The Latest: Israel and Hamas agree to a ceasefire, release of hostages and prisoners

Israel and Hamas have agreed to a pause in their devastating two-year war and the release of the remaining hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said early Friday his Cabinet approved the “outline” of a deal to release hostages held by Hamas. The brief statement focused on the hostage release and made no mention of the other parts of President Donald Trump’s plan for ending the war.

Under the plan, Hamas will release all 20 living hostages in the coming days in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, while the Israeli military will begin a withdrawal from the majority of Gaza.

Uncertainty remains about some of the thornier aspects of Trump's plan, such as whether and how Hamas will disarm, and who will govern Gaza. Trump said Thursday that he expects the hostages will be released from Gaza on Monday or Tuesday.

U.S. officials said Thursday the United States would send about 200 troops to Israel to monitor the deal.

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The official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, said that, according to the agreement, the ceasefire should begin immediately.

The official said the Israeli military now has 24 hours to pull back its forces to an agreed-upon line.

The move announced by Netanyahu's office early Friday marks a key step in implementing a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip that was brokered by Trump.

The brief statement focused on the hostage release and made no mention of the other parts of Trump’s plan for ending the war. Israel is expected to release nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the remaining 48 hostages taken in Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack.

Around 20 of the hostages are believed to be alive.

A litany of questions remain on next steps, including Hamas' disarmament, a withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and a future government in the territory.

A U.S. official said the new troop team would help monitor implementation of the ceasefire agreement and the transition to a civilian government in Gaza.

A coordination center will be staffed by about 200 U.S. service members who have expertise in transportation, planning, security, logistics and engineering, said the official, who noted that no American troops will be sent into Gaza.

A second official said troops would come from U.S. Central Command as well as other parts of the globe. That official added that troops already have begun arriving and will continue to travel to the region over the weekend to begin planning and efforts to establish the center.

—By Konstantin Toropin

The United States is sending the troops to Israel to help support and monitor the ceasefire deal in Gaza as part of a team that includes partner nations, nongovernmental organizations and private sector players, U.S. officials say.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details not authorized for release, say U.S. Central Command is going to establish a “civil-military coordination center” in Israel that will help facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid as well as logistical and security assistance in the territory wracked by two years of war.

Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner gave a presentation Thursday to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Cabinet on the merits of the deal, according to a senior U.S. official who was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity.

The 20-point plan that Trump released for Gaza was written by Witkoff and Kushner, according to the official.

—By Michelle Price

Hamas sharply condemned Israel for an airstrike late Thursday in Gaza City that medics say killed at least two people and wounded dozens. The group accused Netanyahu of trying to hamper mediators’ efforts to end the war and called on the U.S., Egypt and Qatar to push Israel to halt the strikes.

The Israeli military said it struck a Hamas “terrorist cell” in northern Gaza that posed an immediate threat to nearby soldiers.

The Palestinian militant group said the airstrike showed that Netanyahu is continuing “the genocide until the last moments.” Israel denies it’s committing genocide in Gaza.

The speaker of Israel’s Knesset has formally invited Trump to address the country’s elected assembly as a sign of gratitude for the Gaza ceasefire deal.

Amir Ohana said it would be the first such address by an American president since then-President George W. Bush visited Israel in 2008.

“The people of Israel regard you as the greatest friend and ally of the Jewish nation in modern history,” he wrote in the invitation.

Trump said earlier Thursday, “If they would like me to, I will do it,” when he travels to the Middle East in the coming days.

Ohana also cited decisions taken during Trump’s first term to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, recognize Israel’s annexation of the Golan Heights seized from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war, and his brokering of the Abraham Accords in which four Arab countries forged ties with Israel.

The president was asked about an element of his peace proposal that says there may eventually be a path for Palestinian statehood if “conditions” are in place, and Trump said, “We’re going to see how it all goes.”

“There’s a point at which we may do something that would be a little bit different and may be very positive for everybody. But we’ll be looking at that at the time,” Trump said.

The president added that he was hopeful things would progress that far, adding: “I think we’ll get to that period, too.”

The president didn’t have any specifics of what kind of international security force might be used to implement the ceasefire deal. Trump’s plan released last month called for a “Temporary International Stabilization Force” that the U.S. would develop with Arab and international partners.

Trump said, “There’s going to be a large group of people determining what it will be” but said that “very rich countries are going to be funding it.”

Itamar Ben Gvir, Israel’s public security minister and a key Netanyahu ally, said Thursday night that he and members of his far-right Jewish Power party will vote against the ceasefire plan.

Ben Gvir said he “refused to be part of a government that allows the continuation of Hamas rule in Gaza” and accused the Israeli public of overlooking the dangers of releasing hundreds of convicted militants.

His opposition is unlikely to threaten the plan’s approval, which is expected to pass by a wide margin.

Ben Gvir resigned from Netanyahu’s government at the start of a previous ceasefire in January, before rejoining the coalition hours after Israel restarted military operations in March.

A senior Hamas official and lead negotiator made a speech laying out what he says are the core elements of the ceasefire deal: completely ending the war in Gaza, releasing more than 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, opening the border crossing with Egypt, allowing aid to flow, and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Khalil al-Hayya said the Trump administration and mediators gave assurances that the two-year war is over.

“We declare today that we have reached an agreement to end the war and the aggression against our people,” Al-Hayya said in a televised speech Thursday evening.

He said Israel will release 250 prisoners serving long sentences and about 1,700 people detained in Gaza since the war began. All women and children held in Israeli jails will be freed, he added. He didn’t offer details on the extent of the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

He said Hamas and other Palestinian factions will now focus on achieving self-determination and establishing a Palestinian state.

The days ahead could be politically tricky for Netanyahu.

Israel’s leader has been shadowed by an ongoing corruption trial as he navigated the Gaza war. His grip on power has been largely contingent on the support of hard-line, far-right coalition partners who had been urging him to continue to prosecute operations on Hamas until the group was eliminated.

But Trump suggested Netanyahu’s political standing has been bolstered by the ceasefire and hostage deal.

“I think he’s very popular right now. He’s much more popular today than he was five days ago,” Trump said. “I can tell you right now people shouldn’t run against him. Five days ago, might not have been a bad idea.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin said “we very much hope that these initiatives of the U.S. President will be implemented,” speaking at the Russia-Central Asia summit in Tajikistan’s capital on Thursday.

He reaffirmed Russia’s view that “the most important, indispensable condition for the long-term stabilization and resolution of all issues related to this difficult problem is the creation of an independent Palestinian state.”

Iran’s Foreign Ministry said it supports any effort that halts the war in Gaza, ensures Israeli troops withdraw, delivers humanitarian aid and restores Palestinians’ rights.

The ministry warned that the international community must stay alert for possible Israeli violations and urged global courts to pursue accountability for alleged Israeli war crimes in Gaza. Experts and major rights groups have accused Israel of genocide. Israel vehemently denies the allegations.

The statement on Telegram said Tehran has used “all its diplomatic capacities” over the past two years to pressure Israel and its allies to stop the fighting.

Trump last month gathered with the leaders of eight Arab or predominantly Muslim countries on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly to discuss strategy on ending the Israel-Hamas conflict and a plan for postwar Gaza.

Days after that meeting, Trump met at the White House with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the plan and the two leaders agreed to Trump’s 20-point proposal to end the war.

Rubio noted that Trump’s negotiators then stepped up their efforts through intermediaries in Qatar and Egypt to get Hamas on board. Trump, meanwhile, held “extraordinary” phone calls and meetings with world leaders “that required a high degree of intensity and commitment” to get the deal to the finish line.

“I think what’s important to understand is that yesterday what happened was really a human story,” Rubio said. He added, “Perhaps the entire story will be told about the events of yesterday. But, suffice it to say, it’s not an exaggeration, none of it would have been possible without the president of the United States being involved.”

When the ceasefire deal takes effect, Saeed Abu Elaish, a Palestinian medic, plans to go back to the remains of his house in northern Gaza’s Jabaliya refugee camp.

Two dozen members of his family, including his wife and their two daughters, were killed in an Israeli airstrike in October 2023.

“I just want to touch the place that was our home and tell those I lost that I am still here,” he said somberly. He views the pause in fighting as a “significant step” even it comes too late.

“This ceasefire, although necessary, doesn’t mean the end,” he told The Associated Press. “I am concerned that this calm could be temporary, and that the bombing will return.”

Abu Elaish was forced to flee Gaza City late last month and has been sheltering in central Gaza.

Addressing reporters and jubilant crowds at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, several former hostages said they were “indescribably happy” at the prospect of the imminent release from Gaza of all remaining hostages — reminded of the moment they themselves were told they would be going home.

“I can’t stop thinking about what the hostages still there are going through,” said ex-hostage Amit Soussana, “Do they believe that this time they’re really coming home?”

Omer Shem Tov, who was released from Hamas captivity in the last ceasefire, said he “jumped up and down with joy” at the news of the deal, but added that “it isn’t over yet” and called on the Israeli public to “keep fighting for their release.”

Fletcher said that in the last several months, humanitarian partners have only been able to deliver 20% of the aid needed to address the dire situation throughout the Gaza Strip. Officials have been in constant direct contact with Israeli officials in the last 12 hours to get the go-ahead to bring aid already in the pipeline in the West Bank, Jordan, Egypt and Cyprus.

But Fletcher warned that the 170,000 tons of aid is just the tip of the iceberg for what is needed in Gaza, calling on developed countries to scale up contributions to the effort.

“So every government, every state, every individual who has been watching this crisis unfold and wondering, ‘What can we do? If only there is something we can do,’ now is the time to make that generosity count,” he said. “And I plead with the level of kindness and generosity that, frankly, the world owes right now.”

Tom Fletcher, the U.N. humanitarian chief, told reporters Thursday that officials have 170,000 metric tons of medicine, aid and other supplies ready to go when they are given a green light.

“We are ready to roll,” Fletcher said, warning that there should be no “backsliding” from either side of the agreement. He outlined plans for the first 60 days of the ceasefire, which would include an increase in the pipeline of supplies to hundreds of trucks everyday.

“We will scale up the provision of food across Gaza to reach 2.1 million people who need food aid, and around 500,000 people who need nutrition,” he said.

French President Emmanuel Macron has cautioned that Israeli settlement in the West Bank could undermine the pause in the Hamas-Israel war.

He said the accelerating construction of Israeli settlements “represents an existential threat to the state of Palestine. Not only is it unacceptable and contrary to international law, it feeds tensions, violence, instability and in effect contradicts the American plan and our collective ambition for a region at peace.”

He also suggested that West Bank settlement cannot be justified by Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, saying it “has nothing to do with Hamas and Oct. 7, 2023.” He spoke at the opening of a meeting of European and Middle East foreign ministers in Paris.

The European Union has expressed readiness to support police and humanitarian aid programs in Gaza if the ceasefire holds, the top diplomat for the 27-nation bloc said Thursday.

“We need to plan for the day after,” Kaja Kallas said before a meeting in Paris of top diplomats from Europe and Middle East.

Kallas said an EU humanitarian aid team stands ready at the Rafah border crossing in Egypt, and that its assistance mission to the Palestinian Authority’s police could support a “stabilization force” in Gaza.

The president opened a meeting with his Cabinet at the White House on Thursday by speaking about the ceasefire deal and his plans to travel to the Middle East.

Trump said he will be going to Egypt for a signing ceremony. It was not clear if he would be traveling elsewhere on the trip.

He said it is a complicated process for the hostages to be released from Gaza, but it will be happening Monday or Tuesday. He said there will also be the remains of about 28 hostages to be brought back, but he didn’t offer details or timing on that.

Israeli tanks deployed on the main coastal road in Gaza have fired several rounds to push back a crowd of displaced Palestinians gathering there in hopes of returning to their homes in the north of the territory.

The ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas has not yet been ratified by the Israeli government and is yet to take effect. But hundreds of Palestinians have gathered on the coastal road at the intersection between north and south Gaza, in an apparent rush to return to their homes north.

Israeli military operations that began in late August in north Gaza has forced hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to flee south. The military had warned Palestinians against returning north, calling it a “dangerous combat zone.” It urged Gaza residents to wait until further notice.

In an Associated Press video, smoke was seen rising over the wide coastal al-Rashid road, as two tanks deployed to block access to the north. People fled to avoid what appeared to be gunfire over their heads.

Palestinians celebrate following the announcement that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a peace plan to pause the fighting, in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025. Celebrations remain limited, as relief is mixed with mourning and concern for what comes next. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

Displaced Palestinians gather on the coastal road near Wadi Gaza after the announcement that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first phase of a peace plan to pause the fighting, as Israeli tanks block the road leading to Gaza City, in the central Gaza Strip, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

A Jewish man watches smoke rise in the sky after an explosion in the Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025, following the announcement that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a peace plan to pause the fighting. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

In this photo provided by Egypt's presidency media office, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, second right, meets with U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, second left, and Jared Kushner, left, at the Presidential Palace in Cairo, Egypt, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025. (Egyptian Presidency Media Office via AP)

Relatives and supporters of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip hold posters with portraits of their loved ones during a gathering following the announcement that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a peace plan to pause the fighting, at a plaza known as Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, Israel, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

Israeli tanks block the beach road to Gaza City as displaced Palestinians gather on the coastal road near Wadi Gaza after the announcement that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first phase of a peace plan to pause the fighting, in the central Gaza Strip, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Palestinians celebrate following the announcement that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a peace plan to pause the fighting, outside Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Displaced Palestinians gather on the coastal road near Wadi Gaza after the announcement that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first phase of a peace plan to pause the fighting, as Israeli tanks block the road leading to Gaza City, in the central Gaza Strip, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Einav Zangauker, center, mother of Matan Zangauker, who is being held hostage by Hamas, reacts along with other families and supporters of Israeli hostages after the announcement that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a peace plan, as they gather at a plaza known as the hostages square in Tel Aviv, Israel, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

Relatives and supporters of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip celebrate after the announcement that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a peace plan, as they gather at a plaza known as the hostages square in Tel Aviv, Israel, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Palestinians follow the news on a television after the announcement that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a peace plan to pause fighting, as they sit in a tent outside Al-Aqsa Hospital, in Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Palestinian paramedic Saeed Awad looks at his phone displaying an image of U.S. President Donald Trump, following the announcement that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a peace plan to pause fighting, as he stands at Al-Aqsa Hospital, in Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

A vehicle passes in front of the International Conference Center where Israeli and Hamas officials are set to hold indirect talks Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. (AP Photo)

A federal judge in Rhode Island ordered the Trump administration Thursday to find the money to fully fund SNAP benefits for November.

The ruling by U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr. on Thursday was in response to a challenge from cities and nonprofits complaining that the administration was only offering to cover 65% of the maximum benefit. The government said it will rely on $4.65 billion in emergency funding.

“The defendants failed to consider the practical consequences associated with this decision to only partially fund SNAP,” McConnell said. “They knew that there would be a long delay in paying partial Snap payments and failed to consider the harms individual who rely on those benefits would suffer.”

The Trump administration said last month that it would not pay benefits at all for November because of the federal shutdown. Last week, two judges ordered the government to pay at least partial benefits using an emergency fund. It initially said it would cover half, but then said it would cover 65%.

Meanwhile, the Federal Aviation Administration announced it would reduce air traffic by 10% across 40 “high-volume” markets — including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago — to maintain travel safety as air traffic controllers exhibit signs of strain during the ongoing government shutdown. See which airports will be affected.

Here's the latest:

Leaders of five Central Asian countries have arrived at the White House for a working dinner with Trump as he steps up his hunt for rare earth minerals.

Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Turkmenistan President Serdar Berdymukhamedov, Kyrgyzstan President Sooronbai Jeenbekov, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Tajikistan President Emomali Rakhmon all arrived separately, with a military Honor Guard on the driveway to greet each.

The evening summit and dinner follows Trump managing at least a temporary thaw with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on differences between the United States and China over the export of rare earth elements.

The elements are needed in the manufacturing of devices like smartphones, electric vehicles and fighter jets, and Trump has looked to increase U.S. supplies of them.

U.S. airlines began canceling flights nationwide Thursday due to the Federal Aviation Administration’s order to reduce traffic at the country’s busiest airports starting Friday because of the government shutdown.

Hundreds of flights scheduled for Friday were already cut at some of the 40 busiest airports, and the number of cancellations climbed throughout Thursday afternoon.

At least 445 flights have already been canceled on Friday, according to www.FlightAware.com. That’s more than four times higher than the number of flights cancelled Thursday.

▶ Read more about flight cancellations

A judge Thursday ordered President Trump’s administration to fully fund SNAP for November, three days after the government said it would only partially pay for the food aid program used by 1 in 8 Americans.

Judge John J. McConnell Jr. in Providence, Rhode Island, ruled that it must provide the money by Friday in response to a coalition of cities and nonprofit groups. The judge was one of two who said last week that the government couldn’t pause the program entirely this month because of the government shutdown.

“The defendants failed to consider the practical consequences associated with this decision to only partially fund SNAP,” McConnell said. “They knew that there would be a long delay in paying partial Snap payments and failed to consider the harms individuals who rely on those benefits would suffer.”

▶ Read more about SNAP benefits

Tax law experts are criticizing the IRS’ decision not to provide Direct File software to taxpayers for the 2026 filing season.

NYU Tax Law Center Senior Fellow Greg Leiserson said the decision “will deprive taxpayers of a free and easy-to-use tax filing option, making the tax filing process more expensive and unnecessarily burdensome.”

“The IRS has clear legal authority for the program, and providing such a service is a fundamental responsibility of tax administration in the present day.”

The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed President Donald Trump’s administration to enforce a policy blocking transgender and nonbinary people from choosing passport sex markers that align with their gender identity.

The decision by the high court’s conservative majority is Trump’s latest win on the high court’s emergency docket, and it means his administration can enforce the policy while a lawsuit over it plays out. It halts a lower-court order requiring the government to keep letting people choose male, female or X on their passport to line up with their gender identity on new or renewed passports.

The State Department changed its passport rules after Trump, a Republican, handed down an executive order in January declaring the United States would “recognize two sexes, male and female,” based on birth certificates and “biological classification.”

▶ Read more about passport sex markers

A former Justice Department employee who threw a sandwich at a federal agent during President Donald Trump’s law enforcement surge in Washington was found not guilty of assault on Thursday in the latest legal rebuke of the federal intervention.

A viral video of the sandwich tossing made Sean Charles Dunn a symbol of resistance to Trump’s deployment of federal agents to combat crime in the nation’s capital. His misdemeanor acquittal is another setback for prosecutors, who have faced a backlash for how they have handled criminal cases resulting from the law enforcement surge.

There was no dispute over whether Dunn threw the sandwich at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent on the night of Aug. 10. But his lawyers argued it was a “harmless gesture” during an act of protest protected by the First Amendment.

Prosecutors said Dunn knew he didn’t have a right to throw the sandwich at the agent.

▶ Read more about sandwich-throwing man

Asked about the high court hearing arguments on his tariff policy, Trump said “we did very well yesterday.” He added, however, that a decision against tariffs would be “devastating for our country.”

“But I also think that we’ll have to develop a game two plan” Trump continued “and we’ll see what happens.”

Those comments came a day after his Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, was asked if the administration had a Plan B should it lose at the Supreme Court and demurred, saying only, “We’re not going to discuss that now.”

Asked during his Oval Office event whether he believes it’s safe to fly, Trump said, “No I’m not concerned about it. It’s a fair question.”

U.S. airports in more than two dozen states are among those facing 10% reductions in air traffic Friday due to the government shutdown.

The Federal Aviation Administration is imposing the reductions to take pressure off air traffic controllers, who are federal employees and have gone without pay during the shutdown.

“They want to make sure it’s 100%,” Trump said of the move. “That’s why they’re doing it.”

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Thursday that “obesity is a disease of poverty,” but while rates of the chronic disease tend to be higher in people with the lowest incomes, that’s not always true.

About 44% of U.S. adults with the lowest incomes have obesity, compared with about 47% of those with middle incomes and about 39% of those with the highest incomes, according to 2017-2020 data collected by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Among women, about 48% of those in the lowest income category, below 130% of the federal poverty level, had obesity, compared with about 49% of those with middle incomes and 35% of those with the highest incomes.

Among men, those with the lowest incomes, below 130% of the federal poverty level, had the lowest obesity rates of 37%, compared with about 44% of men with middle incomes and 42% of men in the highest income category.

The unidentified man who fainted did not return to the Oval Office.

Trump said the gentleman was feeling lightheaded but is OK now.

The White House has not identified him.

Kazakhstan will join the Abraham Accords between Israel and Arab and Muslim majority countries in a symbolic move aimed at boosting the initiative that was a hallmark of President Donald Trump’s first administration, according to three U.S. officials.

The move is largely symbolic as Kazakhstan has had diplomatic relations with Israel since 1992 and is much further geographically from Israel than the other Abraham Accord nations – Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates. Those countries agreed to normalize relations with Israel as a result, something Kazakhstan has done since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of the formal announcement, said Trump would announce the step at a summit he is hosting later Thursday with the leaders of the five Central Asian nations, including Kazakhstan.

— Matthew V. Lee and Aamer Madhani

A few minutes after the event was abruptly ended, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt released a statement saying that “a representative with one of the companies fainted” but that “The White House Medical Unit quickly jumped into action, and the gentleman is okay.”

She didn’t identify the man, but said the drug price event would resume shortly.

It had featured executives from drugmakers Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly.

A judge said Thursday she will order federal agents in Chicago to restrict using force against peaceful protesters and media, saying current practices violate their constitutional rights.

The preliminary injunction came in response to a lawsuit alleging federal agents have used excessive force in their immigration crackdown in the Chicago area.

U.S District Judge Sara Ellis ’s ruling, which is expected to be appealed by President Donald Trump’s administration, refines an earlier temporary order that required agents to wear badges and banned them from using certain riot-control techniques, such as tear gas, against peaceful protesters and journalists. After repeatedly chastising federal officials for not following her previous orders, she added a requirement for body cameras.

Ellis began Thursday’s hearing by describing Chicago as a “vibrant place” and reading from poet Carl Sandburg’s famous poem about the city.

Ellis said it is “simply untrue” that the Chicago area is a violent place of rioters.

“I don’t find defendants’ version of events credible,” Ellis said.

▶ Read more about federal agents in Chicago

The president’s drug price announcement ended abruptly when a man standing near Trump in the Oval Office collapsed.

Officials rushed to help the man after his collapse, and the press was quickly removed. It was unclear what caused the collapse or who the man was.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. had previously expressed skepticism to GLP-1s in fighting obesity and drugs diseases related to the condition.

But Kennedy was full of for praise of Trump for pushing to help a broader segment of Americans have access to the drug.

“It’s not a panacea, it’s not a silver bullet,” Kennedy noted.

He added, “Trump is the friend of the forgotten American. Obesity is a disease of poverty. And overwhelmingly these drugs have only been available for people who have wealth.”

Introducing the officials who joined him for the announcement in the Oval Office, Trump asked or commented on who has or hasn’t used any of the weight-loss medications he calls the “fat drug.”

“Do you take any of this stuff, Howard?” Trump asked Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. “Not yet,” Lutnick replied.

“He doesn’t take it,” Trump said when he got to Dr. Mehmet Oz, director of Medicare and Medicaid services.

Trump introduced a few others before he asked for “Steve,” referring to him as “head of public relations for the White House.”

“He’s taking it,” the president said of Steven Cheung, who is the White House director of communications.

Trump has unveiled a deal with drug makers Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to expand coverage and reduce prices for their popular obesity treatments Zepbound and Wegovy.

The drugs are part of a new generation of obesity medications known as GLP-1 receptor agonists that have soared in popularity in recent years.

But access to the drugs has been a consistent problem for patients because of their cost, and insurance coverage has been spotty.

Former president Barack Obama said “No one was more skilled at bringing people together and getting legislation passed — and I will always be grateful for her support of the Affordable Care Act.”

In a post he said, “She made us proud to be Democrats, and will go down in history as one of the best speakers the House of Representatives has ever had.”

Jeffries wants information about the Trump administration’s layoffs and Federal Aviation Administration changes and that have been underway even before the shutdown.

“We need a full and complete briefing so we can understand from the administration what the current status is, what the impact of administration layoffs have been, prior to the Trump Republican shutdown,” Jeffries of New York said during a press conference at the Capitol.

He said the administration “has been going after the FAA since the beginning of their time in office, since January 20th, and we need to understand how we got to this moment, separate and apart from the Trump Republican shutdown.”

The Trump administration is lifting a four-year-old arms embargo on Cambodia that had been imposed over the country’s increasing military ties and partnership with China after Cambodia and Thailand agreed to a truce in their border conflict last month.

The move will take effect Friday after the formal publication of an official notice in the Federal Register, according to an announcement made Thursday. It had been previewed by various U.S. officials in late October following the signing of an agreement between the Thai and Cambodian prime ministers at a summit in Malaysia that President Trump witnessed.

The State Department said Secretary of State Marco Rubio signed off on the step “based on Cambodia’s diligent pursuit of peace and security, including through renewed engagement with the United States on defense cooperation and combating transnational crime.” It means that arms sales requests from Cambodia will now be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and not automatically be subject to denial. It will also lift restrictions on third countries providing Cambodia with U.S. weapons.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said Thursday he would not guarantee Democrats a vote on extending enhanced tax credits for those with coverage through the Affordable Care Act.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune has offered Democrats such a vote as part of the way out of the government shutdown.

Asked whether he would do the same, Johnson said the House had already done its job in passing a short-term funding patch.

“I’m not promising anybody anything,” Johnson said.

Johnson also rejected the idea that congressional leaders get together and negotiate a compromise on extending the enhanced tax credits that make coverage more affordable.

“We’re not taking four corners, four leaders in a back room and making a deal and hoisting it upon the American people,” Johnson said. “I’m not going to be a part of that.”

They include airports in Atlanta, Denver, Dallas, Orlando, Miami, and San Francisco.

In some of the biggest cities — such as New York, Houston and Chicago — multiple airports will be affected.

The U.S. on Thursday sanctioned three men from Lebanon and Syria for allegedly helping to funnel tens of millions of dollars from Iran to the militant Lebanese group Hezbollah.

The Treasury Department says the men use exchange houses to take advantage of Lebanon’s cash-based financial sector and funnel the money from Iran to support Hezbollah.

Treasury’s Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John K. Hurley said “we will work with our Lebanese partners to create a resilient economy that puts the interests of all Lebanese citizens front and center.”

The cuts could represent as many as 1,800 flights and upwards of 268,000 seats combined, according to an estimate by aviation analytics firm Cirium.

The president gave the remarks on Pelosi’s retirement exclusively to a reporter broadcasting on Fox News’ “America’s Newsroom.”

Pelosi led the House in impeaching Trump twice during his first term — first over withholding military support for Ukraine as it confronted Russian aggression and later after inciting the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol. He was acquitted both times by the Senate.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said the political old guard is being “repudiated,” though he commended Pelosi for her service.

Airlines said they would try to minimize the impact on customers, some of whom will see weekend travel plans disrupted with little notice.

United Airlines said it would focus the cuts on smaller regional routes that use smaller planes like 737s. United, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines said they would offer refunds to passengers who opt not to fly — even if they purchased tickets that aren’t normally refundable.

The head of Frontier Airlines recommended travelers buy backup tickets with another airline to avoid being stranded.

Air traffic controllers are working without pay during the government shutdown and have been increasingly calling off work.

Controllers already have missed one paycheck and are scheduled to again receive nothing next week as as the shutdown drags on and the financial pressure on them mounts.

The FAA has already been delaying flights at times when airports or its other facilities are short on controllers.

Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune opened what’s seen as a pivotal day in efforts to end the government shutdown by keeping all options open.

“I think it’s all going to be subject to whether or not it looks like there’s a path to wind this down, this weekend,” Thune said.

He added that the next step is getting a response from Democrats on the offer before them, “and then we’ll see where they go with that.”

Asked whether the Senate would cancel its recess next week, Thune said he’s “not ruling anything out at this point.”

Jeffries of New York is in line to become the speaker himself if the party regains control of the chamber in next year’s election.

“The United States is a much better nation today because Nancy Pelosi dedicated her life to serving the children, the climate, the country and the American people,” Jeffries said in a statement.

“Nancy D’Alesandro Pelosi is an iconic, heroic, trailblazing, legendary and transformational leader. She is the greatest Speaker of all time,” he said.

“House Democrats will always be down with NDP.”

Airports in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago along with hubs across the U.S. are among the 40 that will see flights cut starting Friday due to the government shutdown, according to a list distributed to the airlines and obtained by The Associated Press.

The Federal Aviation Administration said Wednesday that it will reduce air traffic by 10% across 40 “high-volume” markets to maintain travel safety as air traffic controllers exhibit signs of strain during the ongoing government shutdown.

▶ Read more about the shutdown’s effects on air travel

As House Speaker, she became the Democratic Party’s antidote to President Trump.

Trump was impeached by the House — twice — first in 2019 for withholding U.S. aid to Ukraine as it faced a hostile Russia at its border and then in 2021 days after the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. The Senate acquitted him in both cases.

Pelosi stood up the Jan. 6 special committee to probe Trump’s role in sending his mob of supporters to the Capitol, when most Republicans refused to investigate, producing the 1,000-page report that became the first full accounting of what happened as the defeated president tried to stay in office.

Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi will not seek reelection to the U.S. House, bringing to a close her storied career as not only the first woman in the speaker’s office but arguably the most powerful in American politics.

Pelosi, who’s represented San Francisco for nearly 40 years, announced her decision Thursday.

“I will not be seeking reelection to Congress,” Pelosi said in a video address to voters.

Pelosi, appearing upbeat and forward-looking as images of her decades of accomplishments filled the frames, said she would finish out her final year in office. And she left those who sent her to Congress with a call to action to carry on the legacy of agenda-setting both in the U.S. and around the world.

▶ Read more about Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi

President Trump has warned the United States will be rendered “defenseless’’ and possibly “reduced to almost Third World status” if the Supreme Court strikes down the tariffs he imposed this year on nearly every country on earth.

The justices sounded skeptical during oral arguments Wednesday of his sweeping claims of authority to impose tariffs as he sees fit.

The truth, though, is Trump will still have plenty of options to keep taxing imports aggressively even if the court rules against him. He can re-use tariff powers he deployed in his first term and can reach for others, including one that dates back to the Great Depression.

“It’s hard to see any pathway here where tariffs end,” said Georgetown trade law professor Kathleen Claussen. “I am pretty convinced he could rebuild the tariff landscape he has now using other authorities.”

▶ Read more about Trump’s tariff options

Travelers through some of the busiest U.S. airports can expect to learn Thursday whether they’ll see fewer flights as the government shutdown drags into a second month.

The Federal Aviation Administration will announce the 40 “high-volume markets” where it’s reducing flights by 10% before the cuts go into effect Friday, said agency administrator Bryan Bedford. The move is intended to keep the air space safe during the shutdown, the agency said.

Experts predict hundreds if not thousands of flights could be canceled. The cuts could represent as many as 1,800 flights and upwards of 268,000 seats combined, according to an estimate by aviation analytics firm Cirium.

▶ Read more about the shutdown’s effects on air travel

Central to any resolution will be a series of agreements that would need to be upheld not only by the Senate but also by the House and the White House, which is not at all certain in Washington.

Senators from both major parties, particularly the members of the powerful Appropriations Committee, are pushing to ensure the normal government funding process in Congress can be put back on track. Among the goals is guaranteeing upcoming votes on a smaller package of bills to fund various aspects of government such as agricultural programs and military construction projects at bases.

More difficult, a substantial number of senators also want some resolution to the standoff over the funding for the Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to expire at year’s end.

During the shutdown in Trump’s first term, the government was partially closed for 35 days over his demands for money to build a U.S.-Mexico border wall. At that time, he met publicly and negotiated with congressional leaders. Unable to secure the money, he relented in 2019.

This time, it’s not just Trump declining to engage in talks. The congressional leaders are at a standoff, and Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson sent lawmakers home in September after they approved their own funding bill, refusing further negotiations.

Now at 37 days, it’s the longest in U.S. history.

While some Democrats saw Trump’s comments on the shutdown Wednesday as evidence that he’d soon get more involved, he’s largely stayed out of the fray. Instead, the talks have intensified among a loose coalition of centrist senators trying to negotiate an end to the shutdown.

Trump has refused to negotiate with Democrats over their demands to salvage expiring health insurance subsidies until they agree to reopen the government. But skeptical Democrats question whether the Republican president will keep his word, particularly after his administration restricted SNAP food aid despite court orders to ensure funds are available to prevent hunger.

President Donald Trump is seen in his limousine, known as "The Beast," upon his arrival at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025, after giving a speech at the American Business Forum in Miami. (AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez)

President Donald Trump walks down the stairs of Air Force One upon his arrival at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025, after giving a speech at the American Business Forum in Miami. (AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez)