8 mins read

The buck stops somewhere else: A look at Trump’s tendency to avoid blame when things go awry

WASHINGTON | It is among the most famous phrases in presidential history: ” The buck stops here.” Except with President Donald Trump, it almost never does. Concerns about a weak economy and still-high inflation? His predecessor, Joe Biden, saddled him with that, he says, even though the Democrat has been out of office for 18-plus […]

7 mins read

Top US commander visits aircraft carrier, Gaza talks in Egypt and other Mideast news

The top U.S. military commander in the Middle East praised the leadership of the long-deployed USS Lincoln after visiting the sailors on the vessel during a regional tour that ended on Saturday, the U.S. Central Command said. U.S. negotiator Jared Kushner had a rare meeting with the Hamas leader on the Gaza ceasefire. And the […]

8 mins read

The buck stops somewhere else: A look at Trump’s tendency to avoid blame when things go awry

WASHINGTON | It is among the most famous phrases in presidential history: ” The buck stops here.” Except with President Donald Trump, it almost never does. Concerns about a weak economy and still-high inflation? His predecessor, Joe Biden, saddled him with that, he says, even though the Democrat has been out of office for 18-plus […]

2 mins read

Wholesale price inflation slows last month as gas, food costs fall

WASHINGTON | Wholesale inflation dropped last month as gas prices reversed some of their Iran war spike and other costs also cooled, a sign that consumer inflation could grind lower in the months ahead. The Labor Department’s producer price index — which captures inflation before it reaches consumers — rose 4.7% in July from a […]

6 mins read

Inflation cooled last month as gas prices fell, though costs remain elevated

WASHINGTON | U.S. inflation slowed last month and a measure of underlying price pressures also cooled, suggesting higher oil and gas prices from the Iran war are only having a limited impact on broader costs in the economy. Consumer prices rose 3.4% in July from a year ago, down slightly from 3.5% in June, the […]

8 mins read

In rejecting Trump’s Gaza plan, Netanyahu reprises a balancing act he has mastered

It’s possibly the most important job of any Israeli prime minister: maintain good relations with the United States while pushing back on demands seen as undermining Israel’s security. No one has managed the balancing act longer than Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving leader. But with the Iran war at a stalemate, and U.S. President […]

6 mins read

Trump scoffs at Iran’s demand for war reparations and other Mideast developments

President Donald Trump on Monday scoffed at Iran’s demand for reparations for devastation caused to the country by the U.S. and Israeli bombardment over the past five months — a demand he said Tehran’s negotiators hadn’t raised until now. Here’s a look at the latest developments in the Iran war and the wider Middle East […]

5 mins read

Iran’s president says supreme leader urges ‘unity’ amid US sanctions, and other Mideast developments

Iran’s president says the country’s supreme leader is calling for “unity and cohesion” as the Islamic Republic faces economic hardships and sanctions stemming from its war with the United States. Here’s a look at the latest developments in the Iran war and the wider Middle East on Monday. Full coverage can be found here. Meeting […]

8 mins read

‘I’m very good at grass.’ Why Trump goes into the weeds on one of his favorite topics

WASHINGTON | President Donald Trump will tell you: The grass is always greener on his side of the fence. And tell you. And tell you. Trump has spoken repeatedly of his prowess with green lawns since returning to the White House — at some events even spending more time talking about it than the war […]

7 mins read

Houthis claim attacks on Saudi Arabian oil facility and Yemeni port, and other Mideast news

Yemen’s Houthis said they attacked an oil facility on Sunday in southwestern Saudi Arabia, the latest attack by the Iranian-backed rebels on the kingdom. They also attacked a crucial port on the Red Sea, further escalating the conflict over strategic waterways. Meanwhile, Iran has made new demands about the restart of negotiations and the reopening […]