Good morning.
Just hours after the mediating power Qatar confirmed that Hamas and Israel had agreed to a truce, Benjamin Netanyahu’s office accused the militant group of trying to gain “last-minute concessions”, with Israel’s security cabinet delaying a meeting to approve the deal.
But after Israel’s statement, Hamas said it was committed to the ceasefire terms announced on Wednesday.
The deal would result in a first batch of 33 hostages being released on Sunday in exchange for Palestinians held in Israeli jails, and wounded people in Gaza being allowed to leave for medical treatment.
What’s the latest in the fighting? At least 50 people have been killed since dawn by Israeli airstrikes, Palestinian news sources report.
Joe Biden uses farewell speech to warn ‘oligarchy is taking shape in America’
Joe Biden used his farewell address to the nation to warn that oligarchy was “taking shape in America” and threatened to undo the foundations of the nation’s democracy.
“Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead,” Biden said from the Oval Office on Wednesday.
Biden laid out other urgent threats to undermine US democracy, including a “crumbling” free press, rising disinformation and dark money in politics.
What did he say powerful interests could do? He pointed to the risks of the ultra-rich reversing progress on tackling the climate crisis.
LA residents get short break from Santa Ana winds driving fires
The Santa Ana winds that have supercharged the catastrophic wildfires in Los Angeles county will die down briefly, the National Weather Service (NWS) said, but are forecasted to restart next week.
Residents were warned to prioritize their safety. “Next week is a concern. While confident that we will NOT see a repeat of last week, dangerous fire weather conditions are expected,” the agency said, adding that Monday and Tuesday may bring another red flag warning.
Are the fires still burning? Yes. The largest blaze – the Palisades fire – is only 19% contained, while the Eaton fire is at 45%.
In other news …
More than 100 miners in an illegal goldmine in north-eastern South Africa have died, according to workers still underground, after police blocked off vital supplies to try to coax them to the surface to face arrest.
The Biden administration has issued a cybersecurity executive order to shield consumer devices from attacks from outer space, using his final days to focus on growing cyber-threats.
Residents of Jersey have been advised to undergo blood-letting after tests showed they had high levels of PFAS “forever chemicals” in their blood, which are linked to cancers.
Stat of the day: Climate crisis could cause economic growth to fall ‘50% over 20 years’
Unless leaders take immediate steps to decarbonize their economies, global growth could plunge by 50% between 2070 and 2090 from the shocks of the climate crisis, according to a report. The research severely increases the risk of climate change to the global economy.
Don’t miss this: The story of the first JFK assassination attempt
A new book peels back the layers to examine the man who almost changed history by trying to kill JFK in 1960, three years before the successful attempt on his life. It unpacks his motivations, what it would have meant for the country, and what conspiracy theories about JFK’s death tell us about our anxieties.
Climate check: Trump energy chief pick criticized for disputing link between wildfires and climate crisis
Democrats have challenged Donald Trump’s nominee for energy secretary, Chris Wright, during his confirmation hearing over previous comments claiming that linking the climate crisis to more frequent or severe wildfires is “hype”. Ignoring the scientific consensus, Wright stood by his comments, and said he would push for more fossil fuel production.
Last Thing: Carrie Bradshaw’s famed Sex and the City stoop to be gated to stop fans gathering
The owner of the Sex and the City protagonist Carrie Bradshaw’s famous Manhattan apartment plans to put up a gate to stop fans crowding around the iconic stoop “at any hour of the day or night”. I couldn’t help but wonder: is that fair enough … or do annoying fans come with the territory?
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