5 Good Things: He Died Laughing & Came Back to Life
5 Things
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NCS 5 Things
Sat, Oct 11
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Michael Smerconish tackles the American political and information tales of the week, providing a singular non-ideological take: his personal.

Ceasefire in Gaza: The Road to Peace? Oct 11, 2025
A short-term ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, now in its second day, which includes the partial withdrawal of Israeli troops and the trade of hostages and prisoners. Michael Smerconish experiences from the Philadelphia suburbs and offers updates from NCS’s Jeremy Diamond in Tel Aviv. The script mentions President Trump’s upcoming go to to the area to monitor the state of affairs and the complicated political panorama together with Palestinian displacement and devastation in Gaza. It additionally options an evaluation by New York Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman, who examines the delicate peace talks and the broader implications for lasting peace in the Middle East. The latter a part of the script transitions to home U.S. politics, discussing the federal government shutdown, the necessity for bipartisan cooperation, and the position of independents like Joe Manchin in Congress. The script concludes with a section on media commentator Barry Weiss and her new management position at CBS News, highlighting her views on political extremism and impartial journalism.