Gaza Cease-Fire and Nobel Peace Prize Headline a Day of Major Developments

A cease-fire in the Gaza Strip took effect, prompting thousands of displaced residents to return north despite widespread destruction. The agreement includes the withdrawal of Israeli troops, the release of Palestinian prisoners, and the return of hostages, alongside a surge of humanitarian aid. Meanwhile, María Corina Machado, a Venezuelan opposition leader living in hiding, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for uniting her country's opposition against its authoritarian president, sparking both celebration and tension in Venezuela.

In the United States, the White House began significant staff reductions, with further uncertainty about the scope and impact. The Trump administration faced pushback from higher education, as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology rejected a proposed agreement tying funding to political priorities. Other notable news included a deadly explosion in Tennessee, the impeachment of Peru's president, and China’s construction of a massive solar farm. The 50th anniversary of the Edmund Fitzgerald shipwreck and Kansas City's barbecue scene also featured in cultural highlights.