Israel says a ceasefire is now in effect in Gaza. A grand jury indicts New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat who has clashed with the president. And a judge temporarily blocks the Trump administration's troop deployment in Chicago.
Here's what to know today.
A ceasefire has begun in Gaza, Israeli military says
A ceasefire has come into effect after the Israeli government approved a historic deal to end the brutal conflict in Gaza — sparked two years ago by Hamas’ deadly attack on Oct. 7 — that has ravaged the Palestinian enclave and sparked global outcry.
The agreement, in addition to the ceasefire, includes the release by Hamas of all living and dead hostages. Israel will release 250 prisoners serving life sentences and 1,700 Palestinians detained after Oct. 7, 2023. President Donald Trump said he will travel to Egypt for the official signing.
This is Morning Rundown, a weekday newsletter to start your day. Sign up here to get it in your inbox.
The agreement also stipulates that Hamas will lay down arms, Israeli troops will withdraw from the territory and humanitarian aid will be delivered.
The United States military is preparing options to deploy as many as 200 U.S. troops to Israel to support stabilization in Gaza and the flow of humanitarian aid and security assistance into the enclave, two U.S. officials familiar with the planning said. The troops will stay in Israel, where they will support logistics, transportation, engineering and planning, the officials said.
"They will not be in Gaza. No U.S. boots on the ground in Gaza," one of the officials said.
Read the full story and follow updates on our liveblog.
Letitia James indicted on bank fraud charge
New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat who has previously clashed with Trump, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury in Virginia.
James was charged with one count of bank fraud and one count of false statements to a financial institution after Trump publicly called for his Justice Department appointees to bring charges against her. The indictment alleges James falsely claimed that a home in Norfolk, Virginia, was her second residence, allowing her to obtain favorable loan terms, and that she rented the property to a family of three. She vehemently denied the charges against her and accused Trump of seeking political retribution.
James could face up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million on each count if she's convicted.
Judge temporarily blocks deployment of troops in Illinois
A judge in Chicago issued a temporary restraining order blocking the Trump administration’s deployment of National Guard troops in Illinois, finding that the directive violates the Constitution and would "only add fuel to the fire that the defendants themselves have started."
While handing down her order, U.S. District Judge April Perry also ripped the Department of Homeland Security's factual accounts of crime its agents have been encountering, citing judicial findings in other cases over the past two days that the agency has been using "unreliable evidence."
Details on the timing and extent of the order were not immediately clear. Perry said she would issue a written decision elaborating on her reasoning today.
More politics news:
- Right-wing influencers and media figures have flocked to Portland, bringing national attention to ICE protests in the city.
- Energized by public opinion, Democrats are refusing to budge on their demands to extend expiring Obamacare tax credits.
- A C-SPAN caller made an emotional plea to House Speaker Mike Johnson to end the government shutdown, saying that "my kids could die."
Read All About It
- The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, who lives in hiding after attempting to run against President Nicolás Maduro.
- Right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones asked the Supreme Court to hit pause on an almost $1.5 billion defamation judgment.
- Eight people connected to a Texas midwife who was charged with performing illegal abortions were arrested and indicted.
- Britney Gard, the Indiana mom who was determined missing after officials found her house on fire in what they called a "suspicious" incident, was located alive in the woods.
- A federal judge has dismissed Drake's defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group over Kendrick Lamar's hit diss track "Not Like Us."
- Jimmy Kimmel pressed comedian Aziz Ansari about his decision to perform at Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Comedy Festival.
- Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James will miss the start of the regular season due to sciatica on his right side.
Staff Pick: The life of #SwiftiesAgainstAI
After Google announced a global scavenger hunt for a series of video clues related to Taylor Swift’s "The Life of a Showgirl" album, fans immediately began sleuthing for Easter eggs.
What they say they found instead, however, were numerous telltale signs of AI within the video clips they unearthed. I explain why many disappointed fans, using the hashtag #SwiftiesAgainstAI, have been calling on the global superstar to address the speculation. – Angela Yang, trending reporter
NBCU Academy: Brooklyn's Taxilandia tour brings Bushwick history to life
In northeast Brooklyn, a taxi ride is sometimes more than a trip across town. Step inside Taxilandia, and you'll ride through the history of the Bushwick neighborhood.
Artist and Bushwick local Modesto "Flako" Jimenez offers passengers a two-hour tour of the neighborhood's past and present — from white flight in the 1960s to the Puerto Rican and Dominican families building community in the latter half of the 20th century to the gentrification shaping the streets, shops and buildings today.
"What inspired me was driving a cab, asking customers how they felt about the changes, and writing poetry off that," Jimenez said.
See how Taxilandia is celebrating the neighbors and businesses that remain.
NBCU Academy is a free, award-winning education program for developing new skills and advancing careers in journalism, media and tech.
NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified
Finding skin care that soothes redness, instead of aggravating it, can feel like a hunt. The NBC Select team found products that calm and hydrate without the burn. Plus, Hoka's popular walking shoes that are worth the hype, and compression socks for long days on your feet.
Sign up to The Selection newsletter for hands-on product reviews, expert shopping tips and a look at the best deals and sales each week.
Thanks for reading today's Morning Rundown. Today's newsletter was curated for you by Christian Orozco. If you're a fan, please send a link to your family and friends. They can sign up here.
