Syria says Israel attacked posts held by its military, allied militias
An Israeli missile attack targeted Syrian military positions held by the government and its allies early on Wednesday, Syria’s state news agency said.
Worthy News
France, Italy, Denmark back European-led naval mission for Hormuz
France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Denmark support a European-led naval mission to ensure safe shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, three senior EU diplomats said on Tuesday after Britain proposed the idea following Iran’s seizure of a tanker.
Israel: Iran smuggling dual-use items for Hezbollah arms by sea into Beirut port
Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations on Tuesday accused Iran of exploiting civilian companies and maritime channels to smuggle weapons manufacturing equipment to its Lebanese proxy group, Hezbollah.
Greenblatt: Palestinians have aspiration, not right, to East Jerusalem capital
The forthcoming US peace plan will not be based on ‘fictions of international consensus’ or on international law, the Trump administration’s Middle East peace envoy Jason Greenblatt said Tuesday.
House passes bill that calls to sanction Palestinian terror groups
The House of Representatives approved on Tuesday a bill that calls to sanction Hamas and other Palestinian terror groups.
Trump to decide soon on when to release Mideast peace plan says envoy
U.S. President Donald Trump hopes to decide soon on when to release a plan for peace between Israel and the Palestinians that ‘will not be ambiguous,’ his Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt told the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday.
FBI director pegs China as the most ‘severe’ counterintelligence threat
FBI Director Christopher Wray said that China is the greatest counterintelligence threat facing the U.S. but warned that Russia is a close runner-up as Moscow remains focused on disrupting the upcoming presidential election.
Trump sues to block New York from revealing his tax returns
President Trump asked a federal court Tuesday to take steps to block New York from sharing his tax returns with congressional Democrats, saying a new state law designed to make the information available to Capitol Hill is unconstitutional.
San Juan braces for an 11th day of protests, amid calls for Puerto Rico’s governor to resign
San Juan braced on Tuesday for an 11th day of protests calling for the resignation of Puerto Rico’s governor over offensive chat messages that have drawn hundreds of thousands of people.
Turkey will retaliate if US imposes sanctions over S-400 deal, official warns
Turkey would retaliate against what it called an unacceptable threat of US sanctions over Ankara’s purchase of Russian S-400 missile defenses, its foreign minister said on Monday, adding he thinks US President Donald Trump wants to avoid such measures.
Israel briefed on US naval response to Iran’s aggression in Persian Gulf
An Israeli representative was present at a briefing Sunday morning by US Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook, who provided information on the US naval-defense operation dubbed ‘Operation Sentinel’ being undertaken in response to recent Iranian aggression in the Strait of Hormuz, Israel National News reported.
Britain says it is planning European-led protection force in Persian Gulf
British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt on Monday said the UK wanted to establish a European-led maritime protection force for the Gulf but emphasized that London was not seeking a confrontation with Iran.
Trump, Democrats reach two-year budget deal that raises debt ceiling
US President Donald Trump said Monday that a ‘compromise’ bipartisan budget agreement has been reached that will boost federal spending by $320 billion and suspend the debt limit beyond the next presidential election.
Khamenei: Supporting ‘Palestine’ is an ideological and religious matter
Iran’s supreme leader vowed on Monday that his country would not give up its stand on Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
North Korea’s Kim inspects new submarine, signals possible ballistic missile development
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspected a large newly built submarine, state news agency KCNA reported on Tuesday, potentially signaling continued development of a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) program.
‘The situation in North Korea is absolutely dire’: Panel Highlights Number 1 Persecutor of Christians, Once Christian Itself
The situation for Christians in North Korea was highlighted recently by a panel that spoke before the debut of the documentary Humanity Denied: Religious Freedom in North Korea held just down the road from the State Department’s summit on religious freedom Thursday.
Deal Sealed on Federal Budget, Ensuring No Shutdown, Default
President Donald Trump and congressional leaders announced late Monday they had struck a critical debt and budget agreement. The deal amounts to an against-the-odds victory for Washington pragmatists seeking to avoid politically dangerous tumult over the possibility of a government shutdown or first-ever federal default.
Puerto Rico governor announces he will not seek re-election but refuses to resign
Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló announced Sunday he will not seek re-election but refused to resign, as corruption allegations have sparked widespread protests in San Juan.
Iran says it dismantled CIA spy ring, arrests 17, sentences some to death
Iran’s Intelligence Ministry on Monday said it uncovered a U.S. Central Intelligence Agency spy ring, arrested 17 suspects and sentenced some to death, according to a report from the country’s semi-official news agency said.
Ancient Galilee church unearthed, said to be home to apostles Peter and Andrew
Excavations in Israel’s Galilee have uncovered remains of an ancient church said to mark the home of the apostles Peter and Andrew, the dig’s archaeological director said Friday.