Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary, faced hours of questioning yesterday during his Senate confirmation hearing. A vote to decide whether he will lead the Pentagon — a department with three million employees and an $849 billion budget — could come as soon as Monday. Read more.

Who advanced: The Houston Texans, Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills won in blowout matches, while the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders eked out wins — with the Commanders’ victory coming by a last-minute field goal. [CNN]

The proposed phased agreement to end the Gaza conflict was preceded by the Oct. 7, 2023, mass killing and hostage-taking by Hamas militants that triggered the Israel-Gaza war and Israel’s attacks on Gaza. The ceasefire goes into effect Sunday, with saying on Wednesday that he hoped the “details will be finalized tonight.”

Hours before Jan. 19, after the Supreme Court upheld a law that would require TikTok be sold to a U.S.-held company in order to remain active in the country, a nationwide ban of the popular video sharing app officially went into effect. Pets were rescued from shelters in LA to help alleviate the overcrowding happening after the fires.

The Palestinian prisoners authority has released a list of the 200 prisoners expected to be handed over by Israel as part of the exchange.

The first three hostages were released from Gaza, and the first Palestinian prisoners were freed from Israeli custody, as a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took hold following 15 months of war.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he will issue an executive order to increase the availability of water in California, following disastrous wildfires that recently tore through several Los Angeles neighborhoods.

Firefighters scrambled Sunday to make further progress against wildfires that have destroyed thousands of homes and killed 24 people in Los Angeles.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — Trump’s controversial pick to serve as Health and Human Services secretary — will face a confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Finance Committee. Kennedy will sit before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee the following day.

(“Cease-fire between Israel and Hamas begins with hostages being handed ... At least do not call these trades “deals.” Jesa Kreiner, Los Angeles To the editor: Donald Trump is starting ...

Naomi Osaka beat Petra Kvitova to win the Australian Open, becoming Asia's first No. 1 ranked player in tennis.