The Biden administration is retaliating for Russia’s suspension of the New START nuclear treaty. The State Department announced Thursday it is revoking the visas of Russian nuclear inspectors, denying pending applications for new monitors and canceling standard clearances for Russian aircraft to enter U.S. airspace. It said it was taking those steps in response to Russia's “ongoing violations” of the last arms control treaty remaining between the two countries. The measures are a new escalation in Washington-Moscow tensions, but the department says they are consistent with international law because of Russia's actions. Allowing inspections of weapons sites and providing information on intercontinental and submarine-based ballistic missile launches are critical components of New START.

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is nothing if not a political survivor.

At the height of the Islamic State group's rampage across Syria, the world watched in horror as the militants blew up an iconic arch and temple in the country’s famed Roman ruins in Palmyra. Eight years later, the extremist group has lost its hold but restoration work on the site has been all held up by security issues, leftover IS land mines and lack of funding. The situation is similar at many other archaeological sites throughout Syria, both in government-held and opposition-held areas. The sites were damaged by the war and more recently by the deadly 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck a wide area of neighboring Turkey and also Syria in February.

Jordan’s crown prince has married the scion of a prominent Saudi family in a palace celebration attended by royals and other VIPs from around the world. Massive crowds gathered in a mood of excitement across the kingdom, as the young Hashemite royal was presented to a global audience. The marriage of Crown Prince Hussein and Saudi architect Rajwa Alseif has drawn a star-studded list headlined by Britain’s Prince William and his wife Kate. But it also holds deep significance for the region. It emphasizes continuity in an Arab state prized for its stability and refreshes the monarchy’s image after a bitter palace feud. It also could even help Jordan forge a strategic bond with its oil-rich neighbor, Saudi Arabia.

BULBOACA, Moldova (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's unrelenting quest for more political support and security backing from NATO…

President Joe Biden fell onstage at the U.S. Air Force Academy graduation on Thursday. The White House says Biden is “fine” after he tripped over a sandbag. Biden had been greeting the graduates in Colorado Springs, Colorado, at the front of the stage with salutes and handshakes. Biden turned to jog back toward his seat when he fell. He was helped up by an Air Force officer as well as two members of his U.S. Secret Service detail. He then returned to his seat to view the end of the ceremony. White House communications director Ben LaBolt tweeted, “He's fine,” and Biden later joked that he had gotten “sandbagged.”

Oregon Senate Democrats plan to start fining their absent colleagues amid a month-long Republican walkout. In a procedural move Thursday, Democrats voted to fine senators $325 every time their absence denies the chamber the two-thirds quorum it needs to conduct business. The amount is supposed to reflect lawmakers' average daily pay. Democrats cited an article in the state constitution that says that even if fewer than two-thirds of members are present, they can still meet and compel the attendance of absent members. Senate Republican Minority Leader Tim Knopp condemned the plan as retaliation. The walkout has derailed hundreds of bills.

The Nevada Republican Party is suing the state to maintain its party-run caucuses even as Nevada shifts to a presidential primary system beginning in 2024. Nevada lawmakers ditched the presidential caucus model in 2021 with a law that says all major political parties with more than one candidate must hold their primary on the first Tuesday in February. The move pushed Nevada closer to the front of the presidential nominating calendar and upended decades of political tradition. The Republican Party opposed the change. GOP leaders in the Western state say they look forward to the court upholding their right to choose how they will nominate their presidential candidate.

A federal judge has ruled that a lawsuit brought by young Oregon-based climate activists can proceed to trial. The Thursday ruling comes years after the plaintiffs first filed their lawsuit attempting to hold the nation’s leadership accountable for its role in climate change. U.S. District Court Judge Ann Aiken has ruled that the plaintiffs can amend their case and go to trial. The long-awaited ruling puts the young plaintiffs back on track for a trial. U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts canceled a previous trial days before it was to begin in 2018.