May 20, 2024

ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR | Updates from day 227 of the conflict:

• International Criminal Court chief prosecutor Karim Khan said today that he has applied for arrest warrants for both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas's leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity over the October 7 attacks on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza. [more]
• According to a statement from Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant’s office, Gallant told U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan today that Israel intends to broaden its military ground operations in the southern Gaza city of Rafah “to the end of dismantling Hamas and recovering the hostages.” [more]
• Reports say an Israeli airstrike on the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza yesterday killed at least 27 people, including 10 women and seven children. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 816 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• Ukrainian officials say all 37 Shahed drones launched by Russia at targets across Ukraine Saturday night were shot down. No damage or casualties from the wave of drone attacks has been reported. [more]
• At least 11 people were killed, and dozens of others were wounded, yesterday when Russian missiles struck a lakeside resort on the edge of Ukraine’s second largest city, Kharkiv. [more]

U.S. GUN VIOLENCE | Ten people were wounded by gunfire Saturday night after an argument between two women broke out in Savannah, Georgia's Ellis Square tourist district. The incident was one of five weekend shootings in Savannah, two of which involved fatalities. [more]

U.S. GUN REGULATION | Texas-based U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk yesterday issued a temporary restraining order that prevents a new Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives rule requiring gun dealers to obtain licenses and conduct background checks when selling firearms at gun shows and online from taking effect in Texas and for members of several gun rights groups. [more]

TEXAS | Authorities in Texas say more than 240,000 homes and businesses, mostly in the Houston area, remain without power today in the aftermath of powerful storms in the state last Thursday that killed seven people. Full power restoration to customers in the Houston area is expected to be completed by Wednesday. [more]

U.S. AND SAUDI ARABIA | The state-run Saudi Press Agency reports that U.S. national security officials met yesterday with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for discussions on what Saudi officials called a “semi-final” version of a wide-ranging security agreement between the two countries. [more]

U.S., CHINA, AND TAIWAN | Citing arms sales to Taiwan as the reason for the move, China’s Ministry of Commerce announced sanctions today against three U.S. defense companies. Under the sanctions, Boeing’s Defense, Space & Security unit, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, and General Dynamics Land Systems will be banned from further investment in China and the companies’ senior executives will be banned from traveling to China. [more]

IRAN | Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, and several others were killed in a helicopter crash yesterday, Iranian state media reported today after the aircraft crash site was located. The country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has appointed First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber as Iran’s acting president. [more]

U.K. | In an inquiry report released today, British authorities say a “catalogue of failures” by health officials and the U.K. National Health Service exposed tens of thousands of patients to deadly infections through contaminated blood and blood products from the 1970s through the early 1990s. The report says around 1,250 people were infected with HIV-tainted blood products and more than 26,000 others were infected with hepatitis C after receiving blood transfusions. The U.K. government is expected to issue an apology for the healthcare failures later today and will reportedly announce about $12.7 billion in compensation to victims. [more]

AFGHANISTAN | The Islamic State militant group has claimed responsibility for a Friday attack on a bus in Afghanistan's Bamiyan province in which six people, including three Spanish citizens and three Afghans, were killed. In a statement, the group said the attack was in response to Islamic State leaders' instructions "to target citizens of the European Union wherever they are found.” [more]

SOUTH AFRICA | Former President Jacob Zuma will not be allowed to stand as a candidate for Parliament in next week’s national elections in South Africa following a ruling by the country’s Constitutional Court today that found Zuma ineligible due to a previous criminal conviction. [more]

CONGO | Military officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo say an attempted coup against the government of President Felix Tshisekedi was foiled over the weekend and that some 50 suspects, including three Americans and a British citizen, involved have been arrested. [more]

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC | Winning nearly 60% of votes in early returns, President Luis Abinader appears headed for a second term in office following yesterday’s general election in the Dominican Republic. [more]

TAIWAN | In his inauguration speech today, Taiwan’s new president, Lai Ching-te, said he wants peaceful relations with China and urged Beijing to stop its military threats and intimidation of the self-governed island. Chinese officials criticized the speech, saying Lai “sent a dangerous signal of seeking independence” and accusing him of undermining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. [more]

U.K. | Britain’s National Audit Office says the implementation of post-Brexit border and trade arrangements will cost the U.K. 4.7 billion pounds, or US$6 billion, over the lifetime of the programs. [more]

GOLF | Xander Schauffele shot a final-round 6-under-par 65 yesterday to win the PGA Championship – his first major tournament victory. In LPGA play, Nelly Korda won the Mizuho Americas Open yesterday – her sixth win in seven LPGA starts this year. [more]

SOCCER | Manchester City clinched its record-setting fourth straight English Premier League title yesterday with a 3-1 win over West Ham United. [more]

BASKETBALL | The Indiana Pacers advanced to the NBA’s Eastern Conference finals last night with a semifinal-ending win over the New York Knicks. Indiana will play the Boston Celtics in the conference finals. In the Western Conference, the Minnesota Timberwolves advanced to the finals last night with a 98-90 Game 7 win over the Denver Nuggets. Minnesota will play the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference finals. [more]

WEEKEND MOVIES | "IF" topped the North American box office over the weekend with an estimated $35 million in receipts, followed by "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" and "The Strangers—Chapter 1." [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1862, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln signed the Homestead Act, which provided 160 acres of public land virtually free of charge to those who had lived on and cultivated the land for at least five years. [more history]