Since the Israel-Hamas war began on Oct. 3, 2023, one in four people are now starving in Gaza. Even before the war commenced, more than half a million people in Gaza were facing hunger as simple groceries like flour cost upwards of $200. As a result, it has become public knowledge that families are struggling, such as the ones in Gaza who were grinding hay and animal food as a substitute for flour because of the lack of resources due to war. Yet, since the war has continued, animal food and hay have gotten increasingly more expensive, thus, making it difficult for families to receive or create any flour at all. The problem of being unable to prepare or obtain any food source may spiral into severe cases and heightened commonality of malnutrition. 

As time goes on, the need for sustainability only increases. Luckily, there are ways in which each person can include practices of sustainability into their own lives. Simply understanding the components of sustainability and incorporating them into your life can help foster a more environmentally-conscious society. 

Today, Dec. 3, 2023, is officially the 58th day of the Israel-Hamas war. While the whole world has been observing and anticipating that the war may eventually improve, it appears that it actually may be getting worse, particularly for civilians. 

Nearly seven months after a federal indictment, embattled Republican congressman George Santos has been removed from his Long Island seat. In a 311-114 vote, almost all House Democrats and nearly half of House Republicans decided to take action, which hasn’t been done since 2002. The House easily reached the needed two-thirds majority, thus Santos joins history as becoming one of six members of Congress who have been expelled. The congressman is also only the third to have this drastic action taken against him for reasons other than supporting the Confederacy. “It’s over… They just set a dangerous new precedent for themselves," said the now former congressman.

Earlier this year, Pamela Kosmowski, Geneseo’s Addiction Counseling and Prevention Program Coordinator, received a grant from The Truth Initiative to aid an anti-smoking campaign here on campus—“Breathe Easy Geneseo.” Those who are fighting to make Geneseo a smoke-free campus are making efforts to inform the student demographic about lung health, addiction, and nicotine. 

The incoming 2024 presidential candidates have recently become more clear; as of now, we know as of right now, there are 15 candidates total, with nine Republicans (Donald Trump, Nikki Haley, Chris Christie, Ron DeSantis, Vivek Ramaswamy, Tim Scott, Ryan Binkley, Doug Burgum, and Asa Hutchinson), four Democrats (Joe Biden, Marianne Williamson, Cenk Uygur, and Dean Phillips), and lastly, two Independents (Robert F. Kennedy Jr, and Cornel West). Yet, even though there are 13 other candidates, the main focus is on the battle between two, Biden and Trump, as they seem to be significant faces of their parties and have a tight hold on them. 

Recycling can seem like a very easy and “common sense” task, yet it may not be as simple as it seems. Intricate waste management systems make it so there are a few gray areas, causing one to throw items out that may pose the slightest chance of being recycled based on preconceived notions, resulting in misuse of recyclable items.

Rural areas recently allowed Governor Andy Beshear to cruise to a second term and win re-election by a larger margin than he did four years ago. The incumbent defeated Republican nominee Daniel Cameron who has served as the Attorney General for the Bluegrass State since 2019. Cameron, notably the first Black nominee for Governor in the state history of Kentucky, had garnered support from both Former President Trump and Senate Majority Leader and fellow Kentucky native Mitch McConnell, a rare feat for today’s Republican candidates.

Every year during the month of November, college campuses, English students, and independent writers alike take part in the National Novel Writing Month, also known as NaNoWriMo. Now you may be asking yourself, “What is NaNoWriMo?” Well, NaNoWriMo, in short, is a creative outlet that helps aspiring writers create a novel or novella of 5,000 to 50,000 words in the span of thirty days. 

On Oct. 27, 2023, in the depths of Welles 26, Dr. Yvonne Seale, Associate Professor in History,  gave a presentation concerning The Cartulary of Prémontré, a manuscript that herself and co-editor Dr. Heather Wacha had been transcribing, ordering, formatting, and editing for around seven years. It hit the public this past June through the University of Toronto Press, and boasts a staggering 1016 pages which consist of 509 different charters with additional notes and apparatus. 

Eight months after the horrific train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, many of the ecological problems created due to the “controlled burning” of various hazardous chemicals still linger over the small town and have spread to boarding communities. Though the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has gone on record saying that this issue is being resolved due to a prolonged cleanup of the area, many people are left wondering how long they will have to wait to return to a sense of normalcy within their once peaceful town. 

The month of October includes several national observances, paying homage to everything from health conditions that deserve more recognition, to activities and animals which can be less serioust. These topics include: Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), Spina Bifida, and health literacy, as well as more lighthearted events like International Book Month, and finally Bat Appreciation Month.