November 8, 2023

ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR | Updates from day 33 of the conflict:

• Reports say as many as 15,000 Palestinians fled northern Gaza yesterday during a daily four-hour evacuation window implemented by Israel. [more]
• At the conclusion of a two-day summit in Tokyo, top diplomats from the G7 leading industrial democracies approved a statement on the Israel-Hamas conflict today that: condemns the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel, supports Israel’s right to self-defense, and calls for humanitarian pauses in the fighting to facilitate delivery of aid to Palestinians in Gaza. [more]
• According to Saudi investment minister Khalid Al-Falih, Saudi Arabia will host summits of Arab and Islamic nations in the coming days to discuss options for peacefully resolving the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 622 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• In its evening report yesterday, Ukraine’s military General Staff said its forces have beaten back 15 Russian attacks near Kupiansk, 18 attacks near Maryinka, and nine attack in and near the heavily-contested city of Avdiivka. [more]
• The U.K. announced a new package of Ukraine-related sanctions today against individuals and companies in Russia’s gold and oil sectors. According to British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, the sanctions will help disrupt “revenue for the Russian war machine.” [more]
• Ukraine’s energy ministry said today that Russia has attacked Ukrainian energy infrastructure 60 times in recent weeks and that Ukraine's need for energy equipment is growing ahead of winter weather. [more]

U.S. ELECTIONS | In major election results from yesterday: Democrats held control of the Virginia Senate and gained control of the Virginia House of Delegates, Republican Gov. Tate Reeves and Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear won re-election in Mississippi and Kentucky, respectively, and the citizens of Ohio voted to enshrine abortion rights in the state’s constitution. [more]

TRUMP NEW YORK FRAUD TRIAL | Ivanka Trump, daughter of former President Donald Trump, is scheduled to testify today in the New York civil fraud trial in which the Trump Organization, Trump, and others are accused of financial statement misrepresentations when making deals and securing financing. [more]

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES | The House voted 234-188 last night to censure Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan over her statements on the Israel-Hamas war seen by many as anti-Semitic. Tlaib, Congress's lone Palestinian-American lawmaker, defended her statements, saying they were critical of the Israeli government, not of the Jewish people. [more]

VIRGINIA | Focusing on two ongoing wildfires, one in Shenandoah National Park and one in Patrick County, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has declared a 30-day state of emergency to assist firefighter response efforts and reduce threats to public health and safety. [more]

U.S. POLITICS | Five candidates for the Republican presidential nomination will take part in tonight’s third Republican primary debate, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. [more]

EUROPEAN ECONOMY | The International Monetary Fund warned European policymakers and banks yesterday against “premature celebration” of inflation declines from recent peaks and suggested that interest rates will need to be kept at current elevated levels to help ensure lasting inflation reductions. [more]

INDIA | The Associated Press cites residents and religious leaders in India’s Muslim-majority Kashmir region as saying that the Indian government has banned pro-Palestinian protest rallies and asked that the Israel-Hamas conflict not be mentioned in sermons in Kashmir in moves seen as part of attempts to curb support for ending New Delhi’s rule in the disputed region. [more]

GLOBAL CLIMATE | Europe’s Copernicus Climate Change Service says October 2023 was the hottest October on record, with global average temperatures 1.7 degrees Celsius (3.1 degrees Fahrenheit) higher than the pre-industrial average for the month. October was the fifth straight month that saw record monthly temperatures, according to the climate agency. [more]

SUDAN | Reuters reports that, amidst Sudan’s ongoing conflict between the country’s military and paramilitary forces, ethnically-driven killings of Masalit ethnic group members by paramilitary forces have increased in the West Darfur region. [more]

EUROPEAN UNION | The European Commission recommended today that European Union membership talks for Georgia, Ukraine, and Bosnia and Herzegovina proceed once the countries meet remaining conditions. [more]

AUSTRALIA | Australia’s driest October in more than 20 years was recorded this year, with rainfall approximately 65% below the 1961-1990 average, according to the country’s Bureau of Meteorology. [more]

SOCIAL MEDIA | Facebook parent company Meta said today that, beginning in 2024, it will require that advertisers on its platforms disclose when artificial intelligence or other digital methods are used to alter or create political, social, or election-related advertisements. [more]

NEWBORN HEALTH | The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the number of newborns with syphilis in the United States rose more than 10-fold between 2012 and 2022, with 3,761 cases recorded in 2022. The CDC recommends screening for syphilis at the first prenatal care visit to reduce perinatal transmission. [CDC press release] [more]

EARTHSHOT PRIZES | Winners of the 2023 environmentally-focused Earthshot Prizes were announced in Singapore yesterday. Recipients of the awards, which are administered by British Prince William’s Royal Foundation, included a maker of solar-powered crop dryers, a soil carbon marketplace, a firm that works to reduce pollution from electric vehicle batteries, and groups that focus on restoring Andean forests and deterring illegal fishing. [winner details] [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 2013, the Philippines endured what many consider its worst natural disaster when the country was struck by Super Typhoon Haiyan, one of the most powerful cyclones ever recorded to strike land. [more history]