🇺🇸🇨🇩🇮🇱⚡- BREAKING: Blackwater founder Erik Prince deployed two Israeli-trained battalions to help the Congolese army, FARDC, retake Uvira, South Kivu region, from the M23 in mid-December, Reuters reports.

The report states Israeli advisors were present on the ground, but played an 'advisory role only'.

Uvira sits north of Lake Tangayaka, and was defended primarily by the Burundian army and the anti-M23 alliance known as Wazalendo. Uvira is just nine kilometers from Bujumbura, Burundi's largest city.

M23 seized the city in early December, with Washington threatening retaliation. In return, the M23 withdrew as a 'goodwill gesture'.

Reuters reports Erik Prince's Israeli-trained battalions could continue to act as a deterrent to the Rwandan-backed M23 forces.

Note, La Libre first noted "white mercenaries" operating in Uvira in early December. For instance, a video that was spread on social media showing Wazalendo factions fleeing, with a truck operated by a White individual following behind.

🇺🇸⚡️- Six men who were previously redacted have been named as Epstein co-conspirators by Congressmen Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna.

- Salvatore Nuara
- Zurab Mikeladze
- Leonic Leonov
- Nicola Caputo
- Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem
- Leslie Wexner

🇺🇸🇳🇬⚡- The US to deploy 200 troops to Nigeria to assist training the Nigerian military in combating Islamist terror groups.

🇨🇴⚡- "Colombian President Gustavo Petro says he survived an assassination attempt this week," - AFP.

🇾🇪⚡- The UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council of Yemen in exile announces it will not recognize the new Saudi-backed Yemeni Presidential Council, as it is "devoid of Southern Yemeni legitimacy."

🇺🇸⚡️- President Trump will meet with Rupert Murdoch, an ardent Zionist, tonight.

Murdoch’s dinner with Trump comes the day before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu comes to D.C. to advocate for aggressive action in Iran.

🇨🇦⚡️- A school shooting in British Columbia occurred earlier today. Reports suggest 7 dead, 25 injured. The shooter was found dead with a self-inflicted gunshot.

It is unclear at this time if the shooter was connected to any groups or what the motivations were outside of anti-social, nihilistic violence.

🇺🇸⚡️- US House votes against rule that would block lawmakers ability to bring up resolutions challenging Trump's tariff policies.

Thomas Massie, Kevin Kiley, and Don Bacon joined the Democrats in voting against the rule.

🇺🇸⚡️- President Trump rules out using reconciliation packages to pass new legislation claiming "we're gotten everything passed that we need."

This effectively means Trump will not pass any new legislation for the remainder of his Presidency as without reconciliation there are not enough votes in the Senate to pass partisan laws and Democrats will take control of the House after the November midterms.

🇺🇸⚡️- A person has been detained for questioning in connection with the kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie.

🇺🇸🇵🇸🇮🇱⚡- As part of the second phase of the 20-point Hamas-Israel ceasefire deal, the US has proposed a phased disarmament of Hamas, the New York Times reports.

The plan will see Hamas decommission all heavy weapons first, that are capable of striking Israel. Hamas would be allowed to keep small arms temporarily, but must have them registered and later handed over. US envoys Witkoff and Kushner are expected to present the phased disarmament proposal to Hamas and the mediators soon.

🇺🇸🇨🇳⚡- "The US is using offtake deals and state-backed funding to compete in the short term with China in securing supplies of African copper, cobalt and other critical minerals.

Washington's focus is on Zambia, Guinea and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The latter accounts for more than 70% of global cobalt supplies and produced some 3.3 million metric tons of copper in 2024," - Reuters.

🇺🇸⚡- NOTAM issued over El Paso, Texas, that is set to last 10 days.

The Federal Aviation Administration has grounded all commercial and passenger aircraft. The airspace is defined as "national defense airspace," with the NOTAM stating "pilots who do not adhere to the following may be intercepted and detained."

🇺🇸⚡️- The person detained in connection with the kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie has been released.

🇺🇸⚡️- “Important context: the El Paso TFR is not like the 9/11 nationwide airspace shutdown. DC & NY restrictions were created later. A ban on all flights over a U.S. city—including medevac and police helicopters—has no modern precedent.” - CNN.

🇺🇸⚡️- Congress was not notified of the airspace closure ahead of time.

🇻🇪🇮🇱⚡- The Venezuelan government denies the Bloomberg article of sending its first ever shipment of oil to Israel. Caracas calls the Bloomberg report "fake news."

🇺🇸⚡️- "The temporary closure of airspace over El Paso has been lifted. There is no threat to commercial aviation. All flights will resume as normal." - FAA.

🇺🇸🇲🇽⚡- "Mexican cartel drones breached US airspace. Pentagon took action to disable the drones," - A US official tells Reuters.

🇺🇸⚡- "Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (D-TX) says her office is not aware of any threat to the El Paso area and was not notified prior to operations at El Paso airport being halted by the Feds for 10 days," - Fox News.