Evening Brief: Rubio Thanks Media for Holding Venezuela Strike Coverage, Deadliest Aleppo Clashes Erupt, Israel Advances E1 Settlement

The trial, moved to Corpus Christi, focuses on Gonzales’ actions during the early phase of one of the deadliest school shootings in US history, which killed 19 students and two teachers. Prosecutors argue Gonzales neither engaged nor distracted the shooter and entered the building only after children had already been killed, while the defense says he called for backup and helped evacuate students amid confusion and gunfire. Families of students killed in the Uvalde, Texas, school shooting could testify at the trial of a former school officer accused of failing to protect children during a delayed law enforcement response. pic.twitter.com/iFKfY6LIHP — The Associated Press (@AP) January 6, 2026 Gonzales has pleaded not guilty to 29 counts of child abandonment or endangerment and faces up to two years in prison if convicted.   Draft Deal Signals US Security Backstop for Ukraine in Future Russian Attack The Trump administration is negotiating a draft agreement that would commit the United States to support Ukraine if Russia launches a future attack, according to documents reviewed and reported by Bloomberg News on Tuesday. The proposal, discussed in Paris by European, Canadian, Ukrainian, and US officials, seeks to secure a ceasefire in Russia’s war against Ukraine and provide Kyiv with binding security guarantees as part of a broader peace deal. Under the plan, Europe would lead a multinational force to monitor and enforce a truce, while the US would contribute intelligence, logistics, and a pledge to support the force if it comes under attack. NOW – Steve Witkoff says they are close to finishing “a prosperity agreement” for Ukraine, “working with BlackRock, Larry Fink in this endeavor, and we think it’s going to be very, very important for the people of Ukraine.” pic.twitter.com/JxZVoJpfgy — Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) January 6, 2026 The talks involve leaders and envoys from Ukraine, the US, France, Germany, the UK, Canada, and NATO, and aim to build momentum toward ending the four-year conflict that began with Russia’s 2022 invasion. Key unresolved issues include Russia’s demand for Ukrainian territorial concessions and the final scope and duration of Western security guarantees, which currently propose a 15-year commitment subject to extension.   Tear Gas at Tehran Bazaar as Iran Protests Deepen Over Economic Collapse Iranian security forces fired tear gas Tuesday to disperse protesters staging a sit-in at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar, a symbolic economic and political center, as nationwide unrest intensified over the country’s collapsing economy. Demonstrators gathered to protest soaring prices, a plunging rial that hit a record low of 1.46 million to the dollar, and years of sanctions that have eroded savings and access to basic goods. The protests, which began in late December, have spread to more than 270 locations across 27 provinces, killing at least 36 people and leading to over 1,200 detentions, according to activists. WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT At least 25 people have been killed in Iran during the first nine days of protests that started in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar over the plunging value of the currency and soaring inflation. More than 1,000 people have been arrested https://t.co/fDiLgrZRyf pic.twitter.com/1Rm18H9z8W — Reuters (@Reuters) January 6, 2026 Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian acknowledged the severity of the crisis, warning that the government lacks the capacity to manage it alone, as authorities investigate deadly incidents in Ilam province.   Deadliest Aleppo Clashes Erupt as Syria–Kurdish Integration Talks Stall Deadly fighting broke out Tuesday in northern Aleppo between Syrian government forces and the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), marking the most lethal clashes to date as efforts to merge Kurdish fighters into the national army remain stalled. The violence occurred in and around the contested Kurdish neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Achrafieh, where both sides accused each other of shelling residential areas and killing civilians. Syrian state media reported one soldier and three civilians killed, while the SDF said government drone and artillery strikes killed residents and wounded children. تحديث – إدانة: مشاهد نشرتها فصائل حكومة دمشق تظهر استخدامها للمدفعية الثقيلة في قصف أحياء الشيخ مقصود والأشرفية المكتظة بالمدنيين، وهو هجوم عدائي يهدد حياة الأهالي ويُعد انتهاكاً صارخاً للقانون الإنساني الدولي pic.twitter.com/D80VU6A6wI — Syrian Democratic Forces (@SDF_Syria) January 6, 2026 The clashes come as Damascus and the SDF struggle to implement a March agreement, signed under interim Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, to integrate the SDF into Syria’s military by the end of 2025. Despite recent talks in Damascus, progress has been limited, highlighting who is fighting, where and when the violence occurred, why tensions are rising, and how the fragile integration process is faltering amid mutual accusations and civilian harm.   Israel Advances E1 Settlement as Regional Tensions, Talks, and Aid Pressures Intensify Israel has moved closer to building the long-delayed E1 settlement near Jerusalem after issuing a government tender that would allow construction to begin as soon as this month, a step critics say would split the West Bank and block a contiguous Palestinian state. The tender, published by Israel’s Land Authority, seeks developers for 3,401 housing units and marks a shift after years of US-backed delays. The move comes as Israeli and Syrian officials met Tuesday in Paris for US-brokered talks aimed at easing border tensions following Syria’s leadership change in late 2024, even as Israel continues airstrikes and maintains forces in a buffer zone. 1/ Breaking & of utmost importance. The Netanyahu Government has published tenders, inviying developers to build 3401 settlement units in the doomsday settlement. E-1 will fragment the West Bank into discontiguous cantons, and will seal off East Jerusalem from the West Bank. pic.twitter.com/z5Ffw3tNzm — Daniel Seidemann (@DanielSeidemann) January 6, 2026 Separately, the United Nations said aid groups now have enough food to meet Gaza’s minimum caloric needs for the first time in more than two years, though Israel’s restrictions on humanitarian organizations remain a concern. In the West Bank, Israeli troops injured 11 people during a raid at Birzeit University, while international media groups criticized Israel’s continued ban on foreign journalists entering Gaza, highlighting ongoing security, humanitarian, and press freedom disputes across the region.   Pakistan Accuses Taliban-Led Afghanistan of Harboring Militants Pakistan’s military warned Tuesday that Afghanistan has become a hub for terrorists, accusing the Taliban government of patronizing al-Qaida, the Islamic State group, and the Pakistani Taliban amid worsening bilateral relations. Speaking in Islamabad, military spokesman Lieutenant General Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry claimed that about 2,500 foreign militants recently entered Afghanistan from Syria following the ouster of President Bashar Assad, asserting they pose regional and international security risks. The allegations come as Pakistan and China call for stronger action to curb militant groups operating from Afghan territory, and as Pakistan reports a sharp rise in militant violence at home in 2025. In a press conference today, DG ISPR stated that Afghan soil is being used by India-backed proxy groups to carry out terrorism and hybrid warfare against Pakistan. He reaffirmed that Pakistan remains resolute, countering these threats through intelligence-based operations,… pic.twitter.com/J2TqCGUvaT — The Balochistan Diaries (TBD) (@BalochDiaries) January 6, 2026 Taliban officials in Kabul rejected the accusations as unfounded and urged restraint, underscoring who is involved, what is being alleged, when and where tensions are escalating, why the dispute matters for regional security, and how the standoff risks further instability.   Nepal Imposes Curfew in Border City After Hindu–Muslim Protests Nepalese authorities imposed a curfew Tuesday in the southern border city of Birgunj after protests by Hindu and Muslim groups escalated following the vandalism of a mosque over the weekend. The Parsa District Administration banned all public movement, gatherings, and demonstrations, warning that security forces could use lethal force against violators. Armed soldiers and police patrolled the city, a key trade hub near the Indian border that handles much of Nepal’s fuel and goods imports. Muslim groups began protesting Sunday over the mosque vandalism, followed by a counterdemonstration by Hindu groups, with protests continuing for several days. Religious tensions flared in #Birgunj, #Nepal, following a provocative #TikTok video, leading authorities to extend an ongoing curfew. Read more 🔗 https://t.co/P823JlcuzQ #NepalNews #NepalUnrest #NepalProtests pic.twitter.com/Ei5nfVd7Bs — The Times Of India (@timesofindia) January 6, 2026 While no major clashes or serious injuries have been reported, the curfew reflects authorities’ efforts to prevent wider unrest in a country where religious violence is rare.   Sources: News Agencies