1 Iran Claims It Shot Down US Drone
Iranian media claims the Revolutionary Guard has shot down a U.S. drone. Iran's state run news agency identified the so-called “spy drone” as a Global Hawk surveillance aircraft that was flying off the coast of southern Iran. Tensions between the U.S. and Iran have been strained in the past few weeks over what the U.S. claims is Iranian aggression. The U.S. military has blamed Iran for attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman last week. Iran has denied those accusations. Not so, says the United States. "There was no drone over Iranian territory," US Central Command spokesman Captain Bill Urban tells the Associated Press. He declined further comment. Other sources say the aircraft was over international waters at the time of the incident.
2 UN Releases Report On Khashoggi Killing
Following an investigation, the United Nations has found that “Washington Post” journalist Jamal Khashoggi was targeted by a "deliberate, premeditated execution." And whom do they lay that charge at the feet of? The Saudis. Specifically, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. UN rights investigator Agnes Callamard led an international inquiry into last October’s murder at the Saudi consulate in Turkey and in her report, Callamard finds “credible evidence” that points to a brutal crime "planned and perpetrated" by Saudi officials. To date, Khashoggi's remains have not been found, but Callamard says she and her team had access to "chilling and gruesome audio materials" of his death, which were obtained by Turkish intelligence. While the report does not come to conclusions about guilt, it recommends further investigation into criminal responsibility. Saudi officials have denied the accusations.
3 Hope Hicks Testifies...Sort Of
Former White House Communications Director Hope Hicks was back on Capitol Hill to testify before the House Judiciary Committee. Thing is? The closed session didn’t yield much. In fact, lawmakers claimed Hicks has refused to answer any questions about the Trump White House. White House counsel Pat Cipollone has asserted that Hicks was not legally required to provide testimony regarding her time working in the White House – and as the White House has directed her to keep quiet…she is. House Democrats had planned to focus their questions on what they say are five crimes of obstruction of justice established in the Mueller Report against Trump. Word is, Hicks wouldn’t even answer a question about where her office was located. Meanwhile, President Trump is less than thrilled about the investigations in the Democratic-controlled House. Trump has taken to Twitter to say that Dems have been putting "wonderful Hope Hicks through hell" and called it "so sad."