Today's Headlines and Commentary

This week, Hong Kong is preparing for protests that will target Christmas events and shopping, reports Reuters.

President Trump has invited British Prime Minister Johnson to visit the White House after the New Year, reports Reuters. As Great Britain prepares to leave the EU, Johnson is interested in establishing a trade deal with the U.S.

The British Parliament voted to approve the Brexit bill pushed by Prime Minister Johnson, making Brexit practically guaranteed, according to BBC News.

U.S. intelligence officials allege that a popular messaging app, ToTok, has been used by the United Arab Emirates to spy on all users, reports the New York Times.

A newly released government email shows that the White House held back aid to Ukraine right after the President’s call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, reports BBC News. Some Democrats allege this helps confirm the impropriety of the President’s action.

Indian Prime Minister Modi is refusing to back down from India’s controversial Citizenship Amendment Act that critics allege discriminates against India’s 200 million Muslims, reports the New York Times.

ISIS is regaining strength in Iraq and developing new strategies to overcome the factors that led to past setbacks, according to AP News.

Based on preliminary election results, Afghanistan’s Election Commission has declared President Ghani the winner of September’s presidential election. The election’s runner up, Abdullah Abdullah, is alleging voter fraud and threatening to contest the results, reports the New York Times.

Turkish President Erdogan is threatening to stop accepting Syrian refugees and is calling for an end to the violence in northern Syria, reports Reuters.

The U.S. is readying for a long-range missile test from North Korea, after North Korea’s government promised a “Christmas gift” if sanctions against North Korea were not lifted. Such a move would be North Korea’s first long-range missile test in two years, according to the New York Times.

The U.S. has enacted sanctions against all companies participating in Russia’s Gas Pipeline to Europe, reports the Wall Street Journal. The sanctions have reportedly caused a halt in work on the pipeline.

ICYMI: Yesterday on Lawfare

Jen Patja Howell shared the latest episode of The Lawfare Podcast, which discusses the recent British election and what it means for Brexit and the future of the United Kingdom.

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