Israel border aid, marijuana & pregnancy, and wisdom teeth.

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Big Stories

Israel could open its border for Gaza aid

Under increasing U.S. pressure, Israeli officials suggest they will “likely” reopen the Kerem Shalom border with southern Gaza to allow aid trucks in.

• Why it matters: The decision will be a big shift in policy because Israel hasn’t allowed any aid into Gaza from its own borders. Previously, supplies have been brought into the territory through the Rafah crossing on the Gaza-Egypt border.

• U.S. demands: The U.S. has been pressing Israel to allow more aid into Gaza. White House national security advisor Jake Sullivan will visit Israel on Thursday in hopes of pushing an agreement through. He told CNN on Tuesday that the Rafah crossing can’t facilitate the amount of aid that is needed to address the humanitarian situation in the enclave. Only 100 truckloads of supplies have reached Gaza daily since the pause in fighting ended earlier this month. Before the Oct. 7 attack, 500 truckloads were delivered every day.

• U.N. vote: Elsewhere, the U.N. overwhelmingly voted to demand another ceasefire in Gaza - the 193-member world body cast 153 votes in favor, with 10 against and 23 abstentions. The vote comes after the U.S. vetoed a separate ceasefire vote in the Security Council on Friday. Every other country on the panel — except England who abstained — was in support of a humanitarian pause.

New York to redraw House districts in 2024 shakeup

A New York court on Tuesday agreed to allow the state to redraw its congressional map ahead of the 2024 election. 

• Why it matters: The ruling, impacting a key state for Republicans in 2022, gives the redistricting commission until Feb. 28 to create new district lines. The Democrat-controlled state legislature holds the final approval, and if the commission fails to come to an agreement, the legislature may draw its own maps - though these would likely face huge legal challenges.

• Background: Following the redistricting commission's failure to agree on maps last cycle, the state legislature tried to gerrymander the lines in their favor. However, the Court of Appeals intervened, appointing a mapmaker to redraw lines. These court-drawn lines, coupled with the strong candidacy of Republican governor Lee Zeldin, resulted in the GOP gaining three seats.

• What they’re saying: Democrats called the ruling a “win for democracy” and believe an independent commission can create a congressional map that better reflects the will of NY voters. Republicans criticized the court’s decisions calling it a Democratic power grab.

President Zelensky’s disappointing visit to Capitol Hill

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with President Biden on Tuesday to push for greater aid and funding.

• Outcome: After lengthy talks on Capitol Hill, Zelensky didn’t receive the support he was hoping for. Republicans insist that anymore money sent to Ukraine must also be bundled with financing to increase border security in the U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) told reporters that resolving the standoff before the holidays would be "practically impossible," delaying the fate of Ukraine aid and the border into the next year.

• Strong resolve: Zelensky’s plea was met with a firm stance from GOP leadership. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said that the U.S. stands with Ukraine but “our first condition on any national security spending package is about our own national security.” Other senators had similar remarks and criticized Biden for remaining quiet on the border issue.

• What’s next: Biden promised Zelensky that the U.S. won’t walk away from Ukraine. However, some lawmakers are questioning whether additional aid will help Ukraine defeat Russia after a summer offensive that failed to produce clear progress. U.S. intelligence shows that Russia believes that a military deadlock through the winter will drain Western support for Ukraine.

Little Stories

U.S. News

• A 35-year-old man, convicted in 2004 for killing a man in a Minneapolis flower shop, was released on Monday. The judge concluded that the eyewitness testimony, which formed the basis of the conviction, lacked reliability. (More)

• New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu endorsed Nikki Haley for the Republican presidential nomination on Tuesday, potentially giving her a boost first-in-the-nation primary as she tries to narrow former President Trump’s lead. (More)

• Harvard’s board has decided to keep Claudine Gay on as president following backlash for her comments on antisemitism at a congressional hearing last week. (More)

World

• The U.N. has issued a warning that nearly 50 million people in West and Central Africa could face hunger next year, with violence identified as the primary cause. (More)

• On Tuesday, a far-right lawmaker in the Polish parliament caused disruption and scandal by extinguishing candles on a menorah lit for the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. (More)

• A Japanese court has found three former male soldiers guilty of sexually assaulting a female colleague during a military drill in 2021. The ruling is considered a rare victory in a country where speaking out about sexual abuse is taboo. (More)

Business & Economy

• U.S. stock markets closed higher on Tuesday (S&P +0.46%, Nasdaq +0.70%, Dow 0.48%). (More)

• Passengers and crew on board a Delta flight spent the night in a Canadian barracks after their flight was forced to land because of a mechanical issue. (More)

• Zara pulled a recent advertising campaign because the content in the campaign resembled the destruction in Gaza. (More)

Sports & Entertainment

• The U.S. and Mexico submitted a joint bid to host the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. If successful, they aim to generate $3 billion in revenue and attract 4.5 million attendees. (More)

• The Chicago Bulls are set to induct Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman, among others, from their dominant 1990s run into the newly announced Ring of Honor. (More)

• Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert will miss the rest of the season after having surgery on his thumb. (More)

Science, Health, & Tech

• A study with data from over 9,000 pregnant women in the U.S. shows that using marijuana during pregnancy increases the risk of unhealthy outcomes, especially low birth weight. The more cannabis consumed, the higher the risk, per the Journal of the American Medical Association. (More)

• Blue Origin is planning on launching its new Shepard rocket for the first time in over a year. (More)

• The Electronic Entertainment Expo, once the largest video game trade show, has been permanently cancelled. (More)

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