Trump cancels planned trip to Israel

JERUSALEM (AP) — GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump canceled plans Thursday to visit Israel, a trip for which even Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — widely seen as an ally of the Republican Party — had shown little enthusiasm. Meanwhile in Washington, Defense Secretary Ash Carter stressed that the American fight against Islamic State is focused on violent extremists, not Muslims, and a Senate committee formally rebuked Trump's policy proposal to ban Muslims from entering the country.

JERUSALEM (AP) — GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump canceled plans Thursday to visit Israel, a trip for which even Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — widely seen as an ally of the Republican Party — had shown little enthusiasm. Meanwhile in Washington, Defense Secretary Ash Carter stressed that the American fight against Islamic State is focused on violent extremists, not Muslims, and a Senate committee formally rebuked Trump's policy proposal to ban Muslims from entering the country.…