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May 24, 2019

First Line News Articles for Friday, May 24 2019

Top Stories

Trump moves to escalate investigation of intel agencies

President Donald Trump directed the U.S. intelligence community on Thursday to “quickly and fully cooperate” with Attorney General William Barr’s investigation of the origins of the multi-year probe of whether his 2016 campaign colluded with Russia.

U.S. charges WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange with espionage

The U.S. Justice Department unveiled 17 new criminal charges against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on Thursday, saying he unlawfully published the names of classified sources and conspired with and assisted ex-Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning in obtaining access to classified information.

Wells Fargo, TD Bank turn over Trump financial records to House Dems

Wells Fargo and TD Bank have turned over President Trump’s financial records to the House Financial Services Committee, Fox News confirmed on Thursday, amid a contentious legal battle between the Trump administration and congressional Democrats seeking access to sensitive files.

Trump rolls out a $16 billion bailout package as the trade war stings American farmers

The Trump administration on Thursday rolled out a second round of aid for farmers who have been stung by its yearlong trade war with China, bringing the price tag of bailout efforts so far to about $28 billion.

LDS News

President Nelson thanks Tongan king for religious liberty in meeting at oceanside royal palace

The royal family and nobles here are Free Wesleyan Christians and 62 percent of the population has membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, so when King Tupou VI welcomed President Russell M. Nelson to the royal palace, religious liberty was a key topic.

BYU counselors see increased demand for suicide prevention training

BYU students and faculty have been talking about the importance of mental health and looking for ways to help those in need since the suicide of a BYU student on campus last December.

After meeting Tongan king and queen in royal palace, President Nelson is welcomed ‘home’ by Latter-day Saints

In this land of deep spirituality — where 60 percent of the population claim Church membership — more than 10,000 Latter-day Saints welcomed President Russell M. Nelson “home” on Thursday evening.

U.S. agriculture secretary tours Welfare Square, praises how Utah, LDS Church care for the needy

After seeing the food production facilities at Welfare Square — a tour that included samples of cheddar cheese and chocolate milk — the U.S. secretary of agriculture said his agency could benefit from studying how Utah and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints help those in need.

Watch: Church donates to New Zealand mosques affected by shooting

A new Church News video highlights donations The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has made to New Zealand mosques two months after the Christchurch attack.

M. Russell Ballard visits church members in New Delhi

cting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints M. Russell Ballard visited members of the church in India this past weekend.

National

Senate passes $19 billion disaster relief bill that excludes Trump’s border funding

The bill excluded the $4.5 billion in border funding that the White House and Republicans had demanded.

Officials: Travelers may have caught measles at DFW Airport

As the United States deals with its most severe measles outbreak in a quarter-century, officials at one of the nation’s busiest airports said Thursday travelers there may have been exposed the disease this month.

Pentagon confirms it is weighing sending more troops to Middle East

Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan on Thursday confirmed that the Pentagon was considering sending additional U.S. troops to the Middle East as one of the ways to bolster protection for American forces there amid tensions with Iran.

Banker charged for allegedly approving Manafort loans for Trump job

The former CEO of a bank has been charged with allegedly approving millions of dollars in loans for former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort in exchange for getting a position in the Trump administration.

Trump makes unannounced visit to Arlington cemetery

President Trump on Thursday made an unannounced visit to Arlington National Cemetery ahead of Memorial Day.

Sen. Mike Lee asks Senate committee to preserve pro-life, religious protections in spending bills

Utah Sen. Mike Lee and 24 other conservative senators asked a Senate budget committee to preserve all existing pro-life and religious freedom protections in all future spending bills.

Bipartisan retirement bill clears House, moves closer to becoming law

Lawmakers in the House of Representatives have passed a bill that aims to improve the nation’s retirement savings, moving it a step closer to becoming law.

Several People Killed As Powerful Storms, Tornadoes Slam Central U.S.

At least three people died in a tornado in Golden City, Missouri, on Wednesday. Extreme weather has also threatened parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa and Illinois.

Donald Trump Jr. blasts Pelosi’s ‘cover-up’ claim: Democrats don’t want my father to have ‘any wins’

After House Speaker Nancy Pelosi accused his father of a “cover-up,” Donald Trump Jr. said on “Fox & Friends” Thursday that Democrats are not interested in working with President Trump on infrastructure or other issues.

2nd judge refuses to block House subpoenas for Trump bank records

A second federal judge has now rebuffed President Donald Trump’s sweeping attempt to block House lawmakers from accessing his financial records, handing him another defeat in a fight that has infuriated the President and opened deep rifts with Democrats.

World

Utah man dies on Everest after reaching goal of climbing each continent’s tallest mountain, family says

“He taught us that nothing was impossible,” said the daughter of mountaineer Don Cash, who died while descending from the summit of Mount Everest.

Secretary of State Pompeo: Huawei’s CEO ‘isn’t telling the American people the truth’ on China government ties

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told CNBC on Thursday that Huawei does indeed work with the Chinese government, despite denials by the China-based telecom giant.

More Than 1,000 Holocaust Victims Are Buried In Belarus After Mass Grave Discovered

More than 1,000 victims of the Holocaust were buried Wednesday in Belarus, some 70 years after they were killed in the genocide.

Pakistan conducts missile test but says it wants peace with India

Pakistan announced that it has conducted a test of a surface-to-surface ballistic missile, which it claims has a range of up to 1,500 miles.

Russian court upholds guilty verdict for Jehovah’s Witness

A court in Russia has ruled that a Danish Jehovah’s Witness must stay in prison for the next six years.

U.S. Navy again sails through Taiwan Strait, angering China

The U.S. military said it sent two Navy ships through the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, its latest transit through the sensitive waterway, angering China at a time of tense relations between the world’s two biggest economies.

British government postpones Brexit vote as crisis deepens

Move comes as PM May’s latest proposal is widely rejected and she is reportedly to be planning to resign as early as Friday

U.S., Iran Conflict Intensifies Amid Talk of Troop Deployment

Senior officials in Tehran levied grave threats Thursday following reports the White House is considering deploying 10,000 new troops to the region.

Modi declares victory in India elections as opposition Congress Party concedes

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was poised for a landslide victory in the country’s general elections, early results showed on Thursday, defying expectations of even his own party to win a second term in office.

Voting has begun in the most divisive E.U. Parliament election in a generation

The elections have been overshadowed by the growth of nationalist, Euroskeptic parties.

Business

FAA acting head: Airlines don’t need to extend Boeing 737 Max flight cancellations

Airlines that have taken the grounded Boeing 737 Max planes out of their schedules through the summer currently don’t need to extend flight cancellations of the popular jet, the acting head of the Federal Aviation Administration said Thursday.

Science

‘Extraordinary archaeological find’: Last known US slave ship found in Alabama

The remains of the last known ship to bring enslaved people to the United States have been found nearly 160 years after its illegal voyage from Africa to Alabama, state officials say.

Up to 4 major hurricanes could form during this Atlantic season, NOAA says

The coming Atlantic hurricane season is predicted to be near normal, with nine to 15 named storms, including four to eight hurricanes, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, announced Thursday.

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