Defiance and Diplomacy: Soldier Protests, Ceasefire Talks, and Weiss’s Criticism of Biden

Good Morning,

A small but growing group of Israeli soldiers have publicly refused to serve in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, Negotiators in Doha are finalizing a ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas, with U.S. officials playing critical roles in pushing for an agreement before Donald Trump’s January 20 inauguration, and Special Counsel David Weiss criticized President Joe Biden for undermining the justice system by claiming Hunter Biden’s prosecution was selective in his final report.

Top Stories

• Some Israeli soldiers refuse to keep fighting in Gaza (AP)

• Gaza ceasefire deal close after 'breakthrough' in Doha (RT)

• Hunter Biden prosecutor chastises president for maligning justice system (AJ)

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• A missile fired by Houthi rebels targets central Israel as airstrikes hit displaced area in Gaza (AP)

• Judge Allows Release of Half of Special Counsel’s Report on Trump Cases (NYT)

• China Reins In Its Once-Freewheeling Finance Sector With Purges and Pay Cuts (WSJ)

• Venezuela’s attorney general seeks arrest of opposition’s Leopoldo Lopez (AJ)

• SoCal Edison blamed in a lawsuit for starting one of the Los Angeles fires (CNN)

• US tightens its grip on AI chip flows across the globe (RT)

• European defense heavyweights say meeting Trump’s military spending target won’t be easy (AP)

• Wealthy Homeowners and Their Insurers Turn to Hired Help to Fight L.A. Wildfires (WSJ)

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• Multiracial boom in 2020 census was mostly an illusion, researchers say (AP)

United States and Canada

• Georgia cuts loose more people from probation after a fitful start (AP)

• US judge allows DOJ to release report on Trump's election subversion case (RT)

• The Pitched Battles for Partisan Control in State Legislatures (NYT)

• Hawaii’s governor responds to deadly fireworks blast with proposed $300 fines, more prison time (AP)

• Democrats Say F.B.I. Did Not Interview Critical Witnesses About Pete Hegseth (NYT)

• Wildfires have been raging in Los Angeles for days. When will they end? (CNN)

• US lists white supremacist Terrorgram network as ‘terrorist group’ (AJ)

• Georgia’s governor proposes a one-time $50 million boost for school security (AP)

• Bezos' Blue Origin calls off debut New Glenn launch over rocket issue (RT)

Africa

• Mali seizes 3 tons of gold from Canadian company (AN)

• Celebrations in Sudan's Wad Madani as army takes over strategic city (RT)

• Operation under way to rescue trapped miners from South African gold mine (AJ)

• Jihadist attacks in Borno State Leave at least 40 farmers dead (AN)

• Mozambique opens new parliament amid opposition protests and boycotts (AJ)

• Congo army reclaims key areas from M23 rebels (AN)

• US State Department approves military helicopter sale to Zambia for $100 million (RT)

Middle East

• At UN, Israel accuses Hezbollah of trying to rebuild with Iran's help (RT)

• Lebanon's Nawaf Salam to be designated PM, angering Hezbollah (RT)

• Iran releases dual German national as it attends talks with European powers (AJ)

• Hamas expected to release 33 hostages in first phase of emerging ceasefire deal, Israeli officials say (CNN)

• In an Upended Mideast, Trump Faces a New Divergence With Old Allies (NYT)

• Fresh term for Turkey's Erdogan 'on our agenda', ruling party spokesman says (RT)

• Head of hostage NGO believes US journalist Tice still in Syria (RT)

Indo-Pacific

• Top aide of impeached South Korean president pleads for investigators to halt detention efforts (AP)

• North Korea fires short-range missiles ahead of Trump return (RT)

• With South Korea in Crisis, Eight Justices Will Decide President’s Fate (NYT)

• Japan, Philippines, U.S. vow to deepen cooperation, Manila says (RT)

• Japan slaps new sanctions on Russia and groups in other nations that allegedly helped it evade bans (AP)

• Thailand's cabinet approves draft law to legalise casinos and gambling (RT)

• Philippines protests China’s deployment of ‘monster ship’ in maritime zone (AJ)

Europe

• Secret UK files detailing confessions of Cambridge Five spies released (RT)

• Russian forces bypass a key stronghold in a bid to cut off its supplies, a Ukrainian officer says (AP)

• Pope Francis’ Autobiography, ‘Hope,’ Arrives in Bookstores (NYT)

• Seoul says 300 North Korean soldiers killed, 2,700 wounded fighting Ukraine (AJ)

• Austrian far right and conservatives reach budget accord in a step toward new government (AP)

• Ukraine strikes Russia with massive drone and ATACMS attack, Russian Telegram channels (RT)

• French PM's concessions on pensions eyed in key policy speech (RT)

Latin America

• Peru judge throws out Keiko Fujimori's money laundering trial (RT)

• Judge postpones hearing for suspects in Haitian president’s slaying who were hoping to be released (AP)

• Emboscada en el Cauca deja a un policía muerto y otro uniformado herido; esto es lo que se sabe (SM)

• China aims to deepen Caribbean ties, Grenada affirms one-China principle (RT)

• Venezuela accuses opposition of coordinating attacks on diplomatic facilities in 5 countries (AP)

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• Vladimir Padrino López: «Venezuela defenderá su paz ante cualquier intento de intervención» (LN)