Trump Brokers First Phase Israel-Hamas Ceasefire; 48 Hostages to Be Freed

President Trump announced a major breakthrough Wednesday, saying Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of his Gaza peace plan. Under the deal, 20 living hostages and the remains of 28 others will be exchanged for nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees, and Israeli forces will pull back to an agreed line. Approval by Israel's war cabinet and a 72-hour countdown for releases are still to come.

Day 9 of the federal shutdown arrives with senators deadlocked over funding plans and no clear resolution in sight. President Trump has threatened to deny back pay to certain furloughed employees—even as he pushes Congress for stand-alone legislation to guarantee paychecks for the nation's 1.3 million active-duty troops. What comes next in a standoff that's already sidelined 750,000 workers?

President Trump has unleashed an unprecedented ICE operation in Chicago—agents rappelling from Black Hawk helicopters and sealing off neighborhoods leave residents fearing a "war zone"—even as his administration moves to drastically cut the FY2026 refugee ceiling and reserve most slots for white South Africans.

The Trump administration plans to cancel the USDA's three-decade Household Food Security report—just as it moves to slash SNAP funding by 20% and impose strict new work rules by Nov. 1. With data collection halted and benefits set to shrink, experts warn hunger and hardship will deepen for millions of households.

Leaked reports from inside the Justice Department reveal career prosecutors privately questioning the evidence behind Trump-directed cases against James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. As President Trump escalates calls to jail his political foes—including the Illinois governor—these internal leaks hint at a growing breach between White House demands and DOJ's claim to impartial justice.