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A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the past 24 hours. Here’s today’s news:
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ACTIONS
A federal judge in Seattle yesterday temporarily blocked Trump’s executive order to end citizenship for children born on U.S. soil, describing the measure as “blatantly unconstitutional.” Mike Baker and Mattathias Schwartz report for the New York Times.
A dozen Democratic Attorneys General yesterday said they would sue the Trump administration if the Justice Department attempts to enforce its recent directive requiring some local law enforcement to participate in federal immigration crackdowns. Madison Fernandez reports for POLITICO.
The Trump administration has given Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials expansive powers to quickly deport migrants who were allowed into the country temporarily under Biden-era programs, according to an internal memorandum seen by the New York Times. Hamed Aleaziz reports.
The Trump administration is moving to abolish the Pentagon’s Civilian Protection Center of Excellence, established in 2023 to help the military limit unintended civilian deaths in battlefield operations, a memorandum dated Monday shows. Meg Kelly, Alex Horton, and Missy Ryan report for the Washington Post.
Trump revoked security protection for his former secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, and a former top aide, Brian Hook, despite warnings that both men face ongoing threats from Iran, sources said yesterday. Maggie Haberman reports for the New York Times.
Trump yesterday signed an executive order to review all action taken under former president Biden’s 2023 AI executive order, which Trump rescinded Monday. Matt O’Brien and Sarah Parvini report for AP News.
Trump yesterday pardoned 23 people who were convicted of blocking access to reproductive health clinics. Salvador Rizzo reports for the Washington Post.
The Justice Department on Wednesday revoked recent job offers for young lawyers to work for the Attorney General’s Honors Program, a long-standing program aiming to recruit top law school graduates into the public sector. Perry Stein and Ann E. Marimow report for the Washington Post.
Trump yesterday signed an executive order to release files related to the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr. Alejandra Jaramillo and Kevin Liptak report for CNN.
SENATE AND CONGRESSIONAL ACTIONS
The Senate yesterday voted 74-25 to confirm John Ratcliffe to serve as CIA director. Maegan Vazquez reports for the Washington Post.
The confirmation hearing of Trump’s pick for FBI Director, Kash Patel, has been scheduled for Thursday Jan. 30. POLITICO’s Kyle Cheney reports.
The Senate yesterday voted 51 to 49 to advance Pete Hegseth’s candidacy for Defense Secretary toward a full confirmation vote, expected to take place late today. Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Susan Collins (R-ME) joined Senate Democrats in voting against allowing the nomination to proceed. Abigail Hauslohner, Jonathan O’Connell, and Liz Goodwin report for the Washington Post.
Hegseth paid $50,000 to the woman who accused him of sexual assault in 2017, according to answers he provided to Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s (D-MA) questions during his confirmation process. Tara Copp reports for AP News.
House Speaker Mike Johnson’s aide advised Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA) against subpoenaing former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson during his Jan. 6 Capitol attack investigation to prevent the release of sexually explicit texts that lawmakers sent her, according to written correspondence reviewed by the Washington Post.
The House yesterday passed legislation that could subject certain doctors to criminal penalties if they perform abortions. The measure appears doomed in the Senate, where Democrats blocked a similar bill on Wednesday. Annie Karni reports for the New York Times.
OTHER DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS
Louisville and Minneapolis city leaders yesterday pledged to implement the police reform agreements struck with the Biden administration even if the Justice Department backs out under Trump. Omar Jimenez and Devan Cole report for CNN.
The prosecution in the 9/11 case yesterday asked the military judge to suspend the proceedings until April to allow the Trump administration time to get cabinet secretaries in place and familiar with the case’s plea deal. Carol Rosenberg reports for the New York Times.
A police officer was sentenced to over 16 years in prison for killing a man during a 2019 attempted arrest, the first conviction under a Washington State law that makes it easier to prosecute police officers for using deadly force. Sara Ruberg reports for the New York Times.
Georgia yesterday asked a federal appeals court to tighten its interpretation of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, a move federal government lawyers have said could make it much harder to prove minority votes have been illegally diluted. Jeff Amy reports for AP News.
U.S FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s philanthropic body yesterday said it will provide funding to cover the United States’ contribution to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change following Trump’s announcement that he is ending international climate funding. Valerie Volcovici reports for Reuters.
The United States will leave the World Health Organization on Jan. 22, 2026, the United Nations said yesterday, confirming receipt of Washington’s formal letter of withdrawal. Michelle Nichols reports for Reuters.
Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) yesterday introduced a resolution “calling on the Government of Panama” to cut its ties with China. Though the resolution will not compel action, Schmitt said he hopes it shows Congress’ commitment to Trump’s foreign policy goals. Abigail Hauslohner and Karen DeYoung report for the Washington Post.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR
Clashes between Hamas and organized looters temporarily interrupted the influx of aid to southern Gaza late on Wednesday, according to residents, transport workers and video footage of the gunfight. Claire Parker, Heba Farouk Mahfouz, Hajar Harb, and Adam Taylor report for the Washington Post.
U.S. security contractors will help secure the return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza by screening returning Gazan vehicles for weapons, U.S. officials said. It is not yet clear when the mechanism will be put into effect. Patrick Kingsley, Ronen Bergman, and Aaron Boxerman report for the New York Times.
An Israeli tank killed two Palestinians near Gaza’s Rafah yesterday, the Gaza Civil Defense said. Nidal Al-Mughrabi reports for Reuters.
Palestinians in north Gaza are readying tent encampments for displaced families set to return to their home areas on Saturday following the expected release of the second round of Israeli hostages. Nidal Al-Mughrabi, Mahmoud Issa, and Dawoud Abu Alkas report for Reuters.
Funding shortages may impede the U.N.’s ability to hit ceasefire aid supply targets in Gaza, the U.N.’s Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territories told Reuters yesterday. Emma Farge reports.
ISRAEL-HEZBOLLAH CEASEFIRE
The Israeli government has told the Trump administration it wants to keep its military positions in southern Lebanon for at least 30 days past the Sunday withdrawal deadline, according to an Israeli official. Hezbollah said yesterday that the IDF’s continued presence would be a “brazen breach of the [ceasefire] agreement.” Mick Krever and Jeremy Diamond report for CNN.
SYRIA
Syria’s central bank yesterday ordered commercial banks to freeze all accounts linked to former President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, according to a document seen by Reuters. Riham Alkoussa and Timour Azhari report.
Syria’s new authorities are using Islamic teachings to “instill a sense of morality” in the country’s fledgling police force, five senior police officers said. Analysts say the move risks sowing new tensions in the diverse country and alienating foreign governments. Amina Ismail and Khalil Ashawi report for Reuters.
Two Russian ships linked to Moscow’s military have docked at the Kremlin’s naval base on the Syrian coast at Tartous, which analysts say may indicate the anticipated evacuation of the facility has begun. Nick Eardley and Matt Murphy report for BBC News.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
North Korea is preparing to send additional troops to Russia after suffering heavy casualties, South Korea’s military said today. Hyung-Jin Kim reports for AP News.
Hundreds of North Korean weapons are flooding into Russia to aid Moscow’s war effort in Ukraine, according to the head of Kyiv’s Defense Intelligence Directorate. Serhii Korolchuk reports for the Washington Post.
Russia’s Defense Ministry today claimed it repelled a “massive” overnight Ukrainian drone attack. Ukraine said its attacks hit an oil refinery and a microelectronics plant. Andrew Osborn and Ronald Popeski report for Reuters.
OTHER GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS
Hundreds of residents in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin left their homes yesterday, prompted by messages from drones fitted with loudspeakers, according to witnesses. The Israel military denied it told residents to leave, stating that it “enable[d] any resident who chooses to exit from the area to do so via secure and organised routes.” Ali Sawafta and James Mackenzie report for Reuters.
Rwanda-backed M23 rebels are closing in on the Congolese capital city of Goma, an acute escalation in a conflict that has pitted the country against its neighbor Rwanda. The group previously captured the city and held it for two weeks in 2012, but withdrew following strong international pressure. Ruth Maclean and Elian Peltier report for the New York Times.
The Taliban today rejected the ICC’s move to arrest two of their top officials for persecuting women, stating the accusation was “baseless.” AP News reports.
Italy’s interior minister yesterday said the country repatriated a Libyan warlord sought by the International Criminal Court due to “security concerns.” The ICC yesterday demanded answers on why Italy had freed the man. AP News reports.
A Russian man was sentenced to 17 years in prison for passing classified information to a U.S. intelligence agency representative, the TASS state news agency reported yesterday. Reuters reports.
The Iraqi parliament yesterday passed an amnesty law that could lead to the release of prisoners convicted of attacks on U.S. soldiers and people who fought for Islamic State, according to the copy of the law seen by Reuters.