January 7, 2025

MIDDLE EAST | Updates from regional conflicts:

• Following yesterday’s attack on a bus carrying Israelis in the occupied West Bank, Israeli forces carried out a series of raids in the region overnight and this morning, killing at least three Palestinians, according to local officials. [more]
• Reuters cites unnamed diplomatic sources as saying that the United Arab Emirates has discussed with Israel and the United States participating in a provisional administration of post-war Gaza until a reformed Palestinian Authority is able to take charge. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1048 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here is your update:

• Amidst a renewed Ukrainian military offensive in Russia’s Kursk region, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said today that some 38,000 Russian troops have been killed or wounded in the region since August. [more]

U.S. BIRD FLU | Health officials in Louisiana say a patient who had been reported recently to have the first severe case of bird flu in the U.S. died yesterday – the first death in the U.S. to be linked to the disease. Authorities note that the patient was over the age of 65 and had underlying medical problems, and say the overall risk to the general public from the virus remains low. [more]

U.S. MEDICAL DEBT | According to a final Consumer Financial Protection Bureau rule announced today, unpaid medical bills will no longer appear on credit reports in the U.S. and such debt will be removed from the credit reports of some 15 million Americans. [more]

MINNESOTA | The Minneapolis City Council approved a consent decree with the federal government yesterday under which the city’s police department will operate under long-term court supervision. The agreement follows a 2023 Justice Department report in the wake of the police murder of George Floyd that found police in the city to have systematically discriminated against racial minorities, violated constitutional rights, and disregarded the safety of people in custody. [more]

CALIFORNIA | Officials in southern California’s Los Angeles and Ventura counties have warned of increased fire risk and potential infrastructure damage as the region expects its strongest winds in more than a decade later today. [more]

U.S. MILITARY | The Pentagon announced a settlement yesterday under which it will consider granting honorable discharges to more than 30,000 gay and bisexual veterans who were barred from serving in the military because of their sexual orientation during the 1993-2001 "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy period. [more]

GUANTANAMO | U.S. military officials announced yesterday that 11 Yemeni detainees at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, were transferred to Oman this week after being held for more than 20 years without charges. Reports say 15 men remain detained at Guantanamo – the lowest number since 2002, when the site was established as a detention facility as part of what the U.S. called its “war on terror.” [more]

U.S. AND JAPAN | Nippon Steel Corp. and U.S. Steel filed federal lawsuits in the U.S. yesterday, challenging President Joe Biden’s decision to block the $15 billion purchase of the U.S. company by the Japanese firm on national security grounds. [more]

U.S. AND CHINA | The U.S. Defense Department added dozens of Chinese companies to its list of firms it says have ties to China’s military yesterday. New additions to the list included gaming and technology company Tencent, which has denied a link to the Chinese military and says it will work to be removed from the U.S. list. [more]

TIBET | Regional authorities say at least 95 people were killed, and 130 others were injured, early today when a 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck the autonomous Chinese territory of Tibet about 50 miles northeast of Mount Everest. Emergency officials say about 1,000 homes were damaged in the affected region and that some 1,700 rescue workers and military personnel have been deployed to the area to assist in search and rescue efforts. [more]

CANADA | Amidst declines in popular and political popularity, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation yesterday as leader of Canada’s ruling Liberal Party. Trudeau said he will continue to serve as prime minister until a new party leader is chosen. [more]

NORTH KOREA | Following South Korean reports of a missile launch yesterday, North Korea said today that it successfully tested a new hypersonic intermediate-range missile designed to strike remote targets in the Pacific. [more]

VENEZUELA AND PARAGUAY | Venezuela broke off diplomatic relations with Paraguay yesterday after Paraguayan President Santiago Pena expressed support for Venezuela's opposition and said his country recognized opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez as the winner of Venezuela's presidential election last year. President Nicolas Maduro was declared the winner by Venezuela's election authority and is scheduled to be inaugurated for his third term in office on Friday. [more]

FOOTBALL | North Dakota State beat Montana State, 35-32, last night to claim the team’s record 10th Football Championship Subdivision title. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 2015, two gunmen connected to the al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula militant group stormed the Paris offices of Charlie Hebdo and killed 12 people in retribution for the satirical magazine's portrayals of the Prophet Muhammad. [more history]