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Today's top stories
The U.S. and U.K. launched air and missile strikes on the Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen, Washington and London announced overnight. The strikes follow more than two months of what President Biden calls "reckless attacks" by the Houthis on international commercial cargo ships and U.S. warships in the Red Sea. The strikes were also backed by a number of the U.S. and U.K.'s allies.
![Image taken from the bridge of HMS Diamond, seen here firing Sea Viper missiles in the Red Sea on Oct. 1. The HMS Diamond along with U.S. warships successfully repelled a large attack from the Iranian-backed Houthis in the Red Sea.](https://assets.vpm.org/dims4/default/34c1f23/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6823x3837+0+0/resize/880x495!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.npr.org%2Fassets%2Fimg%2F2024%2F01%2F12%2F2024-01-09t193222z_1293012353_mt1sipa000aoz88l_rtrmadp_3_sipa-usa_wide-d3f3368d4b2375c5829788ef7a0e2f29d0205373.jpg)
Israel is defending itself today against a charge of genocidebrought by South Africa at the International Court of Justice in The Hague. Yesterday, South Africa argued Israel's military response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks that killed more than 1,200 people is directed not only at Hamas militants but all Palestinians in Gaza. Israel's air, ground and sea assault in Gaza has killed more than 23,000 people — most of them women and children — according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.
NPR's Rob Schmitz says hundreds of people rallied outside the court yesterday, chanting slogans for both sides. A Jewish teacher who traveled to the court from London tells NPR producer Abu Bakr Bashir that he agrees with South Africa, given the widespread destruction in Gaza.
Check out npr.org/mideastupdates for more coverage and analysis of the conflict.
Republican campaigns and the groups supporting them have spent nearly $300 million in ads so far to try and win the presidential nomination, according to data analyzed by NPR and compiled by the ad-tracking firm AdImpact. Two-thirds of the money was spent on the first two nominating states, Iowa and New Hampshire. More than $100 million in Iowa alone, where caucuses will take place next Monday. Super PACs have spent an inordinate amount of money in this election. Unlike campaigns, they can raise unlimited amounts of money.
Deep dive
The Biden administration announced it will fast-track a loan forgiveness policy previously scheduled for July. The new change will erase the debts of thousands of federal graduate and undergraduate student loan borrowers who initially borrowed less than $21,000. Here's what you need to know about your loans:
Weekend picks
![Jaquel Spivey plays Damian, Angourie Rice plays Cady and Auli'i Cravalho plays Janis in Mean Girls from Paramount Pictures. Photo: Jojo Whilden/Paramount © 2023 Paramount Pictures.](https://assets.vpm.org/dims4/default/230fc00/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4528x2547+0+0/resize/880x495!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.npr.org%2Fassets%2Fimg%2F2024%2F01%2F12%2Fmean-girls-mgm_jw_0410_20884r7_rgb_wide-43a63db5aa23922dd85666a610178f7ec6cea64f.jpg)
Check out what NPR is watching, reading and listening to:
Movies: Mean Girls, the new adaptation of the Broadway musical adaptation of the 2004 Lindsay Lohan film, has it all: songs, dance and nasty teenage drama. The Pop Culture Happy Hour hosts discuss whether it holds up to the original.
TV: Tons of new shows debuted this month, from Marvel's Echo to a new season of True Detective. Here's what to watch in January.
Books: Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham's graphic novel Lunar New Year Love Story deftly celebrates true love while acknowledging the dark forces that haunt refugee and immigrant lives in transition.
Music: It's shaping up to be a big year in music. NPR's editors discuss the album releases they're most looking forward to in 2024.
Games: This year, gamers can look forward to Final Fantasy 7 in February and a new Nintendo Switch console to close out the year.
Quiz: This week's quiz is all about winners and losers. Which one will you be?
3 things to know before you go
![A Transportation Security Administration worker screens luggage at New York's LaGuardia Airport on Sept. 26, 2017. The TSA says it found a record number of firearms at airport security checkpoints last year.](https://assets.vpm.org/dims4/default/21839c2/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1687+0+0/resize/880x495!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.npr.org%2Fassets%2Fimg%2F2024%2F01%2F12%2Fgettyimages-854190328_wide-95db777db75f43a6a0e6ffe7167cd386ba3e8961.jpg)
This newsletter was edited by Majd Al-Waheidi.
Copyright 2024 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.