America’s Russian Dybbuk

From ancient Hebrew folklore, the dybbuk is a demonic spirit that inhabits a person's body and soul in order to get what it wants. American foreign policy is endlessly driven to search and destroy imaginary demons: Noriega, Milosevic, Saddam, Ho, Tojo, Nasser, Gaddafi, Lumumba, Castro, Osama, Yanukovych, and a host of others in its hit parade.

Russia denies having compromising material on Donald Trump

Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, said reports that Trump was the subject of "Kompromat" - a Russian term for compromising information intended to be used against someone - were an "attempt to harm our bilateral relationship." CNN reported Tuesday that intelligence officials last week presented Barack Obama and Trump with a two-page synopsis of memos about the President-elect compiled by a former British intelligence official.

Trump will need more than rhetoric to deal with North Korea

Donald Kirk says while trade with China may not be the top issue for the new US president keen on destroying Obama's legacy, Kim Jong-un is unlikely to give him time to consider his options Donald Trump faces a crisis in northeast Asia that's likely to test his willpower far beyond the rhetoric that he's been spewing for months . Quite soon we may learn how much he can really do to stymie the threat of North Korean posturing, and deal with America's yawning trade deficit with China.

China slams Tsai meeting with US Senator Ted Cruz

China said Monday it "firmly opposed" a meeting between Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen and Senator Ted Cruz, as a state-run newspaper warned of "revenge" against President-elect Donald Trump should he abandon the One China policy. Tsai met Cruz in Houston over the weekend, the Republican from Texas said in a statement, with the two discussing arms sales, diplomatic exchanges and economic relations.

China slams US over meeting between Taiwan’s president Tsai Ing-wen and US Senator Ted Cruz

China said Monday it "firmly opposed" a meeting between Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen and Senator Ted Cruz, as a state-run newspaper warned of "revenge" against President-elect Donald Trump should he abandon the One China policy. Tsai met Cruz in Houston over the weekend, the Republican from Texas said in a statement, with the two discussing arms sales, diplomatic exchanges and economic relations.

US, North Korea trade warnings over potential ICBM test

With Donald Trump getting ready to take office as president, North Korea is talking about launching a newly perfected intercontinental ballistic missile. Officials in Washington are saying that if Pyongyang launches anything that threatens the territory of the U.S. or its allies, it will be shot down.

Michael Gerson: The hypocrisy behind Julian Assange’s hero turn

Donald Trump's, Sarah Palin's and Sean Hannity's embrace of Julian Assange - who has made a career of illegally obtaining and releasing documents damaging to American interests - is not just a puzzling policy shift. It is the triumph of ideology over, well, every other principle or commitment.

Top Intelligence Officials Call For Russia Hack Investigation

Despite President-elect Donald Trump's repeated denials of election hacking, Democrats are still hoping to launch a full inquiry. Donald Trump has repeatedly questioned U.S. intelligence agencies and the administration of President Barack Obama for stating Russia helped the president-elect win the 2016 election by hacking the Democratic Party.

Plane with expelled Russian diplomats leaves US

President Putin's refusal to expel US diplomats came after Russia's foreign ministry asked him to send home 35 in a tit-for-tat retaliation for the expulsion of the same number of its staff by President Barack Obama. Photo: AFP A plane carrying 35 Russian diplomats expelled from the United States over Moscow's alleged interference in the presidential election took off from Washington on Sunday, Russian news agencies reported.

Plane with expelled diplomats leaves US: Russian media

A plane carrying 35 Russian diplomats, expelled from the United States over Moscow's alleged interference in the presidential election, took off from Washington on Sunday, Russian news agencies reported. President Putin's refusal to expel US diplomats came after Russia's foreign ministry asked him to send home 35 in a tit-for-tat retaliation for the expulsion of the same number of its staff by President Barack Obama "The plane has taken off, everyone is on board," said the Russian embassy in Washington, quoted by the state-owned Ria Novosti agency.

Senator McCain says U.S. stands with Ukraine against Russia

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko shakes hands with U.S. Senator John McCain during a meeting with Ukrainian servicemen in Shirokino settlement near Mariupol, Ukraine, December 31, 2016. Mikhail Palinchak/Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko greets U.S. Senator John McCain during a meeting in Kiev, Ukraine, December 30, 2016.

UPDATE 1-U.S. scrambles to clear egg exports to bird flu-hit Korea

U.S. officials are urgently seeking an agreement with South Korea that would allow imports of American eggs so farmers can cash in on a shortage caused by the Asian country's worst-ever outbreak of bird flu. The two sides are negotiating over terms of potential shipments after South Korea lifted a ban on imports of U.S. table eggs that it imposed when the United States grappled with its own bout of bird flu last year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

What do we know about the Russian compounds in the US?

As part of President Barack Obama's sanctions against the Russian government for its alleged meddling in the 2016 presidential election, two Russian compounds, located in New York State and Maryland, will be closed. Not much is known about the two locations, which were both purchased by the Soviet Union decades ago.

Trump Has Tough Choice After Obama Sanctions on Russia Hack

President Barack Obama is forcing his successor, Donald Trump, into a difficult choice: reverse the sanctions the departing president just imposed on Russia for hacking e-mails in the U.S. election or put at risk his campaign vow to improve relations with Vladimir Putin. Hours after Obama imposed penalties on Russian agencies, individuals and companies and ordered the expulsion of 35 Russian operatives Thursday, Trump issued a terse statement far milder than his previous assertions that Democratic e-mails may well have been stolen and leaked by "somebody sitting on their bed that weighs 400 pounds."