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30 Killed As ISIS Overruns Army Defenses In Deir Ezzor: Video report: The ISIS terrorist group lost up to 30 fighters and 4 units of military equipment in the recent clashes, according to pro-government sources.

IS assault halts food aid drops in Syria's Deir Ezzor: IS has besieged Deir Ezzor's 100,000 residents since 2015 and already controls large parts of the city, but on Saturday advanced further inside remaining government-held territory.

20 ISIL militants killed in northern Syria: Turkish military: The military stated that Turkish jets conducted air operations against 10 ISIL targets, including sniper positions and a mortar factory in al-Bab.

US military boosts weapons airdrops to Syrian opposition : Report: The weapons are intended for opposition forces closing in on IS's self-proclaimed capital Raqqa in Syria, USA Today reports.

Lavrov: Russia inviting Trump officials to Syria talks: Foreign minister says Russia and US could start discussions on 'fighting terrorism' in Syria at summit in Kazakhstan.

Iran says it does not want U.S. at Syria talks in Astana; Iran's foreign minister said on Tuesday Tehran opposed a U.S. presence at peace talks on Syria in the Kazakh capital next week, after a decision by Russia and Turkey to invite Washington.

Bomb blast in Baghdad kills at least seven: police and medical sources: A car bomb blast in southern Baghdad killed at least seven people and wounded 20 on Tuesday, police and medical sources said. The explosion hit the mostly Shi'ite neighborhood of Abu Dsheer

Iraqi forces push Islamic State further back in Mosul: military: Army units fought the insurgents inside a military base in the city's north, officials said during the day on Tuesday.

Yemen war death toll reaches 10,000: UN: UN envoy urges swift action to form 'inclusive' government to end conflict after President Hadi rejects proposals

Trump Reportedly Confirms Kushner to Serve as Mideast Peace Broker: U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has reportedly confirmed that he intends to appoint his son-in-law Jared Kushner as a mediator who will try to broker a peace agreement in the Middle East.

Nigeria air strike error kills up to 100 in refugee camp: A Nigerian air force jet has mistakenly bombed a camp for displaced people near Rann in the north-east, killing up to 100 people and injuring dozens more.

What is Russia's endgame in Libya?: Haftar met with Russian officials in an effort to secure military support that would prepare for his control of Libya

Gambia 'lockdown' as Jammeh declares state of emergency: Political crisis deepens as president refuses to step down following defeat in last month's presidential election.

UN warns of famine risk in Somalia amid worsening drought: Somalia risks slipping back into famine, the United Nations, said on Tuesday, as worsening drought has left millions without food, water or healthcare in a country crippled by decades of war. , the sources said.

37 militants killed, 3 detained in Afghanistan: gov't: About 37 Taliban militants have been killed as the Afghan security forces carried out military operations elsewhere within the last 24 hours, said the Defense Ministry on Tuesday.

Don’t blame globalisation for world’s ills, Xi Jinping tells Davos: President warns against protectionism and promises that China will not embark on a currency war

Lithuania & Estonia sign ‘milestone’ deals on status of US troops on their soil : It focuses on regulating the presence of US military personnel and their family members, alongside the use of Lithuania’s military sites by American troops.

Elections to be held in Northern Ireland on 2 March; Northern Ireland will go to the polls on 2 March to elect a new Assembly after the executive collapsed over a botched green energy scheme.

Brexit: Hard border for island of Ireland says Sinn Féin: If a deal cannot be achieved it could lead to the return of some form of customs checks along the Irish border.

Fearful global elite admit 'there's something unprecedented going on and we can't deal with it' : 'There is a consensus that something huge is going on, global and in many respects unprecedented. But we don't know what the causes are, nor how to deal with it.'

U.S. border officials are illegally turning away asylum seekers, critics say: Migrants have been told by U.S. border agents that the daily quota for asylum cases has been reached or that a visa is required for asylum seekers, a statement that runs contrary to law

U.S. Defense Contractors Tell Investors Russian Threat Is Great for Business: The escalating anti-Russian rhetoric comes in the midst of a major push by military contractors to position Moscow as a potent enemy that must be countered with a drastic increase in military spending

War criminal: John McCain’s 5-year defense plan calls for $430 billion increase over current plans; Arizona Senator and Senate Armed Services Chairman John McCain released a 33-page white paper, “Restoring American Power,” outlining his recommendations for the defense budget.

Trump sued for defamation by former Apprentice Summer Zervos: Summer Zervos, who alleges Mr Trump forced himself on her in 2007, said he lied to the nation about his behaviour.

General Motors likely to invest $1bn across US factories: General Motors is expected to announce this week that it plans to invest at least $1bn (£828bn) across several factories in the US. American automaker's investment in the country could generate over 1,000 jobs.

Wal-Mart Touts Plan to Create U.S. Jobs, in Nod to Trump: Quantifying its earlier plan, retailer says store openings, e-commerce will add 10,000 positions this year

Trump team touts $8 billion Bayer investment: German-based Bayer AG has committed to President-elect Donald Trump that it will invest $8 billion in American research and development as part of its deal to acquire Monsanto, Trump's transition team said Tuesday.

Putin: Those who leaked Trump dossier 'worse than prostitutes': “Prostitution is an ugly social phenomenon . . . but people who order such fakes, which are now used against the elected president of the United States, fabricate information, they are worse than prostitutes,”

Ads in two dozen cities offer protesters up to $2,500 to agitate at Trump inaugural: Job ads running in more than 20 cities offer $2,500 per month for agitators to demonstrate at this week’s presidential inauguration events.

Rep. Waters on Trump: ‘we are going to investigate him’: Video - A Democratic Congresswoman has called for Donald Trump to be impeached on the grounds that he coined the term ‘crooked Hillary’ in collusion with the Russian government,

More than 50 Democratic lawmakers now skipping Trump’s inauguration: Here’s a list of lawmakers who will not attend, starting alphabetically with Rep. Alma Adams (D-N.C.):

John Lewis, Democrats are boycotting America, not inauguration: High on outrage but low on substance, More than 40 Democrats have announced that they will not attend President-elect Trump’s inauguration.

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At Least 82 Killed in Deir al-Zo Clashes Between Syrian Army and ISIS: The dead comprised 28 from the army and allied militia, at least 40 ISIS fighters, and 14 civilians, the British-based monitoring group said.

Syrian Army to begin counterattack against ISIS in Deir Ezzor with Russian air cover: With ISIS splitting the government held areas of Deir Ezzor in two, the pro-government forces has now begun its counterattack against the terrorist group.

Syrian rebel groups to attend peace talks in Astana: Delegation of opposition factions to attend peace talks but others, including Ahrar al-Sham, plan to stay away.

Russia to upgrade its naval, air bases in Syria: Interfax: Russia will start repairing a second runway at Hmeimin air base near Latakia, while the Tartus naval base will be upgraded in order to handle bigger ships such as cruisers.

U.S. kills 30 civilians as Iraqi forces continue push into Isis stronghold: UN warns almost half of casualties in military operation are civilians

25 members of Islamic State killed north of Mosul: “Troops of the army’s 16th brigade managed to kill 25 members of the Islamic State, as well as destroying four headquarters belonging to the group in the neighborhoods of al-Arabi and al-Kindi, in the city of Mosul.”

Twin Baghdad blasts kill three, injure dozen: Baghdad police officer Zaher al-Khafagi said that an explosive device had been detonated as a patrol of tribal Sunni fighters passed through Baghdad’s northern Al-Tarmiyya area.

Saudi-backed militia commander, 40 others killed in Bob al-Mandab,Yemen: "Over 40 Saudi-backed mercenaries, including their senior commander Heisam Qassem Taher, were killed in the Yemeni army offensive in the Southwestern part of Ta'iz province near Bab al-Mandab,"

'No food, no medicine, no money’: Yemeni town faces mass death by starvation ; Abdallah and Taga are two brothers, who have become so weak – their skeletons are clearly visible underneath the skin – that they have suffered bone damage, and can now only crawl.

Istanbul Reina nightclub attack suspect captured: The Uzbek national is said to have been caught in Istanbul's Esenyurt district. A police photo shows a man in a bloodstained tee-shirt with cuts and bruises to his face, being held in front of a camera.

Qatar and Turkey finance aid to freezing Gaza Strip; Hamdallah said the two countries have provided millions of dollars in aid in recent days to help alleviate the suffering of Gaza's nearly two million residents due to power shortages resulting in electricity for only three to four hours a day.

Netanyahu's media scandal: Who bribed whom?: The latest revelations throw a glimmer of light on the systemic corruption in Israel, analysts say.

9 Killed As Libya Forces Retake Benghazi District from Extremists; Forces loyal to Marshal Khalifa Haftar on Monday retook a district in Libya's Benghazi from extremists after fighting that killed nine soldiers in two days, a military source said.

Erik Prince’s Mercenaries Are Bombing Libya: The pilots of Air Tractor attack planes flying from Al Khadim air base in Libya are private contractors working for Erik Prince, the founder of the company formerly known as Blackwater.

Eight killed in attack on police checkpoint in Egypt's Western Desert: At least eight policemen were killed and three wounded in an attack by Islamist militants on a security checkpoint in Egypt's New Valley province in the Western Desert, the Interior Ministry said on Monday.

Why China-built electric railway linking landlocked Ethiopia to sea matters to Beijing and Africa; The 750km line, which began trial services last October and was launched on Tuesday, seen as important milestone in Beijing’s growing presence and influence in Africa

Trump Team’s Queries About Africa Point to Skepticism About Aid: The amount of American aid in 2015 to other critical allies — Afghanistan ($5.5 billion), Israel ($3.1 billion), Iraq ($1.8 billion) and Egypt ($1.4 billion) — far exceeded the approximately $8 billion for all of sub-Saharan Africa.

Three militants killed in Kashmir gun battle: Three militants were killed in an overnight gun battle with soldiers in a village in Indian Kashmir, an army spokesman said Monday.

The Sordid Tale Of SEAL Team 6 In Afghanistan: Killing An MI6 Agent Was Just The Beginning: A recent investigative report exposes ‘a pattern of criminal violence that emerged soon after the Afghan war began and was tolerated and covered up by the command’s leadership.’

China will 'take off the gloves' if Trump continues on Taiwan, state media warns; China will "take off the gloves" and take strong action if U.S. President-elect Donald Trump continues to provoke Beijing over Taiwan once he assumes office, two leading state-run newspapers said on Monday.

South Korea prosecutor seeks arrest of Samsung chief for bribery; South Korea's special prosecutor on Monday sought a warrant to arrest the head of Samsung Group [SAGR.UL], the country's largest conglomerate, accusing him of paying multi-million dollar bribes to a friend of President Park Geun-hye.

Hundreds of U.S. Marines land in Norway, irking Russia: Some 300 U.S. Marines landed in Norway on Monday for a six-month deployment for the first time since World War Two, in a deployment which has irked Norway's Arctic neighbor Russia.

Trump wants Putin summit in Reykjavik: Trump is planning to hold a summit with Vladimir Putin within weeks of becoming president — emulating Ronald Reagan’s Cold War deal-making in Reykjavik with Mikhail Gorbachev.

Putin says 'no' to Trump's nukes for sanctions offer: Moscow will not consider reducing nuclear weapons in exchange for the US lifting sanctions. This has been stated by the Russian president’s press secretary, Dmitry Peskov.

Trump: NATO 'obsolete', Brexit a 'great thing': President-elect Donald Trump, in remarks published on Sunday, described NATO as "obsolete" and suggested a deal with Russia that would reduce nuclear arsenals and ease sanctions on Moscow.

EU nations react to Donald Trump's remarks: French President Francois Hollande reacted by saying the EU bloc did not need to be told what to do by outsiders.

May's 12-point plan for clean break from EU; In a major speech, the PM will declare she does not want a deal that leaves Britain "half-in, half-out" of the European Union.

Brexit will move Europe's financial heart from London to Frankfurt: Brexit "will make Frankfurt the clear European centre for financial market regulation and simultaneously, Frankfurt might indeed become the European centre for supranational risk management."

Hammond threatens EU with aggressive tax changes after Brexit: The chancellor, Philip Hammond, has suggested Britain could transform its economic model into that of a corporate tax haven if the EU fails to provide it with an agreement on market access after Brexit.

Angry Germany Slams Trump Criticism: Accuses Washington Of Causing Refugee Crisis

Former Newspaper Editor Who Exposed CIA Found Dead: Dr Udo Ulfkotte, the former German newspaper editor whose bestselling book exposed how the CIA controls German media, has been found dead. He was 56.

35 Years After US-Backed El Mozote Massacre, Still No Justice: Hundreds of survivors and relatives of the victims of one of the most barbaric episodes in the armed conflict have had to be extremely patient in their wait for justice after more than 35 years of impunity.

Martin Luther King was targeted by the NSA: King’s heroic advocacy of equality and opposition to the war in Vietnam put him on all kinds of government watchlists. The FBI called him the “most dangerous Negro of the future of this nation,”

Widow of Orlando massacre shooter Omar Mateen, arrested : Noor Salman is facing charges of aiding and abetting, as well as obstruction of justice in the case of the worst mass shooting in American history

The Trump Dossier Is Fake -- And Here Are The Reasons Why: False news has become America’s international export to the world media.

Security force for Trump’s inauguration contemplates truck attacks, dirty bombs: The Secret Service will lead a massive security force of 28,000 to protect a crowd that could reach 900,000 on Inauguration Day, Johnson said.

New Video Exposes Anti-Trump Groups Plotting Criminal Acts To Disrupt Inauguration: "Yeah, if you had...a pint of butyric acid, I don't care how big the building is, it's closing...And this stuff is very efficient, it's very very smelly, lasts a long time a little of it goes a long way."

Corporations Open the Cash Spigot for Trump’s Inauguration; Chevron, the oil giant, has given $500,000 for the dayslong festivities. Boeing, which has been a target of Mr. Trump, pledged $1 million. And Sheldon Adelson, said to have donated more than that

Trump calls CIA chief ‘fake news leaker’: Brennan warns him about ‘talking & tweeting’

Trump: 'We're going to have insurance for everybody': Trump heralds GOP's Obamacare alternative as Rand Paul reveals it will focus on low-cost policies

Monica Crowley bows out amid plagiarism accusations, will not be joining Trump administration: Crowley's announcement came amid reports published by Politico and CNN that she appeared to have plagiarized full sections of her doctoral dissertation in 2000 and her 2012 book

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Deadly ISIS Assault On East Syria City Leaves 30 Dead: The ISIS on Saturday launched one of its fiercest assaults yet on the besieged Syrian city of Deir Ezzor, leaving more than 30 regime fighters and jihadists dead.

Daesh car bomb kills 12 FSA fighters in Syria's Al-Bab: Car bomb attack by terrorist group leaves another 30 members of Free Syrian Army wounded in east of Al-Bab region

Syria fighting derails plans to fix damaged Damascus water source: The Syrian army and allied militia clashed with rebels near Damascus on Sunday, threatening to disrupt planned repairs to a pumping station that supplies most of the capital's water

ISIS gains ground near key eastern Syrian city: activists: The extremists pressed their brutal assault on Deir Ezzor for the second day, seizing territory near an air base on the city’s edges, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Explosions rip through Iraq, leaving at least 21 dead: Three bombs have ripped across several areas in Iraq leaving at least 21 dead and 46 injured.

Iraqi Forces retake northern, eastern Mosul districts from IS: Troops recaptured the districts of Kafa’at al-Thaniya and Andalus in the north and the east from Islamic State militants, raising Iraqi flags above buildings at both areas.

Saudi strikes claim 6 lives in northwestern Yemen: The Sunday raids also injured a number of people in the province’s al-Maton District, Yemen’s al-Masirah television network reported.

Saudi Soldier Killed by Cross-Border Fire Amid Yemen War: The Interior Ministry announced early Sunday the soldier's death in the kingdom's Najran region as a result of shelling and intensive fire Saturday afternoon.

Paris peace conference: A damp squib: A half-century of Israeli occupation is not going to be meaningfully addressed by international meetings.

France warns Trump not to recognise Jerusalem as capital: French Foreign Minister warned the US president-elect against relocating the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, in a move to recognise the contested city as Israel's capital.

Palestinians welcome closing statement of Paris summit, PLO says: The PLO also called on conference host France "to immediately recognize the State of Palestine on the 1967 borders with east Jerusalem as its capital," and urged all of the approximately 70 countries that attended the meeting in Paris to "recognize Palestine in line with their recognition of Israel".

Opposition to a Jewish state is a legitimate position: Jewish Labour activist who was suspended after being accused of anti-Semitism for criticising Israel tells her story.

Paris summit ignored Palestinians' right of return: Lebanese Foreign Ministry: The Lebanese Foreign Ministry said Sunday that the French summit had ignored a proposal to discuss Palestinian refugees’ right of return

Israeli settler leaders invited to attend Trump inauguration; Trump has appointed David Friedman, a Jewish-American lawyer with close ties to the settlement movement, as his ambassador to Israel. Trump also has vowed to move the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem

Bahrain executions spark violent protests: - Bahrain on Sunday executed three men found guilty of killing three policemen, sparking violent protests and stoking tensions between the country's Shiite majority and its Sunni rulers.

Libya: Two soldiers and one militant leader die in fresh Ganfouda battle : An Islamist commander is reported to have died along with two soldiers as the Libyan National Army renewed its assault on the Ganfouda terrorist enclave in Benghazi.

10 killed in explosion near Afghan-Pakistan border: Three security personnel also killed in separate attack, and 13 seminary teachers abducted by Daesh terrorists

Chinese State Media Denounce Rex Tillerson’s Call to Block Island Access: State-run news outlets in China angrily denounced Mr. Tillerson’s remarks on Friday, vowing to counter any effort by the United States to intervene in the strategically significant waterway.

Propaganda alert: Poland welcomes thousands of US troops in NATO show of force: Some 4,000 US soldiers have been deployed as part of troop rotations to Europe that the Pentagon has said are intended to bolster ties with NATO allies and send a clear message to Russia.

Trump Open to Shift on Russia Sanctions, ‘One China’ Policy: President-elect Donald Trump suggested he would be open to lifting sanctions on Russia and wasn’t committed to a longstanding agreement with China over Taiwan

U.S. Allies Slam Brakes on Obama’s Parting Blow at Putin: Obama wanted a showdown with Russia at the U.N. over Syria’s alleged use of chemical weapons. But Europeans say not so fast.

Denmark to raise military spending, citing alleged Russian threat: Claus Hjort Frederiksen said that despite pressure from allies including incoming U.S. President Donald Trump, Denmark was not able to meet the NATO defence spending target of 2 percent of gross domestic product.

Statement on Committee Inquiry into Russian Intelligence Activities: The Committee will, therefore, conduct a bipartisan inquiry of the intelligence reporting behind the Intelligence Community assessments. The scope of the Committee’s inquiry will include, but is not limited to:

Proving that fake news and propaganda works: New Poll Finds Americans Consider Russia a Threat Post-Election: 82 percent of American adults, including 84 percent of Democrats and 82 percent of Republicans, described Russia as a general "threat" to the United States.

Number One Concern of US Citizens is Terrorism: China is bucking the trend with 90% of people expressing confidence in their country’s direction, followed by Saudi Arabia (80%). Just under six in ten people in Russia and Argentina also believe their country is on the right track.

Will the CIA Assassinate Trump? : Insulting the credibility of the intelligence community in a public way – as the man elected to the highest office in the land – is liable to ruffle a few feathers, and it could provoke a serious response.

Obama Opens NSA’s Vast Trove of Warrantless Data to Entire Intelligence Community, Just in Time for Trump: the Obama administration on Thursday announced new rules that will let the NSA share vast amounts of private data gathered without warrant, court orders or congressional authorization

Death toll from Brazil jail riot tops 30: As in riots across the country earlier this month, some inmates were decapitated and some bodies might have been partially burned, the person said.

Nearly 2 Million Ecuadoreans Lifted out of Poverty since 2009: Ecuador's National Institute of Statistics and Censuses reported that the country's multidimensional poverty rate dropped 16.5 percent between 2009 and 2015, translating into 1.9 million Ecuadoreans who no longer live in poverty.

Obama Declares Cuba and Venezuela National Security Threats: The United States declared a national emergency to deal with perceived "threats" in Cuba and Venezuela on Friday, along with Iran, Libya, Ukraine, Zimbabwe.

With Rising Prices, Could Peña Nieto Face a Tortilla Rebellion? : In seven out of 10 cities tortillas have had an increase of 5 percent reaching 80 cents per kilogram in a country where the daily minimum wage is US$3.8 and where nearly half the population lives in poverty.

Mexico: New plan to help citizens in US after Trump win: The news comes as Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador agreed to join forces and seek support from Mexico to forge a joint strategy in response to Trump, El Salvador's foreign minister told Reuters on Wednesday.

Investors are bracing for a massive stock-market selloff: If options traders are correct, stocks are in for a wild ride in February.

U.S. Millennials Falling Behind Their Boomer Parents : Video - Millennials earn 20 percent less than boomers did at the same stage of life, despite being better educated, according to a new analysis by the advocacy group Young Invincibles.

Private Prisons Are Poised for a Comeback Under Trump: Trump’s victory was “nothing short of a game changer for the beleaguered private prison contractor industry,” said CNBC. Stock prices for the nation’s two largest private prison corporations rose dramatically

CCTV footage of violent arrest that led to firing of 3 police officers: Video: "When I saw the video, I was shocked by it. I knew that it was very serious and as the investigation proceeded it became more and more clear to me how serious it really was," Gillis told The Republican.

Police to Trump: ‘Help us continue to militarize’: In May 2015, President Obama issued an executive order that restricted police departments’ access to certain surplus military gear, including armored vehicles, grenade launchers and combat weapons.

More than two dozen members of Congress are boycotting Donald Trump’s inauguration: Rep. John Lewis said, “I don’t see this president-elect as a legitimate president… I think the Russians participated in helping this man get elected.”

Andrea Bocelli backs out of singing at Trump's inauguration after receiving death threats: The revelation came as another singer – Broadway legend Jennifer Holliday – last night pulled out of the President-elect's festivities after being threatened and branded an 'Uncle Tom'.

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Turkish airstrikes kill 41 ISIL militants in Syria - military: Syrian rebels, backed by Turkish forces attempt to re-take al-Bab from the jihadist group. Now into it’s fourth month, Operation Euphrates Shield is pushing ISIL away from the Turkish border area.

Entire Family Killed in Turkish Airstrike in Northern Syria: Turkish warplanes bombed residential areas in the village of al-Tafri'eh near the town of al-Bab, leaving four villagers from a family dead and several more injured.

9 killed in militant attacks in Syria: A police source told countrys SANA news agency that a suicidal bomber blew himself up through an explosive belt in Kfar Souseh neighborhood, killing 7 citizens and injuring several others.

Israel Bombs Syria to Boost Terrorists' Morale - Syrian Minister Adviser; . "When Israel attacks Damascus, it cannot be taken as an isolated case. When Israel feels weakness in the body of the terrorists in Syria, it is trying to encourage and support terrorists and does so by bombing [Syria]," Ahmad said.

Syrian Army warns Israel it will respond after military airport bombed near Damascus (VIDEO): The Syrian Arab Army has warned that there will be repercussions for Israel for the “flagrant attack” on the military base, state TV said, citing a Syrian army command spokesman.

Erdogan spokesman slams U.S. military for backing Syrian Kurdish militia; "Do you believe anyone will buy this? The U.S. must stop trying to legitimize a terrorist group."

Syria: Deal reached to repair Wadi Barada water supply: Deal reached after damaged water infrastructure in Wadi Barada left 5.5 million in Damascus area enduring shortages.

US sanctions 18 Syrian officials for chemical weapons attacks: “The Assad regime’s barbaric continued attacks demonstrate its willingness to defy basic standards of human decency, its international obligations, and longstanding global norms,” the statement added.

Iraq: 93 Islamic State militants, including senior warden, killed in Mosul airstrikes; A security source said Iraqi army fighter jets killed 90 militants when they bombed the district of eastern Yaramja. They said two cannon-supplied trucks were destroyed in the strike.

IS shells residential district near Mosul, 23 civilian casualties; A security source in Nineveh Province revealed that a 23 civilians were either killed or wounded by an Islamic State’s shelling, while trying to leave a residential district in eastern Mosul, Alsumaria News reported on Thursday.

Rex Tillerson Wants to Provide Saudi Arabia With More Help to Bomb Yemen: There is abundant evidence that the high civilian death toll in Yemen is the result of deliberate — not accidental — strikes by Saudi Arabia in a war that has devastated Yemen and killed well over 10,000 civilians.

We can murder who we wish; UK; 'Specific' terror evidence not necessary for RAF drone strikes: “Specific” advance evidence of a terror plot threatening UK interests is not legally necessary before launching pre-emptive drone strikes against suspects overseas, according to the attorney general.

Suicide bombers kill at least six in northeast Nigeria: Suicide bombers killed at least six people and injured 14 in a crowded market in the northeastern Nigerian town of Madagali on Friday. A police spokesman had earlier said 15 were killed.

Gambia dispute: African Union 'will not recognise' President Jammeh; The bloc warns of "serious consequences" if Mr Jammeh's refusal to give up power causes a crisis.

Heavy gunfire in Ivory Coast as government in talks with mutinying soldiers: Heavy gunfire erupted in Ivory Coast's second-largest city, Bouake, on Friday as government ministers were in talks with leaders of last week's army mutiny, witnesses and a negotiator for the disgruntled soldiers said.

Is Tillerson’s bluster just a bluff for Senate?; He likened China's island-building in the South China Sea to "Russia's taking of Crimea," and said the new US government would send China a clear signal that "first the island building stops, and second your access to those islands is also not going to be allowed."

China, Russia Agree to Counter US Anti-Missile System; China and Russia have agreed to take unspecified "countermeasures" in response to a U.S. plan to deploy an anti-missile system in South Korea, state news agency Xinhua reported Friday.

US-NATO 'Buildup on Russian Border Could Lead to Nuclear War' - Nobel Laureate; US political leaders have falsely accused Moscow of threatening NATO member states while the alliance aggressively builds up military forces on Russia’s border, activist Helen Caldicott told Sputnik.

Those Diplomatic Expulsions 143: There is a fascinating precedent for Putin’s refusal to retaliate for the expulsion of 32 Russian diplomats by Obama, an easy diplomatic win on the international stage.

UK: Corbyn calls for probe into Israeli 'interference': Labour party leader urges PM Theresa May to open an inquiry after Al Jazeera's investigation The Lobby.

Assange agrees to extradition if US releases whistleblower: Manning is currently serving a 35-year sentence in solitary confinement for handing over the 700,000 sensitive documents from the US State Department.

Chelsea Manning on Obama’s ‘Short List’ for Commutation : A decision could come as soon as Wednesday for Manning, who has tried to commit suicide twice over the past year and went on a hunger strike in a bid for gender reassignment surgery.

Amid Global Refugee Crisis, Ecuador Teaches Everybody a Lesson; A new Ecuadorean law provides a progressive and humanitarian example that Europe — and the world — could learn from.

Six KILLED in Mexico protests over 20% petrol price hike: At least six people have died and 1,500 have been arrested during days of protests in Mexico against a rise in the price of petrol.

Mexico will 'immediately' respond to any US border tax imposed by Donald Trump, minister says: "It is clear we need to be prepared to immediately neutralise the impact of such a measure," Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo said in an interview on Mexican television.

Mexico - Growth forecast down, peso’s value down: Trump's tweets blamed for peso's decline. The peso has fallen more than 5% against the dollar since the year began, setting new lows before and during the U.S. president-elect’s press conference yesterday, dropping below 22 pesos to the dollar.

Mexico - More poverty due to gas prices: experts: The January 1 increase in gasoline prices could finish up creating a “nation-wide surge of impoverishment.” That was a warning issued by a group of specialists interviewed by the newspaper El Universal,

Trump adviser had five calls with Russian envoy on day of sanctions: sources; The calls occurred between the time the Russian embassy was told about U.S. sanctions and the announcement by Russian President Vladimir Putin that he had decided against reprisals, said the sources.

Russian Ambassador Invited Trump Administration to Syria Peace Talks as US Issued Sanctions: Incoming White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak extended the invitation to the talks, which are scheduled for later this month,

Outrage at BBC claims of SECOND Russian 'dirty dossier' on Trump : BBC claim that former MI6 spy 'not the only source' about Trump sex tape.

FBI sat on Donald Trump Russia file for months: Christopher Steele, the former MI6 agent who investigated Donald Trump’s alleged Kremlin links, was so worried by what he was discovering that at the end he was working without pay

Confirmed: "Unknown" Republican, Democrat Paid For Anti-Trump Report; Maybe the reason why the FBI had taken no action is because they knew data was fake, and that Steele himself was the subject of a hoax, one either perpetrated by 4Chan.

Sir Andrew Wood, former UK-Moscow ambassador, consulted on Trump dossier; Sir Andrew Wood was consulted about the claims by Senator John McCain at a security conference in Canada shortly after the US election.

Trump and spy chief differ on what was said in call on Russia dossier; U.S. spy chief James Clapper and President-elect Donald Trump gave different accounts of a phone conversation they had about a dossier of unverified, salacious claims linking Russia to Trump,

Tillerson Disagrees With Trump on Nearly Everything: "These suggest some tensions with the president-elect."

No 'credible' security threats to Trump inauguration: government; Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said Friday the government sees no immediate threats for the January 20 inauguration, during which close to a million people could amass in downtown Washington.

New rules grant FBI, DEA & CIA access to raw NSA surveillance data: In virtually its last gasp, the Obama administration has quietly given the National Security Agency wider powers to share intercepted surveillance data with 16 other government agencies, including the FBI, DEA and CIA

Chicago Police Guilty of Racism and Excessive Force: DOJ Report: Chicago's police routinely used excessive force, tolerated racially discriminatory conduct and often maintained a "code of silence" among officers to thwart investigations into misconduct.

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Iraqi army, coalition kill 108 ISIS fighters in Mosul: At least 108 ISIS militants were killed, five car bombs were detonated and an unmanned drone was shot down in Mosul.

Iraqi forces link up in north Mosul, make gains in southeast: Iraqi forces joined flanks in northern Mosul and drove back ISIL militants in the south-east on Thursday in a renewed push that has brought them closer to controlling the eastern half of the city.

Over 16,000 civilians killed in Iraq in 2016: report: The northern province of Ninevah was the worst hit, with 7,431 people killed. The capital, Baghdad, was next with 3,714 civilians killed, the research showed.

Scores killed As Syrian Army Ambushes ISIS Reinforcement Convoy in East Aleppo: The Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS) had a rough night in east Aleppo, thanks in large-part to the Syrian Arab Army's rocket battalion.

Syria: Family killed in air strike near Aleppo: At least nine people, including four children, have been killed in an air strike in a rebel-held village near the Syrian city of Aleppo, activists say.

Seven killed in suicide attack in Syria; A powerful blast caused by a suicide bomber has hit a heavily policed district of the Syrian capital of Damascus with at least seven killed, a police source told state television.

Syria Says Israel Fired Rockets at Military Airport Near Damascus: Syrian state television quoted the army as saying several rockets were fired from an area near Lake Tiberias in northern Israel just after midnight which landed in the compound of the airport, a major facility for elite Republican Guards.

Syria truce largely holding despite ongoing water issues; The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria said Thursday a cessation of hostilities in place in Syria since Dec. 30 last year is “largely holding.”

US Decision on MANPADS Delivery to Syria 'Insane' - Russian Foreign Ministry: Obama signed a determination waiving legal restrictions on US provision of defense articles to allies in Syria.

More than 50 dead in Yemen fighting near key shipping lane; Fighting in Yemen has killed 55 rebels and soldiers in two days after the government launched a major offensive in a coastal area near key shipping lanes, officials said Wednesday.

Yemen: No Accountability for War Crimes; The coalition has unlawfully attacked homes, markets, hospitals, schools, civilian businesses, and mosques. As of October 10, 2016, at least 4,125 civilians had been killed and 6,711 wounded, the majority by coalition airstrikes.

Trump secretary of state pick: Two-state solution must remain the ‘aspiration’: Rex Tillerson says Palestinians must give up violence if they want state, laments failures by leadership on both sides to seize opportunities

Israel diplomat forced to resign after AJ investigation; The investigation, The Lobby, reveals plots by the Israeli diplomat and a British civil servant to destroy the careers of senior politicians.

Is Labour Friends of Israel an Israeli embassy front?; Labour Friends of Israel, which counts dozens of lawmakers among its supporters, is a pro-Israel lobby group inside the UK’s main opposition party.

Energy crisis leaves Gaza with barely four hours of power a day:For weeks, Gazans have been making do with less than half their usual electricity supply - barely a few hours a day - with no sign of the shortages alleviating anytime soon

Five Malian soldiers killed by landmine: "We have lost five men. Their vehicle set off a mine. They were all in the same vehicle," a Malian military official said.

Libyan Special Forces Retake Tripoli Ministerial Buildings After Assault Attempt: Unidentified militants tried to take over the ministries of defense, justice and economy.

Afghanistan; US attack kills 33 civilians, probe confirms: Thirty-three civilians were killed and 27 wounded as US troops fired on Afghan homes during a shootout with the Taliban in the northern Kunduz province in November, the US military in Afghanistan has confirmed

US taxpayers are paying for Afghan troops that don't exist: Salaries of 'ghost soldiers' are wasting America's money, damning report reveals

Russia decries "threat" as U.S. troops roll into Poland: American soldiers rolled into Poland on Thursday, fulfilling a dream Poles have had since the fall of communism in 1989 to have U.S. troops on their soil as a deterrent against Russia.

Russia Deploys S-400 Missile Regiment Near Moscow : Russia has put on duty a surface-to-air missile regiment equipped with the brand-new S-400 air defense system, Russia’s most advanced, in Moscow’s suburbs on combat alert.

Russia, terrorists & China threaten world order, US 'ready to engage' - Mattis ; The world order is “under biggest attacks since WW2, from Russia, terrorist groups, and China’s actions in the South China Sea,” Mattis told McCain, agreeing with the bellicose senator

Greece jobless rate eases to 23%, still highest in eurozone; The number of unemployed people reached 1.1 million. The number employed fell to 3.68 million from 3.70 million the previous month.

Rex Tillerson takes tough line on alleged Russian hacking in tense hearing; “Russia poses a danger, but it is not unpredictable in advancing its own interests,” Mr. Tillerson said. “We need an open and frank dialogue with Russia regarding its ambitions.”

Trump on DNC hacking: ‘I think it was Russia’; “As far as hacking, I think it was Russia,” Trump said during his New York City press conference Wednesday.

Russian tech expert named in Trump report says US intelligence never contacted him: Russian hackers says no intelligence officers have ever contacted him about the accusations, which he says are false.

Paul Craig Roberts: Review of The CIA As Organized Crime by Douglas Valentine, Clarity Press, 2017; If you want to learn about the CIA as a deep state within the surface state, read this book.

US facing CIVIL WAR because Trump's rivals cannot accept him as president; Democrats and anti-Trump Republicans are building up a network of resistance to the billionaire’s increasingly warm relations with Russia.

KellyAnne Conway, Anderson Cooper clash over Russian intel report : Video - Kellyanne Conway and CNN's Anderson Cooper clashed in an interview over CNN's reporting of the classified documents presented to President Obama and President-elect Trump

Justice Watchdog Opens Probe of Comey, FBI Election Actions; The U.S. Justice Department’s inspector general opened an investigation into whether the FBI followed appropriate procedures in its probe of Hillary Clinton’s use of private e-mail

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Airstrikes in northern Syria kill 10 militants; Idlib Media Centre, a local opposition group, said the airstrikes killed 15, all but one were member of Fatah al-Sham.

Russia sends more fighter jets to Syria despite announcing draw-down ; 12 Su-25s were reported to have arrived at Moscow’s base in the coastal city of Latakia on Monday, signalling its intention to remain deeply involved in the conflict.

Fresh Syria raids as Moscow sets date for peace talks: The negotiations, to be held in the Kazakh capital Astana, are intended to build on a ceasefire in effect since late December, brokered by government ally Russia and rebel backer Turkey.

Iraq: Car bomb blast kills 7 IS members in central Hawija ; “This morning, a booby-trapped vehicle exploded, while members of the Islamic State group were trying to prepare it with explosives, inside one of the houses near the City Hall building, in central Hawija, killing seven members of the terrorist group.”

Militia leader threatens to use force against Turkish troops in iraq; senior leader of al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Units) said in press statements on Wednesday that the PMU are “capable of forcing out the Turkish occupiers if diplomacy and political negotiations fail to”.

Iraq's Abadi calls for Turkish forces' withdrawal; Iraq's prime minister says relations with northern neighbour Turkey could "not move forward one step" without a withdrawal of Turkish forces from a camp in northern Iraq.

Turkey to Iraq: No troop withdrawal until Mosul Op ends : Turkey is not planning an immediate withdrawal of its troops from the camp, the prime ministers of both countries stressed in a joint statement that Iraqi sensitivities regarding sovereignty will be respected, Iraqi Alsumaria News reported.

PLO threatens to revoke recognition of Israel if US embassy moves to Jerusalem; The Palestinian leadership is also calling for protests in mosques and churches on Friday and Sunday to object to the move.

Palestinians of Israel strike in protest at home demolitions: Palestinians across Israel closed businesses and schools on Wednesday in a one-day strike to protest against the demolition of Palestinian homes built without the required - but hard-to-get - permits.

Israel lobby infiltrates UK student movement; Israel is influencing student, activist and parliamentary groups in the UK, offering financial and strategic assistance in order to gather support among young organisers and shape British politics.

Libyan general Khalifa Haftar visits Russian aircraft carrier: Libyan strongman welcomed aboard the Admiral Kuznetsov in Mediterranean, speaks via video link with Russian defence minister

36 Afghan parliament staff killed in Kabul attack; The Afghan parliament confirmed that 36 employees of the parliament including secretariat of the Lower House of the Parliament, Wolesi Jirga, and some workers of the Upper House were killed in yesterday’s coordinated suicide attack.

United Arab Emirates says 5 diplomats killed in Afghan blast: Federation orders flags to be flown at half-staff for 3 days; bomb, likely hidden inside sofa at guesthouse, killed 11.

Tillerson: Russia Had No Right to Take Crimea; Video - : Rex Tillerson, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for secretary of state, speaks with Senator Ben Cardin, a Democrat from Maryland, about Russia's "annexation" of Crimea.

Russia's London embassy: UK preparing anti-Moscow witch-hunt; Foreign secretary tells incoming US administration that Russia and Putin have been ‘up to all sorts of very dirty tricks’

American charged with attempted murder of U.S. diplomat in Mexico; A U.S. citizen was charged with the attempted murder of an American diplomat stationed at the U.S. Consulate in Guadalajara, Mexico, the Justice Department said on Tuesday.

Barack Obama's farewell speech: President ends his leadership with urgent and fearful warning about the state of American democracy

Glenn Greenwald; Watch How Casually False Claims are Published: We have a perfect example of how this happens from the New York Times today

Claims the Russians 'filmed Donald watching prostitutes in degrading sex acts': It has been alleged a secret recording of Trump was made in a Moscow hotel room as he watched Russian escorts urinating on themselves on a suite bed

FBI Sought Surveillance of Trump Campaign Officials: The Guardian “has learned that the FBI applied for a warrant from the foreign intelligence surveillance (FISA) court over the summer in order to monitor four members of the Trump team suspected of irregular contacts with Russian officials.

Trump, Russia Both Hit Out at Claims in Intelligence Dossier: Mr. Trump, criticized the news media, American intelligence and unspecified “crooked opponents” over the reports that surfaced Tuesday.

It was me: Sworn Trump enemy John McCain admits HE handed smear dossier to FBI : Details surface of document's bizarre journey from British former spy and diplomat

4Chan Claims To Have Fabricated Anti-Trump Report As A Hoax: In a story that is getting more surreal by the minute, a post on 4Chan now claims that the infamous "golden showers" scene in the unverified 35-page dossier, allegedly compiled by a British intelligence officer, was a hoax

Torture Allegations Shadow Donald Trump's Secretary of State: As Tillerson seeks to become America's top diplomat, another aspect of his past should come under scrutiny: his former company's troubling ties to allegations of torture and other grave human rights abuses in Indonesia.

Tillerson says Russia poses a ‘danger’ to U.S., and more testimony highlights: ; Trump’s secretary of state nominee testifies NATO ‘right to be alarmed’ by Russia

Did defense secretary nominee James Mattis commit war crimes in Iraq?; Retired Gen. James Mattis earned the nickname “Mad Dog” for leading U.S. Marines into battle in Fallujah, Iraq

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U.S. Commandos invade Syria kill 25 in Raid; Operators from the Joint Special Operations command raided the city of Deir al-Zour in an attempt to capture and interrogate Islamic State leaders. 25 Islamic State jihadists were killed during the two-hour operation.

US B-52 bombed Idlib, Syria, killing over 20 civilians – Russian MoD : The January 3 airstrike, when a B-52 bomber – without warning the Russian side – hit a target in the town of Sarmada, Idlib Province, which is covered by the cessation of hostilities agreement. Over 20 civilians killed as a result of the airstrike.”

Turkish army says 19 IS militants killed in northern Syria: 19 Islamic State (IS) terrorists were killed and 367 targets belonging to terrorists were hit in Al-Bab of northern Syria by military operations in last 24 hours, Turkish General Staff stated on Tuesday.

Russia blasts Ash Carter’s statement on Islamic State; The Russian military has fired back at US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter over his allegations that its forces did “virtually zero” to fight the Islamic State in Syria.

Syria crisis deepened by US-led coalition intervention: Russia: Russian Defense Minister has accused the US-led coalition of having made no positive contribution to the counter-terrorism fight in Syria, but rather worsened the conflict gripping the Arab country.

Turkey Turns to Russia for Air Support in Syria; The strikes are the latest indicator of deepening ties between Ankara and Moscow, which have also included coordinating negotiations with rebel groups—those talks, after months of deadlock, led to a nationwide ceasefire agreement that went into effect last month.

Assad ready to negotiate on "everything" at proposed peace talks; "We are ready to negotiate everything. We need to talk about negotiation regarding whether to end the conflict in Syria or talking about the future of Syria, everything, it's fully open. There's no limit for the negotiations.

Syrian War Report – January 10, 2017: US Intensifies Opeartions At Syria-Iraq Battlespace: the Syrian army and its allies still need to conduct a number of offensive operations west and southwest of Aleppo in order to build a buffer zone around the city and to defend populated areas from a shelling by militant groups.

Iraq: Bomb blast kills 15 persons while fleeing east of Tikrit: A police source in Salahuddin revealed that 15 displaced persons, including children, were killed in a bomb blast in the area of Hamrin Mountains, east of Tikrit, Al Mada Press reported on Monday.

Islamic State executes policeman and teenager south of Kirkuk: The self-proclaimed Islamic State group executed a former policeman and a teenager, south of Kirkuk, on charges of collaboration with security forces, Al Mada Press reported on Tuesday.

Islamic State detonates 2 bridges to hinder advance of security forces: The Islamic State extremist group detonated two bridges in the city of Mosul, in order to hinder the advance of security of security forces to the western side of the city.

Isil cuts water supply to residents in liberated Mosul; The jihadists, who maintain control of the city’s water stations, turned off the supply to more than 30 neighbourhoods yesterday.

Fighting in Yemen’s Bab al-Mandeb strait kills 70:Two days of severe clashes in the Bab al-Mandeb strait between fighters of the Houthi Ansarullah movement and pro-Hadi troops have claimed the lives of some 70 soldiers from both sides.

Yemen: Saudi-led Coalition Air Strike on School Kills Five including Two Children; The headmaster and two other staff members were among those killed in the air raid in the district of Nihm, northeast of the capital Sanaa, which also left 13 wounded, the sources said.

Starving Yemenis resort to eating rubbish: "It is my daily attempt to stave off the death of my family," one man says, as the country's civil war grinds on.

Israeli troops kill Palestinian in occupied West Bank raid: Israeli soldiers shot dead a Palestinian who the military said tried to attack them with a knife during a raid on Tuesday to detain suspected militants in a refugee camp in the occupied West Bank.

Seven Egyptian police killed in Sinai Peninsula bomb attack; At least seven policemen and one civilian were killed in a bomb attack on a checkpoint in the northern Sinai city of al-Arish on Monday, and five of the attackers were also killed, the Egyptian Interior Ministry said.

Blast kills 3 in Somali restaurant frequented by soldiers: A Somali police officer says a bomb explosion at a restaurant in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, has killed three people, and injured more than 16 others.

Twin Bombings in Afghanistan's Capital Kill 38; Two large bombings near government offices in Afghanistan's capital on Tuesday killed at least 38 people, including civilians and military personnel

Mexico again says there is 'no way' it will pay for Trump wall; "There are no circumstances...not even the best possible trade deal, investments, support which would justify taking a step that would violate the dignity of Mexicans to such an extent."

US troops begin arriving in southeast Poland : Thousands of US troops are massing in Poland as part of a planned NATO operation in what has been touted by Washington as “defense against Russian aggression," a provocative move that recalls the hay days of the Cold War era.

Propaganda alert: Moscow is pushing 'real security threats to Europe,' new report says; Moscow is encouraging a wave of populism, from the election of President-elect Donald Trump through Brexit and rise of nationalist politics in France and Germany to bring about “real security threats to Europe,” according to a report in a new NATO journal.

World War III is on its way, says poll of Western countries; People in the US were most likely to predict a world war, while French, German and British people were also pessimistic.

Ukrainian fugitive Prime Minister wants to form a ‘government in exile’: Mykola Azarov, intends to submit a lawsuit to international courts to recognize the Ukrainian revolution of 2014 (Revolution of Dignity) as a coup. He also hopes to become a prime minister of Ukraine forming a so-called “government in exile”.

Assange hits back after US intelligence hack report; WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange insisted Monday that the leaked Democratic Party material they published before the US presidential election did not come from the Russian government.

U.S. Democrats want 9/11-style special commission to probe Russia: Democratic members of the U.S. Congress called on Monday for the creation of an independent commission to investigate Russia's attempts to intervene in the 2016 election,

Senators To Unveil Bipartisan Bill To Impose New Sanctions On Russia; In a rare showing of bipartisanship, 10 senators from both sides of the aisle will introduce legislation Tuesday to step up sanctions against Russia.

Not all Republicans on board with Democrat’s bill to sanction Russia; Most Republicans won’t commit to support of the measure, apparently deferring to President-elect Trump who has called U.S. intelligence community’s allegations of Russian intervention to tilt the elections in his favor a “political witch hunt.”

The Year of the U.S. Commando: Op-Ed: U.S. Special Operations Forces Deploy to 138 Nations, 70% of the World’s Countries

Nicaragua's Daniel Ortega Takes Office for 3rd Consecutive Term: The 71-year-old Ortega and his running mate Murillo won 72.5 percent of the vote in the general elections in November, with the second-place candidate trailing far behind at only 14.2 percent.

Mass Protests Against Mexico Gas Price Hikes Enter Second Week; Tens of thousands of Mexicans have filled the streets in cities across the country over the past week to protest a double-digit spike in fuel prices that came into affect on Jan. 1 and is set to raise the cost of basic food staples like tortillas by up to 20 percent.

Best Buy National Repair Techs Routinely Search Customer Devices, Act as “Paid Informers” for FBI: These employees search through computers that Best Buy customers send in for repair? And when they find something they think the FBI would be interested in, they turn over the information for rewards of up to $500?

In case you missed it: Major Study Finds The US Is An Oligarchy: The U.S. government does not represent the interests of the majority of the country's citizens, but is instead ruled by those of the rich and powerful, a new study from Princeton and Northwestern universities has concluded.

U.S. Small-Business Optimism Index Surges by Most Since 1980: Optimism among America’s small businesses soared in December by the most since 1980 as expectations about the economy’s prospects improved dramatically in the aftermath of the presidential election.

Trump Tells G.O.P. to Replace Health Care Law ‘Quickly’: President-elect Donald J. Trump pressed Republicans on Tuesday to move forward with the immediate repeal of the Affordable Care Act and to replace it very quickly thereafter, saying, “We have to get to business. Obamacare has been a catastrophic event.”

Retired generals warn Trump not to reinstate torture ; A coalition of retired officers, including 33 four-star generals and admirals, is calling on President-elect Donald Trump not to reinstate torture for terrorism suspects, according to a report.

Trump cabinet: Protests mar Jeff Sessions confirmation: Activists seize on Republican Jeff Sessions' appearance before groups that espouse anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant views.

Protesters Dressed in KKK Robes Interrupt Opening Minutes of Jeff Sessions’ Confirmation Hearing: Two demonstrators dressed as Ku Klux Klan members shouted in protest against Donald Trump's pick for attorney general. They were swiftly escorted from the room.

Activists Are Hoping To Turn Trump's Inauguration Into One Of The Biggest Riots In U.S. History: Radical leftists are planning to make January 20th the most chaotic Inauguration Day in American history. Their stated goal is to “disrupt” the Inauguration festivities as much as possible.

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Syrian War Report – January 6, 2017: ISIS Suffers Major Casualties Across Syria; 120 ISIS members have been killed and 10 units of military hardware destroyed, by the Syrian army in the recent clashes near the Tyas Airbase west of Palmyra, according to pro-government sources.

Turkish Forces Kill Over 30 Daesh Terrorists in Northern Syria; Turkish forces also hit 21 Daesh targets in al-Bab, the Yeni Safak newspaper reported on Thursday, citing the Turkish military.

Turkish-backed forces fighting street battles in Syria's al-Bab - defence minister; The rebels, backed by Turkish special forces, tanks and war planes, have been besieging the Islamic State-held city of al-Bab for weeks as part of an operation to drive the jihadists out of a strip of Syrian territory along the Turkish border.

Turks Turn Down U.S. Military Help in Syria, Accept Russian Aid Instead: The Turks are fighting to expel ISIS from al Bab and they are in the midst of an extremely tough fight and they are taking casualties.

Russia pleased with deepening US-Turkey rift over Syria : “Relations on the ground are not warm. Diplomatic developments occur nonstop. Unpredictability, ambiguity and a serious crisis of confidence dominate. It is certainly the worst crisis between the United States and Turkey since 2003.”

Ankara hopes Trump will revive relations: Despite the high-level dialogue between Turkey and the United States the facts on the ground show that there is little reason for Ankara to trust the goodwill of Washington.

Russia says it has begun reducing its military forces in Syria: The head of the Russian General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, said that had begun on Friday with the Russian naval fleet led by the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier beginning its withdrawal from the east Mediterranean.

Hezbollah blocked Russian monitors from Wadi Barada area near Damascus, Syria: The Russian delegation arrived in the area after being “invited” by local residents, and Hezbollah stopped them when they arrived.

Turkey to naturalize Syrian, Iraqi migrants: Erdogan: "Instead of letting them work illegally here and there, let's give them the chance to work as citizens, like the children of this nation," he said.

Car bomb explosion kills 5, injures 13 in northwest Baghdad: Security officials in Iraq say at least five civilians have lost their lives when a powerful bomb explosion ripped through a commercial district in the capital Baghdad.

Iraqi forces recapture eatern Mosul district: The forces managed to cross al-Khawsar river and liberated al-Muthanna district in the eastern section of the city, according to Lt. Gen. Abdulamr Yarallah, commander of the joint forces operations in Nineveh. He said forces raised the Iraqi flag

U.S. dropped 26,171 bombs last year, 3,027 more than 2015: The majority of the bombs were dropped in Iraq and Syria.

20 people killed in two days of fighting in Yemen’s Taiz; Army commanders said neither the government forces nor Al Houthis make territorial gains

6 Saudi Forces Killed in Yemeni Attack on Najran; According to al-Masirah television, the Yemeni Army, backed by fighters from the allied Popular Committees, hit a headquarters controlling joint military operations, located in al-Khadhra, near Yemen’s northern borders on Friday.

Jordan warns of 'catastrophic' repercussions to Trump plan to move US embassy to Jerusalem: Jordan's Government spokesman has warned of "catastrophic" repercussions if US President-elect Donald Trump makes good on a campaign promise to move the American Embassy in Israel to occupied Jerusalem.

Israel halts $6 million to UN to protest settlements vote: Israel announced Friday it is cutting approximately $6 million in its annual dues to the United Nations this year to protest last month's Security Council resolution condemning Israeli settlements as "a flagrant violation under international law."

House Reps Condemn UN Resolution on Israel: Is this the last gasp of the bipartisan consensus on Israel before Trump detonates it, or its renaissance after Obama?

Third peacekeeper killed in CAR in turbulent week for the blue helmets: A Bangladeshi peacekeeper was killed in the Central African Republic (CAR) – the third this week – when the convoy he was travelling in came under attack, Minusca said in a statement.

Soldiers launch mutinies in three Ivory Coast cities; West African nation's defence minister says the mutineers are demanding salary increases and payment of bonuses.

Migrants Continue to Die at Record Rates: Report: Migrants dying while crossing the Mediterranean Sea hit a record high of 5,079 in 2016 a spike from previous years' deaths, according to the latest figures from the International Organization for Migration released Friday.

Gunmen kill nine Shiite miners in northern Afghanistan: No group immediately claimed responsibility for the killings in the remote district of Tala Wa Barfak, but the government blamed Islamic State jihadists who are making steady inroads into Afghanistan.

Duterte visits Russian destroyer, wants Moscow to be ally & protector: “We welcome our Russian friends. Anytime you want to dock here for anything, for play, for replenish supplies or maybe our ally to protect us,” Duterte said as cited by Reuters

US deploys troops to Russia’s border: Dozens of United States Special Operations forces are now in the Baltics to counter a fake threat from Russia - what could go wrong?

Hundreds Of US Tanks Arrive In Europe To Support NATO Anti-Russian Buildup: Lithuania confirmed the presence of U.S. special forces inside its territory, stating the deployment’s purpose is to train local forces and act as a deterrent against Russian aggression.

More propaganda: U.S. intercepts capture senior Russian officials celebrating Trump win: The classified document, was delivered to President Obama on Thursday, and it is expected to be presented to Trump in New York on Friday by the nation’s top spy officials,

Intel report says US identifies go-betweens who gave emails to WikiLeaks: Officials reiterated that there is no single intercepted communication that qualifies as a "smoking gun" on Russia's intention to benefit Trump's candidacy or to claim credit for doing so.

John McAfee: "The Most Deceptive Propaganda To Date Was Perpetrated On The American Public"; McAfee’s argument is that Russia, would never be stupid enough to leave the very obvious fingerprints that US Intelligence cites as the foundation of their case for Russian involvement in the DNC hacks.

The GRU-Ukraine Artillery Hack That May Never Have Happened: Part of the evidence supporting Russian government involvement in the DNC and related hacks stemmed from the assumption that X-Agent malware was exclusively developed and used by Fancy Bear. We now know that’s false

Trump: Hacks had 'absolutely no effect on the outcome of the election': President-elect Trump on Friday downplayed the idea that alleged Russian hacking had any effect on the November election, following his briefing with leaders in the U.S. intelligence community.

Trump to Pick Fan of Illegal Surveillance as Intelligence Czar: Trump has reportedly picked illegal surveillance fan and lobbyist for Google, former Senator Dan Coats, as director of national intelligence.

WikiLeaks Julian assange Facebook is CIA spying machine : Video -

China launches direct weekly train to London stuffed with goods : It is expected to take 18 days to reach its final destination of Barking, East London, having travelled more than 7,500 miles across land and through the Channel Tunnel before arriving in Britain.

Germany is sued in U.S. over early-1900s Namibia slaughter: Germany was sued for damages in the United States on Thursday by descendants of the Herero and Nama people of Namibia, for what they called a genocide campaign by German colonial troops in the early 1900s that led to more than 100,000 deaths.

Brazil At least 33 Roraima inmates killed in second riot in days; The riot at the Monte Cristo Agricultural Penitentiary in Boa Vista, Roraima, which broke out at dawn, was reportedly a reaction to the prison uprising and death of around 60 people in the Amazon jungle's Manaus prison on Sunday night.

4 dead, hundreds arrested amid gas price protests in Mexico: ?Protests and looting fuelled by anger over gasoline price hikes in Mexico have led to four deaths, the ransacking of at least 300 stores and the arrests of more than 700 people, officials said.

Ex-Haitian Coup Leader Guy Philippe Arrested : Philippe, a paramilitary who helped lead the 2004 U.S-backed coup to oust Aristide, was arrested days before taking his elected senate seat.

Japan rallies around Toyota after Donald Trump's criticism of Mexico car plant: “Toyota is responsible for large employment at US plants such as in Kentucky. It’s questionable whether the new US President has a grasp of how many vehicles Toyota builds in the US,” said Taro Aso, according to the Financial Times.

Mexico WILL pay for the wall: US taxpayers will put up the money 'for sake of speed' but Trump insists it will be 'paid back by Mexico later'

Gunman kills at least five people and wounds nine at Florida airport: Shooter in a Star Wars shirt opened fire in Fort Lauderdale baggage claim aiming for victims' heads - and more shooters are reported

The suspect in the first shooting was identified as Esteban Santiago, Fla. Sen. Bill Nelson told reporters. He said Santiago was carrying a military ID, but did not elaborate.

4 More Prisoners Leave Guantanamo In Waning Days Of Obama Administration: Since the Obama administration hasn't been able to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the push has been on to transfer as many of the cleared detainees as possible before Donald Trump becomes president.

Trump says no more Guantanamo releases: Human rights organisation Amnesty International called for a rally in Washington on January 11, Guantanamo's 15th anniversary, to remind Obama of his promise to close the facility.

Former CIA Director James Woolsey cuts ties with Donald Trump’s transition team: The move was partially a response to the president-elect’s “attacks” on the intelligence community’s assertion that Russia was behind cyberattacks

Sears Holdings closing 150 Sears, Kmart stores; plans to sell Craftsman: The company will shutter 108 Kmart stores and 42 Sears stores, which represent about 10 percent of the corporation's 1,500 locations.

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Bush/Blair legacy continues; UN: At least 6,878 civilians killed in Iraq violence in 2016: UNAMI said in a statement that 12,388 other civilians were wounded in 2016. It added that last year figures didn’t include casualties among civilians in Iraq’s western Anbar province for the months of May, July, August and December.

Iraqi forces storm 3 districts in eastern Mosul, kill 50 militants: The army’s elite Counter-Terrorism Forces are currently engaged in violent fights with IS militants in the district, saying that the area could be fully recaptured within hours

Syria: Air strikes kill 25 jihadists in Idlib province: Russia and Turkey say the group is not included in a ceasefire deal in Syria

Turkish military says 18 Islamic State militants killed in clashes in Syria; The army said its warplanes destroyed four Islamic State targets and Russian aircraft hit jihadists in Dayr Kak, 8 km (5 miles) southwest of the Islamic State-controlled town of al-Bab.

Syria rebels freeze negotiations, saying truce violated: Sources told Al Jazeera the groups were freezing their participation in negotiations being prepared by Russia due to a government-led assault on Wadi Barada, a rebel-held area near Damascus that is key to the capital's water supply.

Bombing, air strikes kill 25 in Yemen: Eleven civilians, including five members of one family, and 14 Huthi rebels have been killed in shelling and air strikes in Yemen in two days, military and rebel sources said Monday.

Clashes with rebels, Al-Qaeda kill 16 Yemeni soldiers: Sixteen Yemeni pro-government fighters were killed on Tuesday in separate clashes with Huthi rebels and Al-Qaeda fighters in the south of the war-torn country, military sources and officials said.

Fourteen detained over Istanbul nightclub massacre: MPs prepare to extend the state of emergency

Israeli officials back shoot-to-kill policy of Palestinian suspects, says Human Rights Watch: Leading Israeli officials have been encouraging soldiers and police officers to kill Palestinians suspected of attacks regardless of whether lethal force is necessary.

Report: Israeli military turns blind eye to attacks on Palestinians: An Israeli advocacy group on Tuesday criticized what it called an "exceptionally low" prosecution rate by the Israeli military in cases of violence committed by soldiers against Palestinians.

Bolton to Trump: Cut aid to UN settlement resolution supporters : Former US ambassador reportedly says that the US should cut funding to Malaysia and Venezuela in particular.

Trump advisers want Netanyahu to attend inauguration: “There’s a plan for Trump to meet with Netanyahu,” the source said. “They’re talking all the time. And Netanyahu is talking about possibly going to the inauguration.”

Police question Netanyahu as part of corruption probe; Police have grilled Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for three hours on suspicion of receiving gifts from businessmen, as part of a corruption probe that has shaken the country's politics.

Almost famous: Israel recruits D-list celebrities to counter BDS: Why should the Israeli government pay for flights and stays of Hollywood actors in order to combat the boycott movement?

One killed as Haftar’s forces bomb Jufra airbase : Haftar is widening his forces’ operations out of Benghazi and is eying to have control of all airbases in the southern and central regions so that his attacks on the western city become easy.

Clashes kill 6 security men in NE Afghanistan: At least six security personnel have been killed and 15 others including two civilians were injured during a clash with Taliban rebels in Afghanistan's northeastern Badakhshan province, said officials on Tuesday.

Nobel laureates call on UN to end Rohingya crisis in Myanmar: More than a dozen Nobel laureates have urged the United Nations to "end the human crisis" of Myanmar's Rohingya minority group, whose members have been fleeing the country to escape a bloody military crackdown.

Assange To Hannity: Source For WikiLeaks Was Not Russian Government: Video: We have said, repeatedly that over the last two months that our source is not the Russian government and it is not a state party.

Washington Post Admits Its 'Russians Hacked A US Utility' Story Was 'Fake News'": Within hours of reporting that the "Russian hackers" had gained access to the electrical grid, the Burlington Electric Department in Vermont had to issue a statement confirming that the provocative Wapo story simply wasn't true

UK envoy to EU quits ahead of Brexit talks: His resignation comes less than a month after he reportedly said that post-Brexit trade agreement with the EU could take up to 10 years.

Riot at Italian refugee center: Migrants start fires & staff held hostage over woman’s death

Ford cancels Mexico plant. Will create 700 U.S. jobs in 'vote of confidence' in Trump

Trump assails GM over car production in Mexico, threatens tax: General Motors is sending Mexican made model of Chevy Cruze to U.S. car dealers-tax free across border. Make in U.S.A. or pay big border tax!" Trump said in a post on Twitter.

Dollar, stocks up on upbeat data; oil falls: The U.S. dollar touched a 14-year high boosted by strong data, while upbeat figures out of China and Europe lifted debt yields and major stock markets got off to a higher start in the new year.

Trump team seeks agency records on border barriers, surveillance: He team also asked about the department's capacity for expanding immigrant detention and about an aerial surveillance program that was scaled back by the Obama administration

NY gov proposes free tuition for public colleges: According to The New York Times, any student who has been accepted to a public university in New York will be eligible for free tuition if their family earns $125,000 or less a year.