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Today's Top Stories
The International Court of Justice is set to issue a provisional order on the case accusing Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. South Africa brought the case to the U.N.'s top court two weeks ago, arguing that Israel's military response to the October 7 attacks by Hamas had gone beyond warfare to genocide.
A bipartisan Senate deal to pair border enforcement measures with aid for Ukraine and Israel could be falling apart, largely thanks to former President Donald Trump. The deal was close to being finalized after months of negotiating.
The Biden administration is pausing a decision on approving a Louisiana liquefied natural gas (LNG) export project, that would be the country's largest natural gas export project. This delay allows the Department of Energy to review if these plants are in the "public interest," considering their impact on the climate, public health and the economy.
Today's Listen
![A new Harvard University report finds that housing was unaffordable for a record half of renters in 2022. And a softening rental market might not help those who struggle most.](https://assets.vpm.org/dims4/default/8a1c03a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5991x3370+0+0/resize/880x495!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.npr.org%2Fassets%2Fimg%2F2024%2F01%2F26%2Fap23060806616739_wide-05dd414236e5d749a2215be27ab80181db0d12be.jpg)
Housing is unaffordable for a record half of U.S. renters, according to a new report by Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies. The biggest jump in unaffordability since 2019 was for households making $30,000 to $74,999 a year, though researchers saw increases across every income category. While the double-digit rent hikes of the peak pandemic years may finally be easing, experts say the cooling housing market isn't likely to help those struggling the most. Read the story or listen to it here.
Weekend Picks
![Nicole Kidman walks down a dark street, seemingly being followed by another figure.](https://assets.vpm.org/dims4/default/f220808/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1831x1030+0+0/resize/880x495!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.npr.org%2Fassets%2Fimg%2F2024%2F01%2F26%2Fxpat_s1_ut_1_210823_wonjup_00000r_3000_wide-0d26b9a5627999fb55b411291c6553b540068066.jpg)
Movies: Origin, Ava DuVernay's adaptation of Isabel Wilkerson's best-selling book Caste: The Origins Of Our Discontents, is a "is a story of ideas, made deeply personal," says NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour.
TV: The Amazon drama Expats follows several privileged, disconnected American women (including one played by Nicole Kidman) living in Hong Kong. It also hasa rather stormy backstory.
Books: Time correspondent Simon Shuster, who spent months embedded with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as Russia's invasion unfolded, details the president's transformation in his new book, The Showman: Inside the Invasion That Shook the World and Made a Leader of Volodymyr Zelensky.
Music: Sleater-Kinney's new album, "Little Rope," is the rock band's way of reckoning with fresh societal turmoil and personal tragedy.
Games: If you're wondering how to prepare for next month's highly-anticipated release of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, NPR ranked the franchise's best spinoff games, books and more.
Quiz: This week's NPR News quiz will test your knowledge of Oscar snubs, flying airplane doors and more than one slimy creature. Good luck!
Before You Go
![An alligator sticks its snout out from underneath a frozen body of water](https://assets.vpm.org/dims4/default/8d7a9a8/2147483647/strip/true/crop/850x478+0+0/resize/880x495!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.npr.org%2Fassets%2Fimg%2F2024%2F01%2F26%2Fgator_icing01_wide-397ecd711cdfdd8ff41e32b1a0c981f6a429ac3d.jpg)
This newsletter was edited by Majd Al-Waheidi.
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