Here's the Scoop

After President Donald Trump said peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin were on hold, Russia carried out intense strikes in Ukraine overnight, with more than 400 drones and 20-plus missiles, according to Ukraine’s air force command. NBC News chief international correspondent Keir Simmons joins host Yasmin Vossoughian to break down how the talks fell apart and what prospects for peace remain. Also, immigration authorities carried out sweeping raids in Los Angeles and New York, sparking protests. Correspondent Morgan Chesky and reporter Adam Reiss tell Yasmin what they saw on the ground. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It’s about to become the second-longest government shutdown in U.S. history and, as the days tick on, Republicans and Democrats appear confident in their stances. However, it’s a race against the clock for everyday Americans, as funding for food assistance programs is set to expire by the end of the week and federal workers are on the brink of missing their first full paycheck. We check in with our reporters around the country on how life looks from food banks to airports to courts before NBC News chief Capitol Hill correspondent Ryan Nobles gives us the reality check on when this could actually end. And while the Capitol may be quiet, just down the road the White House is buzzing. Crews are tearing into the East Wing to make way for a new ballroom, a pet project of President Trump’s. It’s the most significant change to the White House since the 1940s, and a sharp turn from his earlier promise not to touch the historic building. Kelly O’Donnell, NBC News justice and national affairs correspondent, also 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.

As President Donald Trump touts progress toward ending the war in Ukraine, the fragile ceasefire in Gaza is starting to splinter. Israel launched new strikes over the weekend after it said Hamas fighters killed two Israeli soldiers in an area that was supposed to be under IDF control. The renewed violence is testing Trump’s broader push for stability in the region and raising fresh doubts about whether this ceasefire can hold. Host Morgan Chesky is joined by NBC News Foreign Correspondent Matt Bradley. And cue the Pink Panther, because this one’s straight out of a movie. Thieves pulled off a daring daylight robbery at the Louvre in Paris, stealing priceless jewels once worn by French royalty. The museum had just opened when the heist went down, leaving police scrambling for clues, a nation humiliated and security experts stunned that it happened under the glass pyramid itself. NBC News Foreign Correspondent Molly Hunter joins the pod from Paris to walk us through this caper. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in Washington today, pressing his case for a new aid package as the war in Eastern Europe grinds on. The visit comes just as President Trump rides a wave of momentum from his surprise Middle East peace deal, but, can that diplomatic momentum stretch from Gaza to Kyiv? John E. Herbst, senior director of the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center and former Ukraine ambassador, joins host Morgan Chesky. Plus, John Bolton, who once held the role of President Trump’s national security adviser, surrendered this morning to authorities following yesterday’s 18-count federal indictment in connection with his alleged mishandling of classified information. He pleaded not guilty in court. Bolton, the third critic of President Trump to face criminal charges in recent weeks, has called this prosecution “retribution.” NBC News senior justice reporter Ryan Reilly breaks down the case. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Pentagon is emptying out today after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth implemented new rules for members of the press. Reporters can now have their press passes revoked if they publish information that the Pentagon hasn’t authorized for release. After the vast majority of publications refused to comply, reporters turned in their badges and left the Pentagon. NBC Senior National Politics reporter Jon Allen joins host Yasmin Vossoughian to explain what this means for reporting on the U.S. military. PLUS there’s a tale of two economies when you look at Main Street versus Wall Street. While consumers face steeper costs and a weakening job market, the stock market is hitting record highs.  What’s causing the stock boom? The trillions of dollars being invested in A.I. But there are serious concerns this could be a tech bubble ready to pop. NBC News Senior Business Correspondent breaks this all down on the show. 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 growing uneasy over the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Israel accused Hamas of breaking the U.S.-brokered deal and threatened to withhold aid. Hamas was supposed to return the remains of 28 hostages, but it has only handed over eight, one of which Israel says doesn’t match any known hostage. Hamas blames the destruction in Gaza for the delay. Can both sides keep the peace from falling apart? NBC News foreign correspondent Matt Bradley and Aaron David Miller, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, join host Yasmin Vossoughian. Also, President Donald Trump says U.S. forces have struck another vessel off the coast of Venezuela, part of a growing campaign targeting alleged drug smugglers in the Caribbean. It’s the fifth strike since September, leaving at least 27 people dead. But members of Congress are raising questions about the legality and secrecy of the operation. Officials told NBC News they’ve gotten few answers. NBC News correspondent Courtney Kube, who covers security and the military, is here to break it down.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As the shutdown enters its 14th day, House Speaker Mike Johnson is warning that we’re far from the end. Speaking Monday, Johnson predicted it would be “one of the longest shutdowns” to date. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is making moves to lay off thousands of furloughed federal workers – while also reappropriating other funds to make sure military members don’t miss a paycheck. Both moves are being challenged in court. Chief Capitol Hill correspondent (and resident shutdown expert) Ryan Nobles joins host Laura Jarrett to break it all down. Also, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the highest annual number of measles cases in more than 30 years, with hundreds of unvaccinated children in South Carolina and Minnesota quarantining. NBC News medical contributor Kavita Patel explains what’s going on and what symptoms to be on the lookout for. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It’s a moment 738 days in the making. All 20 surviving hostages held by Hamas have been released, ending two years of fear, uncertainty and waiting. President Trump called it a “historic dawn of a new Middle East” as he spoke before Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, framing the deal as both a humanitarian breakthrough and the start of something bigger. Hamas also released the bodies of four of the  28 hostages who died in captivity. In exchange, Israel freed 250 prisoners serving life sentences and more than 1,700 others detained since the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks. Host Yasmin Vossoughian is joined by Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel, NBC News International Correspondent Danielle Hamamdjian, and NBC News Chief International Correspondent Keir Simmons, who are all fanned out across the region. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

President Trump has added another name to his growing list of political rivals facing an indictment. A federal grand jury yesterday charged New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat who’s long sparred with Trump, with one count of bank fraud and one count of making false statements. James is forcefully denying the allegations, calling the charges “baseless” and accusing the president of pursuing “political retribution at any cost.” David Rohde, NBC News senior executive editor for national security & law, joins host Brian Cheung. It’s Day 10 of the government shutdown, and that “closed” sign isn’t coming down anytime soon. The Senate failed to reach a deal before heading home for the long weekend, meaning the shutdown could stretch into a third week. What started as an inside-the-Beltway standoff is now hitting home across the country: Federal workers are missing paychecks, military members could soon be next, and delays are stacking up at airports. The White House budget chief posted on X, “The RIFs have begun,” referring to reductions in force, aka layoffs. NBC News Capitol Hill correspondent Melanie Zanona joins the pod with the latest. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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.