Nation and World news — at a glance — for January 3
As Biden’s term ends, Gaza truce efforts proceed cautiously
(NYTimes) — Talks between Israel and Hamas to end the war in the Gaza Strip and free the remaining hostages have appeared to make little headway, according to officials familiar with the discussions, as the clock runs down on the Biden administration’s remaining days to reach an agreement on a ceasefire. Israel has kept up with its campaign in Gaza even as mediators have conducted months of shuttle diplomacy. Israeli and Hamas officials said in December that there had been progress toward a deal, before each blamed the other side for throwing up fresh obstacles. Gaps have persisted amid differences between the two sides, and the future of the talks is uncertain.
A half-ton piece of space junk falls onto a village in Kenya
(NYTimes) — A glowing ring of metal, more than 8 feet in diameter and weighing more than 1,100 pounds, fell from the sky and crash-landed in a remote village in Kenya this week, causing no injuries but frightening residents who feared a bomb or worse. The object turned out to be space debris — junk left over from six decades of space exploration and a growing number of commercial launches, the Kenya Space Agency said Wednesday. It identified the object as a separation ring from a launch rocket and said that it was investigating the ring’s origin and ownership.
Eyeing potential bird flu outbreak, Biden administration ramps up preparedness
(NYTimes) — The Biden administration, in a final push to shore up the nation’s pandemic preparedness before President-elect Donald Trump takes office, announced Thursday that it would nearly double the amount of money it was committing to ward off a potential outbreak of bird flu in humans. Federal health officials have been keeping a close eye on H5N1, a strain of avian influenza that is lethal to chickens, and has spread to cattle. The administration said it was committing $306 million toward improving hospital preparedness, early stage research on therapeutics, diagnostics and vaccines. About $103 million will help state and local efforts to track and test people exposed to infected animals.
Cheney among 20 honored by Biden
(NYTimes) — President Joe Biden awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal, one of the nation’s highest civilian honors, to 20 people on Thursday afternoon, including former Rep. Liz Cheney and two close personal advisers, Ted Kaufman and Christopher J. Dodd. Speaking in the East Room, the president thanked the recipients of his final presidential medals — a group of lawmakers, lawyers and activists — for helping to “ensure our democracy delivers” and bringing the United States “closer to our highest stated ideals.” He likened their work to that of two former presidents, including Jimmy Carter, who died this week at 100, and who Biden said had set a high standard in serving his country through words and deeds.
Johnson faces a precarious bid for reelection as House Speaker
(NYTimes) — House Speaker Mike Johnson’s bid to be reelected to his post remained precarious Thursday, as he continued to try to tamp down resistance from the most conservative lawmakers in his ranks a day before the vote on the House floor. Johnson received the endorsement of President-elect Donald Trump for another term Monday, and no other Republican has thrown a hat into the ring to challenge him. But several GOP lawmakers have vented dissatisfaction with his performance and suggested that they want a new leader. The problem for Johnson is that in order to win, he will need nearly unanimous support from his fractious House Republican Conference.
© 2025 The New York Times Company
