The Latest: Bondi will face questions before Congress over Epstein files

Attorney General Pam Bondi volition look questions from lawmakers Wednesday implicit the Justice Department’s handling of files related to Jeffrey Epstein that person exposed delicate backstage accusation astir victims contempt redaction efforts.

Bondi is confronting a caller question of disapproval stemming from the governmental saga that has dogged her word aft the merchandise of millions of further Epstein disclosures that victims person slammed arsenic sloppy and incomplete.

It volition beryllium the archetypal clip the lawyer wide appears earlier Congress since a tumultuous proceeding successful October successful which she repeatedly deflected questions and countered Democrats’ disapproval of her actions with her ain governmental attacks.

The proceeding comes days aft immoderate lawmakers visited a Justice Department bureau to look done unredacted versions of the files. As portion of an statement with the Justice Department, lawmakers were fixed entree to the implicit 3 cardinal released files successful a speechmaking country with 4 computers and were allowed to instrumentality handwritten notes.

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Russia says it volition instrumentality to New START’s atomic arms limits arsenic agelong arsenic the US does

Moscow volition observe the limits of the past atomic arms pact with the United States that expired past week arsenic agelong arsenic it sees that Washington is doing the same, Russia’s apical diplomat said Wednesday.

The New START pact expired Feb. 5, leaving nary restrictions connected the 2 largest atomic arsenals for the archetypal clip successful much than a half-century and fueling fears of an unconstrained atomic arms race.

Russian President Vladimir Putin past twelvemonth declared his readiness to instrumentality to the treaty’s limits for different twelvemonth if Washington followed suit, but U.S. President Donald Trump has argued that helium wants China to beryllium a portion of a caller pact — thing Beijing has rejected.

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The Vances sojourn the Alley of Martyrs successful Azerbaijan

Vice President JD Vance and 2nd woman Usha Vance connected Wednesday visited the Alley of Martyrs, a nationalist cemetery located adjacent the Caspian Sea successful Baku arsenic helium wrapped up a travel overseas with a last halt successful Azerbaijan.

The Vances were joined by Azerbaijan’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Elnur Mammadov.

The memorial commemorates those who died during Azerbaijan’s breakaway from the Soviet Union and during ongoing territorial disputes with Armenia.

The Vances walked past a enactment of achromatic slate markers and past stood earlier a wreath of reddish and achromatic flowers successful beforehand of an eternal occurrence astatine the memorial. They past moved toward a partition and gazed retired astatine the foggy Caspian Sea.

A time earlier successful Armenia, Vance made a akin sojourn erstwhile helium stopped astatine the Armenian Genocide Memorial successful Yerevan.

House GOP leaders failed to artifact an upcoming ballot connected Trump’s tariffs

House Speaker Mike Johnson could beryllium seen talking precocious into the nighttime with hold-out GOP lawmakers arsenic helium tried to forestall a ballot up connected the Trump administration’s tariffs connected overseas goods from Canada, Mexico and different countries.

Several Republicans had joined with Democrats to propulsion guardant with the tariff vote, denying Johnson his slim bulk clasp connected the chamber.

As GOP leaders worked the room, it inactive wasn’t enough. The tally connected the procedural measurement failed, 214-217, meaning a ballot to disapprove of the Trump administration’s tariff program is expected arsenic soon arsenic Wednesday.

Netanyahu met with Witkoff and Kushner up of his expected White House meeting

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with peculiar envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner successful Washington connected Wednesday evening, Netanyahu’s bureau said. The gathering took spot instantly aft Netanyahu arrived successful the U.S. for a last-minute sojourn with President Donald Trump. The Israeli person has urged him to grow the negotiations with Iran to see a fig of issues that interest Israel, including Iran’s ballistic missiles programme and its enactment for militant proxies successful the region, including Hamas and Hezbollah.

Netanyahu’s bureau said they discussed determination issues, and Witkoff and Kushner gave Netanyahu an update connected the archetypal circular of talks held with Iran past Friday successful Oman. A fewer twelve protesters waved Palestinian flags and blew horns arsenic Netanyahu’s motorcade arrived astatine Blair House, the president’s authoritative impermanent residence connected Pennsylvania Avenue crossed from the White House.

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