US News
- Portland’s entire riot control police unit resigned from the assignment after one member of the team was indicted on assault charges. [Link]
Russia
- Russia announced it will leave the Open Skies Treaty on December 18th. [Link]
- Politico reported the US froze a planned $100 million military aid package to Ukraine. [Link] The White House denied the report. [Link]
Afghanistan
- The Taliban say a plan to keep Turkish troops deployed to the Kabul Airport is unacceptable. [Link]
- The Afghan Defense Minister claims the Afghan Army killed over 250 Taliban in one 24-hour period. The Taliban dispute the numbers. [Link]
Middle East
- The Palestinian Authority called off its vaccination exchange program with Israel. The PA claimed the vaccinations Israel gave the PA were expiring too quickly. [Link]
- The Pentagon will send a budget request to Congress asking for military aid to Israel to replenish the country’s Iron Dome air defense system. [Link]
- Biden says the US will reduce troop numbers in the Middle East. The US will be pulling some missile defense batteries from Saudi Arabia and troops who work on aircraft. The move is to give the US more resources to confront Russia and China. [Link]
Iran
- Iranian Cleric Raisi wins the presidential election. [Link]
- The US wants to finalize an agreement with Iran to return to the nuclear deal before the new president takes office on August 4th. [Link]
- US officials say two Iranian ships – that were believed by the US to be taking weapons to Venezuela – are bringing the weapons to Syria or Russia. [Link]
