Breaking news: At least three people were killed and five were injured in a shooting at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan, last night. The gunman was found off campus and died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. This is a developing story. Read more here. |
Nearly 100,000 Israelis protested outside the country\'s parliament yesterday ahead of several legislative votes that would overhaul the country\'s judicial system. The bills would give politicians greater control over appointing judges and overturning Supreme Court decisions by a simple majority vote. See protest footage here.
The proposal has divided the country, with critics arguing it gives Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nearly unchecked power and weakens the court. Critics also argue the reforms may help Netanyahu avoid a conviction in his corruption trial. The bills\' proponents argue the changes are needed to restore balance in a court with too much power. Israel does not have a formal constitution like many western countries; however, the court\'s decisions are based on precedent and a series of basic laws (see 101).
The government is likely to take up consideration of the bills in the coming days, with the first of three readings in the Knesset. |
Unidentified Floating Objects (Cont.) |
The White House is forming an interagency group to look into the recent series of unidentified objects floating above North America\'s airspace, including three downed over the weekend in Canada, Michigan, and Alaska. US officials still do not know the origins of the three objects. A White House representative said there was no indication of aliens or extraterrestrial activity.
Separately, China claimed the US flew spy balloons into its airspace more than 10 times since the start of 2022, which the White House has denied. China\'s remarks came after the US accused it of aerial surveillance through a spy balloon spotted Jan. 28 and downed off South Carolina\'s coast Feb. 4. See an overview of the aerial objects discovered here.
The spate of objects is shedding light on a 2019 project in which one of China\'s top aeronautic scientists sent an airship more than 60,000 feet into the air and around the globe, telling state-run media of its potential for spotting warning signs of natural disasters and airborne surveillance. |
New Zealand declared its third state of emergency ever yesterday as Cyclone Gabrielle swept through its North Island. The nation’s strongest storm since the 1990s knocked out power for tens of thousands of people, disrupted transportation, and delayed a speech from the country’s new prime minister. Wind speeds approached 100 mph, with reports of 8 inches or more of rain in some areas just weeks after Auckland recorded its wettest month in 170 years.
The Pacific island country’s typically mild climate has received rare levels of rain this southern summer, a period normally marked by drought. An unusually protracted La Nina—a cyclical shift in Pacific Ocean temperatures—has fueled more rain by sustaining warmer temperatures in area seas. Few tropical cyclones of this strength reach New Zealand intact, which is roughly the distance from the equator as North Carolina. Generally, only one cyclone will affect New Zealand each year (read overview).
See an image of the storm from space here. |
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