Geoff Bennett:
The number two Democrat in the Senate spoke of what he called a strong Democratic bench ready to serve. His decision will set off a scramble for a seat that hasn’t been open in nearly 30 years. Durbin, who is 80, is now the fourth Democratic senator this year to announce their retirement.
Turning overseas to the Middle East, where Israeli airstrikes overnight in Northern Gaza killed at least 23 people. The strike fell on a school acting as a shelter for the displaced. Eyewitnesses saw torched tents and people burned alive. The Israeli military says it targets Hamas terrorists who hide among civilians. Gazan health authorities say over 1,600 Palestinians have been killed since Israel relaunched its campaign against Hamas last month.
Meantime, Egyptian officials say they’re working on a proposal alongside Qatar to end the war. The deal would include a five-to-seven-year truce and Hamas’ release of all remaining hostages. No comment yet from Israeli officials on that proposal.
A powerful 6.2-magnitude earthquake hit Turkey today. Its epicenter was in the Sea of Marmara, some 25 miles Southwest of Istanbul. The massive tremor and its aftershocks prompted widespread panic. Buildings swayed and people poured into the streets to seek safety. The quake didn’t appear to cause any major damage, but officials in Istanbul said more than 150 people were injured jumping from balconies.
For many Turks, memories are still fresh from a 2023 quake that killed more than 50,000 people there and took another 6,000 lives in Northern Syria.
Authorities in New Jersey say a large wildfire will grow before it is contained. The acting governor declared a state of emergency today. The blaze has exploded to more than 19 square miles in Central New Jersey, already the second largest fire in the state in the last two decades. What caused it is now under investigation. Officials lifted evacuation orders today for some 5,000 people as firefighters made progress and reported residential areas were no longer under threat.
Shawn Latourette, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection: This is still a very active fire. As we continue to get this under full control, the expectation is that that number of acres will grow and grow in a place that is unpopulated, that is more open wilderness.
