The three Israeli hostages who were mistakingly killed by Israeli troops were holding a stick with a white piece of cloth and shouted "help" in Hebrew before being shot, Israeli Defense Forces officials said on Saturday.
The latest: "The shooting at the hostages was done in violation of the IDF rules of engagement," IDF chief of staff Herzi Halei said in a statement. "It is not allowed to shoot at a person who is holding a white flag and wants to surrender. But this shooting was conducted under stress and on a battlefield," he added.
The Biden administration has been looking for ways to provide more student loan borrowers with relief.
The big picture: While the Supreme Court has blocked Biden's signature student loan forgiveness plan, the administration has managed to dole out almost $132 billion in relief for more than 3.6 million borrowers – and has signaled there's more to come.
Ex-Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani was ordered by a jury Friday to pay $148 million in damages for defaming two Georgia election workers as part of his alleged efforts to undermine the results of the 2020 presidential election.
A jury ordered Rudy Giuliani on Fridayto pay$148 millionin damages for defaming two Georgia election workers as part of his alleged efforts to undermine the results of the 2020 presidential election, per multiplereports.
Why it matters: The decision marks another multimillion-dollar penalty in a case related to lies about the 2020 election, and will add to Giuliani's mounting legal fees and financial troubles.
U.S. homelessness reached a record high in 2023, according to data the federal government released Friday.
The big picture: Homelessness increased by about 12% nationwide since last year, and it rose across all household types, the Department of Housing and Urban Development said in a new report.
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) on Friday filed a complaint against a federal judge who has ruled in cases relating to Jan. 6 and former President Trump.
Driving the news: Stefanik requested an ethics investigation into U.S. District Court Judge Beryl Howell for a speech she gave in November, in which she said the country was at risk of falling into authoritarianism.
The U.S. economy is on track to avoid a recession next year as inflation returns to normal, according to new economic projections released by the Congressional Budget Office.
Why it matters: The nonpartisan agency expects more moderate economic conditions in 2024 — including slower growth and higher jobless rates — than previously anticipated. But its projections suggest America will skirt an all-out contraction in growth.
Several Trump co-defendants in the Fulton County, Ga., election-interference case wrote one sentence apology letters as part of their guilty pleas.
Driving the news: The terse, handwritten letters by Sidney Powelland Ken Chesebro, both former Trump-allied lawyers, were obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution through an open records request.
Former President Trump is mostly keeping his distance from key Senate races in GOP primaries. But privately, Trump's team is working closely with the Republican Senate campaign group, which is trying to avoid fielding extreme, scandal-plagued candidates in 2024.
Why it matters: It's a strategy shift for Trump and the National Republican Senatorial Committee from last year, when several far-right, Trump-backed candidates lost winnable races and the GOP lost control of the Senate.
The most pronounced dynamic shaping U.S. cities heading into 2024 is "the donut effect" — a hollowing of the urban core as people, jobs and retailers flee to the suburbs and exurbs.
Why it matters: For all the talk of 2023 being the year of downtown recovery, the reality looks more like a swirl of experiments in how to attract residents, commuters and visitors to cities where the pulse beats differently than it did pre-pandemic.
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on Friday is launching his first television ad of the GOP primary — a six-figure TV ad buy in New Hampshire.
Why it matters: Christie, who polls find in third place in New Hampshire behind former President Trump and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, is betting he can exceed expectations in the state's Jan. 23 primary with his anti-Trump message.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday held his first end-of-year news conference since launching a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The big picture: During the four-hour event, Putin ruled out ending Russia's war, suggested global support for Ukraine was flagging and spoke for the first time about detained Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.
A former FBI special agent in charge of counterintelligence at the bureau's New York Field Office was sentenced to 50 months in prison on Thursday in connection to working with a sanctioned Russian oligarch.
Driving the news: Charles McGonigal, 55, pleaded guilty in August to one count of conspiracy to violate U.S. sanctions and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering as part of his 2021 agreement to provide services to Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska.
None of the North Carolina swing voters who participated in our latest Engagious/Sago focus groups support an impeachment inquiry into President Biden.
Why it matters: Interviews with participants who have voted for both Biden and former President Trump suggest they aren't convinced the current president was involved in activity worthy of removal from office.
Republicans may hold the House majority, but Democratic yeas outnumbered GOP votes on every major bill that landed on President Biden's desk this year.
Why it matters: A divided government, slim congressional majorities and a fractured House GOP caucus forced significant bipartisanship on measures to raise the debt ceiling, keep the government running and set U.S. defense policy.
The White House and Senate Democratic leaders are on notice that progressives have serious concerns about a potential border security compromise with Republicans. Negotiators are still steaming ahead.
Why it matters: For President Biden and vulnerable Senate Democrats, a deal would unlock two key priorities — funding for Ukraine and Israel. It would also mean addressing a major political problem: record crossings at the southern border.
Two historic cases related to Jan. 6 arrived on the Supreme Court's doorstep this week, each carrying profound implications for former President Trump's prosecution and political future.
Why it matters: Trump's indictments are deeply intertwined with his 2024 campaign. Favorable Supreme Court rulings that delay — or dismantle — his federal election interference case would embolden a candidacy that critics already warn poses an existential threat to democracy.
