January 25, 2025

* Israel says UNRWA must leave East Jerusalem by January 30 Israel's United Nations envoy, Danny Danon, has told the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres that the UN Palestinian relief agency UNRWA must "cease its operations in [East] Jerusalem, and evacuate all premises in which it operates in the city" by January 30. A law banning UNRWA's operation on Israeli land and contact with Israeli authorities takes effect on January 30. * Pete Hegseth confirmed as defence secretary after Vance's tiebreaking vote Vice President JD Vance has broken the Senate's 50-50 vote to confirm Pete Hegseth as the US Secretary of Defense despite questions over qualifications and allegations of heavy drinking and aggressive behaviour toward women. The voting late on Friday was at a 50-50 tie before Vance broke the tie. Rarely has a Cabinet nominee faced such wide-ranging concerns about his experience and behaviour as Hegseth, particularly for such a high-profile role leading the US military. * UN peacekeepers locked in 'intense' fighting against M23 rebels in DRC The United Nations mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo said that its peacekeepers are "engaged" in "intense" fighting against M23 rebels, who have almost encircled the main city in the country's east. The UN said in a statement that its mission's Quick Reaction Forces have "been actively engaged in intense combat" over the past 48 hours, carrying out heavy artillery fire against M23 positions. The mission reported that heavy clashes were ongoing for the control of Sake — a town in DRC's eastern province of North Kivu. * Sudan army breaks RSF's siege on Khartoum HQ, reclaims oil refinery The Sudanese army has said it broke a siege of its headquarters in Khartoum by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which had encircled it since war broke out in April 2023. In a statement, the army said troops in Bahri (Khartoum North) and Omdurman across the Nile River had "merged with our forces stationed at the General Command of the Armed Forces". A military source confirmed that "the arrival of the forces from Bahri completely lifted the siege on the command". * Experts look for clues as mysterious deaths grip India-administered Kashmir Authorities in the India-administered Jammu and Kashmir region are probing the mysterious deaths of 17 people in a remote village, which has led to a lockdown. Over the past month, 17 individuals from three connected families, including 12 children, have died in the village of Badhaal in the Rajouri district, situated along the Line of Control, the boundary between India- and Pakistan-administered parts of the disputed Kashmir region. The deaths took place between December 7 and January 19. Around 200 people have been quarantined, while six others have been hospitalised and are in stable condition, according to officials.