PBS News Hour

ALI ROGIN: In the day's other news, three Israeli hostages are back with their families after Hamas released them as part of an ongoing cease fire deal.

All three men were taken hostage during the October 7 attack nearly 500 days ago.

Among the released hostages, American Israeli Sagui Dekel-Chen.

During the reunion, the 36-year-old finally learned the name of his baby girl.

She was born while Dekel-Chen was held in captivity.

It's believed 73 hostages remain in Gaza and possibly half of them are not alive.

Following the release of the hostages, Israel sent busloads of freed prisoners and detainees to the Gaza Strip.

Nearly 400 Palestinians were allowed to return to the territory, but there is uncertainty in the region.

The first phase of the ceasefire ends in two weeks and there has been little progress in negotiations about what happens next.

The Internal Revenue Service could soon be the latest agency to see a slash in its employee headcount.

It is now being widely reported that the IRS will lay off thousands of probationary workers in the middle of tax season.

It's not known exactly how many will be affected, but the cuts could happen as soon as next week.

Elon Musk and his so called Department of Government Efficiency have called for the U.S. to quote, delete entire agencies as part of its cost cutting measures.

Five people in upstate New York are charged with torturing and killing a transgender man.

Police say 24 year old Sam Nordquist moved to the area near Syracuse in September, but lost contact with family members.

After they reported him missing this month, an investigation led police to the suspects and the motel where Nordquist was last seen.

Police later found Nordquist's body in a field where they say he was left in an attempt to cover up the crime after he endured months of torture.

While the investigation continues, police have not ruled out labeling this a hate crime.

State health officials in Texas are warning of a growing number of measles cases that have led to the worst outbreak in the state in decades.

The Texas Department of Health said there are now 48 cases of the infection, with most of those in children and teens who are unvaccinated.

As of now, the outbreak is mostly contained to a tight knit religious community.

Still to come on PBS News Weekend, the untold stories of captive Africans lost at sea during their forced journey to the Americas and how work life has changed post-pandemic as more employers tell workers they must return to the office.

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