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National

Gaza's entire population — more than 2.2 million people — is facing crisis or worse levels of hunger, with the risk of famine increasing every day as Israel's ground offensive and bombardment of the enclave continues, a UN-backed body said in a report on Thursday. 

The big picture: It is the highest share of people facing such levels of food insecurity that has ever been reported by the multi-partner body known as the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), which monitors global hunger. 

"These are not just numbers — there are individual children, women and men behind these alarming statistics," said World Food Program chief economist Arif Husain said in a statement. "The complexity, magnitude and speed that this crisis has unfolded is unprecedented."

Zoom in: About 50% of Gaza's population is facing emergency levels of food insecurity, while more than half a million Palestinians — about 26% of the population — have exhausted their food supplies and are facing catastrophic conditions, the IPC report said. 

"Virtually all households are skipping meals every day," it added.

The report warned there is a risk of famine occurring in the next six months if the "intense conflict and restricted humanitarian access persists or worsens." 

The report noted conditions are particularly acute in northern Gaza, which largely remains inaccessible to aid groups due to the fighting and Israel's control over certain areas. 

"The situation in Gaza is clearly catastrophic for all sectors and requires an extremely urgent political response, together with a full multisectoral and strategically balanced humanitarian response," the IPC said.  

What they're saying: Palestinians have described extremely dire conditions in Gaza. "The war has shattered hope for the future and removed the luxury of choice. Here, mothers must go hungry in order to feed their children with what little food they have," a staffer with the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) in Gaza wrote in a blog post earlier this week. 

The World Food Program on Thursday reiterated that "no one in Gaza is safe from starvation."

Aid groups also called the IPC report an "extreme warning" to the international community. 

"It's beyond unacceptable that we have reached yet another tipping point in Gaza — this time, death by starvation, to add to the thousands killed by airstrikes," Mercy Corps CEO Tjada D'Oyen McKenna said in a statement, adding that the group's staff in Gaza say almost no food is available to buy in the enclave. 

Zoom out: Israel is facing growing pressure worldwide to agree to a ceasefire, as conditions in Gaza continue to deteriorate. 

More than 20,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began. The health system has also largely collapsed, with only nine of the 36 hospitals in the enclave partially operational, according to the World Health Organization. 

Israel has so far resisted calls for a permanent ceasefire, saying it will remain in Gaza at least until it achieves its goal of destroying Hamas and securing the release of all the hostages the militant group kidnapped during the Oct. 7 terrorist attack. 

Under U.S. pressure, the Israeli government earlier this month agreed to open the Kerem Shalom crossing, known as Kerem Abu Salem in Gaza, between Israel and the Strip to allow more aid trucks into the enclave. 

But the level of aid reaching Gaza remains only a fraction of what is needed, aid groups have repeatedly said in calling for a humanitarian ceasefire. 

Less than 200 trucks carrying aid entered the enclave on Wednesday — well below the 500 that crossed the border before the war, according to the UN aid office. 

What to watch: The UN Security Council is expected to vote later Thursday on a resolution calling for the urgent suspension of hostilities in Gaza to allow more desperately needed aid to get to Palestinians in the enclave via all land, sea and air routes.

The vote was initially expected earlier this week but was delayed after the U.S. expressed concerns and asked for more time to negotiate the language of the UAE-led draft resolution.  

The current draft calls for the establishment of a UN mechanism "to exclusively monitor all humanitarian relief consignments to Gaza provided through land, sea and air routes of those States that are not parties to the conflict." Such a mechanism is strongly opposed by Israel, which currently monitors and controls all aid entering the enclave. 

Go deeper: Lives in Gaza "hang by thread" as hospital and humanitarian systems collapse

Gaza's entire population facing crisis levels of hunger, risk of famine, report finds

"These are not just numbers – there are individual children, women and men behind these alarming statistics."

Displaced Palestinians, living in a tent camp in the city of Deir Al Balah, wait to receive soup from volunteers. Photo: Ashraf Amra/Anadolu via Getty Images

Gaza

Israel

Conflicts, policies and powers are intersecting and shaping the world. Breaking news and analysis of national security, foreign policy and global crises.

World

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is calling on President Biden to take executive action to address securing the southern border, urging him to restart a series of policies embraced by the Trump administration. 

Why it matters: Johnson told Biden in a letter, first obtained by Axios, that "significant action" on the border "must start with you."

Johnson argued Biden should reimplement Trump administration policies such as resuming construction of the border wall and ending the use of parole programs that release people who've crossed the border.

He also pushed for Biden to re-up the Remain in Mexico agreement and to expedite “removal so that aliens are screened and immediately removed if they cannot demonstrate asylum eligibility,” in addition to curtailing work authorizations for people in the U.S. on parole.

The intrigue: Senate negotiators were angling to strike a deal before leaving for the holidays, frequently meeting with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in hopes of finding consensus before current Ukraine funding is set to run out at the end of the year. 

But lawmakers ultimately left D.C. stating that talks will continue and they remain hopeful they’ll come to an agreement early in 2024. 

Republicans have been adamant that they will not pass Ukraine funding without substantial border policy changes attached to the measure, citing the uptick in fentanyl coming into the country and human trafficking.

“We passed H.R. 2 more than six months ago, but Senate Democrats have refused to act on it. While a bipartisan group of Senators has begun extensive negotiations over the past few weeks to try to find a compromise, they have not yet been able to finalize an agreement,” Johnson wrote.

“Statutory reforms designed to restore operational control at our southern border must be enacted, but the crisis at our southern border has deteriorated to such an extent that significant action can wait no longer. It must start now, and it must start with you,” he added.

The big picture: Border policy has long been a difficult issue for parties to reach a consensus on, and a sizable faction of Republicans have pushed back on providing additional resources to Ukraine.

That could make passing any package that emerges out of the Senate tricky without harsh pushback from House conservatives.

Ukraine funding without substantial border policy changes

Scoop: Mike Johnson urges Biden to unleash executive actions on border security

"Significant action" on the border "must start with you."

Photo: Jamie Kelter Davis/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Mike Johnson

2024 will be an election year like no other, as President Biden seeks re-election amid economic uncertainty, two wars and questions about his age. His likely foe, former President Trump, faces felony charges and vows revenge on his political enemies. Meanwhile, Americans generally are dissatisfied with those choices and are divided over immigration, race, education and more.

Politics & Policy

Rudy Giuliani has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, per a Thursday court filing. 

Why it matters: The filing comes as the former New York mayor and lawyer for former President Trump has been mired in debt stemming from multiple legal cases — most notably the $148 million he owes for defaming two Georgia election workers. 

Giuliani estimated he has between $1 million and $10 million in assets, according to the filing in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.

The filing lists roughly a dozen existing or potential debt claims totaling $153 million. Per an estimate in the filing, he owes up to 49 creditors. 

What they're saying: "The filing should be a surprise to no one. No person could have reasonably believed that Mayor Rudy Giuliani would be able to pay such a high punitive amount," Ted Goodman, a spokesperson for Giuliani, said in a statement to Axios on Thursday. 

"Chapter 11 will afford Mayor Giuliani the opportunity and time to pursue an appeal, while providing transparency for his finances under the supervision of the bankruptcy court, to ensure all creditors are treated equally and fairly throughout the process," Goodman said. 

Details: In addition to the damages for making false statements after the 2020 election, Giuliani said he owes:

Nearly $1 million in federal and state taxes.

$3.4 million in potential liabilities from lawsuits that accuse him of failing to pay accountants, lawyers and phone bills, and lying about an incident at a Staten Island grocery store.

Unspecified amounts stemming from five more pending lawsuits, whose plaintiffs include Dominion Voting Systems, Hunter Biden and a woman who accused him of workplace harassment and sexual assault.

Catch up quick: A judge ruled Wednesday that Giuliani immediately start paying the $148 million he owes for defaming two Georgia election workers. 

Last week, a jury had ordered Giuliani to pay Freeman and her daughter Moss as part of his alleged efforts to undermine the results of the 2020 presidential election.

Since then, the two election workers have sued Giuliani again in order to stop him from repeating claims that they engaged in election interference in 2020. 

That injunction, if granted, would bar Giuliani from from speaking publicly about the two ever again.

Go deeper: Giuliani must immediately pay $148M to Georgia election workers, judge rules

Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect Rudy Giuliani owes up to 49, not upwards of, creditors, per his bankruptcy filing.

Giuliani must immediately pay $148M to Georgia election workers, judge rules

Rudy Giuliani files for bankruptcy, facing mounting legal fees

The filing comes shortly after a judge ruled Wednesday that Giuliani immediately start paying the $148 million he owes two Georgia election workers.

Rudy Giuliani leaves court on Dec. 15 in Washington, D.C. Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Rudy Giuliani

2020 election

Forget the chance of a white Christmas in the Midwest and much of the East this year. Instead, record warmth is on tap. 

The big picture: Mild air is flowing across the Lower 48 states as a result of an extremely strong, west-to-east jet stream flowing across the Pacific Ocean. This feature is connected to a strong El Niño in the tropical Pacific.

The jet stream configuration, which influences how storm systems form and move, is preventing frigid, Arctic air from diving south out of Canada as is more typical at this time of year. 

Instead, temperatures from Dallas to Minneapolis, and north into Canada, are likely to range from 20 to 35 degrees above average during Christmas week. Temperature records, particularly overnight lows, could be smashed by 5 to 10 degrees or more, an unusual margin at any time of year.

Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota are likely to see the warmest conditions relative to average.

Zoom in:  The record warmth will be extremely noticeable to residents in the far northern reaches of the U.S. One of the most reliable regions for a white Christmas is far northern Minnesota and Wisconsin, but this year, even this part of the U.S. is likely to feature bare ground. 

"This will likely be the first time on record that much of northern Minnesota has not seen a white Christmas," wrote Paul Huttner on Wednesday, a meteorologist for Minnesota Public Radio. 

In Minneapolis and Chicago, warm temperature records may be set on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. 

Residents of many Midwestern cities are likely to wake up to bare ground and temperatures in the low 40s on Christmas morning, according to current forecasts. For many, rain could be falling as well. 

These states are typically some of the coldest and snowiest in the U.S. at this time of year, outside of the Rocky Mountains.

Context: The record warmth is tied to three key factors. First, there's the Pacific jet stream feature, which is pushing relatively mild, moisture-rich air into Canada and the northern U.S. 

There is also a storm system spinning over central and southern California, bringing flooding rains there. It is also helping to move mild air into areas out ahead of it. 

Human-caused climate change is in the mix too, since the long-term increase in average temperatures makes setting warm temperature records easier.

According to the research and communications nonprofit Climate Central, temperatures are not expected to drop below 32°F between Dec. 21 and Dec. 25 across Illinois, most of Iowa and parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.

The intrigue: According to Climate Central's Climate Shift Index, the record warmth will be at least twice as likely in today's climate compared to the preindustrial era, which lacked the buildup of planet-warming greenhouse gases we see today.

Between the lines: There is a dearth of snow cover across the U.S. and in North America, as well. 

The 14.3% of snow cover in the Lower 48 states is the lowest amount since such data collection began in 2003. 

The lack of snow cover in the U.S. and in Canada is preventing cold air masses from forming, since snow-covered ground tends to chill the air more than bare ground. 

This could serve as an impediment to major snowstorms in the Midwest and East Coast of the U.S. until mid-winter.

What's next: There are signs that a broad-scale weather pattern shift may take place in early-to-mid January, which could bring colder and snowier conditions to parts of Canada and the U.S.

extremely strong, west-to-east jet stream

most reliable regions for a white Christmas

Record warm and snowless Christmas on tap for Midwest, East

Snow cover is at record low levels for the U.S. and North America for this time of year.

Map showing minimum temperature departures from average forecast for Dec. 24 across the U.S.

Map showing temperature departures from average forecast for Dec. 24. Image: Weatherbell.com

Climate change

Extreme weather

Breaking climate science and policy coverage as extreme weather events reshape communities. Keep tabs on the race to a low carbon economy, which may be bumpy as governments, climate tech startups and major oil and gas companies race to find their niche amid the changing energy landscape.

Energy & Climate

Gen. Charles "CQ" Brown, chair of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke Thursday to his Chinese counterpart, per a statement.

Why it matters: It was the first time in more than a year that the countries' military leaders spoke — and comes more than a month after President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to resume high-level military-to-military communications.

Experts have said that a lack of communication between the two superpowers raises the risk of miscalculation, close calls and conflict in the Asia–Pacific.

Brown and Chinese Gen. Liu Zhenli spoke by video teleconference.

Catch up quick: The Chinese government ceased military communications and several other lines of dialogue with the U.S. in 2022 after then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) visited Taiwan. 

Beijing claims sovereignty over the self-ruled island and rejects gestures that might suggest it's independent.

The U.S. has made several failed attempts since to reestablish military communications, according to NBC News.

What they're saying: Brown and Liu discussed the need for the U.S. and China to work together to manage competition and avoid miscalculations, according to a readout of the call.

The two discussed unspecified "global and regional security issues" and Brown suggested that the leaders of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and the People's Liberation Army Eastern and Southern Theater Commands should also speak to each other, the readout notes.

Our thought bubble, via Axios' Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian: The conversation shows that the Chinese side is following through on the agreement Biden and Xi reached at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum last month. 

U.S. and China military leaders speak for the first time in over a year

President Biden and Chinese President Xi agreed to resume military-to-military talks last month.

Axios

Thursday's top stories

Gaza's entire population facing crisis levels of hunger, risk of famine, report finds

Scoop: Mike Johnson urges Biden to unleash executive actions on border security

Rudy Giuliani files for bankruptcy, facing mounting legal fees

Record warm and snowless Christmas on tap for Midwest, East

U.S. and China military leaders speak for the first time in over a year

Supreme Court showdown with Trump

It's not just Trump: How racism shadows the GOP campaign

The misery index says the worst is over

Trump urges Supreme Court not to fast-track immunity decision

Giuliani must immediately pay $148M to Georgia election workers, judge rules

Recapping the top moments from a historic year in politics