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Israel Commits To Further Gaza Raids Amidst United Nations Debate On Ceasefire

(CTN NEWS) – Israel’s military conducted a “targeted raid” overnight in northern Gaza and pledged to continue ground operations in the coming days.

Meanwhile, the United Nations General Assembly convened to discuss a proposed resolution for a humanitarian ceasefire.

Video footage released by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) showed tanks and armored vehicles, including a bulldozer, moving along a road near a fence in northern Gaza.

The tanks fired artillery, resulting in some visible destruction in the vicinity.

Speaking to CNN, IDF spokesperson Peter Lerner described the raid as “a clear and sweep operation intended to create better conditions for potential ground operations.”

He also noted that the IDF had “engaged the enemy, neutralizing terrorists who were planning anti-tank guided missile attacks against us.”

IDF spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari later confirmed that Israel’s military would continue conducting raids in Gaza over the coming days.

These ground incursions are aimed at targeting Hamas militants, preparing for a potential full-scale invasion, and neutralizing explosive devices and reconnaissance posts.

The raid occurred against the backdrop of a worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, exacerbated by daily airstrikes and an Israeli blockade that restricts access to life-saving fuel.

Power shortages have crippled healthcare services, and hundreds of thousands of civilians have been displaced from their homes due to the ongoing bombing campaign.

According to data released by the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah, gathered from sources in the Hamas-controlled enclave, Israeli strikes have claimed the lives of over 6,850 people in Gaza, including numerous children, since October 7.

International pressure is mounting on Israel to allow urgently needed aid into Gaza.

The United Nations and several regional countries have called for an immediate ceasefire, while others advocate for a “humanitarian pause” in the hostilities.

However, the international community has not yet reached a consensus on addressing the crisis, nearly three weeks after it was ignited by Hamas’ brutal terror attacks on October 7, resulting in over 1,400 casualties in Israel and more than 200 people kidnapped.

Riyad Mansour, head of the Palestinian Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations, posed a stark question to UN diplomats as he recounted the stories of Palestinians killed in Gaza.

“Almost all the casualties are civilians,” Mansour emphasized. “Is this the war that some of you are defending?”

UN member states are now preparing to vote on a draft resolution presented by Jordan on behalf of Arab states.

The resolution calls for a “cessation of hostilities,” the release of hostages, and the rejection of “any attempts at forced transfer of the Palestinian civilian population.”

However, General Assembly resolutions, while politically significant, are non-binding.

Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi addressed diplomats at the General Assembly, asserting that “collective punishment is not self-defense.”

His statement received rare applause inside the chamber as he emphasized caring about the lives of all civilians, regardless of their background.

Gilad Erdan, the Israeli ambassador to the UN, criticized the resolution under discussion by the Assembly, characterizing requests for a ceasefire as attempts to restrict Israel’s ability to eliminate a significant threat to its citizens.

The United States has also rejected proposals for a ceasefire, instead advocating for “humanitarian pauses” to facilitate the delivery of essential aid to Gaza.

The US has affirmed its full support for what it views as Israel’s “imperative” to defend itself.

Additionally, the European Union called for humanitarian “pauses” in Gaza following a meeting in Brussels but stopped short of explicitly endorsing a ceasefire.

Hellfire On Hamas

Israel has expressed its commitment to eradicating Hamas, the militant group in control of Gaza, and has consistently mentioned that its ongoing blockade of the territory will be followed by a ground operation.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a televised address on Wednesday, declared that the timing for such action would be determined by Israel’s War Cabinet.

Netanyahu stated, “We are raining down hellfire on Hamas,” while claiming that Israel has “already eliminated thousands of terrorists – and this is only the beginning.”

The prime minister also acknowledged, for the first time, that he will need to provide answers regarding the intelligence failures that allowed the deadliest terrorist attack in Israeli history.

He pledged a comprehensive examination of these failures after the current conflict.

According to Israel’s internal security agency, the Shin Bet, they believe they have killed “scores” of senior figures within Hamas’ military hierarchy since the initiation of airstrikes on Gaza more than two and a half weeks ago.

It’s important to note that CTN cannot independently verify Israel’s assessments, and Hamas has not commented on claims regarding the number of combatants killed in Israeli operations.

The Israeli forces announced that they had eliminated Shadi Barud, the deputy head of Hamas’ Intelligence Directorate, who they allege played a significant role in planning the October 7 attacks.

This information came in a joint statement from the IDF and Shin Bet, the Israeli Security Agency.

The Israeli military also indicated that intelligence reports suggest that airstrikes have killed Hamas rocket commander Hassan Al-Abdullah, who, according to the army, was in charge of rocket units in the Khan Younis area of Gaza.

The IDF and ISA released footage they claim shows the strikes that killed Barud, depicting at least two damaged buildings in Gaza appearing to collapse.

Hamas has not commented on this assertion.

Flattened Neighborhoods

Israel’s retaliatory airstrikes targeting what it refers to as Hamas “terror infrastructure” have resulted in extensive destruction across the densely-populated 140-square-mile Gaza Strip, which had long been described as an “open-air prison” by human rights organizations prior to the current conflict.

New satellite images captured by Maxar on October 21 reveal substantial devastation in northern Gaza, with entire neighborhoods reduced to rubble in eastern Beit Hanoun and similar destruction near the Al Shati Refugee Camp, Atatra, and Izbat Beit Hanoun.

The IDF had advised civilians to vacate the densely populated northern section of the Palestinian enclave, where the bombardment has been particularly intense.

However, airstrikes have also persisted in the south, and a CNN producer in Gaza reported that “there is no safe area.”

During a press conference, Gaza’s health ministry spokesperson, Ashraf Al-Qidra, stated that 12 hospitals had become inoperative since the commencement of Israel’s aerial campaign, and 101 medical personnel had lost their lives.

Al-Qidra accused Israeli forces of deliberately causing a collapse of the healthcare system by obstructing the entry of fuel and essential medical supplies into Gaza.

Israel has cited concerns that Hamas diverts fuel shipments for military purposes as the reason for restricting fuel deliveries.

On Wednesday, Al Jazeera reported that its Gaza bureau chief, Wael Al-Dahdouh, tragically lost his wife, son, daughter, and grandson in what it characterized as an Israeli airstrike.

The explosion struck a house in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, where the family had sought refuge after being displaced.

According to the family’s statement, a total of 12 members of the Al-Dahdouh family perished in the blast, including nine children.

The IDF informed CTN that it had conducted an airstrike in the area where Al-Dahdouh’s relatives were killed, targeting what it described as “Hamas terrorist infrastructure in the area.”

The IDF added that strikes on military targets are conducted in accordance with relevant provisions of international law, with measures taken to minimize civilian casualties.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reported that at least 24 journalists have lost their lives since the outset of this conflict, as of Wednesday.

Of these casualties, 20 were Palestinian, three were Israeli, and one was a Lebanese journalist.

Overcrowded hospitals on the brink of collapse are grappling with the overwhelming influx of injured individuals arriving daily.

Doctors have emphasized their dire shortage of supplies and electricity to provide proper care to these patients, as well as to other individuals reliant on oxygen supplies for survival.

Videos recorded by journalists working with CTN have shown the aftermath of airstrikes, with victims in body bags and severely injured individuals, including children, in overwhelmed hospitals.

Since October 7, a total of 1.4 million people out of Gaza’s population of over 2 million have been displaced, with nearly 629,000 people seeking shelter in UN facilities, as reported by OCHA. Half of Gaza’s population comprises children.

The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Gaza warned that it may have to suspend aid operations within a day if fuel deliveries are not received.

Such a halt would signify the end of a “lifeline” for civilians, according to UNRWA director for Gaza, Tom White.

Aid workers would face difficult decisions regarding which life-saving assistance they can provide, including fuel for desalination plants, hospitals, and bread production that sustains the local population.

An update from the UN humanitarian office OCHA noted that at least 38 United Nations personnel have lost their lives.

Mediation Talks

In Moscow, representatives from Hamas engaged in discussions with a senior Russian foreign ministry official on Thursday, as reported by Russian state media TASS and in a statement from Hamas.

The talks reportedly revolved around the release of hostages held by Hamas and the evacuation of Russian citizens from Gaza.

The Hamas delegation expressed appreciation for the position of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the diplomatic efforts of Russian authorities, according to a statement from the militant group.

The delegation, which met with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister and Special Presidential Representative for the Middle East and Africa, Mikhail Bogdanov, included Mousa Abu Marzouk, the deputy chief of Hamas’s political bureau, and Basem Naim, another senior Hamas leader based in Gaza.

Israel reacted strongly to reports of this meeting, condemning the invitation of senior Hamas officials to Moscow.

Israel’s foreign ministry issued a statement, characterizing it as an act of support for terrorism and an endorsement of the actions of Hamas terrorists.

Israel called on Russia to expel the Hamas delegation “immediately.”

Qatar, involved in mediating negotiations involving Egypt, the United States, Israel, and Hamas, expressed optimism about a potential breakthrough in discussions to secure the release of hostages held by the militant group.

The Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Qatar made this announcement on Wednesday.

The hostage crisis is of international concern, with the Israeli government press office revealing that 135 hostages, more than half of those held by Hamas, hold foreign passports from 25 different countries.

These hostages include 54 Thai nationals, 15 Argentinians, and 12 individuals from Germany and the United States. So far, four hostages, two American and two Israeli, have been released.

Talks continue to secure the release of the remaining hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, as stated by Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.

US President Joe Biden stated that he had urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to seek the release of hostages in Gaza before any Israeli ground invasion.

However, when asked whether he had obtained assurances from his Israeli counterpart to delay a ground invasion while hostages remained in custody, Biden responded with a firm “no.”

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Google’s Search Dominance Is Unwinding, But Still Accounting 48% Search Revenue

Google is so closely associated with its key product that its name is a verb that signifies “search.” However, Google’s dominance in that sector is dwindling.

According to eMarketer, Google will lose control of the US search industry for the first time in decades next year.

Google will remain the dominant search player, accounting for 48% of American search advertising revenue. And, remarkably, Google is still increasing its sales in the field, despite being the dominating player in search since the early days of the George W. Bush administration. However, Amazon is growing at a quicker rate.

Google’s Search Dominance Is Unwinding

Amazon will hold over a quarter of US search ad dollars next year, rising to 27% by 2026, while Google will fall even more, according to eMarketer.

The Wall Street Journal was first to report on the forecast.

Lest you think you’ll have to switch to Bing or Yahoo, this isn’t the end of Google or anything really near.

Google is the fourth-most valued public firm in the world. Its market worth is $2.1 trillion, trailing just Apple, Microsoft, and the AI chip darling Nvidia. It also maintains its dominance in other industries, such as display advertisements, where it dominates alongside Facebook’s parent firm Meta, and video ads on YouTube.

To put those “other” firms in context, each is worth more than Delta Air Lines’ total market value. So, yeah, Google is not going anywhere.

Nonetheless, Google faces numerous dangers to its operations, particularly from antitrust regulators.

On Monday, a federal judge in San Francisco ruled that Google must open up its Google Play Store to competitors, dealing a significant blow to the firm in its long-running battle with Fortnite creator Epic Games. Google announced that it would appeal the verdict.

In August, a federal judge ruled that Google has an illegal monopoly on search. That verdict could lead to the dissolution of the company’s search operation. Another antitrust lawsuit filed last month accuses Google of abusing its dominance in the online advertising business.

Meanwhile, European regulators have compelled Google to follow tough new standards, which have resulted in multiple $1 billion-plus fines.

Pixa Bay

Google’s Search Dominance Is Unwinding

On top of that, the marketplace is becoming more difficult on its own.

TikTok, the fastest-growing social network, is expanding into the search market. And Amazon has accomplished something few other digital titans have done to date: it has established a habit.

When you want to buy anything, you usually go to Amazon, not Google. Amazon then buys adverts to push companies’ products to the top of your search results, increasing sales and earning Amazon a greater portion of the revenue. According to eMarketer, it is expected to generate $27.8 billion in search revenue in the United States next year, trailing only Google’s $62.9 billion total.

And then there’s AI, the technology that (supposedly) will change everything.

Why search in stilted language for “kendall jenner why bad bunny breakup” or “police moving violation driver rights no stop sign” when you can just ask OpenAI’s ChatGPT, “What’s going on with Kendall Jenner and Bad Bunny?” in “I need help fighting a moving violation involving a stop sign that wasn’t visible.” Google is working on exactly this technology with its Gemini product, but its success is far from guaranteed, especially with Apple collaborating with OpenAI and other businesses rapidly joining the market.

A Google spokeswoman referred to a blog post from last week in which the company unveiled ads in its AI overviews (the AI-generated text that appears at the top of search results). It’s Google’s way of expressing its ability to profit on a changing marketplace while retaining its business, even as its consumers steadily transition to ask-and-answer AI and away from search.

google

Google has long used a single catchphrase to defend itself against opponents who claim it is a monopoly abusing its power: competition is only a click away. Until recently, that seemed comically obtuse. Really? We are going to switch to Bing? Or Duck Duck Go? Give me a break.

But today, it feels more like reality.

Google is in no danger of disappearing. However, every highly dominating company faces some type of reckoning over time. GE, a Dow mainstay for more than a century, was broken up last year and is now a shell of its previous dominance. Sears declared bankruptcy in 2022 and is virtually out of business. US Steel, long the foundation of American manufacturing, is attempting to sell itself to a Japanese corporation.

Could we remember Google in the same way that we remember Yahoo or Ask Jeeves in decades? These next few years could be significant.

SOURCE | CNN

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The Supreme Court Turns Down Biden’s Government Appeal in a Texas Emergency Abortion Matter.

(VOR News) – A ruling that prohibits emergency abortions that contravene the Supreme Court law in the state of Texas, which has one of the most stringent abortion restrictions in the country, has been upheld by the Supreme Court of the United States. The United States Supreme Court upheld this decision.

The justices did not provide any specifics regarding the underlying reasons for their decision to uphold an order from a lower court that declared hospitals cannot be legally obligated to administer abortions if doing so would violate the law in the state of Texas.

Institutions are not required to perform abortions, as stipulated in the decree. The common populace did not investigate any opposing viewpoints. The decision was made just weeks before a presidential election that brought abortion to the forefront of the political agenda.

This decision follows the 2022 Supreme Court ruling that ended abortion nationwide.

In response to a request from the administration of Vice President Joe Biden to overturn the lower court’s decision, the justices expressed their disapproval.

The government contends that hospitals are obligated to perform abortions in compliance with federal legislation when the health or life of an expectant patient is in an exceedingly precarious condition.

This is the case in regions where the procedure is prohibited. The difficulty hospitals in Texas and other states are experiencing in determining whether or not routine care could be in violation of stringent state laws that prohibit abortion has resulted in an increase in the number of complaints concerning pregnant women who are experiencing medical distress being turned away from emergency rooms.

The administration cited the Supreme Court’s ruling in a case that bore a striking resemblance to the one that was presented to it in Idaho at the beginning of the year. The justices took a limited decision in that case to allow the continuation of emergency abortions without interruption while a lawsuit was still being heard.

In contrast, Texas has been a vocal proponent of the injunction’s continued enforcement. Texas has argued that its circumstances are distinct from those of Idaho, as the state does have an exemption for situations that pose a significant hazard to the health of an expectant patient.

According to the state, the discrepancy is the result of this exemption. The state of Idaho had a provision that safeguarded a woman’s life when the issue was first broached; however, it did not include protection for her health.

Certified medical practitioners are not obligated to wait until a woman’s life is in imminent peril before they are legally permitted to perform an abortion, as determined by the state supreme court.

The state of Texas highlighted this to the Supreme Court.

Nevertheless, medical professionals have criticized the Texas statute as being perilously ambiguous, and a medical board has declined to provide a list of all the disorders that are eligible for an exception. Furthermore, the statute has been criticized for its hazardous ambiguity.

For an extended period, termination of pregnancies has been a standard procedure in medical treatment for individuals who have been experiencing significant issues. It is implemented in this manner to prevent catastrophic outcomes, such as sepsis, organ failure, and other severe scenarios.

Nevertheless, medical professionals and hospitals in Texas and other states with strict abortion laws have noted that it is uncertain whether or not these terminations could be in violation of abortion prohibitions that include the possibility of a prison sentence. This is the case in regions where abortion prohibitions are exceedingly restrictive.

Following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which resulted in restrictions on the rights of women to have abortions in several Republican-ruled states, the Texas case was revisited in 2022.

As per the orders that were disclosed by the administration of Vice President Joe Biden, hospitals are still required to provide abortions in cases that are classified as dire emergency.

As stipulated in a piece of health care legislation, the majority of hospitals are obligated to provide medical assistance to patients who are experiencing medical distress. This is in accordance with the law.

The state of Texas maintained that hospitals should not be obligated to provide abortions throughout the litigation, as doing so would violate the state’s constitutional prohibition on abortions. In its January judgment, the 5th United States Circuit Court of Appeals concurred with the state and acknowledged that the administration had exceeded its authority.

SOURCE: AP

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Supreme Court Rejects Appeal From ‘Pharma Bro’ Martin Shkreli, To repay $6.4 Million

Washington — The Supreme Court rejected Martin Shkreli’s appeal on Monday, after he was branded “Pharma Bro” for raising the price of a lifesaving prescription.

Martin appealed a decision to repay $64.6 million in profits he and his former company earned after monopolizing the pharmaceutical market and dramatically raising its price. His lawyers claimed the money went to his company rather than him personally.

The justices did not explain their reasoning, as is customary, and there were no notable dissents.

Prosecutors, conversely, claimed that the firm had promised to pay $40 million in a settlement and that because Martin orchestrated the plan, he should be held accountable for returning profits.

Supreme Court Rejects Appeal From ‘Pharma Bro’ Martin Shkreli

Martin was also forced to forfeit the Wu-Tang Clan’s unreleased album “Once Upon a Time in Shaolin,” which has been dubbed the world’s rarest musical album. The multiplatinum hip-hop group auctioned off a single copy of the record in 2015, stipulating that it not be used commercially.

Shkreli was convicted of lying to investors and defrauding them of millions of dollars in two unsuccessful hedge funds he managed. Shkreli was the CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals (later Vyera), which hiked the price of Daraprim from $13.50 to $750 per pill after acquiring exclusive rights to the decades-old medicine in 2015. It cures a rare parasite condition that affects pregnant women, cancer patients, and HIV patients.

shkreli

He defended the choice as an example of capitalism in action, claiming that insurance and other programs ensured that those in need of Daraprim would eventually receive it. However, the move prompted criticism, from the medical community to Congress.

Supreme Court Rejects Appeal From ‘Pharma Bro’ Martin Shkreli

Attorney Thomas Huff said the Supreme Court’s Monday ruling was upsetting, but the high court could still overturn a lower court judgment that allowed the $64 million penalty order even though Shkreli had not personally received the money.

“If and when the Supreme Court does so, Mr. Shkreli will have a strong argument for modifying the order accordingly,” he told reporters.

Shkreli was freed from prison in 2022 after serving most of his seven-year sentence.

SOURCE | AP