Wednesday, January 15, 2025

BIG Wrap

Iran says attack in Pakistan targeted ‘Iranian terrorist group’

(Al Jazeera Media Network) Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said the air attacks in Pakistan that killed two children this week targeted an “Iranian terrorist group”. “On Pakistan, none of the nationals of the friendly and brotherly country of Pakistan were targeted by Iranian missiles and drones,” Abdollahian said on Wednesday. “The so-called Jaish al-Adl group, which is an Iranian terrorist group, was targeted,” he added. Amir-Abdollahian said the attack on “Pakistan’s soil” was in response to...

U.S. Moon mission on course for fiery destruction

(BBC News) The US company that was hoping to land on the Moon will bring its mission home to destruction in the coming hours. Astrobotic says its Peregrine spacecraft will be directed to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere and burn up. The lander suffered a major propellant leak shortly after launching from Florida on its Vulcan rocket last week. Although engineers were able to stabilize the situation, the loss of oxidiser meant a safe touch-down on the lunar surface could...

Trump sweeps Iowa caucus – what’s next?

(Al Jazeera Media Network) The race for the 2024 US presidential elections has kicked off with Monday’s Republican caucus in Iowa. Former US President Donald Trump decisively won the caucus ballots and will head to next week’s New Hampshire primary with a commanding lead over his rivals. Trump also secured an endorsement from opponent Vivek Ramaswamy, who dropped his bid following a disappointing loss. Primaries and caucuses are ways Republicans and Democrats choose their presidential candidate. The majority...

Iran launches missile strikes in Iraq and Syria

(Al Jazeera Media Network) Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched ballistic missiles at what it claimed were Israeli “spy headquarters” in Iraq’s Kurdish region and hit targets allegedly linked to ISIL (ISIS) in northern Syria, saying it was defending its security and countering terrorism. At least eight explosions were heard in Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region, early on Tuesday. Four people were killed and six were wounded, the regional security council...

Greek mafia boss killed in hail of bullets

(BBC News) A mob-style murder at a petrol station in southern Athens has shone a light on the brutality of the Greek mafia. A manhunt is underway for the killers of crime boss Vangelis Zambounis, who was gunned down earlier this week. More than 90 rounds from a Kalashnikov rifle were fired at Zambounis, considered a powerful figure in the Greek criminal underworld. He was alleged to have led an extortion ring and to have been involved...

Iowa caucus: Trump counts on evangelicals to carry him to victory

(BBC News) Iowa's influential evangelical voters were once decidedly lukewarm on Donald Trump. But if recent polls are accurate, born-again Christians will carry him to victory on Monday in the Republican caucuses. What has changed? The video is bombastic, even by Trump's standards. Just consider the title: God Made Trump. "God looked down on his planned paradise and said, 'I need a caretaker,'" a voiceover intones over a minimalist piano track. "So God gave us Trump." The...

Is the World Economic Forum still relevant?

(Al Jazeera Media Network) Representatives of governments and international organisations, billionaires, entrepreneurs, experts, academics, NGOs and press corps are once again descending on the Graubunden winter sports resort in Davos, Switzerland. Under the motto “Rebuilding Trust”, the 54th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) will start on January 15, aiming to discuss “the basic principles of trust” – transparency, coherence and responsibility. But the ongoing fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic as well as from...

U.S. delivers ‘private message’ to Iran after Yemen strikes

(BBC News) President Joe Biden says the US has delivered a "private message" to Iran about the Houthis in Yemen after the US carried out a second strike on the group. "We delivered it privately and we're confident we're well-prepared," he said without giving further details. The US said its latest strike was a "follow-on action" targeting radar. Iran denies involvement in attacks by the Houthis in the Red Sea. However, Tehran is suspected of supplying the Houthis...

Taiwan ruling party’s Lai wins presidential election

(Al Jazeera Media Network) William Lai Ching-te from the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has won Taiwan’s presidential election, despite warnings from China – which claims Taiwan as part of its territory – not to vote for him. The DPP does not represent the mainstream public opinion on the island, Beijing said after Lai was named the winner of Saturday’s vote, adding that the vote “will not impede the inevitable trend of China’s reunification.” Lai, the current...

Progressive Democrats fume over Houthi strikes as Republicans offer rare praise

(BBC News) Progressive Democrats have harshly criticized the US decision to launch retaliatory strikes against the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. They argued, with support from some Republicans, that President Joe Biden violated the US Constitution by not seeking congressional approval first. But several Republicans offered rare praise of the administration, calling it an "overdue" act of deterrence. The president on Thursday called the precision strikes a "defensive action". In a joint statement with coalition partners – the...