5 stories you need to read this week [4/5]
From José Andrés's response to the airstrikes that killed 7 of his aid workers to Israel passing a law that would ban foreign media outlets, here are five vital stories you need to read this week.
World Central Kitchen boss José Andrés accuses Israel of "direct attack" on Gaza aid convoy
On Monday, Israeli airstrikes killed 7 aid workers from World Central Kitchen who were providing food to starving Palestinians. WCH’s founder, chef and restauranter, José Andrés condemned the attacks saying in a New York Times article that “The Israeli government needs to open more land routes for food and medicine today. It needs to stop killing civilians and aid workers today. It needs to start the long journey to peace today.”
“You cannot save the hostages by bombing every building in Gaza. You cannot win this war by starving an entire population.”
Context: President Biden warned Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the US would change its policy if Israel does not do a better job of protecting civilians and aid workers, signaling the first time that the Biden Administration is reassessing backing Israel’s war on Gaza. Israel said the airstrike was a “mistake” with Netanyahu saying “These things happen in war.”
Israeli parliament passes law paving the way for Al Jazeera closure
Israel’s parliament passed a law on Monday that allows a temporary shutdown of foreign media in Israel–including Al Jazeera, one of the very few media outlets with journalists on the ground. The law would also allow for the confiscation of their equipment if it is believed they pose “harm to the state’s security.”
By the numbers: Over 100 journalists and media workers, primarily Palestinian, have been killed since Israel began its military siege on the Gaza Strip.
Florida Supreme Court upholds state’s 15-week abortion ban, but voters will soon have a say
Florida’s Supreme Court cleared the way for the state to ban abortions after six weeks of pregnancy—before many women know they are pregnant. The law will be binding in 30 days but under a separate ruling, the court allowed a ballot measure to go to voters this November that would enshrine abortion rights in Florida’s constitution and overrule the 6-week abortion ban.
“Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022, voters in every state with an abortion-related ballot measure have favored the side backed by abortion rights supporters,” writes AP News’ Brendan Farrington.
College will cost up to $95,000 this fall. Schools say it’s OK, financial aid can numb sticker shock
College tuition is too damn high. With over 2 million high school students making their college decisions this year, some will face jaw-dropping costs of more than $95,000 per year, especially private colleges. College Board found that the cost for private nonprofit colleges last year was $60,000 compared to $29,000 for public in-state institutions. Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, for example, will cost nearly 90,000 per year. However, schools argue their financial aid packages will outweigh the large cost of tuition, given their billion-dollar worth of endowments.
40% Of Adults Go Days Without Face-To-Face Interaction
How often do you see other people as adults? According to Study Finds, 40% of adults said they go days without a face-to-face conversation with another person. The study also found that 28% of people felt lonely even at social events and a quarter of them reported feeling isolated at work–a phenomenon known as being “lonely in a crowd.”
(Photos from Canva)