Middle East Fighting Expands Beyond Israel and Gaza
Biden asks Congress for $105 Billion for Israel, Ukraine, Taiwan and US border
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Good morning,
We’re about a week and a half from Halloween. Turns out, more money has been spent on adult costumes than on childrens’ costumes in each of the last six years, according to the National Retail Federation.
No surprise, some of the top trending Halloween costumes this year: Barbie & Ken and Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce.
Guys, start growing your mustaches now!
See you Monday,
Mosheh & Jill
🗞 MIDDLE EAST ROUNDUP: BIDEN MAKES CASE FOR AID PACKAGE
RARE OVAL OFFICE ADDRESS
President Biden gave a rare, prime-time address last night, speaking directly to the American people to make the case as to why more funding for Israel and Ukraine is vital to help them win their respective wars.
He’s requesting about $105 billion from Congress to deliver aid and resources to Ukraine and Israel, in addition to Taiwan and the U.S. border with Mexico.
Here’s how the money breaks down:
$60 billion for Ukraine
$14 billion for Israel
$7 billion for East Asia, including Taiwan, to help counter China
$14 billion to manage the US / Mexico border
$10 billion for humanitarian efforts related to those conflicts.
✅ Reality Check: There is still no House Speaker (more on that in the Speed Read), so at this point no spending bills can get through Congress. The next vote is scheduled for today at 10am.
Biden, who believes a robust international US presence deters enemies, says even though these conflicts seem far away, it’s in the interest of U.S. security that Israel and Ukraine succeed.
"History has taught us that when terrorists don't pay a price for their terror, when dictators don't pay a price for their aggression, they cause more chaos and debt and more destruction. They keep going -- and the cost and the threats to America and the world keep rising."
Biden hopes that combining all of these issues into one piece of legislation— including southern border funding— will create the necessary political coalition (including many Republicans) for congressional approval.
FIGHTING EXPANDS
Now to the Middle East, where the fighting is no longer confined to Gaza and Israel. A U.S. Navy warship operating in the Middle East, the USS Carney, shot down three land attack missiles as well as several drones that were launched by Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen yesterday.
The Pentagon cannot say for certain at this point what the missiles and drones were targeting, but a spokesperson says they were launched from Yemen and were heading north along the Red Sea, “potentially toward targets in Israel.”
There was also a drone attack on a military base in southern Syria where U.S. troops have maintained a presence to train forces. Officials say that one drone was shot down, but another caused minor injuries.
Similar drone strikes occurred the past few days against U.S. and coalition bases in Iraq.
Remember: The Biden administration has rushed two aircraft carriers and additional troops to the region to try to deter Iran and the terror groups it supports from making this a regional war. American commanders have expressed fears to the NY Times that the US could get further dragged into the conflict if militias attack US forces.
🚨 THE LATEST FROM ISRAEL & GAZA
Israel’s Defense Minister has told ground troops to “be ready” to invade Gaza, though he didn’t say when exactly it would happen.
Officials warn that it will be a “long and intense” fight as they look to eradicate Hamas.
Meanwhile, Israel continues its intense airstrikes on the Gaza Strip.
Hamas has continued its barrage of rockets into Israel. Tensions are also flaring in the West Bank and at the Lebanon border with Hezbollah.
HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN GAZA
The humanitarian crisis continues to get worse with Palestinians in Gaza running out of food, water, medicines and fuel. Some doctors in hospitals are running out of power and medical supplies— performing surgeries on patients by using the light from their mobile phones and using vinegar to treat infected wounds.
HELP ON THE WAY: As soon as today, 20 aid trucks are set to cross into Gaza through the Rafah Crossing on the Gaza / Egypt border. Those trucks are filled with medical supplies, food, and water.
🚨 CNN reports that the first convoy of trucks may not get through until Saturday, a day later than planned.
Diplomats continued to work out logistics, and roads are being repaired so that large trucks can pass through.
Among the organizations waiting to bring aid into Gaza are the International Committee of the Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders and the Palestine Red Crescent Society.
OCT. 7 ATTACK AFTERMATH
Nearly two weeks later, Israel is still working to make sure there are no Hamas terrorists in the country. They just caught a fighter from Hamas trying to return to Gaza, leaving open the possibility that others were still in Israel.
They’ve been in contact with the families of 203 people taken hostage.
As for the hostages, 13-year-old Noya Dan, who’s autistic, and her grandmother, 80-year-old Carmela Dan, have been found dead in Gaza after they were taken hostage by Hamas.
They were two of five family members kidnapped when Hamas attacked Israel. The others are still missing.
⏳ SPEED READ
🚨NATION
📌 Sidney Powell Pleads Guilty in Georgia Trump Case (NY TIMES)
📌 GOP erupts in closed-door meeting after House speaker stalemate (AXIOS)
📌 Gov. Gavin Newsom to travel to Israel (POLITICO)
📌 New York AG demands evidence review after top Trump exec is accused of lying in fraud trial (CNBC)
📌 Thousands of remote IT workers sent wages to North Korea to help fund weapons program, FBI says (AP)
🌎 AROUND THE WORLD
📌 Hamas militants likely used some North Korean weapons in attack on Israel, evidence shows (NBC NEWS)
📌 American journalist detained in Russia for failing to register as foreign agent (USA TODAY)
📌 UK Prime Minister Sunak tells Israel ‘we want you to win’ on Middle East trip (BLOOMBERG)
📌 Gaza awaits aid from Egypt as Israel readies troops for ground assault (AP)
📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH
📌 CVS pulls certain cold medicines from shelves and will stop selling them (WSJ)
📌 Billions of crabs went missing around Alaska. Scientists now know what happened to them (CNN)
📌 10-year Treasury yield hovers near 16-year high as Powell talks inflation, economy (CNBC)
📌 Mysterious fast radio burst traveled 8 billion years to reach Earth (CNN)
🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT
📌 Burt Young, 'Rocky' actor and Oscar nominee, dies at 83 (NBC NEWS)
📌 SAG-AFTRA’s A-listers try gambit to help end actors strike (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER)
📌 NCAA investigating No. 2 Michigan amid sign-stealing allegations (ESPN)
📌 Halloween on strike: SAG-AFTRA tells members to not dress up as characters from struck companies (VARIETY)
🗓 CHEERS TO THE FREAKIN WEEKEND
What we’re watching: Mosheh: Playoff baseball: ALCS and NLCS;
Jill: Ohio State vs. Penn State College Football
What we’re reading: Mosheh: A Healthy State of Panic: Follow Your Fears to Build Wealth, Crush Your Career, and Win at Life~ Farnoosh Torabi; Jill: Vacationland ~Meg Mitchell Moore
What we’re eating: Mosheh: Mamma Chia Cherry Love Organic Chia Squeeze; Jill: Homemade chicken soup