US News

• Scott Horton was suspended by Twitter for quoting a cop. [Link]
• The Capitol police are asking to expand their police force from 2,000 to 2,850. The police are also asking for a quick response team, for the National Guard to be able to deploy to the Capitol without additional authorization, and mobile fencing. [Link]
• The New York Times reports the Biden Administration is preparing a series of clandestine cyber attacks aimed at Russia. [Link]

South America

• Biden plans to sign an order allowing the 300,000 Venezuelans living in the US to apply for Temporary Protected Status. If granted, Venezuelans will be able to live and work in the US for 18 months. [Link]
• So far in 2021, 11,000 Colombians have been forced to flee their homes due to violence. [Link]

Afghanistan 

• The US is offering a new plan for Afghanistan that calls for an interim government to take control until a new constitution is agreed to by the Afghan government and the Taliban. Then, Afghanistan would hold new elections. [Link]

Iran

• Biden extended an executive order from 1995 that sanctions Iran. [Link]
• Biden’s deputy Iran Envoy was key to Obama’s sanctions regime against Iran and bragged about the suffering the sanctions caused for the Iranian people. [Link]
• The IAEA confirms Iran has activated the third set of nuclear centrifuges . Iran plans to activate six sets. The centrifuges are part of Iran moving away from the JCPOA after Trump exited the deal in 2018. [Link]

Middle East

• The US sent B-52s to the Middle East. The US bombers were escorted by Israeli fighters. [Link]
• The Biden administration said it was alarmed by the threat the Houthi pose to Saudi Arabia. [Link]

Africa

• In his final week in office, Trump granted a sanctions waiver to Israeli mining magnate Dan Gertler. Gertler was accused of getting sweetheart mining deals in the Congo. [Link]
• The New York Times reported the CIA drone base in Niger is continuing to expand and could be used to launch drone strikes. [Link]