1. The border situation
Leading US and Mexican officials convened on Wednesday to talk about the situation at the southern border while the Biden administration works feverishly to contain an unheard-before wave of migrants. Alejandro Mayorkas, the secretary of homeland security, described the meeting as “very productive,” though it’s still unclear what precise agreements were made. Recently, officials from Homeland Security have talked about a number of ways Mexico can assist in reducing the number of migrants at the US border. These include moving migrants south, controlling the railroads that migrants use to travel north, and offering incentives, like visas, to stay in the country and prevent irregular migration.
2. Election battle
The US Supreme Court has been requested by the Colorado Republican Party to reverse the decision that disqualifies former President Donald Trump from running for office in Colorado in 2024. The Colorado Supreme Court decided this Monday that Trump’s actions during the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, are covered by the 14th Amendment’s bar on insurrectionists holding public office, making him constitutionally ineligible to seek for office again the following year. The filing on Wednesday was made just hours after a comparable 14th Amendment lawsuit was dismissed by the Michigan Supreme Court, allowing Trump to remain on the ballot. The stakes are higher for the Colorado appeal to the US Supreme Court because of the opposing results. The court is in a unique position to offer national direction on this unique constitutional issue.
3. Gaza
According to the health ministry under Hamas control, at least 50 Palestinians died as a result of Israeli bombings in Gaza earlier today, bringing the total number of fatalities in the territory to over 21,000 since October 7. The death toll rises as Israel’s military leader stated on Tuesday that Israeli forces are focusing their efforts “in the southern Gaza Strip — Khan Younis, the central camps, and further” and that the war against Hamas “will continue for many more months.” As world leaders warn of the escalating humanitarian crisis in the region, Israel is also asserting that there are “logistical limitations” to delivering aid into Gaza and urging “the international community to find additional solutions.”
4. Vacation travel
This year’s holiday offerings from US airlines are noticeably better than those during the travel crisis at the end of 2022. Less than 1% of all flights have been canceled by carriers in the last week, according to FlightAware data. Between December 20 and December 26, airlines scheduled almost 162,000 flights, with only 1,100 being canceled. Compared to the final ten days of 2022, when a Southwest Airlines scheduling crisis resulted in the cancellation of 16,900 flights and the detention of two million passengers, the situation is noticeably better now. With over 7.5 million passengers expected to fly during the 10-day peak travel season that concludes on January 1, US airports are expected to experience their busiest ever.
5. The cost of gas
GasBuddy informed CNN that gas prices will drop in 2024 for the second consecutive year. The travel and navigation app predicts that US petrol prices will average $3.38 per gallon in 2024, the crucial election year, which is similar to its eerily precise projection for 2023. That would be a considerable improvement over the projected $3.51 per gallon average for 2023 and an even greater decrease over the projected $3.95 average for 2022. For customers who are still extremely sensitive to fluctuations in the cost of living, particularly at the petrol pump, GasBuddy’s outlook is encouraging.
