War: Death Toll Rises Following Hamas Attack on Israel
This past weekend, Hamas launched a terrorist attack on Israel. According to “BBC News,” Hamas breached the Israel border and invaded communities. Hamas fired thousands of rockets into the area and over 1,200 Israeli citizens have been killed or held hostage as of October 11. This prompted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to declare war on Hamas. Israel has launched retaliatory airstrikes into the Gaza strip, killing 1,354 Palestinians, reported “CNN” on October 12.
Climate: September 2023 Becomes the Hottest September Ever
New data from the Japan Meteorological Agency found that this past September was the hottest on record. The average temperature was 0.9 degrees higher than the most recent hottest September in 2020. This record-temperature September reached almost directly followed this year’s month of July, which set the record for hottest month ever. According to “Scientific American,” the increase in temperature can be attributed to two main factors: fossil fuels and the weather phenomenon El Niño, the latter which is a natural weather phenomenon that causes the surface level of the sea to become warmer in the Pacific Ocean. As the El Niño pattern is set to stick around and become stronger, “CNN” predicts that while 2023 has a chance of being the hottest year ever, 2024 will definitely be warmer and reach new record temperatures.
Politics: Dianne Feinstein, United States of America Senator for More Than Three Decades, Passes Away
On September 29, 2023, senator Dianne Feinstein passed away at age 90. She was the oldest senator in the Senate, with more than 30 years of experience. After graduating from Stanford University in 1955, Feinstein began a long career in politics. She broke multiple glass ceilings throughout her career by becoming the first female mayor of San Francisco, getting elected in 1979, and then again in 1983. After running for governor and losing, Feinstein persevered and won a seat in Senate in 1992. According to the “New York Times,” when Feinstein was first elected to the Senate, there were only two women out of the 100 members. During her last year in the Senate, the number increased to 25. Throughout her career as senator, Feinstein championed LGBTQIA+ rights, civil rights, abortion rights, gun control, and environmental protections. She also made history by becoming the longest serving female senator ever.
Global: Nobel Peace Prize Awarded to Narges Mohammadi
On October 6, the Nobel Peace prize was awarded to Narges Mohammadi, an Iranian human rights activist. According to “CNN,” Mohammadi is currently serving a ten-year and nine-month long prison sentence in Iran. She was accused of spreading propaganda against the state and committing other anti-state actions. Mohammadi’s work included but was not limited to expanding civil society organizations, advocating for the rights of minorities and women, and defending prisoners on death row. Iran is known for its strict laws regarding many aspects of life but most notably strict on women’s rights. Women in Iran are required to wear the hijab, a head covering veil, and when women don’t comply they are arrested and often brutally attacked. This is one of the many laws that Mohammadi has been fighting for decades. Last year, when widespread protests erupted after the death of Mahsa Amini, who was jailed for not properly wearing her hijab, Mohammadi continued her activism by condemning the government and advocating for civil disobedience from her prison cell. Mohammi stated that “When prison drags on for many years, you have to give your life meaning within confinement and keep love alive. I have to keep my eyes on the horizon and the future even though the prison walls are tall and near and blocking my view.”
Sports: Simone Biles Earns the Title “Most Decorated Gymnast of All Time”
At the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastic Championships this past week, American gymnast Simone Biles earned her 34th medal in an international competition, certifying her as the “most decorated gymnast of all time,” according to “CBS Sports.” The 26-year-old became the oldest U.S. woman gymnast to win a world championship medal, and the first woman to land a Yurchenko double pike on the vault which will be named “Biles II” in her honor, according to “NBC News.” Skills are named after gymnasts when they are the first to debut them in select international competitions. This is the fifth skill named after Biles, and the second skill named after her on the vault – the other three skills named after her consist of two on the floor and one on the beam. This achievement marked the return of the four-time Olympic gold medalist to competitive gymnastics after pulling out of several events in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. The world championships were hosted in Antwerp, Belgium, the same location where a 16-year-old Biles won her first championship medal a decade ago, according to “CNN.” Biles plans to continue her gymnastics career and compete in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, reported “Today.”
Natural Disaster: Over 2,000 People Killed in Earthquake in Western Afghanistan
On October 7, a 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck Western Afghanistan, displacing thousands and killing around 2,053 people, according to “CNN.” This marks yet another disaster for the country which has been grappling with an economic crisis, a lack of food, and threats of natural disasters in the past months. Following the Taliban’s seizure of power in 2021, Afghanistan has been cut off from international funding and foreign reserves, meaning that the long term recovery process for displaced Afghans will be significantly difficult. “CNN” reported that Zabihullah Mojahid, the Taliban’s spokesperson, stated that rescue teams have been sent out to provide aid to the injured and displaced.
