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A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the past 24 hours. Here’s today’s news:
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
A state of emergency was declared in the Kursk region of Russia as a rare cross-border attack by Ukrainian troops continued yesterday. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin described the incursion as a “large-scale provocation.” At least five civilians have been killed and 31 wounded since the incursion began, according to Russian officials. James Waterhouse and Laura Gozzi report for BBC News; Ketrin Jochecová reports for POLITICO.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR
World Central Kitchen (WCK) said one of its Palestinian team members was killed near Deir al-Balah in Gaza yesterday. The organization said they are still looking into the incident, but they believe Nadi Sallout was off duty at the time. The Israeli military said it did not know of any such incident and that it has been in contact with WCK. Lauren Sforza reports for The Hill; Reuters reports.
The Israeli Supreme Court yesterday considered a petition to close a prison where soldiers have been accused of abusing Palestinians. Rights groups have been engaged in a legal battle since June to shut down the Sde Teiman detention facility, claiming that conditions at the facility are grave and that abuse by Israeli soldiers is rampant. Julia Frankel reports for AP News.
The Israeli military yesterday ordered Palestinians to leave several neighborhoods in northern Gaza and move south to Gaza City, warning shortly afterwards that it was preparing to take “immediate” and “forceful” action against Hamas and other militants who it said fired rockets toward Israel. The New York Times reports.
The last person listed as missing from the Oct. 7 attack on Israel has been identified as killed, Israeli authorities say. Raffi Berg reports for BBC News.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR — U.S. RESPONSE
The White House said yesterday it is as “as close” as it has ever been to reaching a ceasefire and hostage release deal. “There is a good proposal before both sides, and they need to both accept that proposal so we can get this in place,” White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters. Brad Dress reports for The Hill.
The U.S. State Department called allegations of sexual abuse of Palestinian detainees by Israeli soldiers “horrific” and said Israel must investigate “swiftly” and “fully,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told a press briefing yesterday. “There ought to be zero tolerance of any sexual abuse, rape, of any detainees, period,” Miller said. Tara John and Michael Conte report for CNN.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR — INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
The E.U. condemned far-right Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich for saying it “might be justified” to starve two million civilians in Gaza until hostages held there are returned. “Deliberate starvation of civilians is a war crime: Minister Smotrich advocating for it is beyond ignominious,” E.U. foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said today in a post on X. The New York Times reports.
Israel’s foreign ministry said today it plans to effectively close Norway’s diplomatic mission to the Palestinians. The move follows Norway, along with Spain and Ireland, officially recognizing a Palestinian state in May. The New York Times reports.
ISRAEL-HEZBOLLAH CONFLICT
Israel told the United States that if Lebanon’s Hezbollah harms Israeli civilians as part of its retaliation for the assassination of its top military commander, “the IDF’s response would be disproportionate,” two Israeli officials said. Barak Ravid reports for Axios.
ISRAEL-IRAN CONFLICT
Iran’s acting foreign minister said yesterday his country will respond to the killing of top Hamas official Ismail Haniyeh at the “right time” in the “appropriate” manner. Tom Bennett reports for BBC News.
Iran warned all commercial airlines to avoid its airspace for three hours yesterday and today over military drills. Samy Magdy reports for AP News.
U.S. DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS
A Nevada man awaiting trial for charges stemming from his alleged participation in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot was taken into custody this week after making threatening posts online targeting public officials, including Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett and Attorney General Merrick Garland. Alexander Mallin reports for ABC News.
Federal prosecutors alleged in a new court filing yesterday that Hunter Biden agreed to lobby U.S. officials on behalf of a Romanian businessman facing criminal investigations back home. Marshall Cohen reports for CNN.
GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS
Defying a Spanish arrest warrant, Catalonia’s separatist leader returned to Barcelona today after seven years. Large crowds greeted Carles Puigdemont, who has lived in self-imposed exile since a failed 2017 independence attempt. It is unclear if or how the amnesty law passed this year for alleged crimes linked to the failed independence bid would apply to him. Emma Bubola reports for the New York Times.
Three Taylor Swift concerts were canceled in Vienna after Austrian authorities arrested two people, accusing them of planning attacks on large-scale gatherings. One suspect, 19, allegedly pledged allegiance to the self-styled Islamic State militant group. The arrests come amid a string of similar terrorist threats targeting major events in Europe this summer. Anika Arora Seth reports for the Washington Post.
After a week of anti-immigration riots in Britain, thousands took to the streets yesterday to decry racism and protect refugee centers. The counter demonstrators appeared to outnumber the agitators, and for at least one night helped stop the violence. William Booth and Karla Adam report for the Washington Post; Christian Edwards and Rob Picheta report for CNN.
A Polish man was sentenced to four months in prison yesterday for punching Denmark’s prime minister while she walked through Copenhagen in June. He faces deportation after serving his sentence and will be banned from returning to Denmark for six years. Isabelle Yr Carlsson reports for Reuters.
Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus declared there is “a lot of work to be done” in Bangladesh as he arrived in the country today to take over as interim leader. “People are excited,” 84-year-old Yunus said, ahead of his swearing-in. Samira Hussain and Flora Drury report for BBC News.
The U.S. and U.K. ambassadors to Japan said yesterday they would not attend Nagasaki’s annual peace memorial ceremony this week because Israel had not been invited. Victoria Kim and Hisako Ueno report for the New York Times.
Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States have reached a new agreement to cover the transfer of nuclear material to Australia under the Aukus pact. Daniel Hurst reports for The Guardian.
A former high-ranking Mexican official tried to bribe fellow inmates into making false statements to support his bid for a new trial in a U.S. drug case, a U.S. judge ruled yesterday. Genaro García Luna awaits sentencing after being convicted last year of taking money to protect drug cartels. He denies the charges. Jennifer Peltz reports for AP News.
Tunisian President Kais Saied has sacked his prime minister and appointed former Social Affairs Minister Kamel Maddouri as his replacement, the Tunisian presidency said in a statement yesterday. Reuters reports.