US Congress comes under scrutiny for muzzling legislators who queried bid to hide true Gaza death toll
The legislation comes shortly after Amnesty International declared that Israel was committing genocide in Gaza, noting as a factor in their decision the immense death toll in the besieged Strip. In the first year of Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza, the military had killed 44,835 people in Gaza, according to the Health Ministry.
While US claims to be foremost defender of Free Press DOJ probe finds Trump regime secretely spied on journalists
The inspector general did not name the two members of Congress whose records were seized, but the report indicates both were Democrats. According to the report, a Democratic committee staffer identified the two members as the potential leakers, “but without providing any evidentiary support for the claim.” This tipster was later found to be of “uncertain credibility” and “unknown reliability,” but prosecutors still relied on the witness in at least two search warrant applications.
Police in New Orleans scour debris for leads in truck rampage that killed 15, injured 30 three hours into New Year
FBI officials said they were also looking for any links between the deadly attack and a separate incident on Wednesday in which a Tesla Cybertruck exploded in flames outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, just weeks before President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House on Jan. 20.
Conflict-generated displacements, refugee numbers hit record levels as Africa registers 45 million
Given the persistent growth in displacement, there has been a doubling in the forcibly displaced population in Africa since 2018. Three-quarters of these people – 34.5 million – are internally displaced. This represents a near tripling in the number of internally displaced people in Africa since 2017.
Under fire Nigerian President Tinubu announces plan to expand credit access to citizens, businesses
The implementation of the programme was planned in stages, beginning with Federal civil service employees and now the general public.
Islamic State attacks Somalia’s Puntland military base, claims it killed 22 soldiers
Captain Yusuf Mohamed, an officer in Puntland’s counter-terrorism forces, said on Tuesday that nine suicide bombers had been killed and several soldiers had been injured, near the town of Dharjaale in the Bari region.
23 Congolese military officers handed death sentences for cowardice to boost discipline in army
Overall 24 soldiers stood trial. In addition to those handed death penalties, four received 2-10 year sentences, six were acquitted and one’s case was deferred for further investigation.
Russian gas exports via Soviet-era pipeline to Europe ends as Ukraine declines to renew transit agreement
The last remaining EU buyers of Russian gas via Ukraine, such as Slovakia and Austria, have arranged alternative supply. Hungary will keep receiving Russian gas via TurkStream, which runs two pipelines under the Black Sea.
US Supreme Court Chief Justice warns of threats to the judiciary’s independence as calls to disregard rulings rise
Chief Justice John Roberts in an annual year-end report on the judiciary released just weeks before Republican President-elect Donald Trump takes office did not directly address what polling suggests has been a decline in public confidence in the judicial system broadly.
Palestinian detainees freed from Israeli prisons and camps tell of horrendous abuses and psychological harm
Alleged abuses and psychological harm to Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons and camps are in renewed focus amid stepped-up efforts in December by international mediators to secure a ceasefire that could see the release of thousands of inmates detained during the Gaza war and before, in return for Israeli hostages held by the Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza.
