Jamie Ross and Hannah Jewell">

By Jamie Ross and Hannah Jewell

Listen to this briefing

Good morning. It’s Friday, Jan. 17, and this Retropolis story about a mysterious illness that plagued a presidential inauguration is truly fascinating. Now let’s get to the news.

President Joe Biden will commute the sentences of nearly 2,500 people today.

• Who? Nonviolent drug offenders serving disproportionately long sentences, the White House said this morning. It follows Biden’s move to commute most federal death sentences.
• The bigger picture: Biden is spending his final days in office taking actions that could be hard for Donald Trump to undo. Biden’s environmental legacy may be difficult to reverse.

Read this story

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem faces a Senate confirmation hearing today.

• Who is she? Trump’s Homeland Security pick, who supports his mass deportation plans. She has been at the center of several controversies, including a dark story about a family dog.
• Zooming out: Even Trump’s most unconventional Cabinet picks appear set to be confirmed. And, when Trump returns to office, the resistance against him may look different.
• One more thing: Monday’s inauguration is forecast to be hit with brutal cold.

Read this story

Israel and Hamas finalized a ceasefire agreement after last-minute obstacles.

• Today: The Israeli cabinet will vote whether to approve the deal, delayed from yesterday after government infighting and disputes with Hamas over details of the plan.
• In Gaza: Israeli airstrikes have continued, killing at least 101 people since the deal was announced, Gaza officials said. If approved, the ceasefire is set to take effect Sunday.

Read this story

Lynch’s most famous works include the movies “Blue Velvet” (1986) and “Mulholland Drive” (2001), as well as the 1990s TV series “Twin Peaks.” (Domenico Stinellis/AP)

• His legacy: He was a visionary who bridged the avant-garde and mainstream with a blend of whimsy and horror. Find a list of his most memorable work here.
• What we know: Lynch revealed last year he had the lung disease emphysema, which he blamed on years of smoking. His family announced his death yesterday.

Read this story

The Los Angeles fires may have put cancer-causing chemicals into drinking water.

• The details: Officials issued “do not boil” notices for some areas, because boiling cannot remove harmful compounds from water. It will take weeks to determine the water’s safety.
• What else to know: California Republicans are in an awkward position over GOP threats to withhold funding to the state. And the fires have upended L.A.’s homeless population.

Read this story

Debris fell from the sky after a SpaceX Starship broke apart.

• What happened? The spacecraft had a “rapid unscheduled disassembly” during its ascent yesterday, moments after a dramatic, successful booster catch in Texas — watch that here.
• What went wrong? SpaceX founder Elon Musk said there was probably an oxygen or fuel leak. The company said the debris fell into a “designated hazard area” in the Atlantic.

Read this story

ADVERTISEMENT

Nintendo revealed its successor to the massively popular Switch.

• You can probably guess the name: It’s Switch 2. Nintendo shared a teaser yesterday that kept a lot of details under wraps, but we know the console will arrive this year.
• It has big shoes to fill: The Switch, launched in 2017, is the third-best-selling console ever. It’s still bringing joy to millions — it was home to one of our best games of 2024.

Read this story