Israel prepares for “second stage” of war.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel recently announced the “second stage” of war in Gaza, marking the beginning of limited incursions by Israeli troops into northern Gaza. Artillery bombardment has resulted in a widespread blackout of communication in Gaza. International organizations such as the World Health Organization, WHO, and United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, have noted that communication with their staff in the Gaza strip has been severely hampered. According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, the Palestinian death toll has reached 7,700 and the death toll will likely increase as former Israeli Defense Chief and Opposition Leader Benny Gantz warns that the multistage conflict will incur heavy costs for all parties involved.
Information from AP News, New York Times and MSNBC.
Mike Johnson becomes Speaker of the House.
Last Wednesday, Mike Johnson was elected as the 56th Speaker of the House. Previously, he was the Republican deputy whip. Johnson hails from Louisiana, where he was elected in 2016 in a runoff election to represent the state’s fourth district. He is the least experienced Speaker of the House in 140 years, only holding office for less than nine years. Johnson is a well-known conservative, being an opponent against same-sex marriage and is fiercely pro-life. He is an Evangelical Christian, hosts a podcast alongside his wife “Truth Be Told with Mike and Kelly Johnson.” Johnson is also sympathetic to former President Trump, voting to overturn the 2020 election result. Congress eminently went back to work after Johnson’s election with various issues at matter. Namely, government funding will run out next month and providing financial support to Israel.
Information from Politico, APNews and CBS News.
Tampa Mass shooting leaves two casualties and 18 injured.
Over the Halloween weekend, a fight between two groups in Tampa left two dead and 18 people in the hospital. According to the police, the shooting occurred just before 3 a.m. on Sunday. The incident occurred in a popular street with several bars and clubs in the east Tampa neighborhood of Ybor City. A video posted online shows how the sounds of the shots created a stampede. One victim died at the scene while the other died at the hospital due to their sustained injuries. It is unknown how many of the injured were shot or hurt during the stampede. Currently, the authorities are unaware of what caused the fight. There is one suspect in custody and at least one more being sought.
Information from CBS, AP News and ABC.
Sources:
Israel prepares for “second stage” of war.
https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-live-updates-10-28-2023-3348f0544aa6d66b280c8cab1637a3db
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/10/28/world/israel-gaza-news-hamas-war
Mike Johnson becomes Speaker of the House.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/speaker-mike-johnson-legislation-house-agenda/
Tampa Mass shooting leaves two casualties and 18 injured.
https://apnews.com/article/deadly-shooting-tampa-florida-ybor-city-6791b6cf9c4165b9f287b6126732f257
https://abcnews.go.com/US/2-dead-18-injured-tampa-street-shooting-ybor-city/story?id=104460624
