Wednesday Briefing: ‘On the brink’ of a Gaza deal

Plus, South Korea's president was detained for questioning

View in browser|nytimes.com January 15, 2025 By Natasha Frost Good morning. We're covering optimism about Gaza cease-fire talks and a tense confirmation hearing in Washington. Plus: One night in a 24-hour diner. The aftermath of an Israeli strike in Khan Younis in southern Gaza. Bashar Taleb/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Israel and Hamas on the 'brink' of a truce Israel and Hamas are close to a deal on a cease-fire in Gaza and the release of hostages there, Antony Blinken, the U.S. secretary of state, said yesterday. "It's closer than it's ever been before," he said. "But right now as we sit here we await final word from Hamas on its acceptance. And until we get that word, we'll remain on the brink." Negotiators said Hamas seemed ready to accept the deal, including its details about the exchange of Palestinian prisoners for hostages and the specific movements of Israeli troops as they withdraw from positions in Gaza, a person familiar with the talks said last night. The person said Israel was also locked in on the agreement, and that both sides seemed prepared to announce their acceptance of it in the very near future. Neither Israeli nor Hamas officials have publicly confirmed their positions. Here's what we know about the proposal. Gaza: An analysis in The Lancet found that Palestinian deaths from bombs and other traumatic injuries may have been undercounted by 40 percent during the first nine months of the war. A motorcade took President Yoon Suk Yeol away from his residence in Seoul this morning. Jun Michael Park for The New York Times South Korea's president was detained for questioning Yoon Suk Yeol today became the first sitting South Korean president to be detained for questioning by criminal investigators, after striking a deal with law enforcement officials that ended a weekslong standoff. He has been accused of insurrection in connection with his short-lived declaration of martial law last month. In a video message, Yoon said he had agreed to submit to questioning to prevent a "bloody" clash between his bodyguards and the police. But he called the investigation and the warrant to detain him illegal. Here's what to know about South Korea's leadership crisis. Investigators have 48 hours to question Yoon, after which they could apply for a separate warrant to formally arrest him. Separately, the Constitutional Court is deliberating whether the National Assembly's Dec. 14 impeachment of Yoon was legitimate and whether the president, currently suspended, should be permanently removed from office. For more: Choe Sang-Hun, our ​Seoul bureau chief​, explains how South Korea got here and what could be next. Pete Hegseth at his Senate hearing yesterday. Haiyun Jiang for The New York Times Republicans embraced Hegseth's bid to lead the Pentagon Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump's pick for defense secretary, emerged from a tense confirmation hearing yesterday with the Republican Party's support intact. A Senate vote on whether he should lead the Pentagon — a department with three million employees and a budget of $849 billion — could come as soon as Monday. Over hours of questioning, Democrats quizzed Hegseth about sexual misconduct allegations — Hegseth was accused of rape in 2017 — and his drinking habits. They called him unfit to lead the Pentagon and grilled Hegseth, a former Fox News host, on his long history of disparaging comments about women in the military. What's next: It was unclear whether Hegseth had left the hearing with the votes he needed. If all Senate Democrats oppose him, Hegseth will have to secure the backing of at least 50 of the 53 Republicans in the chamber. Related: A report was released yesterday that detailed the special counsel's investigation into Trump's attempt to overturn the 2020 election. Here are four takeaways. MORE TOP NEWS Alexander Zemlianichenko/Associated Press Ukraine: Russian officials reported "massive" Ukrainian drone strikes in several regions of Russia. Los Angeles: Firefighters battled new wildfires yesterday as strong winds again swept Southern California. Follow our live coverage. Climate change: Scientists say devastating storms in the Mediterranean are becoming stronger and more frequent, and they predict that things will get worse. South Africa: Dozens of bodies were pulled from an illegal gold mine where the police had imposed a blockade, at one point cutting off miners' access to food, water and other supplies. France: The prime minister said he was open to changing the country's unpopular pension law, which raised the retirement age to 64 from 62. Royals: Catherine, Princess of Wales, confirmed that her cancer was in remission. Britain: Prime Minister Keir Starmer's anticorruption minister, Tulip Siddiq, stepped down, weeks after being named in an embezzlement investigation in Bangladesh. Pakistan: The country's prime minister ordered an investigation after the national airline approved an ad that evoked imagery reminiscent of 9/11. News From the U.S. Elon Musk: U.S. regulators sued the tech billionaire in federal court, saying he violated securities laws during his $44 billion purchase of Twitter, now called X. Cuba: The Biden administration said it would remove Cuba from a list of state sponsors of terrorism. TikTok: With the deadline for a TikTok sale looming, some Americans are moving to another Chinese app, known in English as Red Note. Congress: The House passed a bill that would bar trans athletes from female school sports teams. SPORTS NEWS Soccer: Chelsea will demand around 65 million pounds for the forward Christopher Nkunku amid interest from Bayern Munich. Sports investment: Saudi Arabia is close to acquiring up to a 10 percent stake in the network DAZN, insiders said. Tennis: On the third day of the Australian Open, two Americans turned everyone in Rod Laver Arena into a nervous wreck, and Daniil Medvedev escaped an upset. Basketball: Home matches for the Lakers and the Clippers have resumed in Los Angeles as fires continue to rage in the region. MORNING READ India's Uttar Pradesh State Information Department, via Agence France-Presse — Getty Images The Maha Kumbh Mela festival in India begins this week. It is expected to draw up to 400 million Hindu pilgrims to the banks of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers, in what would be the world's largest gathering. The ceremony happens every 12 years and centers on a series of holy baths. But it has also become an important political event. For Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it is a chance to promote his right-wing party. CONVERSATION STARTERS Is that funny? Movie audiences can't agree on when it's OK to laugh. Alexandre Kantorow: The 27-year-old pianist is a rising star in the classical world. He doesn't want that to change his routine. A break with tradition: Some couples are sharing their wedding vows in private. Water wings: Learning to swim better in middle age has more benefits than you might expect. ARTS AND IDEAS Yuvraj Khanna for The New York Times The 24-hour diner All-night diners are a signature New York institution. But in a city that supposedly never sleeps, they're disappearing as costs rise and habits change. Priya Krishna, a reporter for The Times, spent a Friday night at Kellogg's Diner in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, dining nonstop from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. "Surprisingly, I drew no scrutiny from the staff for my hourslong stay," she writes, "a heartening reminder that no other place will welcome you as unconditionally as an all-night diner." Read about Priya's night of pecan pie, lost treasures and Michael Jackson's "Thriller." We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. RECOMMENDATIONS Christopher Testani for The New York Times Cook: A dollop of sour cream makes this classic banana bread recipe so tender. Watch: "In the Shadow of Beirut" is a documentary about four families living in poverty in the Lebanese capital. Heal: Fix your glutes, and fix your life. Compete: Take our quiz on classic books that were once controversial. Play the Spelling Bee. And here are today's Mini Crossword and Wordle. You can find all our puzzles here. That's it for today's briefing. See you tomorrow. — Natasha Reach Natasha and the team at briefing@nytimes.com. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Morning Briefing: Europe Edition from The New York Times. To stop receiving Morning Briefing: Europe Edition, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018