In Biden's final days, a flurry of last-minute moves.
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What are the latest updates on the Gaza ceasefire agreement?
But first, a quick check-in on the state of the Gaza ceasefire agreement. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says a deal has been struck to return hostages held in Gaza and move forward with a negotiated ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The deal was on shaky ground as of yesterday when Israel claimed Hamas had reneged on details of the ceasefire. Hamas leadership disputed that and said they were still committed to it. Secretary of State Antony Blinken yesterday projected confidence that the agreement will go into effect starting as planned on Sunday.
How is President Biden making his final moves in office?
Look, it's not exactly surprising that in a process, in a negotiation that has been this challenging and this fraught, you may get a loose end.
Both sides have so far agreed to an initial six-week ceasefire, with later phases of the deal not yet fleshed out. This story is sure to keep moving quickly today and through the weekend. You can find the latest in the Apple News app. President Biden is leaving the Oval Office the same way he entered, in a blaze of executive actions. The outgoing president is putting his pen to a whole slate of orders, from clemency to conservation to canceling student loans. The Washington Post reports that even as many White House staffers are packing up their offices and getting ready to leave, many are still working on last-minute executive actions. Officials say this will likely continue up until the final hours of his presidency.
This morning, Biden announced he was commuting the sentences of almost 2,500 people convicted of nonviolent offenses, setting the presidential record for most individual pardons and commutations issued. Some of his other last actions as president include blocking oil drilling in more than 625 million acres of U.S. ocean, designating new national monuments in California, removing Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism, and just last night signing a new order on cybersecurity. Ann Newberg, deputy national security advisor for cyber and emerging technology, told NPR about the purpose of that order.
The goal is to make it costlier and harder for China, Russia, Iran and ransomware criminals to hack and to also signal that America means business when it comes to protecting our businesses and our citizens.
A few more items in the flurry of headlines you might have missed in recent weeks. The Biden administration is proposing a dramatic reduction in nicotine levels in cigarettes. The FDA will now require labels on the front of food and drink packages. And another 150,000 student loan borrowers had their debt canceled. The Post points out another story that might have gone under the radar.
What challenges does California face with home insurance?
The incoming Trump administration will find on Tuesday a new rule goes into effect, giving a 12 percent pay raise to about 14,000 blue collar employees at Army depots and Veterans Affairs facilities. It's not uncommon for presidents to leave office with a flurry of action like this. But the Post describes Biden's actions as, quote, unusually wide ranging and a sign that Biden sees the man who both preceded him and will succeed him, Donald Trump, as a unique threat to the Biden legacy. There is a certain advantage that an outgoing president has in moments like this, according to Andrew Rudalevich, a professor of government who studies the power of the presidency. He described it this way to The Post. Biden can take this last opportunity to set the status quo with all these orders. And in Washington, the status quo often wins. Trump, meanwhile, has already vowed to overturn what he can. In regards to Biden's offshore drilling order, Trump said he will reverse it immediately, adding, quote, drill, baby, drill.
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Chapters
6 chapters
1
What are the latest updates on the Gaza ceasefire agreement?
0:34–1:06
2
How is President Biden making his final moves in office?
1:06–3:25
3
What challenges does California face with home insurance?
3:25–4:58
4
How are wildfires affecting California's insurance market?
4:58–6:15
5
What is the Fair Plan and how does it impact homeowners?
6:15
6
What are the implications of Biden's executive actions?
2:50–14:21
Speakers
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