🇺🇸⚡️- Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has selected Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody to fill Senator Marco Rubio's seat in the United States Senate.

Marco Rubio will presumably resign his seat in the United States Senate on Sunday, possibly Monday, as he takes his post as Secretary of State in the next Trump administration.

🇵🇸🇮🇱⚡️- "The release of the first Israeli hostages in Gaza will begin at 4:00 PM (Israel Time) on Sunday, January 19th." - Israel Channel 12, citing Israeli security sources.

Ben Gvir: “I will ensure Netanyahu continues as Prime Minister, but I will leave because the agreement that was signed is disastrous.”

“The deal harms Israel's ability to defend itself in the Philadelphi corridor and other important points and cancels all the war's successes.”

“If the deal is passed, I will leave the government with a heavy heart and will leave a position in which I have invested all my strength over the past two years.”

“We want to see the kidnapped released, but not by surrendering to Hamas, but by stopping the entry of aid.”

🇵🇸🇮🇱⚡️- The Israeli cabinet has begun its meeting to discuss the ceasefire deal.

🇵🇸🇮🇱⚡️- "They did not contact us to receive our comment on the security implications." - Statement by the Israeli interior security service, Shin Bet.

🇺🇸🇨🇦⚡️- In response to President-elect Trump's remarks on annexing Canada, the leader of Canada's Green Party, Elizabeth May, has suggested Canada should welcome California, Oregon, and Washington as new provinces of Canada.

🇵🇸🇮🇱⚡️- "Subject to approval by the Cabinet and the government, and the agreement coming into effect - the release of the hostages can be realized according to the planned outline, in which the hostages are expected to be released as early as Sunday." - Office of Prime Minister Netanyahu.

🇵🇸🇮🇱⚡️- BREAKING: The Israeli cabinet has approved the ceasefire deal.

🇵🇸🇮🇱⚡️- The Gaza ceasefire will officially come into effect on Sunday, January 19th.

🇸🇾🇪🇺⚡️- Ahmed al-Sharaa, the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) will meet a delegation from the European Commission today in Damascus.

🇵🇸🇮🇱⚡️- The Times of Israel reports that the ceasefire will begin at 4:00PM local time (9:00AM EST,) coinciding with the release of prisoners from Gaza back to Israel.

🇮🇷🇵🇸🇮🇱⚡️- Al-Mayadeen reports rallies across Iran celebrating the emergent Gaza ceasefire.

🇾🇪🛢⚡️- Reuters reports that oil prices have dropped amid expectations that, as a result of the ceasefire in Gaza, Ansarullah's attacks on shipping in the Red Sea will end.

🇵🇸🇮🇱⚡️- Statement from Hamas on the ceasefire deal:

"With the gracious efforts of mediators, the obstacles that arose due to the occupation’s failure to adhere to the terms of the ceasefire agreement were resolved early this morning. The movement has worked towards a comprehensive national prisoner exchange involving all factions and members of our people. We affirm that the lists of prisoners released in the first phase of the exchange, as part of the ceasefire agreement, will be published by the Prisoners’ Office in accordance with the stages and procedures of the exchange."

🇱🇧🇺🇸🔜 U.S. President Donald Trump will visit Lebanon to inaugurate the new U.S. embassy upon its completion, marking the first visit by an American president to Lebanon - (Journalist Ibrahim Rihan)

🇺🇸⚡️- President-elect Donald Trump has selected Sean Curran (pictured on the right in sunglasses during Trump's famous raised fist photograph) to be the Director of the United States Secret Service.

🇺🇸⚡️- "Biden discussed pardoning Trump, sources say; unclear if seriously being considered." - NBC News.

🇵🇸🇮🇱⚡️- The Office of Prime Minister Netanyahu confirms the Israeli cabinet has approved both the prisoner exchange deal and the Gaza ceasefire deal.

🇷🇺🇮🇷⚡️- Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian met in Moscow today, with both parties agreeing to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement.