November 22, 2023

ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR | Updates from day 47 of the conflict:

• Israeli and Hamas officials have announced an agreement under which at least 50 of some 240 Israeli hostages held by Hamas since the October 7 attacks will be released in exchange for a four-day ceasefire in Gaza and the release of 150 Palestinian prisoners by Israel. The Qatar-, U.S.-, and Egypt-mediated agreement also calls for increased humanitarian aid to be delivered to Gaza during the ceasefire, which is expected to begin as early as tomorrow. [more]
• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last night that Israel will resume its war effort against Hamas following expiration of the ceasefire and hostage exchange agreement reached yesterday. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 636 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• Ukrainian military officials say that while Russia appears to have reduced its overall military operations around the eastern town of Avdiivka, eight Russian attacks around the town were repelled yesterday. [more]
• Ahead of expected Congressional showdowns over foreign aid funding in the coming weeks, a new Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll suggests that 45% of Americans think the country is spending too much on aid to Ukraine – down from 52% seen in an October poll. In the new poll, 14% say the U.S. is providing too little aid to Ukraine and 38% feel the aid level is about right. [more]

ALASKA | Gov. Mike Dunleavy has issued a state of emergency for the remote southeastern Alaskan fishing community of Wrangell following a Monday landslide caused by heavy rains that killed at least three people. Reports say at least three other people remain missing and that continued heavy rains this week could lead to additional landslides. [more]

U.S. ENVIRONMENT | The Environmental Protection Agency announced the opening of its new $2 billion Community Change Grants program yesterday, under which lower-income communities can apply for funds to strengthen climate impact protections and improve capabilities to monitor air and water quality. Funds for the program are being provided as part of the Inflation Reduction Act. [more]

MICHIGAN | Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation into law yesterday that temporarily bans people convicted on domestic violence charges from possessing and purchasing firearms and ammunition in Michigan. [more]

U.S. AND IRAQ | Reports say overnight U.S. airstrikes south of Baghdad, Iraq, killed eight members of the Iran-aligned Iraqi paramilitary group Kataib Hezbollah, which is suspected of carrying out multiple attacks on U.S. forces in the region since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas conflict. Iraqi officials condemned the U.S. strikes as a “dangerous escalation” of regional tension. [[more](Iran-aligned Iraqi paramilitary group Kataib Hezbollah)]

KOREA | North Korea claimed to have successfully placed a military reconnaissance satellite into orbit today, prompting South Korea to partially suspend an inter-Korea agreement aimed at easing tensions between the two countries. Both Japanese and U.S. officials say the North's claim of a successful satellite launch has not yet been verified. [more]

NETHERLANDS | Polls suggest a close race in today’s national elections in the Netherlands, with four parties across the political spectrum receiving similar levels of support. Analysts suggest that it may take weeks or months following the election for parties to form a coalition government. [more]

INDIA AND CANADA | India today restored electronic visa services for Canadian nationals some two months after tensions between the countries were raised when Canadian officials suggested that India may have been involved in the killing of Sikh activist and Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar. [more]

KOSOVO | Police in the southern Kosovo city of Prizren say at least nine people were injured today when a hand grenade exploded in a city market. Reports cite officials as saying one of three suspects in the incident threw the grenade into the market following a quarrel. [more]

CUBA | According to a Reuters report, senior Cuban officials have warned of a deepening economic crisis on the island nation in a series of prime-time television appearances over the past several weeks. Among the troubled areas noted by the officials are food production, pharmaceutical supply chains, power supply, fuel shortages, and transportation issues. [more]

AI INDUSTRY | Reports say an agreement has been reached for OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman, who was fired by the company’s board of directors last week, to be re-hired as the company’s CEO and for a new board to be put in place. [more]

TECH MERGER | Computer chip and software maker Broadcom says it has satisfied all regulatory requirements to finalize its $69 billion acquisition of cloud technology company VMware today. [more]

SOCCER | Argentina beat Brazil, 1-0, yesterday in a World Cup qualifying match that was delayed for almost half an hour due to brawling between rival spectator groups. The Brazil loss was their first-ever home defeat in a World Cup qualifier. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1963, John F. Kennedy, the 35th U.S. president, was shot and killed in Dallas, Texas, while riding in an open car. [more history]