MLB World Series Begins, NBA Season Kicks Off
The MLB playoffs are nearing the end, as the World Series has begun. The two teams that remain are the Texas Rangers and the Arizona Diamondbacks, who will battle it out in a best-of-seven series. The playoffs have been an exciting one so far, with championship frontrunners like the Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, and Los Angeles Dodgers having been eliminated. Last Monday, the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers played in the final game of the American League Championship Series (ALCS), a winner-takes-all Game 7 showdown, in which the electric Rangers offense helped the Rangers to an 11-4 victory. In the National League, the National League Championship Series (NLCS) also went to seven games, with the Diamondbacks narrowly defeating the Philadelphia Phillies in Philadelphia last Tuesday.
Basketball fans are looking forward to the exciting season that is in store for the 2023-24 season, which began Tuesday night. In one of the first games of the season, the Denver Nuggets, the NBA’s defending champions, won against LeBron James and the Lakers. Also, the Pheonix Suns, another championship contender, triumphed over the Golden State Warriors, led by Stephen Curry.
Number one overall draft pick Victor Wembanyama has been getting all the attention recently, as his combination of height (standing at 7 feet 4 inches), dribbling, and shooting ability is not seen often. The French-born star recorded 15 points, five rebounds, and two assists in his debut.
New Speaker of the House is Chosen
The House of Representatives finally has a new speaker–Mike Johnson of Louisiana–after former speaker Mike McCarthy was ousted by a group of far-right Republicans led by Representative Matt Gaetz (R-FL). Gaetz and others were unhappy with McCarthy’s willingness to negotiate with Democratic leaders to avoid a government shutdown. Initially, Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) was the frontrunner to take McCarthy’s place, but after it became clear that Scalise wouldn’t win the support of enough Republicans, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) became the primary candidate. Unfortunately for the Republicans, even after three floor votes Jordan was still short of the necessary votes (217 votes are needed to become Speaker). Finally, after weeks of infighting, the Republican majority was able to decide on the new speaker. For many Democrats, Johnson represents conservative extremism and the Republican Party’s shift in that direction. Many Democrats have also noted Johnson’s role in the fight to overturn the 2020 election results.
Hamas Releases Several Israeli Hostages, Many Still in Hamas Custody
In the aftermath of the October 7 attack on Israel, over 200 people–some American–were revealed to be in custody of Hamas, the group who led the Oct. 7 attack that killed around 1,400. Recently, the Israeli government has made it a priority to free these hostages from captivity through negotiations with Hamas leadership. Although four hostages have been released so far, many hostages remain in Hamas custody, and the Israeli government has made it clear that it will go to great lengths to free the hostages; last Monday, the Israeli defense minister said that the country is planning an attack from the “air, ground, and sea” to eliminate Hamas and recover the hostages. Although the US’s role remains complicated, President Biden has continued to support Israel’s goal of eradicating Hamas, while also urging Israeli leadership to consider other options before rushing into a ground invasion.
