A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the last 24 hours. Here’s today’s news:

IRAN 

About 2,000 people have been killed in protests in Iran, an Iranian official told Reuters today. The Iranian official said that “terrorists” were behind the deaths of both protesters and security personnel. The official did not give a breakdown of who had been killed. U.S.-based Human Rights Activist News Agency said last night that 10,721 people had been arrested and that they have identified by name hundreds of those killed in the anti-government protests. Elwely Elwelly reports.

Iran today eased some restrictions on the population, allowing them to make phone calls abroad via their mobile phones, according to sources in Tehran. However, it did not ease restrictions on the internet or allow texting services to be restored. AP News reports.

Some Iranians are still using Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service despite a nationwide communications blackout, three people in Iran told Reuters yesterday. Supantha Mukherjee, Cassell Bryan-Low and Parisa Hafezi report.

President Trump is exploring options for diplomacy with Iran, even as he weighs whether to attack the country to respond to ongoing violence against the anti-government protestors, U.S. officials said yesterday. The Pentagon is presenting a wider range of strike options to Trump than previously reported, including targets such as Iran’s nuclear program and ballistic missile sites, an official said. However, narrower options such as a cyberattack or a strike against Iran’s domestic security apparatus remain more likely, adding that any attack is at least several days away. Trump is expected to discuss options in a meeting with his top national security team today. Edward Wong, Tyler Pager, and Eric Schmitt report for the New York Times; Barak Ravid reports for Axios.

Trump said yesterday that countries doing business with Iran could be subjected to a 25 per cent tariff on trade with the United States, effective immediately. According to Trade Data Monitor, China, Turkey, Pakistan, and India were among Iran’s largest trading partners. James Politi and Peter Wells report for the Financial Times

U.S. CARIBBEAN AND PACIFIC OPERATIONS

The Pentagon used a secret aircraft painted to look like a civilian plane in its first attack on a boat that the Trump administration alleged was smuggling drugs, killing 11 people last September, according to officials. The U.S. military has since switched to using recognizably military aircraft for boat strikes, including M-9 drones. Charlie Savage, Eric Schmitt, John Ismay, Julian E. Barnes, Riley Mellen, and Christiaan Triebert report for the New York Times.

Trump will meet with Venezuelan opposition activist María Corina Machado at the White House on Thursday, according to administration officials. Vera Bergengruen and Kejal Vyas report for the Wall Street Journal.  

Venezuela’s government said yesterday that 116 prisoners had been released so far, while opposition and rights groups have reported much lower numbers. Unidad Venezuela, a group of opposition parties, said just 65 people had been freed so far. Legal advocacy group Foro Penal had a count of 49. The Venezuelan Penitentiary Services Ministry said those being freed had been involved in “acts associated with disrupting the constitutional order and undermining the stability of the nation.” Reuters reports.

Two China-flagged supertankers that were sailing to Venezuela to collect oil for debt repayment turned back toward Asia, LSEG shipping data showed yesterday. The very large crude carriers Xingye and Thousand Sunny, which have not been the subject of sanctions, had remained anchored in the Atlantic Ocean for weeks, waiting for directions amid the U.S. blockade and Venezuela’s political crisis. Marianna Parrago reports for Reuters.  

RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR

Russia launched a second major drone and missile bombardment of Ukraine in four days, killing four people and injuring several others, officials said today. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on social media that Russia fired almost 300 drones, 18 ballistic missiles, and seven cruise missiles at eight regions overnight. U.S. deputy ambassador to the U.N., Tammy Bruce, yesterday accused Russia of a “dangerous and inexplicable escalation” of the war, pointing toward Russia’s launch of a nuclear-capable Oreshnik ballistic missile last week and the “staggering number of casualties.” Illia Novikov reports for AP News; Edith M. Lederer reports for AP News.

ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR – CEASEFIRE

Israel has demolished more than 2,500 buildings in Gaza since the ceasefire began in October, according to a New York Times analysis of satellite imagery from Planet Labs. Most of the demolitions have been in the Israeli-controlled areas of Gaza, but dozens of buildings have also been destroyed beyond the yellow line in areas effectively under Hamas control. Samuel Granados, Adam Rasgon, Iyad Abuheweila, and Sanjana Varghese report for the New York Times.

An Israeli drone strike yesterday killed three Palestinians who crossed the ceasefire line near central Gaza’s Morag corridor, hospital officials said. Israel’s military said the three approached troops and posed an immediate threat. Wafaa Shurafa and Samy Magdy report for AP News.

An Israeli-backed Palestinian militia said yesterday that it had killed a senior Hamas police officer in southern Gaza. Hamas said gunmen opened fire from a passing car, killing Mahmoud Al-Astal, and described the attackers as “collaborators with the occupation.” Reuters could not independently verify the circumstances of the attack. An Israeli military official said the army was not aware of any operations in the area. Nidal Al-Mughrabi reports for Reuters.

TECH DEVELOPMENTS 

Ofcom, the U.K.’s media regulator, yesterday launched an investigation into Elon Musk’s X over concerns its Grok AI chatbot was creating sexually intimate deepfake images in violation of its duty to protect people in the United Kingdom from illegal content. Paul Sandle and Sam Tabahriti report for Reuters.

U.S. FOREIGN AFFAIRS

The EU can help provide security for Greenland, should Denmark request it, EU Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius said yesterday, warning that a U.S. military takeover would be the end of NATO. Kubilius said he did not think a U.S. military invasion was coming but that the European Union Treaty Article 42.7 obliged member states to come to Denmark’s assistance if it was faced with military aggression. Johan Ahlander reports for Reuters.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said yesterday that NATO members are discussing the next steps to keep the Arctic safe. “All allies agree on the importance of the Arctic and Arctic security,” Rutte told reporters in Croatia. “With sea lanes opening up, there is a risk that the Russians and the Chinese will be more active.” Reuters reports.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum yesterday said that she had “a very good conversation” with Trump and that their governments will continue working together on security issues without the need for U.S. intervention against drug cartels. “[Trump] asked me my opinion about what they had done in Venezuela and I told him very clearly that our constitution is very clear, that we do not agree with interventions and that was it,” Sheinbaum said. Trump “still insisted that if we ask for it, they could help” with military forces, which Sheinbaum said she again rejected. AP News reports.

U.S. IMMIGRATION DEVELOPMENTS

The State Department said yesterday that it has revoked more than 100,000 visas since Trump took office last year, setting what it said was a new record. Daphne Psaledakis reports for Reuters.

The Trump administration is sending roughly 1,000 Customs and Border Protection officers to Minnesota to join the 2,000 other officers and agents at the Homeland Security Department already deployed, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said yesterday. Hamed Aleaziz and Madeleine Ngo report for the New York Times.

At least four leaders of a Justice Department unit that investigates police killings have resigned in protest over the Trump administration’s handling of the fatal shooting by an ICE agent in Minneapolis last week, according to three sources. The resignations came after Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon decided not to investigate the incident, despite the fact that the criminal section of the division would normally investigate any fatal shooting by a law enforcement officer, the sources said. Carol Leonnig and Ken Dilanian report for MS NOW.

Federal investigators assigned to the fatal ICE shooting of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good are looking into her possible connection to activist groups protesting the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement practices, according to sources. The sources added that it seems increasingly unlikely that the agent who fired three times at the unarmed woman will face criminal charges. Alan Feuer, Glenn Thrush, and Devlin Barrett report for the New York Times.

The Justice Department announced yesterday that the man shot by a Customs and Border Patrol agent in East Portland last week was charged with aggravated assault of a federal officer. Kale Williams reports for Axios.

New Jersey lawmakers yesterday sent pro-immigrant bills to Gov. Phil Murphy (D-NJ), including legislation that would limit state and local cooperation with federal immigration authorities. This is similar to the Murphy administration’s Immigrant Trust Directive, making it unclear whether Murphy will sign it: “The directive has worked,” Murphy told POLITICO yesterday. “It’s worked, including with Trump-appointed judges. So I do start — without commenting on where we will end up — I do start in a place where, ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’” Daniel Han reports for POLITICO.

U.S. DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS

The Justice Department has fired career prosecutor Robert McBride after he declined to lead the prosecution of former FBI Director James B. Comey, according to multiple sources. McBride was brought into the U.S. attorney’s office for the Eastern District of Virginia to serve as first assistant to U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan, taking a more prominent role after her status came into question last year. McBride told top DOJ officials that he felt it would be difficult to run the Comey case and also run the office, the sources said. Carol Leonnig and Ken Dilanian report for MS NOW.

Former special counsel Jack Smith will give public testimony before the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee on Jan. 22, according to Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), the chair of the panel. Kanishka Singh and Ismail Shakil report for Reuters.

Former U.S. Navy sailor Jinchao Wei was sentenced yesterday to nearly 17 years in prison after he was convicted of spying for China and using his security clearance to sell secrets about the capabilities of U.S. warships. Neil Vigdor reports for the New York Times.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ACTIONS 

In recent weeks, Trump has repeatedly complained to his aides about Attorney General Pam Bondi, describing her as a weak and ineffective enforcer of his agenda, administration officials and other sources said. Some officials said that the criticisms appear to be part of an intense campaign by Trump to pressure the Justice Department to pursue his policies more aggressively. Trump’s chief grievance is what he sees as Bondi’s failure to prosecute Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, the sources said. Josh Dawsey, Sadie Gurman, and C. Ryan Barber report for the Wall Street Journal.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Trump late Sunday that the federal investigation into the Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell “made a mess” and could be bad for financial markets, two sources told Axios. “The secretary isn’t happy, and he let the president know,” one source said. The sources added that the U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s office in D.C. launched the probe without giving a heads up to the Treasury, top White House officials, or the main Justice Department. Trump “didn’t tell Pirro to do it. But I can’t say he’s going to tell her to withdraw it,” one of the sources said. “The president is angry with Powell. What can I say?” Marc Caputo reports.

The Defense Department has spent over a year testing a device purchased in an undercover operation that some investigators think could be linked to Havana Syndrome, a series of unexplained illnesses affecting U.S. spies, diplomats, and troops, according to four sources. Havana Syndrome first emerged in 2016 among U.S. diplomats in Cuba and has since been reported worldwide, with symptoms resembling head trauma such as vertigo, headaches and cognitive issues. The device, acquired by Homeland Security Investigations, emits pulsed radio waves, contains some Russian components, and is small enough to fit in a backpack, a source said. The device is still being studied and there is ongoing debate over its link to the dozens of anomalous health incidents. Katie Bo Lillis, Natasha Bertrand, Priscilla Alvarez, Jim Sciutto, and Zachary Cohen report for CNN.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION LITIGATION 

A federal judge yesterday issued a preliminary injunction against the Trump administration, allowing the Revolution Wind project to resume construction off Rhode Island’s coast. Revolution Wind has “demonstrated likelihood of success on the merits of its underlying claims” and is “likely to suffer irreparable harm in the absence of an injunction,” the judge said. Ben Geman reports for Axios.

Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) yesterday filed a lawsuit against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, claiming that Pentagon proceedings to demote Kelly from his retired Navy captain rank violated his free speech rights because he urged U.S. service members to reject unlawful orders. Mike Sarcelle reports for Reuters.

The State of Minnesota and the State of Illinois yesterday filed separate lawsuits against the Trump administration, alleging that the administration is carrying out coercive immigration enforcement campaigns culminating in militarized and unlawful deployments of federal immigration enforcement agents. Illinois asked a judge to block U.S. Customs and Border Protection “from conducting civil immigration enforcement” in the state without “express congressional authorization.” The Minnesota lawsuit asked a judge to block the federal government from “implementing the unprecedented surge in Minnesota.” Mitch Smith reports for the New York Times.

A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the last 24 hours. Here’s today’s news:

U.S. CARIBBEAN AND PACIFIC OPERATIONS

The Senate yesterday voted 52-47 to advance a bipartisan war powers resolution aimed at restricting President Trump’s ability to conduct further military action in Venezuela without Congress’s approval.  Five Republicans voted to take up the resolution. In response, Trump declared that they should lose their seats in Congress. The vote paves the way for a debate and vote next week on the measure. Robert Jimison and Megan Minero report for the New York Times; Robert Jimison reports for the New York Times.

The White House excluded Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard from months of planning to oust Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro because of her previous opposition to military action in Venezuela, sources said. The move to cut Gabbard out of the meetings was so well-known that some White House aides joked that the acronym of her title, DNI, stood for “Do Not Invite,” according to three sources. Natalia Drozdiak, Kate Sullivan, Saleha Mohsin, and Nancy Cook report for Bloomberg. 

Trump said yesterday that the world’s largest oil companies had pledged to spend at least $100 billion to rebuild Venezuela’s oil infrastructure. Trump’s remarks come ahead of a White House meeting this afternoon with a group of oil executives that Trump called “the biggest oil people in the world.” A source said that the leading oil majors remained skeptical about the plans, adding “the White House is moving down their list of oil and gas companies to call because the larger companies just aren’t interested.” James Bikales reports for POLITICO.  

A U.S. Navy vessel is pursuing several sanctioned oil tankers that are heading across the Atlantic Ocean after leaving Venezuelan waters earlier this week, according to satellite imagery and a U.S. official. The ships, most of them carrying oil, are hundreds of miles from land and appear to be heading east. However, their final destinations are unclear, and some are broadcasting false information. U.S. military officials said they expect to see more boardings of sanctioned vessels. These vessels are among a larger group of 16 sanctioned tankers that made an apparently coordinated attempt to evade the U.S. blockade last weekend. Christiaan Triebert, Riley Mellen, and Eric Schmitt report for the New York Times.  

The Venezuelan government yesterday released a number of imprisoned high-profile opposition figures, activists, and journalists, in what officials described as a gesture to “seek peace.” Regina Garcia Cano, Megan Janetsky, and Matias Delacroix report for AP News.

RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR 

The Russian defense ministry today said that it had struck Ukraine with a nuclear-capable intermediate-range ballistic missile. Russia said it had used the missile, known as Oreshnik, to hit drone-making and energy infrastructure in Ukraine. The Oreshnik can carry conventional or dummy warheads, as well as nuclear ones. The Russian defense ministry said the strike was a response to an attempted Ukrainian attack last month on one of  Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residences, which Kyiv has denied. Andrew E. Kramer reports for the New York Times.

Russian drone strikes this morning killed four people in Kyiv, injuring at least 19 others. Reuters reports.

RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR – INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE 

Ukraine yesterday awarded a bid to mine a major state-owned lithium deposit to investors, including Trump’s billionaire friend, Ronald S. Lauder. The other investor is TechMet, an energy firm partly owned by a U.S. government investment agency created during Trump’s first term. While it still requires formal approval from Ukraine’s cabinet of ministers, the officials said the deal was essentially sealed. Constant Méheut reports for the New York Times.

ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR – CEASEFIRE

Israeli strikes across Gaza yesterday killed at least 13 people and injured around a dozen others, according to health officials. Health officials and family members said at least one child was among the dead in northern Gaza. Israel’s army said today that it had struck Hamas infrastructure and fighters in southern and northern Gaza in response to a failed projectile launched by militants from the Gaza City area. Wafaa Shurafa reports for AP News.

Israel said yesterday that it had barred entry to Gaza of foreign medical and humanitarian staff whose organizations were ordered to cease operations unless they register employee details with Israeli authorities and meet other new rules. Three aid groups confirmed that their foreign staff were told this week they could not enter Gaza. Two aid sources told Reuters that some of the 37 international nongovernmental organizations that were ordered to stop working were considering whether to submit staff names to the Israeli authorities. Olivia Le Poidevin, Nidal Al-Mughrabi, and Rami Ayyub report.

Former U.N. envoy to the Middle East Nickolay Mladenov has been chosen to direct Trump’s Board of Peace to oversee the ceasefire in Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday. Netanyahu identified Mladenov as the “designated” director-general for the board. A senior U.S. official confirmed Mladenov is the Trump administration’s choice to be the board’s day-to-day administrator on the ground, though this has not been officially announced. Josef Federman and Wafaa Shurafa report for AP News.

OTHER GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS

Iran was plunged into an internet blackout yesterday, according to monitoring groups, as nationwide protests demanding the ouster of the Islamic government spread across the country. Exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi had called for demonstrations at 8 p.m. local time on Thursday and Friday. The internet shutdown came a day after the head of Iran’s judiciary and its security services said they would take tough measures against anyone protesting. Iranian state television’s 24-hour news channel did not acknowledge the internet outage. Farnaz Fassihi, Pranav Baskar, and Sanam Mahoozi report for the New York Times; Jon Gambrell reports for AP News.

Syria’s defence ministry this morning declared a ceasefire in three neighbourhoods in Aleppo, following clashes this week between Syrian forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Reuters reports.

Somalia’s foreign ministry yesterday denied U.S. allegations that authorities in Mogadishu destroyed a U.S.-funded World Food Programme (WFP) warehouse and seized food aid, stating that the food in question was not destroyed and the aid remains under the control of the WFP. The WFP told AP News in a statement that its warehouse, containing 75 metric tons of food, in Mogadishu port had been demolished by port authorities. In a later update, the WFP said it had “retrieved 75 metric tons of nutritional commodities” without providing further details. Omar Faruk and Deng Machol report for AP News.

TECH DEVELOPMENTS 

China’s Ministry of Commerce is investigating whether Meta’s acquisition of the AI start-up Manus violated Chinese laws on technology exports and outbound investment, a ministry spokesperson said yesterday. Manus is based in Singapore but was founded by Chinese engineers and had a Chinese parent company. Meaghan Tobin, Xinyun Wu, and Eli Tan report for the New York Times.

OpenAI yesterday announced ChatGPT for Healthcare, a new GPT-5 powered tool for doctors that integrates clinical guidelines, peer-reviewed research, and patient data with HIPAA-compliant safeguards. Josephine Walker reports for Axios.

U.S. FOREIGN AFFAIRS

U.S. officials have discussed sending lump sum payments to Greenlanders in an attempt to persuade them to secede from Denmark and potentially join the United States, according to four sources. While the exact dollar figure remains unclear, officials have discussed figures ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 per person, two of the sources said. Gram Slattery reports for Reuters.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro yesterday told BBC News that he believes there is now a real threat of U.S. military action against Colombia. Ione Wells reports.

The United States will provide $45 million in assistance to Cambodia and Thailand, U.S. diplomat for East Asia Michael DeSombre announced today. “The United States will continue to support the Cambodian and Thai governments as they implement the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accords and pave the way for a return to peace, prosperity, and stability for their people and the region,” DeSombre said. David Brunnstrom and Daphne Psaledakis report for Reuters.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said yesterday that he regretted Trump’s decision to withdraw from 31 U.N.-related agencies. “As we have consistently underscored, assessed contributions to the United Nations regular budget and peacekeeping budget, as approved by the General Assembly, are a legal obligation under the UN Charter for all Member States, including the United States,” U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a statement. Farnoush Amiri reports for AP News.

U.S. IMMIGRATION DEVELOPMENTS

Minnesota officials said yesterday that federal law enforcement is freezing out state investigators from the investigation into the deadly ICE shooting of a 37-year-old woman. Superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) Drew Evans said that BCA was originally set to jointly investigate the shooting, following a consultation with the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, the U.S Attorney’s Office, and the FBI. But, federal officials soon reversed course and said the investigation would be solely led by the FBI. Evans said the decision meant that the Minnesota BCA would no longer have access to the evidence. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the move, saying that Minnesota officials “have not been cut out. They don’t have any jurisdiction in this investigation.” Cheyanne M. Daniels and Gregory Svirnonskiy report for POLITICO.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) yesterday denounced the FBI’s decision to exclude the state from the investigation, saying any probe that does not include state law enforcement cannot be trusted. “It feels very, very difficult that we will get a fair outcome.” Joseph De Avila, Joe Barrett, and Michelle Hackman report for the Wall Street Journal.

Walz also yesterday authorized the Minnesota National Guard to be staged and ready to support local law enforcement, given rising tensions in Minneapolis, according to his office, though the troops have not yet been deployed. Documents obtained by the New York Times suggest that at least 100 more federal agents were being deployed to Minnesota. Nicolas Bogel-Burroughs, Mitch Smith, and Jacey Fortin report.

Two people were injured yesterday in a shooting involving a federal agent in Portland, Oregon, according to authorities. The Homeland Security Department said the shooting occurred while Border Patrol agents were conducting a “targeted” stop on a vehicle carrying two people allegedly affiliated with the Tren de Aragua gang. “When agents identified themselves to the vehicle occupants, the driver weaponized his vehicle and attempted to run over the law enforcement agents,” DHS said in a statement, adding that the agent then fired a defensive shot. Portland Mayor Keith Wilson told reporters, “We know what the federal government says happened here. There was a time when we could take them at their word. That time is long past.” Trevor Ault, Alex Stone, Meredith Deliso, Luke Barr, and Jon Haworth report for ABC News.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) said yesterday that she wants expanded legal options for New Yorkers negatively impacted by Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement tactics. “Let’s start holding these people accountable,” Hochul said. The governor is expected to propose a measure that would enable New Yorkers to file lawsuits in state courts against federal officials accused of violating a person’s constitutional rights. Nick Reisman reports for POLITICO.

U.S. DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS

Federal prosecutors have launched a new criminal investigation into New York Attorney General Letitia James, two sources told  CBS News. The latest investigation centers on financial transactions between James and her hairdresser Iyesata Marsh, the sources said. “Like their earlier attempts, this attack on Ms. James is doomed to fail. The desperation of those working for Trump is palpable and makes indelible the stain already put on this Justice Department,” James’s attorney Abbe Lowell said. This abuse of justice must end.” Sarah N. Lynch and Jacob Rosen report.

A federal judge yesterday ruled that John Sarcone III has been unlawfully serving as the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York. “When the Executive branch of government skirts restraints put in place by Congress and then uses that power to subject political adversaries to criminal investigations,” she wrote, “it acts without lawful authority.” Erica Orden reports for POLITICO.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ACTIONS

When asked in an interview with the New York Times if there were any limits on his global power, Trump said, “Yeah, there is one thing. My own morality. My own mind. It’s the only thing that can stop me.” “I don’t need international law,” he added. “I’m not looking to hurt people.” David E. Sanger, Tyler Pager, Katie Rogers, and Zolan Kanno-Youngs report.

Vice President JD Vance yesterday announced the creation of a new position within the Justice Department charged with investigating allegations of “fraud” across the country. Vance said the new assistant attorney general, who has been selected but not announced, will initially focus on fraud in Minnesota, but it will be a “nationwide effort, because unfortunately, the American people have been defrauded in a very nationwide way.” Ben Johansen reports for POLITICO.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION LITIGATION 

A federal judge yesterday dismissed a lawsuit demanding that the U.S. government conduct emergency rescues of Palestinian Americans and family members who are trapped in Gaza. The judge said that she lacked the power and tools to evaluate “delicate foreign policy decisions” belonging to the government’s Executive branch. Jonathan Stempel reports for Reuters.

Five Democratic-led states yesterday filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for freezing $10 billion in funding for child care subsidies, social services, and cash support for low-income families, asking a federal judge to declare the pause illegal and restore the money. Minho Kim reports for the New York Times.

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ICYMI: Yesterday on Just Security

A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the last 24 hours. Here’s today’s news:

U.S. CARIBBEAN AND PACIFIC OPERATIONS

Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said yesterday that 100 people died in the U.S. attack, which removed President Nicolas Maduro from power on Saturday. Reuters reports.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said yesterday that the United States has a three-step plan for Venezuela: stabilizing Venezuela, ensuring U.S oil companies have access to the country during a recovery phase, and overseeing a transition. “The bottom line is that there is a process now in place where we have tremendous control and leverage over what those interim authorities are doing and are able to do,” Rubio said. Simon Lewis and Patricia Zengerle report for Reuters.

Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth yesterday told lawmakers, in a closed-door briefing to the Senate, that the Trump administration does not plan to use ground troops in Venezuela, but U.S. military forces will remain deployed around Venezuela indefinitely to provide “leverage” in stabilizing the region, according to more than a dozen lawmakers. Leo Shane III, Connor O’Brien, and Joe Gould report for POLITICO.

President Trump said yesterday in an interview that he expected the United States would be running Venezuela and extracting oil for its reserves for years, adding that the interim government in Venezuela is “giving us everything that we feel is necessary.” A plan under consideration envisions the United States exerting some control over Venezuela’s state-run oil company, PdVSA, including acquiring and marketing the bulk of the company’s oil production, sources told the Wall Street Journal. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said yesterday “We’re going to market the crude coming out of Venezuela, first this backed-up stored oil, and then indefinitely, going forward, we will sell the production that comes out of Venezuela into the marketplace.” David E. Sanger, Tyler Pager, Katie Rogers, and Zolan Kanno-Youngs report for the New York Times; James Bikales reports for POLITICO; Brian Schwartz, Benoit Morenne, and Josh Dawsey report.

The U.S. military yesterday seized two oil tankers, including the Russian-flagged Marinera tanker that had been evading U.S. forces for weeks. The Marinera was seized in the North Atlantic, between Scotland and Iceland. The United States mobilized a large force to assist the Coast Guard, including a Navy P-8 submarine-hunting aircraft and AC-130 gunships. Several U.S. military aircraft left bases in Britain yesterday morning, heading toward the tanker, according to flight-tracking sites.The second tanker, the M. Sophia was intercepted in the Caribbean Sea, where it was “conducting illicit activities,” according to the U.S. Southern Command, which also confirmed that it was escorting the stateless vessel to the United States. Nicholas Nehamas, Eric Schmitt, Julian E. Barnes, and Michael Levenson report for the New York Times.

RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR – INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy yesterday told reporters that he wants a new meeting with Trump to gauge his openness to a proposal that Washington ensure security for Kyiv for more than 15 years in the event of a ceasefire. Dan Peleschuk and Yuliia Dysa report for Reuters.

ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR – CEASEFIRE

Trump is expected to announce the Gaza Board of Peace next week as part of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement, two U.S. officials and two other sources told Axios. Among the countries expected to join the board are the U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt and Turkey. The Board of Peace representative on the ground will be former U.N. envoy to the Middle East Nikolay Mladenov. Mladenov is visiting Israel this week for a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of Trump’s planned announcement. Barak Ravid reports.

An Israeli airstrike yesterday killed at least two Palestinians in Gaza, according to the local health authorities. The Israeli military said the strike was a retaliatory attack on a Hamas militant, launched after its troops had come under fire. Health officials said that several people were also wounded in the airstrike, which struck a house in Gaza City. Separately on Wednesday, an Israeli-backed Palestinian militia said that it had killed two members of Hamas in the southern Gaza area of Rafah. Maayan Lubell reports for Reuters.

WEST BANK VIOLENCE 

A U.N. Human Rights report published yesterday concludes that Israel is violating international law prohibiting racial segregation and apartheid in the occupied West Bank. The report warns that the discriminatory practices have accelerated dramatically since 2022. U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said the findings reveal a “systematic asphyxiation of the rights of Palestinians in the West Bank.” Shaimaa Khalil reports for BBC News; UN News reports.

OTHER GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS

Saudi Arabia today claimed that the UAE smuggled Aidarous al-Zubaidi, leader of the Southern Transitional Council (STC), out of Yemen and flew him to Abu Dhabi. The Saudi military statement says that al-Zubaidi fled Yemen by boat to Somalia, where UAE officials flew him to Abu Dhabi. Neither the Emirati foreign ministry nor the STC had responded to requests for comment at the time of writing. Gambrell reports for AP News.

The Lebanese military said today it had concluded the first phase of its plan to fully deploy across southern Lebanon and disarm non-state groups. The military’s statement did not name Hezbollah or other armed groups in particular. Kareem Chehayeb reports for AP News.

Tens of thousands of civilians yesterday fled the Kurdish majority neighbourhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh in Aleppo, which the Syrian army shelled yesterday afternoon after designating them as “closed military areas.” The Syrian government said the operation was in response to attacks by armed groups in the area and aimed at preserving security. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces called it a “criminal attempt” to forcibly displace residents. Gabriela Pomeroy reports for BBC News.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are in talks to convert around $2 billion of Saudi loans into a deal for JF-17 Thunder fighter jets, with an additional $2 billion to be spent on equipment over and above the loan conversion, according to two Pakistani sources. Ariba Shahid and Saad Sayeed report for Reuters.

U.S. FOREIGN AFFAIRS

Trump yesterday said that he had spoken with Colombian President Gustavo Petro, calling it a “Great Honor” to speak with Petro and stating that Petro had “called to explain the situation of drugs and other disagreements we have had.” The Colombian Foreign Ministry described the call as a “good meeting” between the two leaders. Trump said that Rubio and Colombia’s foreign minister were arranging a meeting with Petro in the White House, and that he was looking forward to it. Annie Correal reports for the New York Times.

Rubio said yesterday that he plans to discuss the U.S. acquisition of Greenland with Danish officials next week. “The president has been very open and clear with all of you and with the world that he views it in the best interest of the United States to deter Russian and Chinese aggression in the Arctic region, and so that’s why his team is currently talking about what a potential purchase would look like,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said yesterday, while reiterating that “all options are always on the table” for Trump. Eli Stokols reports for POLITICO; Jeff Mason and Trevor Hunnicutt report for Reuters.

Several senior Republicans yesterday criticized the possibility of using military coercion to take Greenland. “This is a topic that should be dropped,” said Senate Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker (R-MS). Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who leads the Senate panel that controls defense spending, said it would amount to “trampling the sovereignty, respect, and trust of our allies.” Connor O’Brien, Joe Gould, and Leo Shane III report for POLITICO.

The State Department yesterday announced that it has paused all ongoing U.S. assistance programs to the government of Somalia, alleging that officials destroyed a U.S.-funded World Food Programme warehouse and seized “donor-funded food aid.” Anita Nkonge reports for BBC News.

U.S. IMMIGRATION DEVELOPMENTS

A federal immigration agent yesterday shot and killed a 37-year-old woman in Minneapolis. Local and federal officials are divided on how the shooting unfolded, despite a video shared online that recorded the incident. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem asserted that the agent acted “in self-defense,” with Trump adding on social media that he believed the agent had shot the driver after the woman had “violently, willfully, and viciously ran over” the officer. Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota urged residents to protest peacefully and said on social media, “I’ve seen the video. Don’t believe this propaganda machine.” Devon Lum reports for the New York Times; Kurt Streeter reports for the New York Times.

Avelo Airlines is cutting ties with ICE less than a year after agreeing to carry out deportations for the agency. CEO Andrew Levy said in an email, “We moved a portion of our fleet into a government program which promised more financial stability but placed us in the center of a political controversy.” AP News reported last year that Avelo appears to be the only commercial airline regularly carrying out full deportation flights. Jason Lalljee reports for Axios.

U.S. and South African officials reached an agreement in late December allowing the United States to continue efforts to resettle white South Africans in the country as refugees, according to an internal meeting summary obtained by Reuters. The meeting came after a U.S refugee processing site in Johannesburg was raided by South African authorities. Ted Hesson and Humeyra Pamuk report.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ACTIONS

Trump yesterday signed a presidential memorandum initiating the withdrawal of U.S. support from 66 international organizations, agencies, commissions and treaties that the administration claims are contrary to U.S. interests. The memorandum includes the U.S. withdrawal from the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change and targets many U.N.- related bodies that focus on climate, labor, and migration. Other non-U.N. organizations on the list include the Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation, the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, and the Global Counterterrorism Forum. Matthew Lee and Farnoush Amiri report for AP News; Somini Sengupta and Lisa Friedman report for the New York Times.

“Our Military Budget for the year 2027 should not be $1 Trillion Dollars, but rather $1.5 Trillion Dollars,” Trump wrote on social media yesterday, adding that this would allow the United States to build the “‘Dream Military’ that we have long been entitled to.” Chris Cameron reports for the New York Times.

Trump yesterday said he will block defense contractors from paying dividends or buying back shares until they accelerate weapons production and deliver projects on time and on budget. Trump’s executive order directs the Pentagon to identify defense contractors within 30 days who are underperforming and have engaged in stock buybacks. The Pentagon will then engage with those firms, which would have a chance to submit a remediation plan for review within a 15-day period after the notification. Mike Stone and Kanishka Singh report for Reuters.

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ICYMI: Yesterday on Just Security

A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the last 24 hours. Here’s today’s news:

U.S. CARIBBEAN AND PACIFIC OPERATIONS

“I am pleased to announce that [Venezuela] will be turning over between 30 and 50 MILLION Barrels of High Quality, Sanctioned Oil, to the United States of America,” President Trump said yesterday on social media. “This Oil will be sold at its Market Price, and that money will be controlled by me, as President of the United States of America, to ensure it is used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States!” Trump added. Marianna Parraga and Erin Banco report for Reuters.

Trump, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum will meet with oil company chief executives on Friday at the White House to discuss plans for them to enter Venezuela and drill, according to four sources. The meeting is expected to include representatives from Chevron, Exxon, and ConocoPhillips, Ben Lefebvre, Zack Colman, and Sophia Cai report for POLITICO; Collin Eaton and Benoît Morenne report for the Wall Street Journal.

Russia has sent a submarine and other naval assets to escort the Marinera, an empty oil tanker which the U.S. Coast Guard has pursued into the Atlantic, according to a U.S. official. The vessel failed to dock in Venezuela and load with oil last month. The vessel’s crew repelled an effort by the United States to board the vessel, rerouted into the Atlantic, and painted a Russian flag on its side. In the same week, a second tanker, the Hyperion, made a similar change, and at least three additional oil tankers that operated in Venezuelan waters in recent weeks have switched to Russian flags in recent days, according to an official Russian vessel registry. All five vessels are subject to U.S. sanctions for shipping. Shelby Holliday, Costas Paris, and Georgi Kantchev report for the Wall Street Journal; Adam Sella, Nicholas Nehamas, and Christiaan Triebert report for the New York Times.

The Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel produced a signed memo declaring it lawful for Trump to order the military operation that seized Maduro over the weekend, according to officials. Attorney General Pam Bondi promised members of Congress in briefings this week that the administration would share the memo with lawmakers. The specifics of the memo remain unclear. Charlie Savage reports for the New York Times.

The Trump administration is pressing Venezuela’s interim government to dismiss all suspected spies and intelligence agents from China, Russia, Cuba, and Iran from the country, a U.S. official told Axios. Julianna Bragg and Marc Caputo report.

The Trump administration is pressuring Venezuelan Interior Minister and Nicolas Maduro loyalist, Diosdado Cabello, to cooperate with interim President Delcy Rodriguez following the capture of Maduro, according to three sources. U.S. officials are looking for ways to eventually push Cabello out of power and into exile, one source said, adding that officials have communicated to Cabello that if he is defiant, he could face a similar fate to Maduro or see his life in danger. Matt Spetalnick, Sarah Kinosian, Jana Winter, and Humeyra Pamuk report for Reuters.

A 90-day emergency order from the Venezuelan government appears to order the police to “immediately search and capture” anyone who supports “the armed attack by the United States,” according to the document obtained by the New York Times. The document appears to be the emergency decree first mentioned by Rodriguez on Saturday. It is unclear if the document has been formally published into law in Venezuela, but it has been widely circulated to local media outlets and nonprofit organizations. Maria Abi-Habib and Emiliano Rodriguez Mega report.

RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR – INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE 

A broad coalition of Ukraine’s allies yesterday agreed to provide key aspects of post war security to Ukraine, including a declaration from French President Emmanuel Macron and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer that they would establish military hubs across Ukraine after a ceasefire and build protected facilities for weapons. Macron told reporters, “We’ve expressed our availability to be deployed in this multinational force… That’s potentially thousands of men.” The agreement also said that the United States would lead an effort to monitor any eventual ceasefire, and that a special commission would be set up to “address any breaches, attribute responsibility, and determine remedies.” “This is a huge step forward because one year ago, we couldn’t even think about it,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told reporters. Catherine Porter reports for the New York Times; Reuters reports.

“We think we’re largely finished with security protocols, which are important so that the people of Ukraine know that when this ends, it ends forever,” U.S. Envoy Steve Witkoff said following the meeting in Paris, adding that “the president strongly stands behind security protocols.” However, the nature of U.S. participation in the security guarantees is still very much unclear, according to a source close to the negotiations. John Irish reports for Reuters; Daniella Cheslow and Giselle Ruhiyyih Ewin report for POLITICO.

ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR – CEASEFIRE 

Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) yesterday said that Israel has ordered it to cease operations in Gaza after it failed to comply with new restrictions, including registration of all Gazan employees and limits on criticism of Israel’s conduct of the war. “If we can’t work, it will have catastrophic consequences for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians,” said Claire San Filippo, the group’s emergency coordinator for Gaza. Filippo said the group was told on Sunday that it could no longer bring supplies into Gaza and told yesterday that it could no longer bring medical staff into the territory, adding that it was given until the end of February to cease all activities. David M. Halbfinger and Aaron Boxerman report for the New York Times.

WEST BANK VIOLENCE 

Israel has issued a government tender clearing the way for the construction of the E1 settlement project. The project calls for the building of 3,401 housing units and would run from the outskirts of Jerusalem deep into the occupied West Bank, which critics say would prevent the establishment of a contiguous Palestinian state in the territory. Peace Now, an anti-settlement monitoring group, says the publication of the tender “reflects an accelerated effort to advance construction in E1.” Settlement in E1 has been under consideration by Israeli governments for more than two decades, but was frozen due to U.S. pressure during previous administrations. Julia Frankel and Abby Sewell report for AP News. 

SUDANESE CIVIL WAR 

A drone strike on Monday killed 13 people, including eight children, in the city of el-Obeid in Sudan, according to the Sudan Doctors’ Network. Although no group has claimed responsibility, the medics say the Sudanese Rapid Support Forces paramilitary carried out the attack in an area controlled by the army. Natasha Booty reports for BBC News.

OTHER GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS

A delegation of the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) yesterday flew to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to attend a meeting to discuss the situation in Yemen’s southern governorates. The STC said in a statement that it had lost contact with the delegation after it landed in Riyadh, and expressed “deep concern” over the matter. The STC also said that leader Aidarous al-Zubaidi had remained in Aden “to ensure security and stability.” Ahmed Al-Haj, Fatma Khaled, and Jon Gambrell report for AP News.

Clashes between Syrian government forces and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces broke out yesterday in a contested area of Aleppo. Syria’s state news agency SANA said a soldier was killed and three others were wounded. State TV later reported that three civilians were killed, and others were wounded. Omar Albam reports for AP News.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar yesterday visited Somaliland, 10 days after Israel formally recognised the self-declared republic as an independent and sovereign state. “We are determined to vigorously advance relations between Israel and Somaliland,” Saar wrote on social media. Israel is the only country that has formally recognised Somaliland. Giulia Paravicini and Alexander Cornwell report for Reuters.

U.S. FOREIGN AFFAIRS

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers during a closed briefing on Monday that recent administration threats against Greenland did not signal an imminent invasion and that the goal is to buy the island from Denmark, according to sources. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said yesterday, “The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilizing the U.S military is always an option at the commander in chief’s disposal.” Alexander Ward, Lara Seligman and Dustin Volz report for the Wall Street Journal.

U.S. envoy to Syria Tom Barrack, Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner yesterday presented Israel and Syria with a new proposal for a security pact that involves establishing a joint economic zone on both sides of the border, a U.S. official told Axios. “This economic zone will include wind farms, agriculture, the best ski mountain in the Middle East and the Druze community that is the best at hospitality,”  the U.S. official said. The U.S. also proposed a joint U.S.-Israeli-Syrian “fusion cell” in Amman, Jordan, to oversee the security situation in Southern Syria and host further talks on demilitarization and the withdrawal of Israeli forces. Barak Ravid reports.

U.S. IMMIGRATION DEVELOPMENTS

“The largest DHS operation ever is happening right now in Minnesota,” the department said yesterday. DHS planned to send about 2,000 ICE agents and officers to Minnesota, two sources said. Immigrant rights groups and elected officials in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area reported a sharp increase yesterday in sightings of federal agents. Rebecca Santana and Mika Balsamo report for AP News.

The Trump administration yesterday added 25 countries to the State Department’s list of nations whose citizens may be required to post bonds of up to $15,000 to apply for U.S. entry, bringing the total to 38 countries. The newly added nations’ bond requirements will take effect on Jan. 21. Approved visa holders will only be allowed to enter the U.S. through one of three airports: Boston Logan International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport. Julianna Bragg reports for Axios.

Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY) said on Monday that the Homeland Security Department is planning to ramp up deportation flights to Venezuela, following Goldman’s visit to an ICE detention centre. “A supervisor told me that in light of the abduction of Nicolás Maduro this past weekend that the [DHS] is going to be taking another look at the possibility of deporting Venezuelans back to Venezuela,” Goldman said. A DHS spokesperson said the flights were never paused when asked for comment. Brittany Gibson reports for Axios.

Hilton Worldwide Holdings has removed from its system the Minneapolis hotel that refused to accept the bookings of ICE agents, the hotel operator said yesterday. Doyinsola Oladipo reports for Reuters.

U.S DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS

A federal judge yesterday ordered Lindsey Halligan to explain in writing why she had continued to lay claim to being the U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia after a different judge determined she had been unlawfully appointed. The judge gave Halligan seven days to respond to his demands to tell him why her repeated decisions to sign court papers as the district’s top prosecutor were not “a false or misleading statement.” Alan Feuer reports for the New York Times.

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ICYMI: Yesterday on Just Security

A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the last 24 hours. Here’s today’s news:

U.S. CARIBBEAN AND PACIFIC OPERATIONS

“I am a kidnapped president, prisoner of war,” ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro told the judge in Manhattan federal court yesterday as he and his wife pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charges. The couple are charged with conspiracy to import cocaine and possession of machine guns and destructive devices. Maduro is additionally charged with narco-terrorism conspiracy. Erica Orden reports for POLITICO.

U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz defended the capture of Maduro, saying “we are not occupying a country. This was a law enforcement operation” at an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council. In a statement read to the Council, U.N. Secretary General António Guterres said the Trump administration had violated the U.N. charter, citing the capture of Maduro and the military incursion into a sovereign state. Several countries agreed that the action in Venezuela was a violation of the charter, including U.S. allies such as France, Denmark, and Spain. The United Kingdom struck a more cautious tone. Farnaz Fassihi reports for the New York Times; James Landale reports for BBC News.

Following yesterday’s classified briefing, top Republican and Democratic congressmen emerged with little clarity on the future of Venezuela.  The briefing was carried out by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Dan Caine, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Attorney General Pam Bondi. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) described the briefing as “extensive and long” with “far more questions than it ever answered,” adding that “their plan for the U.S. running Venezuela is vague, based on wishful thinking and unsatisfying.” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said he expected an election to be called in Venezuela in “short order,” but added that “some of these things are still being determined.” Sen. Jim Risch, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told reporters ahead of the briefing that he would “probably” hold a hearing on Venezuela in the committee. Laura Kelly and Filip Timotija report for The Hill.

Rubio and other senior officials urged Trump not to back María Corina Machado as Maduro’s replacement. According to multiple sources, the officials said that U.S. backing of the opposition could further destabilize Venezuela and require a more robust military presence inside the country. A classified CIA intelligence analysis also reflected this view and concluded that Delcy Rodríguez, the vice president, was the best-positioned short-term successor. The CIA analysis was not focused on the forcible removal of Maduro, but examined a series of possibilities. Tyler Pager, Anatoly Kurmanaev, and Julian E. Barnes report for the New York Times; Julian E. Barnes and Tyler Pager New York Times.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro yesterday condemned the U.S. operation in Venezuela and responded to Trump’s comments that Colombia is run by a sick man, saying, “Come get me, I’m waiting for you here.” Also yesterday, Colombian Interior Minister Armando Benedetti said that Colombia will continue to work with the United States to fight drug trafficking using Washington’s intelligence and technology. “We will continue to emphasize the fight against this scourge, particularly on the Colombian-Venezuelan border,” Idarraga said. Reuters reports; Julianna Bragg reports for Axios.

About a dozen oil tankers loaded with Venezuelan crude oil have left Venezuela since the start of the year, despite President Trump’s imposition of a blockade on all sanctioned tankers in mid-December, according to documents seen by Reuters and industry sources. All the departed vessels identified are under sanctions and most are now sailing without any known flag. It is unclear whether the United States had approved or allowed the shipments. Reuters reports.

U.S. forces plan to intercept the Marinera, a crude oil tanker that was sanctioned by the Treasury Department in 2024 and that Russia has claimed jurisdiction over, according to four sources. The tanker was initially headed for Venezuela before turning around to avoid seizure by the U.S. Coast Guard last month. It was in the North Atlantic as of two days ago, near the coast of the United Kingdom. Two U.S. officials said that the plan would be to seize rather than sink the ship and could take place as early as this week. Two U.S. intelligence officials told CBS News that Venezuelan officials had discussed placing armed military personnel disguised as civilians on tankers for defense purposes. James LaPorta reports; Natasha Bertrand, Alayna Treene, Kylie Atwood, Zachary Cohen, and Avery Schmitz report for CNN.

RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR – INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE 

U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner will attend a summit today in Paris focused on security guarantees to Ukraine in a future peace deal, a White House official said. The meeting will include leaders from roughly 30 countries who want to be part of the security guarantees and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Barak Ravid reports for Axios.

ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR – CEASEFIRE 

An Israeli airstrike in Gaza yesterday killed a 5-year-old girl and her uncle, and wounded two other children, according to officials at Nasser Hospital. The dead are among the more than 400 people killed in Gaza since an October ceasefire began, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The Israeli military said on social media that it struck a Hamas militant who planned an imminent strike on Israeli troops, adding that the strike complied with the ceasefire agreement. It is currently unclear whether the statement referred to the same fatal strike. Wafaa Shurafa and Sally Abou Aljoud report for AP News.

ISRAEL-HEZBOLLAH – CEASEFIRE

Israeli air strikes yesterday and this morning hit areas in southern and eastern Lebanon, including a commercial building in the coastal city of Sidon. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the attacks in a statement today, saying they are counter to both international efforts to de-escalate hostilities and Lebanon’s efforts to extend the government’s authority in areas dominated by Hezbollah. Bassem Mroue and Mohammed Zaatari report for AP News.

OTHER GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS

Ugandan authorities have denied reports that they are planning to cut access to the internet during next week’s election, but the government has banned live broadcasts of riots, “unlawful processions,” and other violent incidents ahead of the election, arguing that these could “escalate tensions and spread panic.” Despite assurances, the main opposition party, the National Unity Platform (NUP), has launched an offline vote-monitoring app in case of a blackout. “As we all know, the regime is plotting an internet shutdown, as they have done in past elections, to block communication and prevent citizens from organising, verifying results, and demanding accountability,” NUP leader Bobi Wine said. Sammy Awami and Jean Otalor report for BBC News.

A delegation of the Southern Transitional Council in Yemen, led by the group’s leader Aidarous al-Zubaidi,  will soon travel to Saudi Arabia for talks, two sources told Reuters yesterday. Menna Alaa El-Din and Muhammad Al Gebaly report.

TECH DEVELOPMENTS

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang yesterday unveiled the company’s new Vera Rubin AI chip, which will be shipped to companies later this year. Huang said the chip is designed to fulfil AI requests more quickly and cheaply; companies will be able to train AI models with one quarter as many Rubin chips as its predecessor, the Blackwell. Tripp Mickle reports for the New York Times.

The European Commission yesterday said that the images of undressed women and children being shared across Elon Musk’s social media site X via its AI chatbot Grok were unlawful. In the United Kingdom, regulator Ofcom yesterday demanded that X explain how Grok was able to produce undressed images of people and sexualised images of children, and whether it was failing in its legal duty to protect users. Paul Sandle and Louise Rasmussen report for Reuters.

U.S. IMMIGRATION DEVELOPMENTS

The Homeland Security Department yesterday accused the Hilton hotel company of a “coordinated campaign” to refuse service to its law enforcement officers in Minneapolis by “maliciously” cancelling reservations. The DHS social media post included an image of an email that stated the property would not host immigration agents. Christine Chung reports for the New York Times.

The United States yesterday reached a deal with Dominica to start sending people seeking asylum in the United States to the Caribbean nation, according to Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit. Last month, the Trump administration announced it was expanding travel restrictions to 20 additional countries, including Dominica. Anselm Gibbs reports for AP News.

The State Department last week added Bhutan, Botswana, the Central African Republic, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Namibia, and Turkmenistan to the list of countries whose passport holders are required to post bonds of up to $15,000 to apply to enter the United States. Matthew Lee reports for AP News.

U.S DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS

The Justice Department yesterday disclosed that it is still reviewing millions of documents and that less than 1 per cent of the Epstein files have been released so far. Kyle Cheney reports for POLITICO.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ACTIONS

The Defense Department has initiated proceedings to demote Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) from a retired Navy captain to a lower rank, with a corresponding reduction in pay, in response to his video warning service members not to follow illegal orders, Hegseth said yesterday. Leo Shane III and Connor O’Brien report for POLITICO.

The Trump administration plans to freeze $10 billion in funding for child care subsidies, social services, and cash support for low-income families in five Democratic-led states, according to Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson Andrew Nixon. Around $7 billion in funding for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program will be cut off in Minnesota, New York, California, Illinois, and Colorado. “Democrat-led states and governors have been complicit in allowing massive amounts of fraud to occur under their watch,” Nixon said. “Under the Trump administration, we are ensuring that federal taxpayer dollars are being used for legitimate purposes.” Minho Kim reports for the New York Times.

The Homeland Security Department has drafted plans to cut the Federal Emergency Management Agency Workforce in 2026 through potential reductions of thousands of disaster response and recovery roles, according to documents obtained by the Washington Post. Emails sent to senior agency leadership in late December include detailed tables identifying roles that can be cut from the agency’s divisions. These tables include a 41 per cent reduction in CORE disaster roles, more than 4,300 positions. In a statement, FEMA spokesperson Daniel Llargués said the agency has “not issued and is not implementing a percentage-based workforce reduction.” Brianna Sacks reports.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION LITIGATION

A federal appeals court yesterday ruled that the Trump administration could not make drastic cuts to the federal funding supporting much of the country’s medical and scientific research, reaffirming a lower court’s ruling. Zach Montague reports for the New York Times.

197 plaintiffs on Friday filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, alleging that the suspension of casework by the Homeland Security Department and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is not authorized by immigration or administrative law. Brittany Gibson reports for Axios.

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ICYMI: Yesterday on Just Security

A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the last 24 hours. Here’s today’s news:

RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR – INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE 

EU leaders agreed this morning to provide a €90 billion ($105 billion) interest-free loan to Ukraine to meet its military and economic needs over the next two years, though they were unable to agree on using frozen Russian assets as backing for the loan. EU leaders announced that instead they will borrow the money on capital markets, with the loan guaranteed by the EU budget. Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic continue to oppose the plan for Ukraine, but a deal was reached in which they did not block the package and were promised protection from any financial fallout. Lorne Cook and Angela Charlton report for AP News; Jeanna Smialek reports for the New York Times.

U.S. CARIBBEAN AND PACIFIC OPERATIONS

The U.S. military killed five people yesterday in two more strikes against boats it said were smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific, U.S. Southern Command said on social media. AP News reports.

Senate Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker (R-MS) said yesterday that there is no evidence that war crimes were committed when the U.S. military killed survivors of an initial attack on Sept. 2 in a follow-up strike. Wicker said that he is satisfied with the information his panel has received from the administration and that the military strikes “were conducted based on sound legal advice.” Wicker did not specifically address any other steps his panel might take, or whether the panel has concluded their investigation. Connor O’Brien reports for POLITICO.

The Justice Department yesterday issued a news release announcing a “Nationwide Crackdown on Tren de Aragua,” citing the indictment of the reputed leader of the gang, Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores. U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton called Guerrero Flores the “mastermind of Tren de Aragua’s evolution from a Venezuelan prison gang into a transnational terrorist organization.” Benjamin Weiser and Alan Feuer report for the New York Times.

ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR – CEASEFIRE 

U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff is set to meet today with senior officials from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey in Miami to discuss the next phase of the agreement for ending the war in Gaza, according to a White House official and two other sources. The officials meeting with Witkoff will include Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, the sources said. This is the highest level meeting between the mediators since the deal was signed in October. Barak Ravid reports for Axios.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced yesterday that the United States is sanctioning two more International Criminal Court Judges for their “politicized and illegitimate actions against Israel,” citing a recent ruling blocking Israel’s efforts to halt the Gaza war crimes investigation. Rubio said, “We will not tolerate ICC abuses of power that violate the sovereignty of the United States and Israel and wrongly subject U.S. and Israeli persons to the ICC’s jurisdiction.” Gregory Svirnovskiy reports for POLITICO.

OTHER GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS

At least 60 people have died, and more than half a million have been displaced, since hostilities between Cambodia and Thailand resumed this month. Thailand yesterday carried out more airstrikes in Cambodia, claiming its jet fighters had struck a warehouse where the Cambodian army had stored rockets. Cambodia reported that Thai F-16 jets had dropped three bombs on residential neighbourhoods in Poipet, a city in northwestern Cambodia. The Thai army acknowledged that it had bombed Poipet, but claimed the target was on the outskirts, not the city center. China and the United States are renewing separate efforts to reach a ceasefire between the two nations. Sopheng Cheang and Jintamas Saksornchai report for AP News; Reuters reports.

Israel and Germany yesterday signed a contract worth around $3.1 billion to expand Germany’s Arrow-3 air and missile defence system manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries, according to Israel’s defense ministry. Germany first purchased the Arrow system in 2023; the combined purchases “represented the largest defence export deal in Israel’s history,” the ministry said. Yomna Ehab and Enas Alashray report for Reuters.

Talks between Syrian, Kurdish, and U.S. officials have accelerated in recent days to progress a stalled deal to merge Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces with the Syrian state before the end of the year, according to multiple sources. Several sources said there is growing frustration over the delays, with some adding that a major breakthrough was unlikely. A Western official said that any announcement in coming days would be meant in part to “save face,” extend the deadline and maintain stability in a nation that remains fragile a year after the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad. Suleiman Al-Khalidi, Timour Azhari, Maya Gebeily, and Jonathan Spicer report for Reuters.

The U.N. General Assembly yesterday elected Barham Salih, a former Iraqi president who fled persecution under Saddam Hussein, as the next U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. Salih will begin a five-year term on Jan. 1, 2026. Michelle Nichols reports for Reuters.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said yesterday that he will veto a bill that would reduce former President Jair Bolsonaro’s 27-year prison sentence. “With all due respect to the National Congress, when it reaches my desk, I will veto it,” Lula told journalists in Brasilia, noting that those who committed crimes against Brazilian democracy “will have to pay for their acts.” Gabriela Sá Pessoa reports for AP News.

TECH DEVELOPMENTS 

TikTok has signed a deal to sell its U.S. entity to a joint venture controlled by U.S. investors, according to an internal memo seen by Axios. Oracle, Silver Lake and Abu Dhabi-based MGX will collectively own 45% of the U.S. entity. Nearly one-third of the company will be held by affiliates of existing ByteDance investors, and nearly 20% will be retained by ByteDance. The agreement is set to close on Jan. 22, 2026. Sarah Fischer reports; Clare Duffy reports for CNN.

Trump Media, the parent company of Truth Social, announced yesterday that it is merging with TAE Technologies, a fusion power company that aims to power the next wave of AI. The combined company says it plans to find a site and begin construction next year on the “world’s first utility-scale fusion power plant,” which aims to provide the electricity needed for artificial intelligence. Matt O’Brien and Jennifer McDermott report for AP News.

U.S. FOREIGN AFFAIRS

China will step up military training and “take forceful measures” to safeguard the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the Chinese defense ministry said today in response to a planned $11.1 billion U.S. arms sales package to Taiwan. The ministry said it had lodged “stern representations” with the United States, and urged the country to immediately cease arms sales to Taiwan and abide by its commitment not to support “Taiwan independence forces.” Reuters reports.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said yesterday that Belarus is nearing a major deal to restore relations with the United States, but will not give up its close ties to Russia. “Everything is moving, as they put it, towards a big deal…Everything is moving towards me and Trump having to meet and reaching an agreement,” Lukashenko said. U.S. officials told Reuters that Washington hopes to peel Lukashenko away from Russian President Vladimir Putin, his close ally. Mark Trevelyan reports.

U.S. IMMIGRATION DEVELOPMENTS

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced late last night that Trump ordered the suspension of a diversity green card lottery program, which was used eight years ago by the suspect in the Brown University shooting and killing of an MIT professor. “This heinous individual should never have been allowed in our country,” Noem said on social media. “At President Trump’s direction, I am immediately directing USCIS to pause the DV1 program to ensure no more Americans are harmed by this disastrous program.” Rebecca Falconer reports for Axios; Joe Walsh reports for CBS News.

A Wisconsin state judge yesterday was convicted of obstructing federal agents after a federal jury found that she interfered with the agents’ attempt to arrest an undocumented immigrant in her courthouse. Prosecutors said the judge directed the individual and his attorney through a nonpublic exit while agents waited to detain him. The judge was acquitted on a separate misdemeanor charge of concealing a person from arrest. Julie Bosman reports for the New York Times.

Democratic lawmakers from seven states yesterday announced plans to coordinate legislation next year to push back against Trump’s deportation policies, aiming to limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement and restrict tactics such as masked or warrantless arrests. David W. Chen reports for the New York Times.

U.S. DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS 

Today is the deadline for the Justice Department to release its files on Jeffrey Epstein. The DOJ has not said when during the day it intends to make the records public. Several sources told CNN that frustration has been mounting inside the DOJ as it races to apply the necessary redactions. Lawyers at the DOJ’s National Security Division believe they are not getting clear or comprehensive direction on how to make the most information available under the law, sources said. Michael R. Sisas, Eric Tucker, and Alanna Durkin Richer report for AP News; Katelyn Polantz and Evan Perez report.

25 Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday asked Duane Townsend, the Commerce Department’s acting inspector general, to review whether Secretary Howard Lutnick improperly promoted AI data center projects that could enrich his family members. Michael Rothfield and Ana Swanson report for the New York Times.

John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts announced yesterday that its board of trustees had voted to rename it the Trump-Kennedy Center. Despite calling it that for months already, Trump told reporters yesterday, “I was very honored by it,” adding “the board is a very distinguished board, most distinguished people in the country, and I was surprised by it. Shawn McCreesh reports for the New York Times.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ACTIONS

Trump yesterday signed into law the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, which authorizes $901 billion in annual military spending. The White House announced that Trump had signed it, but no Oval Office ceremony with reporters was held. Patricia Zengerle reports for Reuters.

The U.S. Coast Guard yesterday deleted language from its new workplace harassment policy that had downgraded the definition of swastikas and nooses from hate symbols to “potentially divisive.” In a message to all Coast Guard personnel, Adm. Kevin Lunday, the Coast Guard’s acting commandant, said those revisions had been “completely removed” from the policy manual. Lunday also said that a separate directive he issued last month prohibiting swastikas and nooses “remains in full effect.” Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Jack Rosen (D-NV) said that they had lifted their holds on Lunday’s nomination to lead the Coast Guard following his announcement. Tara Copp and Marianne LeVine report for the Washington Post.

The Trump administration will repurpose $2.6 billion in military housing assistance to pay $1,776 “warrior dividend” bonuses to service members, according to a senior administration official. Roughly 1.45 million service members, including 174,000 reservists, will receive the bonuses. Trump said on Wednesday that the money for the bonuses came from tariffs, but this was incorrect as Trump does not have the authority to spend the money from tariffs without authorization from Congress. Jacob Bogage, Noah Robertson, and Riley Beggin report for the Washington Post.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION LITIGATION 

A federal judge on Wednesday issued a preliminary injunction, blocking the Trump administration from carrying out reductions in force at the State Department, Department of Education, General Services Administration, and Small Business Administration through Jan. 30, 2026. The order also requires the Trump administration to reverse hundreds of layoffs that were implemented at these agencies during the government shutdown earlier this year. April Rubin reports for Axios.

The Justice Department said yesterday that it will appeal a ruling from Sept. 3 which ordered the Trump administration to restart federal research grant payments to Harvard University. Alan Blinder reports for the New York Times.

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ICYMI: Yesterday on Just Security

A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the last 24 hours. Here’s today’s news:

U.S. CARIBBEAN AND PACIFIC OPERATIONS

The U.S. military yesterday killed four people in a strike on a boat accused of smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific, U.S. Southern Command said on social media. The attack brought the total number of known boat strikes to 26, with at least 99 people killed, according to numbers announced by the Trump administration. AP News reports.

“We’re not going to be letting anybody going through who shouldn’t be going through,” President Trump told reporters yesterday when asked about his blockade against oil tankers travelling to or from Venezuela. “You remember they took all of our energy rights. They took all of our oil not that long ago. And we want it back. They took it — they illegally took it.” David Klepper and Aamer Madhani report for AP News.

Several ships sailed from Venezuela towards Asia with a Venezuelan naval escort between Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning, three sources said. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has ordered his navy to escort ships carrying petroleum products from port, risking a confrontation with the United States at sea. A U.S. official said Washington was aware of the naval escorts and was considering various courses of action. Edward Wong, Anatoly Kurmanaev, and Eric Schmitt report for the New York Times.

The U.S. House of Representatives yesterday voted 216-210 against a resolution that would remove U.S. armed forces from hostilities with “any presidentially designated terrorist organization in the Western Hemisphere” unless authorized by Congress. It also voted 213 to 211 against a resolution directing the president to ask Congress for authorization to use military force before engaging in hostilities within or against Venezuela. Both votes were almost exclusively along party lines. Patricia Zengerle reports for Reuters; Robert Jimison reports for the New York Times.

Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL) said yesterday that the House Armed Services Committee has finished examining a U.S. military strike on Sept. 2, where two survivors were killed in a follow-up attack, after viewing the full video of the strike in a classified briefing led by Adm. Frank M. Bradley. Rogers said that the Pentagon had fully met his expectations for congressional oversight and that he was satisfied that the lawful process was followed. Robert Jimison reports for the New York Times.

RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR – INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE 

EU member states are set to decide today on 2026-2027 funding for Ukraine, with discussions centered on plans to use tens of billions of euros in frozen Russian assets to underwrite a loan. Hungary and Slovakia have voiced opposition to using frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine. Belgium, Bulgaria, Italy and Malta have expressed reservations and remain undecided. “We just can’t afford to fail. We have to show that we are strong,” EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas said, adding that leaders would stay as long as needed at the Brussels summit to find a solution. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is now planning to participate in the summit in person, having previously said he would attend by video call. Lorne Cook, Sam McNeil, and Angela Charlton report for AP News; Jan Strupczewski and Andrew Gray report for Reuters.

Belgium today reiterated that its EU partners must provide ironclad guarantees that it will be protected from Russian retaliation before it would support the use of frozen Russian assets to back a loan for Ukraine. “I have not yet seen a text that could satisfactorily address Belgium’s concerns,” Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever said, “I hope to see one today.” Lorne Cook, Sam McNeil, and Angela Charlton report for AP News.

Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev is expected to visit Miami this weekend for talks with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on the current U.S. plan to end the war in Ukraine, a White House official and another source said. A Ukrainian delegation is also expected to arrive in Miami later this week for talks with Witkoff and Kushner. There is no plan for a trilateral meeting, the sources said. Barak Ravid reports for Axios.

ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR – CEASEFIRE 

Israeli troops fired a mortar shell over the ceasefire line into a residential area in Gaza, wounding at least 10 people, health officials at Al-Ahli hospital said yesterday. The Israeli military said the mortar was fired during an operation on the Israeli-controlled side of the Yellow Line. The military did not say what the troops were doing or whether they had crossed the line, but said that the mortar had veered from its target. Julia Frankel reports for AP News.

The U.N. and more than 200 other aid groups yesterday warned in a joint statement that humanitarian operations in the Palestinian territories, particularly Gaza, are at risk of collapse if Israel does not lift restrictions that include a “vague, arbitrary, and highly politicized” registration process. Dozens of aid groups face de-registration by Dec. 31, which would mean they have to close operations entirely within 60 days, the statement said. Michelle Nichols reports for Reuters; UN News reports.

SUDANESE CIVIL WAR 

Sudanese Rapid Support Forces paramilitary killed over 1,000 civilians in April during the takeover of the Zamzam camp, according to the U.N. Human Rights Office published today. The findings are based on interviews conducted in July 2025 with 155 survivors and witnesses who fled to Chad. Emma Farge reports for Reuters.

More than 1,600 people have been killed in attacks on medical and health care centers in Sudan so far this year, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said yesterday. Ghebreyesus said the agency has documented 65 attacks on health facilities since January. Samy Magdy report for AP News.

ISRAEL-HEZBOLLAH – CEASEFIRE

French, Saudi Arabian, and U.S. officials will hold talks with the head of the Lebanese Army in Paris today aimed at finalising a roadmap to enable the disarmament of Hezbollah, diplomats said. The talks plan to create more robust conditions to support the disarmament process and dissuade Israel from escalation, four diplomats told Reuters. The idea would be to reinforce the existing ceasefire mechanism with French, U.S. and possibly other military experts along with U.N. peacekeeping forces, the diplomats and officials said. John Irish and Jana Choukeir report.

OTHER GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS

Rwanda-backed M23 rebels yesterday claimed to have begun withdrawal from the city of Uvira in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Betrand Bisimwa, leader of the M23, told AP News, adding that the withdrawal would be complete by this morning. When asked who would take control of the city following his forces withdrawal, Bisimwa said the responsibility fell to the mediators and that M23 had “requested a neutral force, and we believe that those who asked us to withdraw will be able to deploy them very quickly.”A spokesperson for the governor of South Kivu said he was unable to confirm the withdrawal late Wednesday night. Ruth Alonga and Wilson McMakin report for AP News

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday announced that he had approved an unprecedented $35 billion deal to sell natural gas to Egypt. Barak Ravid reports for Axios.

Brazil’s Senate yesterday voted 48-25 to approve a bill to shorten former President Jair Bolsonaro’s sentence from 27 years to just over two years. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has not said whether he will sign it into law or veto it. Maria Carolina Marcello reports for Reuters.

U.S. FOREIGN AFFAIRS

The United States yesterday approved $11.1 billion in arms sales to Taiwan. The proposed arms sales cover eight items, including HIMARS rocket systems, howitzers, Javelin anti-tank missiles, Altius loitering munition drones and parts for other equipment, Taiwan’s defence ministry said in a statement. Ben Blanchard and Michael Martina report for Reuters.

The U.S. State Department yesterday demanded that Honduras’ National Electoral Council (CNE) immediately begin counting a manual count of ballots from last month’s presidential election. The NEC has blamed protests for preventing it from starting the manual count of hundreds of thousands of ballots that it said showed inconsistencies and were therefore excluded from the initial tally. “Any call to disrupt public order or the [CNE’s] work will be met with consequences,” the State Department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs said on social media. Laura Garcia reports for Reuters.

U.S. IMMIGRATION DEVELOPMENTS

The Trump administration has asked U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services field offices to “supply Office of Immigration Litigation with 100-200 denaturalization cases per month,” according to internal guidance issued on Tuesday and obtained by the New York Times. By comparison, between 2017 and this year, there have been just over 120 cases filed, according to the Justice Department. Hamed Aleaziz reports.

Guan Heng, a Chinese man who secretly filmed Uyghur detention camps in Western China and later applied for asylum in the United States in 2021, was detained by ICE in August. On Monday, the Trump administration moved to continue deportation proceedings, arguing that Guan should be sent to Uganda under third-country asylum rules. Emily Feng reports for NPR; Amy Qin and Chris Buckley report for the New York Times.

U.S. DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS 

The Senate yesterday voted 77-20 in support of the $901 billion National Defense Authorization Act. Connor O’Brien reports for POLITICO.

Former special counsel Jack Smith yesterday told lawmakers in a closed-door interview with the House Judiciary Committee that his team of investigators “developed proof beyond reasonable doubt” that Trump had criminally conspired to overturn the results of the 2020 election, according to documents obtained by  AP News. Smith also said investigators had accrued “powerful evidence” that Trump broke the law by hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate.  Eric Tucker and Lisa Mascaro report.

Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) this week put holds on the nomination of Adm. Kevin Lunday to lead the U.S. Coast Guard, citing concerns with a new workplace harassment policy that downgrades the definition of swastikas and nooses from hate symbols to “potentially divisive.” In a statement, Duckworth questioned why Lunday would not update the policy manual “to delete the absurd characterization that clearly states a noose and swastika are merely potentially divisive symbols,” adding that the admiral had previously affirmed that both “are symbols of hate.” Rosen said the hold will remain in place “until the Coast Guard provides answers.” Tara Copp, Marianne LeVine, and Michelle Boorstein report for the Washington Post.

The Navy disciplined 18 Navy SEALS earlier this year after military investigators found a group chat that contained racist memes targeting a Black SEAL who was also in the chat, according to documents and a Naval Special Warfare spokesperson. The punishments ranged from reduction in rank and forfeiture of pay to administrative measures, according to the Navy spokesperson. CBS News learned that Rear Adm. Milton Sands, then the head of Naval Special Warfare Command, acted swiftly once the allegations surfaced in March. Sands has since been removed from his position by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The reason for his removal is unknown. Eleanor Watson and James LaPorta report.

Ghislaine Maxwell yesterday asked a federal judge to set aside her December 2021 conviction, alleging that a series of constitutional violations had denied her a fair trial. Benjamin Weiser reports for the New York Times.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ACTIONS

FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said yesterday that he plans to step down from the bureau in January. After Bongino’s announcement, FBI Director Kash Patel called him “the best partner I could’ve asked for in helping restore this FBI.” Ryan Lucas reports for NPR; Dareh Gregorian reports for NBC  News.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION LITIGATION 

A federal appeals court yesterday ruled that National Guard troops stationed in Washington, D.C., since August could remain while the court considered the legality of the deployment. The three-judge panel wrote, “Because the District of Columbia is a federal district created by Congress, rather than a constitutionally sovereign entity like the 50 states, the defendants appear on this early record likely to prevail on the merits of their argument.” Zack Montague reports for the New York Times

A federal judge yesterday ruled that ICE cannot enforce newly adopted policies that require lawmakers to provide seven days notice before visiting detention facilities and entirely barring congressional visits to field offices being used to detain immigrants. Josh Gerstein and Kyle Cheney report for POLITICO.

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If you enjoy listening, Just Security’s analytic articles are also available in audio form on the justsecurity.org website.

ICYMI: Yesterday on Just Security

A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the last 24 hours. Here’s today’s news:

U.S. CARIBBEAN AND PACIFIC OPERATIONS

President Trump yesterday announced on social media a “complete blockade” on sanctioned oil tankers going to and from Venezuela, adding that “Venezuela is completely surrounded by the largest Armada ever assembled in the History of South America.” Trump said the operation would continue until Venezuela returned “all of the Oil, Land, and other Assets that they previously stole from us,” but he did not define what he meant by those assets. Chevron, the only U.S. oil company still operating in Venezuela, said yesterday that its operations were not affected. Edward Wong, Simon Romero, Charlie Savage, and Julian E. Barnes report for the  New York Times; Aaron Pellish reports for POLITICO.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said yesterday that the Pentagon would not publicly release the video showing a second strike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean on Sept. 2. “Of course we’re not going to release a top secret full unedited video of that to the general public,” Hegseth told reporters, adding however that both the House and Senate armed services committees will view the full video. Dave Lawler reports for Axios; Filip Timotija reports for The Hill.

Two non profit groups, Defiance.org and Whistleblower Aid, yesterday launched an ad campaign, offering legal information and confidential advice to help U.S. troops who believe they may have received unlawful orders. Billboards, posters and online messages will be focused in particular on military communities near U.S. Southern Command in Doral, Florida, and U.S. Special Operations Command in Tampa, Florida, organizers said. Dan De Luce reports for NBC News.

RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR – INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE 

U.S. and European diplomats have mostly signed off on two documents with Ukrainian leaders, which outline the security guarantees set to deter future Russian aggression, according to officials. The plan calls for a stronger Ukrainian military, the deployment of European forces inside Ukraine, and increased use of U.S. intelligence, officials familiar with the drafts said.“We would secure a demilitarized zone between the warring parties and, to be very specific, we would also act against corresponding Russian incursions and attacks. We’re not there yet,” German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said yesterday. Michael D. Shear, Steven Erlanger, and Christopher F. Schuetze report for the New York Times; Thomas Escritt reports for Reuters.

ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR – CEASEFIRE 

Flooding in Gaza over the last week and collapsing buildings, damaged during the war, have killed at least 12 people, including a two-week-old baby, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Wafaa Shurafa and Melanie Lidman report for AP News.

WEST BANK VIOLENCE 

An Israeli settler yesterday shot and killed a 16-year-old Palestinian in the town of Tuqu’ in the occupied West Bank after the funeral of another 16-year-old who was killed on Monday by Israeli forces, Tuqu’ Mayor Mohammed al-Badan told Reuters.

Israel yesterday blocked a private Canadian delegation, including six members of Parliament, from entering the occupied West Bank because of its links to Islamic Relief Worldwide, according to the Israeli Embassy in Canada. The embassy’s statement said Israel “will not allow the entry of organizations and individuals who are associated with designated terror entities.” AP News.

SUDANESE CIVIL WAR 

Drone strikes in Sudan’s Kordofan region since Dec. 4 have killed at least 104 people, including 43 children, the U.N. Human Rights office said yesterday. Emma Farge reports for Reuters.

The Sudanese Rapid Support Forces paramilitary (RSF) engaged in widespread and systematic mass killing in El Fasher upon gaining control of the city in October and subsequently engaged in a systematic multi-week campaign to destroy evidence through burial, burning, and removal of human remains on a mass scale, according to a report published yesterday by Yale’s Humanitarian Research Lab and its analysis of satellite images. The report says that this pattern of body disposal is ongoing. Stewart Maclean reports for BBC News.

OTHER GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS

India’s counterterrorism agency on Monday charged militant groups in Pakistan and six individuals in the terror attack in Kashmir that killed 26 people in April. The six individuals include two people who were arrested and accused of harboring terrorists, a Pakistani national who was charged with being a handler and three people who were killed by Indian security forces weeks after the attack and were charged posthumously. Pranav Baskar reports for the New York Times.

U.S. FOREIGN AFFAIRS

The United States has designated Colombia’s Clan del Golfo gang as a terrorist organization, according to a notice posted on the Treasury Department’s website yesterday.  Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the group “a violent and powerful criminal organization,” whose main source of income is cocaine trafficking. The Clan del Golfo is currently Colombia’s largest illegal armed group and is holding talks with Colombian President Gustavo Petro in Qatar to end the ongoing violence. Costas Pitas and Susan Heavey report for Reuters.

U.S. foreign aid funding cuts, imposed this year, have led to an increase in forced marriages and child exploitation in Cox’s Bazaar refugee camp, home to 1.2 million members of Myanmar’s Rohingya minority in Bangladesh, according to a report by AP News. Patrick Halton, a child protection manager for UNICEF, said, “armed groups … are operating in the camps, using the camps as a fertile ground for recruiting young people,” adding “obviously, if children are not in learning centers and not in multipurpose centers, then they’re more vulnerable to this.” Kristen Gelineau reports.

South African authorities yesterday raided a center processing applications by white South Africans for the United States refugee program and arrested seven Kenyan nationals who were working there illegally, South Africa’s Home Affairs Ministry said in a statement today. The statement said no U.S. officials were arrested in the raid, adding that South Africa’s Foreign Ministry had started “formal diplomatic engagements with both the United States and Kenya to resolve this matter.” Rebecca Beitsch reports for The Hill.

U.S. IMMIGRATION DEVELOPMENTS

Trump yesterday expanded travel restrictions to 20 additional countries under a revised policy set to take effect on Jan. 1. Travel will be fully blocked for individuals from Syria, South Sudan, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso and for people with documents issued by the Palestinian Authority. Partial travel restrictions will be applied to individuals from 15 additional countries, predominantly in Africa. The new policy also applies to spouses, children, and parents of U.S. citizens. With this expansion, there are now 35 countries with U.S. travel restrictions. Tyler Page and Hamed Aleaziz report for the New York Times.

The United States has transferred 22 Cuban migrants to its Navy base at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, sources said. The 22 men arrived on an ICE air charter from Louisiana on Sunday, before which the base had been empty since mid-October. The weekend transfer was also the first since a federal judge ruled that the Trump administration exceeded its authority in holding migrants designated for deportation at the base. Carol Rosenberg reports for the New York Times.

Reuters yesterday witnessed  Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino in a convoy of agents conducting immigration raids in Chicago, following a month-long slowdown. “As we said a month ago, we aren’t leaving Chicago and operations are ongoing,” Homeland Security Department spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said.  Renee Hickman reports.

TECH DEVELOPMENTS 

India has become the largest market by daily users for both ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini chatbot, driven by free subscription offers, according to Sensor Tower market intelligence firm. In November, Google started giving its $400 Gemini AI Pro subscription for free for 18 months to 500 million customers of India’s largest telecom network; OpenAI also offered its ChatGPT Go plan, which was set at $54, for free. Five AI analysts said that the freebies strategy would help companies gain from India’s linguistic diversity to secure crucial data for AI training. Munsif Vengattil reports for Reuters.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ACTIONS

“The [Vanity Fair]  article published early this morning is a disingenuously framed hit piece on me and the finest President, White House staff, and Cabinet in history,” White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles wrote yesterday. Wiles and other administration officials came out to criticize the articles, with Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance offering explanations of Wiles’ comments as reported, defending both her and the administration. Isaac Arnsdorf and Maegan Vazquez report for the Washington Post.

Trump has nominated Lt. Gen. Joshua Rudd, a career Special Forces officer and current deputy commander of Indo-Pacific Command, to be the next head of the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command, according to two sources. Rudd would formally replace Gen. Timothy Haugh, who was fired by Trump in April. Speaking in general terms about Rudd’s nomination, a former U.S. official said, “Why would we think it’s a good idea to make someone without cyber experience head of Cyber Command?” Ellen Nakashima and Alex Horton report for the Washington Post.

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ICYMI: yesterday on Just Security