USA

UNITED NATIONS, November 29. /TASS/: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said that 111 employees of the world organization have been killed in the Gaza Strip since tensions escalated in the Middle East.

"It is with immense sadness and pain that I report that since the beginning of the hostilities, 111 members of our UN family have been killed in Gaza," he said in his address to the UN Security Council. "Civilians - including United Nations personnel - must be protected. Civilian objects - including hospitals - must be protected. UN facilities must not be hit," he emphasized.

DETROIT (AP) — General Motors says pretax earnings took a $1.1 billion hit this year due to a six-week strike by autoworkers, but the company expects to absorb increased labor costs and have enough left to buy back stock worth nearly one quarter of the company’s $44 billion market value.

The Detroit automaker on Wednesday said it would increase its dividend by one-third in January to 12 cents per share and buy back $10 billion worth of stock, with $6.8 billion being acquired immediately.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration has told Israel that it must work to avoid “significant further displacement” of Palestinian civilians in southern Gaza if it renews its ground campaign aimed at eradicating the Hamas militant group, senior U.S. officials said Tuesday.

Separately, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the Israelis have been receptive when U.S. officials have raised the issue.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. on Wednesday said it imposed a new round of sanctions on a group of 20 people and firms allegedly involved in a financial facilitation network for the benefit of the Iranian military.

The Treasury Department sanctions impact firms and people spanning Hong Kong to the United Arab Emirates.

Included in the sanctions package are employees, brokers and purchasers from Iranian firm Sepehr Energy, which is also subject to sanctions.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump has embraced the rioters who attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, as patriots, vowed to pardon a large portion of them if he wins a second term and even collaborated on a song with a group of jailed defendants.

In his election interference case in Washington, his lawyers are taking a different tack.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is hearing arguments in a challenge to the Securities and Exchange Commission’s ability to fight fraud, part of a broad attack on regulatory agencies led by conservative and business interests.

The case before the justices Wednesday involves the Biden administration’s appeal of a lower-court ruling that threw out stiff financial penalties imposed on hedge fund manager George R. Jarkesy by the SEC.

NEW YORK (AP) — An Indian government official directed a $100,000 plot to assassinate a prominent Sikh separatist leader in New York City after the man advocated for the establishment of a sovereign state for Sikhs, U.S. authorities announced Wednesday as they unsealed charges brought against a man from India who they say was part of the murder plot.

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. life expectancy rose last year — by more than a year — but still isn’t close to what it was before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2022 rise was mainly due to the waning pandemic, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention researchers said Wednesday. But even with the large increase, U.S. life expectancy is only back to 77 years, 6 months — about what it was two decades ago.

NEW YORK (AP) — Computer-generated writers ... writing computer-generated stories?

Sports Illustrated is the latest media company to see its reputation damaged by being less than forthcoming — if not outright dishonest — about who or what is writing its stories at the dawn of the artificial intelligence age.

The once-powerful publication said it was firing a company that produced articles for its website written under the byline of authors who apparently don’t exist. But it denied a published report that stories themselves were written by an artificial intelligence tool.

28 November 2023; MEMO: Nasser Beydoun revealed on social media that he had been contacted by the Israeli lobby group AIPAC and offered $20 million to run against Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib in Michigan. Beydoun is the second candidate who has been offered funds to run against Tlaib, with Senate candidate Hill Harper speaking of a similar offer last week.