Poland rushes vote to unblock top court before Obama arrives

Poland's parliament on Thursday rushed through legislation governing the Constitutional Tribunal, an attempt to address international concerns about the rule of law a day before President Barack Obama and other Western leaders arrive in Warsaw for a NATO summit. But critics of the right-wing ruling Law and Justice party strongly criticized the legislative changes as little more than cosmetic.

US gives tentative OK to flights to Cuba from 10 US cities

The U.S. government on Thursday tentatively approved scheduled commercial airline service to Havana from 10 American cities, further bridging the gulf between countries as close as 90 miles and an hour flight but long kept at a greater distance by the Cold War. The decision is another long stride in President Barack Obama's effort to normalize relations between the United States and Cuba.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump greets the crowd and…

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump greets the crowd and signs autographs during a campaign rally at the Sharonville Convention Center, Wednesday, July 6, 2016, in Cincinnati. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump greets the crowd and signs autographs during a campaign rally at the Sharonville Convention Center, Wednesday, July 6, 2016, in Cincinnati.

Study: Trump health care plan would make 18M uninsured

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says states are taking action to address the risk of lead in drinking water but more needs to be done to share key information with the public. States have taken steps to address the risk of lead in drinking water after the crisis in Flint, Michigan, but more needs to be done to share key information with the public, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said... A series of attacks on San Diego's homeless population this week have left two transients dead and a community on edge as police search for one man suspected of the bloodshed.

NATO summit a defining moment in Polish security aspirations

" The Polish capital once lent its name to the Warsaw Pact, the Soviet-led defense alliance that stood as a counterweight to NATO during the Cold War. This week, in a sign of how dramatically strategic alliances have shifted in Eastern Europe, Warsaw will host a two-day NATO summit, the first time that Poland has hosted a top-level meeting of the Western military alliance that it joined in 1999.

Obama to maintain 8,400 US troops in Afghanistan into 2017

US President Barack Obama announced Wednesday that he will maintain about 8,400 American troops in Afghanistan into 2017 through the end of his administration, slowing the planned drawdown of the US military presence in the country. Obama said the security situation in Afghanistan remains "precarious" and the country's security forces are still "not as strong as they need to be."

The US and Russia may have just sealed Al Qaeda’s fate in Syria

Al Qaeda has thrived in Syria thanks to the continued political survival of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Washington's failure to adequately support the revolution's more moderate opposition groups, Syria expert Charles Lister wrote Wednesday . "The principal benefactor of Assad's survival is not Assad, nor Russia, Iran, Hezbollah or even ISIS - it is Al Qaeda," Lister, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute and author of "The Syrian Jihad," wrote in the Daily Beast.

Allen West explains why he ‘can’t thank’ FBI ‘enough’ for not…

Former Florida Congressman Allen West wrote in a blog post Wednesday that he was "delighted" the FBI will not recommend charges against Hillary Clinton for her use of a private email system as secretary of state. The conservative firebrand said he "always" had "concern" President Barack Obama would "release the hounds" on Clinton in an effort to replace her as the presumptive Democratic nominee with Vice President Joe Biden.

Columbia mayor chosen to spotlight a My Brothera s Keepera initiatives in South Carolina

South Carolina's capital city has been singled out as a success story for how other towns can get inspired by “My Brother's Keeper,” President Barack Obama's initiative to empower boys and young men of color through combinations of federal grants, public-private partnerships and ingenuity. Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin was invited to the White House on Wednesday to share with a small group of reporters what he and local partners were doing to promote MBK.

Obama to slow pace of Afghanistan troop withdrawal

President Barack Obama pauses while making a statement on Afghanistan from the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, July 6, 2016. The president said the U.S. will leave 8,400 troops in Afghanistan when he completes his term, down slightly from the current number but well up from the 5,500 he announced previously, arguing America's interests depend on helping Afghanistan's struggling government fight continuing threats from the Taliban and others.

President asked to open a federal investigation into the fatal shooting of Alton Sterling

In a letter sent to President Barack Obama Congressman Cedric Richmond requests a federal investigation into the fatal shooting of Alton Sterling by officers of the Baton Rouge Police Department: "The pain felt by Mr. Sterling's family is severe and the right of his community to have significant questions answered is pressing," said Rep. Richmond.

Obama to leave about 8,400 U.S. troops in Afghanistan at yeara s end

President Barack Obama said Wednesday the U.S. will leave 8,400 troops in Afghanistan when he completes his term, down slightly from the current number but well up from the 5,500 he announced previously, arguing America's interests depend on helping Afghanistan's struggling government fight continuing threats from the Taliban and others. In a statement at the White House, Obama said he was acting after receiving recommendations from top military leaders who urged him to revise his earlier plan.

Obama Again Extends Troop Presence In Afghanistan

President Barack Obama said Wednesday that there will be 8,400 troops in Afghanistan when he leaves office, an increase from a previous announcement that there would be 5,500. WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama again stalled the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, announcing on Wednesday that he plans to keep 8,400 American troops there through the remainder of his presidency.

Trump praises late Iraqi leader Saddam as terrorist killer

Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, who frequently criticizes U.S. foreign policy under President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, has praised former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's ruthlessness. "Saddam Hussein was a bad guy, right? ... But you know what he did well? He killed terrorists.