--:-- Ryland Barton: Support for NPR and the following message come from Indeed. You just realized your business needed to hire someone yesterday. Speed up your hiring right now with Indeed. Claim your $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at indeed.com slash NPR. Terms and conditions apply.
--:-- Ryland Barton: Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Ryland Barton. Around 1,700 Palestinians were released from Israeli prison and returned to Gaza today is part of a ceasefire deal in the war between Israel and Hamas.
--:-- Kat Lonsdorf: In return, the remaining 20 hostages still alive after being held in Gaza for more than two years were returned to Israel, along with several bodies of hostages. NPR's Kat Lonsdorf has more.
--:-- Kat Lonsdorf: The Palestinians' return to Gaza were part of thousands seized by Israeli forces and imprisoned without charges during the war. In the city of Khan Yunus, loved ones cheered at their release.
--:-- Islam Ahmed: It was miserable in prison. We were beaten and humiliated, Ahmed said, noting he lost more than 60 pounds in 10 months.
--:-- Kat Lonsdorf: Israel prison service has defended its treatment of Palestinians although human rights groups in Israel and abroad have documented serious mistreatment.
--:-- Kat Lonsdorf: Around 200 Palestinian prisoners were also released many who had been serving sentences for serious crimes against Israelis and exiled to other countries.
--:-- Kat Lonsdorf: Major questions remain about the future of Gaza, including whether Hamas will disarm and who will govern the enclave. But after celebrating the first steps of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal, President Trump is trying to advance a broader peace in the region.
--:-- Donald Trump: He's calling for a new era of harmony in the Middle East. All the momentum now is toward a great, glorious and lasting peace. And our commitment to fulfilling the 20-point plan we developed together will be the crucial foundation for achieving that bright future. And it's being worked on right now as we speak.
--:-- Donald Trump: Trump spoke during a global summit in Egypt on Gaza's future. Trump urged world leaders to end old feuds and said the Israel-Hamas ceasefire is the first step to peace.
--:-- Ryland Barton: About 20 percent of the U.S. Department of Education's remaining staff received reduction in force, or RIF, notices on Friday. As NPR's Corey Turner reports, that includes nearly everyone inside the department's Office of Special Education.
--:-- Corey Turner: This office collects and analyzes data and annual reports from states making sure they following federal law and serving the nearly 8 million kids with disabilities in the U If staff worry a state has fallen out of compliance they step in They even have customer service reps who answer calls directly from parents and families
--:-- Corey Turner: I spoke with six staffers who received RIF notices They told me nearly the entire staff had been laid off Friday, except for a few top executives and support staff. One said, quote, This is decimating the office responsible for safeguarding the rights of infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities.
--:-- Corey Turner: The Education Department did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
--:-- Ryland Barton: U.S. stocks recovered more than half of their sell-off from Friday. The S&P 500 climbed 1.5%. From Washington, you're listening to NPR News.
--:-- Ryland Barton: Republican leaders of North Carolina's legislature say they will go ahead with redrawing the state's congressional districts next week to be more favorable for GOP candidates. It's part of President Trump's national gerrymandering effort, which started with a new map in Texas that could help Republicans win five additional seats in Congress there.
--:-- Ryland Barton: Voters in California will decide whether to allow a new map there that would allow Democrats to win five seats.
--:-- Ryland Barton: Halloween candy is pricier than ever this year, with costs up by more than 20 percent since 2021. But that's not slowing down American consumers, as NPR's Netta Ulibi reports.
--:-- Netta Ulibi: Candy prices are up 8 percent this year alone according to the National Confectioners Association That largely because of a cocoa shortage from West Africa That area produces the majority of the world cocoa It's been deeply affected by climate change, like extreme droughts and rain.
--:-- Netta Ulibi: That in turn affects big chocolate companies like Hershey, which doubled prices earlier this year. Some consumer advocates are urging Americans to buy non-chocolate treats That could mean a lot of jolly ranchers for trick-or-treaters.
--:-- Netta Ulibi: Americans are expected to spend nearly $4 billion this year on Halloween candy. That's according to the National Retail Federation.
--:-- Ryland Barton: Cape Verde will play in the World Cup for the first time next year after beating Eswatini 3-0, securing one of the nine automatic spots for the African continent.
--:-- Ryland Barton: It'll be the second smallest country by population to be featured in the World Cup after Iceland in 2018.
--:-- Ryland Barton: I'm Ryland Barton. You're listening to NPR News from Washington.
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