Trump, Merkel cordial during visit
WASHINGTON — This time, there were fewer hugs.
President Donald Trump welcomed German Chancellor Angela Merkel to the White House on Friday for a visit of less than three hours. He greeted Merkel outside the West Wing with a handshake and a kiss on each cheek, a traditional welcome but far short of the bountiful display of personal warmth that was seen earlier in the week when he played host to French President Emmanuel Macron for a lavish three-day state visit.
Though her visit will be short on pomp, Merkel’s message was similar to Macron’s — that America and Europe need to bury the hatchet on key issues, from global trade to international security.
Trump is widely expected to withdraw the U.S. from the Iran nuclear accord next month, despite pleas from Macron earlier this week and Merkel Friday. Merkel used her meeting with Trump to try to paper over the differences, calling the Obama-era agreement a “first step” toward curtailing and containing Iran’s regional ambitions and suggesting openness to a side agreement.
Trump has said he was open to new negotiations with Iran, but has not said whether he would heed European calls for the U.S. to stay in the deal, which aims to restrict Iran’s nuclear efforts, while those talks are underway.
Congressman quits, will repay $39,000
WASHINGTON — A Pennsylvania congressman who used taxpayer money to settle a former aide’s sexual harassment charges abruptly resigned from Congress on Friday.
Four-term Republican Rep. Patrick Meehan had already decided to not seek re-election this fall. In a resignation letter submitted Friday, he said that within 30 days, he will repay the government $39,000 he used from his House office account as a severance payment to help settle the woman’s allegations against him.
“I did not want to leave with any question of violating the trust of taxpayers,” Meehan wrote.
Shooting triggered by cat hair on couch
WINTER PARK, Fla. — Police say a 58-year-old Florida man shot at his roommate because he was angry about cat hair being on the couch.
Craig Tull is facing charges of robbery with a firearm, shooting into a dwelling, aggravated battery and aggravated assault following the incident early Wednesday at his Florida home.
The roommate told investigators that Tull pulled the gun after getting angry about the cat hair.
According to court documents, Tull fired in the direction of the roommate and said, “the next one’s going to be you.”
The Orlando Sentinel reports Tull then jabbed the gun into the roommate’s rib cage, causing minor cuts and bruises.
Deadly violence continues in Gaza
GAZA, Palestinian Territory — Hundreds of Palestinians converged on the Gaza Strip’s border fence with Israel on Friday, trying to burn and rip through it before drawing heavy Israeli fire in one of the most violent incidents yet in five weeks of protests. Three Palestinians were killed and dozens were reported wounded.
The Israeli military accused Gaza’s Hamas leaders of orchestrating what it called a “serious and irregular” attack and said it would not tolerate similar activity in the future.
The violence came shortly after a top UN official urged Israel to refrain from using excessive force against the protesters.
At least 38 protesters have been killed by Israeli live fire and more than 1,600 wounded in the weekly protests since they began March 30. Israel has rejected the international criticism, saying it is defending its sovereign border and accusing Gaza’s Hamas leaders, who are organizing the protests, of using the crowds as cover to carry out attacks.