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A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the past 24 hours. Here’s today’s news:
SYRIA
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday said that Israeli troops will remain in Syria “until another arrangement is found that guarantees Israel’s security” while visiting the area over which Israel recently took control. Matthew Mpoke Bigg reports for the New York Times.
A ceasefire between Turkey and the U.S.-backed Syrian Defense Forces (SDF) around the city of Manbij has been extended until the end of this week, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said yesterday. Reuters reports.
Around 1 million refugees are expected to return to Syria in the first six months of 2025, a U.N. refugee agency official said yesterday. Emma Farge reports for Reuters.
SYRIA — U.S. AND INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
The U.N. Special Envoy for Syria yesterday warned that the conflict “has not ended” with Assad’s ouster, highlighting clashes between Turkish-backed and Kurdish groups in the north. France24 reports.
The United States is engaging with the U.N. to ensure “the Syrian people get answers and accountability” over atrocities committed by the Assad regime, spokesperson Miller said yesterday. Daphne Psaledakis and Simon Lewis report for Reuters.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
Russia today said it detained an Uzbek national over the killing of a senior Russian general and his assistant in Moscow, claiming the suspect was acting on the instructions of Ukraine’s security service. Separately, the Russian foreign ministry today said it will raise the killing during the next U.N. Security Council meeting. Anna Chernova, Christian Edwards, and Edward Szekeres report for CNN; the Guardian reports.
A “couple hundred” North Korean troops have been killed or wounded while battling Ukrainian forces in Kursk, a senior U.S. military official said yesterday. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s top commander said Moscow is intensifying its attacks in the region. Lolita C. Baldor reports for AP News; Yuliia Dysa, Olena Harmash, and Ron Popeski report for Reuters.
The possible deployment of foreign peacekeeping troops in Ukraine could be raised today during a meeting of European leaders, Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. Andriy Perun, Yuliia Dysa, Barbara Erling, and Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk report for Reuters.
Russia’s foreign ministry today claimed Ukraine repeatedly dropped white phosphorus munitions from drones in September. The Guardian reports.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR — U.S. AND INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
The Biden administration is unlikely to spend all of the remaining Ukraine military aid funds before the Trump administration begins, a senior Defense Department official said yesterday. Helene Cooper reports for the New York Times.
President-elect Trump’s incoming Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, will travel to Kyiv and several other European capitals in early January, sources say. Gram Slattery reports for Reuters.
NATO has taken over coordinating Western military aid to Ukraine from the United States, a source said yesterday. Sabine Siebold reports for Reuters.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR
Hamas yesterday said a Gaza hostage and ceasefire agreement is “possible” and that the talks are “positive.” Separately, a Palestinian official said the negotiations are in a “decisive and final phase,” though an Israeli source cautioned that a deal was still potentially weeks away. Jeremy Diamond, Abeer Salman, Alex Marquardt, Becky Anderson, Kareem Khadder, and Eugenia Yosef report for CNN; Yolande Knell and Rushdi Aboualouf report for BBC News.
Israeli airstrikes killed at least 20 people across Gaza yesterday, the Hamas-run health ministry said. Nidal Al-Mughrabi reports for Reuters.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR — U.S. AND INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
A group of Palestinians and their American relatives yesterday filed a lawsuit accusing the U.S. State Department of creating loopholes for Israel in a 1997 law prohibiting the United States from providing military support when there is credible evidence of gross human rights abuses. Ellen Knickmeyer reports for AP News.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar yesterday criticized his Australian counterpart over what he claimed was Australia “distancing itself from Israel in its most difficult year.” Sarah Basford Canales reports for the Guardian.
U.S. FOREIGN AFFAIRS
The United States yesterday imposed sanctions on two people and one United Arab Emirates-based entity over alleged involvement in a North Korean money laundering network. Daphne Psaledakis, Doina Chiacu, and Raphael Satter report for Reuters.
U.S. PRESIDENTIAL TRANSITION AND NEW CONGRESS
The electoral college yesterday elected Trump to be the 47th United States president. Amy Gardner reports for the Washington Post.
Rep. Mark Green (R-TN) yesterday said he expects the revival of a Justice Department program focused on fighting Chinese espionage and intellectual property theft once Trump returns to office. David Brunnstrom and Michael Martina report for Reuters.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) on Monday asked Trump for clear and transparent conflict-of-interest rules for Elon Musk during his tenure in the incoming Trump administration. Michael Scherer reports for the Washington Post.
OTHER U.S. DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS
Luigi Mangione yesterday was indicted on a count murder in the first degree “in furtherance of terrorism” over the UnitedHealthcare’s CEO shooting, with prosecutors saying his actions “intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population” and “affect the conduct of a unit of government by murder.” Hurubie Meko reports for the New York Times.
The Pentagon announced three Guantanamo detainees have been repatriated, two to Malaysia and one to Kenya, reducing the remaining number of detainees to 27. Karen DeYoung reports for the Washington Post.
Elon Musk and SpaceX face at least three federal reviews following repeated failures to comply with disclosure protocols intended to protect state secrets, sources say. Kirsten Grind, Eric Lipton, and Sheera Frenkel report for the New York Times.
Former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) should be investigated over allegedly tampering with the House Jan. 6 committee witnesses, House Republicans said in a report released yesterday. Rebecca Beitsch reports for The Hill.
A judge yesterday refused to narrow New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ corruption indictment in response to the mayor’s attempt to get a bribery charge dismissed. Luc Cohen reports for Reuters.
The Biden administration wants Congress to pass legislation increasing federal, state, and local governments’ authority to address drone flights in U.S. airspace, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said yesterday, adding that the White House’s assessment indicates the East Coast flights are lawful and there is no known national security threat. Rebecca Shabad and Caroline Kenny report for NBC News.
The archivist and deputy archivist of the United States issued a rare joint statement yesterday saying the Equal Rights Amendment cannot be certified without further action by Congress or the courts following Democrats’ urging President Biden to unilaterally ratify it. Zeke Miller reports for AP News.
The U.S. government will pay nearly $116 million to settle lawsuits brought by 103 women over rampant sexual abuse at a California women’s prison. Michael R. Sisak and Michael Balsamo report for AP News.
OTHER GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps now control up to half of Iran’s oil exports, the country’s principal connection to the global economy, Western officials, security sources, and Iranian insiders say. Jonathan Saul and Parisa Hafezi report for Reuters.
The EU’s executive body yesterday opened a formal investigation into TikTok over “serious indications” of foreign interference in the recent Romanian presidential election connected to the platform. Alex Loftus reports for BBC News.
A top U.N. official yesterday pushed Security Council members and Iran to urgently work to restore a 2015 deal that lifted sanctions on Tehran in return for restrictions on its nuclear program. Michelle Nichols reports for Reuters.