Released Palestinian prisoner Muhammad Abu Al-Humus, 17, hugs his mother after arriving home in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Issawiya, early Tuesday. Eleven Israelis were also released in the latest Israel-Hamas swap of captives.
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Today's top news
Israel and Hamas have agreed to extend their truce for two more days to allow for the release of more hostages taken from Israel in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Israel says it will release 30 more Palestinians for every 10 Israeli hostages released.
Israel has capped the cease-fire to a maximum of ten days, NPR's Daniel Estrin says on Up First. Hundreds of aid trucks have entered Gaza as part of the truce deal, but there still isn't enough aid to go around for basic needs. NPR producer Anas Baba describes long lines for supplies like oil. Estrin adds there's rising anger in Israel over media reports claiming that Israeli leaders neglected intelligence warnings about the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas.
Check outnpr.org/mideastupdates for more coverage, differing views and analysis of this conflict.
A 48-year-old Vermont man accused of shooting three college students of Palestinian descent has pleaded not guilty to attempted second degree murder. Jason J. Eaton is being held in prison without bail and the case. He faces 20 years to life for each of the murder charges. Authorities are investigating the incident as a hate crime. (via Vermont Public)
As of yesterday, all three men remain in the ICU, Vermont Public's Brittany Patterson reports. They have been friends for 12 years and went to school together in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Elizabeth Price, the mother of Brown University student Hisham Awartani, spoke to NPR about her son's injuries from her home in Ramallah "My husband didn't want Hisham to come back for Christmas," says Awartani's mother Elizabeth Price. "He thought our son would be safer [in the U.S.] than in Palestine."
In fewer than two months, Republican voters will make their first choice of who will be the 2024 presidential nominee at the Iowa caucuses. The once-crowded field of nominees has shrunk — and the remaining candidates haven't caught up to front-runner Donald Trump.
Many factors make this year's caucus unlike others, Iowa Public Radio's Clay Masters says. One candidate isn't usually this far ahead at this point in the cycle. Masters adds that Kim Reynolds, the state's governor, made the rare decision to endorse Ron DeSantis ahead of the caucuses because she says Trump can't win the general election.
The Texas Supreme Court is set to hear arguments in its abortion ban case today. The Center for Reproductive Rights brought on the lawsuit on behalf of 20 patients and two doctors. The plaintiffs argue the medical exceptions in state's abortion law are too narrow to protect people with complicated pregnancies.
Life advice
Westend61 / Getty Images/Westend61
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Getty Images/Westend61
After Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday deals end, charities ask us to take a break from spending to donate money for Giving Tuesday. Kevin Scally of Charity Navigator has these tips to consider before making a donation:
Make a list of causes you care about and issues you want to help solve.
Think about what percentage of your household budget you can afford to donate.
Give to a mix of small, local organizations and large national or international ones.
Beware of scams and take a second look at anything that feels high pressure or unsolicited.
Picture show
Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images
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Getty Images
Santa Claus in his sleigh and a team of reindeer fly through the columns of the Entrance Hall of the White House. The theme for this year's White House decorations is "Magic, Wonder and Joy."
First lady Jill Biden unveiled the White House's Christmas decorations yesterday. More than 300 volunteers worked for more than a week to put together 98 Christmas trees, almost 34,000 ornaments, 72 wreaths and roughly 142,000 holiday lights. Biden says the theme, "Magic, Wonder, and Joy," was inspired by how children experience the holiday. See photos of several whimsical rooms here. You can email your House representative to schedule a tour.
3 things to know before you go
/ Pete Dadds/Netflix
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Pete Dadds/Netflix
A U.K.-based law firm said at least two contestants felt "unwell" after standing for hours in cold temperatures during a taping for Squid Game: The Challenge. The reality competition was inspired by the hit South Korean drama.
Two contestants from the new Netflix game show, Squid Game: The Challenge, are threatening legal action against the streaming service. They say they suffered injuries while filming.
Bowie, a rare half-red, half-blue lobster, has gone viral. A bicolored lobster is a 1 in 50 million occurrence, according to New England Aquarium biologist Jordan Baker.
Merriam-Webster's word of the year for 2023 is "authentic." It was one of the most looked up words in the dictionary's 500,000 entries.
The Paris Olympics opening ceremony wowed Parisians, fans and most everyone who was able to catch a glimpse of thousands of athletes floating down the Seine to officially begin the Games.
As Vice President Kamala Harris ramps up her campaign for president, Republicans are trying out new — and old — attacks focused on her race and gender, including calling her a "DEI candidate."
The Food Safety and Inspection Service made the announcement Friday. There are 34 cases of Listeria from deli meat across 13 states, including two people who died of Thursday, according to the CDC.
On the day that former President Donald Trump is meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, we look at the Republican nominee's relationship with Israel.
Ashleigh Johnson is one of the best water polo goalkeepers in the world. NPR's Juana Summers talks to her about her barrier-breaking role in the sport and her expectations for her third Olympic games.
After a decades long man hunt the defacto head of Mexico's Sinaloa drug cartel is arrested just outside El Paso. What more do we know about his capture and what impact, if any, will this have on the fentanyl crisis here.
The territory hasn't had any polio cases for 25 years but this suggests the virus is spreading. Polio experts are scrambling to figure out the origins and whether or not there are active cases.
The opposition is united against longtime leftist President Nicolas Maduro, who is seeking a third term in this Sunday's election amid the country's gravest economic and political crisis in decades.