AP Top Political News at 2:12 p.m. EDT
Trump says Biden is running a 'Gestapo' administration. It's his latest reference to Nazi Germany
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HuffPostJoe Biden Calls Himself 'Stupid' For Not Doing 1 Donald Trump Thing
The president said he "learned something" from the president-elect.
- The Hill
Bill Clinton says he’s open to talking to Biden about preemptive pardon for Hillary Clinton
Former President Clinton said he is open to having a conversation with President Biden about a potential preemptive pardon for his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Bill Clinton joined “The View” on Wednesday, where he was discussing President-elect Trump taking office early next year and the threat of him going after political enemies…
- The Daily Beast
Trump Has Invited China’s Xi Jinping to Inauguration: Report
President-elect Donald Trump invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend his inauguration in January, multiple sources told CBS News on Wednesday. The president-elect reportedly sent the invite to the leader of China, a nation he has threatened with tariffs for months, shortly after his electoral victory in November, the sources told the network. It is unclear if the Chinese government has accepted the invite, and the Chinese Embassy has not commented on the invitation. A Chinese head of stat
- France 24
Russia threatens to retaliate after Ukrainian ATACMS strike in Rostov
Moscow on Wednesday accused Kyiv of firing US-supplied ATACAMS missiles on a military airfield in its southern Rostov region and threatened to retaliate. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Ukraine's "destructive" approach made peace impossible. Russia on Wednesday vowed retribution against Ukraine, accusing Kyiv of firing Western-supplied missiles on a military airfield in its southern Rostov region.President Vladimir Putin has previously threatened to launch a hypersonic ballistic missi
- BBC
Syria rebels burn tomb of Bashar al-Assad's father
Armed men are seen celebrating in Hafez al-Assad's burning mausoleum in the family's hometown.
- The Independent
South Korean defence minister who proposed martial law attempts suicide in custody
South Korean police raid president’s office as Yoon Suk Yeol faces charges of staging an insurrection
- The Independent
Netanyahu makes it clear: Biden is no longer in charge
ANALYSIS: US-Israel policy appears to now be fully running through Mar-a-Lago after shocking developments in the Golan Heights, writes John Bowden
- The Independent
Israel’s warplanes pound Syria as it destroys Assad’s naval fleet
After the fall of the Assad regime, the Israeli military has taken control of a UN-controlled buffer zone in the Golan Heights and hit targets across the country
- CNN
Video points to Assad regime’s involvement in large-scale trafficking of illicit drugs
Social media video surfaced Wednesday allegedly showing a warehouse in Syria stacked with captagon, an illicit drug that had transformed the country into a narco-state under former President Bashar al-Assad’s rule.
- AFP News
South Korea's Yoon vows to fight 'until the very last minute'
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday vowed to fight "until the very last minute", in a defiant address defending his shock decision to declare martial law and deploy troops to the country's parliament last week.Now staring down an impeachment vote in parliament on Saturday, Yoon vowed to "fight with the people until the very last minute".
- INSIDER
Here's what we're seeing Russia's warships and aircraft doing in new satellite images of Syria amid regime change
The sudden collapse of the Assad government has raised questions about the future of Russia's military footprint in Syria.
- The Telegraph
West should not fear us, Syria’s rebel leader insists
The leader of the Syrian rebel coalition which toppled the Assad dynasty has sought to reassure Western nations they have nothing to fear from his victory.
- AFP News
Duterte parties as Philippines probes her alleged plot to kill Marcos
Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte partied with journalists Wednesday as she thumbed her nose at an official inquiry into allegations she plotted to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos, her estranged ally.Hosting what she called a "thanksgiving" lunch for scores of journalists at her office instead of meeting with government investigators, she accused the government of plotting to have her removed from office and charged in court.
- CNN
South Korea’s ruling party backs impeachment as president refuses to step down over martial law
South Korea’s ruling party has thrown its support behind attempts to impeach embattled President Yoon Suk Yeol over his ill-fated decision to declare martial law that sparked a political crisis and widespread public anger in the country.
- Reuters
Russian Foreign Ministry says Moscow is not willing to make concessions on Ukraine
The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday that Moscow was not ready to make concessions when it came to Ukraine and that President Vladimir Putin's own proposals on how to end the conflict needed to be implemented. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova made her comments in the context of a call by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday for an immediate ceasefire and negotiations between Ukraine and Russia to end "the madness." Zakharova said Russia was ready to engage with the new U.S. administration on Ukraine, but had not yet received any serious, workable options to address what she said were Russia's legitimate security concerns and worries about the rights of Ukraine's Russian-speaking population.
- The Independent
Syria – live: Tomb of Assad’s father set on fire by rebels as France calls out Israel for buffer zone capture
France joins Arab nations in criticising Israel for exploiting the Syria crisis to capture more territory near the Golan Heights
- PA Media: UK News
Laser weapon destroys flying drones in successful test by British Army
The technology works by directing an intense beam of infrared light towards its target, the Ministry of Defence said.
- HuffPost
Mitch McConnell Says Trump Win Puts Americans In A 'Very Dangerous World'
The GOP's outgoing Senate leader said he plans to spend his final two years in office pushing back against the Trump-fueled isolationism within his party.
- BBC
Israel confirms attack on Syrian naval fleet
The BBC has verified videos showing blasts in the Syrian port of Latakia, as Israel conducts strikes across Syria.
- The Guardian
Syrian activist whose suffering became symbol of Assad brutality found dead in Sednaya prison
Mazen al-Hamada had escaped to tell the world about regime’s torture before returning to Damascus