sussex has remained strong through it all, always appearing at events and engagements with a happy smile, and not releasing any public statements about what is going on.

In fact, she has not responded to the drama whatsoever, although this has not stopped Samantha Markle from continuing her behavior. Since Meghan announced her engagement to Prince Harry, Samantha, who lives in Ocala, Florida, has not kept quiet. At one point, Samantha even went so far as to make a mockery out of Meghan, calling her a “duchass” when she received her royal title.

Now that baby Archie has finally arrived, Samantha is off on a new rant – this time, about her wishes for the Markle family to be part of Archie’s life. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have not responded to this, so it is unknown as to if they are considering it at all. This leaves many wondering if Samantha has ever issued an apology to Meghan.

Is Samantha Markle jealous?

Meghan Markle | Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Many fans think so. There is no apparent reason that we know of for their rift, and some fans have wondered what exactly Samantha is trying to accomplish with her negative behavior. At one point, it was thought that she was trying to get Meghan to reach out to her, and she tried to gain access to Kensington Palace, only to be turned away by security. After months of ongoing behavior, a lot of people are suspecting that Samantha is definitely jealous of her younger sister, which is why the behavior has not stopped.

Did the media really make things worse between Meghan Markle and Samantha Markle?

According to Samantha, they did, although that may not really be the case. Samantha is blaming news outlets for the rift that she is having with Meghan, but this doesn’t really make sense. While it’s true she did not receive an invite to the royal wedding, something she did not hide her feelings about, Samantha has said so many negative things about Meghan, that they feud can’t possibly be anyone’s fault but hers.

Is Samantha Markle looking to be part of Baby Archie’s life?

It would appear that this is the case. The entire world has been eagerly awaiting the royal baby’s birth, and now that he has arrived, Samantha has expressed her desire to put the Markle family drama behind her, and repair the family relationships. Royal fans are well aware that even Meghan’s father, Thomas Markle Sr., is extremely disappointed over the fact that he has not been invited to meet his new grandson, and Samantha is hoping to change that as well.

Has Samantha Markle ever apologized to Meghan Markle?

While Samantha did issue an apology during a television interview, it still didn’t result in a response from Meghan. It is quite possible that the damage has already been done, and that Meghan and Harry have moved on and do not wish to reconcile with Samantha.

At this time, Archie is the main focus in their lives, and they are doing whatever it takes to be amazing parents. Meghan is at the beginning of a wonderful new stage in her life, and she has the support of not only Harry but also of her mother, Doria Ragland, royal family members, and many friends. With so much love surrounding her, it is unlikely that Meghan would want to risk letting Samantha negatively affect her and the new baby. It would seem that it is just too late.

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2019-05-17 13:12:36Z
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Taiwan becomes first in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage - The Washington Post

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Thousands of marriage-equality advocates celebrated Friday in the pouring rain outside Taiwan’s legislature as it voted to become the first in Asia to fully legalize same-sex unions.

The law — which allows for same-sex couples to apply for “marriage registration” as part of “exclusive permanent unions” — came a week before Taiwan’s codes barring same-sex marriage would have been automatically dropped by court order.

Lawmakers had faced pressure from both LGBT groups demanding sweeping reforms and religious groups and others opposing the changes. Friday’s 66-27 vote recognizes same-sex marriages and gives couples many of the tax, insurance and child custody benefits available to male-female married couples.

Taiwan’s high court ruled on May 24, 2017, that barring same-sex couples from marrying violates the Taiwanese constitution and gave the legislature two years to pass a corresponding law or see same-sex marriage become legalized automatically.

The process frequently stalled amid conservative opposition. But in November 2018, Taiwan voted in a public referendum to deny same-sex couples full marriage rights.

Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) responded by submitting legislation designed to comply with both the court ruling and the referendum result. Two competing bills that would be less favorable to the gay community were submitted, but they failed to gain traction.

The law could give the DPP and President Tsai Ing-wen a boost ahead of a presidential election in January. Gay rights advocates have long criticized the ruling party for failing to pass legislation sooner, but these concerns were largely absent amid the mood of optimism at Friday’s rally.

Chi Chia-wei, a gay rights activist for more than 30 years, said he was “very, very happy” to see Taiwan legalize same-sex marriage, calling the process “a strong demonstration of our democratic spirit.”

Friday’s legislation brought a wave of euphoria over a large crowd outside Taiwan’s legislature. Many attendees arrived in buses from outlying cities and stood under umbrellas in a torrential downpour as legislators voted on the articles that would make up Asia’s first same-sex marriage legislation.

The law ensures that Taiwan would stand as an example for Asia’s LGBT community. Thailand has proposed a law to recognize civil partnerships, but same-sex unions remain illegal elsewhere in Asia.

Jay Lin, chief executive of Portico Media and a gay father of two children, called the law a “beacon of hope” for Asia’s gay community. “I’m very glad that I’m living in Taiwan and I’m a beneficiary of these new laws,” he said.

[In historic decision, Taiwanese court rules in favor of same-sex marriage]

In neighboring China — which asserts sovereignty over Taiwan — popular LGBTQ microblogs were censored online in the wake of Taiwan’s 2017 high court ruling. The social media platform Weibo was criticized last month for restricting LGBTQ hashtags.

Taiwan has shown that “traditional culture is not against LGBT culture,” said Jennifer Lu, coordinator of the rights group Marriage Equality Coalition Taiwan. “That’s the message we want to send to the world.”

Before Friday’s vote, legislators in Taiwan’s opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party had rallied to promote a bill that would not define same-sex unions as “marriages.” On Thursday evening, the DPP amended its draft legislation to remove references to “same-sex marriages” while ensuring that same-sex couples would nonetheless be allowed to register marriages.

Tsai, the president, voiced her support of the legislation in a Twitter post, saying that Friday marked “a chance to make history and show the world that progressive values can take root in an Asian society.”

The ruling DPP holds 68 of the 113 seats in Taiwan’s legislature. Tsai’s premier and the party’s caucus whip had worked relentlessly over the past week to secure enough support for the legislation to pass.

Hundreds of couples have already registered to marry on May 24, the deadline set by the high court, but they have not known exactly what rights they would be afforded as newly married couples.

Taiwan’s new law grants same-sex couples the right to marry outside its civil code, which governs marriage rights for heterosexual couples. This was done to comply with the 2017 court ruling as well as the November 2018 referendum, in which voters decided that the civil code should restrict marriage to being between a man and a woman.

KMT legislators had called for Taiwan to respect the referendum results by voting in favor of an alternative bill that would limit same-sex unions to “familiar relationships” and would not consider same-sex partners to be spouses.

A third bill, proposed by DPP legislator Lin Tai-hua, contained a controversial clause that would allow family members to request that a same-sex union be annulled.

Gay rights advocates have called for full adoption rights for same-sex couples, who are barred from adopting non-blood relatives under the new law.

An amendment proposed by the New Power Party (NPP), a minor political party aligned most closely with the DPP, would have allowed Taiwanese nationals to enter same-sex unions with partners from countries that do not recognize same-sex marriage. It was rejected by DPP legislators.

Lu said the law represents a major step forward for Taiwan’s gay community, especially considering the strong conservative backlash to the 2017 high court decision. “I think the result is an accomplishment at this stage,” she said. “But we will keep on fighting for full marriage rights.”

Read more:

Taiwan’s 2020 election campaign is already kicking off. It’s all about the U.S. and China.

China is pushing back against Taiwan for these three reasons

Today’s coverage from Post correspondents around the world

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2019-05-17 12:42:36Z
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Iran's Revolutionary Guards says its missiles can hit US warships - New York Post

DUBAI — A deputy head of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards said even short-range Iranian missiles could reach US warships in the Gulf, and the United States could not afford a new war, the semi-official news agency Fars reported on Friday.

The comments added to days of saber-rattling between Tehran and Washington, which has tightened sanctions and built up its military presence in the region alleging threats from Iran to its troops and interests.

Iran has accused the United States of “psychological warfare,” and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said this week Tehran would not negotiate another deal after Washington quit a 2015 pact over Iran’s nuclear program.

“Even our short-range missiles can easily reach (US) warships in the Gulf,” Mohammad Saleh Jokar, the Guard’s deputy for parliamentary affairs, was quoted by Fars as saying.

“America cannot afford the costs of a new war, and the country is in a bad situation in terms of manpower and social conditions,” he added.

Separately, a senior Iranian military official accused President Donald Trump of dishonesty, saying Washington was calling for talks while “holding a gun” at Tehran, the semi-official news agency Mehr reported on Friday.

Trump has said publicly he wants to pursue a diplomatic route after withdrawing from the 2015 deal and moving to cut off all Iranian oil exports this month.

“The actions of American leaders in exerting pressure and launching sanctions … while speaking of talks, is like holding a gun at someone and asking for friendship and negotiations,” said Rasoul Sanai-Rad, a political deputy of the armed forces command, Mehr reported.

“The behavior of American leaders is a political game which consists of threats and pressure while showing a willingness to negotiate in order to present a peaceful image of themselves and fool public opinion,” Sanai-Rad said.

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2019-05-17 12:47:00Z
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