Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam publicly apologized for proposing the controversial extradition bill which sparked mass protests in Hong Kong but said that she would not resign, the New York Times reports. Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan stepped down from his position and withdrew himself from consideration to be Trump’s permanent defense secretary. […]

Kim Jong Nam, half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, was a CIA source, the Wall Street Journal reports. He was assassinated in February 2017 while on a trip to Malaysia, during which time he allegedly met with a U.S. intelligence officer. The CIA declined to comment on the story. Sens. Chris Murphy (D.-Conn.) […]

Riot police used tear gas, rubber bullets and pepper spray to prevent protesters in Hong Kong from entering the Legislative Council on Wednesday, as demonstrations over the proposed extradition bill escalated, the New York Times reports. At least 20 people were injured in what Hong Kong’s chief executive called an “organized riot”. Donald Trump Jr. […]

Two oil tankers caught fire after suspected attacks early Thursday morning near the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for the global oil trade. The crews, forced to abandon ship, were picked up by Iranian rescue units, NPR reports. This is the second such incident in recent weeks and comes against a backdrop of escalating tensions […]

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said U.S. intelligence agencies attributed the recent attack on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman to Iran,  the New York Times reports. A video released Thursday night by U.S. Central Command showing Iranian military units detaching an unexploded mine from the hull of the ship appears to support […]