Israel Delays Cabinet Vote To Approve Ceasefire and Hostage Deal

What's Happening

International

Israel Delays Cabinet Vote To Approve Ceasefire and Hostage Deal

What's going on: After months of negotiations, Israel and Hamas reached a 42-day ceasefire deal on Wednesday, according to US and Qatari officials. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday morning his cabinet has not met to approve it, citing a “last minute crisis” with Hamas. A Hamas official said the militant group “is committed to the ceasefire agreement.” Qatar’s prime minister, who served as the key mediator, said Wednesday the ceasefire would take effect Sunday. The first phase of the agreement will halt fighting in Gaza so that both sides can carry out a prisoner-hostage exchange. Israeli officials say about 98 hostages remain in Gaza, and they believe 60 of them are still alive. In this first phase, Hamas will release 33 hostages — dead and alive — over several weeks, including women, children, people with severe injuries, and those over 50. In exchange, Israel will release “many hundreds” of Palestinian prisoners (mostly women and children). Israeli troops are also expected to withdraw from Gaza’s densely-populated areas and allow more aid into the territory. 

What it means: The agreement, which still has to be ratified, is expected to bring much-needed respite after more than 15 months of fighting. The Israel-Hamas war has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, and has uprooted nearly 2 million people in Gaza. For many Israeli families, the deal brings them one step closer to reuniting with their loved ones since Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel, which killed more than 1,200 people. But additional hurdles remain in negotiations over the ceasefire’s second and third stages. Those agreements could bring a permanent end to the war, release remaining hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and establish a plan to rebuild Gaza. The incoming Trump administration, which helped negotiate the new ceasefire alongside the Biden administration and officials from Egypt and Qatar, will oversee the deal’s implementation and future negotiations.

Related: Who Gets Credit for the Ceasefire: Trump or Biden? (The Hill)

US News

Bye Bye Red Dye No. 3

What's going on: Fruit by the Foot, Hostess Ding Dongs, and Brach’s candy corn are just a few of the thousands of foods that will have to tweak their recipes. That’s because the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced yesterday it’s banning Red Dye No. 3, the controversial food dye responsible for that bright cherry-red color in many foods, drinks, and even some medicines. Studies have linked high levels of the synthetic dye to cancer in animals, prompting more than two dozen food safety advocates to petition the FDA in 2022. However, the FDA says there is no evidence that the dye causes cancer in humans. Some food manufacturers have already started phasing it out, and the US banned it from make-up nearly 35 years ago. Many countries, including those in the European Union, have already banned the dye.

What it means: Food manufacturers still using Red Dye No. 3 have until January 2027 to remove it from their products, while drugmakers face a January 2028 deadline to do the same. (However, corporations could sue to stop the ban.) This doesn’t necessarily mean your favorite foods with Red Dye No. 3 will lose their vibrant color — natural alternatives like beets and red cabbage are ready to step in. While the FDA’s decision isn’t tied to the incoming Trump administration, the US seems to be headed towards a new era of food policy, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. could be at the center of it. Food health has become a hot topic thanks to social media influencers, “crunchy moms,” and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.

Related: What’s Going On With the Other Red Dye People Want To See Gone? (CBS)

Study

Barbieland Isn't New — It's Actually Part of Ancient History

What's going on: History has long told us a familiar story: Women leave their families to join their husbands’ households — whether it’s Neanderthals striking out or queens marrying into royal courts. But in Celtic Britain, researchers found it was the men packing their bags and moving in with their wives’ families. This system, called matrilocality, flipped traditional gender dynamics (imagine how many arguments about relocating for work this could solve in today’s world). The study published in Nature revealed that matrilocality wasn't some rare experience — it thrived across Iron Age Britain. Researchers looked at burial practices, finding jewelry, tools, and personal items buried alongside women — indicating their social value. Men's graves featured fewer adornments. This suggests that women played vital roles, holding power in decisions over finances and property. Though these weren’t outright matriarchies, researchers believe the emphasis on maternal lineage and women’s burials demonstrates their strong social and political influence.

What it means: The study challenges the traditional view of women in history as primarily living domestic lives with little agency. The author puts it best: “In a lot of societies today and in the past, women wield huge influence and huge power, and it’s good to remember that.” Fast-forward to today and you can’t help but wonder: Why are we still debating mental load or chore charts when ancient men literally moved to adapt to their wives’ communities? The study may reflect a dream some women still have of a land with more power (let’s call it “Barbieland”), where the reality may feel more “Mojo Dojo Casa House." Maybe that’s why America Ferrera’s speech on the patriarchy in the movie hit so hard. The study brings up some timely reflection points — and it’s not about declaring whether a tradwife or career powerhouse is better, it’s about reclaiming the power women have always had. History proves it. Maybe society can take a few notes from the Iron Age to balance things out again.

Related: What Zuckerberg’s Push for ‘Masculine Energy’ in Companies Says About Power in America (Mashable)

Settle This

The Washington Post claims we’re in the “midst of a nugg-aissance” and ranked all the major chains’ chicken nuggets. Which restaurant came out on top?

Extra Credit

Watch

Saturday Night Live is about to turn the big 5-0 — and what better way to commemorate a milestone birthday than with a four-part docuseries? In SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night (now available to stream on Peacock), acclaimed documentarian Morgan Neville (who gave us Twenty Feet From Stardom and Won't You Be My Neighbor?) lifts the curtain on the history of the iconic sketch show, featuring LOL-worthy behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with over 60 contributors, including cast members both past (hi, Amy Poehler and Tina Fey) and present.

Game Time

Brick Breaker meets word search in Spelltower, your new favorite game. For every word you find, letter tiles disappear. The fewer tiles left when you run out of words, the better your score. Try it.