- The New York Times admits that their claim of ’17 intelligence agencies agree that Russia hacked the DNC’ is false. [Link]
- A high-ranking Vatican cardinal has been charged with historical sexual offenses in Austraila. [Link]
- The TSA is facing backlash for the way one of its agents handled a lobster. [Link]
- General McMaster says he presented Trump with new options for attacking North Korea. [Link]
- Congresswoman Barabra Lee attached an amendment to the defense spending bill that will repeal the 2001 AUMF. [Link]
- Nikki Haley criticizes the UN Security Council for not placing sanctions on Iran. [Link]
- Daniel McAdams argues that Article 5 of the NATO agreement does not require the US to go to war in defense of other NATO countries. [Link]
- The US has agreed to sell Taiwan $1.4 billion in weapons. [Link]
- The US government is trying to seize a building in downtown Manhattan it claims is owned by the Iranian government. A judge ruled that the Iranian government’s connection to the ownership of this building violated sanctions. [Link]
- Qatar says it is willing to discuss some legitimate issues with other Arab states. Saudi Arabia and the UAE have suggested that they are unwilling to negotiate on their list of demands to Qatar. [Link]
- The Iraqi army and coalition forces have taken the ruins of the al-Nuri Mosque from ISIS. The US says that victory in Mosul is days away. [Link]
- The US-backed forces have completed surrounded ISIS in Raqqa. About 100,000 civilians remain inside IS held Raqqa. [Link]
- The Syria Observatory for Human Rights says that the US coalition has killed over 230 civilians in the city of Al-Mayadeen. [Link]
- A senior SDF official says there is a possibility of war between the SDF and Turkey. The SDF says it will defend itself if Turkey advances past known lines. [Link] The US has sent Special Forces to the area to try to prevent a conflict. [Link]
- Robert Pillar explains how the US can create an Afghan-like state in Syria. [Link]
