NEWS AND OPINION:
The Committee to Protect Journalists — an independent, nonprofit organization that promotes press freedom worldwide — is investigating all reports of journalists killed, injured, detained, or missing in the Israel-Gaza conflict.
“As of October 17, at least 15 journalists were among the more than 4,000 dead on both sides since the war began on October 7,” the organization said in a report released Tuesday.
Eight other journalists were reported as injured while three were reported as missing or detained, the report said.
The list is being updated regularly.
The organization also emphasizes that journalists are “civilians doing important work during times of crisis and must not be targeted by warring parties,” according to Sherif Mansour, the group’s Middle East and North Africa program coordinator.
“Journalists across the region are making great sacrifices to cover this heartbreaking conflict,” he said in a statement that was included in the report.
One journalist has offered some personal insight on the evolving situation.
“I have covered many wars and conflicts here in Israel, but this is the hardest one I have encountered so far; I am at a loss for words to describe what I feel, and frankly, I haven’t had the time to do so,” wrote Yonat Friling — a senior field producer for Fox News Media based in the Jerusalem bureau — in a personal essay for the network.
“I am not alone. Like me, there are brave women and men, cameramen, producers, and correspondents who travel the world from one chaotic event to the other. We jump on a plane at a moment’s notice to cover wars, natural disasters, terror attacks, mass shootings, and other events that expose us to violence and human suffering,” Ms. Friling wrote.
“We are there to talk to the victims and tell their stories. We meet them at the most horrific moments of their lives and approach them with great care, respect, responsibility, and awe,” she said.
TRUSTING THEIR COUNTRYMEN
Lawmakers might want to peek at a new Gallup Poll that offers some startling news for the elected set.
“Gallup’s annual update on trust in government institutions and actors finds Americans have the most faith in local government (67%) and the least faith in the legislative branch of the federal government, or Congress (32%),” writes Jeffrey M. Jones, a senior editor for the national pollster.
“Between these two extremes, majorities express trust in state government and the American people, while less than half are confident in the executive and judicial branches of the federal government, elected officials and candidates for office, and in the federal government’s ability to handle both domestic and international problems,” Mr. Jones said.
Gallup also found that 55% of U.S. adults trust “the American people as a whole when it comes to making judgments under our democratic system about the issues facing our country.”
The poll of 1,016 U.S. adults was conducted Sept. 1-23 and released Friday.
PRO-LIFERS SUPPORT JORDAN
An Ohio Republican has staunch support in his House speaker bid from the pro-life world, now and in the future.
“Our friend Rep. Jim Jordan is a strong and proven leader on life — and we support him for speaker of the House,” said Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser, in a written statement shared with Inside the Beltway.
“Rep. Jordan consistently stands up to the Biden administration and radical abortion lobby against their targeting of peaceful pro-life advocates and unlawful misuse of the Defense Department to expand abortion on demand, for all nine months of pregnancy paid for by taxpayers. He boldly embraced national protections for America’s most vulnerable children – not only for babies in the womb who can feel the unfathomable pain of late-term abortions, but also for babies who survive abortions, so they are not abandoned to die,” Mrs. Dannenfelser continued.
“A unified pro-life House majority is imperative to stand firm against the extreme pro-abortion agenda and we urge the whole GOP conference to vote yes to Jim Jordan,” she said.
Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America is a network of more than 1 million pro-life Americans nationwide. Find them at SBALife.org.
FOXIFIED
The week of Oct. 9-15 was Fox News’ highest-rated week of the year, primarily due to the network’s continuous coverage of the Israel-Hamas war.
In prime time (8 to 11 p.m. Eastern), Fox News drew a daily average of 2.3 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research. MSNBC had an average prime-time audience of 1.1 million, while CNN drew 810,000 viewers.
Fox News also aired 94 of the top 100 cable news telecasts for the week.
“The Five” was the most-watched program in cable news for the week, averaging 3,3 million nightly viewers, followed by “Jesse Watters Primetime” with 2.8 million viewers, “Special Report With Bret Baier” (2.6 million), “Hannity” (2.5 million) and “The Ingraham Angle” (2.4 million).
In the greater picture, Fox News aired 53 telecasts that week that drew over 2 million viewers, compared with MSNBC’s one such program and CNN’s none.
POLL DU JOUR
• 67% of registered U.S. voters disapprove of the way President Biden is handling inflation; 94% of Republicans, 81% of independents and 35% of Democrats agree.
• 66% of voters overall disapprove of the way Mr. Biden is handling the nation’s border security; 93% of Republicans, 75% of independents and 35% of Democrats agree.
• 62% overall disapprove of the way he is handling the nation’s economy; 94% of Republicans, 76% of independents and 25% of Democrats agree.
• 58% overall disapprove of the way he is handling the situation with Russia; 87% of Republicans, 69% of independents and 27% of Democrats agree.
• 58% of U.S. adults disapprove of the job he is doing as president; 94% of Republicans, 77% of independents and 16% of Democrats agree.
SOURCE: A Fox News poll of 1,007 registered U.S. voters conducted Oct. 6-9.
• Contact Jennifer Harper at jharper@washingtontimes.com.
• Jennifer Harper can be reached at jharper@washingtontimes.com.
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