Israel Warns of Escalating Fighting in Gaza as Humanitarian Crisis Worsens
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that they have struck 450 targets in the Gaza Strip within the past 24 hours, intensifying their bombardment of the area. The IDF warns that the scenes coming out of Gaza will be difficult to comprehend and cope with. Doctors Without Borders has described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as catastrophic, with hospitals overwhelmed and medical facilities not spared from Israeli bombing.
Compounding the crisis, Gaza’s sole power plant is expected to run out of fuel shortly, leaving the territory without electricity as Israel has cut off supplies. Fuel imports for generators that power homes, offices, and hospitals are also not possible. As tensions escalate, an anti-tank missile was fired from Lebanon towards an Israeli military site this morning. Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant group, has been engaging in sporadic exchanges of fire with Israel.
Despite the ongoing conflict, there are still Hamas militants inside Israeli territory, but there is currently no significant fighting happening within the country.
Republicans Set to Nominate New House Speaker
This morning, Republicans are gathering for a closed-door vote to nominate the next House speaker, a crucial step in the process of finding a successor to Kevin McCarthy. Two contenders, Reps. Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan, have been making their cases to fellow GOP lawmakers. The winner of today’s secret ballot vote will need to earn 217 votes on the floor to become the next speaker of the House. However, some doubt the nomination process will yield an immediate result, with Rep. Thomas Massie estimating it at a 2% chance.
Former Ohio State University wrestlers who have accused Rep. Jordan of failing to protect them from a sexual predator during his time as the team’s assistant coach in the 1980s and ’90s have criticized him as unfit for the position of House speaker.
Online Platform X Struggles to Combat Misinformation Regarding Israel-Hamas Conflict
The community fact-checking feature on online platform X, previously known as Twitter, is facing challenges in tackling the spread of misinformation related to the Israel-Hamas war. The flood of content has overwhelmed the feature, prompting CEO Elon Musk to urge users to stay as close to the truth as possible. Researchers have also discovered a propaganda network of 67 accounts on X coordinating the posting of false, inflammatory content regarding the conflict. Musk has been given 24 hours by the European Union to explain plans to counter videos supporting Hamas on the platform.
Democratic Concerns over President Biden’s Age
Age is becoming a concern for Democrats in Washington, as they fear voters may doubt President Joe Biden’s ability to serve another four years in office. There are doubts about whether the team around Biden fully appreciates this concern. NBC News’ chief political analyst, Chuck Todd, suggests that the best way for Biden to quell these concerns may be to face a primary challenge and run an active campaign.
FTX Co-Founder Accused of Instructing Ex-Girlfriend to Commit Crimes
Sam Bankman-Fried, co-founder of cryptocurrency trading firm FTX, is facing allegations from his ex-girlfriend, Caroline Ellison, that he instructed her to steal money from FTX customers and set up a system to facilitate the transfer of the funds. Ellison, a former co-CEO of Alameda Research, claimed to have taken around $10 billion from FTX customers. The SEC has accused Alameda of using customers’ money to repay debts and cover losses. The trial continues.
Supreme Court Considers Gerrymandering Dispute in South Carolina
The Supreme Court will evaluate allegations that Republicans in South Carolina racially manipulated a previously contested congressional district, resulting in the removal of thousands of Black voters.
Updates: A ban on certain food additives in California, TikTok lawsuit in Utah, earthquakes in Afghanistan, NHL ban on theme-night gear, and a lawsuit against Los Angeles County over allegations of sexual harassment.
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