January 11, 2023

UKRAINE | Today is day 321 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• U.S. military officials said yesterday that training of approximately 100 Ukrainian troops on the operation and maintenance of the Patriot missile defense system will begin as early as next week at the U.S. Army's Fort Sill, Oklahoma, base. [more]
• Reports say intense fighting continues today in the eastern Ukraine town of Soledar despite claims of control over the town yesterday by Russia’s Wagner mercenary group. [more]

U.S. TRAVEL | The Federal Aviation Administration has temporarily delayed the departure of all airline flights in the U.S. until 9am Eastern today following issues with the agency’s Notice to Air Missions System, which is used to inform pilots of flight hazards and related restrictions. [more]

U.S. POLITICS | The newly installed Republican majority caucus in the House of Representatives yesterday announced the formation of two new investigative committees — one to examine strategic competition between the U.S. and China and the other to investigate federal law enforcement agencies and their actions. [more]

BIDEN DOCUMENTS | In response to recent revelations that classified documents from when he served as vice president were found in one of his former offices late last year, President Joe Biden said he was surprised there were government documents in the office, that he did not know what was in the documents, and that his administration will cooperate fully with Justice Department and intelligence community reviews of the matter that have been requested by some members of Congress. [more]

GUN LEGISLATION | Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed legislation into law yesterday making his state the latest to ban the sale or possession of semiautomatic weapons. The new law, which is expected to be challenged in court, bans dozens of specific brands or types of rifles and handguns, attachments, and rapid-firing devices, and places limits on the number of rounds that a firearm or magazine can accommodate. [more]

U.S. MILITARY | The Department of Defense formally rescinded its COVID-19 vaccination mandate yesterday. According to the Pentagon, other vaccine mandates remain in place and commanders can take immunization status into consideration when making deployment, assignment and other operational decisions, including when vaccination is required for travel to, or entry into, a foreign nation. [more]

IOWA | The Des Moines school district — the largest in Iowa — has cancelled classes today for the second day in a row for its 30,000 students following an apparent cyberattack that disrupted much of the district’s computer network. District officials say schools are expected to reopen tomorrow. [more]

CALIFORNIA | Governor Gavin Newsom said yesterday that at least 17 people have died in California in the wake of severe winter rainstorms that are expected to continue for at least another week. [more]

TAIWAN | A spokesperson for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office said yesterday that Beijing is committed to safeguarding China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and warned that foreign politicians who interact with Taiwan, which China views as its own, are “playing with fire.” [more]

INDONESIA | At least two schools and 124 houses were damaged in Indonesia’s eastern Tanimbar islands yesterday when a 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck the region, according to the country’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency. A tsunami warning was issued following the quake, but was lifted hours later. [more]

FRANCE | Authorities in Paris say an unnamed man wounded six people in a knife attack this morning at the city’s Gare du Nord train station. The suspect was shot by police and is currently hospitalized. [more]

ETHIOPIA | Reports say Tigray forces in northern Ethiopia have begun to turn over heavy weapons to the government as part of an agreement signed late last year to end a two-year conflict in the region. [more]

UGANDA | Following 42 days with no active cases, health officials in Uganda today declared the end of the country’s recent Ebola outbreak, which killed 55 people since last September. [more]

PERU | The Peruvian attorney general’s office said yesterday that it has launched an investigation into President Dina Boluarte and members of her cabinet over recent clashes between protesters supporting ousted former President Pedro Castillo and police in which at least 40 people have died. [more]

GERMANY | Police in western Germany have reportedly begun to evict a group of environmental activists from the village of Luetzerath who had been blocking efforts to demolish the village to make way for the expansion of the nearby Garzweiler coal mine. [more]

PHILIPPINES | The Philippine Supreme Court yesterday declared as unconstitutional the 2003 Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking agreement between the Philippines, China, and Vietnam that called for state-owned companies to explore for oil in disputed regions of the South China Sea. [more]

CHINA | Following a similar move against South Korea on Monday, China yesterday announced the suspension of travel visas for Japanese citizens in response to Tokyo’s implementation of COVID-19 testing requirements for travelers from China. [more]

COVID-19 TRAVEL | World Health Organization officials said yesterday that countries should consider recommending that passengers on longer airline flights wear masks due to the rapid spread of the latest Omicron coronavirus subvariant XBB.1.5. [more]

GOLDEN GLOBES | “The Fabelmans” won the award for best drama picture and “The Banshees of Inisherin” won for best musical or comedy picture at last night’s 80th Golden Globe Awards. In the television categories, “House of the Dragon” won for best drama series, while “Abbott Elementary” won for best comedy series. [full list of winners] [more]

MUSIC | The Blues Foundation released its list of nominees for the 44th Blues Music Awards yesterday, with singer and harmonica player John Nemeth, vocalist Shemekia Copeland, country blues artist Rory Block, and guitarist Eric Gales among the top nominees. The awards ceremony will be held May 11 in Memphis, Tennessee. [full nominee list] [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1935, Amelia Earhart, one of the world's most celebrated early aviators, made the first successful solo flight from Hawaii to California, a distance longer than that from the United States to Europe. [more history]