White House fires USAID inspector general after he warned about lack of funding oversight, officials say
Inspectors general are typically independently funded watchdogs attached to U.S. agencies, who are tasked with rooting out waste, fraud and abuse at government agencies.
Unspent aid worth billions lacks oversight as Trump dismantles USAID, government watchdog warns
The new administration’s rapid dismantling of the USAID has resulted in a greatly reduced ability to ensure no aid falls into the hands of violent extremist groups or goes astray in conflict zones, the watchdog said.
The Trump administration plans to lay off all but a fraction of USAID employees, officials say
The plan would leave fewer than 300 staffers on the job. They, along with an unknown number of international staffers abroad, would run the few life-saving programs the administration says it intends to keep for the time being.
Pentagon chief loses bid to reject 9/11 plea deals
A military appeals court has ruled against Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s effort to throw out the plea deals reached for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two other defendants in the 9/11 attacks.
Lawsuit accuses US State Department of creating loopholes for Israel on military aid and human rights
A lawsuit by a group of Palestinians in Gaza and American relatives accuses the State Department of giving Israel a pass when it comes to a U.S. law meant to limit military aid over human rights abuses.
Record number of NATO allies hit defense spending targets during war in Ukraine
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says more than 20 NATO member nations are hitting the Western military alliance’s defense spending target this year as Russia’s war in Ukraine has raised the threat of expanding conflict in Europe.
‘Duty to warn’ guided US advance warning of the Moscow attack. Adversaries don’t always listen.
U.S. officials invoked the duty when warning Russian officials a full two weeks before Friday’s attack on a concert hall, which killed more than 130 people.
House Intelligence Committee chair warns of serious national security threat reportedly involving Russian anti-satellite weapons
A senior congressional aide said he understood the threat relates to a space-deployed Russian anti-satellite weapon. Such a weapon could pose a major danger to U.S. satellites.
Biden rejects some conditions sought by 9/11 defendants in plea negotiations
Military prosecutors and defense lawyers have been exploring a possible plea bargain in the al-Qaida attacks for more than a year.
U.S. will provide controversial cluster munitions to Ukraine in new military aid package
The Pentagon will provide munitions that have a reduced “dud rate,” meaning there will be fewer unexploded rounds that can result in unintended civilian deaths.