October 26, 2023, Your Daily Digest

Devastation this morning after yet another mass shooting in America

Today is October 26, 2023 and here are the stories you may have missed from the last 24 hours. If you enjoy these daily digests and want to see more, exclusive content, then consider becoming a monthly subscriber at the link below:

1) Mass Shooting In Lewiston

Overnight, the United States experienced one of its worst mass shootings in recent memory as at least 16 individuals have been murdered in a shooting in the town of Lewiston, Maine. Reports suggest that over 50 other individuals were injured during the shooting which was carried out in multiple locations, at a local bar and bowling alley in the town. As of this post, the suspect remains dangerous and at large with federal and state law enforcement mobilizing to participate in a massive manhunt. The suspect's name is Robert Card, he is a 40-year-old white man who previously served in the Army reserves. 

According to reports, Card had firearms training while in the Army. Although it is unclear what weapon was used during the shooting, images suggest that Card was carrying a semiautomatic rifle when carrying out the mass shooting. Lewiston has a population of less than 40,000 people, which would make this mass shooting one of the deadliest in American history when factoring in the per capita of residents. Right now, Lewiston and the surrounding areas are on lockdown and schools are closed as authorities search for the mass shooting suspect. 

2) Israel Moves Closer to a Ground Invasion 

Meanwhile, Israel is moving closer to a ground invasion of Gaza. Overnight, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted publicly that the final plans are being put in place for a ground invasion, and that he would not commit to a certain timeline publicly for the safety of Israeli soldiers and military personnel. In addition, the Israeli military conducted limited ground operations in the Northern Gaza Strip last night which involved a number of bulldozers which helped clear dirt piles near the border fence and constructed several paths which will assist the army in the upcoming ground invasion. Last night's operation was larger and penetrated deeper into Gaza than any prior raid since the start of the war and had the goal of destroying forward positions used by Hamas, while strengthening Israel's defenses near the border fence. Netanyahu claimed that this operation was only the beginning as Israel will rain "hellfire" on Gaza and Hamas in the coming weeks. 

Additionally, the Israeli army now estimates that about 224 civilians are being held hostage by Hamas as talks for the release of a large number of hostages continue between the United States, Qatar, Egypt, and other international partners. A number of these hostages are American. While this is all occurring, the humanitarian crisis on the ground in Gaza is deepening as United Nations officials desperately call for more aid into the Strip, specifically in the form of fuel. According to UN officials on the ground, they will have to cease operations in the coming day if more fuel is not allowed into Gaza. As was previously reported, however, there may already be fuel in Gaza in the possession of Hamas. Whether Hamas releases such fuel to the Palestinian civilians remains to be seen. More on this coming soon.  

3) Mike Johnson Elected Speaker, Then Sends The House On Vacation

Domestically, Louisiana Congressman Mike Johnson was elected the next Speaker of the House of Representatives, putting him second in line to the Presidency behind Vice President Kamala Harris. Johnson is a relatively new and inexperienced member of Congress who has previously supported efforts to overturn the 2020 election, including leading the objections in Congress to the certification of the counting of the electoral votes, previously called for a national abortion ban and asserted that doctors should receive hard labor and prison time for performing abortions, and has a large anti-LGBTQ+ record during his time as a public official. Johnson's relative inexperience has shown already as after being elected Speaker, Johnson sent the House home for one week, putting members on recess until next Wednesday. This was done despite the fact that there is a looming government shutdown in just three weeks, with no possible end in sight. 

4) Devastation in Mexico

Finally, residents of southern Mexico continue to deal with the devastation from Hurricane Otis after the Hurricane surprised many while rapidly intensifying from a strong tropical storm to a category five monster essentially overnight. The National Hurricane Center initially predicted that Otis will make landfall as a tropical storm or minimal category one hurricane, but after rapid intensification, due to extremely warm waters off the coast of Mexico, Otis became the first category five hurricane to make landfall in Mexico's history. This rapid intensification made clear to scientists that as the climate warms due to climate change, those around the world should expect worse natural disasters like this one to reach their front doors. The total devastation is still not yet known as Mexican authorities have lost all contact with the impacted region. More to come on this soon.