Israel-Hamas War – Hostages Released
Over the weekend, the Israel-Hamas War came to a cease-fire with more than 60 hostages taken by Hamas being released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and aid to Gaza. The cease-fire, which was set to expire on Monday, has been extended until tomorrow.
CNN reported on two teenagers, Noam, 17 and Alma, 13, who have been held captive for 50 days after being separated from their mother during the war. When the siblings got released this Saturday, their family told CNN they felt as if their “dream had been shattered” finding out that their mother was murdered on October 7, as the thought of reuniting with her was what kept them going. The siblings found out about their mother as soon as they crossed the border to meet their grandmother and older brother. Noam’s and Alma’s father is still missing, and many believe that he is captive in Gaza.
America Remembers Rosalynn Carter
Former first lady Rosalynn Carter passed away on November 19, and her memorial, funeral, and celebration was held today in Atlanta. All living first ladies and former/current presidents will be at this gathering. Her 99 year old husband, Jimmy Carter, who is in hospice, will be attending the service as well. Carter died at home in Plains, Georgia, at the age of 96. This couple goes down as the longest presidential married couple in the U.S.; they’ve been together for 77+ years.
Fentanyl Drug Bust and Social Media
Fentanyl has become a raging problem in the United States over the past few years, as it’s caused the deaths of 70,000 young Americans. In this case, covered by NBC News, a 20 year old mom died from a fentanyl overdose just a month after her baby boy’s first birthday. In response, an investigation was dropped called “Operation Blues Brothers,” after the color of the deadly pills, following leads from the woman’s contacts in her phone. According to NBC, “federal agents benefited from the carelessness of the accused drug traffickers, who communicated via social media messages that can easily be obtained with warrants.”
The take away – social media has become a breeding ground for drug sales, and users do not know what they are buying. According to NBC, with fentanyl deaths on the rise, it’s clear that drug cartels are making their fentanyl products stronger to bring in more addicts and make more money.
