Navy Secretary John Phelan Fired Amid Pentagon Leadership Shakeup and Shipbuilding Concerns 
U.S. Criticizes Airspace Denials to Taiwan President as China Influence Grows 
Argentina Proposes Electoral Reform to Cut Costs and End Mandatory Primaries 
Senate Republicans Push $70B Immigration Funding Plan Amid DHS Shutdown Standoff 
U.S. Raises Security Concerns Over Chinese Infrastructure in Argentina Amid Growing Regional Ties 
Judge Orders Release of Family After Longest ICE Detention Under Trump Administration 
RFK Jr. Faces Scrutiny Over David Geier’s HHS Role and Vaccine Review Work 
New Zealand Labour Backs India Free Trade Deal, Boosting Chances of Parliamentary Approval 
Trump Urges Congress to Expand Access to Full-Spectrum CBD Products in the U.S. 
US and EU Strengthen Critical Minerals Partnership to Reduce China Dependence 
Trump Administration Launches Civil Rights Probe into NYC Education Department Over Pro-Palestinian Educators 
Zelensky Warns Ukraine Could Face Patriot Missile Supply Risks Amid Prolonged Iran Conflict 
Taiwan Coast Guard Conducts Rare Drill on Disputed South China Sea Island 
Mexico Opens Investigation Into Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard Over Son’s Stay in London Diplomatic Residence 
Trump Administration Considers Expanding Refugee Program for White South Africans 
Mexico Senate Seeks Answers on Deadly Chihuahua Crash Involving U.S. and Mexican Officials 
U.S. Army Soldier Charged in $400K Insider Betting Scheme on Maduro Capture 
During the start of his presidency in 2017, Donald Trump had a set of rules for counterterrorism operations. This week, the White House disclosed the rules as the Biden administration looks into whether the guidelines could be changed and how.
The secret rules Trump had in 2017 for these counterterrorism “direct action” operations were made public this week by the White House. These operations include drone strikes and commando raids outside the conventional war zones. Although a lot of the passages were redacted, the visible portions revealed that during Trump’s presidency, field commanders were granted latitude to make decisions on attacks.
The rules included that it should be “near certainty” that no civilians would be caught in the crossfire of the operations. However, exceptions to the rules could be made if needed as long as certain procedures were followed in implementing the variations to the rules.
The 11-page copy of the rules was obtained by the New York Times and the American Civil Liberties Union as part of a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit. The Biden administration complied with the plaintiffs when it inherited the case after a delay since the October court order.
On the first day of the Biden administration, the Trump-era rules were suspended and instead imposed an interim policy of requiring the approval of the White House for the proposed strikes outside the war zones in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria. The Biden team also reviewed the policies of both the Obama and Trump administrations in an effort to craft their own.
In other news, number three House Republican Liz Cheney, who has since soured on the former president, pushed back on his repeated claim that the 2020 elections were stolen from him. Cheney, who was among the 10 Republicans to vote for impeachment following the insurrection last January 6, took to social media to slam the former president and his supporters among her colleagues.
In response to Trump’s latest statement claiming that Joe Biden’s election victory was “The Big Lie,” Cheney pushed back on social media, saying that his repeated claim of a rigged election was the lie. The Wyoming lawmaker defended her criticism of Trump since voting to impeach him.
“The 2020 presidential election was not stolen. Anyone who claims it is spreading THE BIG LIE, turning their back on the rule of law, and poisoning our democratic system,” tweeted Cheney.
