Middle Eastern Politics Headlines at 8:41 p.m. GMT
Top war-crimes court issues arrest warrants for Netanyahu and others in Israel-Hamas fighting
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Associated PressTrump demands immediate release of Oct. 7 hostages, says otherwise there will be 'HELL TO PAY'
President-elect Donald Trump is demanding the immediate release of Israeli hostages still being held in Gaza, saying that if they are not freed before he is sworn into office for a second term there will be “HELL TO PAY." “Please let this TRUTH serve to represent that if the hostages are not released prior to January 20, 2025, the date that I proudly assume Office as President of the United States, there will be ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East, and for those in charge who perpetrated these atrocities against Humanity," Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social site. It was not immediately clear whether Trump was threatening to directly involve the U.S. military in Israel’s ongoing campaign against Hamas in Gaza.
- HuffPost
John Dean Reveals Biden Move That Could Doom Trump's 'Revenge' Plot
The Watergate figure said the president could "take the wind" out of Trump's plans for revenge and retribution with a stroke of his pen.
- CNN
Army general who oversaw Afghanistan withdrawal promoted to four-star officer after GOP senator drops hold
An Army general who oversaw the US withdrawal from Afghanistan was promoted to a four-star officer after a Republican senator dropped a hold on his nomination, according to a Senate aide.
- Reuters
Philippines' Marcos says presence of Russian submarine 'very worrisome'
MANILA (Reuters) -President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Monday the presence of a Russian attack submarine in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the South China Sea was "very worrisome". A Russian Kilo-class submarine was sighted 80 nautical miles off the western province of Occidental Mindoro on Nov. 28, Navy spokesperson Roy Vincent Trinidad said in a statement on Monday, confirming a report by the Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper.
- HuffPost UK
Ex-Ukrainian Minister Issues Stark Warning To Kyiv Amid Growing Concerns Putin May Win The War
"If it continues like this, we will lose."
- PA Media: UK News
New Brics banking system would render sanctions useless, ex-chancellor warns
Lord Lamont of Lerwick warned that a rival payments system would be a ‘major threat to the Western-led financial system’ if it ever came to pass.
- CNN
‘Unlimited’ enemy troops, no sleep: Ukrainian soldiers fight to hold on to Russia’s Kursk region
“I have this impression that (the Russians) have unlimited people,” said Oleksandr, a Ukrainian unit commander. “The next Russians, it seems, do not know what happened to the previous Russians. They go there, into the unknown. No one tells them anything about it, and no one comes back.”
- The Daily Beast
Pelosi Secretly Orchestrating Another Attempted Shake-Up of Dem Leadership
Months after running an internal pressure campaign that nudged President Joe Biden out of the 2024 election, former House Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is plotting another ouster within the Democratic Party. The representative for California’s 11th congressional district—who stepped down as Leader of the House Democratic Caucus last year after two decades—is targeting the top member of her party on the Judiciary Committee, Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), the New York Times reported. Pelosi is among a gro
- The Daily Beast
Trump Taps Another Daughter’s Father-in-Law for Key Role
President-elect Donald Trump has opted to keep it in the family again with some of his latest administrative picks-- this time, with the senior adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs. Trump has appointed Lebanon billionaire Massad Boulos to take on the role. His son, Michael, is married to Tiffany Trump, the president’s youngest daughter. “Massad is an accomplished lawyer and a highly respected leader in the business world, with extensive experience on the International scene,“ Trump wrote o
- The Independent
Elon Musk trolls Joe Biden with community note after pardoning his son Hunter
Biden wrote ‘no one is above the law’ the day after Trump was convicted
- Euronews
China denounces Lithuania’s expulsion of its diplomats
The Chinese foreign ministry accused Lithuania of undermining its sovereignty and warned of potential countermeasures.View on euronews
- Moneywise
Rich Americans now applying for passports, foreign investment visas at record levels — where they’re going and why
They're chasing a golden ticket.
- The Telegraph
How Putin’s long war is destroying the fabric of Russian society
When Timothy Ash travelled around the Soviet Union in the late 1980s, he met young veterans who had returned from the war in Afghanistan. They were psychologically broken – and drunk.
- HowStuffWorks
10 Most Corrupt Countries in the World — As Far As We Know
In order to measure the most corrupt countries in the world, it's important to first understand what makes a country corrupt. According to Transparency International, a global coalition against corruption, corruption is "the abuse of entrusted power for private gain."
- Reuters
Malaysia urges Chinese firms to avoid using it to dodge U.S. tariffs
Malaysia has urged Chinese companies to refrain from using it as a base to "rebadge" products to avoid U.S. tariffs, its deputy trade minister said on Monday, amid increasing export restrictions and concerns of a U.S.-China trade war. Washington is expected to further curb exports to Chinese semiconductor toolmakers and sales of certain chipmaking equipment, including products manufactured in Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan, sources have told Reuters. Malaysia is a major player in the semiconductor industry, accounting for 13% of global testing and packaging, and is seen as well placed to grab further business in the sector as Chinese chip firms diversify overseas for assembling needs.
- The Daily Beast
Pete Hegseth Faces Reporters on Capitol Hill Asking if He’s a Drunk
President-elect Donald Trump’s defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth faced reporters on Capitol Hill Monday but refused to answer questions surrounding accusations about his drinking habits. Arriving for meetings, Hegseth, 44, was directly asked at one point, “Do you have an alcohol problem?” The former Fox News host ignored the question and continued on.
- HuffPost
National Security Expert Reveals What’s So Concerning About Trump’s FBI Director Pick
David Rohde described the “fear” over Trump choosing Kash Patel to lead the agency.
- The Telegraph
China sends officials to study effects of sanctions on Russia as it eyes up Taiwan invasion
China has sent officials to the Russian central bank to study the effects of Western sanctions for a better understanding of how it would be affected if it were to invade Taiwan.
- The Telegraph
Russian troops fighting behind established Ukrainian defences, MoD warns
Russian forces are attacking “behind established Ukrainian defences”, the UK Ministry of Defence has said.
- The Daily Beast
Joe Biden Sends Parting Shot at GOP in Bombshell Pardon for Son Hunter
President Joe Biden pardoned his son, Hunter, on Sunday just days before he was scheduled to be sentenced in separate federal gun and tax cases—marking an about face for the lame-duck president. “From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making, and I kept my word even as I have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted,” Biden said in a statement. The president accused his “political opponents in Congress” of pursuing the pr