What's happening in the political world:
Trump offers positive take on U.S.-Russia relations
-- President Trump tweeted Thursday morning that "things will work out fine" between the United States and Russia.
Things will work out fine between the U.S.A. and Russia. At the right time everyone will come to their senses & there will be lasting peace!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 13, 2017
Trump's comment comes a day after he acknowledged that the relationship between the two countries "may be at an all-time low."
The president said Wednesday, "Right now we're not getting along with Russia at all. It'd be a fantastic thing if we got along with (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and if we got along with Russia … That could happen, and it may not happen. It may be just the opposite."
The president's change in tone comes amid an investigation into Russia's possible interference in the U.S. presidential election and a back-and-forth over Syria.
Japanese PM warns of North Korea's chemical weapons capabilities
-- North Korea may already have the capability to deliver missiles equipped with sarin nerve agent, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Thursday.
His warning came as analysts said North Korea may be preparing for a sixth nuclear test ahead of a key anniversary in the country and following the deployment of a US naval strike group to the region.
"We have just talked about Syria. There is a possibility that North Korea already has a capability to put sarin on warheads to strike the ground," Abe said.
Trump: NATO "is no longer obsolete"
-- Following a meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, President Trump declared the NATO alliance "no longer obsolete" -- a reversal from what he had stated during the 2016 presidential campaign.
"The secretary general and I met about what more NATO can do in the fight in terrorism," Trump said. "I said it was obsolete. It is no longer obsolete. It is my hope that NATO takes on an increased role in supporting our Iraqi partners in their battle with ISIS."
NATO is a military alliance between the United States, Canada and a number of European nations, including the United Kingdom, Spain, France and Germany.
Trump administration sued over border wall
-- Rep. Raul M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and the Center for Biological Diversity filed a joint lawsuit against the Trump administration in an effort to have an environmental impact survey done prior to the construction of a border wall.
The lawsuit cites the National Environmental Policy Act, which requires environmental surveys for major federal projects.
If the suit is successful, it could be a major setback for the border project.
CNN contributed to this report
