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— Check out what we Skimm’d for you today October 18, 2023 [Subscribe]( [Read in browser]( [theSkimm Logo] Daily Skimm [Update location]( or [View forecast]( “Dimple maker” — [A questionable tool]( some people on TikTok are using to try to get dimples. How cheeky. [Facebook]([Twitter]([Email](mailto:?body=This TikTok trend is all about the dimples #theSkimm%0A3Ftype%3Demailurl%26r%3DSKIMM%26utm_source%3Demail%26utm_medium%3Ddsshare%23custom) Top Story Biden in the Middle East The Story President Biden arrived in Israel against the backdrop of a [deadly hospital blast in Gaza](. Tell me. Yesterday, an explosion at al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City killed hundreds of people, including children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Witnesses and journalists have described scenes of complete carnage. Hamas — the Islamist militant group that runs Gaza — blamed an Israeli airstrike, one of thousands Israel has launched since Hamas’s [deadly terrorist attack]( last week. Israel's military blamed the explosion on a failed rocket launch from [Palestinian Islamic Jihad](, another militant group in the region. The group is denying involvement. And Biden this morning [said]( it appeared the blast was "done by the other team," not Israel. What are people saying? Journalists are working to find out what happened — as is the US. In reaction to the hospital explosion, Biden said he was “outraged and deeply saddened” and directed his national security team to “continue gathering information about what exactly happened.” Following the hospital explosion, protests [erupted]( across countries in the Middle East, including Lebanon, Iran, and Turkey. Jordan [canceled]( its meeting with Biden in Amman, where it also planned to host the leaders of Egypt and the Palestinian Authority to discuss humanitarian aid for Gaza. King Abdullah II of Jordan said the Middle East is “on the brink of falling into the abyss.” What will Biden’s meeting in Israel look like now? Biden is meeting with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu this morning to show the US’s support for Israel in the wake of Hamas’s attack: the deadliest in Israel in 50 years. The visit is also an effort to contain the conflict and discourage [Iran]( from entering the fight, as violent clashes [escalate]( along the Israel-Lebanon border with Iranian-backed Hezbollah. Meanwhile, the trip also comes as Biden faces [growing demands]( to call for an immediate ceasefire. theSkimm The deadly explosion at al-Ahli Hospital has left Palestinians grieving. Now, as many search for answers, it raises the stakes in a conflict that could pull the rest of the Middle East into war. Developing - [The Gaza-Egypt border crossing remains closed](. In Gaza, many are struggling to find access to food and water. The medical system is on the verge of collapse. - [The hostage situation](. Hamas has released its first video of a hostage: a 21-year-old French-Israeli woman named Mia Schem, who was abducted from a music festival. ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR What's Going On in the Region? President Biden is on a high-stakes visit to try to keep a war from spreading in the Middle East. Here are some of the key actors and countries in the region to keep on watch... Hezbollah…is a [militant group]( and political force based in Lebanon. The group has been labeled a terrorist organization by multiple countries, [including the US](, and is backed by Iran. Israeli officials [believe]( Hezbollah is a major threat, and the two were at war for a month in 2006. In recent days, [Israeli forces]( have been clashing with Hezbollah fighters along the [Lebanon-Israel border](. So far, military exchanges have been [limited](, but there have been a number of casualties, including one [journalist](. Iran…[financially and militarily]( [supports]( a number of militant groups in the region, including [Hamas]( — which launched the deadly terrorist attack in Israel on October 7th — as well as Hezbollah. Despite [denying involvement]( in the attack, Iran has [warned]( the Israel-Hamas war could soon widen. Earlier this week, Iran’s foreign minister said that regional militias (like Hezbollah) are ready to take “[pre-emptive action](” should the conflict in Gaza escalate. Saudi Arabia…and Israel were about to hold [historic negotiations](. Saudi Arabia had signaled it would recognize Israel, paving the way for other Arab states to do the same. Hamas’s attack, and the subsequent fallout, has complicated that. Now, the country [paused all talks]( until further notice — and said they would not resume until concessions for Palestinians are prioritized. Like other leaders in the region, Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has called for a [deescalation]( amid concerns that the war could spread beyond Israel and Gaza. Egypt…shares a border with Gaza (the [Rafah crossing](). The country backs Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip. While Egypt has supported humanitarian aid into Gaza through Rafah, it recently claimed Israel was refusing to cooperate with aid deliveries and evacuations. As Israeli airstrikes keep pounding Southern Gaza, many Palestinians and hundreds of tons of supplies are stuck at the Rafah crossing. Egypt has also [remained wary]( of taking in Palestinian refugees. Jordan…shares a border with Israel and the West Bank. And has worked to provide [humanitarian aid]( to Gaza since the conflict began. However, like Egypt, Jordan [refuses]( to take in Palestinian refugees out of fears that the move could destabilize the country. Jordan already has the largest number of Palestinian refugees outside of Palestinian territories. The country’s seen [protests]( in support of Hamas and Gazans, following the October 7th terror attack and the explosion at al-Ahli Hospital. And Also...This What’s collecting cobwebs… [The House Speaker chair](. Yesterday, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) lost his first floor vote for House speaker. The hardline Republican didn’t convince enough members of his own party to side with him, falling 17 votes short of reaching the 217 he needed. Before the vote, Jordan said he was willing to go through multiple rounds of floor votes. The 20 Republicans who voted against him opted for ousted former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), previously nominated Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA), and former Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY). All 212 Democrats rallied behind Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY). The House remains in limbo as it’s been two weeks without a speaker. Another vote is expected today. --------------------------------------------------------------- Who’s opening up about a tough decision… [Britney Spears](. Yesterday, outlets published excerpts from her upcoming memoir, “The Woman in Me,” revealing that the pop star had an abortion during her relationship with Justin Timberlake. In the book, Spears said if the decision had been left only to her, she “never would have done it.” Spears and Timberlake began dating in 1999 — when she was 17 and he was 18. The couple split in 2002. Spears added the pregnancy was “a surprise” but not “a tragedy.” She said that Timberlake “definitely wasn’t happy about the pregnancy” and that he “was so sure that he didn’t want to be a father.” Timberlake has not commented. Spears’ book is dropping next week. --------------------------------------------------------------- Who got booted from the picket line… [Greta Thunberg](. Yesterday, London police arrested the 20-year-old activist while protesting an oil and gas conference at a luxury hotel. Police said they arrested Thunberg — and several protestors — for disrupting the hotel and guests. It's at least the fourth time this year that she's been arrested or removed from a protest. --------------------------------------------------------------- What the “Hot Ones” host is taking notes on… The world’s new [hottest pepper](. --------------------------------------------------------------- What Netflix is giving us a peek of... "[The Crown](" and [the Fire Nation](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Who's kicking it together... [Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris](. [Facebook]([Twitter]([Email](mailto:?body=The House is still sans speaker. Britney Spears opened up about a tough decision in her memoir. And this new pepper will have some reaching for the milk #theSkimm%0A3Ftype%3Demailurl%26r%3DSKIMM%26utm_source%3Demail%26utm_medium%3Ddsshare%23custom) Forward this to a friend. [Click here](mailto:?&subject=Check out this Daily Skimm newsletter&body=Check it out . REAL STORIES [Together with]([Seagen]( When 23-year-old Megan first felt a lump in her breast, a doctor told her she had nothing to worry about. Six months later, she was diagnosed with stage III breast cancer. Now, she’s one of over 140,000 people living with stage IV, or metastatic breast cancer in the US. Every Day For MBC knows no two stories are the same. They’re an [Instagram community]( dedicated to helping those living with similar diagnoses connect with one another and share their real, honest stories without any sugar-coating. This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we partnered to speak with Megan about how this community has helped her open up about her experience, and what advice she’d give to others. [See what she had to say](. Here are today’s recs to help you live a smarter life… 1. A major glow-up for the hardest working rooms in your home. [Kohler x Studio McGee]( is the kitchen and bath collab we didn’t know we needed. We’re talking timeless faucets, lighting, vanities, mirrors, hardware, and more.* [Check it out]( --------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Therapy you can start stat. No weeks-long waits here. Take [this questionnaire]( to get matched with a licensed therapist within 48 hours. If you don't love your initial match, you can switch therapists anytime. PS: Skimmr's save over $50 on their first month.* [Get started]( --------------------------------------------------------------- 3. A drink mix that can handle everything from hard runs to hangovers. [This electrolyte mix]( has no sugar and plenty of salt to help you recover from all your activities faster. Oh, and Skimm’rs get a free gift with purchase.* [Add to bottle]( --------------------------------------------------------------- 4. The cutest Halloween costumes for your pet. If you're not [dressing up your cat as a disco ball](, are you celebrating Halloween at all? [We think not](. [Shop now]( Psst…love our recs? Follow [@skimmshopping]( on Instagram for more products, gifts, and services that are actually worth the hype (and the price tag). Skimm'rs We like to celebrate the wins, big and small. Let us know how your friends, neighbors, coworkers (and yes, even you) are making career moves, checking off goals, or making an impact in the community. Back to school…Crystal F (TX). She wrote “When Calling Parents Isn’t Your Calling: A Teacher’s Guide to Communicating With Parents.” Learn more about the book [here](. (Some) Birthdays…Sally Bohlinger (IA), Jennifer Newberry (NC), Mattie Calvert (IL), Schmamy Kwong (OH), Molly Horst (OH), Susan Hochsztein (FL), Maria Bloomberg (TX), Kelli Morgan (LA), Theresa Cao (NJ), Elise Sondheim (CT), Liz Thurman (VA), Virginia Albert (TX), Sally Bohlinger (IA), Jennifer Newberry (NC) PS: Paging all members of theSkimm. Reach out [here]( for a chance to be featured. Skimm'd by: Rashaan Ayesh, Alex Carr, Anacaona Rodriguez Martinez, Chantal Vaca, Maria del Carmen Corpus, Niven McCall-Mazza, Clem Robineau, and Julie Shain --------------------------------------------------------------- Photos by Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images, Brand Partners Design by theSkimm --------------------------------------------------------------- *PS: This is a sponsored post. Want to wake up with us every morning? 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