The Israeli army says it is carrying out a ‘targeted operation’ at Gaza’s largest hospital. And the United States and China agree to address climate change as the countries’ two leaders are set to meet. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023.
IDF says troops carrying out ‘targeted operation’ at Gaza hospital
Israel Defense Forces said troops are carrying out a “precise and targeted operation against Hamas in a specified area” of Al-Shifa Hospital, the largest hospital in Gaza.
The Israeli army has accused Hamas of operating out of various departments of the Gaza hospital, as well as using underground tunnels beneath the facility, which stopped operations over the weekend due to dwindling supplies and lack of electricity.
In a statement, the IDF said, prior to the raid, it had given 12 hours for all military activities to cease within the hospital, calling Hamas’ alleged use of the hospital a violation of international law.
White House officials on Tuesday, Nov. 14, said U.S. intelligence backs Israel’s claims regarding Hamas’ use of the largest hospital in Gaza.
Hamas and hospital officials have denied those allegations. The terrorist group released a statement that said it holds Israel’s army and President Biden “fully responsible” for the raid on the hospital, where thousands of civilians have been sheltering along with hundreds of patients and staff amid Israel’s continuous strikes in Gaza in the wake of the Oct. 7 attacks.
The IDF’s “targeted operation” came a day after President Biden said hospitals in Gaza “must be protected.” Biden also said he hoped there would be “less intrusive action relative to hospitals.” The White House said the U.S. would not support airstrikes on any hospitals.
The Israeli army said its forces in the raid included medical teams and Arabic speakers, and its intent was not to harm any civilians.
House passes two-step funding bill to avert government shutdown
In a bipartisan vote on Tuesday evening, Nov. 14, the House of Representatives passed Speaker Mike Johnson’s, R-La., two-tiered temporary government funding bill, a first step toward averting a government shutdown before Friday’s, Nov. 17, deadline. Straight Arrow News political reporter Ray Bogan was on Capitol Hill for the vote on what Johnson calls a laddered continuing resolution and filed this report.
Here’s more from Ray:
“Just like the continuing resolution that was approved at the end of September, Republicans needed significant help from Democrats to get it approved. More Democrats provided votes than Republicans to get it approved. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said his chamber will work to approve the continuing resolution as soon as possible.
“The continuing resolution funds the government in two parts at 2023 spending levels: money for veterans programs, transportation, housing, agriculture, and energy would flow through Jan. 19.
“Funding for the military, State Department, Department of Homeland Security, and other government agencies would last until Feb. 2.
“It is a temporary solution and Congress needs to approve a full year appropriations bill for all of 2024. They want to include funding for Ukraine and Israel, natural disasters in the U.S., and border security. But that will take a lot of negotiating.”
Us, China address climate change ahead of Biden-Xi meeting
Ahead of Wednesday’s Nov. 15 meeting between President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping in San Francisco, the United States and China announced an agreement to address climate change.
In a statement on Tuesday, Nov. 14, the State Department said both countries will “rise up to one of the greatest challenges of our time for present and future generations of humankind.”
The U.S. and China agreed to revive a bilateral climate working group, which China suspended last year amid growing tensions over Taiwan, that will address issues like energy transition, methane, resource efficiency, and deforestation.
The announcement comes less than a month before the annual U.N. climate change conference in Dubai and hours before the first in-person meeting in a year between the two countries’ leaders.
With U.S.-China relations strained over the past year, from a spy balloon to close calls in the air to new export rules over semiconductors, China expert and former Miami Herbert Business School Dean John Quelch tells Straight Arrow News’ Business Correspondent Simone Del Rosario that this meeting is a good sign of things to come for the relationship between the two countries.
“We’re very close to hitting rock bottom. And I see the meeting in San Francisco, following a series of cabinet visits to Beijing, as very encouraging that we will look back on this as the turning point and that the relationship will be improving henceforth,” Quelch said.
Federal climate report finds America already feeling effects of climate change
A newly released federal report shows that the effects of climate change are already being felt across America, particularly by families living below the poverty line, and those effects are becoming more and more evident.
This report is not being covered by all media.
This assessment shows us in clear scientific terms that climate change is impacting all regions all sectors of the United States, not just some, all.
President Joe Biden
The Straight Arrow news Media Miss™ tool shows the majority of outlets covering it are left-leaning.
Right-leaning news outlets are under-reporting the results of the Fifth National Climate Assessment. Our real-time Media Miss™ tool spotlights which stories right-leaning and left-leaning outlets aren’t covering so you get a complete picture of the news. This is how the news should be fair, factual, and unbiased.
The National Centers for Environmental Information estimates that this year, there have been 25 weather disasters in the U.S. that cost at least $1 billion and resulted in more than 450 deaths.
On Tuesday, Nov. 14, President Joe Biden addressed the report.
“This assessment shows us in clear scientific terms that climate change is impacting all regions all sectors of the United States, not just some, all. It shows that communities across America are taking more action than ever to reduce climate risk. It warns that more action is still badly needed. We can’t be complacent,” Biden said.
In his speech, Biden announced that $6 billion in federal funding will go to communities across America to take steps towards climate resilience. The congressionally mandated climate report is designed to help policymakers make fact-based decisions about climate change nationwide.
Straight Arrow News strives to provide unbiased, fact-based news in addition to offering a comprehensive look at how the media is covering stories that matter most. Learn more about the Media Miss™ tool and decide for yourself.
YouTube to make changes amid rise in AI-generated content
YouTube has unveiled how it is tackling the era of artificial intelligence as more and more creators use AI’s capabilities to produce content.
In a post on YouTube’s official blog Tuesday, Nov. 14, titled “Our approach to responsible AI innovation,” the company’s vice presidents of product management wrote, “all content uploaded to YouTube is subject to our community guidelines, regardless of how it’s generated, but we also know that AI will introduce new risks and will require new approaches.”
In the coming months, creators will be required to disclose whether their videos contain altered or synthetic material, such as an event that never happened or someone saying something they never actually said.
Those who consistently choose not to disclose that they are using AI-generated content will be subject to penalties like video removal and suspension from the YouTube Partner Program.
YouTube will begin showing labels, letting viewers know when a video has manipulated material.
In addition, YouTube will soon be making it possible to request the removal of any content that uses someone’s face or voice without permission. Music labels will also be able to make removal requests. SAN reporter Shannon Longworth has more on YouTube’s approach to AI.
Horse gets loose on plane, forcing flight to return
A flight headed to Belgium was forced to return to New York due to the conduct of a traveler, but this time, it wasn’t because of an unruly human passenger; it was because of a wayward horse.
“Yes, sir, we are a cargo plane. We have a live animal, horse on board the airplane and the horse managed to escape its stall. We don’t have a problem flying-wise, but we need to return back to New York. We cannot get the horse back secured,” the pilot said, according to audio obtained by You Can See ATC via Live ATC.
According to data from the Nov. 9 flight, the 747 cargo plane took off less than 30 minutes before the pilot radioed into air traffic control about the animal on the loose.
The plane was forced to make a U-turn near the Canadian border, and in order to return safely to JFK Airport, the pilot dumped about 20 tons of fuel over the Atlantic Ocean, 10 miles west of Martha’s Vineyard.
It remained unclear how the horse got loose, and while no injuries were reported, the pilot requested a veterinarian once the plane landed. The flight was able to make its journey to Belgium the following day.