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Today's top stories
Tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians in Gaza began walking home today for the first time in over a year. The long trek home to the devastated areas of the north is a massive moment for families who've been sheltering in tents after forced displacement by the Israeli military during the war. It comes after an agreement was reached to release Arbel Yehud, an Israeli civilian hostage, along with two other hostages as part of a fragile ceasefire.
/ AFP via Getty Images
- 🎧 A few days after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, over a million people heeded Israel's order to leave their homes in Gaza City and the north, never imagining it would be 16 months of displacement, NPR's Aya Batrawy tells Up First. NPR producer Anas Baba told Batrawy that every step he takes to reunite with Gaza City takes him to heaven. The reality is many people are returning without those they left with. The United Nations says there are unexploded bombs amid the debris, posing a serious risk to people.
- ➡️ For the first time in eight months, NPR saw a glimpse of the southern Gaza city of Rafah. See photos of the city before and after Israeli ground forces entered in May 2024.
The Trump administration is working on a plan to save TikTok by collaborating with the software company Oracle and a group of investors to take effective control of the app's global operations, sources have informed NPR. Under the proposed deal, ByteDance, TikTok's China-based owner, would retain a minority stake in the company. Oracle would be responsible for overseeing the app's algorithm, data collection, and software updates. This arrangement would result in American investors owning a majority stake in TikTok, although the details of the deal are still being finalized.
Rwandan-backed M23 rebels claim to have seized Goma, a key city in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo. Yesterday, the sound of artillery fire could be heard across the city and thousands of people carrying their belongings rushed for the city center, trying to escape the fighting. The M23, which first emerged in 2012, says it is fighting to protect minorities in Congo, such as the Tutsi. However, rights groups accuse it of committing massacres along with other abuses.
The Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles are set to go head-to-head in this year's Super Bowl, a rematch of the big game from two seasons ago. The Chiefs won that game as well as last year's. They're looking to be the first team to win back-to-back-to-back in Super Bowl history.
- 🎧 There are more injuries in football, there are bigger rosters that are hard to keep together year after year and coaches get poached away, making it a more difficult feat in the sport, NPR's Becky Sullivan says. The Chiefs have stayed mostly healthy, with some replacements and key players sticking around. The Eagles won against this year's Cinderella story, the Washington Commanders, with 55 points. Both teams have looked like Super Bowl contenders all season, and now their matchup is less than two weeks away.
Today's listen
In Amours Interdites (Forbidden Love), French pianist David Kadouch explores the works of gay composers from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Kadouch told Morning Edition host Michel Martin that he wanted to tell the stories of people who were out in their letters and how sometimes in their music they tried to tell their secret. Classical music became a place of refuge, especially in Paris at the beginning of the 20th century, where it was not forbidden by law, but still frowned upon.
- 🎧 Listen to snippets from the album and read more about how he views the work.
Life advice
Cardio workouts are good for your health, but it can be hard to find the motivation to exercise. Dr. Jayne Morgan, a cardiologist, shares tips to make heart-pumping movement part of your daily life:
- 👟 Aim for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise weekly, split into five 30-minute sessions.
- 👟 Cardio isn't just running. Try dancing, swimming and roller-skating.
- 👟 Not enough time and energy in your day? Speed up daily activities like cleaning and walking your dog.
This comic has all the answers to get you started!
3 things to know before you go
- For the first time in history, Japanese snowboarder Hiroto Ogiwara and Italian skier Miro Tabanelli pulled off a 2340, a six-and-a-half-rotation maneuver, in competition at the X Games in Aspen, Colo.
- American tennis player Madison Keys won her first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open on Saturday, defeating Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka. Keys was ranked No. 19 going into the final match.
- More than 80 days after Election Day, Republican Jefferson Griffin is challenging roughly 65,000 votes in a fight for a state high court seat. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear arguments for the case today.
This newsletter was edited by Majd Al-Waheidi.
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