Israel and Hamas have agreed to a four-day pause in fighting. During that pause, Hamas will release 50 hostages and Israel will release Palestinians that are being held in jail. Aid trucks with water, food and other supplies will also cross into the Gaza Strip. Officials confirmed to CNN that the cease-fire begins Thursday, Nov.…

Millions of Americans will come together with family and friends on Thursday, Nov. 23, to talk about what they’re thankful for, but most say leave the political talk off the Thanksgiving table. According to a Quinnipiac University national poll, 61% of American voters would rather not talk about politics while they are dining at Thanksgiving.…

In an unannounced trip, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin visited Kyiv on Monday, Nov. 20, to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and two other ranking officials. It marks the second time Austin has visited Ukraine since the Russian invasion nearly two years ago. According to a Department of Defense press release, Austin’s meeting with…

A federal court issues a ruling concerning the Voting Rights Act in a case that could end up at the Supreme Court. And the CDC is warning consumers about a listeria outbreak in fruit which has led to at least one death. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023. U.S. appeals court makes ruling on…

The nation’s budget is in constant triage. Congress again packed the wound by passing a temporary funding patch to keep the government’s lights on until early next year, but fiscally, the U.S. is still bleeding. The federal deficit grew to $2 trillion in fiscal year 2023, double the prior year’s deficit, according to Congressional Budget…

China has become a global leader in lithium-ion battery production. Six of the world’s top 10 battery manufacturing companies are headquartered in the country. China accounted for 77% of the world’s total battery manufacturing capacity in 2022. Poland and the United States each produced just 6% of the world’s capacity. That same year, the U.S.…

Millions of people in the U.S. receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, commonly referred to as food stamps. SNAP spending has jumped to $127 billion from $63 billion in 2019, making it one of the largest welfare programs in the country. Amidst ongoing budget negotiations in Congress, there are discussions about modifying the program’s…

A ballot stuffing scandal caught on camera in Bridgeport, Connecticut, is prompting a primary election revote following the city’s general election. Voters will have to cast their votes again in a close mayoral race for Connecticut’s largest city. Mayor Joe Ganim defeated challenger John Gomes by 251 votes in September’s primary election out of roughly…

Breaking overnight, President Biden signs the short-term funding bill, averting a government shutdown for now. And health officials report measles cases are on the rise across the globe. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Friday, Nov. 17, 2023. Biden signs short-term funding bill averting government shutdown There will be no government shutdown this weekend…

A bipartisan group of senators is asking Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to hand over a series of emails, documents and presentations. These materials may reveal what executives knew about their platform’s harm to children. The request is in response to testimony from former Facebook employee Arturo Bejar, who said he informed Zuckerberg and other executives…