Good morning.
Thousands of displaced Palestinians headed back towards their abandoned homes on Friday after a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect and Israeli troops began pulling back from parts of Gaza.
Israelis and Palestinians celebrated last night as Hamas and Israel’s government began preparations to implement the ceasefire deal that promises a durable end to a bloody two-year conflict that has killed tens of thousands, destabilised much of the Middle East and prompted protests around the world.
In Gaza, there was joy but much anxiety. Many expressed the fear that the new deal would collapse, bringing more suffering to the devastated territory.
In Israel, hospitals readied to receive hostages to be released by Hamas, the ruling coalition government signed off on the new ceasefire deal and thousands took to the streets of Tel Aviv to express joy and relief.
How was the ceasefire deal done? The turning point was a meeting in New York on the sidelines of the UN general assembly chaired by Donald Trump, soon after his baroque speech to the gathering. Trump described the sidelines conversation as his most important meeting at the UN. In the encounter organised by the United Arab Emirates, he set out for the first time his then 20-point plan for peace in front of a group of Arab and Muslim states that could form the backbone of any stabilisation force that entered Gaza in the event of a ceasefire. Read more.
María Corina Machado wins Nobel peace prize for work promoting democratic rights in Venezuela
Venezuelan opposition politician María Corina Machado has won the Nobel peace prize and was commended by the committee as a “brave and committed champion of peace” who “keeps the flame of democracy burning during a growing darkness”.
“In the past year, Miss Machado has been forced to live in hiding,” the committee said about their winner. “Despite serious threats against her life, she has remained in the country, a choice that has inspired millions. When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognise courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist.”
This year’s award committee has been under particular scrutiny after an intense public and private campaign by Trump. The US president has been openly envious that four of his predecessors, including Barack Obama, received the award.
What did the committee say about Trump’s lobbying effort to win the prize? Nobel committee chair, Jørgen Watne Frydnes, the leader of the Norwegian Nobel Committee said the committee receives thousands of letters every year and makes its decision in a room “filled with both courage and integrity”.
Letitia James criminally charged in Trump’s latest effort to punish rivals
A federal grand jury has indicted Letitia James, the New York attorney general, for bank fraud, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Lindsey Halligan, the US attorney for the eastern district of Virginia, personally presented the case to the grand jury yesterday, the person said. US attorneys do not typically present to a grand jury.
“This is nothing more than a continuation of the president’s desperate weaponisation of our justice system. He is forcing federal law enforcement agencies to do his bidding, all because I did my job as the New York state attorney general,” James said in a recorded video statement yesterday.
What else did James say? “These charges are baseless, and the president’s own public statements make clear that his only goal is political retribution at any cost. The president’s actions are a grave violation of our constitutional order and have drawn sharp criticism from members of both parties.”
In other news …
A judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from federalising or deploying the national guard in Illinois after Trump ordered hundreds of troops to Chicago to help with immigration enforcement.
The Ukrainian capital was plunged into darkness early this morning by what the air force called a “massive attack”, as Russia pummelled Kyiv’s infrastructure, cutting off water and energy supplies and triggering a fire in a high-rise apartment building.
The southern Philippines was rocked by a powerful 7.6-magnitude earthquake that struck in the region of Mindanao today, initially triggering a tsunami warning that was later lifted.
JP Morgan Chase has told staff moving into its new headquarters in New York that they must share their biometric data to access the multibillion-dollar building. Biometric access requires staff to scan their fingerprints or eye to gain access through security gates in the lobby instead of swiping their ID badges.
Stat of the day: Nearly half of FBI agents in major offices reassigned to immigration enforcement
Nearly half of FBI agents working in the US’s major field offices have been reassigned to aid immigration enforcement, according to newly released data, a stunning shift in law enforcement priorities that has raised public safety concerns.
Don’t miss this: Non-stop snow, instant noodles and yaks – tales of being trapped on Everest
More than 1,000 people were stuck in mountain hiking areas for days, sparking extensive rescue efforts by local authorities and villagers. A deadly storm had formed above them, lashing Tibet and Nepal with heavy rain and snow.
Climate check: More than half of world’s bird species in decline, as leaders meet on extinction crisis
More than half of bird species are in decline, according to a global assessment, with deforestation driving sharp falls in populations across the planet. In the face of global headwinds on environmental action, scientists are urging governments to deliver on recent pledges to better protect nature.
Last Thing: You won’t believe what degrading practice the pope just condemned
The pope has condemned clickbait as a “degrading” part of journalism, at a private audience with global newswires. “Communication must be freed from the misguided thinking that corrupts it, from unfair competition and the degrading practice of so-called clickbait,” he said yesterday.
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