Government & Politics

Sebastian Gorka to be Trump’s counter-terrorism chief with controversial views on Islam The staunchly pro-Israel defender of the Muslim ban is set to return to the White House without Senate confirmation

(National-UAE) President-elect Donald Trump has picked Sebastian Gorka, a staunch defender of his so-called Muslim ban who has said there is [no] such thing as Palestine, to be his counter-terrorism chief at the National Security Council. Mr Trump called Mr Gorka “a […]

Government & Politics

Iran has a hit list of former Trump aides. The U.S. is scrambling to protect them Roughly a dozen national security aides from the Trump White House are feared to be [on] Iran’s hit list. It’s hard to protect them all.

(Politico) U.S. officials are coming to a troubling realization about Iran’s repeated threats to kill Donald Trump and some of his former top generals and national security strategists: Tehran isn’t bluffing — and it isn’t giving up anytime soon. Iran has been […]

Books

Rushdie probe expands overseas

(Semafor) The investigation into last year’s near-fatal attack on the Indian-British writer Salman Rushdie has expanded to examine potential international involvement in the crime, the district attorney overseeing the case in rural New York told Semafor. Jason Schmidt said his office in […]

Books

Salman Rushdie stabbing suspect ‘had contact with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard’ Intel officials told VICE World News Hadi Matar had been in contact with members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. There’s no evidence Iran was involved in organising the attack.

(Vice) The 24-year-old man accused of stabbing author Salman Rushdie had been in direct contact with members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on social media, European and Middle Eastern intelligence officials told VICE World News. Hadi Matar has been charged with […]

Books

Biden condemns attack on Rushdie, pledges ‘solidarity’ with author’s ideals 'Salman Rushdie — with his insight into humanity, with his unmatched sense for story, with his refusal to be intimidated or silenced — stands for essential, universal ideals,' Biden said in the statement.

(Politico) President Joe Biden on Saturday condemned the frenzied attack on Salman Rushdie on a New York lecture stage that has left the author on a ventilator. “Jill and I were shocked and saddened to learn of the vicious attack on Salman […]

Government & Politics

Sen. Cruz reintroduces act to designate Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist group 'Since the founding of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Brotherhood-affiliated groups have consistently preached and incited hatred against Christians, Jews and other Muslims' — Sen. Jim Inhofe.

(Jerusalem Post) Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) reintroduced the Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act this week, his office announced on Wednesday. The act urges the US State Department to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO). “I am proud to […]