Washington Bracing For Huge Military Operation
Thousands of troops are stationed in Washington D.C. amid mounting tensions ahead of Joe Biden’s “virtual” inauguration as the 46th president of the United States.
PLO
Israel: Jerusalem authorities approve plan for permanent US embassy
A key Jerusalem panel has approved the plans to expand the US diplomatic presence in the Israeli capital on Wednesday.
Trump Is 1st US President Impeached Twice
Donald J. Trump became the first president in US history to be impeached twice and is now facing a Senate trial over the Capitol riots that sparked outrage across America.
China stages military activity near Taiwan before high level US official visit to Taipei
China has staged military activity near Taiwan ahead of a Jan. 13 official visit to Taipei by US Ambassador to the United Nations, Kelly Craft, Just the News reports.
Newly public document shows US has intensified spying operations against China
A formerly-secret National Security Council strategy document publicly confirms that the CIA and other US agencies have increased their intelligence and spying activity against China in an effort to counter Beijing’s global network of spying operations, the Washington Times (WT) reports.
Trump Denies Wrongdoing In Deadly Assault; Condemns Impeachment
In his first public comments since last week’s deadly assault on the US Congress, President Donald J. Trump condemned those seeking to impeach him over the violence.
EU Concerned About Iran’s Ambitions
The European Union has warned Iran that its decision to increase uranium enrichment could undermine efforts to keep a nuclear deal alive. The warning comes amid diplomatic efforts to bring the United States back on board under a new administration.
Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan hold talks on reopening regional transportation routes
Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted a meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in the Kremlin Monday, to discuss the reopening of transportation routes that were shut down amid the decades-long regional conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, the Associated Press reports. The meeting follows the November 10, 2020 peace deal brokered by Russia which ended 44 days of renewed hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Facebook shuts down “fake accounts” allegedly linked to Ugandan Ministry of Information
Facebook has closed the accounts of a network connected to Uganda’s Ministry of Information on the grounds that the network has been using fake accounts to promote Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) ahead of the country’s December 14 presidential elections, Voice of America (VOA) reports.
As many as 15,000 National Guardsmen could be in U.S. capital for presidential inauguration
As many as 15,000 National Guard members could be deployed in Washington, D.C., for the Jan. 20 presidential inauguration events for Democrat Joe Biden.
Cuba re-added to U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism
The outgoing Trump administration, in one of its last foreign policy acts, is putting Cuba back on the official list of state sponsors of terrorism, reversing an Obama-era decision that aimed to normalize diplomatic relations between the U.S. and the communist island.
Pakistan: Christian leader threatened with death for Facebook post criticizing Islam
A Christian lay leader in Pakistan was taken into police custody last month as hundreds of Muslims descended on his Lahore neighborhood threatening to kill him for sharing a post against Islam on his Facebook page, Morning Star News reports. The outraged mob also threatened to burn down homes in Raja Warris’ neighborhood in the Charar area of Lahore, causing Pakistani Christians in the community to flee for their lives.
Cameroon: Boko Haram sends young girl to blow herself up and kill 12 farmers
The Boko Haram Islamic terrorist group sent a young girl to murder 12 farmers in a “suicide” attack in the Mayo Tsanaga area of Northern Cameroon on January 8, 2021, International Christian Persecution (ICC) reports.
Egypt, Germany, France, Jordan discuss Israeli-Palestinian talks ahead of Biden inauguration
The foreign ministers of Egypt, Germany, France, and Jordan met in Cairo Monday to discuss reviving Israeli-Palestinian peace talks as US President-elect Joe Biden prepares to take office on January 20, the Times of Israel reports.
China: New defense law increases military control of war powers, makes it easier to deploy against U.S.
China has amended a defense law to give increased control for its military to the Central Military Commission (CMC) which oversees the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and is chaired by President Xi Jinping, Anti-War reports. The Chinese military can now deploy much more quickly if it wants to challenge US warships that frequently patrol near the Chinese coast.
Pompeo angers China with Hong Kong threat, plan to send envoy to Taiwan
Washington may sanction those involved in the arrest of over 50 people in Hong Kong and will send the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations to visit Taiwan, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Thursday, drawing anger and the threat of retaliation from Beijing.
Sudan Signs on to Abraham Accords, Normalizing Relations With Israel
Sudan has officially signed the Abraham Accords, agreeing to normalize relations with Israel. The deal paves the way for Sudan to relieve its massive debt to the World Bank.
Capitol protests: FBI manhunt for riot suspects goes high-tech
A coalition of law enforcement agencies spearheaded by the FBI is hunting for anyone involved in Wednesday’s riots on Capitol Hill, and former special agents tell Fox News that advanced digital technology as well as traditional techniques will be used to find suspects.
Alleged Israeli airstrike reported in southern Syria
An alleged Israeli airstrike targeted locations in southern Syria as explosions were heard in the skies over Damascus on Wednesday night, according to Syrian state media SANA.
Woman Dies As Mob Storms US Congress Over Election Fraud
Declared President-elect Joe Biden urged President Donald J. Trump to “end this siege” after a mob stormed the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. to protest alleged election fraud.