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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 — REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
Ireland has formally joined South Africa’s genocide case against Israel, according to an International Court of Justice statement published yesterday. Megan Specia reports for the New York Times.
The United Arab Emirates has discussed the possibility of contributing to postwar efforts to rebuild Gaza but its conditions for involvement have yet to be met, a UAE official told CNN yesterday. Mostafa Salem and Tareq Al Hilou report.
Gaza aid supply is facing a “dangerous pattern of sabotage and deliberate disruption,” U.N. humanitarian affairs chief Tom Fletcher said on Monday. Kelly Kasulis Cho reports for the Washington Post.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR — U.S. RESPONSE
President-elect Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, expressed optimism over ongoing Doha ceasefire and hostage negotiations yesterday, with Trump reiterating that “all hell will break out” if the hostages are not released by Inauguration Day. Gram Slattery reports for Reuters; Michael D. Shear and Michael Crowley report for the New York Times.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR
A Hamas official yesterday reiterated the group’s demand that Israel fully end its assault on Gaza in exchange for the release of the remaining hostages. James Mackenzie and Nidal Al-Mughrabi report for Reuters.
Israel has signed domestic deals worth around $275 million to produce its own heavy bombs and defense materials and reduce reliance on imports, the Defense Ministry announced yesterday. The Washington Post reports.
Israeli forces killed at least three Palestinian militants in the occupied West Bank yesterday, the Israeli military said. Maytaal Angel and Ali Sawafta report for Reuters.
The IDF on Monday said it is investigating reports of Israeli troops using an ambulance to enter a West Bank refugee camp last month. Emanuel Fabian reports for the Times of Israel.
SYRIA
Syria will “take its time” to organize a national dialogue conference to ensure all segments of the Syrian society are included, the country’s interim Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani said yesterday. Timour Azhari and Tuvan Gumrukcu report for Reuters.
SYRIA — REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
The EU could “swiftly” lift sanctions that obstruct the delivery of humanitarian aid and hinder Syria’s recovery, France’s foreign minister said today. John Irish reports for Reuters.
Qatar is planning to help finance a boost of Syrian public sector salaries, according to a U.S. official and a senior diplomat. Timour Azhari and Andrew Mills report for Reuters.
Jordan and Syria will form a joint security committee to combat cross-border smuggling and prevent an Islamic State resurgence, the Jordanian foreign minister said yesterday. Nayera Abdallah, Tala Ramadan, and Suleiman Al-Khalidi report for Reuters.
U.S. FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Secretary of State Antony Blinken yesterday announced he determined that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group has committed genocide, crimes against humanity, and ethnic cleansing in Sudan. Blinken also said the United States will sanction the leader of RSF and seven UAE-based and RSF-owned companies. Declan Walsh reports for the New York Times.
Trump yesterday refused to rule out the use of military or economic coercion against Panama and NATO ally Denmark to force the sale of the Panama Canal and Greenland. Hannah Knowles and Cat Zakrzewski report for the Washington Post.
The Biden administration is negotiating the release of three Americans detained in Afghanistan in exchange for at least one high-profile Guantánamo Bay detainee with the Taliban, sources say. Alexander Ward and Brett Forrest report for the Wall Street Journal.
A Florida retiree, detained in Saudi Arabia over critical social media posts, was pressured to renounce his U.S. citizenship, becoming the latest of at least four dual Saudi-American citizens facing similar pressure from Riyadh, a U.S.-based human rights group said. Joshua Goodman and Ellen Knickmeyer report for AP News.
President Nicolas Maduro yesterday claimed two “high level” U.S. citizens have been arrested in Venezuela, without providing details or evidence of the arrests. Vivian Sequera reports for Reuters.
New State Department sanctions against the Maduro regime in Venezuela could be announced today, Axios’ Barak Ravid said on X.
The United States yesterday imposed sanctions on a senior Hungarian government official close to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán over alleged corruption while in office. Justin Spike and Datima Hussein report for AP News.
U.S. DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS
Meta yesterday announced it is ending its longstanding fact-checking program and some content restrictions in a sign of the company’s new priorities for the Trump presidency. Mike Isaac and Theodore Schleifer report for the New York Times.
The Washington Post yesterday laid off roughly 100 employees across its business division, suggesting financial trouble following the decision by its owner, Jeff Bezos, to block an endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris. Liam Reilly reports for CNN.
The Biden administration yesterday asked a federal appeals court to block the plea deal for the alleged 9/11 attacks’ mastermind, currently scheduled for Friday. Erin Tucker and Ellen Knickmeyer report for AP News.
Three senior Justice Department officials improperly shared details about a non-public investigation with the possible intention of influencing the 2020 election, the department’s internal watchdog found in a new report. Brad Heath and Sarah N. Lynch report for Reuters.
Rep. Barry Loudermilk’s (R-GA) investigation into the Jan. 6 Capitol attack will be formalized as a new committee. Annie Grayer reports for CNN.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams engaged in illegal activity beyond that outlined in his September indictment, federal prosecutors alleged in a Monday court filing. Joe Anuta and Jeff Coltin report for POLITICO.
An Army doctor yesterday pleaded guilty in a military court to sexually assaulting dozens of his patients, one of the largest such cases in U.S. military history. Kate Selig reports for the New York Times.
More than 80 NGOs signed a letter to the Congress and the incoming Trump administration opposing the imposition of U.S. sanctions on the International Criminal Court.
TRUMP LEGAL MATTERS
Judge Eileen Cannon yesterday temporarily blocked the release of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s final report on his two criminal investigations into the President-elect. Josh Gerstein and Kyle Cheney report for POLITICO.
GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS
South Korean authorities yesterday reissued an arrest warrant for the country’s impeached President Yoon Suk-Yeol, with investigators vowing they will execute the new warrant in a more robust manner. Gawon Bae, Yoonjung Seo, Simone McCarthy, and Lauren Said-Moorhouse report for CNN.
Former British special forces soldiers yesterday informed a public inquiry of concerns that U.K. forces murdered Afghans who posed no threat in raids against suspected Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan more than a decade ago. Michael Holden reports for Reuters.
The governments of Chad and Senegal yesterday criticized President Emmanuel Macron’s claim that some African leaders showed “ingratitude” for the deployment of French troops in the Sahel region. Nimi Princewill reports for CNN.
More than 5,600 people were reported killed and nearly 1,500 kidnapped in Haiti last year amid rampant gang violence, the U.N. Human Rights Office said yesterday. Evens Sanon reports for AP News.
PRESIDENTIAL TRANSITION AND NEW CONGRESS
Senate Democrats are forcing a delay in the confirmation hearing for Trump’s National Intelligence Director pick, Tulsi Gabbard, over her alleged failure to provide required vetting materials, sources say. Stephen Neukam and Stef W. Kight report for Axios.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
Trump yesterday indicated he sympathizes with the Russian position that Ukraine should not be part of NATO. Gram Slattery and Helen Reid report for Reuters.