Iran has reached out to Middle Eastern countries over the threat of a possible U.S. military strike. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have signaled they won't allow their airspace to be used for any attack. The United States has moved the USS Abraham Lincoln into the region and President Donald Trump has urged Iran to negotiate. A month has passed since protests in Iran began over the economy and grew to challenge the theocracy. They led to a bloody crackdown, and activists say at least 6,301 people were killed. Meanwhile, Iran's currency on Wednesday reached a new low.
By STEPHEN GROVES and LISA MASCARO Associated Press
The widow of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi is calling for the release of the transcript of a 2019 phone call President Donald Trump had with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. She is joining Democratic lawmakers who are raising questions about what, if anything, Trump may have received in exchange for his embrace of the crown prince. Hanan Elatr Khashoggi appeared on Capitol Hill on the heels of Trump's dismissal of U.S. intelligence findings that Prince Mohammed most likely had some culpability in the October 2018 slaying.
By MATTHEW LEE and HANNA ARHIROVA Associated Press
Two senior Ukrainian officials say a Kyiv delegation that will meet with America's top diplomat in Saudi Arabia will propose a ceasefire with Russia covering the Black Sea and long-range missile strikes. The officials also told The Associated Press that the delegation is ready to sign an agreement with the United States on access to Ukraine's rare earth minerals. That's a deal that U.S. President Donald Trump is keen to secure. The Ukrainian delegation is due to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday. Ukraine's president is also in Saudi Arabia but will not attend the talks.
Ukraine was given "fair warning" by the White House before President Donald Trump this week ordered a pause on U.S. military assistance and intelligence sharing with Kyiv. That's according to retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trump's special envoy to Ukraine and Russia. The administration announced the pauses earlier this week following Trump and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's disastrous Oval Office meeting last week. Kellogg in an appearance at the Council on Foreign Relations on Thursday said the pause is already having an impact on Kyiv, adding the Ukrainians "brought it on themselves."
