The Trump administration announced Thursday it will impose sanctions on multiple officials from the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) over what it described as continued support for terrorism and efforts to undermine Israel through international legal channels.
Just days before the Jewish people mark the solemn day of Tisha B’Av–the Ninth of Av–a rare bronze coin dating to the final year before the destruction of the Second Temple has been discovered near the Temple Mount. The coin, bearing the stirring inscription “For the Redemption of Zion,” was minted in Jerusalem during the fourth year of the Great Revolt against Rome (69-70 C.E.). Archaeologists view the find as a powerful echo of Jewish longing for deliverance in the face of overwhelming despair.
The Trump administration is reportedly ramping up pressure on the Lebanese government to commit to Hezbollah’s disarmament, making it a central requirement for resuming ceasefire talks to halt Israeli military action in Lebanon.
In a development that could reshape the historical understanding of the Trump-Russia investigation, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) on Thursday released the long-classified appendix to Special Counsel John Durham’s 2023 report. Known as the “Durham annex,” the newly public document reveals extensive intelligence pointing to a Clinton campaign-backed scheme to falsely link Donald Trump to Russia, and a disturbing pattern of inaction and political bias within the FBI and intelligence community under the Obama administration.
The U.S. Senate overwhelmingly rejected two resolutions Wednesday that sought to block arms sales to Israel, as lawmakers debated America’s ongoing support for its closest ally in the Middle East amid growing concerns over civilian casualties in Gaza.
A horrific massacre unfolded Sunday in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where Islamic State-affiliated jihadists beheaded at least 49 Christians–nine of them children–during a church service in the village of Komanda. The attackers, members of the notorious Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), stormed a church where believers had gathered from surrounding villages to celebrate a Silver Jubilee and to pray for peace amid ongoing violence.
President Donald Trump announced a sweeping new trade agreement with South Korea on Wednesday, just ahead of an August 1 deadline he had previously set for sharply increased tariffs if no progress was made in rebalancing trade relations.
FBI Director Kash Patel has uncovered thousands of sensitive documents tied to the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation hidden inside multiple “burn bags” stored in a previously undisclosed secure room at FBI headquarters, Fox News Digital reports.
In a closely watched decision Wednesday, the Federal Reserve voted to hold interest rates steady for the fifth consecutive meeting, keeping its benchmark federal funds rate in a range of 4.25% to 4.5%. The 9-2 vote revealed rare dissent within the Fed’s leadership, as two Trump-appointed governors–Michelle Bowman and Christopher Waller–called for an immediate rate cut, citing risks to the labor market and signs of cooling inflation.
A Cuban pastor disappeared under mysterious circumstances this month, adding to growing international concern over religious repression on the island. Pastor Maikel Pupu Velázquez vanished shortly after delivering epilepsy medication to a family connected to Cuba’s dissident movement, only to reappear hours later clearly traumatized and mentally distressed.