Around 750 troops U.S. troops were ordered to deploy (Military Times) to Kuwait and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo delayed a trip (AP) to Ukraine in order to monitor the situation at the U.S. embassy compound in Baghdad, where protesters withdrew after storming its outer walls on Tuesday.
 
Many of the protesters were members of Iran-backed militias denouncing U.S. airstrikes on the Kata’ib Hezbollah militant group, and they withdrew (NYT) on militia leaders’ orders. The U.S. embassy announced that it has suspended consular operations. Though Washington has spent more than $1 trillion to cultivate an Iraqi government friendlier to its interests, some Iraqi security forces allowed protesters to reach the embassy.

Four air force pilots will begin training (Economic Times) in Russia this month for India’s first human spaceflight, planned for 2022, India’s space agency announced. India is also preparing for a new unmanned lunar mission next year.
 
This CFR Backgrounder looks at the growing number of countries attempting space exploration.
 
Afghanistan: At least twenty-six Afghan security personnel in the country’s northern provinces were killed (RFE/RL) in three different attacks claimed by the Taliban, officials said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced he would ask (Times of Israel) the country’s parliament for immunity from prosecution, and described corruption charges against him as politically motivated. The parliament is currently dissolved in the run-up to March 2 elections, and it could take months to decide on the request.

Former Prime Minister Umaro Sissoco Embalo won (DW) 53.55 percent of votes in a runoff presidential election, while Domingos Simoes Pereira, of the country’s ruling party, won 46.45 percent. Pereira alleged election fraud and said he would complain to the country’s Supreme Court.
 
CFR’s Africa in Transition blog looks at the stakes of Guinea-Bissau’s election.
 
Somalia: A court sentenced seven people (VOA) to death for membership in the militant group al-Shabab, including a man convicted of leading the group’s Mogadishu operations.
 
This CFR Backgrounder examines the security challenges Somalia faces from al-Shabab.

The Greens entered the country’s ruling coalition for the first time in an alliance (FT) with the conservative Austrian People’s Party. The Greens are expected to control an expanded environment ministry and four cabinet posts.
 
France: Union leaders vowed to continue (FT) nationwide strikes after President Emmanuel Macron said in a New Year’s Eve address that pension reform would proceed as originally planned.

The fight (NYT) in the northern state of Zacatecas was one of the deadliest in a Mexican prison in years.
 
Colombia: Bogota’s first female mayor, Claudia Lopez, pledged (AFP) to fight “racism, class distinctions, and xenophobia” during an address at her inauguration.

Laws that went into effect (NPR) yesterday include “red flag” permissions for judges to remove firearms from people deemed dangerous in Colorado, Hawaii, and Nevada. Other laws established protections for contract workers in California and protections against surprise medical bills in Texas.