News Headlines for Monday December 4, 2023 – House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner stated the U.S. is aiding Israel in locating Hamas leaders and pinpointing vulnerabilities that might have averted the October 7th attack.
“This reflects a broad oversight by Israel and its intelligence community regarding the potential magnitude of such a threat, leading to this complete lapse,” Ohio’s Republican representative commented on “Face the Nation.”
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A Gallup Poll released Thursday shows a divided opinion among Americans on Israel’s Gaza conflict, with 50% supporting and 45% opposing it. The poll also revealed that 40% believe the U.S. provides insufficient humanitarian aid to Palestinians.
When asked about their stance on Israel’s military actions in Gaza, the Nov. 1-21 poll indicated a split across gender, age, race, and political affiliations. Only 32% approve of President Joe Biden’s handling of the Israel-Gaza conflict, compared to his overall job approval rating of 37%.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree to expand the armed forces by 170,000 personnel, citing the Ukraine conflict and “NATO expansion.”
Putin has mandated an increase in the Russian Armed Forces’ staffing levels to 2.2 million, including 1.32 million military personnel, as stated in a press release from the president’s office on Friday.
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As Florida Governor Ron DeSantis completes a key presidential campaign step by visiting all 99 counties in Iowa, former President Donald Trump focused on President Biden instead of his GOP competitor during concurrent rallies in the state.
At a Cedar Rapids event, Trump directed his criticisms at Mr. Biden, accusing him of “destroying American democracy.” Trump is positioning the primary election as a foregone conclusion, concentrating on his 2020 adversary.
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A U.S. Navy vessel in the Red Sea on Sunday intercepted several drones approaching from Yemeni regions under Houthi control, per a U.S. official.
“The USS Carney engaged in multiple encounters in the Red Sea with Houthi assaults on commercial ships today. The Carney successfully neutralized [unmanned aerial vehicles] heading towards it in at least two instances,” the official reported. “Reports of attacks on the USS Carney and commercial ships in the Red Sea are being monitored,” the statement added.
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Mount Marapi in Indonesia’s West Sumatra erupted, ejecting ash plumes over 9,800 feet high and dispersing hot ash several miles.
Ahmad Rifandi, a representative from Indonesia’s Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Center at the Marapi monitoring post, reported no immediate casualties. Post-eruption, two climber routes were closed and residents on the mountain’s slopes were advised to keep a 1.8-mile distance from the crater due to potential lava flow.
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The father of a slain 6-year-old Palestinian American boy, victim of an alleged hate crime, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit.
Oday Al-Fayoume filed the lawsuit last month against the suburban Chicago landlord accused in the attack, which resulted in his son’s death and severe injury to the child’s mother. The incident, sparking renewed concerns of anti-Islamic bias in Chicago’s sizable Palestinian community, has garnered White House condemnation.
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For the second consecutive Sunday, a recovering Pope Francis missed his customary public appearance in St. Peter’s Square, but said in televised remarks that he is improving, despite his voice hindering his ability to read all his comments.
Francis, speaking briefly from the Vatican hotel chapel where he resides and recuperates from infectious bronchitis, addressed thousands in the square through outdoor screens. The Pope, nearing his 87th birthday, also mentioned remotely following the U.N. climate conference in Dubai.
