The Trump administration says it has no intention of letting U.S. citizens, including a former ambassador to Russia, be questioned by Russian authorities.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told VOA Thursday that there are no plans to send former ambassador Michael McFaul to Moscow.
"There were suggestions, comments, thoughts by President Putin with respect to that inquiry. President Trump was very clear - we're not gonna force Americans to go to Russia to be interrogated."
The plan would have allowed the U.S. to question 12 Russians accused of interfering in the 2016 election in exchange for allowing the Russians to question Americans facing accusations by the Kremlin.
Earlier this week, President Trump had said Putin's suggestion was an incredible offer, but has now reversed his stance after outrage and opposition to the offer from both political parties at home.
Meanwhile, the White House said Thursday that there are plans to invite Russian President Putin to visit Washington for a summit in the fall.
Two symbolic measures supporting the U.S. intelligence agencies in the face of President Trump's shifting pronouncements on Russia's past and continued threats to U.S. elections failed in the Republican-led Senate on Thursday.
Republican John Cornyn of Texas objected to a bipartisan non-binding resolution that backed intelligence reports on Russian election meddling and last week's indictment of 12 Russian intelligence officers.
Arizona Republican Jeff Flake said the Senate needed to send a definite message in support of U.S. intelligence.
"We have indulged myths and fabrications, pretended that it wasn't so bad, and our indulgence got us the capitulation in Helsinki."
Meanwhile, Kentucky Republican Rand Paul objected to a similar Democratic resolution that added support for the special counsel in the Justice Department's probe.
This is VOA news.
Israel's parliament has approved a law that says only Jews have the right of self-determination in that country.
As Robert Berger reports from Jerusalem, the move has outraged Israeli Arabs.
The Knesset, Israel's parliament, approved a new law that defines the country as the nation-state of the Jewish people.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it is a "historic moment in the history of Zionism and the State of Israel."
Netanyahu said Israel's enemies have been trying to delegitimize its existence, but now Jewish statehood is enshrined in law.
"Long live the State of Israel!" he declared.
While Netanyahu's right wing coalition partners are elated, Israeli Arabs, who make up 20 percent of the population, are outraged.
Robert Berger, for VOA news, Jerusalem.
Democratic Republic of Congo's president, Joseph Kabila, says there will be a presidential election on December 23, but did not say what his political plans are.
Kabila told the nation in a televised speech Thursday he "unequivocally respects the constitution." However, the opposition says it fears that Kabila may try to hold on to power.
Kabila's two-term limit as an elected leader ended in 2016. But violence, armed militias and problems organizing a new vote have twice postponed a new election.
Automakers, dealers and suppliers are united in opposition to President Donald Trump's proposed tariffs on imported cars, truck and auto parts.
Opponents who work in the industry joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers outside the U.S. Capitol Thursday to voice their concerns.
Doug Jones is a senator from Alabama. "Once you start raising taxes, and the prices of these automobiles and things start going up, the demand goes down and it's going to put all of these workers at risk."
The European Union says it is already preparing measures to retaliate against the United States if Trump puts tariffs on imported cars and auto parts. Canada has also promised retaliatory measures.
Imposing a 25 percent tariff on auto imports would raise the price of the typical cars sold in the United States by $4,400 for U.S.-built cars and $6,800 for imported cars and trucks.
On Wall Street, stock prices dropped after President Donald Trump criticized the U.S. Federal Reserve's recent increase in interest rates. In an interview with CNBC, the president said he was not happy with the recent rate hikes. That was letting the central bank, in his words, "do what they do best."
The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down 0.53 percent. The S&P fell four-tenths of one percent.
