--:-- Janine Herbst: We all wonder about life's big questions. Why are we here? What are we to do? And how to make sense of it all?
--:-- Janine Herbst: On Ye Gods with Scott Carter, I talk with politicos, priests, actors, and atheists on how they wrestle with life's mysteries. Their stories will spark reflection, challenge assumptions, and maybe even bring you some clarity on your own journey. Listen to Ye Gods, part of the NPR network, wherever you get your podcasts.
--:-- Janine Herbst: Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herbst. The Israeli military says it's pulled back in Gaza to a line specified under a ceasefire agreement with Hamas.
--:-- Janine Herbst: NPR's Greg Myrie says it's the first phase of President Trump's plan for ending the war in Gaza.
--:-- Greg Myrie: The Israeli military announced at midday that the troops had been repositioned. The move comes just hours after the Israeli government formally approved the ceasefire deal.
--:-- Greg Myrie: While the pullback is a crucial first step, Israeli troops are still present in many parts of Gaza and still control just over 50% of the territory.
--:-- Greg Myrie: In a statement, the military warned Palestinians to stay away from the troops, saying, quote, approaching them endangers your life.
--:-- Greg Myrie: The Israeli redeployment means the clock is now ticking for Hamas which has three days to release the 20 Israeli hostages still believed to be alive.
--:-- Janine Herbst: Greg Myrie NPR News Tel Aviv.
--:-- Janine Herbst: And Trump says he plans to travel to the Middle East on Sunday.
--:-- Janine Herbst: New York Attorney General Letitia James says her indictment on mortgage fraud, which she denies, is a continuation of President Trump's, quote, desperate weaponization of the justice system, all because she says she did her job.
--:-- Janine Herbst: She sued Trump and his company for mortgage fraud, winning a $450 million civil judgment that was partially overturned.
--:-- Janine Herbst: Former federal prosecutor Eli Honig.
--:-- Eli Honig: We've never seen, we've never seen a president overtly, explicitly, publicly declare, I want these people by name, Letitia James is now the second person on that list who has been indicted, joining Jim Comey.
--:-- Eli Honig: I want these people charged. And it's overtly political. And that's the line that's crossed.
--:-- Janine Herbst: Speaking there on NPR's Morning Edition.
--:-- Janine Herbst: This year's Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to Venezuela's opposition leader, Maria Corina Mercado.
--:-- Janine Herbst: MPR's Eleanor Beardsley has more.
--:-- Eleanor Beardsley: Nobel chairman Jorgen Watna Fridnis said Mercado refused to stay silent and lives in hiding in her own country to fight for democracy.
--:-- Eleanor Beardsley: He described the work of her poll-watching organization in Venezuela's presidential race last year.
--:-- Eleanor Beardsley: Despite the risk of harassment arrest and torture citizens across the country held watch over the polling stations.
--:-- Eleanor Beardsley: They made sure the final tallies were documented before the regime could destroy ballots and lie about the outcome.
--:-- Eleanor Beardsley: The right-leaning activist is also a staunch supporter of President Trump and has praised the administration's efforts to crack down on drug cartels in Venezuela.
--:-- Janine Herbst: Eleanor Beardsley, NPR News, Paris.
--:-- Janine Herbst: President Trump is lashing out at China for introducing new restrictions on exports of rare earths and related technologies, and he's threatening new tariffs on China.
--:-- Janine Herbst: He also says he may cancel his planned meeting with President Xi Jinping later this month.
--:-- Janine Herbst: That sent Wall Street lower.
--:-- Janine Herbst: The Dow is down 554 points, Nasdaq down 452.
--:-- Janine Herbst: This is NPR News.
--:-- Janine Herbst: In Tennessee, there's been an explosion at an explosives manufacturing plant in Buxnort.
--:-- Janine Herbst: That's about an hour southwest of Nashville.
--:-- Janine Herbst: On Facebook, the sheriff of Hickman County confirmed the explosion at Accurate Energetic Systems, which manufactures TNT and various products used by the military.
--:-- Janine Herbst: Emergency services are on the scene, but so far there are no reports of casualties.
--:-- Janine Herbst: Authorities in the southern Philippines say two earthquakes, both offshore, hit the area.
--:-- Janine Herbst: The first a magnitude 7 the second one a preliminary magnitude of 6
--:-- Janine Herbst: Several deaths are reported along with damage to homes hospitals and other buildings
--:-- Janine Herbst: Michael Sullivan has more on the first quake.
--:-- Michael Sullivan: The quake was among the strongest to affect the Philippines in recent memory, knocking out power, damaging buildings, and causing authorities to issue a tsunami warning, which has since been lifted.
--:-- Michael Sullivan: The quake struck in the southern Mindanao region of the country and came less than two weeks after the Philippines experienced its deadliest quake in more than a decade, which struck off the island of Cebu and left more than 70 dead.
--:-- Michael Sullivan: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said search and rescue teams are being deployed to assist those in need after today's quake.
--:-- Janine Herbst: For NPR News, I'm Michael Sullivan in Chiang Rai, Thailand.
--:-- Janine Herbst: And on Wall Street, the Dow is down 552 points.
--:-- Janine Herbst: That's down 1.1 percent.
--:-- Janine Herbst: The Nasdaq is down nearly 2%, a loss of 450 points.
--:-- Janine Herbst: The S&P 500 down 1.5%.
--:-- Janine Herbst: That's a loss of 101 points.
--:-- Janine Herbst: I'm Janine Herbst, and you're listening to NPR News from Washington.
