US News
- Steve Bannon has been arrested for defrauding donors to the “We Build the Wall” fundraiser. [Link]
- The US will use funds frozen by sanctions on Venezuela to fund the regime change effort against Maduro. [Link]
UN
- Trump says the US will push for snapback sanctions against Iran at the UN. [Link]
- The UK, France and Germany say they cannot support the US efforts to reimpose sanctions on Iran. [Link]
Afghanistan
- The Afghan Army is preparing to fire on the Pakistani Army if it crosses the border. [Link]
- Trump says he would retaliate if other countries are proven to have paid the Taliban bounties to kill US soldiers. [Link]
Middle East
- Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said there is a “real risk” Saudi develops nuclear weapons, and it is a top priority of the US to prevent Saudi from obtaining the weapons. Israel has accused Saudi of manufacturing yellow cake uranium with the help of China. [Link]
- Trump says he expects Saudi Arabia to join the UAE in normalizing relations with Israel. [Link]
- Trump says US troops would be leaving Iraq shortly. [Link]
- The US is demanding Iraq dismantle the Shia militias that were key in the first against ISIS. The militias are not completely loyal to the government, so attempting to dismantle the militias could provoke a conflict. [Link]
- An Iraqi female protest leader was gunned down. She is the second female protest leader targeted in a killing this week. [Link]
