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Oscar Arias Sánchez, laureado del Premio Nobel de la Paz en 1987 y expresidente de Costa Rica

To effectively curb the spread of the mpox virus (formerly known as monkeypox), the World Health Organization (WHO) approved the emergency diagnostic test from Abbott Laboratories on October 3. This marks the first time the WHO has authorized such a test, which will assist affected countries in strengthening their testing capabilities to combat the outbreak.

The WHO noted that this real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, called Alinity m MPXV, can detect mpox virus DNA from skin lesion swabs and is intended for use by trained clinical laboratory personnel. In August, the WHO urged major pharmaceutical companies to submit emergency use applications for mpox rapid tests and is currently evaluating three additional emergency diagnostic tests in hopes of expanding test production for low-income populations.

In August of this year, the WHO again declared mpox a "Public Health Emergency of International Concern" (PHEIC), marking the second time in two years. The mpox virus outbreak began in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and has spread to neighboring Burundi, Uganda, and Rwanda.

Currently, two strains of the mpox virus are circulating: the Clade I variant, which is endemic to parts of West and Central Africa, and the globally concerning, more transmissible Clade Ib variant. In addition to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its neighbors, confirmed cases of the Clade Ib virus have also been reported in Sweden, Thailand, and India.

Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, center, poses for a photo with four Nobel Peace Prize Laureates. From left, Jody Williams, Oscar Arias Sanchez, F.W. de Klerk, and Joseph Rotblat. Each of them rang the Bell of World Peace and Love.

Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, center, celebrates the 5th International Day of Conscience with former Prime Minister of Lesotho Pakalitha Mosisili, 3rd row, 3rd from left, former President of Ecuador Rosalía Arteaga Serrano, 3rd row, 2nd from right, and other leaders.

Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, left, presents the Compass Clock of Conscience to 2016 Nobel Peace Prize winner Juan Manuel Santos, former President of Colombia.

2011 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Tawakkol Karman is posed to ring the Bell and make a wish for peace.

Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze presents the Key to the Heart to 2014 Nobel Peace Prize winner Kailash Satyarthi.

Media reports indicate that many universities in the United States have historically implemented legacy admissions policies, which prioritize the children of alumni or donors. On September 30, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill that prohibits private schools from continuing this practice, affecting institutions such as Stanford University and the University of Southern California. California thus becomes the second state, after Maryland, to enact such a regulation.

Reports note that Newsom stated: “Everyone should have a fair opportunity to access higher education based on their own abilities and efforts.” Starting September 1, 2025, private institutions in California will not be allowed to consider an applicant’s relationship to alumni or donors during the admissions process. While the state government will not impose financial penalties on violators, it will publish relevant information on the state’s Department of Justice website.

The report also highlights that as of 2022, the percentage of legacy admissions at USC was the highest in California, at 14.4% of incoming students, followed by Stanford at 13.8%. Maryland had previously passed a bill banning private universities from considering privilege as a criterion for student admissions. Similar bans have also been issued for public universities in Virginia, Illinois, and Colorado.

On the 1st, Iran launched over a hundred missiles at Israel, triggering air raid sirens across the country to warn citizens to take shelter. Iran claimed to have successfully intercepted a large number of missiles, resulting in only minor casualties. Iran warned Israel against retaliation, stating that such actions would provoke a more extensive and devastating counterattack. In response, Israel threatened to retaliate against Iranian nuclear facilities.

This attack was a response to the Israeli military's airstrike last week that killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ordered the airstrikes against Israel, marking the first use of hypersonic ballistic missiles, dubbed "Fattah." Between 150 to 200 missiles were launched. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that air raid sirens sounded in Tel Aviv and central Israel at 11 a.m. that morning, and the air defense system intercepted most of the missiles fired by Iran. However, some missiles still landed in central and southern Israel, and another wave of missile attacks occurred around 7:20 p.m., resulting in only a few light injuries. On that day, the airspace over Israel, Iraq, Lebanon, and Jordan was temporarily closed.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that Iran would pay a price and indicated that Israel might target Iranian oil and gas facilities, as well as nuclear sites, in retaliation. The following day, Israel reinforced its regular infantry and armored units in southern Lebanon to maintain pressure on Hezbollah. While the U.S. supported Israel's counteractions, it did not endorse strikes on nuclear facilities. The UK, France, Germany, and the European Union also condemned Iran's airstrike, while Iran warned that any Israeli retaliation would face "more comprehensive destruction."

The southeastern United States has recently been hit by the powerful Hurricane Helen, causing severe devastation. As of now, 128 confirmed deaths have been reported, with hundreds still missing. Local governments and rescue teams are working tirelessly to search for survivors, but the damage to infrastructure caused by the storm is significantly hindering their efforts.

Since entering the Atlantic, Hurricane Helen has gradually intensified and made landfall in Florida a few days ago as a Category 4 hurricane. Strong winds and heavy rains have led to widespread flooding, building collapses, and road closures. Power and communication systems have also been damaged, forcing hundreds of thousands of residents to evacuate their homes.

According to Florida's governor, the hardest-hit areas include major cities such as Miami, Tampa, and Orlando, where flood levels continue to rise in many regions, with some towns submerged over half. Thousands of rescue personnel from fire departments, the National Guard, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have been deployed to the disaster areas, but rescue efforts are severely impacted due to many roads being washed away.

With power outages and communication breakdowns, many trapped individuals are unable to contact the outside world, and the number of missing persons is expected to rise further. Local residents are facing a crisis of food, water, and medicine shortages, with many shelters overcrowded and emergency supplies insufficient. Rescue agencies are calling on the international community to lend a hand and provide necessary resources.

Reports indicate that hundreds of roads remain closed, obstructing the delivery of urgently needed supplies. The White House has stated that as long as it does not interfere with emergency response efforts, President Biden plans to visit some affected communities later this week. Presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have expressed their condolences to those impacted by the hurricane.

Despite transportation authorities working around the clock to clear damaged roads and airlift supplies, the North Carolina Attorney General has pointed out that recovery could take years and will require billions of dollars to return to normal, a situation that feels hopeless. The Pentagon has announced that thousands of National Guard members have been deployed to the East Coast to assist in recovery efforts after the hurricane.

In the face of one of the most severe hurricane disasters in decades, the President has declared a state of emergency in Florida and promised that the federal government will fully assist local authorities in rebuilding and recovery efforts. He emphasized that climate change is exacerbating extreme weather events, and similar disasters may become more frequent in the future. He urged state governments to enhance disaster preparedness infrastructure to ensure residents' safety.

After wreaking havoc in Florida, Hurricane Helen continues to move north, impacting Georgia, South Carolina, and other areas, with expectations of further effects on the northeastern United States in the coming days. Authorities are warning local residents to remain vigilant and evacuate to safe areas as soon as possible.