January 16, 2025

Good morning.

1. Israel and Hamas agreed to a three-phase ceasefire and hostage deal that would take effect Sunday, if fully approved. Prime Minister Netanyahu said a “last-minute crisis” with Hamas is holding up Israeli cabinet approval (BBC: nwppr.co/z697).

2. President Biden gave a farewell address from the Oval Office, summarizing his administration’s accomplishments and warning that “an oligarchy is taking shape” in the US (C-SPAN: nwppr.co/y697, Hill: nwppr.co/x697).

3. Jeff Bezos-owned Blue Origin launched its New Glenn rocket into orbit on its first test flight (a major milestone) but was unable to recover its booster (AP: nwppr.co/w697).

4. South African police ended a rescue operation at an illegal mine, with at least 78 deaths and 246 living miners retrieved. The operation stemmed from a controversial decision to attempt to force out miners by cutting food and supplies (AP: nwppr.co/v697).

5. Senate confirmation hearings for President-elect Trump nominees continue today, including Doug Burgum for interior secretary and Scott Bessent for treasury secretary (NBC: nwppr.co/u697).

6. The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case challenging a Texas law that requires documented age verification to access porn websites (NPR: nwppr.co/t697).

7. The Transportation Department sued Southwest and fined Frontier over “chronically” delayed flights (UPI: nwppr.co/r697).

8. The FDA proposed a new rule that seeks to lower nicotine levels in cigarettes to “minimally or nonaddictive” levels (UPI: nwppr.co/q697).

–Editors