US News
- Local police are using license plate readers to help the federal government build a massive database. [Link]
- More than 2,000 vets have filed a lawsuit against 3M for producing defective earplugs. [Link]
- The Guardian reports Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman was involved in the spying on Jeff Bezos’s phone. [Link]
- The architect of the torture program says he believes he went too far in the waterboarding of Abu Zubaydah. [Link]
Brexit
- After a bill has passed the parliament, the UK is expected to exit the EU on January 31st. [Link]
Iran
- US sanctions against Iran are devastating the Iranian people. [Link]
- Iran’s president says his country will not try to build a nuclear weapon with or without a deal. [Link]
Syria
- The author of the leaked OPCW engineering report on Douma testified at the UNSC. The author, Ian Henderson, concluded that the alleged crime scene showing a chemical weapons attack was staged. [Link]
- Russia says at least 40 Syrian soldiers were killed by Syrian rebels in the Idlib province. [Link]
Iraq
- The Iraqi president met with Trump and discussed removing foreign troops from Iraq. [Link]
- The US deputy commander in the fight against ISIS says the Shia militias are more of a threat to US troops than ISIS. [Link]
- Trump says the Iraqis like what US troops are doing in Iraq and if the US leaves it will be on “our” terms. [Link]
- After the Iran missile attack, 11 US soldiers left Iraq with concussion symptoms. Additional soldiers are now receiving treatment. [Link]
Africa
- Details have been released about the al-Shabaab attack on the Kenyan base that housed US soldiers. Three Americas – one soldier and two contractors – were killed in the attack. [Link]
- Burkina Faso will allow vigilantes to receive training and arms to fight against jihadists. Rights groups are expressing concerns are the vigilante groups have a history of ethnic violence. [Link]
- Saudi Arabia asks the US to remove Sudan from the state sponsor of terrorism list. [Link]
- Militants killed 29 people in South Sudan. The militants were likely attempting to seize the land of the tribe they attacked. [Link]
