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A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the past 24 hours. Here’s today’s news:
U.S. ELECTIONS
President Biden yesterday conceded his party’s defeat, promising a smooth transition of power to President-elect Trump and expressing confidence in the U.S. electoral system. Matt Viser reports for the Washington Post.
Amid ongoing vote counts, Republicans appear on track to widen their Senate majority and retain their narrow hold on the House of Representatives. Andy Sullivan reports for Reuters.
Trump named Susie Wilkes, the de facto manager of his presidential campaign, as his White House chief of staff. Zeke Miller, Michelle L. Price, and Jill Colvin report for AP News.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken appointed Amb. Stephen Mull to coordinate the State Department transition to a new Trump administration, Spokesperson Matthew Miller said yesterday. Simon Lewis, David Ljunggren, and Daphne Psaledakis report for Reuters.
The U.S. military is committed to an orderly transition of power and ready to carry out “all lawful orders” of the incoming administration, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a memo released yesterday. Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart report for Reuters.
U.S. ELECTIONS — INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday congratulated Trump on winning the U.S. presidential election, saying that Moscow is ready for dialogue with the new administration. Vladimir Soldatkin and Guy Faulconbridge report for Reuters.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said yesterday he is re-establishing a Cabinet committee on Canada-U.S. relations to address concerns about the upcoming Trump presidency. Rob Gillies reports for AP News.
TRUMP LEGAL MATTERS
A lawyer involved in Trump’s transition planning yesterday defended Trump’s right to dictate the Justice Department’s actions. Josh Gerstein reports for POLITICO.
Chinese hackers tapped the cellphone of one of Trump’s lead attorneys during their wide-ranging operation targeting top U.S. political figures, sources say. Paula Reid, Kaitlan Collins, and Sean Lyngaas report for CNN.
OTHER U.S. DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS
The FBI is investigating a wave of “offensive and racist” text messages targeting Black people received across eleven states yesterday. Tim Balk and Erica L. Green report for the New York Times.
A federal judge in Texas yesterday struck down a Biden administration program providing a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrant spouses of U.S. citizens. Hamed Aleaziz report for the New York Times.
A federal judge in New York yesterday threatened Rudy Giuliani with contempt of court if he fails to turn over property to the two Georgia poll workers he defamed after the 2020 election by next week. Aaron Katersky reports for ABC News.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR
Israeli forces’ increased bombardment and new evacuation orders yesterday created a fresh wave of displacement from northern Gaza, with Palestinian officials accusing Israel of carrying out a plan of “ethnic cleansing.” Nidal Al-Mughrabi reports for Reuters.
The Israeli army has distanced itself from an IDF general’s suggestion that north Gaza evacuees will not be allowed to return, with a spokesperson saying the comments were taken out of context and did not “reflect the IDF’s objectives and values.” Bethan McKernan reports for the Guardian.
Israel’s ousted defense minister Yoav Gallant yesterday reportedly told hostages’ families that Netanyahu rejected a hostages-for-peace deal against the advice of security officials and that the IDF has achieved all its objectives in Gaza. Julian Borger reports for the Guardian.
An Israeli airstrike killed at least 27 people sheltering in a Gaza building, relief officials said. Separately, an Israeli strike at a refugee camp school building west of Gaza City killed at least four people. Mohammad Al Sawalhi, Ibrahim Dahman, Kareem Khadder, Eyad Kourdi, and Tim Lister report for CNN.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR — U.S. RESPONSE
The United States in the past week discussed establishing a channel for Washington to raise and discuss civilian harm incidents in Gaza, spokesperson Miller said yesterday. Daphne Psaledakis and Simon Lewis report for Reuters.
Israel has made some progress on getting aid into Gaza but more needs to be done, Defense Secretary Austin said yesterday. Idrees Ali reports for Reuters.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR — INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
Ireland intends to join South Africa’s International Court of Justice genocide case against Israel, Foreign Minister Michael Martin said yesterday. The Guardian reports.
ISRAEL-HEZBOLLAH WAR
An Israeli strike on a checkpoint in the city of Sidon yesterday killed three Lebanese citizens and injured six U.N. peacekeeping personnel, the Lebanese army and Malaysia said. According to the Lebanese health ministry, Israeli attacks on Lebanon killed at least 53 people in the last day. The Guardian reports; Clauda Tanios reports for Reuters.
Hezbollah will welcome any effort to stop the war in Lebanon but will wait for actions, not claims from the incoming Trump administration, a Hezbollah lawmaker said yesterday. Timour Azhari reports for Reuters.
ISRAEL-HEZBOLLAH WAR — INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
The U.N. cultural agency UNESCO said it will convene a meeting later this month to consider enhanced protection of Lebanese cultural sites amid Israeli bombardment. The Guardian reports.
HOUTHI DEVELOPMENTS
Yemen’s Houthi rebels early today shot down what bystanders described as an American drone. The U.S. military said it is investigating the incident. Jon Gambrell reports for AP News.
U.S. FOREIGN AFFAIRS
A U.S. citizen was arrested in Frankfurt yesterday over suspicions of acting as an intelligence agent for China, Germany’s federal prosecutor said. AP News reports.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy yesterday said North Korean troops suffered casualties in combat with Kyiv forces. Separately, Putin yesterday suggested that Russia could hold military drills with North Korea and that Ukraine must “remain neutral” for there to be a chance for peace. Yuliia Dysa reports for Reuters.
Germany will provide most of its $4.3 billion pledge to Ukraine even if the 2025 budget fails to be approved on time due to the collapse of Berlin’s governing coalition, budget committee sources said. Maria Martinez and Holger Hansen report for Reuters.
GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS
South Africa yesterday closed its border with Mozambique, citing escalating post-election violence in the country, as Mozambican police used tear gas in the capital Maputo during the biggest protest to date. Mogomotsi Magome reports for AP News.
At least 73 people in Sudan died of mysterious causes in a town besieged by the Rapid Support Forces, the Sudanese Doctors Union said on Wednesday. Khalid Abdelaziz and Nafisa Eltahir report for Reuters.
Myanmar’s Rakhine state could face an imminent acute famine amid ongoing conflict in the region, the U.N. development agency said in a report released yesterday. Edith M. Lederer reports for AP News.
International Criminal Court judges yesterday unsealed an arrest warrant for an alleged Central African Republic rebel accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity. AP News reports.
Nigeria’s military yesterday warned of a new insurgent group infiltrating the country’s northwest region from Niger and Mali. Camillus Eboh reports for Reuters.