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Unbiased Updates™

Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage release deal reached: Netanyahu


Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Israeli government would vote on the ceasefire deal with Hamas that calls for a pause in fighting and the release of hostages. And the clock ticks toward TikTok possibly going dark this weekend. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Friday, Jan. 17, 2025.

Ceasefire deal reached with Hamas to release hostages: Netanyahu

A ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas will soon finally come to fruition. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said early Friday morning, Jan. 17, that Israel reached an agreement with Hamas to return Israeli hostages, including Americans held in the Gaza Strip.

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Talks of a deal hit a snag Thursday, Jan. 16, when Netanyahu said Hamas tried to reverse parts of the agreement.

Israel’s security cabinet is now set to meet Friday to discuss the ceasefire and hostage release deal. A wider cabinet vote to approve the deal is expected on Saturday, Jan. 18.

The deal would see a pause in fighting in Gaza and the phased release of Hamas hostages and Palestinian prisoners. If approved, it would take effect Sunday, Jan. 19.

This development comes as huge blasts from southern Israel could be seen over the Gaza skyline early Friday morning.

On Thursday, Israeli air strikes killed at least 72 people in the territory, according to Gaza’s health ministry. Israel’s military said it hit approximately 50 militant targets across the Gaza Strip over the past day, including weapons storage facilities and rocket launch sites.

This is not unprecedented in past conflicts. Both sides have stepped up military operations in the final hours before the ceasefire as a show of strength.

Los Angeles residents told not to return home as landslides pose new threat

A new threat looms in fire-ravaged Southern California: landslides. Authorities said leveled structures no longer hold the earth in place in some parts of the hillside and water from fire hoses and broken pipes has saturated the ground, creating a dangerous situation

Los Angeles officials urged residents forced to evacuate by the deadly wildfires over the past week not to return home yet. They’re urging the evacuees to wait at least another week to return — whether their home was destroyed or spared — so emergency responders can remove toxic waste from incinerated neighborhoods and cut off potentially dangerous electricity and gas lines. 

The Environmental Protection Agency needs to remove hazardous materials from damaged and destroyed homes before debris can be hauled away and utilities are fully restored. 

The deadly fires claimed the lives of at least 27 people and more than 82,000 are still under evacuation orders.

The Palisades and Eaton fires continue to burn with no end in sight. They’ve scorched a combined area of about 60 square miles and destroyed thousands of homes. 

As of CalFire’s latest update, the Palisade Fire remains 22% contained while the Eaton Fire is now 55% contained — up from 45% on Thursday.

Biden admin signals it won’t enforce TikTok ban

As a reported 170 million users wait with bated breath, a Supreme Court decision on whether to uphold a U.S. ban on the popular social media app TikTok is expected anytime now. That ban is set to take effect this Sunday.

However, the Biden administration is now signaling it will not immediately enforce the ban, instead leaving it up to the Trump administration which starts Monday, Jan. 20, with President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.

Trump already asked the Supreme Court to delay the ban. The Washington Post also reported this week he’s considering an executive order to suspend the ban’s enforcement.

Even if neither administration takes action to enforce the ban, TikTok can still decide to voluntarily shut down when the deadline hits Sunday. However, TikTok is not required to go dark — it’s the app stores and internet hosting services that could be on the hook if they keep providing TikTok to Americans.

The Justice Department has said that TikTok is a national security risk because the app could lead to the Chinese government accessing vast amounts of personal data from Americans.

Confirmation hearing for Gov. Noem, Trump’s DHS secretary pick, to begin Friday

In just three days, President-elect Donald Trump will take the oath of office and become the nation’s 47th president. As Inauguration Day approaches, confirmation hearings continue in Washington for Trump’s cabinet picks.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security, will appear before the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Friday, Jan. 17. The hearing was originally scheduled for earlier in the week but was pushed back.

If confirmed by the Senate, Noem would oversee a department with at least 250,000 employees and multiple agencies, including Customs Border and Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Secret Service, the Federal Emergency Management, the Transportation Security Administration and the Coast Guard.

SpaceX Starship explodes shortly after 7th launch

The latest test flight from Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starship rocket did not go according to plan Thursday night. SpaceX said the world’s largest rocket exploded shortly after taking off from Texas for its seventh launch. 

Straight Arrow News reporter Lauren Taylor has a breakdown of what happened here.

FireAid lineup includes Billie Eilish, Green Day, Jelly Roll, Lady Gaga

FireAid, the Live Nation concert benefiting the victims of the California wildfires, will take place on Jan. 30 and the lineup has now been released

Billie Eilish; Earth, Wind & Fire; Green Day; Jelly Roll; Joni Mitchell; Lady Gaga and Stevie Sicks are among the entertainers committed to performing. Also, Dave Matthews and John Mayer will perform together for the first time. 

Live Nation said additional artists will be announced in the coming days. Organizers said the event will raise money for “rebuilding communities devastated by wildfires and supporting efforts to prevent future fire disasters in Southern California.” 

FireAid will be held in two venues: the Intuit Dome and the Forum in Inglewood, California. Tickets for the concert go on sale Wednesday, Jan. 22.   

FireAid will also be livestreamed across various platforms including Apple TV, Max, Netflix, Paramount+, SiriusXM, Spotify and YouTube. It will also air in select AMC theaters.

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WE START WITH MAJOR NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND WHAT A DIFFERENCE 24 HOURS MAKES, WHERE IT LOOKS LIKE A CEASEFIRE DEAL BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS WILL FINALLY COME TO FRUITION. 

ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU SAYS A DEAL WITH HAMAS TO RETURN ISRAELI HOSTAGES, INCLUDING AMERICANS HELD IN THE GAZA STRIP, HAS BEEN REACHED. 

TALKS OF A DEAL HIT A SNAG YESTERDAY WHEN NETANYAHU SAID HAMAS TRIED TO GO BACK ON PARTS OF THE AGREEMENT. 

ISRAEL’S SECURITY CABINET IS NOW SET TO MEET LATER TODAY TO DISCUSS THE CEASEFIRE AND HOSTAGE RELEASE DEAL. 

A WIDER CABINET VOTE TO APPROVE THE DEAL IS EXPECTED TOMORROW. 

THE DEAL WOULD SEE A PAUSE IN FIGHTING IN GAZA AND THE PHASED RELEASE OF HOSTAGES AS WELL AS PALESTINIAN PRISONERS. IF APPROVED, IT WOULD TAKE EFFECT SUNDAY. 

THIS DEVELOPMENT COMES EVEN AS HUGE BLASTS FROM SOUTHERN ISRAEL COULD BE SEEN OVER THE GAZA SKYLINE EARLY THIS MORNING. 

ON THURSDAY– ISRAELI AIR STRIKES KILLED AT LEAST 72 PEOPLE IN THE TERRITORY, ACCORDING TO GAZA’S HEALTH MINISTRY. 

THE MILITARY SAYS IT HIT APPROXIMATELY 50 MILITANT TARGETS ACROSS THE GAZA STRIP OVER THE PAST DAY — INCLUDING WEAPONS STORAGE FACILITIES AND ROCKET LAUNCH SITES. 

THIS IS NOT UNPRECEDENTED — IN PAST CONFLICTS BOTH SIDES HAVE STEPPED UP MILITARY OPERATIONS IN THE FINAL HOURS BEFORE CEASE FIRES, AS A SHOW OF STRENGTH.

HERE IN THE U-S — A NEW THREAT LOOMS IN FIRE-RAVAGED SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA: LANDSLIDES. 

AUTHORITIES SAY LEVELED STRUCTURES NO LONGER HOLD the earth IN PLACE IN SOME PARTS OF THE HILLSIDE.  WATER FROM FIRE HOSES AND BROKEN PIPES HAS SATURATED THE GROUND, CREATING A DANGEROUS SITUATION. 

THIS AS OFFICIALS IN LOS ANGELES ARE TELLING RESIDENTS, FORCED TO EVACUATE BY THE DEADLY WILDFIRES OVER THE PAST WEEK, **NOT** TO GO HOME YET. 

THEY’RE URGING THE EVACUEES TO WAIT AT LEAST ANOTHER WEEK TO RETURN — WHETHER THEIR HOME WAS DESTROYED OR SPARED — SO EMERGENCY RESPONDERS CAN REMOVE TOXIC WASTE FROM INCINERATED NEIGHBORHOODS AND CUT OFF POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ELECTRICITY AND GAS LINES. 

ALSO, THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY HAS TO REMOVE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS FROM DAMAGED AND DESTROYED HOMES BEFORE DEBRIS CAN BE HAULED AWAY AND UTILITIES ARE FULLY RESTORED. 

THE DEADLY FIRES HAVE NOW CLAIMED THE LIVES OF AT LEAST 27 PEOPLE AND MORE THAN 82-THOUSAND ARE **STILL** UNDER EVACUATION ORDERS AS THE PALISADES AND EATON FIRES CONTINUE BURNING, WITH NO END IN SIGHT. 

THEY’VE SCORCHED A COMBINED AREA OF ABOUT 60 SQUARE MILES AND DESTROYED THOUSANDS OF HOMES. 

AS OF CAL FIRE’S LATEST UPDATE… THE PALISADE FIRE REMAINS 22 PERCENT CONTAINED WHILE THE EATON FIRE IS NOW 55 PERCENT CONTAINED — UP FROM 45 PERCENT. IT APPEARS FIREFIGHTERS HAVE MADE SOME PROGRESS IN BATTLING THE INFERNOS OVER THE PAST DAY.

AS A REPORTED 170 MILLION USERS WAIT WITH BATED BREATH, A SUPREME COURT DECISION ON WHETHER TO UPHOLD A U-S BAN ON THE POPULAR SOCIAL MEDIA APP TIKTOK IS EXPECTED ANYTIME NOW. 

THAT BAN SET TO TAKE EFFECT THIS SUNDAY — JANUARY 19-TH. 

HOWEVER, THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS NOW SIGNALING IT WILL **NOT** IMMEDIATELY ENFORCE THE BAN… INSTEAD LEAVING IT UP TO THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION — WHICH STARTS MONDAY WITH PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP’S INAUGURATION.  

TRUMP HAS ALREADY ASKED THE SUPREME COURT TO DELAY WHEN THE LAW TAKES EFFECT — AND THE WASHINGTON POST REPORTED THIS WEEK HE’S CONSIDERING AN EXECUTIVE ORDER TO SUSPEND THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE BAN. 

EVEN IF NEITHER ADMINISTRATION TAKES ACTION TO ENFORCE THE BAN — TIKTOK CAN STILL DECIDE TO VOLUNTARILY SHUT DOWN 

WHEN THE DEADLINE HITS ON SUNDAY.  TIKTOK IS NOT REQUIRED TO GO DARK. IT’S THE APP STORES AND INTERNET HOSTING SERVICES THAT COULD BE ON THE HOOK IF THEY KEEP PROVIDING TIK TOK. 

THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT HAS SAID THAT TIK-TOK IS A NATIONAL SECURITY RISK BECAUSE THE APP COULD LEAD TO THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT, THRU BYTE-DANCE, ACCESSING VAST AMOUNTS OF PERSONAL DATA FROM AMERICANS.

IN JUST 3 DAYS, PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP WILL TAKE THE OATH OF OFFICE – AND BECOME THE NATION’S 47TH PRESIDENT. AS INAUGURATION DAY APPROACHES, CONFIRMATION HEARINGS CONTINUE IN WASHINGTON D-C FOR HIS CABINET PICKS. 

TODAY – IT’S SOUTH DAKOTA GOVERNOR KRISTI NOEM’S TURN TO GO BEFORE SENATORS AND ANSWER QUESTIONS. 

NOEM, TRUMP’S NOMINEE TO LEAD THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, WILL APPEAR BEFORE THE HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE THIS MORNING. 

THE HEARING WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED FOR EARLIER IN THE WEEK BUT WAS PUSHED BACK TO TODAY.   

IF CONFIRMED BY THE SENATE, NOEM WOULD OVERSEE A DEPARTMENT WITH AT LEAST  250-THOUSAND EMPLOYEES AND MULTIPLE AGENCIES 

INCLUDING CUSTOMS BORDER AND PROTECTION, IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT, THE SECRET SERVICE, THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, THE TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION, AND THE COAST GUARD.

NOW TO THE SPACE RACE — THIS WEEK WE REPORTED ON THE LAUNCH OF JEFF BEZOS AND HIS BLUE ORIGIN NEW GLENN ROCKET. THIS MORNING – WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THE LATEST TEST FLIGHT FROM ELON MUSK’S SPACEX STARSHIP ROCKET.  AS STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS REPORTER LAUREN TAYLOR TELLS US – NOT EVERYTHING WENT ACCORDING TO PLAN. 

FINALLY THIS MORNING — AN UPDATE TO A STORY WE TOLD YOU ABOUT EARLIER IN THE WEEK. FIREAID – THE LIVENATION CONCERT BENEFITING THE VICTIMS OF THE CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES – WILL TAKE PLACE ON JANUARY 30TH.  AND WE NOW KNOW THE LINEUP. 

BILLIE EILISH, EARTH, WIND & FIRE, GREEN DAY, JELLY ROLL, JONI MITCHELL, LADY GAGA, AND STEVIE NICKS ARE AMONG THE ENTERTAINERS WHO HAVE COMMITTED. 

ALSO DAVE MATTHEWS AND JOHN MAYER WILL BE PERFORMING TOGETHER FOR THE FIRST TIME. 

LIVENATION SAYS ADDITIONAL ARTISTS WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN THE COMING DAYS. 

ORGANIZERS SAY THE EVENT WILL RAISE MONEY FOR “REBUILDING COMMUNITIES DEVASTATED BY WILDFIRES AND SUPPORTING EFFORTS TO PREVENT FUTURE FIRE DISASTERS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.” 

FIREAID WILL BE HELD IN TWO VENUES – THE INTUIT DOME AND THE FORUM, IN INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA. 

TICKETS FOR THE CONCERT GO ON SALE JANUARY 22ND.   

FIREAID WILL BE LIVE-STREAMED ACROSS VARIOUS PLATFORMS INCLUDING APPLE TV, MAX, NETFLIX, PARAMOUNT PLUS, SIRIUSXM, SPOTIFY AND YOUTUBE. IT WILL ALSO AIR IN SELECT AMC THEATERS.