February 26, 2024

ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR | Updates from day 143 of the conflict:

• International NGO Human Rights Watch, citing what it says is a 30% decline in the daily average number of aid trucks entering Gaza in recent weeks, accused Israel today of failing to comply with last month’s International Court of Justice order to take “immediate and effective measures to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance to address the adverse conditions of life faced by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.” [HRW statement] [more]
• Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said yesterday that his country will continue to target Hezbollah militants in southern Lebanon even if a temporary cease-fire agreement is reached with Hamas in Gaza. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 732 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• Marking this weekend’s two-year anniversary of the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said yesterday that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers and tens of thousands of civilians have been killed during the war. [more]
• More than 20 European heads of state and government are meeting today in Paris in a joint show of support for Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron, host of the conference, said the summit will focus on strengthening aid to Ukraine as the Russian invasion enters its third year. [more]

U.S. POLITICS | Former President Donald Trump won Saturday’s Republican presidential primary in South Carolina, winning 47 of the state’s convention delegates, compared to 3 for rival Nikki Haley, who previously served as governor of the state. [AP summary] [more]

WHITE HOUSE SUMMIT | Reports say President Joe Biden will meet tomorrow with the top four congressional leaders – House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell – for discussions centered on a proposed $95 billion emergency security aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific, and on the need to pass government funding measures ahead of March 1 and March 8 deadlines to avert partial government shutdowns. [more]

U.S. SOCIAL MEDIA | The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments today on the legality of laws passed in Florida and Texas that restrict the ability of large social media companies to moderate content on their platforms that the companies deem objectionable. Neither of the state laws have gone into effect due to ongoing litigation. [more]

NATO | The Hungarian parliament is expected to vote today to ratify Sweden’s NATO membership bid – the final vote needed to make Sweden the alliance’s 32nd member. [more]

GLOBAL SECURITY | Speaking today at the opening of the U.N. Human Rights Council summit in Geneva, Switzerland, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the world is becoming “less safe by the day,” and that participants in conflicts in places including Congo, Gaza, Myanmar, Ukraine, and Sudan are showing a disregard for international law. [more]

SOUTH KOREA | Government officials in South Korea said today that junior doctors in the country have four days to end their nearly week-long strike or face penalties, including the possibilities of criminal prosecution and suspension of medical licenses. [more]

EUROPEAN FARMING | Farmers from across Europe are taking part in protests today outside the European Union’s headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. Reports say tractors driven by protesting farmers have disrupted traffic throughout the city and that police are maintaining a heavy security presence around the European Council building, where the 27-nation bloc’s agriculture ministers are meeting. [more]

SOUTH CHINA SEA | Reuters reports that satellite imagery shows a new floating barrier across the entrance to the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea – a site of frequent run-ins between Philippine ships and Chinese coast guard vessels. The Philippine Coast Guard claimed last week to have observed Chinese boats deploying barrier floats at the site. [more]

BRAZIL | Tens of thousands of supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro rallied in Sao Paulo yesterday amidst ongoing investigations into an alleged coup attempt following Bolsonaro's 2022 election loss to Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. [more]

SPACE | Houston-based Intuitive Machines says its Odysseus moon lander tipped over on its side when it touched down on the lunar surface last week, limiting the craft’s communications with mission coordinators. [more]

SOCCER | Virgil van Dijk scored in the 28th minute of extra time yesterday to secure Liverpool’s record-extending 10th English League Cup trophy with a 1-0 win over Chelsea. [more]

ENTERTAINMENT AWARDS | Top winners at Saturday night’s 30th Screen Actors Guild Awards included, in the movie categories, “Oppenheimer” for best ensemble cast, Lily Gladstone for best actress in “Killers of the Flower Moon,” and Cillian Murphy for best actor in “Oppenheimer.” In the television categories, “Succession” won for best drama ensemble, while “The Bear” received the award for best comedy ensemble. [full list of awardees] [more]

WEEKEND MOVIES | "Bob Marley: One Love" topped the North American box office over the weekend with an estimated $13.5 million in receipts, followed by "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba" and "Ordinary Angels." [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | Forced to abdicate as French emperor in 1814, Napoleon escaped from exile on the island of Elba on this date in 1815. Gathering support en route, he retook power on his return to Paris on March 20, ushering in the Hundred Days. [more history]