Tuesday morning news: October 31, 2023

Israel » Fighting continues to intensify in Gaza.

SOUND: [Fighting in Gaza]

Israeli troops and tanks are pushing deeper into Gaza … advancing on two sides of the territory’s main city.

Israel says its forces are successfully cutting down Hamas leaders.

And Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is rejecting calls by some global leaders for a ceasefire.

NETANYAHU: Just as the United States would not agree with a ceasefire after the bombing of Pearl Harbor or after the terrorist attack of 9/11, Israel will not agree to a cessation of hostilities with Hamas after the horrific attacks of October.

And the White House continues to back him up on that point. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby:

KIRBY: We believe that a ceasefire right now benefits Hamas. And Hamas is the only one that would gain.

Gaza aid » The White House has voiced support for more limited humanitarian pauses in certain places to allow aid to reach civilians in Gaza.

And more truckloads of aid arrived at a hospital in Gaza on Monday.

SOUND: [Truck noise and horn]

Though aid workers say it’s not nearly enough.

John Kirby said Israel has agreed to support a significant increase in the flow of aid into Gaza.

Hostages » Hamas leaders released a short video Monday purporting to show three women captured during its Oct. 7th attack inside Israel. One of the women delivers a brief statement, likely under duress, criticizing Israel’s response to the hostage crisis.

Militants captured hundreds of people during the attacks in Israel. They’ve said they will release them in return for thousands of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

Those include some militants implicated in the terrorist attacks. Israel has dismissed the offer.

Ukraine support » Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova is making the case once more for approving more military aid to her country.

MARKAROVA: We need to sustain the effort. We need to continue liberating our land and our homes from the brutal aggressors. We need to defend ourselves with US air defense.

The White House is asking for more than $100 billion dollars in supplemental funding to include aid for Israel and Ukraine, among other things.

And Senate leadership is unified on doing whatever it takes to back Ukraine. GOP Minority Leader Mitch McConnell:

MCCONNELL: And the path toward greater security for all of us is simple; help Ukraine win the war.

House Speaker Mike Johnson wants to separate aid to Ukraine from other measures.

He says that will provide more transparency and give Congress more oversight over how that money is spent.

Student Loan Billing Errors » For millions of Americans, the restart of student loan payments this month after a long pandemic-era pause has been an administrative mess. WORLD’s Josh Schumacher has more.

JOSH SCHUMACHER: The Department of Education says the organization it contracted to service student loans nationwide has dropped the ball in a major way.

The Department says the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority—or MOHELA—sent bills out late to two-and-a-half-million borrowers, causing many to miss the payment deadline.

And the Education Department now is punishing MOHELA, saying it will permanently withhold a $7 million dollar payment for billing services in October.

It’s also ordering MOHELA to give all affected borrowers forbearance until the problem is fixed.

For WORLD, I’m Josh Schumacher.

UAW deals » Autoworkers have put down their picket signs after the union struck a tentative labor deal with GM, likely ending the six-week strike.

Like the recent Ford and Stellantis agreements with the United Auto Workers union, the GM deal would reportedly give workers a 25% pay raise over several years along with improved benefits.

Union members still have to vote to approve the agreements.

Biden AI » President Biden is moving to give federal agencies more oversight over the development of artificial intelligence.

BIDEN: With today’s executive order I’ll soon be signing, I’m determined to do everything in my power to promote and demand responsible innovation.

The order will require companies developing A-I programs to share safety test results and other data with the government.

It is part of a broader plan to regulate AI that includes new legislation in Congress … and cooperation with governments around the world.

I'm Kent Covington.

Straight ahead: Policy and propaganda on the ground in Gaza. Plus, A bug festival to remember.

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