After the death of the last female Sumatran rhino in Malaysia, conservationists have been given a glimmer of hope with the birth of a second Sumatran rhino in Indonesia. The 55-pound male calf was fathered by a male named Harapan, and the species is now estimated to be fewer than 50 animals. Conservationists are hopeful that the birth of the calf will help to boost the population of the species and ensure its survival.
News Mash
Merriam-Webster has chosen "authentic" as the Word of the Year for 2023, citing a "crisis of authenticity" in the age of deepfakes and post-truth. Peter Sokolowski, editor at large for the dictionary company, believes that when people question authenticity, they value it even more. Authenticity is a complex concept, highly valued in our society, and is often used to describe a person's character or a product's quality. This year's choice of "authentic" is a reminder of the importance of truth and integrity in our society.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has praised the efforts of those involved in the negotiations, and called for a comprehensive and sustainable peace to be reached. The agreement has seen the release of seventeen hostages held by Hamas, including 4-year-old American citizen Abigail Mor Edan, as well as 39 Palestinian minors from Israeli prisons.
Two 17-year-olds, David Atkins and Willie Jackson, have escaped from the East Baton Rouge Juvenile Detention Center in Louisiana, where they were both charged with murder. It is unclear how the teens managed to escape, but the Baton Rouge Police Department is asking for the public’s help in locating them. The facility is run by the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office and is designed to provide a secure environment for youth offenders.
Congress is facing a two-part deadline to fund the government, while international mediators are pushing for an extension of the cease-fire in Gaza. Sharon Hertzman and her daughter Noam were recently released by Hamas after being held as hostages in Gaza for 50 days, and Israel has said it would extend the cease-fire by one day for every 10 additional hostages released. Debate over approving U.S. aid to Israel and Ukraine is complicated by divisions between the two parties.
A tanker linked to Israel was seized off the coast of Yemen on Sunday, Nov. 26, prompting a response from the USS Mason, part of the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group. Two ballistic missiles were fired from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen towards the USS Mason, and five armed individuals then debarked the ship and attempted to flee. The incident is still under investigation, and highlights the ongoing tensions between Israel and Hamas in the region.
Abigail Mor Edan, the youngest U.S. citizen held by Hamas, was released as part of a cease-fire and hostage exchange agreement between Israel and the militant group. Abigail's parents were killed in Hamas' Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, and her release is part of a fragile truce between Israel and Hamas, which has seen Israel release Palestinian prisoners and allow aid into the Gaza Strip. Her release was confirmed by both President Biden and the Israeli military and was facilitated by Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
Rep. George Santos, a New York Republican, is facing expulsion from Congress following a damning House ethics report that found he had spent thousands of dollars of campaign funds on personal expenses. Despite criticism from both sides of the aisle, Santos has declared he would “wear it like a badge of honor” if he were to be expelled. It remains to be seen what action the House Ethics Committee will take, but it is clear that Rep. George Santos’s future in Congress is uncertain.