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Summary

Taliban refugee minister Khalil Haqqani was killed in a suicide bombing in Kabul, marking the most significant casualty since the Taliban took power.

The Islamic State group, a long-standing rival of the Taliban, has been responsible for numerous previous attacks in Afghanistan.

Haqqani’s death comes one day after Russia’s State Duma took a step toward removing the Taliban from its list of designated terrorist organizations.

Summary

Billionaire financiers exploit a loophole in the tax code to avoid paying Medicare tax on their business income.

By channeling profits through limited partnerships, they can classify themselves as passive investors, exempting their income from self-employment tax.

The IRS has attempted to crack down on this practice, but interest groups have successfully defended it, portraying any attempt to close the loophole as a tax hike on small businesses.

Closing the loophole could generate $250 billion over 10 years for Medicare.

Summary

China has launched its largest military drills in decades around Taiwan, deploying 53 aircraft, 19 ships, and 90 naval vessels near the island in two days.

Taiwan’s Defense Ministry reported that 23 Chinese aircraft entered its air defense identification zone (ADIZ) and condemned Beijing’s actions as “irrational” and destabilizing.

The drills follow Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te’s U.S. visits and are seen as a move to assert control over the first island chain ahead of Trump’s inauguration.

The U.S. vowed continued support for Taiwan’s self-defense amid rising tensions.

Summary

Iran’s new “chastity and hijab” laws impose severe penalties, including the death penalty, for women who defy mandatory veiling or engage in related activism.

Repeat offenders face up to 15 years in prison or heavy fines, while those deemed to commit “corruption on Earth” by sharing protests abroad could be executed.

Amnesty International and activists have condemned the law, citing intensified repression and risks to women’s rights.

The legislation follows protests after Mahsa Amini’s death in 2022, with critics warning it further entrenches Iran’s authoritarian crackdown on dissent and gender equality.

Summary

The Biden administration announced it will support a new Syrian government that renounces terrorism, protects women’s and minority rights, and dismantles chemical weapons.

This follows the ouster of Bashar al-Assad by the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which the U.S. designated as a terrorist organization in 2018.

While the U.S. may reassess HTS’s status, ongoing concerns about ISIS resurgence and regional instability persist.

Meanwhile, Israel has seized the Golan Heights buffer zone amid condemnation, and Biden is coordinating with allies, including Israel, on the evolving situation in Syria and Gaza.

Summary

The Biden administration is considering new sanctions on Russia’s oil exports and shadow tanker fleet to further weaken its economy and war efforts before Trump takes office.

These measures aim to bolster Ukraine’s leverage in potential negotiations as Trump has signaled interest in a quick resolution to the war.

While targeting Russian crude buyers—similar to sanctions on Iranian oil—could pressure Russia, it risks spiking global oil prices and straining ties with major importers like China and India.

Biden’s shift reflects urgency to constrain Putin before U.S. policy potentially shifts under Trump.

Summary

South Korean police searched President Yoon Suk Yeol’s office as part of an investigation into his failed attempt to impose martial law last week, which has triggered a constitutional crisis.

Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, linked to the martial law plan, survived a suicide attempt in custody.

Yoon faces a second impeachment attempt by the opposition after the first was blocked by his party.

The crisis has disrupted South Korea’s politics, foreign policy, and financial markets, with experts questioning the legality of Yoon’s actions and the ruling party divided over his future.

Summary

The EPA has banned two cancer-causing chemicals, trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchloroethylene (Perc), used in dry cleaning, adhesives, and household products.

TCE, linked to cancers and found in drinking water, is banned entirely, while Perc’s industrial uses will require worker protections.

Environmentalists hail the move as overdue, though the dry-cleaning and chemical industries warn of economic impacts.

The ban, finalized under the Biden administration, faces potential rollback under the incoming Trump administration, which previously weakened chemical regulations.

Advocates vow to resist, citing decades of harm to affected communities.

Summary

Michael Snow Jr., 24, has been charged with destruction of federal property for burning an American flag during protests against Israeli PM Netanyahu’s July speech to Congress.

Demonstrators, opposing Netanyahu’s stance on the Gaza war, removed flags at Union Station, spray-painted a Columbus monument, and raised Palestinian flags.

Federal authorities claim Snow used lighter fluid to ignite the flag. Cleanup and repairs cost over $11,000.

The protest permit was revoked due to lack of organizer communication.

Summary

German authorities arrested three men, including two German-Lebanese brothers aged 15 and 20 and a 22-year-old German-Turkish man, for planning an Islamist terror attack.

Police discovered an assault rifle, knives, tactical gear, and evidence of preparations for a “serious act of violence.”

While the plot was in its early stages and posed no immediate threat, investigators noted the suspects’ strong religious ideology and support for the Islamic State.

The arrests took place in Mannheim and Hesse, with the men remanded into custody pending trial.

Summary

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko confirmed the deployment of over a dozen Russian nuclear weapons in Belarus, integrating the country’s military with Russia under the Union State treaty.

Signed by Lukashenko and Vladimir Putin, the treaty allows joint use of Russian nuclear weapons, though Moscow retains control.

Putin’s updated nuclear doctrine lowers the threshold for nuclear use, even in response to conventional attacks.

Critics, including Belarusian opposition figures, denounce the treaty as undermining Belarus’s sovereignty, while Lukashenko has also requested advanced Russian missiles, escalating tensions with NATO and neighboring countries.

Summary

Trump mocked Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the “governor” of the “Great State of Canada” on Truth Social, following recent discussions about tariffs on Canada.

Trump has joked about Canada becoming the 51st U.S. state, linking the idea to U.S. trade deficits with Canada and Mexico.

Trudeau, responding to tariff threats, pledged to counter any unfair trade measures.

The remarks have sparked lighthearted responses, including Ontario Premier Doug Ford joking about the War of 1812 and Sen. Bernie Sanders referencing Canada’s healthcare system.