Pompeo Welcomes Danish Arrest as Another Iranian Terror Plot in Europe is Foiled

Denmark is withdrawing its ambassador and calling for concerted European Union action against the regime in Tehran, after foiling a plot to assassinate an Iranian dissident, the latest in a series of incidents exposing Iranian terror sponsorship in Europe. Read

Pakistan’s Top Court Acquits First Christian Woman Sentenced to Death For ‘Blaspheming’ Mohammed

Nine years after a dispute with fellow farm laborers saw Asia Bibi become the first Pakistani Christian woman to be sentenced to death for blasphemy, the country’s highest court on Wednesday threw out the sentence, in a rare victory for one of the world’s most persecuted Christian minorities. Read

Synagogue Massacre: Liberal Jewish Group Sends Out Mobilization Email With ‘Donate’ Button

The liberal American Jewish organization J Street sent out an email on Monday, using the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting as a peg to encourage supporters to mobilize against Republicans in next week’s election – and carrying a “Donate” button. Read

Trump Says U.S. Will Build 'Tent Cities’ to House ‘Caravan’ Migrants

The administration plans to “build tent cities” to accommodate any of the Central American “caravan” migrants who arrive at the border and seek asylum, President Trump said Monday. Read

Criticism of Trump After Synagogue Massacre at Odds With the Opinions Jewish Israelis Have of Him

The deadliest attack on American Jews in U.S. history has prompted critics to charge that President Trump’s rhetoric has created a climate ripe for anti-Semitic violence, yet a recent survey found that citizens of the world’s only Jewish state have higher regard for Trump than those of two dozen other countries polled. Read

Calling Mohammed a Pedophile Not Covered by Free Speech, European Court Rules

Europe’s top human rights court has ruled that comments about Mohammed having pedophilic tendencies are not covered by the right to freedom of expression, agreeing with the assessment of courts in Austria that the remarks constituted “an abusive attack on the Prophet of Islam which could stir up prejudice and threaten religious peace.” Read

Honoring Military Personnel Killed in 1983 Hezbollah Terrorist Bombing, Trump Says ‘We Are Doing a Big Number on Iran Today’

President Trump paid tribute Thursday to the U.S. Marines, sailors and soldiers killed in a suicide bombing in Beirut 35 years ago, and won sustained applause from gathered families, veterans and commanders by highlighting actions being taken against the regime in Tehran and its terrorist proxy Hezbollah today. Read

The UN Gets $10 Billion a Year From US Taxpayers; Cuba Thinks That’s Not Enough

The United States, whose taxpayers account for some $10 billion a year in contributions to the United Nations system, was criticized at a meeting in New York on Tuesday for being late with its payments, with Cuba leading the charge – and suggesting it should be paying more. Read

Trump: ‘There is One Way to Settle Our Disagreements … Peacefully, at the Ballot Box’

President Trump on Wednesday night condemned violence and threats of violence following the interception of explosive devices mailed to prominent Democrats, but also spoke more generally about the corrosive tone of today’s politics, alluding to attacks by liberals on Republican lawmakers in public places. Read

Trump Says 'We Can't Allow' Illegal Alien Caravan to Come into USA

Amid indications that the migrant “caravan” heading through Mexico towards the U.S. may be shrinking, President Trump on Wednesday night expressed confidence that those making the “long hike” would not succeed in their goal. Read

Pompeo Seeks UN Action Over Cuba’s ‘Childish Temper Tantrum’

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Tuesday he is seeking answers from U.N. secretary-general Antonio Guterres over what he called “a childish temper tantrum” by Cuban diplomats, aimed at disrupting a U.S.-sponsored event at the United Nations. Read

Pompeo: 'Caravan Will Not Cross Our Southern Border Illegally--Under Any Circumstances'

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned participants in the migrant “caravan” moving through Mexico Tuesday that they will not breach the U.S. border illegally “no matter what,” as U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley raised questions about a political agenda, accusing socialist leaders in the region of stoking the campaign. Read

Mexican President Warns 'Caravan'; UN Spokesman Mum on How Officials Should Respond to Migrants Entering Mexico Illegally

Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto on Monday warned Central American migrants who entered Mexico illegally in recent days as part of a U.S.-bound “caravan” that they were unlikely to achieve either the goal of staying in Mexico or of entering the United States. Read

Obama Campaigns in Las Vegas: ‘Remember Who Started’ Economic Growth

Former President Barack Obama told supporters in Las Vegas on Monday they should “remember who started” the economic growth America is experiencing, suggesting that every time Republican administrations mess things up, Democrats need to pick up the pieces afterwards. Read

Migrant ‘Caravan’ Moves North, After Trump Says Again He’ll Deploy Military to ‘Seal Off the Border’

Thousands of Central Americans continue to push through southern Mexico, aiming to reach the U.S. border, after efforts by Mexican police to stop them from entering that country met with mixed results. Read

Russia: Trump Pulling Out of Arms-Control Treaty ‘Would Be a Very Dangerous Step’

President Trump’s plan to withdraw from a key Cold War-era arms-control treaty drew sharp criticism from Moscow and handwringing from Berlin Sunday, but Washington and NATO have been urging Russia to comply with its obligations since the Obama administration first accused it of a breach in 2014. Read

Pompeo Welcomes Mexico-UN Plan to Deal With Migrant ‘Caravan’ at Mexico’s Southern Border

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday night welcomed Mexico’s request for the U.N. refugee agency to help Mexican authorities deal with the “caravan” of some 4,000 Central American migrants trying to transit Mexico en route to the United States. Read

Anti-Terror Finance Group Deciding Whether to Keep Terror-Sponsor Iran on Blacklist

A meeting of the global anti-money laundering body in Paris on Friday could have a significant impact on Iran’s financial future as U.S. sanctions tighten, as it decides on whether to remove the regime from a blacklist which makes some foreign investors leery of doing business there. Read

US Diplomat in Honduras Tells ‘Caravan’ Migrants to Return Home, But Still They Come

The senior-most U.S. diplomat in Honduras on Wednesday urged illegal migrants making the “perilous journey” north not to do so, echoing President Trump’s warnings that anyone entering the U.S. illegally will be arrested and deported. Read

Snubbing the US, UN Empowers Palestinian Observer Mission to Lead Major Bloc

In another move unlikely to endear the Trump administration to the United Nations, the General Assembly has endorsed, by an overwhelming margin, an “enabling” resolution giving the Palestinian observer mission powers of a member-state, albeit for a limited amount of time. Read

Russians Are Among the Foreign Observers of U.S. Midterm Elections

When American voters go to the polls on November 6, an international team invited by the State Department to observe the elections will include six Russians, selected and paid for by President Vladimir Putin’s government. Read

‘Revolutionary Diplomacy’: Cuban Diplomats Shout Down US Event on Political Prisoners

Cuban diplomats at the United Nations shouted down speakers and disrupted a U.S.-hosted event Tuesday highlighting the plight of Cuban political prisoners, prompting an American ambassador to say if the communist regime’s diplomats behave that way, one can only wonder how its police behave. Read

Saudi Arabia Threatens to Retaliate Against Any Western Sanctions – Then Tweets to ‘Clarify’

Under fire over the disappearance of a prominent writer, Saudi Arabia in a sharply-worded statement Sunday warned it would retaliate for any sanctions that it may face – but then in a later tweet its embassy in Washington seemed keen to soften the tone. Read

Taliban Says It Told US Envoy That Foreign Troops’ Presence Is ‘Greatest Obstacle’ to Peace

The Taliban says it held talks in Qatar on Friday with the Trump administration’s newly-appointed special envoy to Afghanistan, aimed at “working towards finding a peaceful resolution to the Afghan conflict.” Read

Pastor Brunson, Freed From Turkey, Prays For Trump in the Oval Office

Released American pastor Andrew Brunson thanked President Trump Saturday for fighting for his freedom, and prayed in the Oval Office for God to give the president “supernatural wisdom to accomplish all the plans you have for this country and for him.” Read

Pakistan Court Threatened Ahead of Verdict on Christian Woman Sentenced to Death for Blasphemy

Pakistan’s Supreme Court judges are facing threats from Muslim hardliners as they mull when to announce their verdict in one of the most notorious cases of abuse of the country’s controversial blasphemy laws. Read

Obama Associates Slam Trump Over Saudi Arabia – Despite His Own Track Record

Former key members of the Obama administration are taking President Trump to task over his approach to the missing Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi – but that administration’s response to the kingdom’s poor human rights record drew considerable criticism too. Read

Iranian ‘Diplomat’ Extradited For Trial; Pompeo Says Bomb Plot ‘Lays Bare’ Continued Terror Support in Europe

The Iranian regime’s efforts to quietly resolve a potentially explosive dispute with Europe faced another setback Wednesday when Belgium took into custody an Iranian “diplomat” suspected of involvement in a plot to bomb a dissidents’ rally in France last June. Read

Trump, Congress Boost Pressure on Saudis Over Missing Writer

The United States is ramping up pressure on Saudi Arabia over the disappearance of a prominent writer, with President Trump “demanding” information and pledging to “get to the bottom of it,” while the U.S. Senate initiates a process that could lead to sanctions on senior Saudi officials. Read

Haley Resignation Prompts Speculation About Motivation, Future Plans, Successor

Nikki Haley’s decision to resign as U.S. ambassador to the U.N. at the end of President Trump’s first term stoked furious speculation Tuesday, as pundits of all types wondered about her “real” reason for leaving, her future plans, and likely successors. Read

Human Rights Council Elections Set to Deliver Another Record-High Number of Rights-Abusing Members

The U.N. holds annual “elections” for its Human Rights Council this week and, once again, none of the five regional groups are offering any competition for the vacant seats. Instead all five are putting up “closed slates” of candidates – a practice seen as one of the main reasons rights-abusing regimes are able to secure seats. Read

At Swearing-In, Trump Apologizes to Kavanaugh and Family After ‘Campaign of Political and Personal Destruction’

Overseeing the swearing-in of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh on Monday evening, President Trump apologized “on behalf of our nation” to him and his family for the ordeal they had gone through during the confirmation process. Read

Trump Voices Concern, Senators Warn of Consequences Over Saudi Journalist Murder Claims

President Trump on Monday gave his first public reaction to startling claims that a prominent Saudi journalist critical of the ruling family was murdered inside a Saudi diplomatic mission in Turkey, expressing concern and the hope that the situation would be resolved. Read

China Lifts Lid on Mystery of Missing Interpol President: He’s Under Criminal Investigation

China’s secretive “anti-corruption” drive appears to have hit one of its most high-profile targets yet, with the news late Sunday that a top public security official – who also happens to be the president of the global policing agency Interpol – is under investigation. Read

Iran Trying to Stave Off Terror-Related Blacklisting But Won’t Relent on ‘Foreign Occupation’ Exception

With a prospect of an investment blacklist looming, Iran’s government succeeded Sunday in securing parliamentary approval for a bill on terror financing in a bid to stave off even more international pressure than it is already under with the reimposition of U.S. sanctions. Read

Trump: Before Jerusalem Move, I Wouldn’t Take Fretting Leaders’ Calls – Then Phoned Them Back Afterwards

President Trump told cheering supporters on Thursday night that he refused to take phone calls from world leaders wanting to urge him not to go through on relocating the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem – and phoned them back afterwards when it was too late. Read

‘Malicious Slander’: Beijing Hits Back at Pence Accusations of Election Meddling

Beijing reacted angrily early Friday to Vice President Mike Pence’s accusations that the communist government is “meddling” in U.S. domestic politics, calling the claims unjustified and slanderous. Read

In Austria, A Bid to Outlaw Symbols Including … The ‘V For Victory’ Sign?

In a sign of the censoriousness of our times, Austria’s interior minister wants to ban a series of symbols used by controversial groups in the Middle East and Turkey – but may find it a bit tricky when it comes to hand signals, considering they include such common and innocuous gestures as the “V for victory” sign. Read

Bolton Sets Reporter Straight on ‘Palestine’: ‘It’s Not a State’

A White House reporter took issue Wednesday with John Bolton for referring to the “so-called State of Palestine,” prompting the National Security Advisor to explain that it is, in fact, “not a state.” Read

Iran's Ayatollah Tells 'Western Women' How to Solve #MeToo Problem: Wear Hijab

Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei took to social media on Wednesday to contend that Islam holds the answer to the problems of sexual mistreatment of women in Western societies. Read

State Dep’t on Russian Assertion That Iran Does Not Sponsor Terror: ‘We’re Not Buying It’

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Tuesday the United States was “not buying” Russia’s assertions that Iran does not support terror. She cited attacks against Americans, Europeans and Syrians by a regime which she described as “the world’s top sponsor of terrorism.” Read

Following Discovery of Iran Terror Plot, France Freezes Assets; German Court Okays Extradition

The Iranian regime’s charm offensive in Europe has suffered a double blow with a decision by France to freeze the assets of two suspected intelligence operatives, shortly after a German court approved the extradition of one of the two – an accredited diplomat – who is accused of planning a terror bombing on European soil. Read

Iranian Missile Strike Called a Warning to U.S. Military in Syria

An Iranian regime mouthpiece said Monday that an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) missile and drone strike purportedly targeting terrorists inside Syria was a warning to the United States, which has been told by the Assad regime to end its unwelcome military presence there. Read

FY 2018 Refugee Admission Figures the Lowest in 38 Years

The Trump administration admitted a total of 22,491 refugees into the United States during fiscal year 2018 – by a sizeable margin the lowest number in the history of the 38-year-old modern refugee resettlement program. Read

Balkan Nation Wrestles With Controversial Name-Change Deal to Join NATO

The small Balkan country of Macedonia edged a little closer to joining NATO and the European Union on Sunday, when a controversial referendum on changing its official name passed, albeit with a very low turnout. Read

Pyongyang Tells US to End Sanctions: ‘There is No Way We Will Unilaterally Disarm Ourselves First’

Kim Jong Un’s regime warned at the weekend that unless the U.S. implements “trust-building” measures – including lifting sanctions – “there is no way we will unilaterally disarm.” Read

Assad Regime Vows to Purge Territory of Remaining Terrorists and Uninvited Foreigners, Including U.S. Troops

The Assad regime’s foreign minister on Saturday accused the United States and Israel of supporting and protecting terrorists, pledged that Syrian forces will retake the Golan Heights from Israel, and demanded that U.S. and other uninvited foreign troops leave Syria immediately. Read