News headlines for Wednesday December 13, 2023 – At a recent campaign event, President Biden voiced concerns about the dwindling global support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.
He emphasized Netanyahu’s need for policy changes, particularly regarding the conflict with Hamas in Gaza. The President affirmed Israel’s right to counter Hamas but expressed reservations about the ongoing military actions’ impact in Gaza, as per details from a White House transcript and a pool reporter’s account. Liam White reporting.
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Israel’s military operations in the Gaza Strip intensified on Tuesday, with a steadfast commitment to dismantling the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
This objective persists despite growing international appeals for a ceasefire and the United States, a key ally, advising Israel to prioritize human life. Israel maintains its focus on targeting terrorists and terror infrastructure. However, the pressure to stop the ongoing bombings is rapidly increasing, especially with reports from Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry stating over 18,000 deaths in the conflict. Benjamin Wright reporting.
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New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu officially endorsed Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley, marking a significant moment six weeks before the state’s crucial early primary.
At a Manchester campaign event, Sununu praised Haley for her understanding and commitment to New Hampshire’s core principles, such as low taxation, limited government, and local governance. He stressed the opportunity for New Hampshire to set a forward-looking agenda for the nation. Jessica Oakley reporting.
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Argentina declared a significant devaluation of its currency and reductions in energy and transportation subsidies, as part of drastic actions proposed by newly inaugurated President Javier Milei to address the nation’s economic crisis.
Economy Minister Luis Caputo, in a broadcast announcement, stated that the Argentine peso will undergo a 50% devaluation, shifting from 400 to 800 pesos against the U.S. dollar. Acknowledging the immediate impacts, Caputo remarked, “For a few months, we’re going to be worse than before.” This statement came two days after Milei, a libertarian, took office as the president of South America’s second-largest economy.
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Virginia officials have concluded that a Tesla, using its Autopilot feature and traveling at high speed, was involved in a fatal accident with a tractor-trailer last July.
The crash, which resulted in the death of 57-year-old Tesla driver Pablo Teodoro, is the third since 2016 involving a Tesla on Autopilot colliding with a tractor-trailer. These incidents have sparked discussions about the safety and appropriate usage areas of Tesla’s semi-autonomous driving system. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is still investigating the crash. Lawrence Keller reporting.
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Sergey Vladimirovich Ochigava, a Russian national, was charged following his unauthorized entry onto a Denmark-to-Los Angeles flight.
Ochigava boarded the flight to Los Angeles International Airport on November 4 without appearing on the flight manifest. Upon his arrival, he was unable to present a passport or visa for entry into the U.S. and provided misleading information about his travel intentions to authorities. Chris Anderson reporting.
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Mystic Aquarium has announced the death of Kharabali, a 9-year-old beluga whale, marking the third loss among five whales transferred from Canada in 2021.
Kharabali began exhibiting abnormal swimming behavior in November. Despite being moved to the aquarium’s intensive care facility, the beluga passed away on Monday. An autopsy is planned to determine the cause of death. Kyle Norris reporting.
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Global Veg Corp has initiated a recall of all quantities and codes of its 5-pound Aviator brand Sundried Tomato Halves (Lot number 060923 dash 1), citing potential undeclared sulfites.
This announcement, made by the New York-based company on December 4 and posted on the FDA website, clarified that the impacted products were sold in New York and New Jersey, contradicting the national scope suggested on the FDA’s statement. The tomatoes were distributed in cartons containing four 5-pound packages. Ana Keller reporting.