On the outskirts of Cape Town an unusual resident can often be found rummaging through rubbish bins and around back yards. The chacma baboon, native to southern Africa, has become quite familiar with the urban setting.

Most of these primates spend the majority of their time in the hills and slopes on Cape Town’s periphery. However, their traditional feeding grounds are on the flatter lowground, right where the suburban sprawl has arrived in recent decades.

This has created an urban conflict, with many human residents unhappy with the presence of the primates.

Baboon researcher Esme Beamish, from Cape Town University’s Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, explains that it makes sense for the monkeys to venture into the city in search of food. “Our environments are enticing not only because of the excess food that we have, the lush gardens and the bins, but also play spaces [for baboons],” she says.

“Even if we had the perfect baboon proofing of urban areas, they would still be attracted.”

Easy access to food from Cape Town’s bins means baboons can spend less time and energy foraging, and more on socializing with potential mates and the rest of their group, adds Beamish.

However, there are consequences for baboons and humans alike. Some baboons have come into conflict with residents and their pets. Whilst looking for food, others have ruined farmers’ and local winemakers’ crops.

Beamish is concerned for the monkeys’ welfare. “[Baboons] come into contact with dogs, motorcars and electric power lines. These are some of the major causes of death and injury,” she says.

“What we now have is … not a very healthy population. They’ve got skin conditions because they’re spending too much time in bins. They’ve got appalling teeth.”

The local council and residents have previously attempted to mitigate these issues by reducing food waste and using “baboon-proof” bins, as well as fences that were introduced in 2013 to keep baboons out.

In some instances, residents have resorted to shooting the monkeys with pellet guns and particularly aggressive, or “problematic,” baboons have been euthanized.

The presence of baboons on the city’s streets has fallen slightly, but some people fear the animal could disappear from the surrounding natural areas if it is pushed too far. The city announced in September plans to construct more fences to keep baboons confined to more rural areas.

The initial plans suggest erecting fences at a number of sites along the top of Cape Peninsula, a natural habitat for the animals, and more fences have been proposed along the edge of suburbs in west Cape Town. By reducing access to these bountiful areas, the hope is that more baboons will remain on the hillsides.

Jenni Trethowan, founder of conservation group Baboon Matters, agrees that keeping the primates apart from humans is the best thing for both. “By continuing to make it difficult, hopefully the baboons will decide ‘meh, lets just stay up here,” she says.

For nearly 10 years, Jiang Hui has been searching for answers as to why the plane carrying his 70-year-old mother back from vacation in Malaysia vanished without trace.

Jiang’s mother, Jiang Cuiyun, was one of 239 people on board Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 when it deviated from its scheduled path from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing and disappeared over the Indian Ocean on March 8, 2014.

To this date, the fate of MH370 remains one of history’s greatest aviation mysteries, and Jiang has never given up on his quest to find out what happened.

On Monday, a Chinese court will begin hearing claims for compensation for families of MH370 passengers, who say the disaster not only deprived them of their loved ones, but also plunged some into financial distress.

“In fact, my mood is very complicated now. There is both a sense of relief and a deep feeling of helplessness.”

Jiang is suing Maylasia Airlines, its insurer, Boeing and the manufacturer of the plane’s engine – companies he believes should be held responsible under Chinese law for damage occured during transportation. His demands include compensation, a formal apology, and the resumption of psychological assistance to family members, as well as the creation of a fund to continue searches for the plane.

About 40 Chinese families are taking these companies to court with varying but largely overlapping appeals, with hearings expected to last until December 5, Jiang said. His own case will be heard on Friday, he added.

Of the more than 200 people aboard the flight, 153 were Chinese nationals.

“The complete lack of legal remedies over the past decade has made our painful lives even more unbearable,” Jiang said.

Legal uncertainty

It’s unclear what enforcement power the Chinese court can wield over the defendants if it rules in favor of Jiang and the other plantiffs. All of them are international companies headquartered outside China, though Malaysia Airlines, Boeing and Roll-Royce have offices in China.

Similar cases brought in the United States by the victims’ families have been dismissed on the grounds that these lawsuits should be handled by the Malaysian legal system.

In Malaysia, two young boys who lost their father on the flight sued Malaysia Airlines for breach of contract and the Malaysian government for negligence in 2014. The case was settled out of court the next year.

In China, families who signed a settlement agreement with Malaysian Airlines received 2.5 million yuan ($350,000) in compensation. Only a few dozen Chinese families signed initially, but over the years more have opted to settle.

By March 2021, about 90 families had still declined to settle, but the number halved after the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Jiang.

Now, only about 40 families have not settled, according to Jiang, who said they refused to sign the agreement because it removed all responsibility from the airline and the Malaysian government.

Three years of Covid lockdowns and other stringent control measures wreaked havoc on the Chinese economy, leaving many families struggling to make ends meet.

“On our long journey seeking the truth, many families fell into a tough livelihood or even survival situation. They settled as a last resort to ensure their lives,” Jiang said. “But no matter having settled or not, our ultimate goal remains the same – which is to find the plane and our loved ones.”

A 2018 report by Malaysian authorities concluded the investigation team was “unable to determine the real cause of the disappearance of MH370.” Human interference or error were more likely the cause of the plane’s disappearance than an aircraft or system malfunction, the report found.

The lack of conclusive evidence led to various theories and speculation about what happened to the flight, and Jiang said some family members still believe their loved ones are alive. He says he’s keeping an open mind – and will accept any outcome, as long as there is evidence.

While the jetliner was never found, pieces of apparent debris have washed up on islands in the southern Indian Ocean and the shores of Africa – suggesting the plane had broken up.

Years-long quest

Jiang’s persistence was driven by a key motivation – the urge to do something for his mother, who enjoyed traveling in her retirement.

“I’m at an age where I should pay filial piety to my mother, but I no longer have the chance to do that. So, finding her is the only way I can be filial to her,” he said.

Before the MH370 tragedy, Jiang was an ambitious manager at the Beijing office of a state-owned communications company. But one year after the flight went missing, he left the company and has since focused his time and energy on finding the plane.

Over the years, he has visited search teams in Australia and roamed the remote shores of Mauritius, Madagascar and Réunion – a French island in the Indian Ocean – to scour for the Boeing jetliner’s debris.

In Beijing, he has held regular gatherings with family members of other flight victims to discuss the next step in seeking answers and justice for their loved ones’ disappearance.

“I used to get completely immersed in my job, but now I can truly understand what’s the meaning of life, and what are its most precious things,” he said.

“If I can push for any progress (in finding MH370), or I can try my best till the end, I would feel very gratified and happy – and such happiness is beyond comparison with earning a higher salary.”

As the all-important question of truth and facts continues to dominate current affairs, it may come as no surprise to learn that Merriam-Webster’s word of the year is “authentic.”

The online dictionary says there has been a high volume of searches for the word’s definition for several years, but 2023 saw a “substantial increase,” thanks to “stories and conversations about AI, celebrity culture, identity, and social media.”

The reason so many look it up is because “authentic” has several meanings, according to the announcement on the dictionary’s website, including “not false or imitation” and “true to one’s own personality, spirit, or character.”

A synonym of real and actual, authentic is “clearly a desirable quality,” according to Merriam-Webster, and is often linked with expressions of identity, such as cuisine.

The dictionary said it has also been a term favored by celebrities like singers Lainey Wilson, Sam Smith and Taylor Swift, who have all made headlines this year with statements about seeking their “authentic voice” and “authentic self.”

Another fan is Elon Musk, who has previously said that people should be more “authentic” on social media. However, that became more of an issue earlier this year when Musk, as the new boss of Twitter, now X, got rid of the trademark blue check sign of authenticity – now only available at a price.

The rise of artificial intelligence has blurred the lines between what is real and what is not, leaving celebrities, brands and social media influencers – among others – keen to prove their authenticity.

One of the other words to stand out in searches this year, according to the dictionary, was the closely related “deepfake.”

This is defined by Merriam-Webster as “an image or recording that has been convincingly altered and manipulated to misrepresent someone as doing or saying something that was not actually done or said.”

There was a particular spike in searches for the term in April and early May, the dictionary said, when Musk’s lawyers argued that he shouldn’t have to give legal testimony about public statements he made as some of these may have been deepfakes. The argument was rejected. One of the most notable news stories of the year about deepfake images was of those appearing to show former President Donald Trump being detained by police in a dramatic fashion back in March.

In 2022, Merriam-Webster chose “gaslighting” as its word of the year, saying it had become a ubiquitous term in the “age of misinformation.”

Other words that led much traffic to the online dictionary in 2023 included coronation, dystopian, indict and doppelgänger.

Meanwhile “rizz” went straight to the “top of lookups” in September, when the example of internet-driven slang was added to the dictionary.

For the uninitiated, Merriam-Webster explained: “As a noun, rizz means ‘romantic appeal or charm’ (as in ‘a bro who has rizz’); as a verb (typically used with up, as in ‘rizz up that cutie’) it means ‘to charm or seduce.’”

When asked by Blitzer how meaningful it was to see Israeli hostages reunited with their loved ones after being held by the terror group Hamas for over a month in Gaza, Herzog – whose role is largely ceremonial – said the moment was bittersweet.

“It’s something that gives us happiness, but of course, happiness with a lot of sorrow in it because there are at least 200 hostages still held out there in Hamas – under Hamas duress, somewhere in bunkers,” he said.

So far 41 hostages have been released in the first two days of the truce, with a third group expected on Sunday.

Herzog was speaking ahead of a third release of hostages on Sunday, which saw 17 more people released.

A longer truce?

On the topic of whether a truce could be extended, Herzog pointed out it was in the original agreement that there would be an extra day of ceasefire for every 10 hostages released. But he said it was up to Hamas to free more hostages.

“It was agreed in the original agreement, which has been violated constantly by Hamas but still implemented piecemeal, that if they bring another 10 prisoners or so the exact number, of course, is in the agreement itself, there will be an extension of another day of humanitarian pause.

“I truly hope that in this instance, they [Hamas] will release more and more and they will get more and more, humanitarian process.”

Post-war Gaza

It remains open who will run Gaza following the conflict.

Speaking about his post-war vision for Gaza, Herzog described “some sort of a formation that is effective enough, but also represents the various interests.”

“This is the vision. It has to be an interim process until there will be an exiting where we are all sure that Gaza is not anymore a terror base.”

When pressed by Blitzer on whether he was describing an international coalition involving Israel, the United States and other countries, Herzog said it would be “something in that line.”

“I would say further that this idea of a coalition or joint forces also has to look to the future of regional stability,” he added.

Herzog acknowledged Israel would have some role in a post-war Gaza, saying “the security and well-being of this place in terms of the security element, meaning fighting terror, enforcing law and order, adjudicating and so forth will stay in Israeli hands until there is an agreement.”

A two-state solution

More long-term, US President Joe Biden is among those who say that a two-state solution is needed to bring permanent peace to the region. Herzog appeared cool on the idea.

“I don’t rule out all options that could be reviewed as to the fate and what should be the vision. I definitely respect President Biden’s comments on this, and I always believed in the ability to move to peace. But I must say, honestly, we must look at the reality honestly and loosely and say, does this solution secure the well-being and peaceful existence of Israelis, as well as, of course, our Palestinian neighbors?”

“Why would any Israeli immediately rush to this solution when he or she thinks that that state one day can be taken over by Hamas?

Irish prime minister

Among those freed Saturday was a nine-year-old girl with joint Irish and Israeli citizenship, Emily Hand.

Reacting to the news, the Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar tweeted that “an innocent child who was lost has now been found and returned.”

Herzog criticized the remark. “I saw a leader from another – from a distinguished European country tweet as to the release of one of the girls who was released last night saying that she was – she got lost and thank God she’s back home. No, sir. She wasn’t lost. She was kidnapped by terrorists of the worst kind that humanity has seen since World War II.”

He went on to accuse Western countries of being “indifferent” to Israeli suffering.

Russia has foiled more than 20 Ukrainian drone attacks over Russian territory in the past day, including on the capital, Moscow, officials said Sunday, a day after it launched its largest drone attack against the Ukrainian capital since the full-scale invasion began.

According to Russia’s Ministry of Defense, 24 Ukrainian drones have been destroyed over the territories of Moscow, Tula, Kaluga, Bryansk and Smolensk oblasts in the past 24 hours.

In addition, Russian air defenses intercepted 53 Ukrainian drones during the same period over Ukrainian areas under Russian control, according to the ministry. They included Kharkiv, Kherson, the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR).

“Seventeen HIMARS MLRS (multiple launch rocket systems) projectiles have been intercepted over the past 24 hours,” the ministry added.

Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said no injuries or damage were reported as a result of the wreckage from intercepted drones.

In the Russian region of Tula, one of the drones crashed into an apartment building, resulting in damage to windows and one person receiving a slight cut, according to the Tula governor, Alexey Dyumin.

An attack that targeted the DPR damaged the power system and left parts of the region without power overnight, according to the DPR’s Russian-backed head, Denis Pushilin.

“The situation is difficult,” Pushilin said on Telegram on Sunday, adding: “The work is ongoing, everything is being done to return the heat and light for our citizens as soon as possible.”

Russia’s Ministry of Defense also said Sunday that its air defenses had destroyed two S-200 anti-aircraft missiles in the air over the Sea of Azov at around 11 a.m. Moscow time (3 a.m. ET).

The attacks follow Russia’s largest drone attack against Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv since the start of its full-scale invasion, according to local officials. A Telegram post from Ukraine’s Air Force said it had intercepted 71 Shahed drones across six regions of Ukraine, with the vast majority in Kyiv region. It described the attack as a “record number” of drones.

The attack on Kyiv left 77 residential buildings and 120 establishments in the city center temporarily without power Saturday, before supply was restored later in the day.

As the weather grows colder, Ukraine faces fears of a repeat of events from last winter, when Russia carried out a sustained campaign of attacks on its energy infrastructure.

A third group of hostages has been transferred out of Gaza on Sunday under a temporary truce after weeks of conflict.

So far 58 hostages have been released by Palestinian militant group Hamas over the first three days of the truce: Thirteen Israeli women and children have been freed each day, per the deal’s terms, along with varying numbers of other nationals, including citizens of Thailand, Poland, the Philippines and Russia.

Their release has sparked tearful reunions with families, following the painstaking negotiations and coordination between the warring sides with the help of foreign mediation.

Under the deal, Israel is freeing three Palestinians from prison for every Israeli hostage allowed out of Gaza. So far, 117 Palestinians have been released, primarily women and minors, many of them who were detained but never charged. A bus carrying 39 Palestinian teenagers released from Israeli prisons in the third round of prisoner swaps arrived in the centre of Ramallah Sunday evening.

Here’s what you need to know about those released from Gaza so far:

Israeli hostages – Friday

All but one of those freed on Friday were abducted from the Nir Oz kibbutz, which was devastated during the October 7 attacks. More than a quarter of the community was killed or remains missing.

Yafa Adar, 85

Adar is a founder of Nir Oz and was the oldest person to be taken hostage. A video of her being taken into Gaza on a golf cart driven by Hamas militants went viral shortly after her abduction. “Her eldest grandson, Tamir Adar, a 38-year-old father-of-two, was also abducted, and is still held hostage,” a Nir Oz spokesperson said.

Margalit Moses, 77

The mother-of-three and grandmother of 10 is a retired biology teacher. She is also a cancer survivor who has diabetes, “fibromyalgia, and takes many additional medications,” said the Hostages and Missing Families Forum in Israel. The nature lover planned on traveling to Mozambique this winter.

Hana Katzir, 76

She is also a member of Kibbutz Nir Oz and the wife of the late Rami Katzir, 79, who was killed in their home. “A mother of three and grandmother of six. Her son Elad, 47 years old, was also kidnapped and is still in Gaza,” said Nir Oz’s spokesperson.

Katzir had been feared dead before she was spotted in the back seat of a Red Cross vehicle heading into Egypt on Friday.

Adina Moshe, 72

The retired educator and Nir Oz resident is a mother of four and grandmother of 12. Her husband David (Sa’id) Moshe was killed in their home on October 7.

Daniel Aloni, 45, and Emilia Aloni, 5

Daniel Aloni was among three women who appeared in a hostage video released by Hamas late last month. She came to Nir Oz to visit family and was abducted alongside her daughter Emilia. Her sister Sharon Aloni-Cunio and other family members were kidnapped and remain in Gaza, says the Nir Oz spokesperson.

Doron Katz Asher, 34, Raz Asher, 4, Aviv Asher, 2

Doron visited Nir Oz with her family and was kidnapped with her two daughters, Aviv and Raz, as well as other family members, including Efrat Katz. She lives in Ganot Hadar and works as an accountant.

His aunt’s 79-year-old partner and another relative were also taken hostage, Roberts said. “Those endless thoughts about, ‘Where are they? How are they doing? What are they going through every minute of the day?’ That can really drive you insane,” said Roberts.

Channa Peri, 79

Peri, who lived in Kibbutz Nirim, immigrated to Israel from South Africa in the 1960s. She worked in a grocery store and is a mother of three – one of whom was murdered on October 7 and another kidnapped. “She has diabetes, and suffers severe vision loss in one of her eyes,” said the Hostages and Missing Families Forum in a statement.

Ruth Munder, 78, Karen Munder, 54, and Ohad Munder, 9

Ruth Munder, the 78-year-old Nir Oz resident who is a retired hairdresser and seamstress, was abducted along with her husband, her daughter Keren and her only grandson, Ohad. Her son, Roee, was killed on October 7, the Nir Oz spokesperson said. Her 78-year-old husband still remains in Gaza.

“She met her husband Avraham in the kibbutz… Ruth is a very talented woman, she was the librarian of the kibbutz and the seamstress. She also knits, paints, and sews. She is retired. Ruth attends classes and family trips,” said the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

Keren Munder, 54, is a physical education teacher for children with special needs was born and raised in Nir Oz. She was abducted along with her only son, Ohad, and her parents, Ruth and Avraham, said the Kibbutz spokesperson.

Ohad Munder, 9, “came to Nir Oz to visit family” when he was abducted alongside family members, the kibbutz spokesperson for Nir Oz said.

Israeli hostages – Saturday

Emily Hand, 9

Emily’s father Thomas initially thought his daughter was killed in Hamas’ October 7 attacks.

Weeks later, Israeli officials told him that Emily might still be alive, as they had not located her body and didn’t find any blood in the home where she was sleeping.

On Sunday, the Israeli military released an emotional video of Emily running into the arms of her father.

Hila Rotem, 13

Hila was abducted alongside her mother Raaya Rotem, 54, from Kibbutz Be’eri.

Raaya, however, was not listed among those hostages released.

“That’s part of the deal,” the official said. “It’s unknown where she is and what happened to her.”

Maya Regev, 21

Maya and her brother Itay, 18, were both taken hostage by Hamas gunmen at the Nova festival.

Following her release, Maya was taken to Soroka Hospital for treatment of a moderate injury, according to a written statement from the hospital and Israel’s Ministry of Health. The statement said Regev is in a stable condition and her injury is not considered life threatening.

Noam Or, 17, Alma Or, 13

According to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, multiple members of the Or family were taken captive by Hamas. Noam and Alma were on the list of those released Saturday.

Their father Dror Or, 48, is still being held by Hamas in Gaza, according to Israeli officials. Yonat Or, the children’s mother and Dror’s wife, was killed on October 7.

Shiri Weiss, 53, Noga Weiss, 18

Shiri and Noga were both taken hostage from Be’eri kibbutz where more than 120 residents, including children, were massacred.

Sharon Avigdori, 52, Noam Avigdori, 12

Shoshan Haran, 67

Adi Shoham, 38, Yahel Shoham, 3, Naveh Shoham, 8

Israeli hostages – Sunday

Abigail Edan, 4

Edan, a 4-year-old American-Israeli citizen, was orphaned when her parents were killed on October 7. She was taken as a hostage during the attacks.

Her handover marks the first successful release of an American hostage since the start of a truce between Israel and Hamas.

Abigail was the youngest American hostage, according to officials. She was 3 years old when abducted, and her birthday passed while she was being held in Gaza.

Ron Krivoi, 25

Krivoi, a Russian-Israeli dual citizen, was released as a special case, outside of the parameters of the Israel-Hamas truce, which does not allow for the release of adult men.

Hamas credited his release to the intervention of Russian President Vladimir Putin and “the supportive Russian position for the Palestinian cause.”

Krivoi was captured while attending the Nova music festival on October 7.

Hagar Brodutch, 40, Ofry Brodutch, 10, Yuval Brodutch, 8, Oria Brodutch, 4

Chen Goldstein Almog, 49, Agam Goldstein Almog, 17, Gal Goldstein Almog, 11, Tal Goldstein Almog, 9

Elma Avraham, 84

Adrienne Siegel, 62

Ela Elyakim, 8, Dafna Elyakim, 14

Foreign nationals

Thailand

Thai authorities have released the names of 14 Thai nationals who had been freed by Hamas so far.

They are: Nattawaree Munkan, Santi Boonprom, Boonthom Pankhong, Mongkol Phachuabboon, Vetoon Phoome, Vichai Kalapat, Bancha Kongmanee, Buddhee Saengboon, Uthai Toonsri, Uthai Saengnuan, Natthaporn Onkaew, Komkrit Chombua, Anucha Angkaew and Manee Jirachart.

Three more unnamed Thai nationals were released on Sunday.

Israeli farms employ thousands of Thai labourers, according to Israel’s ministry of interior.

Nattawaree Munkan’s mother, Boonyarin Srichan, lives in Thailand’s Khon Kaen province with her 8-year-old granddaughter. She revealed how she “cried out of my happiness” when she heard the news of Nattawaree’s release.

The last image he saw of his son was in a bunker where he was taking cover on the October 7 attacks. Manee had gone to work in Israel to send money home to his family and was expected to return next year.

Philippines

Gelienor “Jimmy” Pacheco, a Philippine citizen, had been working as a caretaker in Israel when he was taken hostage on October 7. Avishay Ben Zvi, the son of the man Pacheco had been working for, said after the release that Pacheco was doing better than expected and had spoken with his wife back in the Philippines.

Poland

A Polish citizen was among the hostages released from Gaza Friday, Poland’s foreign ministry said on Saturday.

The ministry did not provide any information on who the Polish citizen is, but used the feminine version of the noun for “citizen,” indicating the citizen is female. It is not yet known if she is a dual national.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

Three people are dead and two others were injured during a shooting early Sunday morning in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, law enforcement officials said.

The Winnipeg Police Service said in a news release the shooting happened just after 4 a.m. nearly a mile west of the city’s downtown.

Officers arriving at the scene found five victims “with injuries consistent with being shot,” according to the release.

“This incident occurred in a multi-suite residence; no further information regarding a possible motive is available,” Constable Jason Michalyshen, a Winnipeg police spokesperson, said in a statement.

A man and a woman were pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Three of the victims were taken to a hospital, and one of those victims later died of his injuries.

Two victims, a man and a woman, remain hospitalized in critical condition, Michalyshen said.

The victims’ identities have not been released, and police said the investigation into the shooting is ongoing.

“The Winnipeg Police Service Forensic Services Unit will be on scene for an extended period due to the gravity of this incident,” officials said.

Winnipeg Police’s 2022 Annual Statistical Report, released in May, showed violent crime rates in Manitoba’s capital last year reached the highest levels since 2009, including a record number of homicides – 53, according to the report.

November’s full moon, known as the beaver moon, will shine bright in the night sky starting Sunday, offering a dazzling sight to behold.

The moon will be at its most full in the early hours of Monday, when it will reach the crest of its full phase at 4:16 a.m. ET, according to EarthSky.

“The upcoming full Moon (the Beaver Moon) will look like the familiar full Moon, however the specific features are always a little different from one Moon to the next,” said Dr. Noah Petro, chief of NASA’s planetary geology, geophysics and geochemistry lab, in an email.

Due to libration — the slight movement of the moon that changes the angle at which sky-gazers see the one side that faces Earth — full moons vary from month to month, he said.

Local weather conditions allowing, people who are north or south of the equator will be able to see the beaver moon, with the celestial orb appearing to be full to the human eye for about one day before and after its full phase, Petro said.

For optimal moon gazing, Petro recommends finding a space with a clear view of the sky — away from trees, buildings and bright lights. While no equipment is needed to observe the moon, a pair of binoculars or a telescope can help enhance finer details, he said.

“When people look at the Moon, I hope they first take in that it’s the same Moon that their grandparents, great grandparents, and so on, have seen,” Petro said. “For millennia humans have looked to the Moon, and it’s looked similar for all of human history.”

Petro also noted two current NASA space operations involving the moon. NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, which has been orbiting the moon for over 14 years, is creating a 3D map of its surface. The Artemis II mission is aiming for a late 2024 launch to send four astronauts on a trip around the moon and back — the first attempt to fly humans near Earth’s closest neighbor since 1972.

More on the beaver moon

The beaver moon’s name is believed to be a nod to this full moon’s appearance when the industrious animal retires to its lodge in anticipation of winter. And when the North American fur trade thrived from the 1500s to the 1800s, November was also beaver trapping season due to the animal’s thicker coat this time of year, according to The Old Farmers’ Almanac.

The November full moon has also been referred to by the Tlingit as the digging moon, as it is the time when animals begin to prepare for winter. The Cree have called this lunar event the frost moon, and the Anishinaabe have referred to it as the freezing moon since cold winter temperatures are near, according to the almanac.

Remaining celestial events for 2023

The final full moon of the year is the cold moon on December 26, according to the Farmers’ Almanac.

And when it comes to meteors, the Leonids are expected to be seen blazing in the night sky until the shower’s finality on December 2, according to the American Meteor Society. If you are eager to see more, two upcoming meteor showers peak next month:

● Geminids: December 13-14

● Ursids: December 21-22

Excitement has been replaced by tension in Israel, after a brief delay before the release of several Israeli hostages on Saturday underscored the tenuousness of the nation’s deal with Hamas, which still holds around 200 captives in Gaza.

Many demonstrators appeared close to tears at a rally for the families of hostages in Tel Aviv on Saturday evening, even as a diplomatic scramble was taking place to restart the release process.

“This is what happens when you do a deal with the devil,” said attendee Neta Rosenberg. “If this is how I feel, I cannot imagine how hostage families are feeling.”

Despite news that the deal was back on, just hours later, a mood of bitterness lingered – in a stark contrast to the jubilant scenes on Friday when the first group of freed Israeli hostages were reunited with their families.

The deal brokered with Hamas is designed to see captives kidnapped on October 7 exchanged for Palestinian women and children imprisoned in Israel, a four-day truce in fighting, and increased humanitarian aid access to the besieged enclave. Hamas on Saturday blamed the delay on issues with the amount of aid being delivered and selection of Palestinian prisoners being released.

“They will do anything to delay negotiations,” he said.

Some relief finally came overnight, when 17 hostages were allowed to leave Gaza and cross into Israel – a small group that included four Thai nationals and 9-year-old Emily Hand, an Irish-Israeli dual citizen.

Thirty-nine Palestinian teenagers and women were also released from Israeli prisons, per the terms of the exchange, on Saturday.

Cheering the hostages’ arrival

The apprehension on Saturday was in contrast to the release of the first group of hostages, when crowds of onlookers cheered their arrival at hospitals around Tel Aviv. An initial group of 24 people were freed on Friday, including 10 Thai citizens and a Philippine citizen. All but one of the Israeli hostages released had been at the communal kibbutz of Nir Oz when they were abducted. Nir Oz was devastated during the attack, and more than a quarter of the community was killed or remains missing.

The community’s founder Yafa Adar, the oldest of all hostages known to have been taken on October 7, was one of those freed on Friday. Her abduction on a golf cart, driven by Hamas militants, had been captured on video over a month ago.

Yoni Asher, whose wife and two daughters were released by Hamas on Friday, hugged his family on a hospital bed, telling them in Hebrew: “Soon we’ll go to our house in a little while we’re going back to our house. We’ve just come here for the doctor to check us and then we’re going home but we’ve put lots of dolls and toys out for you, lights, lots of things.”

Asian migrant workers in Israel – some of whom hail from poor regions in Thailand and work in Israel’s agricultural industry – were among those brutally killed and captured by Hamas on October 7.

Joy in the West Bank

Palestinians released from Israeli prisons were met with celebrations on Friday evening as they returned to their hometowns and villages in Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank.

Twenty-two women were among those released, as well as two girls. Fifteen teenage boys up to the age of 18 were also released — the youngest aged 14. Many of them were being held under administrative detention, a widely criticized practice that sees people held without knowing the charges against them, and without any legal process.

Under the deal, Israel is freeing three Palestinians from jail for every Israeli hostage allowed out of Gaza. Securing the freedom of an expected 150 imprisoned Palestinians has been seen as an opportunity for Hamas to burnish its credentials in the West Bank as the flagbearer of Palestinian resistance.

But amid the wall-to-wall coverage of the hostage release in Israeli media, many worry about the rest of the hostages left in Gaza – the current truce has only spelled out the release of 50 Israeli women and child hostages.

Relatives of male Israeli hostages are imploring the international community to make another push for their loved ones to be released, while some worry about a potential strategic advantage the pause in fighting might give Hamas.

“We have a big struggle ahead of us,” said Nadav Rudaeff, whose 61-year-old father is being held in Gaza, told a press conference. “The fight still isn’t over.”

A group of hostages is recovering after being freed by Hamas as a temporary truce took effect, bringing a halt to fighting after weeks of conflict.

So far 41 hostages have been released in the first two days of the truce. Thirteen Israeli civilians were freed along with 11 foreign nationals in the initial exchange on Friday, followed by another 13 Israelis and four Thai nationals on Saturday.

Their release has sparked tearful reunions with families following a painstakingly negotiated arrangement between the warring sides with the help of foreign mediation.

So far 78 Palestinians have been released from prison under the deal, primarily women and minors, many of them detained but not charged.

Here’s what you need to know about those released so far:

Israeli hostages – Friday

All but one of those freed on Friday were abducted from the Nir Oz kibbutz, which was devastated during the October 7 attacks. More than a quarter of the community was killed or remains missing.

Yafa Adar, 85

Adar is a founder of Nir Oz and was the oldest person to be taken hostage. A video of her being taken into Gaza on a golf cart driven by Hamas militants went viral shortly after her abduction. “Her eldest grandson, Tamir Adar, a 38-year-old father-of-two, was also abducted, and is still held hostage,” a Nir Oz spokesperson said.

Margalit Moses, 77

The mother-of-three and grandmother of 10 is a retired biology teacher. She is also a cancer survivor who has diabetes, “fibromyalgia, and takes many additional medications,” said the Hostages and Missing Families Forum in Israel. The nature lover planned on traveling to Mozambique this winter.

Hana Katzir, 76

She is also a member of Kibbutz Nir Oz and the wife of the late Rami Katzir, 79, who was killed in their home. “A mother of three and grandmother of six. Her son Elad, 47 years old, was also kidnapped and is still in Gaza,” said Nir Oz’s spokesperson.

Katzir had been feared dead before she was spotted in the back seat of a Red Cross vehicle heading into Egypt on Friday.

Adina Moshe, 72

The retired educator and Nir Oz resident is a mother of four and grandmother of 12. Her husband David (Sa’id) Moshe was killed in their home on October 7.

Daniel Aloni, 45, and Emilia Aloni, 5

Daniel Aloni was among three women who appeared in a hostage video released by Hamas late last month. She came to Nir Oz to visit family and was abducted alongside her daughter Emilia. Her sister Sharon Aloni-Cunio and other family members were kidnapped and remain in Gaza, says the Nir Oz spokesperson.

Doron Katz Asher, 34, Raz Asher, 4, Aviv Asher, 2

Doron visited Nir Oz with her family and was kidnapped with her two daughters, Aviv and Raz, as well as other family members, including Efrat Katz. She lives in Ganot Hadar and works as an accountant.

His aunt’s 79-year-old partner and another relative were also taken hostage, Roberts said. “Those endless thoughts about, ‘Where are they? How are they doing? What are they going through every minute of the day?’ That can really drive you insane,” said Roberts.

Channa Peri, 79

Peri, who lived in Kibbutz Nirim, immigrated to Israel from South Africa in the 1960s. She worked in a grocery store and is a mother of three – one of whom was murdered on October 7 and another kidnapped. “She has diabetes, and suffers severe vision loss in one of her eyes,” said the Hostages and Missing Families Forum in a statement.

Ruth Munder, 78, Karen Munder, 54, and Ohad Munder, 9

Ruth Munder, the 78-year-old Nir Oz resident who is a retired hairdresser and seamstress, was abducted along with her husband, her daughter Keren and her only grandson, Ohad. Her son, Roee, was killed on October 7, the Nir Oz spokesperson said. Her 78-year-old husband still remains in Gaza.

“She met her husband Avraham in the kibbutz… Ruth is a very talented woman, she was the librarian of the kibbutz and the seamstress. She also knits, paints, and sews. She is retired. Ruth attends classes and family trips,” said the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

Keren Munder, 54, is a physical education teacher for children with special needs was born and raised in Nir Oz. She was abducted along with her only son, Ohad, and her parents, Ruth and Avraham, said the Kibbutz spokesperson.

Ohad Munder, 9, “came to Nir Oz to visit family” when he was abducted alongside family members, the kibbutz spokesperson for Nir Oz said.

Israeli hostages – Saturday

Emily Hand, 9

Emily’s father Thomas initially thought his daughter was killed in Hamas’ October 7 attacks.

Weeks later, Israeli officials told him that they’re not sure Emily was killed, as they had not located her body and didn’t find any blood in the home where she was sleeping.

On Sunday, the Israeli military released an emotional video of Emily running into the arms of her father.

Hila Rotem, 13

Hila was abducted alongside her mother Raaya Rotem, 54, from Kibbutz Be’eri.

Raaya, however, was not listed among those hostages released.

“That’s part of the deal,” the official said. “It’s unknown where she is and what happened to her.”

Maya Regev, 21

Maya and her brother Itay, 18, were both taken hostage by Hamas gunmen at the Nova festival.

Following her release, Maya was taken to Soroka Hospital for treatment of a moderate injury, according to a written statement from the hospital and Israel’s Ministry of Health. The statement said Regev is in a stable condition and her injury is not considered life threatening.

Noam Or, 17, Alma Or, 13

According to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, multiple members of the Or family were taken captive by Hamas. Noam and Alma were on the list of those released Saturday.

Their father Dror Or, 48, is still being held by Hamas in Gaza, according to Israeli officials. Yonat Or, the children’s mother and Dror’s wife, was killed on October 7.

Shiri Weiss, 53, Noga Weiss, 18

Shiri and Noga were both taken hostage from Be’eri kibbutz where more than 120 residents, including children, were massacred.

Sharon Avigdori, 52, Noam Avigdori, 12

Shoshan Haran, 67

Adi Shoham, 38, Yahel Shoham, 3, Naveh Shoham, 8

Foreign nationals

Thailand

Thai authorities have released the names of the 14 Thai nationals who had been freed by Hamas so far.

They are: Nattawaree Munkan, Santi Boonprom, Boonthom Pankhong, Mongkol Phachuabboon, Vetoon Phoome, Vichai Kalapat, Bancha Kongmanee, Buddhee Saengboon, Uthai Toonsri, Uthai Saengnuan, Natthaporn Onkaew, Komkrit Chombua, Anucha Angkaew and Manee Jirachart.

Israeli farms employ thousands of Thai labourers, according to Israel’s ministry of interior.

Nattawaree Munkan’s mother, Boonyarin Srichan, lives in Thailand’s Khon Kaen province with her 8-year-old granddaughter. She revealed how she “cried out of my happiness” when she heard the news of Nattawaree’s release.

The last image he saw of his son was in a bunker where he was taking cover on the October 7 attacks. Manee had gone to work in Israel to send money home to his family and was expected to return next year.

Philippines

Gelienor “Jimmy” Pacheco, a Philippine citizen, had been working as a caretaker in Israel when he was taken hostage on October 7. Avishay Ben Zvi, the son of the man Pacheco had been working for, said after the release that Pacheco was doing better than expected and had spoken with his wife back in the Philippines.

Poland

A Polish citizen was among the hostages released from Gaza Friday, Poland’s foreign ministry said on Saturday.

The ministry did not provide any information on who the Polish citizen is, but used the feminine version of the noun for “citizen,” indicating the citizen is female. It is not yet known if she is a dual national.

This is a developing story and will be updated.