Israeli authorities on Sunday began serving deportation notices to thousands of Eritrean and Sudanese migrants and asylum seekers, telling them that they have 60 days to leave the country for an unnamed African country, The Associated Press reports.
The details: Israel has given the migrants until the end of March to leave or face jail time, while offering $3,500 payments and free airfare. The deportation plan "sparked an unexpected backlash from liberal Israelis and their American Jewish allies who say Israel — established in the wake of the Holocaust — should never be turning away those in need," per the AP.
Israel has been using "unmarked drones, helicopters and jets" for the past two years in a secret air campaign on jihadists in the Sinai peninsula with the blessing of Egyptian President el-Sisi, the NY Times reports.
Why it matters: "The remarkable cooperation marks a new stage in the evolution of their singularly fraught relationship. Once enemies in three wars, then antagonists in an uneasy peace, Egypt and Israel are now secret allies in a covert war against a common foe," per the Times' David Kirkpatrick.
North Korea has been acquiring technology for nuclear and weapons programs through its Berlin embassy, Germany's head of intelligence says, reports AFP.
Why it matters: North Korea isn't slowing down efforts to build up its nuclear capabilities despite heavy UN-imposed sanctions and international warnings.
Vice President Pence, leading the White House delegation to the Winter Olympics in South Korea this week, plans to try to disrupt any normalization of North Korea amid the feel-good setting of the games:
A Pence aide told me: "The Vice President will remind the world that everything the North Koreans do at the Olympics is a charade to cover up the fact that they are the most tyrannical and oppressive regime on the planet."
We've been fielding questions lately about a proposal reportedly under discussion within the Trump national security team for a “bloody nose” strategy on North Korea. I haven’t taken this idea as seriously as I should. Let’s fix that now:
What is the bloody nose strategy? It’s a proposal to respond to a future North Korean missile test or other provocative act with a carefully targeted attack on a North Korean military facility.
