PARIS (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter won agreement Wednesday from defense ministers from France and five other nations to intensify the campaign against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria.
Carter said at a news conference with French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian that there was broad agreement on a coordinated plan to battle IS over the next year and retake key cities under the militants' control.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats have blocked a House-passed bill that would crack down on Syrian and Iraqi refugees coming to the U.S.
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid says Republicans refused to allow Democrats to offer amendments to the bill. One of those could have put Republicans on the spot in an election year by forcing them to take sides for or against GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump.
