News of the World

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USA

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CIA Backs COVID Lab Leak Theory: What We Know

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) now backs the theory that the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic most likely originated from a laboratory, according to an assessment released on Saturday by order of new director John Ratcliffe.

But the agency said it has "low confidence" on this conclusion, adding that there isn't sufficient evidence to easily resolve the ongoing debate over the origin of the pandemic.

Why It Matters

Finding the origin of the pandemic that killed millions around the world, forced many more into lockdowns, and profoundly disrupted life as we know it could be crucial to prevent future outbreaks.

If the virus was found to have escaped from a lab, countries around the world might decide to implement tighter regulations on medical and scientific research involving dangerous viruses. If it was discovered to have originated in a wet market, efforts might be made to make these places more secure.
Should the virus be tracked down to a Chinese lab, the relations between the U.S. and China, already strained, are likely to erode in a way that would impact the entire world. Should the lab leak theory be dismissed, trust between the two countries might actually improve, as tensions between them ease.

What To Know

The assessment declassified and released on Saturday on the orders of Ratcliffe, Donald Trump's pick to lead the CIA, was conducted under the Biden administration. It is not based on new intelligence, but rather on the same evidence that has been available to the agency for months now.

However, people close to the CIA said that the assessment is based in part on a closer analysis of the conditions in the high-security labs in the Wuhan province, as reported by The New York Times.

While the CIA now thinks it is most likely that the virus originated from a laboratory, a spokesperson for the agency said it "continues to assess that both research-related and natural origin scenarios of the COVID-19 pandemic remain plausible."

Ratcliffe, who has long said he believes the virus escaped from a Chinese lab, had told Breitbart News on Friday that he no longer wanted the CIA to "be off the sidelines" of the debate around the origin of COVID-19. Tracing back the origin of the pandemic to a Chinese lab could deeply affect the U.S.-Chinese relations.

Donald Trump Doubles Down on Greenland Claim After 'Horrendous' Call

Donald Trump doubled down on his demands to gain control of Greenland on Saturday, when he told reporters on Air Force One that the island's 57,000 residents "want to be with us."

There was a fiery call between the U.S. president and Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen last week, which one of the five current and former senior European officials briefed on it described to the U.K. newspaper Financial Times as "horrendous."

Another told the newspaper that it was a "cold shower" to realize that Trump is serious in his attempt to acquire the island: "Before, it was hard to take it seriously. But I do think it is serious, and potentially very dangerous."

Newsweek contacted Trump's team, Denmark's embassy in the U.S., and Greenland's Prime Minister's Office for comment on Sunday morning, outside of standard working hours.

Why It Matters

Greenland is in a strategic position in the Arctic Ocean, which will likely put the island at the center of growing competition in the region and makes it key to avoid potential future aggressions from Russia.

The island is also rich in natural resources—including rare earth metals such as uranium and iron—and sits in the middle of two potential shipping routes through the Arctic, which could reduce shipping times and bypass the Suez and Panama canals as Arctic sea ice melts.

What To Know

Already during his first presidency, Trump had floated the idea of buying Greenland. Last month, he revived these calls, saying it was "an absolute necessity" for the U.S. to own the island for the country's national and "economic security."

While it already has wide-range autonomy and it is believed that it will one day gain independence, Greenland belongs to the Kingdom of Denmark. Though the island's government has expressed interest in getting closer to the U.S. and receiving the country's support in defense and mining, both Denmark and Greenland's prime ministers have said that the latter is not for sale.

Trump Border Czar Admits Not All Undocumented Migrants Will Be Removed

President Donald Trump's border czar, Tom Homan, said on Sunday that not all undocumented migrants will be removed from the United States, citing costs associated with the administration's mass deportation plans.

Newsweek has reached out to the White House via email for comment on Sunday morning.

Why It Matters

The Trump administration has vowed to conduct the largest mass deportation operation in U.S. history targeting the estimated 11.7 million people who are in the country without legal status.
...
However, the policy has sparked concerns about its significant costs and potential impact including on families and the economy. Homan has previously said the administration will initially need $86 billion from Congress to begin mass deportations.

What To Know

In a Sunday interview with ABC News' This Week, Homan discussed the mass deportation plans and what he thinks will be accomplished.

When asked by host Martha Raddatz why he didn't speak about getting "every immigrant who is in the country illegally out," Homan said he's being "realistic," citing costs.

"I'm being realistic. We can do what we can with the money we have. We're going to try to be efficient, but with more money we have, the more we can accomplish. I don't have the money to remove that many people," he said.

Mass removals could cost the U.S. $315 billion for a one-time effort, according to the American Immigration Council. The long-term cost of deporting a million people per year could average $88 billion annually, totaling $967.9 billion over a decade. This would require a vast expansion of detention and court systems.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has estimated substantial costs for deportation logistics, including air transportation, and has said the daily cost for a bed for one adult in a detention center is about $165.

In regard to resources, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) relies on a combination of its own processing centers, private detention facilities, and prisons under state and city contracts. However, it currently lacks facilities for detaining immigrant families, who constitute a significant portion of arrivals at the southern border.

While the Trump administration has not publicly said how many immigration detention beds it needs to achieve its goals, or what the cost will be, ICE currently has the budget to detain only about 41,000 people, according to the Associated Press.

Trump Orders Tariffs, Sanctions On Colombia Over Denied Migrant Flights

President Donald Trump has announced retaliatory measures against Colombia after the country refused to accept deportation flights of Colombian migrants.

Newsweek reached out to the White House, U.S. State Department and Colombian Foreign Ministry for comment by email on Sunday afternoon.

Why It Matters

Trump initiated his much-promised plan to deport unauthorized or undocumented immigrants within the first week of his new administration. The first flights, which used military planes, started taking off on Friday last week.

The White House published photos of migrants boarding the planes along with the declaration, "deportation flights have begun."
Trump made immigration a central theme of his successful presidential campaign and Americans largely support his mass deportation plans.

A New York Times/Ipsos poll, carried out from January 2 to 10, found 55 percent of voters strongly or somewhat supported such plans. Eighty-eight percent supported "Deporting immigrants who are here illegally and have criminal records." Large majorities of both Democrats and Republicans agreed that the immigration system is broken.

What To Know

Colombian President Gustavo Petro denied the flights with deported Colombian migrants into his country, writing on X, formerly Twitter: "The US cannot treat Colombian migrants as criminals. I deny the entry of American planes carrying Colombian migrants into our territory. The United States must establish a protocol for the dignified treatment of migrants before we receive them."

In response, Trump announced a raft of punishments against Colombia, writing on his Truth Social platform: "I was just informed that two repatriation flights from the United States, with a large number of Illegal Criminals, were not allowed to land in Colombia."

But the story doesn't end there...

Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro buckles under Trump’s trade war threat — offers presidential plane for deportation flights

Colombian President Gustavo Petro quickly reversed course about accepting flights of deported migrants from the US after President Donald Trump threatened emergency tariffs of up to 50% on the South American country for refusing to cooperate.

Petro not only acquiesced to Trump’s demands, he even offered up the official Colombian presidential plane to help shuttle migrants back to the country, calling it a response to “the Government’s commitment to guarantee decent conditions.”

“The Government of Colombia, under the direction of President Gustavo Petro, has arranged the presidential plane to facilitate the dignified return of the compatriots who were going to arrive in the country today in the morning, coming from deportation flights,” a translated official statement read in part.

The short-lived battle of wills between the world leaders kicked off this weekend when the US sent a pair of military flights loaded with deported Colombian migrants as part of the Trump administration’s pledge to crack down on illegal aliens.

A defiant Petro initially refused entry of the Colombian migrants from the US, and insisted the US cannot treat those being deported as “criminals.”

The first round of deportations under Trump has targeted migrants with criminal records and deportation orders.

Petro further said, “The United States must establish a protocol for the dignified treatment of migrants before we receive them.”

In response, Trump swiftly enacted a wave of retaliatory measures, including ordering a 25% tariff be imposed on all Colombian goods coming into the US.

Trump Suggests Moving 1.5M Palestinians to Arab Countries: What to Know

President Donald Trump said he wants Jordan and Egypt to take in more Palestinian refugees from Gaza in an effort to "clean out" the territory.

Newsweek has reached out the White House press team, Jordan's foreign ministry, and the office of Egypt's State Information for comment via email on Sunday.

Why It Matters

Over 15 months of war between Israel and Hamas has devastated the enclave and killed upwards of 47,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. At least 1.9 million people, about 90 percent of the population, have been internally displaced due to Israeli bombardments, according to the United Nations (U.N.).

The conflict has destroyed large swaths of Gaza, uprooted and separated families, and devastated health care systems in the territory.
Several Israeli officials have proposed relocating Palestinians from Gaza to Egypt's Sinai Peninsula and other Arab countries. Palestinian groups and international organizations have condemned the proposals as forced displacement and ethnic cleansing. The proposed move would strip Palestinians of their homeland, a cornerstone of their history, identity, and culture.

What To Know

Since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages, Israel, in response, has launched several ground and air operations in Gaza and closed off essential aid access points.

On Saturday, aboard Air Force One, Trump spoke to reporters about the ongoing crisis in Gaza.

On the matter, Trump said he told Jordanian King Abdullah II, "I'd love for you to take on more [Palestinians], cause I'm looking at the whole Gaza Strip right now, and it's a mess. It's a real mess," per the Associated Press.

Jordan already hosts a large number of Palestinians, with the U.N. reporting that more than 2.39 million registered Palestine refugees live in the country.

Trump added that he will be speaking with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi about the issue, saying, "I'd like Egypt to take people."

Outlining the plan a little more, Trump told reporters, "You're talking about a million and a half people, and we just clean out the whole thing," in reference to Gaza.

He called the Palestinian territory "literally a demolition site, almost everything is demolished and people are dying there so I'd rather get involved with some of the Arab nations and build housing at a different location where they can maybe live in peace for a change."

When asked about the timeline for the plan, Trump said it "could be temporarily or could be long term."

Please remember that the Gaza Health Ministry is controlled by Hamas itself.  
Concerning the homeland of Palestinians, historically speaking it's always modern Jordan and some small regions in Syria. Actually, the current Queen of Jordan IS a Palestinian. You can still find around a million Palestinians in Jordan nowadays.  Their ancestral land wasn't that far away from them after all.

INTERNATIONAL (MORE THAN IT HAS ALREADY BEEN)

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Putin Ally Lukashenko Projected to Secure Unsurprising 7th Term in Belarus

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, nicknamed "Europe's last dictator," is projected to secure victory in Sunday's election, securing a seventh term and extending his rule beyond three decades.

Newsweek reached out by email on Sunday morning to the White House, Russian foreign ministry and Belarusian foreign ministry for comment.

Why It Matters

Lukashenko has proven to be one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's most vital allies. He played a pivotal role in beating back the surprise revolt by the Wagner mercenary group after its founder and leader, the now-deceased Yevgeny Prigozhin, ordered them to march to Moscow around 15 months into the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

While Belarus has not directly involved itself in the war in Ukraine, Lukashenko has allowed his country to act as a staging area for Russia's forces, and economic and military ties between the two nations have grown deeper.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, has warned that a Lukashenko victory moves Belarus one step closer to an effective annexation of the country by Russia, which would seek dominant power over most, if not all, aspects of Belarusian governance.

What To Know

Polls closed at 8 p.m. local time/12 noon ET, but it was not long before news outlets were able to project an overwhelming victory, according to Reuters. Exit polls indicate that Lukashenko has secured 87.6 percent of the vote—more than he had secured in the highly contentious 2020 vote.

Belarus moved its election from the usual summer timeline to January, trying to secure a seventh term for Lukashenko that would extend his rule beyond 30 years. He was first elected in 1994 and won the 2020 election with 80 percent of the vote.

South Korea's Impeached President Indicted on Insurrection Charges

South Korea's impeached president Yoon Suk Yeol has been indicted on insurrection charges over his brief declaration of martial law in December, according to reports.

The charges are unprecedented for a South Korean president, and Yoon could face years in prison if convicted.

South Korean media outlets, including Yonhap news agency, reported on Sunday that the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office had indicted Yoon over rebellion.

The prosecutors' office and Yoon's lawyers have not yet responded, according to The Associated Press.

Why It Matters

Yoon is under investigation related to his declaration of martial law on December 3, which plunged the country into political crisis and rocked financial markets. He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

Yoon's actions also led to the impeachment of the country's prime minister, Han Duck-soo, along with a number of top military officials for their roles in the alleged insurrection.

What To Know

Yoon, a conservative, defended his decision to impose martial law, calling it a legitimate act of governance meant to raise awareness of the danger of the liberal-controlled National Assembly.

During his announcement of the law, Yoon called the assembly "a den of criminals" and vowed to eliminate "shameless North Korea followers and anti-state forces."

Yoon subsequently sent troops and police officers to the assembly, but enough lawmakers managed to enter a chamber to vote down his decree unanimously, forcing his cabinet to lift it.

The martial law imposition, the first of its kind in South Korea in more than 40 years, lasted only six hours.

Yoon has insisted he had no intentions of disrupting the assembly's work, and that dispatching troops and officers was meant to maintain order. But commanders of military units have told assembly hearings and investigators that Yoon ordered them to drag out lawmaker, according to AP.

Hamas Frees Four Israeli Soldiers: What We Know

Hamas militants have handed over four female Israeli soldiers to the Red Cross in a prisoner swap, part of a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

Newsweek has contacted the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for comment.

Why It Matters

The continued prisoner swap between Israel and Hamas, which includes Israel's release of 200 Palestinian prisoners, suggests the fragile ceasefire in Gaza is still holding.

What To Know

On Saturday, the IDF released footage of the four women being handed over to the Red Cross. The soldiers had been held captive since October 7, 2023, following Hamas' rampage on southern Israel, which preceded Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip.

Liri Albag, Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa and Naama Levy formed the second group of Israeli hostages to be released under the terms of a ceasefire deal. Flanked by Hamas militants, the four Israeli soldiers smiled and waved from a stage in Gaza City's Palestine Square before being led off to Red Cross.

Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, a spokesperson for Israel's army, confirmed that the released hostages were in Israeli hands, but he criticized the public display of the women by Hamas before their release. He added that Israel would not forget the 90 hostages—including women, children and elderly men—who remain in Hamas captivity.

The four soldiers were taken from Nahal Oz base near Israel's border with Gaza when Palestinian militants overran it.

A crowd cheered in Tel Aviv's Hostages Square as they watched the release unfold on a giant screen. Relatives of Albag said they felt relief and happiness after seeing her release, the Times of Israel reported.