War and Conflict: Israeli Forces Enter Gaza Strip While Responses Ripple Global
On Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced in a televised news conference that Israel’s forces had entered the Gaza strip. The Israel-Hamas War commenced three weeks ago when Hamas launched a surprise attack on October 7, killing at least 1,400 people and kidnapping hundreds of others, causing the highest number of Jewish deaths since the Holocaust. Israel retaliated with airstrikes, many of which struck within safe zones near hospitals in Gaza, leading to weeks of turmoil. The “United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees” estimates that, as of October 31, nearly 672,000 Palestinians are sheltering in schools and other facilities, reaching four times their capacity. On October 30, “CNN” reported the Palestinian death toll, as recorded by the Gaza Ministry of Health, has surpassed 8,300 and consists mostly of women and children. According to the “New York Times,” as Israel gradually increases its ground forces in the Gaza strip, many families of Israeli hostages in Gaza have demanded that the Israeli government take measures to ensure the safety of the approximately 200 hundred kidnapped and missing Israelis in any operation in Gaza. According to “CNN,” many fear the eruption of a full-scale war in Gaza and responses have rippled through the world, with Pro-Palestinian protesters taking to the streets to call for a cease-fire in major cities including London, Istanbul, New York, Baghdad and Rome. In a report by the “Anti-Defamation League,” antisemitic incidents in light of the war have surged over 388 percent in comparison to last year. A similar report by “The Council on American-Islamic Relations” recorded 774 requests for help and reports of bias incidents from Muslims in the U.S. from October 7 to October 24, a 182% increase over the same period in 2022.
Natural Disaster: Category 5 Storm Hurricane Otis Tears Across Mexico
On October 25, Mexico’s Pacific Coast was struck by a category five storm, Hurricane Otis, breaking regional records for its strength and the speed of its intensification according to “Nasa.” Hurricane Otis made landfall near the resort city of Acapulco around 1 a.m. local time. According to the “New York Times,” Otis had dissipated as it moved inland on Wednesday afternoon, but its residue is expected to continue to pour down on areas in Guerrero and Morelos. The storm, which grew at a rate of 110 miles per hour in 24 hours, surpassed the standard definition of rapid growth (35 miles per hour in 24 hours). Intense winds knocked out the local internet and cellular service in Acapulco and some other parts in Mexico. During a morning conference following Otis’ landfall, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Mexico noted that the hurricane heavily impacted Guerrero. As of October 30, “CNN” reports that the hurricane’s death toll stands at 45 with at least 47 people missing. The Mexican government’s preliminary assessment estimates that Hurricane Otis reached 220,035 homes and projects a $3.4 billion recovery plan with tax breaks and financial assistance for affected families.
Health: Covid-19 Booster Shot Rates Decline While Covid-19 Remains a Threat
According to a survey presented on Thursday to scientific advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, few Americans have received the latest vaccines against the latest coronavirus. As of October 14, just over 7 percent of adults and 2 percent of children had received the shot. A survey of nearly 15,000 people revealed that only 1 in 5 people aged 75 or older had been vaccinated, along with around 15 percent of those ages 65 to 74, even those who are still at risk of severe illness. In a report done by “Our World in Data,” more than 1,200 people continue to die from Covid each week with more than 13,000 hospitalizations. According to the “New York Times,” though most people should be able to get vaccines at no cost through private health insurance, Medicaid or Medicare Government programs also make the vaccines available for free to children and adults who are uninsured.
Economy: Slowdown in Inflation Prompts Rise in United States GDP Growth
This past Thursday, the United States Commerce Department reported that the GDP of the United States of America grew at a 4.9 percent annualized rate from July through September. The growth rate of a country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is a crucial indicator of the country’s economic health and expansion. Taking into factor a nation’s consumption, investment, government spending, and net exports, the GDP represents the percentage increase in the value of goods produced within a nation across a certain period of time. The growth of the United States’ GDP far exceeded forecasts and was the strongest showing since 2021. According to the “New York Times,” the acceleration was made possible by increased consumer spending prompted by slowing inflation rates, as well as government defense spending and residential investments.
Politics: House Republicans Elect Mike Johnson as Speaker Following Tumult
This past Wednesday, House Republicans unanimously voted to elect Rep. Mike Johnson as Speaker of the House of Representatives. The election followed a turbulent three weeks in the House as Republicans scrambled to find a nominee following the House’s 216 to 210 vote on October 3rd to remove Republican Kevin McCarthy from his position as the previous House’s Speaker. Johnson, an unlikely candidate in the start of October, had climbed to the top of people’s nomination by this past Tuesday night, holding support from the majority of the conference. Succeeding Kevin McCarthy and previous nominees Steve Scalise, Jim Jordan, Tom Emmer, who successfully failed to pass the vote threshold, Johnson was the chamber’s 5th choice. Johnson, 51, previously served as the Chairman of the Conservative Republican Study Committee and as a member of former President Donald Trump’s impeachment defense team. According to “US News,” Johnsson has become the most inexperienced Speaker in the House’s recent history, left with many major issues in need of addressing including topics on funding packages to Israel and Ukraine and humanitarian assistance in Gaza. According to “CNN,” Johnson plans to pursue an “aggressive schedule,” pulling the House out of its recent weeks of turmoil and returning to the GOP agenda (CNN).
