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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
The White House budget office yesterday paused all federal grants, loans, and other “financial assistance” until at least mid-February, according to a memo sent to government agencies, which left the scope of the affected institutions unclear. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said the move “blatantly disobeys the law” in light of the Congress’ allocation of the funding. Chris Cameron reports for the New York Times.
Acting Attorney General James McHenry yesterday fired more than a dozen officials who worked on Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigations into President Trump, citing a lack of trust that the officials will “assist in faithfully implementing the President’s agenda.” Perry Stein reports for the Washington Post.
The U.S. Attorney for Washington D.C., Ed Martin, has opened an internal investigation into the DOJ’s use of an obstruction law to prosecute Jan. 6 Capitol attack rioters, saying its use was a “great failure” of the office, according to an email obtained by the New York Times. Alan Feuer and Eileen Sullivan report.
The State Department staff should observe the “spirit” of the Trump administration’s rollbacks of diversity initiatives in its public messaging, according to a directive that will likely prohibit the agency from openly observing Black History Month. Alexander Ward reports for the Wall Street Journal.
Trump yesterday fired all three Democrats on the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, bringing the board’s work to a standstill. Rebecca Beitsch reports for the Hill.
Trump yesterday issued an executive order calling for the Pentagon to adopt updated policies on the medical standards required for military service, citing the U.S. military’s “afflict[ion] with radical gender ideology to appease activists.” Dan Lamothe, Missy Ryan, and Alex Horton report for the Washington Post.
Trump’s firing of Inspectors General raises “an existential threat with respect to the primary independent oversight function,” Mark Grenblatt, the former Inspector General of the Interior Department, said yesterday. Charlie Savage reports for the New York Times.
U.S FOREIGN AFFAIRS
The Trump administration yesterday placed at least 56 senior USAID career officials on administrative leave after accusing the agency of trying to “circumvent” Trump’s order freezing all foreign aid. John Hudson and Jeff Stein report for the Washington Post; Ellen Knickmeyer and Matthew Lee report for AP News.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres yesterday called on the United States to consider additional exemptions to its foreign aid pause to “ensure continued delivery of critical development and humanitarian activities.” Michelle Nichols reports for Reuters.
The Colombians who the United States tried to deport by military flights on Sunday started traveling to the country yesterday by the nation’s own planes, the Colombian Ambassador to the U.S. said. The White House previously said Colombia agreed to all of Trump’s terms, including deportations being carried out by the U.S. military. Eric Martin reports for Bloomberg.
The World Bank Group yesterday warned its Colombian staff members not to exit or enter the United States following Trump’s imposition of a travel ban and visa restrictions on Colombians. Alan Rappeport reports for the New York Times.
The chief of the Centers for Disease Control issued a memo Sunday night directing U.S. public health officials to immediately stop working with the World Health Organization. Mike Stobbe reports for AP News.
Another U.S. deportation flight landed in Guatemala yesterday, U.S. officials confirmed. Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali report for Reuters.
Trump yesterday suggested that the United States could pay a “small fee” to foreign countries to imprison Americans who are repeat criminal offenders. Katherine Doyle reports for NBC News.
SENATE AND CONGRESSIONAL ACTIONS
House Oversight Chair Rep. James Comer (R-KY) yesterday launched an investigation into sanctuary cities, citing “their impact on public safety and the effectiveness of federal efforts to enforce the immigration law.” Hailey Fuchs reports for POLITICO.
The Senate yesterday voted 68-29 to confirm Scott Bessent as the new Treasury Secretary. Alan Rappeport reports for the New York Times.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR
Over 300,000 displaced Palestinians crossed into northern Gaza yesterday, Hamas said. Gerry Shih, Abbie Cheeseman, Hazem Balousha, Lior Soroka, and Shira Rubin report for the Washington Post.
Eight of the remaining 26 hostages due to be freed by Hamas are dead, Israel’s government spokesperson said yesterday, citing information received from Hamas and claiming the group had killed them. Hamas has not commented on their cause of death. Lauren Izso, Dana Karni, and Tim Lister report for CNN.
An Israeli airstrike killed two Palestinian militants in an occupied West Bank city of Tulkarm yesterday, Hamas said yesterday. The Israeli military said it struck a militant who served as Hamas’ local leader. Reuters reports.
The U.N. aid agency for Palestinians (UNRWA) is preparing to vacate its East Jerusalem office following Israel’s order to cease its operations in the city yesterday. Reuters reports.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has withdrawn a threat to quit the government over the Gaza ceasefire, Israeli media reported yesterday. Reuters reports.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR — INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
Israel’s conduct in Gaza has “resulted in deaths and injuries to pregnant women and girls,” Human Rights Watch found in a report released today. Sana Noor Haq and Ibrahim Dahman report for CNN.
The EU will restart a civilian mission monitoring the Rafah crossing, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas said yesterday. Reuters reports.
Palestinians “must not be expelled from Gaza,” the German foreign ministry said yesterday in response to Trump’s suggestion that Jordan and Egypt should take in more Gazans. Reuters reports.
ISRAEL-HEZBOLLAH CEASEFIRE
Israeli troops yesterday killed two Lebanese civilians attempting to enter the Israeli-occupied southern Lebanon and injured 17 others, Lebanon’s health ministry said. Following yesterday’s ceasefire extension, Israel now has until Feb 18. to withdraw from the territory. Euan Ward reports for the New York Times.
OTHER U.S. DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS
A federal judge yesterday reversed his order barring the founder of the far-right Oath Keepers militia and seven other members of the extremist group from entering Washington D.C. without court consent, stating that Trump’s commutations “can reasonably be read” as extinguishing the terms of their supervised release. Ella Lee reports for the Hill.
An Indiana deputy sheriff on Sunday shot and killed a man pardoned by Trump over his involvement in the Jan. 6 Capitol attack after he resisted arrest during a traffic stop, the state’s police department said yesterday. Michael Levenson reports for the New York Times.
A Quaker group yesterday sued the Department of Homeland Security over its policy allowing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to carry out arrests in “sensitive spaces” such as churches, alleging that the move threatens religious liberty protections. Laura Strickler reports for NBC News.
A transgender inmate on Sunday brought a suit challenging Trump’s order requiring the Prisons Bureau to house transgender women in U.S. prisons designated for men. Amy Harmon reports for the New York Times.
The Supreme Court yesterday said it will take on a case concerning a mistaken FBI raid, setting the stage for a review of the federal government’s broad immunity from being held liable for error. Justin Jouvenal reports for the Washington Post.
The Trump administration’s email distribution system for the entire federal workforce raises security concerns for workers’ data, two federal employees alleged in a lawsuit filed yesterday. Tierney Sneed reports for CNN.
SYRIA – INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
EU foreign ministers yesterday reached agreement on a roadmap for easing the bloc’s Syria sanctions, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced. Jeanna Smialek and Erika Solomon report for the New York Times.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
An escalating dispute between Ukraine’s defense minister and its head of weapons procurement is threatening to disrupt the country’s weapons supply. Constant Méheut reports for the New York Times.
The EU yesterday renewed its sanctions on Russia after Hungary released its hold on the measure in exchange for a declaration that the EU will continue talks on gas supply through Ukrainian pipelines with Kyiv. Julia Payne and Lili Bayer report for Reuters.
OTHER GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS
The International Criminal Court Chief Prosecutor, Karim Khan, yesterday announced he will be seeking arrest warrants for parties accused of atrocity crimes in Sudan’s West Darfur region. Edith M. Lederer reports for AP News.
Fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital city Goma is “still very much ongoing,” according to the country’s senior U.N. official. The U.N. peacekeeping chief also said there is “no question” that Rwandan troops are supporting the M23 militia’s assault on the city. Michelle Nichols reports for Reuters.
Denmark will spend an additional $2.05 billion to boost its Arctic security in cooperation with Greenland and the Faroe Islands, the country’s defense minister said. Mallory Moench reports for BBC News.
The Swedish authorities said they boarded a Baltic Sea ship yesterday in connection with a “gross sabotage” of an undersea cable on Sunday. Christina Anderson and Amelia Nierenberg report for the New York Times.
India and China yesterday announced they agreed to resume direct flights between the two countries after nearly five years. Mujib Mashal reports for the New York Times.