The Senate passed a bill that will prevent a government shutdown.

I'm Jeff Pierre and that's where we're starting the 7 from the Washington Post.

It's Thursday, November 16th. Let's get you caught up with

today's seven stories.

On this vote, the yeas are 87, the nays are 11. The 60 vote threshold having been achieved,

the bill is passed.

The legislation would extend the federal government's funding for a few more months.

It passed the Senate yesterday by an 87 to 11 vote.

You can check how your senator voted in a link in our newsletter.

Now the bill goes to President Biden to sign. If Congress hadn't

gotten the funding extension done, the government would have shut down just

after midnight on Saturday. That would have forced federal workers to work without pay or go on

furlough just before Thanksgiving. That is not going to happen, but the

situation isn't really over. The bill creates two new deadlines, January 19th and February 2nd.

That means we may be in for more standoffs and possible shutdowns early next year.

Hamas. early next year. Hamas agreed to a tentative deal to free dozens of hostages.

That's our second story.

About 240 foreign and Israeli hostages have been held in

Gaza since the Palestinian militant group attacked Israel last month.

That's according to an Arab diplomat familiar with the negotiations.

Hamas is asking for a three to five day pause in fighting,

more humanitarian aid, and for an unknown number of Palestinian women and children to be freed from Israeli

...