US News

• A Louisiana prosecutor issued fake subpoenas to force people to testify in trials. The prosecutor is now being sued but claims he has immunity. [Link]
• From May to September of 2019 The US conducted 93 war games with 29 countries. Russia was the focus of many of the war games. [Link]
• The Pentagon is seeking a $705 billion budget for 2021. The budget includes 12 F-15EXs and $69 billion for the Overseas Contingency Operations fund. [Link] The budget looks to retire some planes and ships while directing more money to combat Russia and China. [Link]
• The Pentagon plans to cut funding to the military newspaper/website Stars and Stripes. The Pentagon provided Stars and Stripes with about a third of their funding last year. [Link]
• Amazon will try to force Trump, Esper, and Mattis to testify in their case against the Pentagon for not receiving the Pentagon’s cloud computing contract. Amazon is also looking for the court to halt work on the project. [Link]

Kazakhstan

• Ten people were killed by ethnic violence in Kazakhstan. [Link]

Syria

• Five Turkish soldiers were killed by Syrian government forces in northwestern Syria. [Link]
• Turkey claims it responded to the Syrian government attack by hitting over 100 Syrian Army targets. [Link] Turkey claims to have killed over 100 Syrian soldiers. [Link]
• Eight people were killed by a truck bomb in Afrin, Syria. [Link]

Iraq

• The US extends sanctions waivers for Iraq to buy Iranian energy. [Link]
• Militants attacked a food aid convoy in southern Iraq. A truck was destroyed, but there were no casualties. [Link]
• The US now says over 100 soldiers suffered TBI from the January 8th Iranian missile attack. [Link]

Africa

• A US airstrike killed a young Somali woman. The Pentagon claimed that no civilians were killed in the strike. [Link]
• Warring parties in Libya did not make an agreement during the first round of UN hosted peace talks. Both sides agreed to future talks. [Link]
• France says it soldiers killed over 30 Islamist militants in Mali. The militants were killed in three operations at the end of last week. [Link]
• The BBC documents Nigerian security forces using torture. [Link]
• Militants killed at least 30 people in Nigeria. Boko Haram is believed to be behind the attack. [Link]