While much of southern Lebanon falls under the de facto control of Hezbollah, the ancient valleys here hold a scattering of towns and villages that are predominantly Christian, Druze or Sunni Muslim. None of them have rallied to support Hezbollah. (Cheeseman, The Washington Post)
Read MoreA hopeful and unexpected drop in U.S. drug overdose deaths appears to be gaining speed. Fatal overdoses are down 12.7%, according to data released this week from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It marks another significant improvement from last month, when surveys showed roughly a 10.6% drop in fatalities from street drugs. (Mann, NPR)
Read MoreWith the one-two punch of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton within two weeks of one another, faith-based disaster groups are getting ready for a long, slow recovery that may take years. “It’s going to take a long time,” said Frank, whose church is working closely with North Carolina Baptist Disaster Relief. Volunteers have already cooked more than 100,000 meals in the church parking lot. (Smietana, Religion News Service)
Read MoreA survey by Iam Roadsmart, a motoring charity, found that 63 percent of those aged 17 to 34 admitted using the horn in a fit of fury, compared to just 42 percent of those aged 70 and over. (Clatworthy, The Times UK)
Read MoreThough murder and violent crime in the United States has decreased in recent years, homicides committed by children have risen dramatically, jumping 65% — from 315 in 2016 to 521 in 2022, according to a September report from the Council on Criminal Justice. (Yancey-Bragg, USA Today)
Read MoreItaly on Wednesday passed the West’s most restrictive law against international surrogacy, threatening would-be parents who use birth mothers abroad with jail time and severe fines in a move that critics say will chiefly target same-sex couples. (Faiola & Pitrelli, The Washington Post)
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