Nikki Haley Showing, Gaza Ceasefire, US Drone In Baghdad.
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Shots
1. Tucker Carlson's Putin interview to air today.
2. Zimbabwe ends the death penalty law.
3. No Saudi Arabia-Israeli relationship without the Palestinian state.
Nikki Haley Lost In Nevada GOP Primary
The Nevada GOP primary was held on Tuesday, the 6th of February, 2024, and had the former governor of South Carolina as the sole candidate on the ballot, despite that, voters chose to pick the "none of these candidates" option on the ballot paper.
Mr. Trump, the frontrunner and likely candidate to clinch the party's ticket had decided not to participate in the election because he is scheduled to compete in party-run caucuses on Thursday.
The result in Nevada was Nikki Haley's third consecutive loss in the recent phase of the state primary contest. Despite calls for her to step down and adopt Mr. Trump as the GOP candidate, the former governor had rejected the call, instead, hopeful to catch up with Mr. Trump.
According to her campaign team, "Even Donald Trump knows that when you play penny slots, the house wins. We didn’t bother to play a game rigged for Trump. We’re full steam ahead in South Carolina and beyond," spokesperson Olivia Perez-Cubas said.
The double-barreled GOP contest in Nevada could be confusing. The state of Nevada, before now used caucuses for its presidential elections, but in 2021, the Democratic-led legislature changed the to law to allow for a primary election.
However, the Nevada GOP preferred to hold a party-controlled caucus, using its own rules, and controlling its contest. The party also stated that only candidates who participated in the party-controlled contest could win delegates.
Gaza Ceasefire: Israel Calls For Total Victory
The call for a ceasefire, and negotiation between Israel, and Hamas, seem to have stalled. The plan for a cease-fire in Gaza and the release of hostages, which seemed to be on a positive track last week might have slowed down due to the demands made by Hamas, and the determination of Israel to put an end to Hamas operation in Gaza.
A draft put forward by Hamas, seen by the Reuters news agency listed these terms:
- Phase one: A 45-day pause in fighting during which all Israeli women hostages, males under 19, the elderly, and the sick would be exchanged for Palestinian women and children held in Israeli jails. Israeli forces would withdraw from populated areas of Gaza, and the reconstruction of hospitals and refugee camps would begin.
- Phase two: Remaining male Israeli hostages would be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners and Israeli forces leave Gaza completely.
- Phase three: Both sides would exchange remains and bodies.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the negotiation with the group "was not going anywhere" and described their terms as "bizarre." He also stated that "If Hamas will survive in Gaza, it's only a question of time, until the next massacre."
The negotiation is expected to continue on Thursday, as Egypt has called for both parties to show the needed flexibility needed to arrive at a cease-fire agreement.
The Prime Minister has also confirmed that Israeli forces have been given the green light to push into Rafah.
US Drone Kills Iran-Backed Militia Leader In Baghdad
A leader of Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah and two of his guards have been killed when the vehicle they were traveling in was targeted. The three occupants of the vehicle were killed.
According to the Pentagon, the leader was directly responsible for the attacks on American forces in the region, most recently, the drone attack that killed three US soldiers last month.
The attack on the militia leader was a precise strike on a moving target in the east of the Iraqi capital. This comes as a result of many attacks on American assets, and a constant bombing of ships within the region,
Shortly after this strike on Wednesday, groups within the region called for retaliatory attacks against the US. Harakat al Nujaba, another militia group in the region has promised "targeted retaliation", and that "these crimes will not go unpunished."
One of the victims of the drone strike has been identified as Abu Baqir al-Saadi, a senior commander in the Kataib Hezbollah.
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