Today’s News Briefs include Measles on rise in U.S.; Israel prepares response to Hezbollah after rocket attack kills 12 children on soccer field; SCOTUS changes proposed; Venezuelans protest election result.
Israel to respond to murder of 12 children by Hezbollah rocket
After a Hezbollah rocket attack on an Israeli town that killed 12 children Saturday, Israel is preparing a military response. The attack is the deadliest on Israeli citizens since the Oct. 7 invasion by Hamas. Saturday’s attack on a Muslim town, one of Israel’s religious minorities, has galvanized opposition to Hezbollah and Hamas in the Druze community. The attack came in the early evening as children and teens were playing soccer and riding bikes in the town’s recreation complex. Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said that while Lebanon does not want war, it stands behind Hezbollah. European and Middle East airline companies have cancelled flights to Lebanon.
Venezuela erupts in protests after election disputed
Protests have broken out across Venezuela after Socialist President Nicolas Maduro claimed victory in Sunday’s election. Millions of voters turned out, according to the AP, as the country turned out to end 25 years of dictatorship. Numerous countries, including the U.S., held off recognizing the results. Venezuela is not releasing the official vote count that showed opposition leader retired diplomat Edmundo González losing. “Venezuelans and the entire world know what happened,” González said.
Efforts to change Supreme Court announced
The Biden administration this week is pushing for legislation that will fundamentally change the Supreme Court. The BBC reports that Democrats “hope that pushing for reform can help galvanise voters ahead of the November 2024 election.” President Joe Biden is calling for term limits and an ethics code “to restore trust and accountability” on its nine justices. However, a Gallup poll finds that Americans trust the Supreme Court more than both the presidency and Congress. Democrats are also proposing adding additional justices to eliminate the conservative majority on the court.
Measles in 2024 already tripled rate of 2023
Federal health officials say the number of measles cases so far in 2024 has already tripled the total for all of 2023. According to data published by the CDC on July 26, at least 188 cases of measles have been reported across the United States for 2024. In all, 26 states and Washington, D.C., have reported cases of the virus, which officials say can cause severe disease in children. As most American citizens are immunized against the childhood disease, some experts are looking at causes, including 7 million individuals who have crossed into the US from countries that do not widely immunize their populations against measles. Missouri is on the list of states.
–Dwight Widaman and wire services