Around the World
Britain says it is planning European-led protection force in Persian Gulf
British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt on Monday said the UK wanted to establish a European-led maritime protection force for the Gulf but emphasized that London was not seeking a confrontation with Iran.
Turkey will retaliate if US imposes sanctions over S-400 deal, official warns
Turkey would retaliate against what it called an unacceptable threat of US sanctions over Ankara’s purchase of Russian S-400 missile defenses, its foreign minister said on Monday, adding he thinks US President Donald Trump wants to avoid such measures.
North Korea's Kim inspects new submarine, signals possible ballistic missile development
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspected a large newly built submarine, state news agency KCNA reported on Tuesday, potentially signaling continued development of a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) program.

Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Khamenei: Supporting 'Palestine' is an ideological and religious matter
Iran’s supreme leader vowed on Monday that his country would not give up its stand on Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Israel briefed on US naval response to Iran's aggression in Persian Gulf
An Israeli representative was present at a briefing Sunday morning by US Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook, who provided information on the US naval-defense operation dubbed 'Operation Sentinel' being undertaken in response to recent Iranian aggression in the Strait of Hormuz, Israel National News reported.

Inside the United States
Trump, Democrats reach two-year budget deal that raises debt ceiling
US President Donald Trump said Monday that a 'compromise' bipartisan budget agreement has been reached that will boost federal spending by $320 billion and suspend the debt limit beyond the next presidential election.
Deal Sealed on Federal Budget, Ensuring No Shutdown, Default
President Donald Trump and congressional leaders announced late Monday they had struck a critical debt and budget agreement. The deal amounts to an against-the-odds victory for Washington pragmatists seeking to avoid politically dangerous tumult over the possibility of a government shutdown or first-ever federal default.
San Juan braces for an 11th day of protests, amid calls for Puerto Rico's governor to resign
San Juan braced on Tuesday for an 11th day of protests calling for the resignation of Puerto Rico’s governor over offensive chat messages that have drawn hundreds of thousands of people.

Christian News
'The situation in North Korea is absolutely dire': Panel Highlights Number 1 Persecutor of Christians, Once Christian Itself
The situation for Christians in North Korea was highlighted recently by a panel that spoke before the debut of the documentary Humanity Denied: Religious Freedom in North Korea held just down the road from the State Department’s summit on religious freedom Thursday.