President Trump is now faced with a decision on whether to sign into law new sanctions meant to punish Russia for interfering in last year's presidential election, after the Senate overwhelmingly approved the measure Thursday.

The bill, the first major foreign policy legislation to emerge from Congress since the president took office, also includes sanctions on North Korea and Iran. It easily passed the Senate in a 76-1 vote after sailing through the House by a similarly veto-proof 419-3 margin.

For an entire generation of writers, Michiko Kakutani acted at times as intrepid champion, hated villain or helping hand. But from her perch as chief book critic at The New York Times, the Pulizer Prize winner rarely left one thing in doubt: her vast influence over the literary world she assessed.

On Thursday, after 38 years, Kakutani announced she is stepping down.

Lawmakers in Springfield quickly adjourned after day two of a special session to resolve how the state funds schools.

The House and Senate met briefly but didn't take up any action.

Governor Bruce Rauner summoned lawmakers with the task of resolving a fight over a new funding calculation; the Senate is holding off on sending it to Rauner.

He says he'll veto parts of the bill that give additional money for Chicago Public Schools.

Rauner chastised the Senate for not sending the bill already.

In another full day of discussion about repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, there are still no clear options on the table on which the Senate can vote.

Democrats are united in opposition to any bill that would undo President Obama's legacy on health care. Republican leaders are pinning their hopes on a last ditch effort that senators are calling "skinny repeal."

Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos became an even richer man on Thursday morning, when a sudden surge in Amazon stock made him $1.5 billion overnight. His fortune grew to over $90 billion.

For several hours, Bezos was the richest person on earth — surpassing Microsoft founder Bill Gates. The top billionaire title has previously been claimed by Mexican telecom titan Carlos Slim, Spanish fast-fashion giant Amancio Ortega and investor Warren Buffett — though most of the time, it's firmly in Gates' possession.