IDF fires at Syrian army position in Golan
Israeli tank units in the Golan Heights fired a warning shot at a Syrian army position inside a no-man’s land along the Israeli-Syrian frontier Sunday evening.
War
Uranium One deal informant sued to recoup more than $700K lost in bribes
A FBI informant who gave the government information about a Russian bribery plot implicated in the sale of U.S. uranium rights tried unsuccessfully last year to recover upwards of $700,000 in bribes he said he was authorized to pay as part of the FBI investigation.
Republicans rally for a ‘comeback,’ push $1.4 trillion tax cut through House
With spines stiffened by a presidential pep talk, House Republicans easily approved a $1.4 trillion tax cut Thursday, taking the first big step toward a decades-overdue overhaul that Republicans hope will send the economy soaring and win back wavering voters.
Bipartisan Bill to Fix Gun Background Check System Introduced in Senate
A bipartisan group of senators introduced a bill designed to address failures in the FBI’s gun background check system on Thursday.
House panel OKs bill to sanction financial backers of Hamas
A Republican-led House panel delivered a blunt bipartisan warning to Qatar on Wednesday, backing legislation that would slap sanctions on any countries or individuals providing financial and material support to the Islamic militant group Hamas.
US, Russia headed for showdown over Syria chemical weapons probe
Russia and the United States were on a collision course ahead of a UN Security Council vote Thursday on the fate of a UN-led probe to determine who is behind chemical attacks in Syria’s six-year war.
Abbas: We won’t relinquish the ‘right of return’
Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas vowed to the Palestinian people that the free and independent state of Palestine within the June 4, 1967 borders, with eastern Jerusalem as its capital, would be established with absolute certainty.
Richest 1% own half the world’s wealth, study finds
The globe’s richest 1% own half the world’s wealth, according to a new report highlighting the growing gap between the super-rich and everyone else.
Australia poised to legalize same-sex marriage after citizens voice majority support for change
Australia is poised to become the 26th nation to legalize gay marriage after the results of a survey were revealed Wednesday showing a majority support redefining the marital union to include same-sex couples.
Trump to Netanyahu: We will take on Iran together
President Donald Trump penned a letter to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu recently, thanking him for his support following Trump’s United Nations address in September, and pledging to work together with Israel to confront Iran over its nuclear program.
EU takes step toward joint army
The vast majority of EU states have agreed to create what some have called the nucleus of a joint army.
Congress Heading for December Budget Showdown Over Defense Spending
Congress is heading toward a budget showdown next month after the two chambers agreed to a defense authorization plan for fiscal year 2018 that exceeds federal spending caps by roughly $85 billion.
Iranians built new military base in Syria
Iran is building a new military facility in Syria, the BBC has reported based on a Western intelligence source.
Warsaw nationalist march draws tens of thousands
Tens of thousands of people joined a nationalist march in Warsaw on Saturday, organised to coincide with Poland’s independence day.
Why Abbas Was Secretly Summoned To Saudi Arabia
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was unexpectedly summoned this week to Saudi Arabia for impromptu meetings with King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed. The Palestinian leader received the call while in Egypt, where he discussed with his counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi efforts to jump-start peace negotiations with Israel as well as the unity deal recently forged between Abbas’ Fatah faction and Hamas, which was brokered by Cairo.
US, Russia nearing agreement on resolving Syrian civil war
The United States and Russia are nearing an agreement on Syria for how they hope to resolve the Arab country’s civil war once the Islamic State group is defeated, officials said Thursday.
Lebanon: Saudi Arabia-Iran rivalry finds a new battlefront
The resignation of Saad Hariri as Lebanon’s prime minister has upended the country’s political establishment and escalated a war of words between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
Saudi Arabia orders citizens to leave Lebanon as tensions rise
Saudi Arabia has ordered its citizens to leave Lebanon immediately, escalating a regional standoff with Iran centred on the fragile state, which it claims is being run by Tehran’s proxy, Hezbollah.
Rouhani warns Saudi Arabia against befriending Israel, US
Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani warned rival Saudi Arabia on Wednesday that it was making a mistake in aligning with Israel and the United States over Tehran.
Lebanon’s plunge into political crisis raises specter of war with Israel
Even for a country often used as a battleground by regional powers and their proxies, the sudden resignation of Prime Minister Saad Hariri has opened a new period of political uncertainty and fear in Lebanon.