Details: Hamas-Israel Reach Hostage Release & Ceasefire Deal
Plus: Biden's swan song and a look at the FDA's red dye ban
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Good morning,
President Joe Biden said farewell to the American people on Wednesday evening from the Oval Office.
His highlights: Biden began his address with what he views as his lasting legacy, including pandemic recovery and the Inflation Reduction Act, allowing Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug prices, and standing by Ukraine.
His warnings: Biden used the heart of his address to highlight what he sees as the dangerous concentration of power and wealth among few, the growing threats of climate change, and the rise of what he called a “tech industrial complex controlling our information and truth.“
He didn’t name names, but it is clear he was pointing the finger at billionaires like Elon Musk, and companies like Meta, Google and Amazon.
Regarding tech, Biden pointed to the transformative power of artificial intelligence. ChatGPT, which revolutionized generative technology, was launched during Biden’s term. Now, the president warns that, in the wrong hands — like China’s — AI could become dangerous.
How Americans feel about Biden: Of modern Presidents, Biden is leaving office with a 36% approval rating — that’s only above Carter (34%), Trump (34%), Truman (32%) W. Bush (31%), and Nixon (24%).
Biden’s goal as president was to “restore the soul” of the nation — which he viewed as removing Donald Trump from the White House for good. With Trump back in office in four days, the soon-to-be former one-term president’s legacy is not what he had hoped.
Have a good one!
Mosheh, Jill, Sari, & Lauren
PS: Don’t forget to refer friends & family to subscribe to the Mo Newsletter… you could get free Mo News merch — DETAILS at the bottom of this newsletter!
📌 AFTER 15 MONTHS OF WAR, ISRAEL AND HAMAS AGREE TO CEASEFIRE & HOSTAGE DEAL
Israel and Hamas have agreed to a six-week, phased ceasefire deal that will pause fighting in Gaza and lead to the release of dozens of hostages, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
It comes after 15 months of war in the Middle East, which began after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and has since led to the killing of tens of thousands of people in Gaza, and widespread devastation and displacement across the territory.
It has also led to a Middle East with brand new power dynamics, including: a weaker Hezbollah, Iran, Hamas; the fall of the Assad dictatorship in Syria; an ascendant Turkey; an Israel that has successfully taken out most of the leadership & infrastructure of nearby terror groups, but a nation that also has a significantly diminished reputation abroad. And, President-elect Trump is days away from taking full control of American foreign policy.
In the U.S., President Biden and Trump are both taking credit for the deal, which was based on the three-phase outline Biden put together in the spring, but made it over the finish line in part due to Trump’s election win, his leverage/relationship with Netanyahu, and his vow to bring “hell down” on Hamas if they didn’t agree.
WHAT’S NEXT
The Israeli government must approve the agreement through its formal processes, which include a vote in the Israeli security cabinet and the full cabinet. Those votes are expected to take place today.
The Israeli Supreme Court will then hear petitions against the release of any Palestinian prisoners who could be freed as part of the exchange for Israeli hostages.
The agreement is anticipated to take effect Sunday, when an initial group of Israeli hostages will be released from Gaza after more than 460 days in captivity. In the fall of 2023, the last temporary ceasefire and release of roughly 100 hostages took place about 50 days into the war.
TERMS OF THE DEAL
On Sunday, three hostages are set to be released, then four more a week later. Then, the deal will bring three more hostages home every seven days, until the final 14 are released during week six. The list of hostages negotiated so far includes female civilians, children, men over age 50, the sick, and some female soldiers.
That’s phase one of the deal, which predicates on a 42-day ceasefire and the release of 33 hostages, out of nearly 100 still in Gaza. Around 1,000 Palestinian prisoners held in Israel will also be released.
A source within the Trump team said that they believe 23 of the 33 hostages on the initial list are alive. The others are presumed dead, and Hamas is holding their bodies.
Hostages expected to be released include Shiri Silberman-Bibas and her two small children, 5-year-old Ariel and 1-year-old Kfir.
Hamas has claimed that the mother and two children were killed in an Israeli air strike, but their family is holding out hope that they are still alive.
Three of seven American hostages in Gaza are presumed to be alive – Edan Alexander, Sagui Dekel-Chen, and Keith Siegel. Two are expected to be released in the first phase.
On day 16 of phase one, negotiations will resume to discuss the release of the remaining hostages in phase two.
After the initial phase, about 60 hostages — mostly military-aged males — will remain in Hamas custody. The terror group is reportedly demanding thousands of prisoners, including top Hamas leaders, in exchange for their release.
In this phase, Israel would also be expected to withdraw troops from Gaza.
The final phase would see the return of all remaining bodies held by Hamas, and the start of Gaza’s reconstruction.
U.S. DIPLOMACY
On Wednesday, Biden expressed hope that the deal would make it through all three phases. He noted that the terms of the deal were "developed and negotiated under my administration, but its terms will be implemented for the most part by the next administration.”
Trump’s win was key: Biden noted that his and Trump's administrations worked together to get the deal done.
Trump’s Mideast envoy, Steve Witkoff, joined Biden’s Mideast adviser, Brett McGurk, in Qatar for negotiations in recent days.
Before Biden’s announcement, Trump took full credit on TruthSocial for the “epic” deal.
Earlier this month, Trump had said "all hell will break out in the Middle East" if the hostages in Gaza were not released by his inauguration. This deal will begin the day before.
Bottom line: The deal on the table was first proposed by the Biden administration back in May. Israel’s extensive campaign to take out Iran’s proxy groups, including its ceasefire with Hezbollah in November, allowed Prime Minister Netanyahu to fulfill his promise of "mighty vengeance" against the terror groups. It also made Hamas realize no one was left to help them. Then, enter Trump, who is close with Netanyahu, to help bring the deal across the finish line — likely by intimidating Hamas’s remaining leadership and pressuring Israel to accept the deal.
📌 INSIDE THE FDA’S MOVE TO BAN ARTIFICIAL RED DYE FROM FOODS
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced Wednesday that it is banning red dye No. 3, after advocates called on the agency to do so for years. The additive is used to give thousands of snacks, beverages, and drugs a bright cherry-red color, but has been linked to cancer in animals.
The dye must be removed from food by mid-January 2027 and from ingested drugs the following year.
THE SCIENCE
Red No. 3, which was first approved for use in food and drugs in 1907, is made from petroleum. Red 40, another food coloring in a different class of synthetic dyes, will remain on the market.
A study in the 1980s found tumors in male rats who were exposed to red dye No. 3 in high doses.
The dose was much higher than what humans are exposed to, and there has been no direct link between the dye and cancer in humans.
It was banned from cosmetics in 1990.
Advocacy groups have also raised concerns about whether artificial dyes affect children's behavior, such as causing ADHD. A 2011 FDA review found no causal link between food dyes and hyperactivity. But, some more recent studies have found evidence of a link.
There are 36 FDA-approved color additives, including 9 synthetic dyes.
11 U.S. states had already taken steps to ban Red No. 3 ahead of the FDA decision. It is already banned or severely restricted in Australia, Japan, and countries in the European Union.
HOW WE GOT HERE
The FDA's decision comes after a 2022 petition to revoke the additive's authorization, based on the Delaney Clause. The 1958 Delaney Clause prohibits the FDA from permitting any food additives that are found to cause cancer in humans or animals.
What’s next: Advocacy groups have argued that it is safer to use natural coloring derived from plants, like beets and red cabbage.
Already, brands like Froot Loops use fruit-and-vegetable-derived dyes in countries outside the U.S.
Other companies might need to rework their formulas to ensure shelf stability and taste.
And, then there is RFK Jr. He has promised a war on artificial colors and other additives and chemicals if he is confirmed as Trump’s Health and Human Services Secretary.
⏳ SPEED READ
🚨NATION
📌 Trump cabinet picks Pam Bondi, Marco Rubio, others faced a full day of questions from senators (FOX)
📌 Temperatures to plummet from polar vortex-related Arctic blast (AXIOS)
📌 Winds, arsonists complicate fight against LA-area wildfires as crews report progress (AP)
📌 Supreme Court seems ready to back Texas law limiting access to Pornography (VOX)
🌎 AROUND THE WORLD
📌 Polish leader vows to use EU presidency to speed up Ukraine’s membership quest (AP)
📌 International underwater cable attacks by Russia, China are no ‘mere coincidence’ warns EU’s top diplomat (FOX)
📌 South Korean law enforcement officers detain impeached President Yoon (NPR)
📌 Saudi Arabia vows to be ‘fast and furious’ in mining as it reveals $100 billion investment (CNBC)
📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH
📌 TikTok prepares for complete U.S. shutdown ahead of ban on Sunday (YAHOO)
📌 OpenAI rolls out assistant-like feature 'Tasks' to take on Alexa, Siri (USA TODAY)
📌 Core inflation rate slows to 3.2% in December, less than expected (CNBC)
📌 John Deere faces U.S. lawsuit over farmers' ability to repair tractors (NPR)
🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT
📌 Here's everyone performing at the presidential inauguration (NPR)
📌 Drake sues Universal Music for defamation related to Kendrick Lamar diss track ‘Not Like Us’ (AP)
📌 Paris Hilton raises $800,000 for L.A. wildfire relief in 72 hours (DEADLINE)
📌 Tony Bennett's daughters accuse brother of trust 'mismanagement,' claim he paid himself $2.6 million in commissions (PEOPLE)
🗓 ON THIS DAY: JANUARY 16
1919: The 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, banning the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages. The nationwide prohibition lasted over a decade before being repealed in 1933.
1964: Hello, Dolly! debuts on Broadway.
1991: At midnight in Iraq, the United Nations deadline for Iraq’s withdrawal from Kuwait expired. The U.S. and coalition forces launched offensive operations, marking the start of Operation Desert Storm to expel Iraqi forces after a five-month occupation.
1992: Eric Clapton recorded his iconic MTV Unplugged session, featuring an acoustic rendition of "Tears in Heaven." The album went on to win six Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year.
The performance is coming to Paramount+