A baby was left in a shoebox with a note. His new parents tell his story.

The TikTok music battle. 'Burn-away' cakes. Tips for a plant-based diet. February 1, 2024 | [VIEW IN BROWSER](   THIS IS TODAY February 1, 2024 [VIEW IN BROWSER]( THIS IS TODAY Mark Zuckerberg apologized to grieving parents during a Senate hearing where tech CEOs were heavily criticized over child online safety. Plus, why music by Taylor Swift and others may be pulled from TikTok, protein-packed breakfast ideas, and a touching update about a baby abandoned at a firehouse.   The Latest   [Mark Zuckerberg apologized to parents as senators grilled tech CEOs over online child safety.]( At a Senate hearing yesterday, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg [apologized to parents in attendance]( who said Instagram, which is owned by Meta, contributed to their children's suicides or exploitation. "No one should have to go through the things that your families have suffered," Zuckerberg said. The Facebook founder was among a group that included the CEOs of X (formerly Twitter), Snap, TikTok and Discord who were [grilled by lawmakers]( over allegedly failing to protect young people on their platforms. The senators also pushed the tech leaders to support legislation to safeguard children online. [Here's the latest](. [🎵 Why songs by Taylor Swift, Drake and other top artists are being pulled from TikTok.]( Pretty soon, you may not be able to use that one perfect Taylor Swift song while posting about your break-up on TikTok thanks to a [dispute with the Universal Music Group](. Songs by major artists like Swift, Drake, Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo and more may be pulled from the platform if the two sides can't agree on a deal. UMG said in a statement yesterday that it would yank its tracks because of a lack of compensation for artists and songwriters. TikTok responded by accusing the music company of putting “their own greed above the interests of artists and songwriters.” [Continue reading](. 🔥 'Burn-away' cakes are so hot right now. H]([ere's how they work.]( The trend of ["burn-away cakes"]( has caught fire on social media in the last month by using some sugary visual trickery. The cakes are decorated with a printed image that can be [lit on fire]( to reveal another image beneath it, like the Pokémon cake above. The designs have popped up on everything from Valentine’s Day cakes to gender reveal cakes. [Read more about how the trend started](. 🐉 [What is romantasy? Bestselling author Sarah J. Maas talks about her rise to queen of the genre.]( Novels that combine romance and fantasy fiction have exploded in popularity, and bestselling author [Sarah J. Maas]( is a big reason why. Her romantasy series "A Court of Thorns and Roses" and "Crescent City" have become the obsession of [BookTok]( and left readers eagerly awaiting her next novel. Maas spoke with TODAY.com about [how she was first inspired]( to get into the genre and [revealed her plans for upcoming books]( — including a fourth in the "Crescent City" series.       Start TODAY   Achieve your life and health goals with easy tips. If you've heard about the [benefits of a plant-based diet]( but don't know where to start, we have [3 tips to consider before you head to the grocery store](. We also have 10 foods that are staples of plant-based eating, recipes to get you started, and how you can still make room for foods like cheese, red meat and sweets. [See them all here](.   What's for breakfast?   Allow us to do the meal-planning for you Save time on busy mornings and still get in a healthy meal like a [double-chocolate smoothie bowl]( (above) with these [protein-packed breakfast ideas](. Cookbook author and lifestyle expert Rachel Mansfield also shared her recipes for peanut butter yogurt breakfast dip and cold brew chia pudding that will give you energy to start the day. [See all the ideas here](.   Daily Delight   A little pick-me-up before you go. In 2022, an infant's birth mother [placed him in a shoebox at a Kentucky fire station]( with a blanket and a handwritten note explaining that she wasn’t able to properly care for him. Foster parent Brittany Tyler saw the story on social media and "started praying" that the boy would be placed with her. Just days later, she and her husband, Chris, received a call about [fostering the baby boy](. They first laid eyes on him when he was only 3 pounds and being cared for in the NICU. “I remember holding him in my arms and knowing right off the bat, ‘This is my boy,’” Chris told TODAY.com. They have since adopted the boy, who they named Samuel. See [more photos of the family here](.   Thanks for letting us in your inbox! See you tomorrow. Written by Scott Stump | Edited by Shane Lou and Philip Caulfield Enjoying This is TODAY? Invite a friend to [subscribe here.]( Send us Feedback Follow us on Facebook More TODAY Newsletters 30 Rockefeller Plaza New York, NY 10112 [Manage Subscriptions]( | [Unsubscribe](listvar=sub_today) | [Privacy]( | [Contact]( [MANAGE SUBSCRIPTION]( | [UNSUBSCRIBE](listvar=sub_today) | [PRIVACY]( | [CONTACT](