10 things you need to know today: January 24, 2024

1. Trump closes in on nomination with New Hampshire win

Former President Donald Trump won New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation presidential primary on Tuesday, beating former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley in what political analysts had considered her last and best chance to slow his march to the Republican nomination. Trump, who also dominated last week's Iowa caucuses, now turns to the February primary in Haley's deeply conservative home state, hoping a blowout in South Carolina will wrap up the nomination. Haley, who was popular with New Hampshire independents, argues she can beat President Joe Biden more easily and vowed to stay in the race. Biden wasn't on the ballot due to a primary-scheduling clash, but he easily beat lesser-known Democrats after an organized write-in effort. The Boston Globe, The Washington Post

2. 'Oppenheimer,' 'Poor Things' lead Oscar nominations

"Oppenheimer," the blockbuster film about the dawn of the Atomic Age, led the Oscar nominations announced Tuesday with 13 nods. "Poor Things" was close behind with 11. "Killers of the Flower Moon," a historical crime drama about murders targeting members of the Osage Nation over their oil wealth, followed with 10 nominations. Box-office smash "Barbie" picked up eight nominations, including Best Picture alongside "Oppenheimer" and "Killers of the Flower Moon," but director Greta Gerwig and star Margot Robbie were among this year's notable snubs. Lily Gladstone made Oscars history as the first Native American to be nominated for Best Actress for her role in "Killers of the Flower Moon." Variety

3. 20 Israeli soldiers killed in blast, UN warns of 'catastrophic hunger' in Gaza

Israeli leaders on Tuesday reiterated their vow to destroy Hamas after the country's military suffered its worst day of losses in its Gaza offensive. Twenty-four Israeli soldiers were killed, 20 of them in a blast after an Israeli engineering unit came under fire while setting explosives in buildings being destroyed to create a buffer zone near Israel's border. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would "not stop fighting until absolute victory." Palestinian health officials said 195 Palestinians had been killed in the last 24 hours, increasing the death toll from Israel's offensive to 25,490. The United Nations warned Tuesday that more than half a million Gazans face "catastrophic hunger" because of Israel's restrictions on supplies allowed into the Palestinian territory. Reuters, The New York Times

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4. Biden focuses on abortion access in first 2024 rally

President Joe Biden campaigned on abortion rights Tuesday in Virginia at his first 2024 political rally. Biden slammed former President Donald Trump, his likely opponent in the November presidential election, for the overturning of Roe v. Wade — the Supreme Court decision that protected abortion rights for half a century — by a conservative majority expanded with Trump's three appointees. "Donald Trump is betting you won't vote on this issue," Biden said. "Well guess what? I'm betting he's wrong." The rally took place in a state where Democrats won control of the legislature last year in a campaign centered on abortion access. A dozen protesters interrupted Biden's speech with shouted criticism of his handling of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. The Wall Street Journal, CNN

5. Turkish lawmakers ratify Sweden's bid to join NATO

Turkey's parliament on Tuesday backed Sweden's bid to join NATO, removing a key obstacle to adding the Scandinavian nation to the Western military alliance. Sweden applied in 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine and other nations wondered if they would be next. Turkey had delayed its approval, demanding Sweden stop supporting Kurdish separatists Ankara views as terrorists. Hungary is now the sole NATO member that has not ratified Sweden's accession. "Today we are one step closer to becoming a full member of NATO," Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson wrote in a social media post. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg urged Hungary to quickly ratify the change, too. BBC, The Associated Press

6. US attacks Iran-backed militia in Iraq

U.S. forces carried out strikes Tuesday against Iran-backed militias in western Iraq near the Syrian border in a "direct response" to "escalatory attacks" against U.S. and coalition allies in Iraq and Syria, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said. The strikes targeted the headquarters, training locations and weapon storage facilities of the Kataib Hezbollah militia blamed for a Saturday attack on a major base in Iraq. U.S. Central Command said at least four U.S. service members were injured in that attack. A senior Iraqi official called the U.S. strikes a "flagrant violation of Iraq's sovereignty." The fighting, like strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen, underscored how the Gaza war threatens to trigger broader conflicts. BBC, The New York Times

7. Appeals court declines to reconsider Trump's gag-order challenge

The U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday declined former President Donald Trump's request to have the full appellate court hear his challenge of a gag order in his federal election interference case. A three-judge panel upheld but narrowed Judge Tanya Chutkan's gag-order ruling, which limited what Trump can say in the case and barred him making statements that "target" witnesses, prosecutors or court staff. The appeals court's refusal to hear the case set the stage for a likely appeal to the Supreme Court, where Trump can ask the justices to pause the gag order while they considers the case. If the high court steps in, it will be the first time it has done so in Trump's four criminal cases. The Hill

8. School shooter's mother goes on trial

Jury selection began Tuesday in the trial of Jennifer Crumbley, charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with a deadly 2021 mass shooting her son, Ethan Crumbley, carried out at Oxford High School in Michigan. Jennifer Crumbley and her husband, James Crumbley, are being tried separately, and both have pleaded not guilty. Jennifer Crumbley is the first U.S. parent prosecuted in connection with a mass shooting by their child. James Crumbley goes on trial in March. They are accused of buying the gun their son used in the shooting, which left four people dead and six injured, and disregarding warnings about his mental health struggles, including an alert from a teacher the day of the shooting. Detroit Free Press, The Washington Post

9. S&P 500 sets another record

The S&P 500 closed at a record high for a third straight day on Tuesday. The S&P 500 rose 0.3% to 4,864.60 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq rose 0.4% as investors digested a wave of earnings reports and anticipated more, including from electric vehicle maker Tesla, later in the week. Netflix's surge following an unexpectedly large subscriber gain last quarter helped keep a tech rally going. "It's a crescendo of reports tomorrow and Thursday, and then next week will be even busier," said Art Hogan, chief market strategist at B. Riley Wealth. "We've got a lot of things to contemplate." Reuters

10. Powerful earthquake hits remote region in China

A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Tuesday in a remote part of China's western Xinjiang region, killing at least three people. Officials in the region said the "very strong" quake caused extensive damage, but they attributed the low death toll to the sparse population in the hardest hit areas. The China Earthquake Networks Center said the quake struck around 2 a.m. in freezing weather. About 1,000 rescuers had rushed to the area by midday, bringing coats, tents and other emergency supplies for the thousands of people forced to flee their homes. The epicenter was in a mountainous area 9,800 feet above sea level. The Associated Press