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A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the past 24 hours. Here’s today’s news:
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR
Israeli airstrikes killed at least 68 people across Gaza yesterday, including the head of the enclave’s police force and his deputy, according to the Hamas-run interior ministry. Israel said the deputy was the leader of Hamas security forces in southern Gaza. Nidal Al-Mughrabi and Clauda Tanios report for Reuters.
An Israeli delegation is expected to arrive in Doha today to continue negotiations on a Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal. Dana Karni and Mitchell McCluskey report for CNN.
U.N. officials say they are preparing to shutter the aid agency for Palestinians’ (UNRWA) operations in Gaza and the West Bank ahead of the Israeli ban on cooperation with the agency coming into force later this month. Jack Nicas reports for the New York Times.
An Israeli hostage held by Gaza’s Islamic Jihad militant group has tried to take his own life and was prevented from dying by a medical team, the group’s spokesperson claimed yesterday. Clauda Tanios reports for Reuters.
GLOBAL AFFAIRS
South Korean investigators today halted their efforts to detain the country’s impeached President Yoon Suk-Yeol following a scuffle and a hours-long standoff between Yoon’s presidential security service and law enforcement officials. Michelle Ye Hee Lee reports for the Washington Post.
Italy yesterday summoned Iran’s ambassador to demand the release of an Italian journalist detained in December, as Iran demanded Italy free an Iranian citizen arrested on a U.S. warrant over a Jordan drone attack that killed three American troops. Nicole Winfield reports for AP News.
Argentina yesterday said it filed a complaint against Venezuela with the International Criminal Court, alleging it “forcibly disappeared” a member of Argentina’s security forces. Venezuela’s attorney general denied the allegations, saying the man is “being processed before a relevant court.” Maximilian Heath reports for Reuters.
SYRIA
Israel’s military yesterday confirmed it raided and dismantled an underground missile production site in Syria in September, saying the site was backed by Iran and used to manufacture precision missiles for Hezbollah. James Mackenzie reports for Reuters.
The foreign ministers of Germany and France will meet Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) chief and Syria’s de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus today on behalf of the European Union, the ministries announced. Miranda Murray, John Irish, and Dominique Vidalon report for Reuters.
U.S. DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS
President Biden yesterday presented former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) and Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), the heads of the Jan. 6 House Committee, with the Presidential Citizens Medal. Maeve Reston reports for the Washington Post.
The Commerce Department yesterday said it was considering restricting or banning Chinese drones in the United States, citing the involvement of “foreign adversaries” in their manufacture and supply. Ana Swanson reports for the New York Times.
The Texas man who killed 14 people by driving a pickup truck into a New Orleans crowd on New Year’s Day likely acted alone, the FBI said yesterday. Justin Jouvenal, Lauren Weber, and Maria Sacchetti report for the Washington Post.
The suspect involved in the Wednesday explosion of a car at Las Vegas’ Trump hotel was an Army special operations soldier, military officials said yesterday. U.S. Army Special Operations Command said he was “on approved leave at the time of his death.” Paul McLeary and Jack Detsch report for POLITICO.
A Pennsylvania man who previously served in the U.S. Army was indicted on charges of attempting to support Hezbollah and making false statements to the FBI, the Justice Department said yesterday. Kanishka Singh reports for Reuters.
The FBI yesterday released new details of their investigation into the person believed to have placed pipe bombs in Washington D.C. before the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, in a bid to encourage tips that might help identify the suspect. Devlin Barrett and Alan Feuer report for the New York Times.
The federal courts will not refer Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to the Justice Department over alleged ethics law violations, the U.S. Judicial Conference said yesterday, citing the lack of clarity on whether it has the power to make a criminal referral regarding a Supreme Court justice. Lindsay Whitehurst reports for AP News.
Law enforcement agents yesterday raided the home of Jeffrey Maddrey, the former Chief of Department of New York City Police and Mayor Eric Adams’ top aide. Maddrey resigned last month after allegations he sexually assaulted a woman working for him. Joe Anuta and Jeff Coltin report for POLITICO.
A federal appeals court yesterday ruled the FCC lacked the authority to restore certain net neutrality rules last year, pointing to the Supreme Court’s June decision overturning Chevron deference when faced with legal ambiguity. Miranda Nazzaro reports for The Hill.
U.S. FOREIGN AFFAIRS
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan presented Biden with options for a potential U.S. attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities if Tehran moves toward a nuclear weapon in a meeting several weeks ago, sources say. Biden reportedly did not green-light such a response. According to another source, there are currently no active White House discussions about military action against Iran’s nuclear facilities. Barak Ravid reports for Axios.
China yesterday imposed trade controls on dozens of U.S. companies, including Raytheon, Boeing, and Lockheed Martin, in the latest escalation in the Beijing-Washington tit-for-tat over national security products. Alexandra Stevenson reports for the New York Times.
The U.S. State Department has approved a potential $3.64 billion sale of air-to-air missiles to Japan, the Pentagon announced yesterday. Ismail Shakil reports for Reuters.
HOUTHI DEVELOPMENTS
Israel intercepted a missile and a drone launched from Yemen early today, amid continuing Houthi rocket fire. AFP reports; Tia Goldberg reports for AP News.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico yesterday threatened to cut financial support for Ukrainian refugees and electricity supplies to Kyiv over Ukraine’s halt of Russian gas exports. Rob Cameron and Jack Burgess report for BBC News; Jan Lopatka reports for Reuters.
A Russian court ordered the internet company Yandex to stop displaying images of one of Russia’s largest oil refineries following repeated Ukrainian drone attacks on the facility, the state news agency reported today. Alexander Marrow reports for Reuters.