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Shumita Basu, Narrating: Good morning! It’s Monday, November 6th. I’m Shumita Basu. This is “Apple News Today.” On today’s show… Donald Trump takes the stand in the trial over his family businesses, Ohio voters weigh in on abortion, and how to keep the dark days of the season from getting you down.
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But first, the latest on the Israel-Hamas war. Palestinian officials in Gaza now say the death toll there is near 10,000 people, and nearly half of those killed were children. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has been meeting with allies the region, with discussions in Turkey today. Yesterday, he made an unannounced visit to the West Bank, where he met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Blinken stressed the suffering of Palestinian civilians, and the need to listen to them.
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Antony Blinken: In shaping that future for Gaza, for the West Bank, and ultimately for a Palestinian state, Palestinian voices have to be at the center of that.
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Israel has moved troops to encircle and cut off the northern part of Gaza. And it continues its intense bombing campaign, including more strikes hitting densely populated refugee camps over the weekend. The United States has been calling for a pause in fighting to allow more humanitarian aid in. Many countries want a full ceasefire. And protests of Israel’s military action have broken out around the world, with thousands gathering to protest in London, Paris, Berlin, and Washington, D.C. over the weekend.
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Protesters: Free free Palestine, free free Palestine.
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But Israel has refused global pressure to stop attacking. Israeli lawmaker Danny Danon spoke to “NBC” about the Biden Administration’s push for a “humanitarian pause.”
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Danny Danon: We respect our allies, but at the end of the day, we are fighting for our lives. We are fighting against evil and we understand that it’s going to be long, painful, and we have to go all the way. So, we cannot stop in the middle.
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There are also growing concerns about the conflict spreading beyond Gaza, with new violence in the West Bank and Lebanon. U.S. military and diplomatic officials are hoping other regional powers aren’t drawn into the fighting. The Pentagon made an unusual public announcement that a submarine armed with guided missiles has arrived in the area, widely seen as a warning to Iran.
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Now let’s take a look at some other big stories in the news.
Former President Donald Trump is expected to testify today in the New York civil-fraud trial.
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Last week, his sons Eric and Donald Jr. testified in the case focusing on the family businesses. Prosecutors say Trump and co-defendants fraudulently inflated the value of assets. Trump has denied wrongdoing.
Abroad, Ukraine is stepping up attacks on the Russian Navy. A new attack damaged a sophisticated Russian ship, a cruise-missile carrier, over the weekend. Also, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is pushing back on a recent assessment by one of his top military officials that the war is at a stalemate. He told "NBC" that Ukraine is making progress, despite Russian weapons advantages.
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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy: [SPEAKING THROUGH TRANSLATOR]
Translator: This thing hasn't changed since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. We have seen Russia's domination in the air. It's a fact. And without the air defense, our steps forward are slow. But I would like to note that our slow… our steps are forward.
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And in Nepal, aid agencies are trying to provide temporary shelter from the cold for people whose homes were destroyed by Friday’s powerful earthquake. More than 150 people died and hundreds are injured. Now shortages of tents and supplies have rescuers worried about the fate of quake survivors.
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Tomorrow is Election Day in the U.S., and a lot of eyes are on Ohio, where abortion access is on the ballot. Voters there will decide on whether to amend their state constitution to protect abortion through about 24 weeks of pregnancy.
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This would end the Republican-controlled state’s six-week-ban on abortion, which courts have temporarily blocked. The Ohio vote is seen as a key indicator of where voters stand on abortion, and how it might affect the bigger election next year. Abortion-rights supporters have won every statewide ballot measure that’s come up since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year.
“NPR” recently spoke with Desiree Tims, leader of a progressive think tank who’s been working on the Ohio campaign.
Desiree Tims: What the Republicans, frankly, have done in this environment is they have created a window for advocates on the left to say, see, look, this is what we've been talking about. Our greatest fears, our nightmares are coming true, and this is our time to stand up and fight back.
It’s worth remembering what happened just a few months ago, when we talked on the show about another ballot initiative in Ohio. In August, voters there rejected a measure that would’ve made it more difficult to change the constitution. That vote was seen as a sign of support for an abortion rights amendment.
Also, some polling shows a majority in favor of tomorrow’s measure. But it’s not overwhelming, which is why advocates on both sides are still working to get their people to turn out and vote. And analysts around the country will be following results, and changing plans for next year accordingly. You can get more coverage of this vote and other elections on the Apple News app.
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That extra hour of sleep over the weekend sure was nice, but the end of daylight-saving time also means we have some dark days ahead of us.
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Less daylight can affect our health, our hormones and moods, as it messes with our eating, sleeping, and exercising routines. And for some of us, it brings further challenges with a type of depression called Seasonal Affective Disorder.
“The Wall Street Journal” got tips from experts on how to cope with changes at this time of year. There are a few main takeaways. Get as much light as possible, especially first thing in the morning. It’s also helpful if you try to get natural light while you work and exercise.
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And even if it takes a little extra effort, schedule plans to get out, to socialize, see people, so you don’t feel isolated. If exercise makes you feel good, adding just another 15 minutes to your day can go a long way.
Speaking of people who definitely got their exercise over the weekend, the New York City Marathon was yesterday. So, we’ve dug up an episode of “Apple News In Conversation” that you might enjoy listening to and could motivate you, even in these dark fall days. It’s for anyone who thinks running isn’t for them. I spoke with Martinus Evans, who advocates for making running more accessible, regardless of experience or body type. He says there’s a lot to learn from taking a race, or anything in life, at your own pace.
That’s playing for you next, and I’ll be back with the news tomorrow.
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