Senate bill would block sale of F-35 jets to Turkey
A new bill introduced by a bipartisan trio of senators would stop the transfer of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters to NATO ally Turkey.
NATO
New Secretary of State Pompeo arrives in Brussels to meet NATO allies
A day after being sworn in as the new U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo landed in Brussels for talks with key allies in Europe on heightened Russian aggression and ways to strengthen the NATO military alliance.
Steven Mnuchin set to lead 250 strong US delegation at Jerusalem embassy opening
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is to lead a delegation of 250 people from the United States, including some 40 politicians, to the opening of the embassy in Jerusalem next month, Channel 10 news reported Sunday.
Bolton meets with Russia’s ambassador at the White House over election meddling, Syria
New White House national security adviser John Bolton held a surprise meeting with Russia’s ambassador at the White House Thursday amid high tensions between the two nations, telling Moscow’s diplomat that relations won’t improve until the Kremlin addresses Russia’s interference in the 2016 election and other crises.
Cruz Introduces Legislation to Make Individual Tax Cuts Permanent
Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Texas) introduced comprehensive legislation Tuesday that would make the lowered individual tax rates included in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent.
Senators introduce new war powers resolution days after Syria strike
Lawmakers on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee introduced new Authorization for the Use of Military Force legislation to replace current war authorizations from 2001 and 2002 that have not been revised since they were passed.
Russia vows ‘consequences’ for Syria strike
Russia warned late Friday there would be ‘consequences’ for President Trump’s decision to proceed with airstrikes against Syrian President Bashar Assad’s chemical weapons facilities, according to Moscow’s representative to the U.S.
Senate bill to protect Robert Mueller from Trump firing could see Thursday vote
Four U.S. senators, including Republicans Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, introduced legislation Wednesday that would make it hard for President Trump to fire special counsel Robert Mueller.
Key moments from Mark Zuckerberg’s Senate testimony
Mark Zuckerberg, the co-founder, chairman and CEO of Facebook, appeared before lawmakers for the first time on Tuesday to answer questions about how his social networking juggernaut handles its 2.2 billion users’ private data, as well as the role the company played in Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election.
Why Hamas Needs Israel’s Conflict With Gaza to Explode Again
For days, agitated Israeli officials warned of an imminent ‘ecological disaster’ in anticipation of Friday’s massive protest at the border with the Gaza Strip, where Hamas, the ruling Palestinian Islamist militia, readied tens of thousands of tires to be set on fire.
Israeli jets strike Gaza after Palestinians plant bombs on fence
Israeli planes carried out airstrikes in the northern Gaza Strip early Monday morning, the army said, hours after a group of Palestinians entered Israeli territory from the enclave and planted two improvised explosive devices along the Gaza security fence.
European powers press for Iran sanctions to buttress nuclear deal
France, Britain and Germany sought on Wednesday to persuade their EU partners to back new sanctions on Iran to preserve a nuclear deal with Tehran that U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to pull out of in May, diplomats said.
Senators suspect Comey lied and plotted to double-cross Trump, seek second special counsel
A plan of action for how a second special counsel can investigate the FBI and Justice Department is spelled out in a point-by-point letter submitted by two Republican senators.
Christian group sues Michigan university after it is kicked off campus
A Christian student group is suing a Michigan college after being stripped of its official recognition solely because it required its religious leaders to embrace Christianity.
Pentagon dismisses Putin’s boasts about new nuclear weapons
The Pentagon on Thursday dismissed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s boasts about developing a new array of nuclear weapons, saying America’s missile defense is ready to protect the nation but is not directed at Russia.
U.S. sharpens focus on ISIS in Asia and Africa
U.S. officials expanded their targeting of the Islamic State beyond its Mideast stomping grounds Tuesday by adding three of the groups’ far-flung affiliates — in the Philippines, Bangladesh and West Africa — to the State Department’s ‘Specially Designated Global Terrorists’ list.
U.N.: Hamas could lose control of Gaza to ‘radicals’
‘Radical groups,’ among them Islamic Jihad, could wrest control of Gaza from Hamas, thereby opening the door for outside forces to control the Strip, UN Special Coordinator to the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov warned in Jerusalem on Thursday.
White House: Trump supports stronger background checks for gun buys
President Donald Trump supports laws to strengthen the background check system for gun purchases in the wake of the Parkland, Florida high school shooting that killed 17, the White House announced on Monday.
U.S. defense chief says talks with Turkey on Syria ‘open and honest’
U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Thursday that the United States and Turkey, NATO allies, would press on with their collaboration over Syria despite their areas of difference.
No ‘bloody nose’ plan for North Korea: U.S. official, senators
The senior U.S. diplomat for Asia, Susan Thornton, said on Thursday she understood the Trump administration had no strategy for a so-called bloody nose strike on North Korea, but Pyongyang would be forced to give up its nuclear weapons ‘one way or another.’