US President Donald Trump vows to bring about "the official end of Iran" if it threatens the US again. In a Monday tweet, Trump set a red line for Iran: Don't try to get nuclear weapons or threaten America again — or else. Such bluster, saber rattling and jingoism; did he say basically the same things to North Korea? What's going on here?
Louisiana Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards says he'll sign a restrictive abortion bill if it reaches his desk. Lawmakers in the state are close to passing a "heartbeat bill," which would restrict abortions after a heartbeat is detected in the fetus, which happens about six weeks into a pregnancy. Language in the bill says the measure would only go into effect if a similar abortion bill in Mississippi is upheld by a federal court. Meanwhile, Alabama residents are protesting the state's new abortion ban. In Mobile this past weekend, protesters spoke out against the nation's strictest anti-abortion law, signed into law by Governor Kay Ivey last week. And the trial begins Monday in a lawsuit challenging several Virginia abortion laws.
The Palestinians will not attend a US-led conference in Bahrain next month that the Trump administration has cast as a preliminary roll-out of its plan for them to make peace with Israel. The Palestinians, who have boycotted the Trump administration since it recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital in late 2017, have shown little interest in discussing a plan that they anticipate will fall far short of their core demands. The administration sees this conference as an opportunity to drum up international investment for the Israeli-occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip, which is controlled by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas.
GUESTS:
Daniel Lazare — Journalist and author of three books: "The Frozen Republic," "The Velvet Coup" and "America's Undeclared War."
Hannah Dickinson — Associate professor at Hobart and William Smith Colleges and an organizer with the Geneva Women's Assembly.
Rami Munir — Writer for Citizens Truth, based in Palestine.
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