January 14, 2025

MIDDLE EAST | Updates from regional conflicts:

• Negotiators have expressed increased optimism that an Israel-Hamas cease-fire and hostage exchange deal could be reached in the next several days. Reports note that there has been increased pressure to reach a deal prior to the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. [more]
• Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels fired a missile at central Israel overnight, damaging several homes outside Jerusalem. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1055 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• Ukrainian military officials say Russian forces have bypassed the strategic city of Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine and, instead of continuing efforts to take control of the logistics hub, are attempting to cut supply lines to the city. [more]
• Reports say Ukraine launched a major drone and missile attack on Russian territory overnight, damaging at least two factories and forcing the closure of schools in the southern Russia cities of Saratov and Engels. [more]

CALIFORNIA | The four major fires in and around Los Angeles, California, have burned more than 62 square miles in less than a week. At least 24 people have been killed in the blazes and officials say that number is likely to rise as the fires continue to be fed by strong winds and dry conditions and search and rescue efforts expand. [more]

TRUMP INVESTIGATIONS | Special Counsel Jack Smith’s report on the investigation into attempts by former President Donald Trump to overturn the results of the 2020 election was released early today. The report concludes that Trump engaged in "criminal effort" to overturn the election and that Smith both stands behind the decision to bring criminal charges against Trump and believed that Trump would have been convicted had he not been returned to the White House by voters. In a social media post, now-President-elect Trump denounced both Smith and the report and reiterated his claim of innocence. [full report] [more]

U.S. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE | In a pair of actions this week, the Biden administration released an “Interim Final Rule on Artificial Intelligence Diffusion” that aims to increase security and economic strength by limiting the export of advanced AI technology to potential adversaries and announced an executive order that will “direct the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy to lease federal sites where the private sector can build frontier AI infrastructure at speed and scale.” [more]

NATO | NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte formally announced today that the military alliance will undertake a mission dubbed “Baltic Sentry” to protect undersea cables in the Baltic Sea region. The move follows recent damage to network and communications cables in the area and suspicion of possible Russian involvement in sabotage activities. [more]

WORLD HUNGER | In an open letter published today, 153 recipients of the Nobel and World Food prizes call for significant increases in research, funding, and efforts to develop new food distribution measures aimed at avoiding a global hunger crisis in the coming decades. The letter notes that some 700 million people globally are currently “food insecure.” [press release] [full letter] [more]

LEBANON | Nawaf Salam, who currently serves as the head of the International Court of Justice, was named prime minister by Lebanese legislators yesterday and has been asked by President Joseph Aoun to form the country’s new government. [more]

SOUTH AFRICA | A group representing miners in South Africa’s North West province says at least 100 miners have died, and as many as 500 remain unaccounted for, after being trapped underground in an illegal goldmine during a months-long standoff with police. [more]

SIERRA LEONE | Following the detection of the country’s second case of mpox in four days, Sierra Leone declared a medical state of emergency yesterday. Authorities say neither case involved known recent contact with infected animals or other sick individuals. [more]

SOUTH KOREA | The impeachment trial of President Yoon Suk Yeol was adjourned today by South Korea's Constitutional Court after Yoon failed to attend a scheduled hearing. Court officials say trial proceedings will move ahead with Yoon’s legal team representing him if he does not appear at the next scheduled session on Thursday. [more]

NORTH KOREA | Japanese and South Korean officials say North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles into the waters off its east coast today. The test launches were North Korea’s second such action in 2025. [more]

EUROPEAN MIGRATION | European Union border agency Frontex said today that the number of migrants entering the E.U. through “irregular routes” fell to just over 239,000 in 2024 – down 38% from the previous year and the lowest level since 2021. The agency notes, however, that the number of people crossing from the E.U.'s borders with Belarus and Russia rose 192% in 2024 to 17,000. [more]

DEMENTIA RESEARCH | According to a study published yesterday in Nature Medicine, about 4 in 10 people are expected to develop some form of dementia after age 55. Researchers note that the risk of dementia increases significantly with age and that women are more at risk than men. [full study] [more]

FOOTBALL | The Los Angeles Rams defeated the Minnesota Vikings, 27-9, last night in the final Wild Card game of the NFL postseason. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1784, the United States ratified the Treaty of Paris, ending the Revolutionary War and having its independence recognized by Great Britain, which formally signed the treaty in April of that year.  [more history]