Latest News Headlines for Saturday January 13. 2024 – Over the weekend, Israeli air strikes in the Gaza Strip resulted in the deaths of more than 30 Palestinians, including young children, as reported by officials. Concurrently, a U.S. strike against Iran-backed rebels in Yemen intensified concerns about the Israel-Hamas conflict potentially escalating into a broader regional confrontation.
Since the war’s onset, triggered by a deadly attack on southern Israel by Hamas and other Gaza militants on October 7, the conflict has rapidly expanded. New battlefronts have emerged, involving Iran-supported groups such as the Houthi rebels in Yemen, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and militias in Iraq and Syria, leading to various attacks.
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Top United Nations officials have called for the return of civilians to their homes in the Gaza Strip, amid ongoing Israeli military operations against Hamas. This appeal was made during a U.N. Security Council meeting.
Martin Griffiths, the U.N.’s humanitarian affairs chief, depicted the dire situation in Gaza, where displaced civilians are being pushed into increasingly limited areas due to Israel’s military actions. Members of the Security Council have described the situation in Gaza as a “catastrophe.”
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The 2024 election season kicks off in Iowa with the state’s high-profile caucuses. This event marks the first major test of former President Donald Trump’s influence in the Republican Party during this election cycle. Trump currently maintains a substantial lead, but his competitors are hopeful for an upset.
Success in Iowa is not essential for securing the party nomination, but a strong showing can provide crucial momentum. The state offers only 40 delegates, a fraction of the 1,215 required for nomination.
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Lai Ching-te has secured victory in Taiwan’s presidential election, with his opponents conceding after a competitive three-way race. This election’s outcome will significantly influence Taiwan’s relations with China for the next four years.
The focus is on the stability and peace of the strait separating China from the self-governed island of Taiwan, which China claims as its own. The Chinese government previously framed the election as a choice between peace and conflict.
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A sequence of earthquakes shook Oklahoma from Friday evening into Saturday morning, including two of magnitude 4.4. The USGS reported a 3.2 magnitude quake near Arcadia, northeast of Oklahoma City, at 9:37 p.m. CT.
Approximately 10 minutes later, a 4.4 magnitude quake occurred west of Arcadia. This was followed by two smaller quakes of 2.7 and 2.5 magnitude. On Saturday morning, a 2.6 magnitude quake was recorded near Acadia at around 4:45 a.m. CT.
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The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating two fatal vehicle-train collisions at the same high-speed rail crossing in Florida last week, resulting in three deaths.
On Friday, a Brightline train collided with a Chevrolet Avalanche pickup truck, killing both the driver and passenger, according to Melbourne police. Melbourne Mayor Paul Alfrey reported that the vehicle attempted to beat the train. This incident occurred two days after a similar collision involving a Brightline train and a Honda Element SUV at the same crossing.
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In Idaho, authorities have recovered the body of a man killed in an avalanche while backcountry skiing with two others who were rescued the previous day.
The Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office responded to a GPS alert indicating a potential avalanche fatality near Stevens Peak, close to the Montana border. The rescue operation took place on Thursday afternoon, as stated in an announcement on social media.
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The Quaker Oats Company, a subsidiary of PepsiCo, has broadened its previous recall from December to include a wider range of granola bars and cereal products due to potential salmonella contamination.
The expanded recall now encompasses popular items like Cap’n Crunch Treats cereal bars and Gatorade Protein Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars, with expiration dates ranging from Jan. 11, 2024, to Oct. 31, 2024. This update was recently announced on the Food and Drug Administration’s website, detailing the extended range of products under recall.
