U.S. backs Syria truce. The U.S. special envoy for Syria urged Kurdish forces to accept an integration deal with the Syrian government in a social media post yesterday. He wrote that the U.S. military partnership with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces was less necessary now that the new Syrian government has committed to fighting the self-declared Islamic State. Yesterday, the Syrian government gave Kurdish forces a four-day deadline to accept the integration offer.
Chinese embassy in London. The United Kingdom (UK) greenlit the construction of the new embassy—which will be China’s largest in Europe—after months of delays over concerns it could be used for espionage. The head of UK intelligence service MI5 said national security measures taken regarding the site have been “expert, professional, and proportionate.” The approval comes as Prime Minister Keir Starmer prepares to be the first UK leader to visit China in eight years.
Uganda’s post-election dispute. The country’s opposition leader Bobi Wine, who is currently in hiding, urged supporters yesterday to peacefully protest the “fake” election results that delivered a seventh term to President Yoweri Museveni. Wine said his movement was collecting evidence of fraud but did not plan to challenge the results in court, claiming the courts were “not independent.” African Union election observers have criticized the military’s role in the election as well as an internet shutdown that hampered opposition coordination around the time of the vote.
Ukraine talks. Russian and U.S. envoys held talks yesterday at Davos regarding a potential peace settlement in Ukraine, while Ukrainian envoys met with European counterparts. Witkoff described the talks with Russian envoys as positive, but said “land deals” remained an outstanding issue. Trump said he would meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksyy today, and Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow tomorrow at Putin’s request.
Mexico’s detainee transfer. The Mexican government sent thirty-seven imprisoned cartel members to the United States, Security Minister Omar García Harfuch wrote on social media. It is the third such transfer in under a year. The Trump administration has pressed Mexico to crack down on drug trafficking and threatened to carry out military strikes in the country over the matter.
Protest fallout for Iranian businesses. Firms in the country are hurting as an internet shutdown intended to stifle protests continues, with watchdog group NetBlocks estimating the blackout costs the economy more than $37 million per day. Meanwhile, prosecutors in Tehran have begun filing paperwork to seize the assets of dozens of cafes they allege played a role in antigovernment protests, judicial news agency Mizan reported.
Israeli demolitions at UN compound. Israel bulldozed structures at a United Nations (UN) compound in East Jerusalem that previously housed the UN agency for Palestinian refugees. Israeli forces seized the compound and ordered a halt to the agency’s operations last year, alleging bias and accusing its staff of taking part in the October 7 attacks. The agency still operates in East Jerusalem, which the UN considers territory under Israeli occupation. UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the demolition as a violation of international law.
Indonesia’s post-flooding crackdown. The government stripped twenty-eight permits from forestry and mining firms it alleged had violated environmental rules in ways that exacerbated the impact of deadly floods last month on the island of Sumatra, a senior official announced yesterday. More than one thousand people died in the disaster.
