RACHEL RANDER
CONSERVATIVE COLUMNIST
National
Delaware Prison Standoff Results In Death Of An Officer
A prison hostage standoff in Delaware at James T. Vaughn Correction Center resulted in the death of a guard on Feb. 2. Sgt. Steven Floyd, 47, was found unresponsive at the site early that morning when police arrived. Four prison workers, including a prison counselor, were taken hostage, but two guards and three maintenance workers were able to escape. Investigators did not reveal a motive or detail how the prisoners took over the building, saying only that they used “sharp instruments.” One inmate who says he was a hostage said that Donald Trump’s actions were part of the reason the group acted out, and that they expect the institution to “change for the worse.”
Drug Lord To Appear in New York Court
Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, Mexico’s most recognizable drug lord, appeared in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, on the morning of Feb. 3. The biggest charge he faces is the laundering of more than $14 billion from running a drug smuggling operation. Other charges include “continuing criminal enterprise, conspiring to murder rivals and firearms violations,” according to CNN. According to Attorney Robert Capers of the Eastern District of New York, the minimum sentence is life in prison. Guzman was handed over to US prosecutors in January after Mexico’s foreign ministry received confirmation that he would not receive the death penalty, as the country is opposed to that law. Guzman has escaped prison both in January and July of 2001, and is the leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the most violent drug cartels.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/03/us/el-chapo-guzman-federal-court-new-york/index.html
US Imposing Iran Sanctions After Missile Test
The US Treasury Department announced Feb. 3 that it will impose sanctions on Iran because of its recent missile test. The sanctions will affect 13 people and 12 companies. Iran said it will not comply with American threats from “an inexperienced person,” referring to President Donald Trump. The Treasury Department’s acting sanctions chief, John Smith, expressed concern over the possible threats; Smith said, “Iran’s continued support for terrorism and development of its ballistic missile program poses a threat to the region, to our partners worldwide and to the United States.” According to the White House, the missile test violated a UN Security Council resolution. Saudi Arabia, an enemy of Iran, agrees with the sanctions and its senior military advisor said that Iran’s violence must be stopped.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38860352
International
Man Attacks at Louvre Museum
A man attempted to attack security guards at the Louvre in Paris at 10:00 am local time Friday, wielding a machete and shouting “Allaahu Akbar.” A French soldier was able to stop him by a shot to the abdomen. Four solders first tried to stop the man with non-lethal force, and only shot when these efforts failed. French President Francois Hollande, although stating that the situation is now under control, expressed concern over further attacks saying that “threat of terrorism is here to stay.” Not much is known about the suspect, but two bags belonging to him were inspected and no explosives were found. Since the terrorist attacks at Nice in 2015, the Louvre has seen a drop in tourism, and security has become a main point of the French presidential election this coming April.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-38853841
Israel Will Build New Settlement In West Bank
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Wednesday, Feb. 1, that Israel will build a new settlement in the West Bank. The plan includes 5,500 housing units in the area, as well as 550 new homes in East Jerusalem. This announcement came the same day that the Amona outpost, an illegal outpost on private Palestinian land, was cleared. Some left this outpost peacefully, but around 600 settlers threw a violent protest. Under international law, the settlement program for the West Bank is illegal. However, Israel disputes this and views the West Bank’s status differently. The UN, along with the Palestinian Authority and the EU, does not support the plan to settle the area, partly because of the conflict between Israel and Palestine. President Donald Trump has expressed his support for Israel’s settlement efforts.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/01/middleeast/israel-settlements-approved/index.html
Former Norwegian PM Said He Was Held At US Airport
Kjell Magne Bondevik, the former prime minister of Norway, was detained at a US airport while traveling to the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington. He was detained because his passport indicates that he had visited Iran in 2014, even though it also shows that he is a former prime minister. Immigration officials say that this event was unrelated to President Trump’s temporary immigration ban and instead has to do with a law from 2015 that puts more restrictions on countries participating in the US visa waiver program. Mr Bondevik said he had never had a problem traveling to the US before this, adding, “There is no reason to be afraid of a former head of government who has been on official visits several times to this country, including in the White House.”