UN suspends all trips into Houthi-held areas of Yemen over 7 more staffers being detained – The Associated Press

  1. UN suspends all trips into Houthi-held areas of Yemen over 7 more staffers being detained  The Associated Press
  2. UN suspends movement in Houthi-held areas after staff detained  BBC.com
  3. UN says seven staff detained in Houthi-controlled Yemen  The Guardian
  4. UN says seven staff detained in Houthi-controlled Yemen, all movement suspended  Reuters
  5. World News in Brief: More UN staffers detained in Yemen, education hit by climate crisis, Nigeria aid plan  UN News
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U.S. private military contractors to secure internal checkpoint in Gaza – The Washington Post

  1. U.S. private military contractors to secure internal checkpoint in Gaza  The Washington Post
  2. U.S. Security Contractors Going to Gaza to Oversee Truce, Officials Say  The New York Times
  3. US private security company to be deployed in the Gaza Strip  Le Monde
  4. US security contractors head to Gaza to oversee Netzarim corridor: Reports  Middle East Eye
  5. U.S. private security contractors will operate key Gaza checkpoint  Axios
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Pete Hegseth: five things to know about the new US secretary of defense

Hegseth has been accused of sexual assault and excessive drinking, and has endorsed extremist Christian doctrine

The Senate has confirmed Fox News host and army veteran Pete Hegseth to be the US secretary of defense, placing him in charge of the federal government’s largest agency after a tie-breaking vote had to be cast by JD Vance.

Three Republican senators – Mitch McConnell, Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins – and every Democratic senator voted against his confirmation, leaving him with 51 votes, enough to become Donald Trump’s third cabinet member to secure Senate confirmation.

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UN says seven staff detained in Houthi-controlled Yemen

UN secretary general Antonio Guterres demands ‘unconditional’ release of all staff held by Iran-backed rebels

The UN has suspended all staff movement in Houthi-held areas of Yemen after the Iran-backed rebels detained another seven UN employees.

The UN secretary general, António Guterres, called for the “immediate and unconditional” release of all aid staff held in Yemen, which is suffering one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

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Trump signs order to reinstate ‘global gag rule’ on abortion aid

Federal rule also known as ‘Mexico City policy’ halts US funds to overseas groups that provide abortion services

Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order reinstating a federal rule known as the “Mexico City policy” which halts US aid from flowing to groups that provide abortion services, counsel people about the procedure or advocate for abortion rights overseas.

The policy, which was first instituted by Ronald Reagan in 1984, is typically implemented whenever a Republican president wins the White House and rescinded whenever a Democrat wins. But this whiplash has major implications for abortion and reproductive healthcare around the world.

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Belarus election: ‘There is no alternative to Lukashenko’ – BBC.com

  1. Belarus election: 'There is no alternative to Lukashenko'  BBC.com
  2. 'The reappointment of a dictator by a dictator': Lukashenko set for 7th term as Belarusian president  Sky News
  3. ‘A ritual for a dictator’: Lukashenko critics decry Belarus election  The Guardian
  4. What another Lukashenko ‘victory’ will mean for Europe’s security – and that of Belarus’ citizenry  The Conversation
  5. Putin ally Alexander Lukashenko to cement grip on Belarus in ‘sham’ elections  Financial Times
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Israel affirms Jan. 30 deadline for UNRWA to end operations, leave Jerusalem – The Times of Israel

  1. Israel affirms Jan. 30 deadline for UNRWA to end operations, leave Jerusalem  The Times of Israel
  2. Israel Says UNRWA Has 6 Days to Halt Operations in East Jerusalem  The New York Times
  3. Israel to UN: Palestinian relief agency UNRWA must leave Jerusalem by Jan. 30  The Jerusalem Post
  4. Gaza Faces Fresh Hunger Crisis as Israel Readies Ban on U.N. Agency for Palestinian Refugees  Democracy Now!
  5. Israeli ban on UNRWA could ‘sabotage’ Gaza ceasefire, says agency chief  Financial Times
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Israel Says UNRWA Has 6 Days to Halt Operations in East Jerusalem – The New York Times

  1. Israel Says UNRWA Has 6 Days to Halt Operations in East Jerusalem  The New York Times
  2. Israel tells UN it's shutting down all UNRWA operations in Jerusalem: 'acute security risks'  Fox News
  3. As Israel’s UNRWA Ban Kicks In, the UN Boss Must Be Ready for Day After  PassBlue
  4. Israel's UN Envoy Demands UNRWA Vacate Jerusalem Compound by End of January  Haaretz
  5. UNRWA debate to resurface as Israel, UN gridlocked over replacement organization  The Jerusalem Post
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Israel says it won’t withdraw from Lebanon by Sunday deadline – CNN

  1. Israel says it won’t withdraw from Lebanon by Sunday deadline  CNN
  2. ‘We don’t know what will happen’: northern Israeli town holds breath as Lebanon ceasefire to end  The Guardian
  3. Netanyahu suggests Israel might not complete its withdrawal from Lebanon by a ceasefire deadline  The Associated Press
  4. Lebanese long to return to war-damaged homes, but Israeli troops remain — for now  NPR
  5. Israel Appears Poised to Keep Its Troops in Lebanon Beyond Deadline  The New York Times
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