Though Israel and Hamas agreed to extend their temporary ceasefireas they continued to swap hostages and prisonersand considered a larger deal,the truce expired on Friday,after which Israel signaled its intent to launch a ground invasion into Gaza.Meanwhile, two missiles were fired at a US Navy ship from Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen,Iran claimed to have finalized a deal to buy Russian fighter jets,Brazil mobilized its military amid a potential Guyana-Venezuela conflict,and the UK joined an effort to patrol vulnerable undersea cables.Elsewhere, North Korea claimed its spy satellite captured pictures of the US White House and Pentagon,as Kim Jong Un's sister dismissed calls to end the nation's spy satellite program,a US Military aircraft crashed off the coast of Japan,and Chinese and Myanmar conducted joint naval drills.

On Tuesday, Russia intensified its push to capture the city of Avdiivka, with US think-tank the Institute for the Study of War reporting that it also made advances elsewhere on the frontlines, including in the Luhansk region.These gains came despite challenging weather conditions that allegedly saw Moscow's Navy return all its ships and missile carriers in the Black Sea to their bases.On Friday, Ukrainian Pres. Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged that the nation's much-anticipated counteroffensive failed to meet the desired goals but held steadfast in its efforts, saying that Kyiv isn't backing down.This came as seasoned American journalist and Pulitzer Prize winner Seymour Hersh reported that the two warring sides are secretly engaged in peace talks - a claim that's at odds with Zelenskyy's recent announcement that ruled out negotiations under the current conditions.Meanwhile, according to a report published Wednesday, Ukraine has ramped up efforts to disrupt Russia's electronic warfare with a series of raids on Russian oil platforms.

New Zealand sought to strengthen its ties with the US,Argentina's President-elect Javier Milei met with senior US officials,the UK's Rishi Sunak canceled a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis,and North Korea made a rare note of dissenting votes in its recent election.Meanwhile, Madagascar's top court confirmed Pres. Andry Rajoelina's re-election,a senior Paraguayan official was sacked after signing a deal with a non-existent country,Meta shut down thousands of China-based accounts allegedly intended to sway US voters,and the US linked a Sikh separatist's attempted assassination to an Indian official.In other news, Taiwanese Pres. Tsai Ing-wen said that a Chinese invasion is unlikely,China criticized the West's strategy of de-risking its supply chains,and a judge blocked Montana's ban on Chinese-owned TikTok.

The US House voted to expel George Santos from Congress,the billionaire-backed Americans for Prosperity Action endorsed Nikki Haley for president,Henry Kissinger died at age 100,and SCOTUS' first female justice passed away at 93.Meanwhile, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and California Gov. Gavin Newsom held a heated debate,Hunter Biden agreed to testify before the House Oversight Committee,an appeals court ruled that former Pres. Donald Trump can be sued for Jan. 6,and the Trump Organization was flagged for not properly disclosing three transfers worth $40M.In other news, NBC News reported a rift between Pres. Joe Biden and Barack Obama over the US' support for Israel,and the CIA warned its staff against making political statements on social media.

Idaho asked SCOTUS to allow its near-total abortion ban,GOP presidential candidate Chris Christie said he wouldn't sign a six-week national abortion ban if elected,the EU's top court ruled that its member states can prohibit religious symbols in public offices,Russia's Supreme Court banned what it characterized as the "LGBT movement," and a Russian Court extended the detention of American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva.

A man accused of shooting three Vermont students of Palestinian descent pleaded not guilty,a man who allegedly threatened to shoot up a Tesla event in Texas was arrested,and an ex-gang member was charged with stabbing fellow inmate and former Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin.

Hundreds of nations committed to a climate damage fund during the COP28 climate summit,which Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping skipped,a dozen new countries secured approval to build nuclear power plants,Mozambique authorized an $80B energy transition plan,and Hawaii's Attorney General Anne Lopez subpoenaed three Maui agencies over August's wildfires.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the nation's life expectancy rose in 2022,the UN warned that the global response to AIDS is "under threat" due to stigmas,New Zealand scrapped its world-leading "generational" smoking ban,and Australia announced plans to ban all single-use vape imports beginning next year.

SCOTUS heard arguments over the Security and Exchange Commission's powers,and Portland's first-ever teachers' strike ended.

The US and 17 other nations signed a nonbinding agreement on AI safety,a report claimed that the US Pentagon is boosting its arsenal of AI-powered autonomous vehicles,ChatGPT celebrated the first anniversary of its release,and Saudi Arabia was selected to host the 2030 World Exposition.