Tehran lawmakers question Trump’s “mental capacity”

“It is obvious that Trump only understands the language of force.” No Images? Click here   By Paul Vale     Wednesday, May 9  TEHRAN QUESTIONS TRUMP’S ‘MENTAL CAPACITY’ Iranian politicians have reacted to Trump’s withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal by burning paper American flags and questioning the president’s mental capacity. Following Trump’s Tuesday announcement, Israel readied bomb shelters in the Golan Heights wary of reprisals from Tehran, while Wall Street braced for a lower opening. Fox News’ Shepard Smith noted that Trump was not “pulling out” of the deal, but was violating it — a move likely to be welcomed in the the country intelligence officials say helped get Trump elected: Russia. [Reuters] [Tweet | Share on Facebook] ‘HOW THE **** DID AVENATTI FIND OUT?’ The company set up by Trump’s lawyer Michael Cohen to pay hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels reportedly received payments totaling around $500,000 from a business linked to Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg after the 2016 election, according to files released by Daniels’ attorney Michael Avenatti. The Daily Beast later confirmed Avenatti’s claims via a source, who offered some colorful commentary on the scoop. [HuffPost] BLANKENSHIP SINKS Ex-convict coal baron and Republican candidate Don Blankenship lost Tuesday’s West Virginia Senate primary race to Patrick Morrisey (R), who will now face incumbent Sen. Joe Manchin (D) for the Senate seat. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, whom Blankenship repeatedly derided as “cocaine Mitch” during the campaign, mocked the defeated candidate on Twitter, appearing in a storm of white powder. [HuffPost] TORTURE TESTIMONY Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the architect of the Sept. 11 attacks who was tortured by the CIA, has asked to share six paragraphs with the Senate Intelligence Committee ahead of Gina Haspel’s confirmation hearing Wednesday. Haspel is expected to tell the committee she “will not restart” the interrogation program if confirmed. [HuffPost] PRIMARY MOVERS In Tuesday’s elections, a gay marriage opponent ousted a GOP incumbent in North Carolina, a Trump-inspired businessman won Indiana’s GOP Senate primary, and Elizabeth Warren’s pick won Ohio’s Democratic gubernatorial primary. [HuffPost] HATCH RETRACTS After claiming it was “ridiculous” that ailing John McCain would ban Trump from his funeral, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) performed a large U-turn Tuesday, telling reporters, “I felt like I shouldn’t have said what I said,” and reportedly sending a letter of apology to Arizona. [HuffPost]       DRUGS DIAL BACK Walmart will restrict the opioid painkillers it dispenses to customers as part of an effort to crack down on the nationwide drug-abuse epidemic. [HuffPost] CUOMO PROBE New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has launched an investigation into allegations that  former state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman physically abused four women. [HuffPost] EBOLA OUTBREAK The World Health Organization has declared an outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo after authorities confirmed two cases of viral hemorrhagic fever. [HuffPost] MAP SLAP Voters in Ohio have passed a reform measure that looks to rein in excessive partisan gerrymandering. [HuffPost] BAD CALL AT&T has admitted it hired the company set up by Trump’s lawyer so it could get inside information on the new administration. [HuffPost]  ‘HER IMAGE ICONIC, HER IDENTITY IRRELEVANT’ The Pablo Picasso painting of a teenage nude that sold at Christie’s Tuesday for $115 million shows how history valorizes male genius at the expense of women’s humanity. [HuffPost]       Democrat Paulette Jordan could be the nation's first Native American governor. Forget Rihanna. We think Scarlett Johansson wore the most controversial dress at the Met Gala. Jada Pinkett Smith sat down with Will Smith’s ex-wife Sheree Fletcher for a candid talk about dating the actor while he was still married. The president of Nordstrom Rack has apologized to three young black men after store employees called the police called on them while they shopped for prom clothes. Jordan Peele teased his next project Tuesday, tweeting a poster for the film “Us,” which will hit cinemas early next year. Comedians Ali Wong and Tiffany Haddish will star in the new Netflix animated comedy “Tuca & Bertie.” Unemployment is at a 15-year low, so why aren't wages surging? The New Republic explains how America broke its economy. This baby laughs, vomits, then laughs about vomiting. The GOP is peddling Trump-themed #MAGA gear for Mother’s Day. Here are 20 flattering blazers that will fit over a big bust. Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter have agreed to reunite for “Bill & Ted 3.” Here’s a good explainer as to why today’s Victory Day parade through Moscow’s Red Square really matters. No one quite understands Ivanka Trump’s photo op with Boris Johnson. Is it healthy to have our blackheads extracted? Seven ways you are destroying Italian food — according to some very angry Italians. And Iron Man, Black Widow, Captain America, Thor And Hawkeye all got matching Marvel tattoos. 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