Early Edition: September 6, 2024

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

ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday that he does not believe a ceasefire and hostage deal are likely. “There is no deal in the making,” Netanyahu told Fox News, rejecting the Biden administration’s insistence that a deal is near. Mick Krever, Jennifer Hansler and Alex Marquardt report for CNN.

Yesterday, five Palestinians were killed by an Israeli airstrike on their vehicles, Palestinian news media reported as one of the most devastating recent Israeli military incursions into the occupied West Bank continued for a ninth day. Raja Abdulrahim reports for the New York Times.

The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court told the BBC that “justice must be done” after issuing an arrest warrant for both Israeli and Hamas leaders. He stressed that it was important to demonstrate that the court would hold all states to the same standard with regard to alleged war crimes. Ido Vock and James Gregory report.

ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR – REGIONAL RESPONSE

The Egyptian army chief of staff visited the Egypt-Gaza border yesterday to conduct a security assessment and inspect checkpoints. according to a statement from the military. The New York Times defeated.

HOUTHI ATTACKS

Tugboats sent more than two weeks ago to a burning oil tanker attacked by Yemen’s Houthis were also targeted and ordered to turn back. a Pentagon spokesman said yesterday. It comes despite Iran’s announcement last week that the militant group had agreed to a temporary pause in its campaign. The New York Times defeated.

American presidential election

The Kremlin yesterday rejected US accusations of election meddling, calling the allegations “nonsense”. Russian President Vladimir Putin also claimed to be supporting Vice President Kamala Harris in the race, despite revelations in one of the indictments and a related series of indictments linking Moscow’s efforts to the Republican Party. Robyn Dixon and Catherine Belton report for the Washington Post.

GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has ordered an investigation into the purchase of Pegasus spyware by Colombian police. Petro said the software was purchased in cash from an Israeli surveillance company during his predecessor’s administration. Vanessa Buschschluter reports for BBC News.

A total of 135 political prisoners from Nicaragua have been released on humanitarian grounds in a US-brokered deal. All 135 are Nicaraguan citizens who were wrongfully detained, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said. Those who were released were taken to Guatemala yesterday and will have the opportunity to apply for relocation to the United States. Vanessa Buschschluter reports for BBC News.

Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of Telegram, promised more efforts to combat criminal activity on the app, in his first public comments since French authorities filed preliminary charges for allegedly allowing criminal activity on the platform. AP News defeated.

The Dutch Ministry of Defence yesterday announced a major plan to make the country’s armed forces ‘future-proof’. including the purchase of more F-35 fighter jets and the return of a Dutch tank battalion. Mike Corder reports for AP News.

Former Taiwanese presidential candidate and Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je was arrested again yesterday as part of a wide-ranging corruption investigation. Voice of America defeated.

WAR BETWEEN RUSSIA AND UKRAINE

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met in Germany today with senior US military leaders and more than 50 partner countries to push for more arms support. The meeting came as Washington announced it would provide Kiev with an additional $250 million in security aid. Tara Copp reports for AP News.

The deadly crash of a Ukrainian F-16 fighter jet on the first day of combat deployment last week has raised concerns about the rush to train and deploy pilots. U.S. and Western officials say. The Ukrainian air force has yet to determine the cause of the crash. Lara Seligmann and Nancy A. Youssef report for the Wall Street Journal.

New video footage obtained by CNN looks like show Russian troops executed three surrendering Ukrainians in late August after their trench was overrun. Nick Paton Walsh, Kostya Gak, Victoria Butenko and Muhammad Darwish report.

US FOREIGN RELATIONS

The United States yesterday charged members of Russia’s military intelligence service with cyberattacks on Ukraine and American companies in the run-up to the 2022 invasion of Kiev. The State Department also offered a reward of up to $60 million for their captures, expanding the hunt for Russia’s most elite cyber warriors. David E. Sanger and Julian E. Barnes report for the New York Times.

The Justice Department yesterday released criminal charges against Russian-American political expert Dimitri Simes. claiming he was paid more than $1 million by a Russian news outlet, violating U.S. sanctions. Hannah Rabinowitz and Holmes Lybran report for CNN.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Haiti yesterday to confirm US involvement in a multinational mission to combat gangs in the country and promote general elections. AP News defeated.

OTHER DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS IN THE US

The father of the 14-year-old suspect in the Apalachee school shooting was charged yesterday with two counts of second-degree murder. It is the most serious charge ever filed against the parent of an alleged school shooter. John Woodrow Cox, Steven Rich and Sarah Blaskey report for the Washington Post.

Hunter Biden pleaded guilty yesterday to nine federal tax charges, a last-minute twist that allows him to avoid a second criminal trial. His sentencing is scheduled for December 16, and he faces up to 17 years in prison and a fine of up to $1.3 million. Jessica Ogilvie, Matt Viser and Perry Stein are reporting for the Washington Post.

Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro violated the Hatch Act by engaging in impermissible political activities, the federal Office of Special Counsel announced yesterday. The violations included advocating for President Biden’s re-election and criticizing Trump in a BBC interview in January. Sean Michael Newhouse reports for DefenseA.

FBI agents searched the homes of New York City Police Chief Edward Caban and at least four deputy officers for Mayor Eric Adams, sources say. Agens has also seized devices from the officials’ homes, according to two sources. City Hall’s chief attorney said investigators “have not indicated to us that the mayor or his staff are the target of any investigation.” Miranda Nazzaro reports for The hill; Jake Offenhartz reports for AP News.

A Massachusetts doctor who admitted to punching a police officer during the January 6 riot at the Capitol was sentenced yesterday to nine months in prison. the Department of Justice announced. Rebecca Falconer is coming forward Axios.

TRUMP LEGAL MATTERS

A federal judge yesterday ordered prosecutors and defense lawyers to file legal briefs in Trump’s 2020 election suppression case before the Nov. 5 election. “This court is not interested in the election schedule,” said Judge Tanya Chutkan, who denied Trump’s request to move more slowly and accused his attorney of trying to delay action before the election. Spencer S. Hsu, Perry Stein and Salvador Rizzo reported for the Washington Post.