- The Intercept looks into the trial of Hamid Hayat, who was convicted of being a terrorist and sentenced to 24 years in prison. The prosecution’s star witness was an informant paid $230,000 by the FBI and who’s mother says he is a liar. [Link]
- A member of the Trump transition team explains the “Muslim database” Trump talked about during the campaign will be restarting a government program that ran from 2002-2011. The program registers men over the age of 16 who immigrate from countries that the president marks as “havens for terrorists.” Under Obama, the program was suspended, but he did not dismantle it. This program has never led to a terrorism conviction. [Link]
- Trump says he will issue an executive order on his first day in office to withdraw the US from the TPP. [Link]
- The IRS is looking to identify all Coinbase users from 2013-2015 who transacted in Bitcoin. Coinbase is the largest Bitcoin exchange in the US. [Link]
- Japan is sending 350 troops to South Sudan. This is the first time since WWII that Japan has sent combat authorized troops overseas. [Link]
- Russia is deploying S-400 anti-aircraft missiles the Kaliningrad enclave. Russia claims this is a response to NATO threats and troops along the Russian border. [Link]
- The Islamic State affiliate group in Somalia seized the town Qandala. IS has been taking territory in Somalia since some members split from al-Shabaab last year. [Link]
- Another 10,000 Turkish people were removed from their jobs. Erdogan continues to purge the ranks of Turkey’s government of anyone who may be disloyal to him. Nine media outlets were also ordered to close. [Link]
- An Islamic State suicide bomber kills at least 32 at a mosque in Kabul, Afghanistan. [Link]
- The Islamic State has used chemical weapons at least 52 times in Iraq and Syria since 2014. [Link]
- The Iraqi army captured six villages around Mosul from ISIS. [Link]
- A US airstrike near the ISIS capital Raqqa kills at least ten civilians. [Link]
