Ceasefire extended, Stephen Colbert surgery, and a forklift chase.

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Big Stories

Israel and Hamas agreed to extend pause in Gaza fighting

Israel and Hamas agreed to extend the ceasefire in Gaza for two days.

• Details: Twenty more Israeli hostages will be released — 10 on each day — in addition to the 50 who were freed as part of the original ceasefire agreement. Israel will also allow more aid trucks into Gaza and release three Palestinian prisoners for every additional hostage released.

• The announcement came as Hamas was preparing to release the fourth group of hostages after a delay. Hamas sent a list of 11 hostages that would be let go in the fourth group but Israel objected because it included children without their mothers. Mediators pressed Hamas for 12 hours until they agreed on Monday to change to list.

• More time: During the pause, hundreds of trucks carrying aid supplies and fuel into Gaza have enabled relief organizations to address the dire humanitarian conditions. However, aid workers emphasized four days isn’t enough time to respond to the scale of the crisis. 

Merriam-Webster’s word of the year is Authentic

Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year for 2023 is authentic "the term for something we're thinking about, writing about, aspiring to, and judging more than ever," the dictionary said in its announcement.

• Driving the news: The dictionary said there was a substantial increase in online lookups for “authentic” this year, driven by the rise of artificial intelligence, celebrity culture, identity, and social media.

• True definition: The reason it’s looked up so often is because “authentic” has several meanings, per Merriam’s announcement, including “not false or imitation” and “true to one’s own personality, spirit, or character.”

• Got the rizz?: One of this year’s runners-up is the term “Rizz” which the dictionary said is an example of internet-driven slang. If one has “rizz” they have romantic appeal or charm; ( e.g. That boy’s got rizz!).

Biden annouces plan to lower U.S. prices

The White House announced around 30 measures to improve America’s supply chains and to prevent shortages of key goods.

• Details: One of the measure will be invoking the 1950s Defense Production Act to promote domestic manufacturing of medicines that are considered critical for national security. Investments will also be made to strengthen food supply chains.

• Flashback: The act was passed to streamline production during the Korean War, and was last used in early 2021 during the pandemic to boost the availability of ventilators and personal protective equipment.

• Moving forward: One of the key factors influencing Biden's chances of reelection is his ability to reduce the inflation that has hurt American consumers. His administration is betting that these measures will do some disinflationary work, and that the Fed won’t need to do more to stifle demand.

Little Stories

U.S. News

• A man on a Southwest Airlines flight opened an emergency exit and climbed out onto the plane’s wing while the aircraft was still at a gate at Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans. (More)

• Police arrested a man suspected of shooting three students of Palestinian descent in Vermont. He was arraigned Monday morning where he plead not guilty to three counts of attempted second-degree murder. (More)

• The Transport Security Administration screened just over 2.9 million passengers on Sunday, making it the busiest travel day in history for U.S. airports. (More)

World

• Elon Musk told old Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he wants to help rebuild Gaza at the end of the Israel-Hamas war. He is in the country to meet with officials and see the sites that Hamas targeted in its Oct. 7 attack. (More)

• Authorities in India are only a few yards of debris away from rescuing 41 construction workers trapped in a partially collapsed highway tunnel. The men have been stuck for 16 days but are in good health and receiving food and water through a small pipe. (More)

• Storms and hurricane winds have battered Russia and Ukraine with floods and snow, leaving 2 million people without power. (More)

Business & Economy

• U.S. stock markets closed lower on Monday (S&P -0.20%, Nasdaq -0.07%, Dow -0.16%). (More)

• Chinese-founded fast fashion titan Shein confidentially filed to go public in the U.S. The retailer was last valued at $66 billion and could start trading on the public markets as soon as 2024. (More)

• iRobot shares fell 17% after Europe’s antitrust watchdog said Amazon’s planned $1.7 billion acquisition of the Roomba maker “may restrict competition.” (More)

Sports & Entertainment

• ‘The Late Show’ won’t air any new episodes this week while host Stephen Colbert recovers from a surgery that repaired his ruptured appendix. (More)

• Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper fired coach Frank Reich on Monday. The Panthers have an NFL-worst 1-10 record in Reich’s only season with the team. (More)

• The Purdue Boilermakers are back atop the AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll after beating three of the top 11 teams in the nation at the Maui Invitational. (More)

Science, Health, & Tech

• An unknown and potentially fatal dog respiratory illness that began in one state has now spread to 14. Oregon is the only state to report its numbers and has had more than 200 cases since mid-August. (More)

• A critically endangered Sumatran rhino was born in Indonesia on Saturday, the second born in the country this year. The total number of the species is fewer than 50 animals. (More)

• Beginning Friday, Google will delete accounts that have been inactive for at least two years. The company said the move is intended to prevent security risks. (More)

Extra Credit

Jill Biden reveals the White House holiday decorations for 2023.

A kid stole a forklift and lead the Ann Arbor police on a chase.

Why cosy living is good for you.

Ranked: America’s best universities.