US News

• The Supreme Court issued a temporary stay of execution for Nathaniel Woods. Woods was scheduled to be executed even though the state admits he did not kill anyone. The order was given minutes before he was scheduled to be executed. The stay was then rejected and Woods was executed. [Link]
• Senator Warren announces she is ending her presidential campaign. [Link]
• Rep. Kahana and Senator Wyden introduce a new bill that will prevent the government from using the Espionage Act from targeting journalists who publish information. The bill would also allow judges to consider the importance of leaked information in the sentencing of those convicted of violating the Espionage Act. [Link]
• Three large private prison firms start an advocacy group called Day 1 Alliance. [Link]
• Australia will sell nearly 50 aging F-18s to Air USA. Air USA is a private military contract that trains US pilots. [Link]
• The US sanctions the Nicaraguan Police. [Link]

Afghanistan

• Secretary of State Mike Pompeo calls on the Taliban and the Afghan government to reduce violence. The Taliban have restarted operations against the Afghan government because of the Afghan government’s refusal to engage in a prisoner swap laid out in the peace deal between the US and Taliban. The Taliban say they are avoiding foreign targets. The US carried out an airstrike against the Taliban on Tuesday. [Link]
• Abdullah Abdullah continues to challenge the legitimacy of Ashraf Ghani’s re-election. Ghani is Afghanistan’s current president and was recently declared the narrow winner of September’s presidential election. The election was plagued with corruption, violence, and allegations of fraud. Abdullah says he is currently in talks with Ghani to resolve the dispute. If talks do not resolve the dispute, he plans to hold a competing inauguration. Abdullah says he is open to a prisoner swap with the Taliban. Ghani is refusing to engage in the prisoner swap with the Taliban that was laid out in the peace deal between the US and Taliban. [Link]
• At least 27 people were killed when gunmen attacked a ceremony in Kabul. Abdullah Abdullah was attending the ceremony but escaped unharmed. [Link]

Iran

• US sanctions on Iran are fueling a humanitarian disaster in the country as they struggle with the coronavirus. [Link]

Syria

• US Envoy to Syria James Jeffery says there is no consensus in the US on support for Turkey because of Turkey’s decision to buy the S-400 air defense system from Russia. [Link]
• Russia and Turkey agree to terms of a cease-fire in Idlib. Under the agreement, Turkey and Russia will jointly patrol important highways to ensure they can be safely used. [Link]
• Two Turkish soldiers are killed in Idlib. [Link]
• Turkey claims to have killed over 20 Syrian Army soldiers. [Link]
• Clashes between the Syrian army and jihadists rebels killed at least 15 after the cease-fire took effect. [Link]

Iraq

• Three rockets were fired near the Green Zone in Baghdad. [Link]