Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel formed an emergency government today, adding two opposition lawmakers — both former army chiefs — to his cabinet. The infusion of military expertise, analysts say, will give the government greater legitimacy to make major wartime decisions, including when and whether to send troops into Gaza.
The arrangement was made as Israeli warplanes struck Hamas targets in Gaza for a fifth day and more evidence emerged of the trail of terror inflicted by the Hamas incursion over the weekend: Bodies were in the streets, people were shot dead at a bus stop and bullet holes were found in residential walls.
Israel has said little about what appears to be a spectacular failure of its security and intelligence operations. A detailed analysis by my colleagues found that the slow response by Israeli forces gave Hamas terrorists many hours to infiltrate more than 20 towns. Israel said the death toll had reached 1,200, with about 150 people believed to be held hostage in Gaza.
Fears of a humanitarian disaster were also growing in Gaza, where officials say at least 1,100 Palestinians have been killed. The Israeli military has assembled tanks and soldiers along the Gaza border, and Egypt’s president said that he would not allow Palestinians to seek refuge in his country, closing off the only evacuation route for civilians in Gaza.
In other news, the U.S. secretary of state, Antony Blinken, is traveling to Israel, where he will meet with officials tomorrow to offer American support and discuss hostage negotiations. Here’s what we know about the Americans who are missing or have been killed.
Online: False claims and unrelated imagery have spread, adding to the confusion and obscuring the real evidence of atrocities.
Republicans nominate Steve Scalise for speaker
In a closed-door party meeting today, House Republicans narrowly nominated Representative Steve Scalise of Louisiana as their choice to be the next speaker. The decision, which comes a week after the dramatic ouster of their former leader, Representative Kevin McCarthy, must still be confirmed by a vote on the House floor. And it’s not clear if Scalise can secure the votes necessary.
Scalise defeated a challenge by Representative Jim Jordan by a vote of 113 to 99 on a secret ballot. But with Democrats in opposition, he will need the support of nearly all House Republicans to secure the speakership. Already, several have said they will not support him.
Exxon Mobil doubles down on U.S. oil
Exxon Mobil announced today that it was acquiring Pioneer Natural Resources, a leading shale oil producer, for $59.5 billion, a major deal that could more than double its production. The combined company would hold nearly 1.5 million acres in the Permian Basin, giving it one of the largest undeveloped oil and gas inventories in the world.
Effectively, Exxon is betting that U.S. energy policy will not move against fossil fuels in a major way, even as the Biden administration has signaled that it will.
In related news, natural gas prices jumped this week in Europe on worries about supplies stemming from the conflicts in Israel and Ukraine.
Scientists try using A.I. to improve brain surgery
Researchers in the Netherlands published a study today that described the use of artificial intelligence to help surgeons make faster and more precise diagnoses of brain tumors. Their deep learning system, which was tested on frozen tumor samples, accurately diagnosed 45 of 50 cases within 40 minutes. Then, during 25 live brain surgeries, it delivered 18 correct diagnoses and refrained from offering a diagnosis on the rest.
More top news
Supreme Court: Several conservative justices seemed prepared to reinstate a South Carolina voting map that a lower court had ruled was an unconstitutional racial gerrymander.
Business: A series of lapses put two planes moments from colliding in Texas. It’s a harrowing example of the country’s fraying air safety system.
International: Momentum is building in Jamaica to make Patois an official language on par with English.
Crime: The ex-N.F.L. player Sergio Brown was taken into custody by San Diego police. He faces a murder charge in connection with his mother’s death.
Literature: Salman Rushdie said that he would publish a memoir in April about the stabbing that left him seriously injured.
Space: NASA unveiled the first pictures of space rock collected on its seven-year mission to sample an asteroid.
Celebrity: Jada Pinkett Smith said that she and Will Smith separated in 2016 and that they lived separately.
Lives Lived: Dorothy Hoffner, the centenarian who gained international adoration for her skydive this month, died at 104.
TIME TO UNWIND
From counterculture to I.P.O.
For many decades, Birkenstock — the 249-year-old German sandal brand — has been synonymous with unfashionable stereotypes like hippies, eccentric aunts and science teachers who pair them with socks. But over time, as workplaces grew more casual and comfort became a priority, they emerged as winners of the “ugly shoe” trend.
Eventually, Birkenstocks were even embraced by the fashion world. Now the brand is hoping to capitalize on the momentum. This morning, the company began trading on the New York Stock Exchange at a valuation of more than $9 billion.
“It’s not often that you see a total turnaround in public brand perception,” one fashion curator said. “Weird and ordinary has become deeply cool.”
A Nobel laureate explains ‘why women won’
Claudia Goldin, a Harvard professor, won the Nobel Prize in economics this week for her work documenting the journey of American women. She has found that over the past half-century they have outpaced men in education, poured into the labor force and found meaning in their work.
Her research shows that women have gone from holding jobs to pursuing careers — a shift she describes as “among the grandest advances in society” — but also that women still lag behind men in pay, work force participation and top jobs. My colleague Claire Cain Miller looked at where Goldin sees progress, and where she sees gender gaps.
Dinner table topics
Rails into the past: On the Picardy Coast of France, a 19th-century steam railway lets you explore at the perfect pace.
Still got it?: Almost 20 years after his best-selling album “Confessions,” Usher is back with new music that could redefine the R&B genre.
Fashion’s groupthink problem: Our chief fashion critic asks, Why is the industry going backward when it comes to diversity and designers?
Ask the Ethicist: My husband is facing dementia. Can I help him end his life?
WHAT TO DO TONIGHT
Cook: This herby sweet potato soup has an autumnal warmth.
Watch: “Bad City” is one of the five best action movies to stream this month.
Read: Our crime columnist reviewed four buzzy new mystery novels.
Save: We have tips for avoiding pesky hidden fees while traveling.
Exercise: Rucking is a full-body workout, all in a backpack.
Clean: Wirecutter’s favorite robot vacuum is on sale.
Compete: Take our quiz to test your knowledge of science fiction novels that became TV shows.
Play: Here are today’s Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all our games here.
ONE LAST THING
People love to watch influencers get punched
What’s more entertaining: a world-title bout between gifted but little-known bantamweight fighters or a grudge match between arrogant social media stars? Viewers are increasingly opting for the latter.
As boxing’s popularity has waned, many of the most popular fights feature social media influencers who are interesting because of their characters, not their quality. Purists may object, but a fight without a narrative, no matter how poetic its execution, is just a hollow technical exercise.
Have a triumphant evening.
Thanks for reading. I’ll be back tomorrow. — Matthew
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