Start your week smart: Israel at war, Afghanistan earthquake, Kaiser strike, Kevin McCarthy, Nobel Peace Prize

CNN  — 

Crocs — the foam clogs that became the unofficial footwear of the pandemic — tend to elicit strong feelings of either adoration or disgust, with little middle ground. The company offers dozens of colorful styles and collections inspired by movies like “Barbie” and “Shrek.” Later this month, however, it will begin selling perhaps its boldest (and potentially most divisive) creation: Crocs cowboy boots, complete with spurs and all.

Here’s what else you need to know to Start Your Week Smart.

• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country is “embarking on a long and difficult war” as it deals with an unprecedented hostage crisis after Palestinian militants launched a surprise land, sea and air attack from Gaza, killing hundreds. Follow live updates.• More than 2,000 people have died after a powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck western Afghanistan, the Taliban said, as the nation reels from another quake at a time of deep economic crisis.• More than 75,000 unionized Kaiser Permanente employees are returning to work after a historic three-day strike. The temporary work stoppage ended without a deal, and negotiations are expected to resume this week.• Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy denied reports that he is expected to step down from Congress before the end of his term – telling reporters that he still has “work to do,” after sending signals in private conversations that he could leave early.• The 2023 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to jailed Iranian activist Narges Mohammadi for “her fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her fight to promote human rights and freedom for all,” the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced in Oslo.

MondayThe second Monday in October is, depending on where you live, Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples’ Day. All of the usual suspects will be closed for the federal holiday, including most banks, financial markets, post offices, schools, libraries and non-essential government agencies like the DMV.

The 2023 Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel — better known as the Nobel Prize in Economics — will be awarded.

TuesdayOne week after Rep. Kevin McCarthy was ousted as speaker of the House, Republicans are slated to hear from speaker candidates at a forum — setting up the next possible House-wide speaker vote for Wednesday. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan have announced their candidacies, and others could still enter the race, but it remains to be seen whether the conference can coalesce around a viable successor to McCarthy. Late last week, former President Donald Trump endorsed Jordan.

With the upcoming holiday shopping season squarely in its sights, Amazon will kick off its second big sale of the year. Online shoppers have grown accustomed to the e-commerce giant’s summer Prime Day sale, often tracking items to grab at their steepest discounts. This fall sales event comes on the heels of the US government and 17 states filing a landmark monopoly lawsuit that alleges Amazon has abused its economic dominance for years and harmed fair competition.

It’s also World Mental Health Day, a time to raise awareness and to mobilize efforts in support of mental health.

ThursdayThe first NASA spacecraft designed to study a metallic asteroid is set for liftoff, with the agency and SpaceX targeting at a launch at 10:16 a.m. ET. The endeavor, known as the Psyche mission, was originally expected to lift off in 2022, but the launch window closed before the spacecraft’s flight software was ready.

FridayIt’s Friday the 13th — not a great day to visit a summer camp on a lake.

SaturdayA “ring of fire” solar eclipse will make its appearance in the skies over North, Central and South America. The “ring of fire” nickname comes from the appearance of annular solar eclipses, which are like total solar eclipses, except the moon is at the farthest point in its orbit from Earth, so it can’t completely block the sun. Instead, the sun’s fiery light surrounds the moon’s shadow, creating a ring. The eclipse will begin in the US at 12:13 p.m. ET and pass from the Oregon coast to Texas’ Gulf Coast, appearing in Oregon, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico and Texas. And please remember: It’s never safe to look directly at the sun without using specialized protection, such as certified eclipse glasses or a handheld solar viewer.

One Thing: ‘A life unfinished’In this week’s One Thing podcast, CNN’s Alisha Ebrahimji tells us about one of the many young victims of American gun violence and how his family is working to find solutions amid an epidemic of firearm deaths. Listen for more.

Check out more images from the week that was, curated by CNN Photos.

TV and streaming“Messi Meets America,” a docuseries about soccer superstar Lionel Messi’s move to play in the US for Inter Miami, arrives Wednesday on Apple TV+.

More than 30 years after “Cheers” ended its run on NBC, one of the show’s most enduring characters is being brought back to TV life for a third time. “Frasier” — a reboot of the hit ’90s sitcom of the same name — sees Kelsey Grammer as the pompous (and eponymous) psychiatrist returning to Boston from Seattle to reconnect with his now adult son Freddy. “Frasier” premieres on Paramount+ Thursday.

And right on cue, Disney+ launches “Goosebumps,” a revival of the kids’ horror anthology series on Friday (the 13th).

In theatersDo you know who is not concerned about Friday being unlucky? Movie theaters that will be showing “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour.” The concert film, which is being screened in some theaters in both IMAX and standard versions, is expected to rake in $100 million to $125 million in its opening weekend, according to industry estimates.

At a glance …Game 2 of Major League Baseball’s American League Division Series is set for today. On Saturday, the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros won their ALDS openers, while the Philadelphia Phillies and Arizona Diamondbacks prevailed in the National League. Game 2 of the NLDS is scheduled for Monday.

Game 1 of the WNBA Finals will see the New York Liberty take on the defending champion Las Vegas Aces at home this afternoon. Game 2 is set for Wednesday.

The NHL season gets underway Tuesday with a trio of games: Nashville Predators vs. Tampa Bay Lightning, Chicago Blackhawks vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, and Seattle Kraken vs. Las Vegas Golden Knights.

For more of your favorite sports, head on over to CNN Sports as well as Bleacher Report, which – like CNN – is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery.

Looking for a challenge to start your week? Take CNN’s weekly news quiz to see how much you remember from the week that was! So far, 67% of fellow quiz fans have gotten eight or more questions right. How will you fare?

‘Ring of Fire’Sure, we could have gone with any Taylor Swift song here, but something about the upcoming eclipse sparked another selection — a cover of a cover that became a big hit for Johnny Cash. (Click here to view)