Tuesday's News & Ideas - 10/31/2023

Israel pushes deeper into Gaza and frees Hamas captive; Netanyahu rejects calls for cease-fire
The Associated Press: The Israeli prime minister rejected calls for a cease-fire as airstrikes landed near hospitals where thousands of Palestinians are sheltering beside the wounded.

God is under the rubble in Gaza
Sojourners: Munther Isaac, a Palestinian pastor, shares his sermon of lament and anger that he preached in Palestine on Oct. 22.

Vatican synod ends with divide over women deacons and LGBTQ+*
The Washington Post: How and whether to welcome LGBTQ+ Catholics became, according to participants, the most contentious topic at the month-long synod that closed Saturday in Vatican City.

Practical magic: The lucrative business of being a witch on Etsy and TikTok*
The New York Times: Modern witches no longer lurk in dark alleys or operate out of the back rooms of stores, you can instead buy their services online for a pretty penny or two.

Explosion hits Jehovah’s Witnesses prayer meeting in India’s Kerala
Al Jazeera: The blast took place as hundreds gathered for Sunday prayer in the southern town of Kalamassery in Kerala state.

The Spark

We’re spending $700 million on pet costumes in the costliest Halloween ever
Altogether, Halloween spending in the U.S. will likely top $12 billion, a new record, NPR says. A National Retail Federation survey estimated that an average shopper would spend $108 on candy, costumes and decorations.

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