Unbiased headline news in 60-seconds for Thur Nov 2 – President Joe Biden called for a “pause” in the Israel-Gaza conflict on Wednesday night to secure the release of hostages.
Biden’s stance on Wednesday evening diverged from the White House’s previous position during the conflict, which refrained from instructing Israel on how to respond to Hamas’ terrorist attack. He emphasized, “Hamas is unquestionably a terrorist organization.”
—
On Wednesday, the Rafah border crossing to Egypt opened, allowing hundreds of foreign passport holders, including Americans, and some injured Palestinians in Gaza to leave. This marked the first time the crossing was accessible since the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel.
In Washington, U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller confirmed the departure of some American citizens from Gaza but did not specify the exact number. Miller informed reporters on Wednesday afternoon, “Several American citizens have crossed through Rafah and are now in Egypt.”
—
Despite persistent inflation, the Federal Reserve opted to keep interest rates unchanged as part of its efforts to control rising prices.
Speaking in Washington, D.C., Fed Chair Jerome Powell stated that the central bank had made progress toward its inflation target over the past year, leading to the decision to maintain steady interest rates while considering actions to bring inflation back to normal levels. Powell remarked, “Inflation has shown signs of decreasing, but it still exceeds our 2% target.”
—
New House Speaker Mike Johnson engaged in discussions with Senate Republicans on Wednesday regarding his contentious Israel-specific aid package in an attempt to gain their support.
During a closed-door lunch in the afternoon that lasted about an hour, Johnson addressed the Senate Republican Conference. He discussed his aid package and indicated a newfound willingness to advance aid to Ukraine, a move he had opposed in the past.
