First Thing: Israeli army conducts ‘targeted’ tank raid in Gaza

Army radio describes ‘relatively large’ ground incursion backed by tanks and infantry vehicles. Plus, why Dutch maternity care is the envy of the world

Good morning.

Israeli troops backed by tanks have attacked Hamas targets in a brief ground raid in the Gaza Strip, the military has said.

It said the operation was “preparation for the next stages of combat” and that “the soldiers have since exited the area and returned to Israeli territory”.

A report by local radio described the raid as a “relatively large” ground incursion, suggesting it was the biggest foray into Gaza since Israel started massing forces outside the territory in advance of a planned full-scale invasion. Israel kept up its strikes on Gaza in preparation for the long-threatened ground invasion.

Since the conflict erupted on 7 October, the Israel Defence Forces have made several incursions to investigate Hamas positions and gather information about hostages.

Was Joe Biden against the ground offensive? US media have reported that Biden has been pushing Benjamin Netanyahu to hold off on a ground invasion while Hamas still holds hostages, but on Wednesday Biden denied such reports. “What I have indicated to him is that if that’s possible to get these folks out safely, that’s what he should do. It’s their decision … But I did not demand it,” Biden said.

How many hostages are there? The confirmed number of people held hostage in the Gaza Strip since the 7 October cross-border raids by Hamas is now 224, Reuters reports, citing the Israeli military, which said the number could rise further.

Maine shootings: at least 16 people feared dead and dozens injured, police sources say

At least 16 people were killed in Wednesday night shootings at a bowling alley and a bar in Lewiston, Maine, according to police sources.

Police confirmed there were incidents at two locations and that the shooter remained at large late into the evening as the city was on lockdown.

Two law enforcement officials not authorized to speak publicly told the Associated Press the death toll was at least 16 people, and that dozens of others have been injured. Authorities ordered residents and business owners to stay inside and off the streets.

Several media outlets have reported conflicting fatality counts ranging from 10 to 22.

Do police have a suspect? Lewiston police said Robert Card, 40, was a “person of interest” and should be “considered armed and dangerous”. A state police bulletin reviewed by the AP news agency said he was a firearms instructor trained by the military.

How many people have died in US mass shootings this year? The shooting in Lewiston is the 36th mass killing this year, according to a database maintained by the Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University. At least 188 people have died in those killings.

Republican Mike Johnson elected House speaker after weeks of chaos

The Republican congressman, Mike Johnson, of Louisiana, was elected speaker of the House yesterday, winning the top job in a party-line vote and ending a standoff that had stretched on for more than three weeks.

In the floor vote, Johnson won the support of all 220 Republicans who cast a ballot, while all 209 Democrats present voted for their leader, Hakeem Jeffries, of New York. Due to four absences in the chamber, Johnson needed 215 votes to become speaker.

Delivering his first speech as the 56th speaker, Johnson vowed to “rebuild and restore” the trust of the American people, which he acknowledged had been damaged by the chaos of recent weeks.

“At this time of great crisis, it is our duty to work together, as previous generations of great leaders have, to face these great challenges and solve these great problems,” Johnson said.

What did Biden say about the news? In a statement congratulating Johnson on his victory, Joe Biden pledged to “work with [House Republicans] in good faith on behalf of the American people”. He said: “Even though we have real disagreements about important issues, there should be mutual effort to find common ground wherever we can,” Biden said. “This is a time for all of us to act responsibly, and to put the good of the American people and the everyday priorities of American families above any partisanship.”

In other news …

Donald Trump was forced to testify at his civil fraud trial in New York and fined a further $10,000 after the judge found he had breached a gag order. The former president, who had already been fined $5,000 over a disparaging social media post, was reprimanded for comments he had made outside court.

Jason Breen was windfoiling at a Sydney beach when a humpback whale soared out of the water and landed on top of him, dragging him about 20-30ft below the surface. “I thought I was gone to be honest,” he said later. “I thought for a few seconds, ‘This is what it’s like to die.’”

More than half of Britons know so little about Black British history that they cannot name a single historical figure, a survey has revealed. The researchers found that the UK knows “shockingly little” about Black British history with 75% of British adults admitting they did not know “very much” or “anything at all”.

Ford Motor Company and the negotiators of the United Auto Workers (UAW) union reached a labor deal yesterday, pending union leadership approval. A deal would be the first settlement of strikes against Ford, General Motors and Stellantis. More than 45,000 union members working at the Detroit Three automakers have joined walkouts.

Stat of the day: Clarence Thomas failed to fully repay $267,000 loan for luxury RV, inquiry finds

The US supreme court justice Clarence Thomas failed to repay much – or possibly all – of a “sweetheart deal” to borrow more than $267,000 to buy a luxury motorhome, a Senate committee found. The existence of the $267,230 loan, made by the businessman Anthony Welters in 1999 and forgiven in 2008, was first reported by the New York Times. Yesterday, the Times quoted Michael Hamersley, a tax lawyer and congressional expert witness, as saying: “‘This was, in short, a sweetheart deal’ that made no logical sense from a business perspective”.

The original RV story came amid a torrent of reports, many by ProPublica, about alleged ethical lapses by Thomas, a conservative appointed in 1991 who has failed to declare numerous lavish gifts from rightwing donors.

Don’t miss this: A home help for eight days after giving birth? Why Dutch maternity care is the envy of the world

To new parents processing the shock of delivery and swimming in hormones, newborns can feel like a tiny, terrifying mystery; unexploded ordinance in a crib. “We were totally unprepared,” says Odilia. Neither she or her husband had ever changed a nappy and had no idea the baby needed feeding every three hours. “If you’re a new mum or dad, you have no idea,” recalls Anouk, a new mother.

The difference for these new parents, compared to the rest of us, is that they gave birth in the Netherlands. That meant help was instantly at hand in the form of the kraamzorg, or maternity carer. Everyone who gives birth in the Netherlands, regardless of their circumstances, has the legal right – covered by social insurance – to support from a maternity carer for the following week. If you’ve had a baby pretty much anywhere else in the world, this sounds little short of miraculous: exactly what many of us wished we could have had.

Climate check: Fossil fuel firms spent millions on US lawmakers who sponsored anti-protest bills

Fossil fuel companies have spent millions of dollars on lobbying and making campaign donations to state lawmakers who sponsored anti-protest laws – which now shield about 60% of US gas and oil operations from protest and civil disobedience, according to a report from Greenpeace USA. Eighteen states, including Montana, Ohio, Georgia, Louisiana, West Virginia and the Dakotas, have enacted sweeping anti-protest laws which boost penalties for trespass near “critical infrastructure”, that make it far riskier for communities to oppose pipelines and other fossil fuel projects that threaten their land, water and the climate.

Last Thing: Man trapped overnight in jewelry vault freed after door opened by timer

A man was trapped inside a steel-reinforced concrete jewelry vault in New York City overnight after firefighters had to abandon an attempt to rescue him for safety reasons. Fortunately, the vault was on a timer and opened on its own the following morning, officials said. The fire department was called to the midtown Manhattan building on Tuesday evening after the man became trapped while trying to access his safe deposit box, said John Sarrocco, the assistant fire chief. The building, at 580 Fifth Avenue, is known as the World Diamond Tower and houses several jewelry businesses. Sarrocco did not explain how the man became trapped.

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