REIM, Israel — Israelis and Palestinians cried, cheered and gave thanks Monday as Hamas militants released the last 20 Israeli hostages in exchange for more than 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

It was the first phase of a ceasefire deal put in place last month even as President Donald Trump — the driving force behind the ...Read more

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is inviting all U.S. colleges to participate in a compact — initially rejected by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology — that would grant preferential federal funding in return for commitments to specific policy changes like DEI bans, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The White ...Read more

Summoned last minute by the president of the United States, the world’s most powerful leaders dropped their schedules to fly to Egypt on Monday, where they idled on a stage awaiting Donald Trump’s grand entrance.

They were there to celebrate a significant U.S. diplomatic achievement that has ended hostilities in Gaza after two brutal years ...Read more

WASHINGTON — The financial impacts of the government shutdown are set to escalate this week, even as Senate Republicans and Democrats show no signs of breaking the stalemate over health care policies at the heart of the fight.

Without a deal, military troops would miss their first paychecks since the shutdown started, but the administration, ...Read more

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt — President Donald Trump pressed world leaders gathered at a summit on Gaza’s future to ensure the U.S.-led truce between Israel and Hamas turns into a lasting peace, hailing the agreement as a “new beginning” for the war-torn region.

“Today, for the first time anyone can remember, we have a once-in-a-lifetime ...Read more

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt — President Donald Trump kicked off a global summit in Egypt on Gaza’s future, aimed at ensuring the U.S.-led truce in the Middle East turns into a lasting peace.

The stop was Trump’s second during his whirlwind trip to the region, following a visit to Israel to celebrate the ceasefire with Hamas and welcome back ...Read more

President Donald Trump on Monday won some rare bipartisan praise for forging the Israeli hostage release and Gaza ceasefire deal although most senior Democrats avoided crediting him by name.

As most top Democrats stuck to cheering the release of the hostages and the ceasefire, Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., broke ranks with his party to explicitly...Read more

U.S. President Donald Trump suggested he’s willing to step in to resolve days of deadly cross-border fighting between Pakistan and Afghanistan, saying he is “good at solving wars.”

Trump made the remarks while on his way to Egypt to co-chair an international peace summit on Gaza. Also expected to be in attendance is Pakistan Prime ...Read more

After 23 years on defense, veteran Federal Defenders lawyer Deirdre von Dornum is itching to play offense.

The longtime public defender — known as a smiling legal gladiator who’s won rare acquittals in a federal system where prosecutors prevail at trial 90% of the time — is making the move to the Manhattan-based law firm Sher Tremonte to ...Read more

The nation has been given a split screen view of Chicago.

On one side, President Donald Trump declares the city a war-torn “hellhole” requiring deployment of National Guard troops to help enforce his administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement efforts as the Department of Homeland Security posts propaganda videos on social media. ...Read more

The nation has been given a split screen view of Chicago.

On one side, President Donald Trump declares the city a war-torn “hellhole” requiring deployment of National Guard troops to help enforce his administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement efforts as the Department of Homeland Security posts propaganda videos on social media. ...Read more

States are doing what they generally do during a federal government shutdown: continuing to operate programs serving some of the neediest people.

That means schools are still serving federally subsidized meals and states are distributing funding for the federal food stamp program. For now.

If the shutdown drags on and federal dollars run out, ...Read more

With America’s global leadership in scientific innovation facing unprecedented competition, getting high-skilled immigration right should be a top priority in Washington. The first task for the White House is to get out of its own way.

The administration sparked fear and confusion last month by announcing that it would impose a $100,000 fee ...Read more

CHICAGO — A federal appeals court in Chicago on Saturday denied the Trump administration’s request for an emergency stay of a district judge’s order barring the president from deploying National Guard troops in the city and state.

The 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals did, however, grant a temporary stay on a portion of U.S. District ...Read more

HARTFORD, Conn. — Democrats Chris Murphy and John Larson go way back.

When Murphy was an up-and-coming politician who defeated longtime Republican Rep. Nancy Johnson in 2006 in an upset that surprised some insiders, he started a new career as a member of Connecticut’s Congressional delegation in Washington, D.C.

Larson was one of his ...Read more

President Donald Trump’s hardball tactic of ordering permanent layoffs Friday amid a government shutdown hardened Democrats’ deep distrust of Republicans and risks prolonging a standoff that is already the fourth longest in U.S. history with no end in sight.

Sen. Patty Murray, a senior Democrat, slammed the firings announced by Trump budget...Read more

President Donald Trump said he is directing the Defense Department to use funds his administration has identified to deliver paychecks to U.S. troops on Oct. 15 despite the ongoing government shutdown.

“I am using my authority, as Commander in Chief, to direct our Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to use all available funds to get our Troops ...Read more