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38 ISIS fighters killed near Palmyra: At least 38 Islamic State (ISIS) group fighters were killed in United States-led coalition air strikes this week near Syria's ancient city of Palmyra, a monitor said on Saturday, according to AFP.

Suicide bomber kills 14 troops in Syria: Another young Malaysian Islamic State recruit in Syria has blown himself up, killing 14 government soldiers and injuring scores others.

Evacuation buses enter east Aleppo under ICRC, SARC supervision: The buses will be used to evacuate rebels and civilians, it said. Thousands of people have congregated in a square in Syria's east Aleppo, waiting for buses to arrive and take them away from rebel-held areas.

Aleppo battle: Rebels burn Syria evacuation buses: Several buses sent to transport the sick and injured from two government-held villages in Syria's Idlib province have been burned by rebels.

Syria hands over evidence of mustard gas attack by rebels on civilians to OPCW (VIDEO); Syrian authorities have handed over a batch of documents with the evidence of a rebel use of banned chemical agent against civilians near Aleppo to the international chemical watchdog

The unravelling of Syria's Eastern Ghouta: While all eyes are on Aleppo, the Syrian government and its allies are believed to be preparing another deal in what may become among the most significant rebel territories to date to accept a truce.

Syrian Army Advances in Western Palmyra After Foiling Massive ISIS Offensive: Led by the 800th Regiment and Hezbollah, the Syrian Armed Forces managed to expand the buffer-zone around the northern and eastern perimeters of the T-4 Airport, capturing more than 6km worth of territory near the T-4 Pumping Station.

Iraq: 15 Islamic State militants killed on Salahuddin-Kirkuk borders: Fifteen Islamic State extremists were killed and wounded on Sunday after an attempted attack on federal police and popular troops, al-Hashd al-Shaabi, at a region between Salahuddin and Kirkuk.

Nine IS militants killed in Iraq's Mosul - Commander; At least nine militants of so-called Islamic State (IS) were killed by Mosul's military personnel and citizens, commander of Nineveh Liberation Operation Lieutenant General Abdulamir Yarallah announced on Sunday.

Militia backed by Iraq government 'killed captured Islamic State fighters'; A militia backed by the Iraqi government killed suspected Islamic State fighters captured during the operation to retake Mosul, Human Rights Watch said on Sunday.

5 killed, 14 wounded in Iraq bomb attacks : At least five people were killed and 14 others injured on Sunday in separate bomb attacks which mainly targeted Iraqi security forces, security sources said.

ISIL claims killings of 49 soldiers in Yemen's Aden: Suicide bombing struck soldiers waiting to collect their salaries in port city.

Saudi official denies reports US has decided to restrict military support: At press conference with John Kerry, Saudi foreign minister says leaked news ‘contradicts reality’ as Kerry downplays reported delay in US weapons supplies

General Dynamics Scores Its Biggest Tank Sale in Years: General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) landed a huge arms contract Opens a New Window. in August when Saudi Arabia requested permission to purchase $1.15 billion worth of M1 Abrams main battle tanks for its army.

Jordan: Canadian among 10 killed by gunmen: authorities: Gunmen ambushed Jordanian police in a series of attacks Sunday, including at a Crusader castle popular with tourists, killing a woman visiting from Canada, seven officers and two local civilians, officials said

Yet Another Palestinian Teen Killed by Israeli Forces; The young man was killed as Israeli police shot into a crowd of about 50 people.

Iran protests to IAEA over US violation of nuclear deal: Rouhani maintained that the recent US move to extend Iran Sanctions Act (ISA) for another ten years is in clear violation of the JCPOA;

Head of U.N. nuclear watchdog says Iran showing commitment to deal; "Iran has been committed to its engagement so far and this is important," Amano was quoted as saying after meeting Iran's nuclear energy chief, Ali Akbar Salehi.

Suicide bomber kills seven in Libya's Benghazi: officials: At least seven people were killed and eight wounded when a suicide bomber targeted forces loyal to Libya's eastern government in Benghazi on Sunday, medical and security officials said.

11 gunmen killed in clashes with police in Russia’s Chechnya: Regional leader Ramzan Kadyrov said Sunday that police killed four gunmen and captured two others after a group of gunmen attempted to target police forces in the provincial capital, Grozny.

Italy has blocked the extension of sanctions against Russia: At the EU summit in Brussels, Italy blocked the attempt to extend sanctions against Russia for one year. Rome was also against the extension of sanctions for alleged crimes committed by Russia in Syria.

Fake news? Prosecutors and courts should go after, says German justice minister: : EU Parliament’s President Martin Schulz calls on a respective ruling throughout the European Union.

Spain: 30,000 March in Anti-Austerity Labor Protest in Madrid: The protesters demand an increase in salaries and pensions and a rollback of austerity measures that have worsened poverty and inequality.

Hundreds arrested in Venezuela cash chaos, vigilantes protect shops: Security forces have arrested more than 300 people during protests and lootings over the elimination of Venezuela's largest currency bill, President Nicolas Maduro said on Sunday.

Venezuela reinstates the 100-bolivar banknote; Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has suspended the withdrawal of the country’s most widely-used banknote. Maduro said the 100-bolivar bill will be reinstated after higher-denomination notes failed to arrive in time.

Venezuela Recoups 4 Billion Bolivares From 'Financial Mafias': President Nicolas Maduro announced Saturday that the government has reclaimed 4 billion bolivares from "financial mafias" who have been accumulating and hoarding 100 bolivar bills as part of a program of economic war against the country.

New Files Reveal US Sold Argentina Military Aircraft to Dump Bodies in Ocean: Declassified documents on Operation Condor reveal that the U.S. knew and assisted the Argentine dictatorship as it threw unconscious prisoners to their death in notorious “vuelos de la muerte,” or death flights.

'Life threatening' arctic blast chills northern United States: Temperatures droped to minus THIRTY - as forecasters warn of heavy snowfall and frostbite risk

Politicized Intelligence Kneecapping Trump; The back story behind the CIA’s leaked claim of Russia helping Donald Trump is an attempt to hobble Trump’s less-hawkish foreign policy before he even gets into the White House, says ex-British diplomat Alastair Crooke.

Demonizing Trump?Three professors of psychiatry call for ‘neuropsychiatric evaluation’ of Trump out of fears he’s mentally ill: In a letter addressed to President Barack Obama, three professors of psychiatry — including one from Harvard Medical School — expressed fears that President-elect Donald Trump’s exhibits signs he may not be mentally fit to assume the presidency.

Dem boss demands bipartisan congressional investigation into alleged Russian hacks: “What we do know is that these intrusions were not just ‘hacks’ — they were attacks on the United States by a foreign power, and they must be treated as such,” she said.

Is Alleged Russian Election Hack Just the Beginning for USA?: Americans may believe that we hold the moral high ground — but we as a nation shouldn’t be foolish enough to assume that’s the global consensus.

Unity vigils launch in state capitols nationwide before Electoral College vote: Unite For America allies within the Electoral College have been in talks with multiple electors seeking public support and legal counsel in denying Trump their vote on December 19.

Electors under siege: Members of the Electoral College have been inundated by harassing phone calls and hate mail. Many report receiving death threats.

Electoral College members from Pa. issued state police protection: Report: One elector told the website that each elector has been assigned a plain clothes state police trooper for protection

Why I Will Not Cast My Electoral Vote for Donald Trump: Mr. Trump lacks the foreign policy experience and demeanor needed to be commander in chief.

Fact or fiction - Majority Want Monday's Electoral College Vote Postponed In Wake Of Russia Scandal: New Poll: A majority of American voters favor delaying the Electoral College vote scheduled for Monday until electors can be fully briefed on Russian interference in the election, according to a new poll

White House faces exodus of foreign policy experts: Many are concerned by a proliferation of reports about the incoming national security adviser, Michael Flynn. On Wednesday the Washington Post reported that Flynn had improperly shared classified information with foreign military officers.

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Iraq: Security forces kill 174 IS members in Nineveh: Operations Command announced on Friday killing 174 members of the Islamic State, while trying to attack security forces in the province, as well as detonating their booby-trapped vehicles.

IS Shows No Sign Of Weakening As Mosul Battle Enters Third Month: Islamic State fighters have stepped up counterattacks on Iraqi forces in Mosul amid bad weather as the U.S.-backed offensive to capture their last major city stronghold in Iraq enters its third month.

'IS chief still in Mosul' claims Iraqi intelligence; Baghdadi likely remained in the city, and is currently hiding in an underground bunker, Maj. Gen. Fadhil Jalil Barwari said, adding that Iraqi intelligence cannot pin-point his exact location.

U.S. offers $25 million reward for information on Islamic State leader: The U.S. State Department’s Rewards for Justice program previously offered $10 million for information on Baghdadi, announced in October 2011. The increase was announced in a statement on Friday.

Turkish jets pound Islamic State targets in Syria, kill at least 20: military; In addition to the 64 targets hit, the military said another 206 Islamic State targets were hit by artillery and other weaponry in its latest operations in northern Syria.

Deadly bombing hits Syrian refugee camp on Jordan border: At least five people were killed and ten injured Saturday in a deadly bomb attack on a Syrian refugee camp on the border with Jordan, local sources said.

14 US Coalition Military Officers Captured by Syrian Special Forces in East Aleppo Bunker: Report: According to Alcharifi, captured “NATO” officers were from a number of member states including the US, France, Germany and Turkey, as well as Israel.

UK, US have vaslty different estimates of total ISIS fighters killed U.K. Defense Secretary estimated that 25,000 ISIS fighters had been killed during the campaign. A senior military official told CNN last week that the Pentagon’s conservative estimate is that 50,000 ISIS soldiers have been killed.

Liberation of E. Aleppo has allowed ‘genuine’ separation of ‘moderate rebels’ from radicals – MoD: “The accomplished operation of the Russian Reconciliation Center [in Syria] to safely withdraw militants from [eastern] Aleppo with their families is unique, not only because the lives of nearly 10,000 Syrians were saved,” he stated.

Aleppo Liberation Exposed Mainstream Media and Their Lies About Syria: "I can categorically and unequivocally say that the majority of their reports are based on unverified sources and are blatantly untrue,” Beeley said.

Over 3,400 Militants Surrender to Syrian Army in Aleppo: "A total number of 3,406 militants of the so-called moderate opposition groups have surrendered during the liberation of Eastern Aleppo, and over 3,000 of them have been pardoned,"

Car Bomb Kills 13, Wounds 56 in Turkey; President Tayyip Erdogan blamed Kurdish militants for the attack, as he has waged a fierce crackdown against anyone who supports the Kurdish movement.

Explosions in Istanbul as angry mobs storm HDP offices: Angry mobs stormed the premises of pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) offices across Turkey on Saturday evening, with initial reports suggesting the involvement of ultra-nationalists.

Hamas blames Israel for assassination of drone chief; Palestinian group says Zawari was part of its military wing for 10 years and vowed revenge against "the Zionist enemy".

Peace prospects dead if Trump moves U.S. embassy to Jerusalem: Palestinian aide: A senior Palestinian official warned on Friday that implementation of Donald Trump’s pledge to relocate the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem would destroy any prospects for peace with Israel

Israeli President Promises to Help Ukraine Return Crimea: "We Have a Plan to liberate Crimea from Putin's 'Dictators' Club"

Fierce clashes reported in Yemen-Saudi border: Yemen's dominant Houthi group said Saturday that its fighters have repelled a major offensive launched by their foes of Saudi government troops in Alab border crossing, between Saudi Asir region and Yemeni northern Houthi stronghold of Saada

UK 'secretly selling arms to Saudi Arabia and elsewhere under opaque licencing : many of the countries buying British arms are run by governments with dubious human rights records, even though the destinations of such exports are supposed to meet human rights standards.

Did Satellites Expose A Secret American Drone Hangar In A Saudi Desert?: Did this satellite just happen to reveal the location of a secret U.S. military airport used to conduct drone operations in Yemen?

Iran calls for meeting of nuclear deal powers over U.S. sanctions; Iran has requested a meeting of a commission overseeing the implementation of its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, Iranian state media reported on Saturday, in response to what Tehran calls a U.S. violation of the agreement.

Twelve soldiers killed in attack on Burkina Faso army post; A dozen soldiers were killed in northern Burkina Faso when unidentified gunmen attacked a military post near the border with Mali, President Roch Marc Christian Kabore said on Friday, calling the assailants "forces of evil".

16 ISIS loyalists killed in US airstrike in East of Afghanistan; According to a statement released by the provincial police commandment, the militants were killed in a drone strike conducted in Achin district late on Friday night.

Gunmen kill five female Afghan airport staff in Kandahar; Samim Khpulwak, spokesman for the governor of Kandahar, said the five women were in charge of searching female travelers at the Kandahar airport, and had been hired by a private security company.

Kashmir, 3 soldiers killed: Motorcycle-riding militants fired on an army bus in southern Kashmir on Saturday, killing three soldiers, but the fatalities could have been higher had the driver not kept going despite being shot, police said.

Duterte's drug war: Death toll goes past 6,000: More than 1,000 people have been killed every month during the first six months of Duterte’s term.

Russia, Japan sign 68 agreements during Putin's visit: officials: Among business-to-business deals reached, gas giant Gazprom (GAZP.MM) signed agreements on strategic cooperation with trading houses Mitsui & Co (8031.T) and Mitsubishi Corp (8058.T).

Russia launched ‘cyberwar & propaganda campaign’ against UK – media; The Russian embassy in the UK has demanded “proof” as critics label the allegations “psycho propaganda” and say the accusations are “a new low.”

US sends 1,600 tanks to the Netherlands as NATO's presence in Europe hits RECORD HIGH; Plans to open more storage sites in Poland, Belgium and Germany have also been put forward as part of a £2.7billion ($3.4billion) Congress-approved scheme to boost Nato’s presence in Europe.

Obama vows to slap Russia over alledged hacking; President Barack Obama, who has vowed to retaliate against Moscow over its election cyber-meddling, faces the media Friday as tensions soar with Russia's Vladimir Putin, whose Syria strategy has left Washington on the back foot.

Russia tells US to prove campaign hacking claims or shut up: The United States must either stop accusing Russia of meddling in its elections or prove it, a spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday.

Intelligence sources say “Russians are hacking the hell out of us”: American intelligence officials have told CBS they are convinced that Russian hacking of the U.S. presidential election was approved by Putin, and that he was aware of attacks that began in July of last year.

CIA Cloud Over Jeff Bezos’s Washington Post: Petition calls on the Washington Post to be “fully candid with its readers about the fact that the newspaper’s new owner, Jeff Bezos, is the founder and CEO of Amazon which recently landed a $600 million contract with the CIA.”

CIA meddled in ‘hundreds’ of elections: Ron Paul : “The American people should be worried about the influence of our CIA in other people's elections, I mean probably hundreds. It's constant,” he said, even going as far as to allude to “domestic assassinations” the CIA has allegedly taken part in.

Obama is bombing Syria and trying to oust Assad yet complains that Russia meddled in the election : Yes. That is how stupid things are today. America has been in the business of ‘nation building’ for generations – installing and deposing of nations leaders whenever they felt like it.

Protests flare over Venezuela cash chaos; three deaths reported; Protests and looting broke out in parts of Venezuela on Friday due to a lack of cash after the socialist government suddenly pulled the nation's largest banknote from circulation in the midst of a brutal economic crisis.

Venezuelans Take to Streets in Thousands to Support Government: Thousands of Venezuelans poured into the streets of Caracas on Saturday to protest against hoarders and speculators, who they say are responsible for what the government has described as an “economic war”

U.S. to disclose estimate of number of Americans under surveillance; The U.S. intelligence community will soon disclose an estimate of the number of Americans whose electronic communications have been caught in the crosshairs of online surveillance programs

Report: 820,000 criminal illegals, 84% with felonies, serious misdemeanors: "Some estimates say that there are only 820,000 undocumented immigrants with criminal records in the country, including 690,000 with a felony or serious misdemeanor conviction," said that report.

President Obama's final press conference of 2016 : Video - President Barack Obama faced questions about the war in Syria, the investigation to determine if Russia hacked the DNC, and Hillary Clinton's emails during his final press conference of 2016.

Long-Shot to Block Trump Lands at Electoral College Monday; Sixty-two electors have asked for briefing on Russian hacking

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Defense Ministry: 70 IS members killed by airstrike near Mosul: “Those terrorists were planning terrorist attacks against our troops that besiege Tel Afar city.”

Young girl suicide bomber behind Damascus police station blast: state TV: Syrian state television said a young girl of about nine years of age blew herself up Friday in a police station in the Midan neighborhood of Damascus.

Liberation of E. Aleppo from militants complete - Russian military : All women and children have been evacuated from militant-controlled parts of eastern Aleppo, and only radicals now remain

Aleppo evacuation suspended as al-Qaida-linked rebels block deal; It was suspended over the refusal of Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (JFS) to allow the evacuation of wounded people from Fua and Kefraya, two Shia villages in Idlib province that have been besieged by rebels for years.

Mossad blamed as Tunisian scientist ‘with Hamas ties’ killed near his home; Senior Tunisian journalist says Israeli intelligence was tracking Mohammed Al-Zoari, who helped terror group build drones

UN chief urges Israeli lawmakers to reconsider illegal settlement bill : Outgoing United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday urged Israeli lawmakers to reconsider advancing a bill that would legalize Israeli settlement homes on private Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank.

Trump's pick for Israel envoy signals break on US policy: The president-elect's transition team already has asked the State Department to assess how to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, according to one official, underscoring Trump's commitment to back Israel in ways no American leader has before.

Israeli group asks U.S. court to block Boeing deal with Iran: "We are going to seize all 100 airplanes," said Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, the group's director. "If Boeing thinks it will simply sell to Iran Air, which is 60 percent owned by the Iranian government

Iran Nuclear Deal To End? Russia Says US Sanctions Extension Against Tehran Could Jeopardize Accord

Forces loyal to rival Libya govts clash near Tripoli; The clashes -- which involved the use of heavy weapons -- did not result in any casualties, but they did sow panic among local residents, witnesses said.

Airstrikes kill 8 IS militants in Afghanistan: At many as 8 loyalists of the Islamic State militant group were killed in separate air strikes conducted in Eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan, the officials claimed.

Philippines' Duterte tells US to prepare to leave the country: "We do not need you," Duterte said in a news conference after arriving from visits to Cambodia and Singapore. "Prepare to leave the Philippines. Prepare for the eventual repeal or abrogation of the VFA."

US Defense official: Chinese warship captures US underwater drone: A US oceanographic vessel Thursday had its underwater drone stolen by a Chinese warship literally right in front of the eyes of the American crew, a US defense official told CNN Friday.

The Euro Is Heading For Parity With The U.S. Dollar: The collapse of the euro is accelerating, and it looks like we could be staring a major European financial crisis right in the face early in 2017.

FBI backs CIA view that Russia intervened to help Trump win election; FBI Director James B. Comey and Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper Jr. have backed a CIA assessment that Russia intervened in the 2016 election in part to help Donald Trump win the presidency, according to U.S. officials.

Propaganda alert: Putin turned Russia election hacks in Trump's favor: U.S. officials: ; Russian President Vladimir Putin supervised his intelligence agencies' hacking of the U.S. presidential election and turned it from a general attempt to discredit American democracy to an effort to help Donald Trump

Obama vows action against Russia over alleged election hacks; ; The accusations, without evidence, are "unseemly", Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman said.

Kremlin says Washington must prove hacking accusations or shut up; "Either stop talking about it or finally provide some evidence. Otherwise it looks indecent," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Tokyo.

Wikileaks' founder Julian Assange says Kremlin is NOT its source; Wikileaks founder Julian Assange flatly rejected U.S. intelligence claims that his organization received leaked Clinton emails from the Russian government

CIA officials REFUSE to brief Congress on the truth about Russian hacking claims: Rep. Peter King called it 'absolutely disgraceful' that the CIA wouldn't brief a House panel on its latest findings about Russian interference in the elections

Rep. Peter King Urges Donald Trump To Create A Federal Muslim Surveillance Program; “I suggested a program similar to what Commissioner Kelly did here in New York,” King said, referring to former New York City Police Department Commissioner Ray Kelly, “and that we can’t worry about political correctness.”

Navy Wants to Grow Fleet to 355 Ships; 47 Hull Increase Adds Destroyers, Attacks Subs: The Navy released a new fleet plan that calls for 355 ships, outlining a massive increase in the size of its high-end large surface combatant and attack submarine fleets

NDAA Leaves Door Open for U.S. to Send Syrian Rebels Missiles That Can Shoot Down Planes; Provisions slipped into the latest defense bill could give anti-aircraft missiles to extremist groups.