Good morning! The weekend edition is 648 words, a 3 minute read.

What’s on tap: 

• LA wildfires lighten up

• Indonesia's free meal program

• Soup-flavored hard candies

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Today’s Big Story

Israeli Cabinet Approves Ceasefire

Israel's cabinet approved the Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal on Friday after seven hours of discussion.

• The vote passed with 24 ministers in favor and 8 against. The ceasefire and hostage release process is set to begin on Sunday, after a required 24-hour period for legal challenges.

• The meeting was moved up from Saturday at the request of Israel's intelligence chief, who wanted to avoid delays that might complicate the deal. This meant holding the meeting during the Jewish Sabbath, which even ultra-orthodox cabinet members agreed to because they considered it a life-or-death matter.

• The deal faced opposition from some of Netanyahu's far-right allies. National Security Minister Ben Gvir threatened to resign if the deal passed. Netanyahu assured cabinet members that Israel could resume the war with US support if future negotiations fail.

• Meanwhile, in a controversial move, Israel's Defense Minister signed an order to release Israeli settlers who were detained for allegedly committing and planning attacks against Palestinians. Security officials warned that it could increase tensions in the West Bank.

Saturday’s Quick Hits

• Cooler temperatures and calmer winds on Friday helped crews battling Los Angeles-area wildfires, but officials warned evacuees not to return home for at least a week. Hazards such as toxic materials and unstable electricity and gas lines remain in affected neighborhoods. The Palisades Fire was 31% contained while the Eaton Fire was 65% contained as of Friday evening. (More)

• President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of nearly 2,500 individuals convicted of nonviolent drug offenses, aiming to reduce what he called excessively harsh prison terms. The clemency round sets a record for Biden, giving him the most individual pardons and commutations by a president. (More)

• China's population declined for the third consecutive year in 2023, highlighting challenges like an aging population and a shrinking workforce. Similar trends are seen in East Asia, including Japan and South Korea, as rising living costs, delayed marriages, and career-focused lifestyles reduce birth rates. (More)

• Three lawyers for Alexei Navalny, a Russian opposition leader who died in a prison camp, were convicted Friday as part of an intensified Kremlin crackdown on dissent. Vadim Kobzev, Igor Sergunin, and Alexei Liptser received prison sentences ranging from 3.5 to 5 years for alleged involvement with extremist groups tied to Navalny's networks. (More)

• President-elect Trump announced that his inaugural ceremony on Monday will be indoors at the Capitol Rotunda because of dangerously cold temperatures. It will be the first indoor swearing-in since Ronald Reagan's 1985 ceremony. Forecasts predict air temperatures in the 20s with wind chills as low as 12ºF. (More)

Weekly Dose of Positive

• Indonesia has launched a Free Nutritious Meal program to combat stunted growth in children under 5, which affects 21.5% of this age group. The program will provide free meals to nearly 90 million children and pregnant mothers nationwide. (More)

• Five-year-old Ezra Toczek from New York faced severe liver disease. His 21-year-old former daycare teacher, Carissa Fisher, donated part of her liver to give Ezra a second chance at life. (More)

• A social media landscaper helped raise $800,000 from his followers for an elderly woman who couldn’t maintain her yard. Some of the money will go into a trust and the rest will be used to pay for wheelchair accessibility updates to her house. (More)

• Neighbors in Hollywood sprang into action during a brush fire near Runyon Canyon. When a palm tree ignited above an evacuated home, residents used ladders and hoses to extinguish the flames before they could spread. (More)

Extra Credit

🚶 Walking backward provides unexpected benefits.

🩲 The average American needs more underwear.

🍬 Progresso introduces chicken noodle-flavored hard candies.

🖥️ Check out a running list of the worst-designed websites.