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.

Israel and Hamas were expected to swap more hostages for Palestinian prisoners on Saturday, the second such exchange since a ceasefire began in the Gaza Strip last weekend and another test for the deal.

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.”

Mediators say Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire agreement following weeks of negotiations, pausing a destructive 15-month war in Gaza. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says details have yet to be finalized.

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.

Israel long demanded it keep control over Palestinians’ movement to ensure Hamas does not move weapons back to northern Gaza close to Israeli communities. Throughout the war, the Israeli ...

Officials representing Israel and Hamas said today that the two sides had agreed to a 42-day cease-fire that would coincide with the release of Israeli hostages who have been held captive in Gaza. The final details are still being worked out, but the tentative agreement raised hopes that there could soon be an end to the war.

(“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 ...

Here’s the latest for Tuesday, January 14th: More firefighters and aircraft arrive in Los Angeles area. New fire breaks out northwest of L.A.; Israel and Hamas said to be closing in on ceasefire deal; Senate confirmation hearings Tuesday for Pete Hegseth, Trump’s pick for Defense Secretary.

CAIRO — Hamas has accepted a draft agreement for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip and the release of dozens of hostages, two officials involved in the talks said Tuesday. Mediator Qatar said ...

The Hamas-run interior ministry said earlier said ... This story was reported from Los Angeles.

More rain fell today on parts of Southern California after causing mudflows over the weekend, helping firefighters but boosting the risk of toxic ash runoff in areas scorched by Los Angeles-area wildfires.