Cicada invasion, Israel Hamas ceasefire II, and a Stanley heist.

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Big Stories

Israel offers 2-month ceasefire to Hamas

Israel has given a proposal to Hamas that includes a pause in the fighting for up to two months as part of a multi-phase deal.

• The deal includes the release of all remaining hostages held in Gaza — more than 130 Israelis are still held captive. Although the proposal doesn't involve ending the war, it is the longest ceasefire offered by Israel to Hamas.

• Under the deal, hostages would be released in phases, starting with women, men over 60, and those in critical condition. It would then progress to female Israeli soldiers, men under 60 who aren’t soldiers, male soldiers, and bodies of the hostages. Additionally, Hamas and Israel would agree in advance on how many Palestinian prisoners would be released for each Israeli hostage.

• Israel said it still won't agree to end the war and won't release all 6,000 Palestinian prisoners. But they are willing to redeploy Israeli Defense Forces after the pause in smaller numbers with less aggressive tactics to allow Palestinians to gradually return to population centers like Gaza City and the northern Gaza Strip. Israeli officials also said they are ready to release a significant amount of Palestinian prisoners if Hamas agrees to the deal.

Cal State faculty stage massive strike

Employees at California State University — the biggest public university system in the US — are on strike.

• Over 29,000 faculty members will strike for five days, making it the largest faculty strike in US history. Professors canceled classes in bunches at twenty-three of the university system’s campuses.

• The California Faculty Association demands a 12 percent raise, increased parental leave, and more gender-neutral facilities. The university already increased pay by 5 percent but talks have since stalled and further negotiations haven’t been scheduled. The university argues that many non-economic demands shouldn't be part of the bargaining and that the proposed salary increase is unaffordable.

• The strike is the first systemwide action by the California Faculty Association since its founding in 1983. The union's actions align with a broader movement of academic workers across the US, demanding improved working conditions and benefits.

Cicada insect mega-event set for Spring

In late April through June, two cicada broods, known for their extended life cycles, will simultaneously emerge in the eastern US from Wisconsin to Georgia.

• Periodical cicadas spend most of their lives underground, emerging every 13 or 17 years for a short adult life. The upcoming event involves Brood XIX (13-year cycle) and Brood XIII (17-year cycle). The last simultaneous emergence of these broods occurred in 1803, making it an extremely rare, once-in-a-lifetime event.

• The Great Southern Brood (Brood XIX) will appear in late April through May in 15 southern states, while the Northern Illinois Brood (Brood XIII) will be concentrated in Illinois, parts of Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan from mid-May to early June. Experts anticipate billions of cicadas due to the dual emergence.

• When the ground gets warm enough, cicadas shed their skins, and adult males begin loud mating calls, attracting females. The love songs can be louder than a jet engine. After mating, the cicadas die, and their eggs drop to the ground to begin the cycle again. Scientists say that the overlap in 13 and 17-year broods could create an entirely new genetic brood.

Little Stories

• Two US Navy Seals who went missing during an operation to seize Iranian-made weapons bound for Houthis in Yemen are now presumed dead, according to the US military. The incident occurred on January 11 when commandos were boarding a ship off the coast of Somalia. One Seal was swept away, and the second jumped in after him, following protocol. Efforts are underway to recover the bodies. (More)

• Air taxi developer Archer Aviation announced a collaboration with NASA on advanced battery technology. Together, they will focus on developing high-performance battery cells for electric aircraft, which might also be used in spacecraft. NASA will test Archer's battery cells to measure safety and performance in extreme conditions. (More)

• The Supreme Court ruled that the federal government can take down razor wire put up by Texas law enforcement on the US-Mexico border. The government argued that the wire illegally hindered border management. The 5-4 decision overturned a previous appeals court ruling that had allowed the wire to remain in place. (More)

• Stanford's Tara VanDerveer is now the winningest coach in college basketball history. She surpassed Coach K’s previous record of 1,202 wins by defeating Oregon State 65-56 on Sunday. Her accomplishments include 45 seasons on the sideline, 25 conference titles, 15 tournament crowns, 14 Final Four appearances, and 3 National Championships. (More)

• Dexter Scott King, the youngest son of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., has passed away at the age of 62 after a battle with prostate cancer. Dexter was the third child of the King’s and served as chairperson for the nonprofit King Center in Atlanta. (More)

Extra Credit

Women now own more homes than men in the US.

California cops arrested a woman for stealing $2,500 worth of Stanley cups.

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