Around the World
Russia, Seeking to Bolster its Influence, Steps Up Intervention in Libyan Conflict
Russia is reportedly stepping up its involvement in the Libyan civil war, which has in recent years has become a heated proxy conflict drawing in numerous foreign players, driven by a range of motives.
Slovakia School Attack Kills One, Injures Five
A knife-wielding man fatally stabbed a school deputy head and injured at least five in northern Slovakia before being killed by police, officials say.
Desperate Migrants Drift To Britain
British and French officials say migrants fleeing war, persecution, and poverty are using increasingly desperate measures to reach Britain. In the latest case, four migrants tried to cross the English Channel on a makeshift raft made from two windsurfing boards tied together. They were reportedly using shovels as paddles.
Turkey Will Buy Additional Batch of S-400 Missiles from Russia
Turkey has announced it will buy a second batch of the S-400 air defense missiles system made by Russia, UPI reported Wednesday. In an interview on Turkish TV this week, head of Turkey's Defense Industries Administration Ismail Demir said the basic purchase agreement for a second batch was in place, while technical transportation issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic were being resolved.

Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Israel High Court Strikes Down Law that Legalized Unlawful Settler Homes in West Bank
On Wednesday, Israel’s High Court of Justice struck down a law passed in 2017 to retroactively legalize settler houses built illegally on Palestinian-owned land in the West Bank, CBN News reports. The law was frozen from the time it passed in order for petitions against it to be heard.
Israel says It Will Pursue Annexation “Responsibly”
Israeli foreign minister Gabi Ashkenazi said Wednesday that Israel will act “responsibly” in pursuing plans for annexing parts of the West Bank, Israel Hayom reported. Responding to German and EU concerns that unilateral annexation would jeopardize a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Ashkenazi said annexation plans would be carried out “in dialogue with our neighbors.” The statements were made at a press conference in Jerusalem with German foreign minister Heiko Maas.

Inside the United States
U.S. Senate Panel Approves Subpoenas In Russia Probe
The Republican-led Senate Judiciary Committee has approved subpoena power for a politically charged congressional investigation of the Justice Department’s probe into Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and its contacts with Russia.
Seattle protesters publish list of demands as citizens occupy police-free 'autonomous zone'
Demonstrators in Seattle who have taken over a six-block radius of the city's Capitol Hill neighborhood, which they call an "autonomous zone" free of police, have published a list of demands.
Federal Debt Tops $26 Trillion for First Time; Jumps $2 Trillion in Just 63 Days
The debt of the federal government topped $26 trillion for the first time on Tuesday, when it climbed from $25,960,547,920,986.11 to $26,003,751,512,344.91, according to data released today by the Treasury Department.
U.S. Stocks Plunge Over Coronavirus and Economic Concerns
U.S. President Donald Trump pledged a strong, swift economic recovery and coronavirus vaccine after the U.S. market had its worst finish in three months.