Here's the Scoop

After two years of devastating war, a breakthrough: Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a ceasefire deal. President Trump announced the agreement last night following days of tense negotiations in Egypt. Under the terms, Hamas must release all hostages held since the Oct. 7 attacks, living and dead, while Israel begins a phased withdrawal from Gaza and frees hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. The news has been met with cautious celebration in Israel and a glimmer of hope that rebuilding and healing can finally begin. But as many warn, the most challenging part may still lie ahead: turning the promise of peace into reality. Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel joins host Yasmin Vossoughian from a van on the side of the road in Tel Aviv. We will also speak with Salma Altaweel, who lives in Gaza and works for the Norwegian Refugee Council. She tells us what she hopes this deal means for the future of her homeland. Additionally, NBC News National Security Analyst Jeremy Bash, a former chief of staff at the CIA and the Pentagon, gives insight into how these high-stakes negotiations unfolded. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It’s now eight days into the government shutdown, and there’s troubling signs around the country. For some federal workers, the fear of missing paychecks is creeping in, while at some airports, air traffic controllers, already facing staffing shortages, are being stretched even thinner as sick calls increase. Airports around the country have faced delays and even a ground-stop order in Nashville. While negotiations to end the shutdown appear to be at a standstill, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican and a Trump loyalist, speaks out against the president to NBC News Chief Capitol Hill Correspondent Ryan Nobles, who joins host Yasmin Vossoughian.  And "Dateline" and former "Nightly News" Anchor Lester Holt joins the pod. He has a new podcast series, "The Last Appeal," which re-examines the case of Robert Roberson, a Texas man convicted of murder in the death of his 2-year-old daughter, Nikki. After two decades on death row and two delayed executions, Roberson is now set to die on Oct. 16. Lester returned to Texas to uncover new evidence and speak with the lead detective who now believes Roberson may be innocent. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We mark two years since the morning of Oct. 7, a day that changed Israel, Gaza and global politics forever. We’ll revisit those harrowing hours when Hamas militants stormed across the border and took hundreds of hostages, and hear from one of them: Keith Siegel, who spent nearly 500 days in captivity, joins host Yasmin Vossoughian. And we dig into how the government shutdown could tilt the balance in the November elections. NBC News data analyst Steve Kornacki joins the pod to explain who stands to lose (or gain) politically in some key races. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Trump administration is moving to deploy the National Guard to Portland and Chicago, igniting a high-stakes legal showdown over state sovereignty and the limits of presidential power. NBC News Senior Homeland Security Correspondent Julia Ainsley joins host Morgan Chesky to break down what’s at stake. And there’s renewed hope for an end to the war in Gaza. Officials from the Trump administration, Israel and Hamas are meeting in Egypt to finalize what could be a historic peace deal. The timing is striking, coming on the eve of Oct. 7, two years after Hamas launched its brutal terror attack that killed 1,200 people and saw another 250  kidnapped. In Gaza, many Palestinians are desperate for an end to the Israeli bombardment that has killed more than 67,000 people, most of them women and children, according to the Health Ministry. NBC News Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel reports from kibbutz Be’eri, one of the hardest-hit communities, where attackers murdered 102 people and took several hostages. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hey Here’s the Scoop fans! As a bonus for you, we’re sharing a special preview clip of The Last Appeal, an all-new original podcast series from Dateline and Lester Holt. In this series, Lester Holt takes listeners inside the urgent case of Robert Roberson, a Texas father set to be executed on October 16th for the 2002 death of his 2-year-old daughter. Lester is on the ground in Texas, where he examines the evidence against Roberson and talks to the people closest to the case, including the lead detective, who now believes he helped put an innocent man behind bars. Lester’s exclusive interviews reveal critical information the jury never heard. This series will confront listeners with questions about justice and truth, and perhaps the most haunting question of all: Is an innocent man about to be put to death? To start listening, just search “The Last Appeal”. And remember to follow for new episodes releasing each day this week. For ad-free listening, subscribe to Dateline Premium on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or DatelinePremium.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Breaking news out of Gaza: Hamas says it agreed to release all Israeli hostages, alive or dead, as long as "the field conditions for the exchange are met" and expressed willingness to negotiate through mediators on President Donald Trump's plan for peace in the Middle East. NBC News foreign correspondent Matt Bradley is in Israel and joins host Morgan Chesky to break down the details. And the government is still shuttered. White House correspondent Monica Alba joins the pod to give us a sense of the tone inside the West Wing and what’s next in this shutdown showdown.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What was supposed to be a day of prayer as worshippers observed Yom Kippur was suddenly torn apart at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester, England, after a man rammed a car into a crowd and stabbed several people. Two people were killed and four seriously injured. Host Brian Cheung speaks with Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel about that attack, as well as the latest from Jerusalem, where Richard is on the ground. Then, NBC News Correspondent Anne Thompson joins to discuss recent remarks from Pope Leo XIV critical of anti-immigration rhetoric. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Congress failed to fund the government, which is now officially closed for business. Lawmakers failed to pass a short-term spending bill last night, and the Senate reconvened this morning with little to show for it. Both parties are digging in: Democrats say they won’t budge without an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies, while Republicans are calling that a political stunt. House Speaker Mike Johnson put the blame squarely on Democrats, saying they dragged the country into a “reckless shutdown.” So, where does Washington go from here, and how long could this drag on? NBC News Chief Capitol Hill Correspondent Ryan Nobles joins host Yamin Vossoughian to talk about the latest developments. And what does this shutdown mean for you? We’ve tapped a few of our beat reporters to break it all down. From Senior Business Correspondent Christine Romans on the ripple effects on the economy, to Senior Correspondent Tom Costello on what it could mean for air travel - and that’s just a start, we’ve got more correspondents to help connect the dots. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We start with an extraordinary gathering in Quantico, Virginia. Hundreds of the nation’s top military leaders were abruptly summoned to hear from President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. On stage, Hegseth unveiled 10 directives for the armed forces, pledging to root out what he called “wokeness,” overhaul fitness standards and even rebrand the Pentagon. From now on, he declared, the Defense Department will go by its historic name: the Department of War. He opened by announcing the end of policies related to diversity, equity and inclusion, then turned to physical standards, bluntly criticizing what he described as “fat” troops and demanding stricter grooming requirements across the ranks. Senior national security correspondent Courtney Kube and retired Army Col. Jack Jacobs, an NBC News military analyst, join host Yasmin Vossoughian to break it down. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking in Washington. Funding for the federal government runs out at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, and without a deal, hundreds of thousands of federal workers could soon be working without pay or sent home without a paycheck. From air traffic controllers to park rangers to military families, the ripple effects of a shutdown would be felt coast to coast. NBC News chief Capitol Hill correspondent Ryan Nobles  joins the pod. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We’re headed to the White House, where President Trump said a deal had been reached for “peace in the Middle East.” The president sat down with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this morning to push a 20-point plan demanding that Israel immediately halt its offensive in Gaza and that Hamas free all remaining hostages within 72 hours. Neither Israel nor Hamas had signed on before today’s talks, and with no Hamas representatives at the table, the path forward is far from certain. Still, Trump is touting this as the moment the war itself should end. We’ll break down what’s in the plan, how leaders are reacting, and what this could mean for the region. Senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and Middle East analyst Aaron David Miller joins host Yasmin Vossoughian. And here we go again: President Trump is sending National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon. However, state and city leaders are suing, arguing that he lacks the authority. The administration’s memo lays out a 60-day mission for 200 guard members to protect ICE facilities. After deployments in Los Angeles and D.C., and another planned for Memphis, NBC News senior security correspondent Courtney Kube helps us break it all down. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.