Thursday’s News & Ideas - 10/9/2025

Israel and Hamas will exchange hostages and prisoners after agreeing to a pause in the war in Gaza
The Associated Press: Israel and Hamas have agreed to a pause in their devastating two-year war and the release of the remaining hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners — a breakthrough greeted with joy and relief Thursday but also caution.
The Guardian: First phase of ceasefire deal to end war in Gaza agreed by Israel and Hamas

As Willow Creek turns 50, the onetime ‘church of the future’ redefines success
Religion News Service: In the mid-1970s, a group of high schoolers and their former youth pastor started a church in a movie theater and named it Willow Creek. American religion hasn’t been the same since.

Franklin Graham quits membership in financial accountability group
Religion News Service: Graham said the standards mandating a leader care plan “puts ECFA into the role of trying to be the moral police of the evangelical world.”

Hate crime in England and Wales rises for first time in three years
BBC: The number of hate crimes recorded by police in England and Wales has risen for the first time in three years, including increases in race and religiously motivated offences.

Supreme Court declines to hear Native American fight to save sacred site threatened by copper mine
CNN: The Supreme Court on Monday declined to step into a fight over a land transfer in Arizona that the Western Apache people say will destroy a sacred site in order to build a massive copper mine.

The Spark

Birding by ear
JSTOR describes how to learn the songs of nature’s symphony with some simple techniques.