NTD Evening News

A factory blast at an explosives plant in rural Humphreys County, Tennessee, on Friday left more than a dozen people missing. Authorities say Saturday that no survivors have been recovered, with around 300 first responders scouring the site following the explosion.

Homecoming celebrations in Mississippi turned deadly, as two separate shootings left at least six people dead and more than a dozen injured. Police say one suspect is in custody in connection with one of the incidents.

As the government shutdown enters its 11th day, President Donald Trump directed Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to “use all available funds to get our troops paid on October 15th,” as he prepares to travel to the Middle East to mark the historic Gaza peace deal between Israel and terrorist group Hamas.

President Trump today threatened to cancel a planned meeting with Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping and threatened to raise tariffs on China after Beijing imposed tougher export controls on rare earths. In a Truth Social post, Trump said that starting November 1—or sooner—the U.S. will impose export controls on all critical software and add a 100% tariff on Chinese goods, on top of existing tariffs.

An explosion at a munitions plant in Tennessee killed multiple people this morning, with at least 19 reported dead or missing. Detonations continued for several hours after the initial blast. Authorities are notifying victims’ families and investigating the cause of the explosion.

In the Middle East, a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip has officially begun. Israeli forces have completed a partial withdrawal but remain in parts of the territory. Meanwhile, residents in Gaza have begun returning to their homes.

A grand jury has indicted New York Attorney General Letitia James on two charges related to mortgage fraud. The Justice Department alleged that she misrepresented the use of her house in Norfolk, Virginia to obtain a lower mortgage rate.

President Donald Trump announced the timeline for the release of all Gaza hostages, saying they’ll be freed early next week. He projects optimism that terrorist group Hamas will disarm as the peace deal takes shape. Lawmakers from both parties credited the president for his peace efforts.

As the government shutdown enters its ninth day, half of all federal employees remain furloughed, while many others continue working without pay. Lawmakers debate whether a continuing resolution will include the extension of Obamacare tax credits.

Former FBI Director James Comey pleaded not guilty to two criminal charges today at his arraignment. Democrats accuse the Justice Department of political persecution, but Republicans say Comey could be facing further charges following a report alleging his FBI spied on conservative lawmakers.

President Trump announced today that he may travel to the Middle East this weekend as his negotiators work to seal a Gaza hostages-for-ceasefire deal, saying the agreement is “very close.” Negotiators have been meeting in Egypt, with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner also joining the talks.

Trump held a roundtable Wednesday afternoon at the White House focused on Antifa. He accused the group, recently designated a terrorist organization, of “carrying out a campaign of violence against ICE agents and other officials charged with enforcing federal law,” and said federal law enforcement will be “looking very strongly at the people funding these operations.”

Staffing shortages at airports are causing delays as the government shutdown enters its seventh day. President Donald Trump says he’s talking to Democrats about health care—one of their demands to reopen the government. The White House also says it will use tariff revenue to fund federal food aid for mothers and young children.

Trump met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the White House on Tuesday. The second visit from Carney this year comes amid a trade standoff between the United States and Canada. Trump gave Carney a warm welcome and said he was keeping an open mind toward a new iteration of the free trade agreement with Mexico and Canada.

Attorney General Pam Bondi testified before the Senate on Tuesday for the first time since her confirmation hearing. Bondi outlined the Justice Department’s efforts to end what she said was the weaponization of government. Investigations are underway into the FBI’s use of surveillance on Republican senators and certain activists during the previous administration.

Tuesday marks the two-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel. On this day in 2023, the terrorist group killed more than 1,200 people and took more than 250 hostages back to the Gaza Strip. This comes as Israeli and Hamas officials launched indirect talks on Monday at an Egyptian resort on a U.S.-drafted peace plan.

The government shutdown has entered its sixth day. The Senate is voting again Monday on both Democratic and Republican proposals to reopen the government. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has challenged Speaker Mike Johnson to a debate over the shutdown, while the White House warns that the closure could cost the country about $15 billion per week.

In Chicago, Mayor Brandon Johnson has signed an executive order creating “ICE-free zones,” effectively barring federal immigration agents from operating on city-owned property. The Trump administration called the move a “betrayal of every law-abiding citizen.” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says some federal agents have bounties on them. President Donald Trump called recent attacks on ICE in Chicago and elsewhere “criminal insurrection” and warned of severe consequences for the assailants.

The Supreme Court opened its 2025–2026 term Monday, beginning nine months of arguments on cases that could reshape major constitutional issues and affect Trump’s agenda. On the first day, the justices heard arguments on two procedural cases, including one involving the right to counsel, while declining to take up several other cases.

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Protests are happening at immigration law enforcement facilities across the country. Officers resort to deploying tear gas and arresting protesters. The latest on President Donald Trump's efforts to deploy the National Guard.

Trump has been saluting the Navy in Norfolk, Virginia, this afternoon. That's as naval troops and gold star families honor the Navy's 250th anniversary.

The state department just released the 2025 Trafficking in Persons Report. A trafficking investigator and a survivor join us to unpack the report and what needs to be done.

A doctor of traditional Chinese medicine shares details about the link between the body's energy flow and mental and physical health. More on why he calls modern depression medication a "bandaid solution."

And the Earth's gentle giants are getting a helping hand. Find out how a new vaccine developed at Chester Zoo can help prevent a deadly disease that kills endangered elephants.

A multi-vehicle attack targeted ICE agents in Chicago Saturday. Homeland Security officials say agents were rammed and boxed in by vehicles, with one assailant carrying a semi-automatic weapon. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker says the Trump administration has given him an ultimatum to call up the National Guard.

In Japan, the ruling party has elected a China hawk and staunch conservative as its next leader, positioning her to become the country’s next prime minister.

And on the Middle East, President Donald Trump announced Saturday afternoon that Israel has agreed to an initial withdrawal line in Gaza.

In a breaking development, the Hamas terrorist group says it will release all remaining hostages held in the Gaza Strip, announcing it has agreed to parts of President Trump’s plan to end the war and is ready to negotiate further details. The statement comes after Trump gave Hamas until 6 p.m. ET Sunday to agree to his peace deal. In response, Trump said Israel must halt bombing to allow hostages to be released safely, adding that discussions on the details are underway.

On day three of the government shutdown, lawmakers remain deadlocked over funding. Senate Democrats have blocked a Republican-backed bill for the fourth time, while GOP leaders are urging rank-and-file Democrats to break with their party to end the standoff. The Senate will be in recess over the weekend, with the next votes on government funding expected Monday.

A federal judge in New York today has sentenced Sean Combs to 50 months in prison on two charges related to prostitution. With credit for the 13 months already served, Combs will spend just over three more years behind bars. He was also given five years of supervised release and ordered to pay a $500,000 fine.

It’s day two of the government shutdown. Democrats are demanding the repeal of parts of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to reopen the government, while Republicans say that doing so would reopen loopholes allowing noncitizens access to taxpayer-funded health care.

Meanwhile, the White House has canceled nearly $8 billion in federal funding for hundreds of energy projects and signaled that certain government agencies will face cuts, as the Trump administration seeks to implement spending reductions during the shutdown.

Two people were killed and three others seriously wounded in an attack on a synagogue in Manchester, England. Authorities identified the suspect as Jihad Al-Shamie, a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent, and have declared the incident a terrorist attack.