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Russia-Ukraine war 

Moscow has rejected a peace plan offered by Ukraine, saying it must include Kiev’s recognition of the four regions annexed by Russia. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there can be no peace plan until Kiev takes into account what he called the realities of the four regions. He was referring to the regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, that Russia annexed after a referendum vote in September. Ukrainian and its Western allies have rejected the referendum vote and Russia’s new territorial claims. The Ukrainian peace plan includes the withdrawal of Russian troops from its land. This would mean Moscow would have to give up the four regions as well as Crimea, which Russia also annexed through referendum in 2014. The Kremlin has expressed its openness to peace talks with Ukraine, but says it sees no willingness from Kiev to negotiate. 

Judaizing al-Quds

Israel has decided to go ahead with its plan to excavate an archaeological site in the town of Silwan, south of occupied al-Quds, despite warnings from Palestinian resistance groups. An Israeli settlers’ organization, known as The Zionist Association of Elad, says it has started carrying out excavations in Birkat al-Hamra. This is the area where the settlers discovered a tomb supposedly belonging to the midwife of Jesus Christ. The regime seized the historic site on Tuesday morning after raiding the area and assaulting residents in the neighborhood. Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has strongly condemned the seizure, calling it a new crime by Israeli settlers. The group says the move is aimed at Judaizing al-Quds and expelling its original inhabitants. Hamas has also called on the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to take action against the latest Israeli violation. 

US immigration policy 

In the US, the Supreme Court has ruled to keep in place for now a controversial pandemic-era border restriction order known as Title 42. It allows officials to expel migrants caught at the border with Mexico. The court accepted a petition by 19 Republican-ruled states that had warned of a surge of migrants if the policy was reversed as per a lower court’s ruling. The court said it would hear arguments on whether the states could intervene to defend Title 42 in its February session. The ruling comes as thousands of migrants remain stranded at Mexico's northern border in the cold. The previous policy was due to end on December 21st and a lower court judge had ruled to invalidate the emergency public health order. However, President Joe Biden has sided with the apex court, saying his administration would heed the court's decision until a final ruling on the matter.

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