Good morning. On today’s docket:

• 💥 Israel expands its ground operations in Gaza
• 🤝 The UAW and Stellantis agree to a tentative deal
• 🤔 Where are the most expensive cities in the US located?

… and more.

🚀⏰ Ready, Set, Go: Today’s news should be about a 4.72-minute read.

P.S. First time reading? Subscribe here for free.

“Optimism, when applied to your life, develops strength and peace within you.”

Norman Vincent Peale (1898-1993)

On Friday, Israel’s military launched large-scale air strikes targeting the Gaza Strip and expanded its ground operations in the region, as the ongoing war with Hamas officially entered its fourth week.

🤔 What’s going on?... In a nationally televised address Saturday evening, PM Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel has entered a "new phase" in the war and is preparing for a full ground invasion of Gaza in the coming days or weeks.

• Israel previously ordered ~1 million Palestinians in northern Gaza to evacuate to the south more than two weeks ago, and at least 700,000 have already done so, per the latest UN figures.
• Many Palestinians who remain in northern Gaza say their decision was influenced by poor conditions in the south, including overcrowded shelters, shortages of essential supplies, and ongoing Israeli airstrikes targeting the area.

💥 Other recent developments: Israel initially imposed a blackout on all cell phone and internet services within Gaza on Friday, but reversed course and started to resume services yesterday – a move which reportedly came in response to pushback from US officials.

Thousands of Palestinians broke into four UN food depots in Gaza yesterday morning, grabbing wheat flour and other essential items in a sign they had reached "breaking point", UN officials said. Despite ongoing shortages for many Gazan residents, Hamas is relatively unaffected due to a large stockpile of supplies the org has spent years amassing, per officials from Israel and several Western and Arab nations.

• Gaza’s health ministry says more than 8,000 Palestinans (mostly women and children) have been killed since the latest conflict began on October 7. The Hamas-run agency began publishing the names, ages, genders, and ID numbers of the deceased last Thursday, after President Biden said he had “no confidence” in its death toll figures.
• Over 1,400 people have died on the Israeli side, mainly civilians killed during Hamas’ initial attack.

📊 Flash poll: We asked for your initial reactions to the Israel-Hamas conflict two weeks ago (you can read them here and here). However, if you feel compelled to share more thoughts on the unfolding situation, you can do so below.

• Click here to leave a response.

🇨🇳🚁 Chinese regulators approved the world’s first passenger-carrying electric aircraft. Chinese company EHang received approval this month for its fully autonomous air taxis, which can carry two passengers – or 600 lbs of cargo – at speeds of ~80 MPH for up to 18 miles. EHang’s self-piloting air taxis are controlled by a command center that monitors the flight statuses, routes, and local weather conditions associated with each craft, which can take off and land vertically from any flat surface (including rooftops, parking lots, and parks).

🇷🇺 The White House said it has evidence of Russia executing disobedient soldiers. According to US and Ukrainian officials, Russian military leaders have been executing soldiers who attempt to retreat from an ongoing offensive near the eastern Ukrainian town of Avdiivka, where Russia has suffered heavy casualties in recent weeks. A White House spokesperson said the executions are: a) an indication of how poorly Russia’s military is performing against Ukraine and b) how significant its losses have been to date.

🇮🇳🇺🇸 A record number of Indian immigrants are illegally entering the southern US border. An estimated 42,000 migrants from India have crossed America’s southern border illegally during the fiscal year ending September 30, per new data from US Customs and Border Protection, a figure more than double the previous record (which was set the prior fiscal year). Experts attribute the recent jump to several factors, including India’s recent Hindu nationalist policies, immigration success stories circulating on social media, and an influx of smugglers masquerading as travel agents across Indian villages.

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On Saturday, the UAW and Stellantis announced a tentative labor agreement – so if it’s one, two, three strikes you’re out, then the count currently sits at 0-2.

The four-and-a-half-year deal, which largely mirrors the template set by the UAW and Ford late last week, includes:

• Higher wages: When compounding and cost-of-living are factored in, workers will receive pay hikes amounting to more than 33% over the life of the contract, including an immediate 11% bump. The deal also includes increases in 401(k) contributions and enhanced benefits for those who have pensions.
• More union jobs: As part of the tentative deal, Stellantis has agreed to reopen a previously shuttered plant in Belvidere, Illinois, in addition to committing to keep an engine plant in Trenton, Michigan, open and to keep and expand a machining plant in Toledo, Ohio. Per the union, these moves will create up to 5,000 new UAW jobs.

🤔 What about GM?... Talks between GM and the UAW have intensified in recent days (so a third deal may be close). Reuters reports the remaining sticking points include retirement benefits and issues related to temporary workers, since GM has more retirees than either Ford or Stellantis and increases to pension benefits for workers hired before 2007 cost GM more than its rivals.

👀 Looking ahead… Any deal between the automakers and UAW leaders still needs to be approved by UAW members before it becomes official. As of late yesterday afternoon, these votes had not yet been scheduled.

💬 Quoted… “I don’t tend to show a lot of freakoutness but, relative to my standard, yes.”

• On Friday, former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried took the stand to testify in his ongoing fraud trial. In his testimony, SBF claimed he didn’t know FTX’s sister firm Alameda Research had borrowed an unsustainable amount from the crypto exchange until the summer of 2022 (when he began to show some freakoutness), suggested his only wrongdoing was failing to properly supervise then-Alameda CEO Caroline Ellison (who is also SBF’s ex-girlfriend), and stressed that he didn’t have a background in computer coding. SBF was questioned by his own lawyer on Friday, but will face cross-examination from federal prosecutors later today.

🪙🌆 Stat of the Day: It seems the Golden State refers to more than just sunshine: 7 of the top 10 most expensive US cities are located in California, led by San Diego (#1), LA (#2), Santa Barbara (#5), and San Francisco (#6), per a new ranking from US News & World Report.

🤔 Did You Know?... Unopened Lego sets had a higher average annual rate of return than gold, art, or wine between 1987 and 2015 (+11%), according to a recent study.

📰 Worth a Read: A brief history of roundabouts and why they're safe → (The Conversation)

Mahala wants to buy a condo in six months and would like to maximize the deposit she put down by investing her current funds…. what should she invest in?🤔🏢 

• A risk-free investment with a guaranteed return
• A well-diversified portfolio of stocks and bonds
• A portfolio of blue-chip stocks
• A portfolio of high-growth stocks
• A high-flying cryptocurrency that’s been on an absolute tear

🤑 The crypto, it’s always the crypto. Kidding! But if you enjoy this type of challenge, check out INVRS, the platform that teaches you financial literacy with skill-testing trivia and contests (including their one-of-a-kind contest running all November).

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• ☝️ You’re looking at some of the entrants from the 33rd annual NYC Halloween dog parade, which also doubles as a contest competition.

BUSINESS & MARKETS

in partnership with The Average Joe’s

• 💰 US markets closed mixed on Friday (S&P: -0.5%; Dow: -1.1%; Nasdaq: +0.4%); the S&P finished in correction territory (down 10.3% from this year’s peak on July 31).
• 💊✌️ ​​Pharmacy staff from multiple drugstore chains, including Walgreens, CVS, and Rite Aid, plan to stage a nationwide walkout starting today, in what organizers are dubbing "Pharmageddon." (A deep-dive into why they’re striking)
• 👚🤝 The Shein + Forever 21 partnership is starting to take shape.

*From our partners: 🗞️💰 Do you like money? Do you like things to-the-point and easy-to-digest? The Average Joe’s free investing newsletters are filled with market trends and insights anyone can understand. Get the free newsletter (Join 220,000+ investors).

SPORTS, MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT

• SCOREBOARD: 🏈 CFB: No. 8 Oregon defeated No. 13 Utah by a score of 35-6, while unranked Kansas upset No. 6 Oklahoma 38-33; see other highlights from the weekend (link). | 🏈 NFL: The Broncos upset the Chiefs 24-9, while the Bengals beat the 49ers 31-17 (full Week 8 recap). | ⚾ World Series (best of seven): The Texas Rangers split the first two games at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday and Saturday; the series now heads to AZ for three consecutive games starting tonight at 8 pm ET.
• 🙏 Matthew Perry, 54, best known for playing Chandler on Friends, was found dead in a hot tub at his LA home on Saturday. | 🏆🎶 Taylor Swift set a new all-time Spotify record for most single-day streams by an artist on Friday, a date which coincided with the release of 1989 (Taylor’s Version).
• 📲 X (formerly Twitter) launched two new subscription plans, including an ad-free tier for ~$16/month. (Background)

SCIENCE, SPACE & EMERGING TECH

in partnership with Rasa

• 🐒 Some female chimpanzees experience menopause, making them the third known species to do so alongside humans and certain species of whales, per a new peer-reviewed study published in Science.
• 🛰️ US scientists are developing a real-life tractor beam that uses invisible electrostatic attraction to remove hazardous space junk from Earth’s orbit.
• ⚛️⏱️ Experiments involving simulated time travel – made possible by a mechanic of quantum physics called “entanglement” – can solve problems that appear impossible to work out using standard physics, per a new peer-reviewed study from the University of Cambridge.

*From our partners: 🙌🍵 Save on a full month of uplifting and sustained energy… The Rasa Ritual Sample pack lets you try their full line of super-functional coffee alternatives. Ethically and sustainably sourced, and formulated by a clinical herbalist. Save 20% with code DONUT20.

MISCELLANEOUS

• 🚨 The 40-year-old Maine male suspected of killing at least 18 people and injuring 13 others in a pair of mass shootings last Wednesday was found dead due to an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
• 🏛️ The House will vote this week on whether to expel Rep. George Santos (R-NY) following his indictment on 23 federal charges related to campaign finance violations; the vote was called by a group of Santos’ fellow NY Republicans.
• 🐘🗳️ Former VP Mike Pence ended his campaign for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination. (From the Left | From the Center | From the Right) | 🫏🗳️ Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) announced plans to run against President Biden for the 2024 Democratic presidential nomination. (From the Left | From the Center | From the Right)

CLICKBAIT

• 🥇 First ever Florida Man games will feature beer belly wrestling and ‘evading arrest’ obstacle course.

Monday: Apple’s second product event of the season

Tuesday: Happy Halloween 👻🎃

Wednesday: Federal Reserve expected to hold interest rates steady

Thursday: End of Día de Los Muertos (starts Wednesday)

Friday: October jobs report; Jimmy Buffet’s final album debuts

On Friday, we covered the business challenges facing X (formerly Twitter) one year after Elon Musk completed his purchase of the platform for $44 billion.

❓ Our question to you: What’s your current perception of X overall?

• 👍 Positive: 18%
• 👎 Negative: 55%
• 🤷 Indifferent: 27%

❓ FOLLOW-UP: Has your perception changed since Musk purchased the platform?

• 👍 Positive: 61% “Yes”; 39% “No”
• 👎 Negative: 93% “Yes”; 7% “No”
• 🤷 Indifferent: 31% “Yes”; 69% “No”

Click here to read some of the best responses.

+Note on sample size: We received 9,417 votes and 855 longform responses.

At 92 years old, Alfredo Aliaga👆 just became the oldest person to hike the Grand Canyon rim to rim. 

• The Spaniard hiked for a total of 21 hours over two days to complete the voyage, which he undertook with his daughter. The two crossed the proverbial finish line on October 15. 
• Nearly 100 people were waiting to celebrate with Alfredo at his finishing point. He and his family are waiting on Guinness World Records to confirm the title. 

🥾 These boots were made for walking... An outdoor enthusiast and lover of the Grand Canyon specifically, Alfredo is humble about his accomplishments. "After all," he said, it's "only one step after the other." 

Guess the definitions of the following Greek/Latin root words:

1. Ambi
2. Crypt
3. Eco
4. Hal
5. Lav

(keep scrolling for the answers)

👆 Check out the referral prizes you can get, just for introducing people you know to little old us. 

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Start referring.👇

1. Ambi = Both (e.g., ambidextrous, ambivalent)
2. Crypt = Hidden (cryptic, cryptography)
3. Eco = House (ecology, economics)
4. Hal = Salt (halogen)
5. Lav = Wash (lavatory)