January 24, 2025

MIDDLE EAST | Updates from regional conflicts:

• With the first phase of the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas appearing to hold, the Palestinian group is expected to release another four hostages over the weekend, while Israel is slated to release some 180 Palestinian prisoners. Reports also note that Israel is expected to expand its troop withdrawal from Gaza over the weekend. [more]
• Israel’s renewed anti-militant operations in the occupied West Bank continue today for the fourth straight day, with reports saying hundreds of residents of the Jenin refugee camp have begun leaving their homes following Israeli warnings of pending action. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1065 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• Military officials in South Korea say North Korea appears to be preparing to send additional troops to Russia to fight against Ukraine alongside Russian forces. [more]
• The Russian Defense Ministry says its forces repelled a massive Ukrainian drone attack overnight, destroying 121 drones that targeted 13 Russian regions, including Moscow. Ukrainian officials say an oil refinery in Russia’s Ryazan region was hit in the attack, sparking a massive fire. [more]

U.S. CITIZENSHIP | A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order yesterday blocking President Donald Trump’s executive order that seeks to do away with the 14th Amendment’s granting of birthright citizenship to children of non-citizens. U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour called the order “blatantly unconstitutional” and suspended its implementation pending further court proceedings. [more]

U.S. MILITARY | The Senate is scheduled to vote today on the nomination of combat veteran and former Fox News host Pete Hegseth to be the U.S. Secretary of Defense. At least two Republican senators are expected to join Democrats in opposing Hegseth’s confirmation. [more]

TRUMP PARDONS | President Donald Trump issued pardons yesterday to several anti-abortion activists convicted of conspiracy against rights and violating the federal Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act in connection with the blockade of, and incursion into, a Washington, DC, abortion clinic in 2020. [more]

U.S. OPIOID SETTLEMENT | OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma and the owners of the company agreed yesterday to pay up to $7.4 billion to settle state, local, and personal lawsuits over the prescription painkiller and its role in the opioid crisis. [more]

U.S. NATURAL DISASTERS | President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit two U.S. regions today that were heavily affected by recent natural disasters: areas of North Carolina struck by Hurricane Helene and southern California, where firefighters continue to battle a series of large wildfires. [more]

U.S. CRYPTOCURRENCY | President Donald Trump yesterday ordered the creation of a cryptocurrency working group tasked with proposing new and updated digital asset regulations and exploring the creation of a national cryptocurrency stockpile. [more]

IRELAND AND U.K. | Large portions of Ireland and the northern U.K. are facing school closures and travel disruptions today as a powerful winter storm with wind gust exceeding 114 miles per hour moves into the region. Reports say more than 170,000 homes and businesses in affected regions are without power due to storm-related energy infrastructure damage. [more]

IRAN | The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center has warned that Iran’s Revolutionary Guard appears to be carrying out attempts to compel ships in the Persian Gulf to enter Iranian waters, saying there have been multiple reports of radio challenges to ships in the region and that the actions could be part of the Revolutionary Guard’s Great Prophet military exercises. [more]

JAPAN | Amidst higher inflation forecasts, the Bank of Japan raised its benchmark interest rate today to 0.5% – the highest level in 17 years. [more]

TENNIS | Novak Djokovic withdrew from his Australian Open semifinal match against Alexander Zverev today due to injury. Zverev advanced to the tournament’s men’s final in which he will play the winner of today's match between Jannik Sinner and Ben Shelton. In the women’s bracket, Madison Keys will play two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in tomorrow’s final. [more]

FOOTBALL | Josh Allen, Saquon Barkley, Joe Burrow, Jared Goff, and Lamar Jackson have been announced as the finalists for The Associated Press 2024 NFL Most Valuable Player award. [more]

OSCAR NOMINATIONS | Nominations for the 97th Academy Awards were announced yesterday. Nominations for best picture include: “Anora”; “The Brutalist”; “A Complete Unknown”; “Conclave”; “Dune: Part Two”; “Emilia Pérez”; “I’m Still Here.”; “Nickel Boys”; “The Substance” and “Wicked.” [full list of nominees] [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1984, two days after the groundbreaking commercial “1984” aired before a national TV audience, Steve Jobs introduced Apple's revolutionary Macintosh computer, which featured a 9-inch monochrome display, a processor speed of 8 megahertz, and 128k of RAM.  [more history]