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Signup to receive the Early Edition in your inbox here. A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the last 24 hours. Here’s today’s news: ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR – CEASEFIRE Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday ordered the Israeli military to conduct strikes in Gaza. A spokesperson for Netanyahu said that “Hamas have violated the framework by not returning hostages and attacking our forces.” Hamas has denied any involvement in an attack on Israeli forces and insisted that it is working in good faith to return the bodies. Netanyahu’s office said that President Donald Trump had been informed “before the action was taken.” Liam Stack, Aric Toler, and Arijeta Lajka report for the New York Times. Israeli airstrikes killed 104 people in Gaza overnight, including 46 children, according to local health officials at the time of writing. In response to the airstrikes, Hamas said it would delay handing over the body of another hostage. Israel’s military said today that the ceasefire in Gaza has resumed following the airstrikes overnight. Wafaa Shurafa and Josh Boak report for AP News. Trump said yesterday that the ceasefire was not at risk despite the Israeli strikes on Gaza. “As I understand it, [Hamas] took out an Israeli soldier,” and “the Israelis hit back, and they should hit back. When that happens they should hit back.” Jana Choukeir, Emily Rose, and Nidal Al-Mughrabi report for Reuters. Relief workers say that hundreds of trucks enter Gaza daily, but most of them carry commercial goods. “After two years of this war, most Gazans are unable to purchase items from the markets,” a spokesperson for the Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committee said. “The prices of the items entering that are entering are very expensive.” Liam Stack reports for the New York Times. RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said yesterday that Ukrainian and European officials would meet on Friday or Saturday to discuss details for a ceasefire plan, adding, “it is not a plan to end the war.” Reuters reports. OTHER GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS A police operation yesterday targeting drug traffickers in Rio de Janeiro killed at least 64 people, including four officers. Brazilian authorities said the operation, involving 2,500 officers, took more than two months to plan. “It is a state operation against narco-terrorists,” Governor of Rio de Janeiro Claudio Castro said. Ana Ionova reports for the New York Times. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said yesterday that five of its volunteers were killed in the city of Bara, Sudan. It did not provide details on how they were killed. Emma Farge reports for Reuters. Sudanese Rapid Support Forces paramilitary beat and shot men fleeing from El-Fasher, according to a person who escaped, aid officials, satellite images, and social media posts. According to IOM Sudan Country Director Mohamed Refaat, more than 26,000 people fled El-Fasher on Sunday and Monday. Nafisa Eltahir and Khalid Abdelaziz report for Reuters. Peace talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan failed after four days of negotiations in Istanbul, according to Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar. Tarar said that “Pakistan’s patience has run its course,” adding that Islamabad would “continue to take all possible measures necessary to protect our people from the menace of terrorism.” Suzan Fraser and Munir Ahmed report for AP News. TECH DEVELOPMENTS OpenAI said yesterday that it has adopted a new for-profit structure and has become a public benefit corporation. The nonprofit that previously controlled the organization will continue to oversee the PBC and will receive a $130 billion stake in the new company. Microsoft will retain a roughly 27% stake in OpenAI, and its rights to models and products are extended to 2032. Lily Jamali reports for BBC News; Cade Metz and Lauren Hirsch report for the New York Times. The Trump administration is set to sign a deal with South Korea to bolster cooperation in AI, quantum computing, and 6G, according to a U.S. official. The official said that the agreement is due to be signed today by Michael Kratsios, Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. The countries will work together to strengthen AI export controls and reduce regulatory burdens for tech companies. Hadriana Lowenkron reports for Bloomberg. U.S. IMMIGRATION DEVELOPMENTS Immigration officials have deported Chanthila Souvannarath to Laos from the United States despite a court order blocking his removal, Souvannarath’s lawyer said yesterday. A federal judge last week ordered ICE to keep Souvannarath in the United States while he presents his “substantial claim of U.S. citizenship. Jim Mustian and Jack Brook report for AP News. U.S. CARIBBEAN AND PACIFIC OPERATIONS Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth yesterday announced that the U.S. military killed 14 people in strikes carried out on four boats allegedly carrying drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean. A Pentagon official said that the strikes were conducted on Monday off the coast of Colombia. The Mexican navy said yesterday that it is still conducting a search for the sole survivor of the strikes. Konstantin Toropin reports for AP News. U.S military officials involved in expanding operations in Latin America have been asked to sign non-disclosure agreements, according to three U.S. officials. It is unclear why NDAs are being used, seeing as U.S. military officials are already required to shield national security secrets from the public. The officials did not know how many members of the Defense Department had been asked to sign the NDAs. Phil Stewart reports for Reuters. U.S. FOREIGN AFFAIRS The Trump administration’s decision to move the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier to South America pulls the ship out of the Mediterranean, resulting in not a single U.S. aircraft carrier in the waters around both Europe and the Middle East. Ben Finley and Konstantin Toropin report for AP News. COFCO, China’s largest food and agricultural company, has bought three U.S. soybean cargoes, according to two trade sources. “COFCO has proceeded to purchase U.S. beans even before [Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping] have reached a trade agreement,” according to one source. Ella Cao and Naveen Thukral report for Reuters. Amnesty International said yesterday that a U.S. airstrike in April that killed over 60 detained African migrants in a Houthi-run prison in Yemen should be investigated as a possible war crime. Amnesty said that the strike appeared to be an “indiscriminate attack,” with no clear military objective. The U.S. military’s Central Command has yet to offer any explanation for the strike on the prison. Jon Gambrell reports for AP News. U.S. DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS A federal judge yesterday disqualified U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli from supervising the criminal prosecutions in three cases after concluding that Essayli had overstayed in the role. The judge said that Essayli had been unlawfully serving as acting U.S. attorney for the Central District of California since July 29. The judge also said that Essayli can continue to serve as a First Assistant United States Attorney. “Nothing is changing,” Essayli said on social media. Jamie Ding reports for AP News. An opinion issued by the District of Columbia Bar Ethics Committee this week sets out that any law firm that makes a deal with a government that includes conditions that may shape their practice may require them to drop or obtain waivers from clients who have interests at odds with the government. The opinion did not specifically mention Trump but did cite a Justice Department memo from earlier this year, which put pressure on law firms not to challenge the administration’s policies. Charlie Savage reports for the New York Times. FEDERALIZATION OF POLICING Trump said yesterday that he was prepared to send “more than the National Guard” to enforce crackdowns on crime in cities across the United States during a speech to U.S. troops in Japan. Trump did not clarify precisely what he meant by this. Erica L. Green and Katie Rogers report for the New York Times. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ACTIONS “If you read it, it’s pretty clear – I’m not allowed to run. It’s too bad,” Trump told reporters today when asked whether he would seek a third term in Office. House Speaker Mike Johnson said yesterday that he had discussed the issue with Trump, adding, “I think the president knows … the constrictions of the Constitution.” Susan Heavey and Trevor Hunnicutt report for Reuters. Steven J. Hatfill, a senior adviser at the Department of Health and Human Services and expert whose work influenced the decision to halt funding for mRNA vaccine research, was fired over the weekend. Hatfill said he was removed as part of a “coup to overthrow [Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.].” Hatfill did not explain why this had resulted in his removal, allegedly led by Kennedy’s Chief of Staff, Matt Buckham. A health department official said that “firing a staff member for cause does not add up to a coup.” Sheryl Gay Stolberg reports for the New York Times. Attorney General Pam Bondi said yesterday that her office has initiated a review of the Biden administration’s “reported use of autopen for pardons.” This post followed the release of a House Oversight report yesterday questioning their validity. The report claimed that the White House did not record Biden’s approval for some executive actions signed by autopen, adding it “deems void” all such actions. Avery Lotz reports for Axios. The Pentagon has removed key protections for defense civilian employees and directed that managers move with “speed and conviction” to fire workers with “unacceptable” performance reviews, according to a memo dated September 30. Some managers have said that the memo is so broad that it could be used to fire anyone. “Looks like we are all ‘at will’ employees now,” one defense civilian said. Tara Copp reports for the Washington Post. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION LITIGATION Appeals court judges voted yesterday to reconsider a decision that lifted a temporary block on the federal deployment of the National Guard to Portland. The 3-judge panel decision, dated October 20, has been vacated and the matter sent to a panel of 11 judges for reconsideration. Anna Griffin reports for the New York Times. A federal judge yesterday ordered Customs and Border Protection Commander Gregory Bovino to procure a body camera and meet with her every weekday to provide updates on operations in Chicago. The judge also required the Homeland Security Department to share with the court all use-of-force incident reports and accompanying video footage from September 2 to October 25 by Friday. Monica Eng reports for Axios. A federal judge issued an injunction on Monday, ordering the Education Department to “immediately take every step necessary” to restore grants to mental health services for school children. The judge said that the administration did not follow its own rules for cancelling the grants, rejecting arguments that the administration was not required to give reasons for the cuts. Michael C. Bender reports for the New York Times. A federal judge yesterday extended an order indefinitely blocking the Trump administration from firing federal workers during the government shutdown. Emily Peck reports for Axios. Democratic attorneys general and governors from 25 states filed a lawsuit yesterday against the Trump administration over its decision not to use emergency funds for the Supplemental Nutrition Food Assistance Program during the government shutdown. Grace Yarrow reports for POLITICO.
