Category: US

Jerusalem
CNN
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“Get down!” the medic in the front seat hissed as our ambulance approached the Israeli checkpoint.

I could see through the front window tanks by the side of the road, nervous Israeli soldiers raising their guns as we approached.

This was January 2009 and the CNN crew had caught a ride with a convoy of ambulances going from Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip toward Gaza City along the coastal road. The medics allowed us to come along on the condition we hid on their stretchers.

This was what Israel had dubbed “Operation Cast Lead,” the first in a series of flare-ups of various durations between Israel and Gaza in 2012, 2014, 2021 and 2022. The ongoing operation in Gaza was preceded by another one this May.

After a brief exchange with the medics in the lead ambulance, the soldiers waved us through without inspecting the ambulances.

It was the deepest Israeli ground operation into Gaza since the withdrawal from the Strip in 2005. Then, Israeli troops largely avoided the most built up and crowded areas, particularly Gaza’s eight crammed refugee camps. They were well aware that entering into the narrow alleys of camps like al-Shati, one of the most crowded, would be risky. Their focus was on controlling the periphery of urban areas.

Israel’s tactics have always been to move fast, control as much territory as possible, but avoid street-to-street, house-to-house fighting where a weaker opponent can take full advantage of the terrain. Entering urban areas in Gaza, however, would bring in an entire new element to the fight.

At the moment Israeli forces are engaged with Hamas. But Gaza is home to a myriad of armed Palestinian groups, including Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) to name just a few. They don’t have Hamas’ manpower or weaponry, but they’re numerous enough to put up serious resistance.

In March 2008, I went to Gaza to cover an Israeli incursion into the north, this time dubbed “Hot Winter,” yet another attempt to stop rocket fire from Gaza. At the time, Hamas was in full control of the Gaza Strip, having expelled the rival Fatah faction the previous year. But when I arrived in the area where Israeli forces were trying to advance, it wasn’t Hamas fighters but rather gunmen from the PFLP who were running street battles with Israeli troops. They ducked in and out of alleyways, sprinted across streets with rocket propelled grenade launchers and Kalashinkov assault rifles. The young men were almost giddy with excitement. They finally had a chance to fight Israeli troops on their own ground. Eventually, the Israelis pulled out. The rocket fire continued.

Going back to the summer of 1982 when Israel invaded Lebanon in pursuit of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, Israeli forces made it all the way to Beirut then stopped on the outskirts, establishing a siege much along the lines announced Monday by Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. It was clear even back then that entering Beirut, particularly the Palestinian refugee camps, would be a deadly mission for all.

During the siege that followed, Israeli warplanes and artillery pummeled West Beirut, but ground troops stayed out of Beirut proper.

In the end, under American pressure, a deal was worked out whereby Palestinian fighters would evacuate Beirut and Lebanon to Yemen, Tunisia and elsewhere. It was only after they left that Israeli troops took control of the western part of the city. Soon afterwards in September 1982, with Israel in control of West Beirut, the Israeli military, under the leadership of then Defense Minister Ariel Sharon, allowed their right-wing Christian Lebanese allies, the Kataib, to enter Sabra and Shatila refugee camp and slaughter over a thousand civilians who no longer were able to defend themselves because the men of fighting age and their weapons had left as part of the US-brokered deal with the PLO.

The Israeli military has now mobilized 300,000 reservists for what is now widely believed to be an unprecedented incursion into Gaza – and perhaps, some speculate, a re-occupation of the enclave – in the aftermath of Hamas’ October 7 surprise attack, which killed more than 1,300 people in Israel.

Retired colonel breaks down ‘key indicators’ for ground incursion in Gaza

What awaits it is a Hamas that has shown, despite the cruelty vividly displayed in its Saturday attack, a level of military capability far beyond what was previously thought. It is probably well prepared for the next phase in this war.

Over the past week, Israel has launched hundreds of punishing strikes on Gaza, turning some areas into wastelands of shattered concrete and twisted metal. In the process, over 2,200 Palestinians – including many civilians and over 700 children – have been killed. And this is just the initial phase of this war.

If it comes, the ground operation will be far bloodier and more destructive. Israeli forces will also have to be mindful that spread around Gaza are more than a hundred captive Israelis – soldiers and civilians, including women and children – held hostage by Hamas. And although no one outside Hamas knows where they’re being held, it’s likely they’re in the most difficult areas for Israeli forces to access, possibly in crowded refugee camps.

As eager as Israel’s leaders may be to deal a fatal blow to Hamas, it will come at a very high price. To all.

CNN
 — 

Republicans’ efforts to win control of the Louisiana governor’s office face a first test Saturday in a “jungle primary” that is likely to narrow the field to a head-to-head runoff next month.

Louisiana – much like Kentucky, another deep-red state, where Gov. Andy Beshear is seeking a second term this year – has in recent elections been willing to vote in a Democratic governor.

But Bayou State Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat with some socially conservative positions who was elected in 2015 amid dissatisfaction with outgoing GOP Gov. Bobby Jindal and reelected in 2019, is barred by term limits from running again. With Edwards out, the Louisiana race represents the GOP’s best chance of flipping a gubernatorial seat this year after a disappointing 2022 midterms that saw the party lose a net of two governorships.

Under Louisiana’s jungle primary system, all contenders run on the same ballot. If one candidate wins 50% of the vote Saturday, that person will be elected governor. But the more likely outcome is that no one reaches that threshold, and the top two contenders, regardless of party, would advance to a November 18 runoff.

The Republican favorite is state Attorney General Jeff Landry, a hard-line conservative who has frequently tussled with Edwards in court. The state Republican establishment has largely coalesced around Landry in the race after several other high-profile potential candidates opted against running. Former President Donald Trump endorsed Landry in May, saying in a video that the attorney general has been “fantastic” and wants to “stop crime.”

Landry will have competition for Republican votes Saturday from state Senate Majority Leader Sharon Hewitt, state Treasurer John Schroder and Stephen Waguespack, the former president of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry and a onetime Jindal chief of staff. Independent attorney Hunter Lundy is also in the race, as are several lesser-known contenders.

Democrats, meanwhile, have consolidated around former state Transportation Secretary Shawn Wilson, who is widely viewed as the favorite for the second spot in the runoff. Wilson is hoping to become the state’s first Black elected governor.

Despite Edwards’ two victories, Louisiana remains largely dominated by Republicans. The GOP has won the last four presidential races in the state by between 17 and 20 points, and the last Democratic presidential nominee to carry Louisiana’s electoral votes was Bill Clinton in 1996.

Landry, 52, first won political office in 2010, when he was elected to the US House as part of that year’s tea party wave. He lost his south Louisiana seat in a primary two years later, after the state lost a district in reapportionment and Landry was drawn into the same seat as the more senior Rep. Charles Boustany.

He won the attorney general’s office in 2015, ousting two-term incumbent Buddy Caldwell, who had left the Democratic Party and become a Republican just four years earlier.

As attorney general, Landry has clashed with Edwards over several issues, including a court battle that followed the governor’s efforts to require state contracts to protect LGBT employees from discrimination. He joined Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s ultimately unsuccessful lawsuit seeking to overturn the 2020 presidential election by throwing out Electoral College votes in several swing states.

Landry has swamped the field in fundraising, and had $4.5 million in the bank on September 24, the end of the last campaign finance reporting period.

New York
CNN
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Imagine you’re at the movies: The lights have dimmed, the previews are over, chatter dwindles to a hush. You take a sip of soda through a straw. You pop some artificially buttery popcorn into your mouth. You tear open a bag of Skittles and start to chew.

That last part feels wrong, probably, because at the movies, candy comes in a box. Movie theaters are not the only place to buy boxed candy — you can get boxes of chocolate or candy at some drug stores or online — but even then they’re called theater box candy, a label that undeniably links the package with the movies.

So what’s with the box? Experts say that the distinctive packaging is about logistics — both for the theater, and for you and your buddies at the movies.

Rectangular theater boxes “make it easy [for consumers] to share their candy with their friends,” said Keith Domalewski, director of marketing at Just Born, which sells Mike and Ike and Hot Tamales.

A spokesperson for Mars Wrigley, maker of M&M’s and Skittles, made a similar point, noting that candy sold in “boxes in movie theaters is easier to pour and share, compared to traditional packaging, and boxes offer the ability to re-close.” That means less spilling in between seats.

Candy sellers are always thinking about how people are going to consume their products.

If you’re going to polish off a bag of M&M’s in one sitting or scarf down a chocolate bar on the bus, you don’t need to worry about re-sealing and are likely happy with a small, tearable package. If you’re looking for a sweet, portion-controlled snack, you might buy a bag of fun sizes.

At the movies, you’re probably going to be passing snacks along to friends, noted Chris Gindlesperger, senior vice president of public affairs and communications at the National Confectioners Association, a trade organization. “It’s a moment to share.”

In a convenience or grocery store, you might find candy hanging from a peg, Gindlesperger noted.

Those bags are designed to be displayed in that way. The principle is the same for movie theater candy.

“Theater boxes take their name from being available in movie theaters or other retail establishments that might have shelving,” he said.

You can browse at a grocery store, or grab a bag of candy off a peg as you move through the line. At a concession stand, you can’t do much but peek over your neighbor’s shoulder to scope out the offerings until you get to the counter.

“To be able to see the product and the brands and make a selection as a shopper, [the boxes] need to stand up,” Gindlesperger said.

That’s important for the candy makers, who want their products to stand out.

“Theater boxes merchandise neatly behind the glass counter or on a grab-and-go shelf, and the large front panel makes it easy for consumers to find their favorite candy brands quickly,” said Domalewski.

And now that people associate boxed candy with the movies, they hold a fondness for the packaging. “There is strong consumer nostalgia with the ‘theater box’ format and movie watching — and some people will even purchase them for home screen time,” said the spokesperson for Mars Wrigley.

In general, consumers have been opting for smaller pack sizes, sometimes paying a premium to get help with portion control.

But going to “a movie theater is still a treat,” said Marcia Mogelonsky, senior director of insight at Mintel Food and Drink. “It’s not the place to practice portion control.”

Even if you’re going to the movies alone, you’re still expected to shell out for a large box of candy, which can be upwards of 3 ounces, nearly double a bag of M&M’s or a candy bar. And nobody would blink an eye if you finish it on your own.

“You can say that the whole concept is that big packages can be shared with friends when you go to the movies,” Mogelonsky said. “But how many people just sit there and eat the whole Twizzler package themselves?”

New York
CNN
 — 

Grab physical DVDs while you still can.

Netflix mailed its last red-enveloped DVD last month. Now Best Buy will stop selling DVDs and Blu-ray discs at the end of the 2023 holiday season, too.

Best Buy says that streaming has made DVDs obsolete and it can use physical space in its stores and warehouses for tech products in higher demand.

“To state the obvious, the way we watch movies and TV shows is much different today than it was decades ago,” Best Buy said in a statement. “Making this change gives us more space and opportunity to bring customers new and innovative tech for them to explore, discover and enjoy.”

The media website Digital Bits first broke the news of Best Buy’s move.

Best Buy does not break out its sales from DVDs, but Best Buy currently has 24,000 DVDs listed on its website.

The company has shrunk down aisles of DVDs in recent years.

Best Buy’s exit from the market will leave Walmart, Amazon and Target as the top retailers stocking DVDs, according to Digital Bits. (Pour one out for Blockbuster.)

Walmart reportedly controls 45% of the market for DVDs.

CNN
 — 

Firefighters encountered an unexpected challenge while rescuing a dog trapped in a Tennessee cave: A black bear was also there.

The dog, Charlie, spent three days trapped nearly 40 feet deep in an “extremely narrow cave shaft” on English Mountain in eastern Tennessee, according to a Facebook post from the Waldens Creek Volunteer Fire Department.

A rescue team consisting of “rope rescue technicians” from several fire departments set off on the mission to free Charlie on Tuesday, the Facebook post says. The team hiked to the mouth of the cave, where firefighter Tori Downing and captain Jon Lanier descended into the cave.

“Things took a turn when Firefighter Downing rounded a corner and found a bear sleeping five feet below her and the trapped hunting dog farther in the cave system,” reads the Facebook post.

Charlie’s unwitting companion was a 2-year-old black bear weighing an estimated 200 pounds, according to the Waldens Creek Volunteer Fire Department.

The rescue team left the cave and set up trail cameras to track when the bear left the cave, the Facebook post says.

On Wednesday, they determined that the bear “had left the cave and not returned.”

With the cave “bear-free,” the stage was set for Charlie’s rescue. Three firefighters descended into the cave on a rope system. But initially, it seemed they would still be unable to retrieve the trapped canine.

“At first, we actually thought the dog had slipped further into the cave where we couldn’t access,” Lanier said, according to CNN affiliate WVLT. “It was kinda sad because we felt like we were gonna have to leave the dog there.”

“As we’re about to head back out, I looked back one more time and I saw his antenna from his tracker collar,” another firefighter, Christian Ellard, said, according to WVLT.

Charlie was “dehydrated and hungry, but in otherwise good condition,” says the Waldens Creek Volunteer Fire Department.

The rescue team “fashioned a harness for the dog and effected the rescue,” the department explained. “Charlie was quickly reunited with his happy owner.”

The department included a photo of a volunteer emerging from the narrow cave mouth with Charlie in his arms and a shot of the rescued pup with four members of the rescue team.

“It was definitely a sigh of relief for everybody on scene,” said Andrew Wojturski, a firefighter with Sevier County Fire & Rescue, according to WVLT. “And then once we finally got him out and the owner came up afterwards and shook our hands and thanked us, it was really rewarding.”

In their Facebook post, the Waldens Creek Volunteer Fire Department thanked “the entire rescue team and people who worked together to make this happen.”

“It was truly a team effort that required all these departments to make it a success,” they said.

English Mountain is near Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains National Park, described by the National Park Service as “one of the largest protected areas in the eastern United States where black bears can live in wild, natural surroundings.” An estimated 1,900 bears live in the park.