Daily Briefing: American child among hostages freed
Hostages abducted by Hamas were freed over the weekend as part of the first phase of an exchange deal brokered by Qatar and Egypt. Also in the news: A cold front is headed for swaths of the U.S. and Cyber Monday is expected to be one of the nation's biggest annual shopping days.
🙋🏼♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. Are deepfake videos peddling fake news?
Here is the news to know Monday.
Calls to extend wartime cease-fire follow hostage releases
Seventeen more captives including an American child were freed by militants Sunday in a third round of hostage releases amid a cease-fire President Joe Biden, Hamas leaders and the Israeli government say they want to extend.
Among them was American Avigail Edan, 4, who was kidnapped from Kfar Aza kibbutz in the militant rampage into Israeli border communities Oct. 7 that left 1,200 people dead. Avigail's parents were killed, and her two older brothers hid in a closet and survived.
Monday is the last day of a temporary cease-fire brokered to enable the return of captives on both sides of the Israel-Hamas war. Hamas leaders on Sunday announced an effort to extend the cease-fire that began Friday in tandem with the release of more Palestinians held in Israel and more militant-held hostages. Israel has said it would extend the cease-fire by one day for every 10 additional hostages released.
Biden also wants to extend the pause, which has allowed 200 aid trucks to move into Gaza each day carrying food, water, medicine, fuel and cooking gas.
Who are the hostages freed by Hamas? Under the current four-day ceasefire agreement, 50 hostages are to be released in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners, leaving over 150 hostages in the Gaza Strip.
Related: Biden is sending $100M in aid into Gaza. Is any of it ending up in the hands of Hamas?
3 college students of Palestinian descent shot in Vermont
The FBI is investigating the shootings of three young men of Palestinian descent who were injured near the University of Vermont while visiting for a Thanksgiving holiday gathering, in what authorities said may have been a hate crime. The three victims, all age 20 and college students, were visiting one of the victim’s relatives in Burlington, Vermont, when they were shot. Police have arrested a suspect. The shootings come amid a spike in hate crimes across the United States since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7. Read more
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Two paramedics will stand trial Monday after Elijah McClain's death sparked national concern over the use of sedatives during police encounters.
For subscribers: A student-parent reflects on attending college with a child.
On today's The Excerpt podcast, the situation for aid workers in Gaza. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your smart speaker.
What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.
Below-average temperatures chill across the US
Below-average temperatures are likely to saturate most of the country to start the post-Turkey Day workweek. One of the biggest trouble spots is expected in the Great Lakes region, where some of the chilliest air of the season will trigger lake-effect snow, forecasters say, and travel could be treacherous from portions of the Midwest to the Northeast. About 1-3 inches of snowfall rates per hour, power outages and whiteout conditions were possible in some of those areas from Sunday night into late Tuesday, according to forecasters. Read more
Here's what to set your thermostat to in the winter and more tips to lower your heating bills.
Cyber Monday is here and online shoppers aren't holding back
Shoppers spent more on Black Friday than expected, and that came ahead of Cyber Monday, which is forecast to be the year's biggest online shopping day, with consumers set to spend a record $12 billion, according to experts. Cyber Monday is projected to yield the best deals on electronics and furniture, with discounts continuing into next month. The online shopping day comes after consumers spent a record $9.8 billion shopping online on Friday. What are people buying? Top purchases include Bluetooth headphones, smartphones, skin care products, cookware sets and coffee makers. Read more
Here are the best Cyber Monday deals you can find today.
For subscribers: The U.S. economy is doing better than the national mood suggests.
These delivery drivers have gone out of their way to help customers.
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The playoff chase shaping up to be wild after NFL Week 12
Get ready for a wild sprint over the final six weeks of the regular season – 14 playoff spots, including two first-round byes, on the line. In the AFC alone Sunday, the No. 1 seed traded hands four times – the Miami Dolphins beginning the day in possession of it until the Jacksonville Jaguars temporarily took hold of it before they surrendered it to the Kansas City Chiefs. With three AFC losses − more than Kansas City, Jacksonville or Miami – the Baltimore Ravens are not likely to retain that top seeding going into Week 14. Read more
Ravens vs. Chargers Sunday Night Football highlights: Baltimore keeps perch atop AFC.
College football Week 13 winners and losers: Michigan again got the best of Ohio State.
Deion Sanders isn't discouraged by Colorado's poor finish.
Photo of the day: See the stars on Beyoncé's 'Renaissance' carpet
Famous friends including Michelle Williams, Kelly Rowland, Lizzo and even OG Destiny's Child members LeToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson showed up in support of Beyoncé's new "Renaissance" tour film in Beverly Hills, California. Check out more photos from the chrome carpet.
Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com or follow along with her musings on Twitter. Support journalism like this – subscribe to USA TODAY here.
Associated Press contributed reporting.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Israel-Hamas war, Vermont shooting, Cyber Monday, winter weather, NFL, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé: Daily Briefing
