Early Edition: November 19, 2024

Signup to receive the Early Edition in your inbox here.

A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the over the past 24 hours. Here’s today’s news:

U.S. PRESIDENTIAL TRANSITION AND NEW CONGRESS 

President-elect Trump yesterday confirmed his intention to declare a national emergency and use the U.S. military to assist in carrying out mass deportations of undocumented immigrants. Charlie Savage and Michael Gold report for the New York Times. 

Trump has begun receiving intelligence briefings since shortly after the election, U.S. officials said. Ellen Nakashima and Tyler Pager report for the Washington Post.

Trump yesterday selected a former Wisconsin congressman and Fox Business host, Sean Duffy, to lead the Transportation Department. Mark Walker reports for the New York Times.

Trump is calling some senators directly to lobby for former Rep. Matt Gaetz’s confirmation as Attorney General, according to Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND). However, Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) said Gaetz is facing an “uphill climb,” with nearly a dozen GOP senators refusing to commit to confirming him. Juliegrace Brufke and Hans Nichols report for Axios; Anthony Adragna and Ursula Perano report for POLITICO.

The House Ethics Committee is expected to meet Wednesday for a possible vote on whether to release its report on Gaetz, sources say. Andrew Solender reports for Axios.

Two women testified to the House Ethics Committee that Gaetz paid them for sex, their lawyer told the Washington Post. Jacqueline Alemany, Liz Goodwin, and Perry Stein report.

TRUMP LEGAL MATTERS 

The Georgia Court of Appeals yesterday announced it canceled next month’s scheduled arguments in Trump’s Georgia federal prosecution over conspiring to corrupt the 2020 election results. Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein report for POLITICO.

A Manhattan judge yesterday delayed Steve Bannon’s fraud prosecution in state court, pushing the trial back to Feb. 25, 2025. Trump previously pardoned Bannon on similar charges in federal proceedings. Colin Moynihan reports for the New York Times.

U.S. ELECTIONS 

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled yesterday that election officials must stop counting incorrectly dated mail-in ballots, a major victory for Republican Senate candidate David McCormick, who holds a narrow advantage over Sen. Bob Casey (D) ahead of an expected recount. Colby Itkowitz reports for the Washington Post.

RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR 

U.K. media reports that Ukraine fired U.S. long-range missiles inside Russia for the first time today and struck a military facility in Bryansk, citing the Russian defense ministry. Ukraine’s military confirmed that it had struck an ammunition warehouse in Bryansk, but did not confirm which weapon was used. BBC News reports. 

The United Kingdom is expected to give Ukraine Storm Shadow missiles to strike inside Russia, following President Biden’s policy change. Dan Sabbagh, Andrew Roth, Pjotr Sauer, and Jessica Elgot report for the Guardian.

Russian President Vladimir Putin today signed into law a revised nuclear doctrine saying any massive aerial attack on Russia could trigger a nuclear response. AP News reports.

ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR

A large convoy of trucks carrying aid to Gaza was “violently looted” while traveling through the territory, with drivers forced to unload supplies at gunpoint, the U.N. aid agency for Palestinians (UNRWA) said yesterday. It was not immediately clear who was responsible. Hiba Yazbek and Erika Solomon report for the New York Times.

Organized gangs stealing Gaza aid supplies are operating freely in areas controlled by the Israeli military, aid group officials and witnesses say. An internal U.N. memo concluded the gangs “may be benefiting from a passive if not active benevolence” or “protection” from the IDF. Claire Parker, Loveday Morris, Hajar Harb, Miriam Berger, and Hazem Balousha report for the Washington Post.

ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR — U.S. RESPONSE 

The Biden administration imposed sanctions on Israel’s largest settlement development organization “involved in settlement and illegal outpost development in the West Bank,” the Treasury Department said yesterday. Jennifer Hansler reports for CNN.  

A group of at least 20 White House staffers criticized the Biden administration for failing to follow through on its Gaza aid demands in a letter seen by POLITICO. Joseph Gedeon, Robbie Gramer, and Eric Bazail-Eimil report. 

The United States yesterday warned Turkey against hosting Hamas leadership. Simon Lewis and Daphne Psaledakis report for Reuters.

The U.S. Senate will vote tomorrow on legislation filed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) that would block some arms sales to Israel. The legislation is not expected to pass. Patricia Zengerle reports for Reuters.

ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR — INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE 

U.N. Security Council members yesterday called for a significant increase in aid to Gaza, with U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield saying Washington is “closely watching” Israel’s efforts to address the situation. Daphne Psaledakis and Patricia Zengerle report for Reuters.

Norway will ask the U.N. General Assembly to request an International Court of Justice ruling clarifying whether Israel is violating international law by “prevent[ing] the UN, international humanitarian organization and states from providing humanitarian assistance to the Palestinians.” Patrick Wintour reports for the Guardian.

ISRAEL-HEZBOLLAH WAR

Biden’s senior adviser Amos Hochstein will meet with Lebanese officials today to discuss a possible ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war, after both Hezbollah and the Lebanese government agreed to a U.S.-drafted proposal. Maya Gebeily, Laila Bassam, and Timour Azhari report for Reuters.

ISRAEL-IRAN CONFLICT

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday that last month’s Israeli strikes on Iranian military facilities damaged a “specific component” of Iran’s nuclear program. The Washington Post reports.

GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS 

The death toll of Sudan’s war is significantly higher than previously reported, according to a new report by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine’s Sudan Research Group. Kalkidan Yibeltal and Basillioh Rukanga report for BBC News.

Russia yesterday vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in the war between Sudan’s military and paramilitary forces and supply of aid to the region. U.K. Foreign Minister David Lammy, who chaired the meeting, called the veto a “disgrace.” Edith M. Lederer reports for AP News.

A Hong Kong court today sentenced 45 pro-democracy leaders to prison terms of up to 10 years over “conspiracy to commit subversion.” Shibani Mahtani reports for the Washington Post.

The U.N. will restart Haiti aid flights tomorrow, following a week-long hiatus after gangs hit three commercial planes with gunfire. Harold Isaac and Ralph Tedy Erol report for Reuters.

Two “critical” undersea cables in the Baltic sea connecting Finland with Germany and Lithuania with Sweden were severed yesterday, presumably by sabotage, Germany’s defense minister said. Miranda Bryant reports for the Guardian.

Turkish strikes in northeast Syria have cut water to more than one million people over the past 5 years, according to data collated by the BBC World Service. Namak Khoshnaw, Christopher Giles, and Saphora Smith report for BBC News.

U.S. FOREIGN AFFAIRS 

Biden pledged a record $4 billion contribution to the World Bank’s International Development Association fund during a G20 summit session, a senior official said yesterday. David Lawder and Andrea Shalal report for Reuters.

A Russian man has been extradited from South Korea to the United States over charges related to a ransomware gang that allegedly extorted more than $16 million from victims, U.S. prosecutors said yesterday. Sean Lyngaas reports for CNN.

OTHER U.S. DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS 

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) yesterday sued the federal government for information about how authorities might quickly deport people from the United States. Maria Sacchetti reports for the Washington Post.

Biden yesterday condemned Saturday’s neo-Nazi march in Ohio’s capital, with White House spokesman Andrew Bates saying Biden “abhors the hateful poison of Nazism, Antisemitism, and racism.” Maham Javaid reports for the Washington Post.

A Senate panel overseeing technology issues will today hold a hearing on Chinese hacking incidents, including the recent large-scale hack of telecommunications companies. David Shepardson reports for Reuters.

The Library of Congress notified lawmakers of “cyber breach” of its IT systems, saying an adversary had accessed email communications between January and September. Lisa Mascaro reports for AP News.

The post Early Edition: November 19, 2024 appeared first on Just Security.