12.06.2023

Israel Expands Offensive

Israeli forces have entered Gaza's second-largest city of Khan Younis as Israel's ground offensive expands into the south. Officials say the latest fighting between Israel and Hamas has been the most intense since the war began two months ago as Israel seeks to dismantle what it says is Hamas' last major stronghold. Israel reportedly has made preparations to flood Gaza's tunnels with seawater as part of efforts to destroy an underground tunnel system used by Hamas. 

More than 1.87 million Palestinians—roughly 80% of Gaza's population—have been displaced from their homes so far, according to the UN. The death toll in Gaza has risen to at least 15,800, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry; the death toll in Israel stands near 1,400. At least 137 of the more than 240 hostages Hamas abducted in its Oct. 7 attack remain captive. 

Separately, the US State Department announced it is imposing a visa ban on dozens of Israeli settlers and Palestinians who are believed to have been involved in attacks against each other in the West Bank. Gaza and the West Bank are separated by about 30 miles (see map). 

See updates on the war here. See the war in maps here.

CVS Drug Cost Overhaul

CVS Health yesterday announced major changes to how it will price its prescription drugs—a move observers say could increase transparency in the industry. The announcement comes amid growing government scrutiny of the current mazelike US drug-pricing system, which results in the world's highest per capita out-of-pocket spending on prescription drugs (see data). 

Under the CostVantage plan set to take effect in early 2024, pharmacies will be reimbursed the drug manufacturer's list price in addition to a standard markup and a dispensing fee. For decades, drug prices have been determined by an opaque, complex proprietary process generally overseen by pharmacy benefit managers, an intermediary historically tasked with finding the lowest cost for consumers (see history). CVS expects the move to reduce drug prices in many cases while acknowledging the price of some drugs could increase. 

The news follows the Biden administration's announcement of price caps on 10 prescription drugs in August designed to offset costs to consumers.

US Math Scores Slip

Math scores for American 15-year-olds dropped to an all-time low between 2018 and 2022, according to the latest results of an international exam, the first large-scale study marking the pandemic's impact on education. The Program for International Student Assessment, representing 620,000 students throughout 81 education systems in 38 countries, compares math, reading, and science academic performance.

The US saw a 13-point drop in its average math score—from 478 (of 1,000) in 2018 to 465 in 2022—with one in three students scoring below the basic level of proficiency. US reading and science scores stayed mostly even. The US ranked sixth in reading, 10th in science, and 26th in math among participating countries, an improvement from 2018 (largely because of declines in other countries). See US results here. 

Overall, the average math score across participating countries fell by 15 points—the equivalent of three-quarters of a year of learning. International reading scores fell by 11 points, while science scores remained relatively steady. See global results here. 

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