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A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the past 24 hours. Here’s today’s news:
SYRIA
The Syrian Presidency’s Telegram account released a statement purportedly from former President Bashar al-Assad yesterday claiming his departure was unplanned and occurred at Moscow’s request. Nadeen Ebrahim and Lauren Kent report for CNN.
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) leader Ahmed al-Shara yesterday said that Syria’s rebel factions will be “disbanded,” with “the fighters trained to join the ranks of the defence ministry.” Separately, the northeastern Kurdish-led administration called for unity with the rebel-led government and an end to all military operations. France24 reports; Euan Ward reports for the New York Times.
Turkey and allied militias are building up forces along the Syrian border, raising concerns about a potential incursion into SDF-held territory, senior U.S. officials said. Lara Seligman and Alexander Ward report for the Wall Street Journal.
Al-Shara yesterday urged the United States and other nations to remove sanctions on Syria to allow the country to rebuild. Ben Hubbard, Matthew Mpoke Bigg, and Thomas Fuller report for the New York Times.
Russia has begun a large-scale withdrawal of military equipment and troops from Syria moving them to Libya, according to U.S. and western officials. Natasha Bertrand and Avery Schmitz report for CNN.
The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) say U.S.-led mediation efforts have failed to secure a permanent truce with the Turkey-backed Syrian National Army. AP News reports.
U.S. airstrikes targeting the self-styled Islamic State’s camps in areas formerly controlled by the Assad regime and Russia killed 12 IS operatives, CENTCOM said yesterday. Eve Sampson reports for the New York Times.
A mass grave outside Damascus contains the bodies of at least 100,000 people killed by the Assad regime, the head of a U.S.-based Syrian advocacy group said yesterday. Jonathan Landay reports for Reuters.
SYRIA — INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
The head of the U.N. Syria mechanism (IIIM) today said he has written to the new authorities expressing a willingness to travel to Syria to secure evidence that could implicate the Assad regime’s top officials. Emma Farge reports for Reuters.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry yesterday said it is up to Syrians to determine their own future and called for an “inclusive” government to be created. Ron Popeski reports for Reuters.
The EU yesterday set out conditions for lifting sanctions on Syria, including guarantees from the interim government that they are preparing for a peaceful, inclusive political future. Lorne Cook reports for AP News.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
A bomb today killed the head of Russia’s radioactive, chemical, and biological defense forces in Moscow, Russian authorities said. An official with Ukraine’s security service said Kyiv was responsible and that the general, who Kyiv charged in absentia with the use of chemical weapons yesterday, was a legitimate target. Anton Troianovski and Constant Méheut report for the New York Times.
Washington has “indications” of North Korean troop casualties, the Pentagon said yesterday. Ukraine’s military intelligence agency said around 30 North Koreans were killed or wounded in Kursk over the weekend. Christy Cooney reports for BBC News; Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart report for Reuters.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR — U.S. AND INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
President-elect Trump yesterday suggested he may reverse President Biden’s decision to allow Ukraine to use U.S. weapons to strike deep into Russia. Colleen Long and Aamer Madhani report for AP News.
The United States and the EU yesterday imposed new sanctions on Russian and North Korean officials and entities linked to Russia’s Ukraine war effort. Timothy Gardner and Doina Chiacu report for Reuters; AP News reports.
The foreign ministers of several Western countries yesterday issued a joint statement condemning North Korea-Russia cooperation in Ukraine.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR
An Israeli negotiating team is in Doha to discuss the “remaining issues” on a Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal, an official said. Defense Minister Israel Katz yesterday said Israel and Hamas are the “closest” they have been to a deal since November 2023. Andrew Mills reports for Reuters; Peter Beaumont reports for the Guardian.
Israel will maintain “security control” over Gaza with “full freedom of action” after the end of the war, Katz said in a X post today. Reuters reports.
Israeli strikes killed at least 14 people in Gaza today, 10 of them in one house in Gaza City, medics said. Residents say Israel is also pushing deeper into Rafah, forcing families sheltering there to flee. Nidal al-Mughrabi reports for Reuters.
HOUTHI DEVELOPMENTS
The U.S. military conducted an airstrike yesterday on a Houthi command and control facility in Yemen, CENTCOM said. Eric Beech and Enas Alashray report for Reuters.
The Israeli military yesterday said it shot down a Houthi missile fired from Yemen. The militant group’s spokesperson said it was firing at a military target in Jaffa in central Israel. Reuters reports.
The United States is seeking global support to give the U.N. stronger powers to interdict ships heading for Houthi-controlled ports and is considering redesignating the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization (official list of current designations), the U.S. Special Envoy for Yemen said. Patrick Wintour reports for the Guardian.
U.S. FOREIGN AFFAIRS
The U.S. government yesterday deported drug lord Osiel Cardenas to Mexico, two federal officials said. Lizbeth Diaz reports for Reuters.
TRUMP LEGAL MATTERS
A New York judge yesterday denied Trump’s motion to throw out his hush money felony conviction, ruling that it is not negated by presidential immunity. Shayna Jacobs reports for the Washington Post.
U.S. PRESIDENTIAL TRANSITION AND NEW CONGRESS
Trump transition teams yesterday arrived at the Homeland Security, State, and Defense departments, beginning the government hand-off preparation process. Isaac Arnsdorf reports for the Washington Post.
Trump said he will consider pardoning New York City Mayor Eric Adams if he is convicted in his federal corruption trial. Gregory Krieg and Gloria Pazmino report for CNN.
OTHER U.S. DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS
The Biden administration is moving to ban the few remaining U.S. operations of China Telecom, its first retaliatory step over China’s hack of U.S. networks. David E. Sanger reports for the New York Times.
Trump met with the head of TikTok yesterday afternoon, hours after the platform asked the Supreme Court to weigh in on a law requiring the platform to be sold. Kaitlan Collins, Devan Cole, and John Fritze report for CNN.
The Supreme Court yesterday declined to consider former Trump adviser Peter Navarro’s presidential email records case, leaving in place an order requiring Navarro to turn over the documents to the National Archives. John Fritze reports for CNN.
Two men have been arrested over leaking sensitive information to Iran in connection with a drone attack that killed three U.S. troops at a Jordan military base in January, the Justice Department said yesterday. Perry Stein and Dan Lamothe report for the Washington Post.
OTHER GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz yesterday lost a vote of confidence, triggering early elections set to take place on Feb. 23. Kate Brady reports for the Washington Post.
France’s National Assembly yesterday approved a stopgap budget law to prevent a government shutdown. Benoit Van Overstraeten reports for Reuters.
A senior Russian military commander yesterday said Moscow is boosting its ballistic arsenal with new systems and maximum-range launch plans, adding that Moscow and Washington will continue to give each other a 24-hour warning of planned test launches. Lidia Kelly reports for Reuters.
Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militias are repeatedly raping and holding some women as sex slaves, Human Rights Watch said yesterday. Nafisa Eltahir reports for Reuters.