Breaking Down The Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Deal

Summary

What a Day – Episode Summary: Breaking Down The Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Deal

Released on January 16, 2025 by Crooked Media

In this episode of What a Day, Erin Ryan delves into the intricate details of the recently brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, exploring its implications, the roles played by key political figures, and the broader geopolitical landscape. Additionally, the episode covers significant political developments in the United States, including Senate confirmation hearings for Donald Trump's nominees, as well as other pressing news topics.

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1. Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Deal: A Temporary Truce Amidst Prolonged Conflict

Overview of the Ceasefire Agreement

The episode opens with the monumental announcement of a 42-day ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, marking a temporary pause in the 15-month-long conflict. President Joe Biden, accompanied by Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, announced the ceasefire from the White House on Wednesday.

Joe Biden [01:08]: "I can announce a ceasefire and a hostage deal has been reached between Israel and Hamas."

The agreement entails the release of hostages and a halt in military operations in Gaza, offering a semblance of hope to war-weary Gazans. As the Israeli government prepares to vote on the deal, celebrations have erupted among Palestinians, highlighting the profound impact of the conflict on civilians.

Background of the Conflict

Erin Ryan provides a concise history of the Israel-Hamas war, ignited by Hamas's surprise attack on October 7, 2023, which resulted in over 1,200 Israeli casualties and approximately 250 hostages. The ensuing Israeli military campaign in Gaza has led to devastating losses, with Palestinian health officials reporting over 46,000 fatalities, predominantly women and children—a figure analysts believe significantly underestimates the true toll.

International Legal Perspectives

The conflict has also attracted international legal scrutiny, with the International Court of Justice evaluating whether Israel's actions constitute genocide. Both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas leaders face arrest warrants from the International Criminal Court, underscoring the war's global ramifications.

Role of the Biden Administration and Trump Administration

Throughout the conflict, the Biden administration has allocated nearly $18 billion in aid to Israel while vetoing multiple ceasefire proposals at the United Nations. However, the recent agreement signifies a collaborative effort that transcends partisan lines, especially as it coincides with the conclusion of Biden's term.

Interview with Tommy Vietor: Insights on the Ceasefire Deal

Erin Ryan converses with Tommy Vietor, co-host of Crooked Media's Pod Save the World, to unpack the nuances of the ceasefire deal.

Erin Ryan [03:40]: "Big picture. So what's in this deal?"

Tommy Vietor [03:44]: "So we finally, after 15 months of brutal fighting, have a second ceasefire deal. It's a phased approach, basically..."

Vietor outlines the deal's phased structure:

• Phase One (Six Weeks): Release of 33 hostages, including vulnerable groups, in exchange for hundreds to thousands of Palestinian prisoners. Concurrently, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) will withdraw from populated areas, allowing Gazans to return home.

• Phase Two and Three: Potential for further hostage releases, complete IDF withdrawal from Gaza, and an extensive reconstruction period.

Vietor emphasizes the collaborative effort between the Biden and Trump administrations, acknowledging Biden's foundational work and Trump's decisive push to finalize the deal.

Tommy Vietor [05:02]: "I think Joe Biden and his team worked really hard. They put together the structure of the bill, the sequencing, the math on how many Palestinian prisoners get released per every Israeli hostage. But Trump gave it that final push and got it done."

Challenges and Future Prospects

While the ceasefire offers immediate relief, Vietor highlights the precarious nature of the agreement, contingent on good faith negotiations:

Tommy Vietor [06:12]: "If negotiations take longer than six weeks, the ceasefire will continue as long as the negotiations continue."

He warns of potential disruptions from both political administrations and extremist factions, stressing the need for sustained international support to ensure the deal's longevity.

Implications for Biden's Legacy

The ceasefire deal presents a complex legacy for President Biden. While achieving a temporary halt to hostilities, Vietor expresses frustration over the prolonged duration before securing the deal and the substantial loss of life.

Tommy Vietor [12:07]: "I personally think that's going to be a drastic undercount because there's so many bodies just under the rubble that have not been accounted for."

He contends that Biden's administration could have exerted more pressure on Israeli leadership to expedite the ceasefire, a factor that will significantly influence Biden's historical assessment.

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2. Political Developments: Senate Confirmation Hearings for Trump's Nominees

Pam Bondi's Confirmation Hearing

The episode shifts focus to the Senate confirmation hearings for President-elect Donald Trump's nominees. Pam Bondi, Trump's nominee for Attorney General, faced intense scrutiny regarding her longstanding ties to Trump and her previous role as Florida's Attorney General.

Erin Ryan [17:26]: "Are you prepared to say today, under oath, without reservation, that Donald Trump lost the presidential contest to Joe Biden in 2020?"

Bondi affirmed Biden's presidency but remained evasive about investigating Trump-related figures, highlighting the partisan tensions surrounding her confirmation.

Marco Rubio's Confirmation Hearing

Similarly, Senator Marco Rubio, nominated for Secretary of State, was questioned about his loyalty to Trump and his stance on international relations, particularly concerning Saudi Arabia.

Chris Murphy: "Do you see how this fundamentally compromises your diplomatic efforts? Do you have an issue or will you raise an issue with the president about his growing financial connection with the governments that you're going to be negotiating with?"

Rubio maintained a neutral stance, avoiding direct answers about Trump's financial ties and their impact on his diplomatic responsibilities.

Joe Biden's Comments on Climate and Wildfires

Amidst the hearings, Secretary of State nominee Chris Wright faced criticism for his previous statements dismissing climate change's role in exacerbating wildfires, a pertinent issue given the current devastation in Los Angeles.

Joe Biden [20:32]: "Climate change is a real and global phenomenon."

Wright's reluctance to acknowledge climate change during a crisis underscored the contentious debates surrounding environmental policies within the incoming administration.

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3. Additional News Highlights

South Korea's President Detained

In a startling development, South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yul was apprehended on rebellion charges following attempts to impose martial law. Yoon's detention marks a historic moment as the first sitting president of South Korea to be detained, awaiting a court order for formal arrest.

U.S. Supreme Court Reviews Texas Age Verification Law

The Supreme Court is currently hearing arguments on Texas's controversial law requiring age verification for online pornography access. Critics argue it infringes on First Amendment rights by linking users' search activities to government-issued IDs, raising significant privacy and free speech concerns.

Wildfires in California and DEI Debates

California continues to grapple with severe wildfires, prompting debates over the efficacy of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. MAGA leaders and some corporations attribute the crisis to DEI initiatives, while advocates argue that such programs are vital for fostering inclusive and effective solutions.

Pam Bondi's Dean Varnon [19:25]: "I stand by my past comments."

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4. Conclusion

Erin Ryan wraps up the episode by emphasizing the multifaceted nature of current global and domestic issues, highlighting the delicate balance required to navigate political transitions and international conflicts. The temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas represents a cautious step towards peace, fraught with challenges that will test the resilience and cooperation of all parties involved.

For listeners seeking deeper insights, the episode underscores the importance of informed analysis in understanding the complexities of today's most pressing events.

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Notable Quotes with Attribution and Timestamps:

• Joe Biden [01:08]: "I can announce a ceasefire and a hostage deal has been reached between Israel and Hamas."

• Tommy Vietor [03:44]: "It's a phased approach, basically."

• Tommy Vietor [05:02]: "I think Joe Biden and his team worked really hard... But Trump gave it that final push and got it done."

• Tommy Vietor [06:12]: "If negotiations take longer than six weeks, the ceasefire will continue as long as the negotiations continue."

• Tommy Vietor [12:07]: "I personally think that's going to be a drastic undercount..."

• Joe Biden [20:32]: "Climate change is a real and global phenomenon."

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This comprehensive summary encapsulates the critical discussions and analyses presented in the episode, providing listeners with a thorough understanding of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal and its broader implications, alongside other significant political developments.

Transcript

[Erin Ryan]

It's Thursday, January 16th. I'm Erin Ryan filling in for Jane Coston and this is what a day. The show asking if we can't even trust gay disco legends, the Village People not to perform at Trump's inauguration, who can we trust? YMCA used to mean something on today's show, confirmation hearings for Trump's clown car of a cab continue and the Supreme Court considers a First Amendment case that could leave Texans with some extra free time. There are so many above the fold headlines today that in order for all of it to fit on a physical newspaper, they'd have to either make the font really small or the paper really big. But let's start with the biggest headline on a day of a temporary deal between Hamas and Israel. The 42 day deal involves the release of hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza and it puts a pause on the 15 month war. President Biden spoke about the deal at the White House on Wednesday, flanked by Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, as at long last.

[Joe Biden]

I can announce a ceasefire and a hostage deal has been reached between Israel and Hamas.

[Erin Ryan]

The Israeli government is expected to vote on whether or not to ratify the deal on Thursday morning. But as news traveled, war weary Gazans celebrated what might be the light at the end of a very long dark tunnel. Some Palestinian kids celebrated when they heard the news hearing. That really brings home how affected they were by all of this. By now most of us are familiar with the Israel Hamas war by the numbers, fighting began shortly after Hamas's surprise attack on Israeli civilians on October 7, 2023. More than 1,200 people, mostly Israelis, died in the attack. Around 250 were taken hostage. Israel responded by waging a devastating military campaign in Gaza. Palestinian health officials say more than 46,000 people have been killed in Israel's ground in Air assaults, more than half of them women and children. Analysts say the death toll is probably an undercount. The International Court of Justice is currently weighing whether Israel's actions in Gaza constitute genocide. Both Israeli and Hamas leaders have arrest warrants out against them from the International Criminal Court, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Throughout this the Biden administration provided nearly $18 billion in aid to Israel. U.S. officials vetoed multiple ceasefire proposals at the United Nations. But now, finally, it seems that all parties have reached an agreement to end the fighting and release some of the remaining hostages. All of this is happening as the sun sets on the Biden administration literally. The deal is set to go into effect Sunday, just hours before Biden's term ends. But the outgoing president made it clear who he believes deserves the credit here. Who does the country books credit for this, Mr. President? You or Trump?

[Joe Biden]

Is that a joke?

[Erin Ryan]

Still, it's not like the Trump administration will be able to waltz in, sit back, and let the unearned accolades roll in. Although President elect Donald Trump has a long history of pretending to do things that he didn't do and disavowing things he definitely did, his administration now faces the daunting task of making sure both parties uphold their end of the agreement. So what does this mean? Is the war actually over? To get into it, I sat down with Crooked Media's own Tommy Vitor, co host of Pod Save the World. Tommy Vitor, welcome back to what a Day.

[Tommy Vietor]

Great to be here.

[Erin Ryan]

Great to have you. Big picture. So what's in this deal?

[Tommy Vietor]

So we finally, after 15 months of brutal fighting, have a second ceasefire deal. It's a phased approach, basically. The first phase is six weeks. The Hamas will release 33 hostages, mostly women, older men, people who are sick, in exchange for hundreds, maybe thousands of Palestinian prisoners. There will be a cessation of hostilities and the IDF will pull back from population centers and allow Gazans to return home. And then during that first phase, they'll negotiate phase two and phase three, which the shorthand is a more hostage release, the IDF getting fully out of Gaza, and then a very, very long reconstruction period.

[Erin Ryan]

So why is it happening now?

[Tommy Vietor]

It seems like the Biden administration has been pushing basically this exact deal for months and months and months. It sounds like what happened was Steve Witkoff, Trump's new Middle east envoy, had a meeting with Netanyahu where he applied some real pressure and said, you know, Donald Trump means it when he says there will be hell to pay if there's not a deal by the time he takes office. And apparently that hell was offered up to both sides. It wasn't just a threat for Hamas, it was a threat to the Israelis.

[Erin Ryan]

Equal opportunity? Hell, yeah. So this does have something to do with the fact that Trump is about to take office?

[Tommy Vietor]

I think so, yeah.

[Erin Ryan]

So does Trump deserve credit for this?

[Tommy Vietor]

He deserves some credit, yeah. I mean, he got over the finish line.

[Erin Ryan]

Yeah.

[Tommy Vietor]

I think Joe Biden and his team worked really hard. They put together the structure of the bill, the sequencing, the math on how many Palestinian prisoners get released per every Israeli hostage. But Trump gave it that final push and got it done.

[Erin Ryan]

So it's a short term deal, only 42 days to start. What needs to happen to make it permanent?

[Tommy Vietor]

Yeah, I think what needs to happen in that first phase is they need to be negotiating phase two and phase three. And the good thing about this deal, I think, as President Biden said today, is that as long as negotiations are happening in good faith, the ceasefire portion will continue. And then one thing I forgot to mention that's arguably the most important piece, at least from the Palestinian perspective, is the international community will be able to surge humanitarian relief into Gaza as soon as the ceasefire starts. They're talking about up to 600 trucks of aid per day, including fuel and things that are really critically needed.

[Erin Ryan]

Let's go back to that fine print in Biden's speech about how the ceasefire will carry on if. Let's listen.

[Joe Biden]

The plan says if negotiations take longer than six weeks, the ceasefire will continue as long as the negotiations continue.

[Erin Ryan]

So what does that mean? Like, is there a chance that the Trump administration could snatch defeat from the jaws of victory here?

[Tommy Vietor]

Yeah, I think Trump could do that. I think the Israelis could decide that they don't feel like Hamas is cooperating or negotiating in good faith. Hamas could decide the Israelis are not negotiating in good faith. So these things are precarious. I think it will require some work to keep it on track. But the us, the Egyptians, the Qataris are supposed to help make sure the deal is actually implemented.

[Erin Ryan]

Mm. Okay. So let's think optimistically for a second in the sense that maybe this could lead to something semi permanent. Although I think this is like the fifth war since 2008. So, you know, what is permanence in the Middle East? What would it mean for both Israelis and Palestinians? Like, it's hard to believe that things would just go back to the way they were before the war.

[Tommy Vietor]

Yeah, I mean, I think you're getting at the most important part, which is this is a ceasefire. Hopefully it will be permanent, but I think like 90% of structures in Gaza have been destroyed. There's no infrastructure, there's no water, there's no roads. People don't have anywhere to live. So we're talking about a generational reconstruction process and there has not really been any serious conversation about who will be leading in Gaza going forward. Is it going to be Hamas or what's left of Hamas? Is it going to be the Palestinian Authority? Is it going to be some other organization or group of people? None of these questions have been figured out. So in some ways, as hard as it was to get the ceasefire done, this is the easy part. Now we're talking about a decades long project.

[Erin Ryan]

Yeah. And on the note of a decades long project. Is there any concern of bad actors trying to take advantage of the fact that Gaza has basically been leveled? What does that look like?

[Tommy Vietor]

Yeah, I mean, you're right. I mean, they're the extreme factions on both the Israeli right and in Hamas have always blown up any opportunity to get to a peace agreement. And so you could see bad actors in Hamas or ISIS or other jihadi groups launch attacks into Israel with the hope of getting a retaliation and starting the war back up. You could see parts of the extreme Israeli right that have talked about sending settlers back into the Gaza Strip and basically just annexing it and making it part of Israel going forward. So, I mean, that's the other piece of this. I mean, forever. We've talked about a two state solution and then negotiated a set of negotiations that lead to a Palestinian state. We are so much further away from that being reality than we were before. And things had not been close since what, like 2009, 2014. So it had been a long time since there were real talks.

[Erin Ryan]

It also seems like there's a lack of trust on both sides. On the Israeli side, there seems to be zero trust. For Palestinians, the political pressure for a ceasefire seemed to mostly extend only to getting the hostages back. So how do you work to mend those fences?

[Tommy Vietor]

Yeah, I mean, I think there are unbelievably deep wounds on both sides. I'm not sure either public will be ready for peace or coexistence anytime soon. I think that's going to take a lot of work.

[Erin Ryan]

Mm. And bigger picture, the Middle east looks very different than it did before this war started. You know, Hamas, Hezbollah, they've both been decimated. That's left Iran in a weaker position in the region because those were, you know, two of its biggest proxy forces. Syria could become a power vacuum probably already kind of is, depending on how things shake out there. So what does this, what does this mean for Donald Trump? Do you want to be the person coming in to, like, handle that?

[Tommy Vietor]

Yeah. I mean, Trump 2.0 is inheriting a lot more uncertainty, as you pointed out. I mean, Lebanon just got a new president and prime minister in place after two years of a caretaker government. Syria, they just pushed out Assad, which is a great story. But now they're kind of the remnants of hts. This rebel group that led the uprising in the ouster of Assad is trying to figure out what comes next. And they're trying to work with the international community to get rid of sanctions and get aid and development money into Syria. And then you've Got Iran, which has been weakened, but is also closer than ever to getting a nuclear weapon.

[Erin Ryan]

Great.

[Tommy Vietor]

And they, according to, you know, U.S. law enforcement, were trying to assassinate Donald Trump during the election, and now he's the president again. So they're in a pretty precarious situation. So there's just a lot, a lot is up in the air right now.

[Erin Ryan]

Mm. Yeah. And a lot of sporting events about to happen in Saudi Arabia.

[Tommy Vietor]

So that's got some soccer games.

[Erin Ryan]

Soccer games on schedule. All this couldn't possibly go wrong. Yeah.

[Tommy Vietor]

You know, then we can. Some other episode. We'll talk about all the right wing governments emerging in Europe and, you know.

[Erin Ryan]

Everything'S gonna be fine.

[Tommy Vietor]

It's gonna be good.

[Erin Ryan]

It's gonna be fine. Okay, so final question. What does this mean for Biden's legacy?

[Tommy Vietor]

It's a hard question. I think that for me personally, I'm very grateful that we got a deal. I'm glad that Joe Biden never gave up. I'm glad that President Trump decided to use his leverage to get the thing over the finish line. But I'm pretty frustrated that we went so long without putting any meaningful pressure on the Israeli government, on Bibi Netanyahu, to end the war and get to a ceasefire deal. In part because you had these hostages rotting in tunnels in Gaza for 15 months in the worst conditions imaginable. You add, according to the Gaza health ministry, 46,000 people killed. And I personally think that's going to be a drastic undercount because there's so many bodies just under the rubble that have not been accounted for.

[Erin Ryan]

I've seen counts up to 100,000.

[Tommy Vietor]

Yeah, I mean, the Lancet, which is a prestigious medical journal, said they think the. The accurate count is at least 40% above what the Hamas Health Ministry says. And then you just have a generation of people on both sides completely traumatized. So, look, after October 7th happened, everyone knew that something awful had been unleashed and it was going to take a long time to end. But I think the US could have used more leverage on the Israelis to try to end the war faster. And I think that's going to be a big piece of Joe Biden's legacy.

[Erin Ryan]

Well, Tommy, thank you so much for joining me to talk about this. I'm sure there will be more to say about this as events continue to unfold and more details come to light. Tommy Vietor, thank you.

[Tommy Vietor]

Thanks for having me.

[Erin Ryan]

That was my conversation with Tommy Vitor, co host of Crooked's Pod Save the World. We'll get to more of the news in a moment, but if you like the show, make sure to subscribe. Leave a five star review on Apple Podcasts, watch us on YouTube and share with your friends. More to come after some ads what a Day is brought to you by Via I don't know about you, but for me and my family 2025 so far has been incredibly unchill. My husband and I have just been dealing with a lot. We live in Los Angeles. It's been crazy, but my husband loves the Via Gummies to help bring a little bit of chillness into an unchill time. Did the holiday season mess with your routine? Are you looking to take charge of your life with full mental clarity this new year? Enhance your sober January and embrace CBD Awareness Month with VIA to experience the powerful benefits of Hemp without the high Trusted by over half a million happy customers, VIA is the Swiss Army Knife of wellness dedicated to harnessing the natural benefits of cannabis to create high quality wellness products. Via's collection of THC free products combines minor cannabinoids like cbd, CBG and cbn. I didn't even know there were that many with botanical supplements for targeted effects you can actually feel. Whether you're looking to improve your sleep, focus or relief, VIA has something for you. VIA is also well renowned for their award winning THC and THC free gummies and vapes, THCA flower soothing topicals and calming drops all crafted with the highest quality hemp sourced from trusted independently owned American Farms. And the best part, VIA legally ships to nearly all states in the U.S. in discreet packaging directly to your door with a worry free guarantee. No medical card required. So if you're 21 or over, treat yourself to 15% off. And if you're new to Via, get a free gift of your choice with our exclusive code [e-mail] waad that's v I I a h e m p.com.

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[Erin Ryan]

Here's what else we're following today.

[Tommy Vietor]

Head of Lines.

[Pam Bondi]

Politics will not play.

[Erin Ryan]

A part Senate confirmation hearings continued in D.C. on Wednesday. The president elect's nominee for attorney general, Pam Bondi, was up first. Bondi and Trump go way back. She previously served as Florida's attorney general in 2013. She declined to investigate allegations of fraud against Trump University. Days later, luckily, Donald Trump made a $25,000 contribution to her re election bid through his foundation, which led to an ethics investigation into Bondi. Since charities are not supposed to make political donations. Whoopsie. Trump's foundation blamed a clerical error. She later would go on to work on Donald Trump's 2016 transition team, defend Trump in his first impeachment trial, and has been affiliated with think tanks and businesses closely associated with Trump, Trump and his family Democrats naturally had a lot of questions about her personal ties to the president elect. Bondi promised, however, that she would be a nonpartisan attorney general, but she would not acknowledge Biden won the 2020 election, even when asked by Democrats like Dick Durbin of Illinois. Are you prepared to say today, under oath, without reservation, that Donald Trump lost the presidential contest to Joe Biden in 2020?

[Pam Bondi]

Ranking Member Durbin President Biden is the president of the United States. He was duly sworn in and he is the president of the United States. There was a peaceful transition of power.

[Erin Ryan]

Gosh, it makes them short circuit to ask them that question. It's like asking Rumpelstiltskin to say his own name. He just goes up in a puff of smoke anyway. She also did not rule out prosecuting Trump's political enemies like former Department of Justice special counsel Jack Smith. Bondi was asked by California Senator Adam Schiff. The president has said Jack Smith should go to jail. Will you investigate Jack Smith?

[Pam Bondi]

Senator I haven't seen the file, I haven't seen the investigation. I haven't looked at anything. It would be irresponsible of me to make a commitment regarding anything.

[Erin Ryan]

I don't even have eyes. I can't even read. I've never been exposed to the light. What are these squiggly things on this white square in front of me? And Hawaii Senator Mazie Hirono? How about Liz Cheney?

[Pam Bondi]

Senator, how about Merrick Garland? I am not going to answer hypotheticals.

[Erin Ryan]

Aren't all questions like kind of hypothetical, what would you do? You know what? I've got a headache. Senators also held a confirmation hearing for Secretary of State nominee and their colleague Senator Marco Rubio on Wednesday. The Florida Republican faced tough questions from Democrats about his loyalty to the president elect. Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut in particular pressed Rubio about Trump's financial ties to authoritarian nations like Saudi Arabia.

[Joe Biden]

Do you see how this fundamentally compromises your diplomatic efforts? Do you have an issue or will you raise an issue with the president about his growing financial connection with the governments that you're going to be negotiating with? Well, first of all, I am not neither authorized nor in any position to give you sort of any insights into any of these arrangements you pointed out.

[Erin Ryan]

Bondi is scheduled for another round of hearings on Thursday. Chris Wright, Donald Trump's pick to head the Energy Department, was also grilled by some Senate Democrats in his confirmation hearing Wednesday. The oil executive had to answer to previous comments that he made claiming climate change hasn't caused more frequent and severe wildfires, which is a wild thing to say during a time of climate change anyway, but is extra wild when America's second largest city is currently on fire. If only we could harness the power of the audacity as an alternative energy source. On the Petronerds podcast in 2021 won't be adding that one to my queue. Wright spoke about the connection of warming and wildfires and said, quote, it is not because of climate change. Wright continued this rhetoric in more recent LinkedIn posts. Also will not be reading those during the 2023 Canadian wildfires. He wrote, quote, the hype over wildfires is just hype to justify more impoverishment from bad government policies. California Democratic Senator Alex Padilla had some issues with that and asked Wright about the comments during his hearing.

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Do you still believe that wildfires are just hype?

[Joe Biden]

Sir, it is with great sorrow and fear that I watch what's happening in your city of L A.

[Ad]

Do you think it's just hype or not?

[Joe Biden]

Climate change is a real and global phenomenon.

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Is it hype or not?

[Joe Biden]

I stand by my past comments.

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So you believe it's hype?

[Joe Biden]

You know climate change is a real that.

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To the families of the more than two dozen lost in these fires and counting.

[Erin Ryan]

At least 25 people have been killed and thousands of homes, schools and other buildings have been destroyed in the fires across LA. As of Wednesday afternoon, more than 120,000 homes in California were without electricity. The impeached president of South Korea was apprehended, questioned and sent to a detention center near Seoul Wednesday on potential rebellion charges. President Yoon Suk Yul's capture comes after he tried to impose martial law last month, which he justified by citing his opposition's, quote, legislative dictatorship. After cutting through barriers at the presidential residence Wednesday, police detained Yoon. It was their second attempt to arrest. In a video statement, Yoon said he decided to comply with the summons to prevent any unfortunate incidents or bloodshed. Yoon is the country's first sitting president to be detained. South Korea's Anti Corruption Agency now has 48 hours to request a court order for Yoon's formal arrest. If it doesn't make the request, you will be released. Note to self, next time you wish for a presidential perp walk, make sure to specify which country the United States Supreme Court heard arguments on Wednesday over a Texas law that requires users to verify their age to view pornography online. The law, which was enacted in 2023, is aimed at keeping minors from viewing sexually explicit content. But free speech advocates argue that the law is unconstitutional because it requires adults to to submit personal information like a government issued ID in order to view content online. Which means, hypothetically, that Texans pornography search terms would be associated with their government issued IDs. Now, from a free speech and privacy perspective, this is troubling. But from the perspective of someone who, like me, loves mess, this is kind of funny. The justices seem to agree that states should be able to shield kids from adult content, but they were also sympathetic to concerns over how the law could infringe upon First Amendment rights. More than a dozen states currently require age verification on foreign sites. The court will likely issue a decision by June, decision that will greatly influence the summers of people across the country and the amount of free time that they have. And that's the news before we go. California is racing to contain wildfires as weather conditions improve. But MAGA leaders are blaming diversity, equity and inclusion for the crisis instead of focusing on real solutions. And this isn't new. Many companies are also rolling back DEI programs as the new Trump administration approaches. That's why this week on Assembly Required, Stacey Abrams and NYU law professor Kenji Yoshino tackle the myths, legal arguments, and share why DEI isn't the problem, it's the solution. Listen to this episode now on the Assembly Required feed. That's all for today. If you like the show, make sure you subscribe. Leave a review don't stare at Pam Bondi's veneers for too long. He will go blind and tell your friends to listen. And if you're into reading and not just about the intersection of the First Amendment and porn like me, what a Day is also a nightly newsletter. Check it out and [e-mail] subscribe I'm Erin Ryan and everyone should have been meaner to Marco Rubio.

[Production Team]

What a Day is a production of Crooked Media. It's recorded and mixed by Desmond Taylor. Our associate producers are Raven Yamamoto and Emily Foer. Our producer is Michelle Eloy. We had production help today from Johanna Case, Joseph Dutra, Greg Walters, and Julia Claire. Our senior producer is Erica Morrison and our executive producer is Adrienne Hill. Our theme music is by Colin Gilliard and Kashaka. Our production staff is proudly unionized with the Writers Guild of America. Eat.

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