Dec 24 ‘Fix-it’ man Shanahan, Mattis’ successor, working to streamline defense spending By Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press In the new year Trump wants to focus on streamlining purchases at the Pentagon, an issue on which Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan has already been working, a White House official said. Continue reading
Dec 24 Justice Ginsburg up and working after surgery By Associated Press The court next meets on Jan. 7. Despite her health problems, Ginsburg has never missed arguments. Continue reading
Dec 23 Trump: Mattis out as of Jan. 1; deputy to be acting chief By Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press Irritated with the criticism and fallout from Defense Secretary Jim Mattis’ resignation, President Donald Trump on Sunday pushed the Pentagon chief out the door two months earlier than planned, an acrimonious end to a tense relationship that had been eroding… Continue reading
Dec 23 Trump loses U.S. envoy to anti-IS coalition over Syria plan By Susannah George, Matthew Lee, Associated Press Brett McGurk, the U.S. envoy to the global coalition fighting the Islamic State group, has resigned in protest over President Donald Trump’s abrupt decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria. Continue reading
Dec 23 SpaceX launches Air Force’s best GPS yet, ends banner year By Associated Press A Falcon 9 rocket blasted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Sunday, hoisting the satellite into orbit. Continue reading
Dec 23 Profiting off presidency? Trump biz takes hit since election By Bernard Condon, Associated Press Macy’s and Univision severed ties with his brand, mattress maker Serta stopped licensing his name, NASCAR and the PGA booked events that used to be held at his Doral resort in Miami elsewhere, and the TV network that aired his… Continue reading
Dec 23 Day two of partial government shutdown: Mulvaney says ‘very possible’ shutdown stretches into 2019 By Lisa Mascaro, Darlene Superville, Kevin Freking, Associated Press On the second day of the partial government shutdown, President Donald Trump is again turning to Twitter to try to make his case for a border wall with Mexico — the sticking point in the budget impasse with Congress. Continue reading
Dec 23 Tsunami set off by volcanic eruption kills 222 in Indonesia By Niniek Karmini, Associated Press A tsunami believed to be triggered by a volcanic eruption killed at least 222 people in Indonesia during a busy holiday weekend, sweeping away hotels, hundreds of houses and a group of people attending a beach concert. Continue reading
Dec 22 UN team arrives in Yemen to monitor port city cease-fire By Associated Press A U.N. team led by a Dutch officer has arrived in Yemen to monitor a cease-fire that went into force in the Red Sea port city of Hodeida, where the country’s civil war rivals have fought for months. Continue reading
Dec 22 El Gordo fever: Spain enthralled by annual Christmas lottery By Joseph Wilson, Associated Press Multiple people picked the top winning number across Spain. Tickets for the national lottery, which was established in 1973, cost 20 euros (or $23), and many were purchased months in advance. Continue reading