Greater Middle East
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The US House of Representatives passed Joint Resolution 37, calling for the withdrawal of US armed forces from hostilities in the Republic of Yemen. The resolution states that only Congress has the authority to declare war, and notes that Congress has not made any declaration of war against the Houthi rebels in Yemen, who are the target of Saudi-led forces. US armed forces have supported Saudi Arabia through aerial targeting assistance, intelligence sharing, and mid-flight aerial refueling. The resolution gives President Trump 30 days to withdraw forces from hostilities in or affecting Yemen. Forces which are involved in operations directed at al-Qaeda in the region are exempt from the resolution. The resolution also does not restrict the sharing of intelligence. It also specifies that the resolution does not impact military operations undertaken in cooperation with Israel. (Photo via Jurist)

Greater Middle East

Protests follow anti-Christian terror in Egypt

Coptic Christians took to the streets in Egypt in a series of angry protests after a deadly blast during New Year’s Eve midnight mass at Alexandria’s al-Qiddisin Church.

Africa

Violence follows Christmas terror in Nigeria

Violence has rocked the Nigerian city of Jos since Christmas eve bombings left 32 dead. Riots have pitted Christians against Muslims, with both churches and mosques vandalized.

Watching the Shadows

Enough with the Julian Assange hero worship

Some 600 dissidents arrested in Belarus over the past week—as so-called “progressives” in the West rally uncritically around the accused rapist who put those dissidents at risk.

Europe

Anarchist cell claims Rome embassy attacks

Italian authorities say an anarchist cell claimed responsibility for parcel bomb attacks on the Swiss and Chilean embassies in Rome, in which two staff members were injured.

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GG

The secretary general of the Palestinian Liberation Organization executive committee, Saeb Erekat, issued a statement rejecting the US-led conference in Warsaw, ostensibly aimed at brokering Middle East peace. Said Erekat: “Today we face a reality whereby the US Trump administration, in cooperation with the Polish government, is pushing yet a new initiative to annihilate the Palestinian national project.” Poland has been making some efforts to resist turning the conference into a propagandistic anti-Iran meeting dominated by the US, Israel and Saudi Arabia. The notable absentees from the summit are meanwhile convening their own meeting in the Russian resort of Sochi. The rival summit is bringing together Vladimir Putin, Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iran’s Hassan Rouhani.  (Photo: Ma’an)