Giuliani hires Watergate prosecutor amid congressional investigation
President Trump’s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani has hired Watergate prosecutor Jon Sale to represent him during the impeachment inquiry launched by House Democrats.
Washington
Federal judge blocks Georgia ‘heartbeat’ abortion ban
A federal judge temporarily blocked a law in Georgia on Tuesday that would ban abortions after six weeks, once a fetal heartbeat is detected, which was supposed to take effect Jan. 1.
Christian teacher sues school over firing for refusal to use transgender student’s preferred pronouns
A Virginia high school French teacher who was fired for not referring to a transgender student by his preferred pronouns is now suing the school board.
North Korea conducts missile test a day after announcing weekend talks with US
North Korea has test-fired a projectile off its southeast coast and into the Sea of Japan just hours after planned working-level talks were announced.
Mitch McConnell: Senate would have ‘no choice’ but to take up impeachment after House
The odds of President Trump being convicted in the Republican-held Senate or even impeached by the Democratic-run House is a long shot, despite Washington being consumed by impeachment mania.
New allegations that Assad is behind attacks on Christians undercuts ‘protector’ narrative
Despite public domestic Christian support for Syrian President Bashar Assad, some members of minority Christian groups argue he manipulates and threatens them.
‘Historic’ winter storm dumps 3 feet of snow, smashes records in West
One week after summer’s end, a ‘winter’ storm began blasting parts of the West with up to 3 feet of snow, smashing records with low temperatures, heavy snow, strong winds and blizzard conditions forecast into Monday.
Senate passes stopgap funding bill to avert shutdown
The Senate on Thursday easily passed a stopgap bill to avert an end-of-month shutdown, even as lawmakers signaled bigger spending fights ahead over President Trump’s desired U.S.-Mexico border wall.
Intel chief rejects Ukraine cover-up
An intelligence community whistleblower said Ukrainian officials emerged from a July phone call with President Trump convinced they needed to investigate former Vice President Joseph R. Biden and the Democratic Party in order to get on Mr. Trump’s good side, according to documents made public Thursday.
Trump’s China trade rhetoric turns harsh at U.N., says won’t take ‘bad deal’
U.S. President Donald Trump delivered a stinging rebuke to China’s trade practices on Tuesday at the United Nations General Assembly, saying he would not accept a ‘bad deal’ in U.S.-China trade negotiations.
Pelosi’s secret impeachment message to Democrats: ‘We have to strike while the iron is hot’
Speaker Nancy Pelosi, speaking to rank-and-file Democrats in a closed-door meeting in the Capitol basement, said the whistleblower complaint involving President Trump’s phone call with the president of Ukraine convinced her it’s time to conduct a formal impeachment inquiry.
White House reportedly moving to release full whistleblower complaint
The White House is preparing to release to Congress the full whistleblower complaint at the center of House Democrats impeachment inquiry, and it could reach lawmakers by the end of the week.
Nancy Pelosi backs official impeachment inquiry
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that she supports a formal impeachment inquiry, though there’s no vote scheduled at this time, the latest action in a spiraling controversy over a phone call President Trump had with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Military wants to use gene editing to protect troops against chemical and biological weapons
The Pentagon’s research agency wants to explore the possibility of editing a soldier’s genetic makeup to protect against chemical and biological attacks.
Feds rush to spend 20% of $500 billion in one month in ‘use it or lose it’ spending spree
Federal agencies have shelled out tens of millions of dollars on cars, movie cameras, and other items in a contract spending spree that happens across government at the end of every fiscal year.
Pro-life advocates fear rulings on Georgia, Tennessee abortion laws may reverse gains
Attorneys representing two Southern states with restrictive abortion laws faced federal judges on Monday in court cases that could reverse recent gains made by pro-life advocates.
U.S. Army banks on artificial intelligence to beat China and Russia
A key piece of the Pentagon’s plan to beat China and Russia in the high-stakes artificial intelligence race lies inside a research facility along the Allegheny River here, where a small but select U.S. Army team has been tasked with creating the weapons, vehicles and sensors needed for 21st-century combat.
Hezbollah says Iran would destroy Saudi Arabia in any war
Lebanon’s Hezbollah warned Saudi Arabia on Friday against betting on a war against Iran because it would destroy the kingdom and said Riyadh and the United Arab Emirates should halt the conflict in Yemen to protect themselves.
After US sends troops to Mideast, Rouhani warns foreign forces to ‘stay away’
Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday that the presence of foreign forces creates ‘insecurity’ in the Gulf, after the US ordered the deployment of more troops to the region.
Pentagon to send troops to bolster Saudi defenses after attack
U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday approved sending American troops to bolster Saudi Arabia’s air and missile defenses after the largest-ever attack on the kingdom’s oil facilities, which Washington has squarely blamed on Iran.