The Democratic-controlled House approved a Senate-passed resolution ending US military support for the war in Yemen yesterday. President Trump is weighing whether to use the second veto of his administration to allow for further US involvement in the four-year conflict led by Saudi Arabia, which sits directly to the north of Yemen. The country's civil war has escalated into a proxy battle between the Saudi-backed Yemeni government and Iran-backed Houthi rebels, but has inflicted a devastating famine and widespread disease on the civilian population. At least 10,000 civilians have been killed and up to 14 million are at risk of starvation - one report estimated 85,000 children under the age of 5 had died from acute malnutrition. Lawmakers also see the resolution as an opportunity to rebuke the Saudi government over the 2018 killing of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Here is everything you need to know about the conflict in Yemen.
Man Fakes Being Kidnapping Victim.
Officials said late yesterday that a man who claimed to be long-missing kidnapping victim Timmothy Pitzen was attempting to carry out a hoax, and was in fact a 23-year-old with a criminal record. Brian Michael Rini was found wandering and asking for help in Northern Kentucky - when police got to Rini, he identified himself as Pitzen and claimed to have escaped from a hotel room where he was being held by two men in Cincinnati, Ohio. Pitzen was last seen in May of 2011 when his mother checked him out of class, citing a family emergency, before committing suicide (read backstory). A note found with the body indicated that Timmothy had been left with unidentified caretakers, but said that his location would "never be found". The Pitzen family said they were devastated when DNA tests revealed Rini was an impostor.
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos will retain 75% of the company's stock owned by himself and his now-former wife, MacKenzie Bezos, as details of the couple's massive divorce were revealed yesterday. While he will retain full voting control over her shares, she walks away with nearly 4% of the company - an amount worth over $36B, making her one of the five richest women in the world. He also retained the couple's entire stake in the Washington Post and the Blue Origin aerospace company. The two are splitting over a relationship between Jeff Bezos and Los Angeles news anchor Lauren Sanchez, which exploded into public consciousness after the National Enquirer allegedly tried to extort Bezos by threatening to release hacked personal text messages in exchange for positive news coverage (see Bezos' scathing reply). It was ultimately revealed that actors working for the Saudi Arabian government hacked Bezos' personal phone and passed information to the Enquirer.
MacKenzie Bezos, who joined Twitter just hours after the divorce was final, said she was looking forward to her next phase in life.
Too Many Democrats Are Running in 2020, According to Science.
DJs of the Future Don't Spin Records, They Write Code.
When Experimental Stem Cell Treatments Cause Harm.
Why your GPS might malfunction on Saturday night.
Washington, DC's cherry blossom trees have hit peak bloom (w/ photos).
...But creeping floodwaters are threatening the cherished trees.
Support 1440: For the price of a cup of coffee per month, you can help support 1440. Check out our Patreon page (and our newest blog post!).
25 stunning photos from America's National Parks.
AirBnB is turning the Louvre into an apartment.
Badass mom fights off cougar with bare hands to save son.
Cats can recognize their own names, they're just ignoring you.
Kourtney Kardashian takes on Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop with Poosh.
Clickbait: Finally, a viral fad that's not life-threatening (but still ridiculous).
Historybook: Pocahontas marries English colonist John Rolfe (1614); HBD Booker T. Washington (1856); American Civil War Battle of Yorktown begins (1862); HBD Colin Powell (1937); RIP Kurt Cobain (1994).