Signup to receive the Early Edition in your inbox here.
A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the past 24 hours. Here’s today’s news:
SOUTH KOREA MARTIAL LAW CRISIS
In an extraordinary night of tumult, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol yesterday declared martial law and then backed down hours later, following hours of protests in Seoul and the National Assembly passing a resolution demanding an end to martial law. Choe Sang-Hun, John Yoon, Jin Yu Young, and Thomas Fuller report for the New York Times.
South Korea’s opposition parties today submitted a motion to impeach Yoon over his attempt to impose martial law, which could be put to vote as early as Friday. Hyung-Jin Kim and Kim Tong-Hyung report for AP News.
Yoon’s chaotic martial law announcement prompted swift diplomatic fallout, with Sweden’s prime minister announcing he would skip a planned visit and the United States indefinitely postponing meetings of the Nuclear Consultative Group, a signature Yoon effort. Josh Smith reports for Reuters.
ISRAEL-HEZBOLLAH CEASEFIRE
Israel yesterday threatened to return to war in Lebanon if the Hezbollah truce collapses, with Defense Minister Israel Katz suggesting Israel will “no longer separate the state of Lebanon from Hezbollah” if fighting resumes. Laila Bassam, Maya Gebeily, and Steven Scheer report for Reuters.
An Israeli strike killed one person in Lebanon yesterday, further rattling the tenuous ceasefire. The IDF also said it killed a senior Hezbollah member in a Syria airstrike yesterday. Sally Abou Aljoud and Bassam Hatoum report for AP News.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR
Fatah and Hamas are closing in on an agreement on who will administer Gaza after the war, Palestinian officials said, with deal hinging on the appointment of a committee of politically independent technocrats that would effectively end Hamas’ rule. Samy Magdy and Josef Federman report for AP News.
A Hamas official yesterday blamed Israel for the lack of a ceasefire and hostage release agreement, after President-elect Trump warned of “hell to pay” if the group does not release the remaining hostages before his inauguration. Annabelle Timsit reports for the Washington Post.
Israeli tanks advanced further into southern Gaza today, a day after issuing new evacuation orders. Palestinian medics said Israeli airstrikes killed at least 20 people across the strip. Nidal al-Mughrabi reports for Reuters.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR — U.S. RESPONSE
State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel yesterday urged Israel to investigate allegations of its airstrikes in Gaza killing aid workers. Daphne Psaledakis, Ismail Shakil, and Simon Lewis report for Reuters.
SYRIA’S REBEL OFFENSIVE
Syrian insurgents are advancing on the city of Hama after capturing Aleppo and threatening to siphon government forces from a critical Aleppo-Damascus route, according to an independent war monitor assessment. Oliver Holmes and Patrick Wintour report for the Guardian.
Health services in Idlib are “no longer functioning” following a series of airstrikes on key hospitals, doctors say. It comes as the regime has intensified strikes on the city over the past week. Kaamil Ahmed reports for the Guardian.
SYRIA’S REBEL OFFENSIVE — INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
Russia and the United States clashed over the sudden escalation in fighting in Syria at yesterday’s U.N. Security Council meeting, with each side accusing the other of supporting terrorism. Michelle Nichols reports for Reuters.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
President Vladimir Putin and senior Kremlin officials “intentionally and directly” authorized a program of coerced fostering and adoption of Ukrainian children, a Yale University report released yesterday suggests. Carlotta Gall reports for the New York Times.
The Biden administration is trying to put Kyiv “in the strongest possible position” before Biden’s term ends, national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in a statement on the $725 million security assistance package. Nikki Carvajal and Jennifer Hansler report for CNN.
Trump’s advisers are floating proposals to end the Ukraine war that would cede large parts of the country to Russia, according to Reuters. Gram Slattery and Jonathan Landay report.
OTHER GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS
Shelling by Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) struck the famine-stricken Zamzam refugee camp on Sunday and Monday, according to volunteers and Médecins Sans Frontières. The RSF denied attacking the camp. Nafisa Eltahir, Maggie Michael, and Khalid Abdelaziz report for Reuters..
“Serious problems” are hampering the U.N. World Food Program’s response to the Sudan crisis, including an inability to scale up its operations, missed funding opportunities, and “anti-fraud challenges,” a recent internal report said. Giulia Paravicini reports for Reuters.
Fighting between the M23 rebel group and the Congolese army resumed on Monday in eastern Congo, casting doubt on whether the regional ceasefire will hold. Djaffar Al Katanty reports for Reuters.
The U.N. Human Rights Council has launched an investigation into allegations of electoral fraud in Venezuela. Joshua Goodman reports for AP News.
Namibia elected its first female president yesterday in a disputed election, with opposition parties rejecting the results and vowing to challenge them in court. Rachel Savage reports for the Guardian.
An Israeli court yesterday ordered Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to testify in his long-running corruption trial, after a series of delays. AP News reports.
U.S. FOREIGN AFFAIRS
U.S. officials, lawmakers, and human rights advocates are “increasingly frustrated” over Biden “effectively letting the [United Arab Emirates] off the hook” despite its alleged role in helping arm and fund Sudan’s RSF, with Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA) urging Biden on Monday to address the matter. Separately, Jacobs and Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) yesterday introduced legislation aiming to sanction Sudan’s civil war leaders and prohibit U.S. weapons sales to countries fueling the conflict. Robbie Gramer and Eric Bazail-Eimil report for POLITICO; Patricia Zengerle and Reade Levinson report for Reuters.
The Chinese government yesterday banned the sale to the United States of several materials crucial for producing semiconductors and EV batteries, a day after condemning Washington’s introduction of fresh export controls on U.S.-made semiconductors. Juliana Liu and Sean Lyngaas report for CNN.
U.S. PRESIDENTIAL TRANSITION AND NEW CONGRESS
Trump’s transition team yesterday signed an agreement to allow the Justice Department to conduct background checks on his nominees and appointees. Zeke Miller reports for AP News.
Trump’s pick to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration, Chad Chronister, yesterday withdrew from consideration for the post. Justine McDaniel, David Ovalle, and Marianne LeVine report for the Washington Post.
Trump is considering nominating Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as a possible replacement for Pete Hegseth as his Defense Secretary pick, sources say. Alex Leary reports for the Wall Street Journal.
Kash Patel, Trump’s pick to run the FBI, was recently informed he had been targeted as part of an Iranian hack, sources told CNN. Kristen Holmes, Evan Perez, and Holmes Lybrand report.
U.S. ELECTIONS
Democrats won the final uncalled House race yesterday, with challenger Adam Gray ousting Rep. John Duarte (R-CA) to give Democrats 215 to Republicans’ 220 seats. Andrew Solender reports for Axios.
TRUMP LEGAL MATTERS
Trump’s lawyers yesterday urged the judge presiding over his conviction for falsifying business records to dismiss the indictment against him, arguing Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg engaged in “precisely the type of political theater” Biden cited when pardoning his son. Adam Reiss, Dareh Gregorian, and Laura Jarrett report for NBC News.
U.S. DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA), a staunch Biden ally, yesterday criticized Biden’s decision to pardon his son, telling POLITICO he was “disappointed” by the move and does not support it. Christopher Cadelago reports.
U.S. officials yesterday said they have not been able to expel Chinese government hackers from telecommunications companies to date and urged telecom companies to boost their network security. Joseph Menn and Cate Cadell report for the Washington Post; David Klepper reports for AP News.
A Chinese national living unlawfully in Ontario, California, was arrested yesterday for allegedly sending weapons and ammunition to North Korea, local prosecutors announced. Rebecca Falconer reports for Axios.