TRUMP-RUSSIA
UPDATE: Trump claims Democrats are faking Russia stories
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is accusing Democrats of fabricating news reports about Russia because “they lost the election.”
The president tweeted Thursday, “The Democrats had to come up with a story as to why they lost the election, and so badly (306),” he wrote, citing the number of electoral votes he banked to win the general election.
He continues, “so they made up a story – RUSSIA. Fake news!”
Trump asked his national security adviser, retired Gen. Michael Flynn, to resign this week when it was revealed that Flynn had discussed sanctions with a Russian diplomat before Trump took office.
U.S. intelligence agencies have also said the Russian government tampered with the presidential election in an attempt to help Trump win.
TILLERSON-EUROPE-RUSSIA
US Secretary of State Tillerson meets with Russia’s Lavrov
BONN, Germany (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov have met for the first time in the highest-level face-to-face contact between the two countries since President Donald Trump took office.
Lavrov was asked if Russia is concerned about turmoil in the Trump administration. He repeated Moscow’s standard line that Russia “does not interfere in the domestic matters of other countries.”
Tillerson did not speak at the meeting on the sidelines of a conference of foreign ministers of Group of 20 major powers in Bonn, Germany.
UNITED STATES-RUSSIA
Mattis: US not ready to collaborate militarily with Russia
BRUSSELS (AP) — Defense Secretary Jim Mattis says the U.S. is not ready to collaborate militarily with Russia, appearing to close the door for now on any effort to work more with Moscow in the fight against Islamic State militants in Syria.
Mattis says the U.S. will continue to engage politically with Russian President Vladmir Putin’s government to try to find common ground. He says Russia must “prove itself” and abide by international law.
The U.S. ceased military to military relations with Russia in the wake of Moscow’s 2014 annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea region.
As a candidate, President Donald Trump repeatedly praised Putin, saying he wanted a new era of cooperation with Moscow.
Putin called Thursday for increased intelligence cooperation with the U.S. and NATO.
TRUMP-ISRAEL AMBASSADOR
UPDATE: Trump’s pick for Israel ambassador regrets inflammatory talk
WASHINGTON (AP) — The combative attorney President Donald Trump picked to be his ambassador to Israel says he regrets using “inflammatory rhetoric” during the “highly charged” 2016 presidential campaign.
David Friedman told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Thursday that language he used “has come in for criticism – and rightfully so.” He says his use of incendiary comments is “entirely over.”
But Friedman doesn’t specify in his prepared testimony which remarks he’s apologizing for.
Friedman had called J Street, a liberal Jewish advocacy group, “worse than kapos,” a reference to Jews who helped the Nazis imprison fellow Jews during the Holocaust.
J Street worked closely with the Obama administration and is critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The group says Friedman “lacks the temperament and responsibility required for such a sensitive diplomatic assignment.”
IRAQ
UPDATE: Baghdad car bomb claimed by Islamic State kills 45
BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq’s Interior Ministry says a car bomb in Baghdad has killed at least 45 people and wounded nearly 50 others.
Ministry spokesman Brig. Gen. Saad Maan confirmed the toll from the attack, which took place in the southwestern al-Bayaa neighborhood. The Islamic State group claimed the attack in an online statement.
Iraqi officials had earlier said the bomb targeted car dealerships.
The extremist group has carried out near-daily attacks in Baghdad despite suffering military setbacks elsewhere in the country, including in the northern city of Mosul, where U.S.-backed Iraqi forces have been waging a major operation since October.
SENATE-SUPREME COURT
NEW: Senate hearings for Supreme Court pick to begin March 20
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate Judiciary Committee will begin confirmation hearings for President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court pick Neil Gorsuch on March 20.
That’s the word from Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, who made the announcement Thursday after consulting with the panel’s top Democrat, Dianne Feinstein.
Grassley says he expects the hearings to last three to four days. The first day will have opening statements by committee members and the federal judge tapped for the high court vacancy.
Questioning of Gorsuch will begin March 21.
Gorsuch has been paying courtesy calls on senators for the past few weeks.
The vacancy happened more than a year ago when Justice Antonin Scalia died. Republicans refused to consider former President Barack Obama’s nominee, Merrick Garland, insisting the voters should have a say.
CONGRESS-HEALTH OVERHAUL
UPDATE: GOP lawmakers grope for consensus on remaking health law
WASHINGTON (AP) — House GOP lawmakers are leaving a policy meeting with the new health secretary unclear on exactly how or when they will replace President Barack Obama’s health care law. But they’re claiming consensus on some basic pillars of their plan.
Republican leaders presented the rank-and-file Thursday with a “smorgasbord” of options on areas including tax credits and transitioning away from today’s Medicaid program. But Republicans said they still didn’t have bill text or final decisions in many areas, leaving it uncertain how quickly they will be able to vote on anything.
Echoing many of his colleagues, Congressman Pete Sessions of Texas remarked as he left the meeting, “The devil’s in the details.”
Still, several House Republicans say they feel hopeful they might soon reach agreement.
EDUCATION-SECRETARY
NEW: Education Secretary: Community colleges key for growth
WASHINGTON (AP) — Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is highlighting the importance of community colleges in creating economic growth and helping people find jobs.
DeVos is addressing a forum of education leaders in Washington. She’s praising community colleges as “essential engines” for the economy.
“Community colleges are a uniquely American national asset,” DeVos said. “You are nimble, you are inclusive, you are entrepreneurial.”
DeVos was confirmed for the job last week after a rocky nomination battle involving protests, appeals and opposition from two Republican senators. Vice President Mike Pence cast a tie-breaking vote to confirm DeVos by the slimmest possible margin.
DeVos sought to frame her experience positively, calling the process “an expression of passion.” She says, “I applaud it.”
WALL STREET
Stocks eke out tiny gains in early trade
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are struggling higher in early trading, keeping indexes at or near record highs, as investors looked over the latest batch of company earnings.
Some companies gained in early trading Thursday after posting solid results, including Cisco Systems, which increased 2.5 percent.
But several others slumped after missing their targets for earnings, revenue or both. TripAdvisor slumped 9 percent and Molina Healthcare dropped 15 percent.
UNEMPLOYMENT-BENEFITS
Applications for unemployment benefits edge up 5,000
WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits rose slightly last week but still remained at a level indicating a healthy job market.
The Labor Department says claims for unemployment benefits rose by 5,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 239,000. The increase came after claims had dropped to 234,000 the previous week, the second lowest reading in the past year. The less-volatile four-week average edged up a slight 500 applications to 245,250. That marks 102 consecutive weeks in which claims applications have been below the key threshold of 300,000, the longest stretch since 1970.
Jobless claims are a proxy for layoffs. The low level for claim applications suggests that employers remain confident enough in the economy to be focusing on hiring new workers and retaining the employees they have.
HOME CONSTRUCTION
US home building falls as developers start fewer apartments
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. home building fell last month, led by a drop in apartment construction, while developers broke ground on more single family homes.
The Commerce Department says the construction of new houses and apartments declined 2.6 percent in January after a big gain the previous month. Single family housing starts rose 1.9 percent. Apartment building dropped 7.9 percent.
Even with the decline, new home construction has increased 10.5 percent in the past year. That gain has been fueled by rising demand for homes as more Americans are looking to buy.
Yet many potential buyers are frustrated by a lack of available properties. The supply of existing homes fell in December to its lowest level since 1999. That has pushed up prices as buyers have had to bid against each other.
OFFICER SHOT-FORGOTTEN CASE
UPDATE: Daughter: No justice in cop father’s shooting
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The daughter of a Columbus, Ohio police officer wounded in a 1972 shooting says she can’t agree with a judge’s decision to dismiss the case against the suspect.
Lori Cooper says no one should be able to shoot a police officer and not suffer the consequences.
Franklin County Judge Guy Reece on Thursday rejected a prosecutor’s request that the case against shooting suspect Charles Hays be reopened.
Reece says that on balance the evidence shows Hays’ right to a speedy trial was violated by authorities’ failure to bring him back to Ohio in the years after the shooting.
Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien said a decision hasn’t been made whether to appeal.
