The latest eruption of violence in the Middle East has sparked demonstrations around the world, including Louisville.John Morison of the local Community for Peace in the Middle East says the group plans a series of vigils to call for an end to hostilities between Israel and Hamas.Morison says his organization condemns attacks by both sides that have killed civilians, but its chief concern is that Israeli blockades and airstrikes on Gaza could cause a humanitarian crisis affecting more than one-and-a-half million people."They don't have sewage now, so you have sewage that's running in the streets of Gaza, and they're cut off from any kind of contact from the outside world, and that's the kind of situation that people are living under," Morison said.Israel says it's simply trying to protect its citizens from Hamas rocket attacks on its southern territory. Morison's group will hold peace vigils through Friday in downtown Louisville.
Rick Howlett was midday host and the host of LPM's weekly talk show, "In Conversation." He was with LPM from 2001-2023 and held many different titles, including Morning Edition host, Assignment Editor and Interim News Director. He died in August 2023. Read a remembrance of Rick here.