- The Israel-Hamas ceasefire is in limbo, with Phase One expired and Phase Two details undefined. Efforts are being made to extend Phase One to facilitate further hostage exchanges.
- Avi Melamed emphasizes disarming Hamas is crucial for both Israelis and Palestinians, as its continued military strength prevents lasting peace and stability.
- While a peace deal remains uncertain, Melamed suggests Hamas is more focused on managing its image than securing a clear victory, and international pressure may play a key role in determining the conflict’s outcome.
Full Story
The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is in a sort of limbo period. Phase One is expired, the details for Phase Two were supposed to be worked out by now, but aren’t. So, will there be a return to fighting in Gaza? Or should Israelis and Palestinians still hold out hope the ceasefire will turn into something more permanent?
For help addressing some of these questions, Straight Arrow News spoke with Avi Melamed, a former Israeli intelligence officer and hostage negotiator. SAN has spoken to him throughout the war in Gaza. He’s currently criss-crossing the United States on a speaking tour for his organization, Inside the Middle East.
The following is a conversation between Avi Melamed and Straight Arrow News’ Ryan Robertson. It has been for clarity and concision.
Ryan Robertson: All right, Avi, thanks once again for joining us. Lots happened since the last time we spoke. As far as I understand it, and correct me if I’m wrong, the Israel-Gaza ceasefire deal is still kind of in Phase One. Negotiators are trying to iron out next steps. Is that an accurate description?
Avi Melamed: Yes, that’s correct. I mean, formally, Phase One came to an end a couple of days ago, but there is now a kind of like an interim phase that was not originally planned in between Phase One and Phase Two. So now there are attempts to endure, sort of speaking, Phase One in order to try to facilitate another another phase of release of hostages in return of release of Palestinians that are imprisoned in Israel.
Point phone camera here
Ryan Robertson: Israel believes that there are 24 hostages still left alive, and Israel wants to extend Phase One, kind of like you said. Hamas wants to try to organize a deal where Israel pulls back from the border between Gaza and Egypt. Egypt had presented a peace deal that you roundly criticized because it did not disarm Hamas.
For those who don’t know, why is it so important for Israel that Hamas is disarmed completely before any kind of peace deal or ceasefire is signed?
Is Hamas still a threat?
Avi Melamed: It’s not only important to Israel, it’s no less important to the Palestinians and the Arabs and the world that Hamas will be disarmed.
As you accurately mentioned, I did write about the Palestinian proposal that was in a way kind of like dialoguing with Trump, President Trump’s statements regarding Gaza. The Arab states continue to play the same old rhetoric. In other words, they don’t really deal with the elephant in the room. The elephant in the room is Hamas.
The Palestinian Authority, the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas — he said more than once, very clearly, he said, “I’m not willing to accept a situation when there is more than one power that holds weapons.” So, and he definitely knows why, because Hamas eliminated the rule of the Palestinian Authority in Gaza Strip in 2007 using its weapon. And so as long as Hamas is not disarmed, the only thing that we could expect is the next round of violence.
Ryan Robertson: Would Palestinians in Gaza accept the rule of the Palestinian Authority again, even if they were disarmed?
Avi Melamed: In the end of the day, the issue goes back to the Palestinians in the most substantial manner, and that is the question whether the Palestinians are going to make an inner decision that they are departing Hamas’ path or not.
Though one could expect that, following the disaster Hamas has inflicted upon its own brothers and sisters in Gaza, as the Palestinian President himself said — He said to Hamas, “You have inflicted the biggest catastrophe ever upon the Palestinian people,” and he is right. One could have expected following this disastrous situation in Gaza, the Palestinians will actually kick Hamas out of the door. It’s not happening.
In fact, there is an inner Palestinian debate whether they should support Hamas or continue to support Hamas or not support Hamas.
So, in the wide perspective and in the long run, the major critical issue is the question whether the Palestinians will say to Hamas, “Your path is no longer something that we support and we want to take another path” or not.
Israel stopped flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza
Ryan Robertson: Israel is withholding some humanitarian aid right now as a way to try to force Hamas back to the negotiating table in more an open way, I guess, because they are still kind of negotiating.
Is that tactic a good one in your mind? I mean, you’re a former negotiator. Is withholding the humanitarian aid from civilians, is that a good tactic that Israel is employing? Would you employ that tactic? Or is that creating more support for Hamas within Gaza?
Avi Melamed: Well, I would associate it with the wider perspective and this is the Trump administration. It’s very clear that currently, at least the Israeli government feels that [the] Trump administration will be much more easy and receptive to some more harsh steps.
Look, roughly speaking, I would say that when you are doing something like that, in the end of the day, you have, of course, to calculate the ramifications. And it’s not only in the context of fueling the Palestinian anger on Israel.
But I would say that in a wider perspective, this is something that is more likely to be more counterproductive than productive because it’s kind of like calling for an enormous pressure. It’s going to isolate Israel more and more in international community. It’s going to play in a way to the hands of Hamas rhetoric.
So this is kind of like a tool that I will say, if you use that tool, you have to very, very carefully, meticulously kind of like calculate whether the outcomes of what you’re going to do are going to be much more counterproductive than productive.
The Trump effect
Ryan Robertson: You mentioned President Trump, you and I have talked about President Trump’s plan before too when he said the U.S. would take over Gaza. The Palestinians, they would be relocated. Maybe temporarily, but would be relocated.
The last couple of days, the Trump administration has kind of walked back that statement a little bit. President Trump had also tweeted out or posted a video on Truth Social, an AI-generated video with — I’m sure you saw it — gold statues of Trump, the belly dancing Hamas fighters.
Is the Trump White House and the rhetoric coming from the White House, is that productive to peace talks? Do you think that still is, I think the phrase you used before is at least it adds something new to the conversation and it’s moving it forward. How do you feel today with the last couple of weeks now behind us?
Avi Melamed: Look, I’m not surprised about this belly dancing and I don’t want to say necessarily if this is the most significant thing. It wasn’t really the most significant thing to start with in the sense that in the end of the day, President Trump basically says nobody is going to force Palestinians out of Gaza.
But the issue here is at the end of the day, when following Trump’s proposal or statement, I would put it this way: We saw this hustle bustle in the Arab world and then we saw this counter Egyptian plan or program that has been formally adopted by the leaders of the Arab world.
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There has been a reaction to Trump, to [the] Trump administration, to that program and the reaction was that this is not sufficient. And rightly so, particularly because of the issue of the disarmament of Hamas. And so it seems to me right now that what we are watching is kind of like a tennis court or a ping pong table where they are basically throwing this problem from side to side.
What about the remaining hostages?
Ryan Robertson: I guess my last question for you is, are you hopeful that a peace deal — that will bring the 24 living hostages home and the bodies of those who remain in Gaza — are you hopeful that a deal will be made still or is that hope kind of dying?
Avi Melamed: There is a lot of space or room for significant concern about it, because it seems currently that we are kind of like in an impasse. However, I don’t exclude the possibility that there will be some sort of step or act that will break the circle, sort of speaking. And maybe lead to some sort of kind of a deal.
But again, the question is in the end of the day, whether there is going to be such an accumulative pressure on Hamas to the point that Hamas basically will really face no choice but other than conclude the deal. So, Hamas desperately to come forward with some sort of like achievement. The more the time goes by, it seems like that the probability of being able to come up with this victorious achievement that will justify all the disaster it has inflicted, it seems like that in course of time, that ability is kind of fading away.
And so, I would say that at this point, seems to me that Hamas in its inner calculation and inner discussion is more and more engaged about the question, “How do I come out of this whole thing in the less damaged image possible?” And not “How do I come as the most, you know, big winner of this whole thing?” Because in the context of the discussion of winning and losing, as you probably know, Hamas already has marked triumph and victory. Which by the way, many people in the Arab world and the Palestinians, of course, are saying, “What victory and what triumph exactly are you talking about?”
But the bottom line is, as long as Hamas exists and has the ability to continue to dictate the disastrous path that, unfortunately, it was able to do for the last 40 years, generously supported by the Iranians, as long as Hamas has the capacity, neither Israelis nor Palestinians has any kind of future ahead.
That has to be clear to everybody.
So the objective is not to eliminate Hamas because it’s not going to vanish. Hamas is going to stay around. The objective is to create a situation where Hamas is no longer able to continue to dictate its radical agenda. And one of the core components of that, a must condition, is to disarm Hamas.
If Hamas is not disarmed, there is no hope. Not for Israel and not for Palestinians.
THE CEASEFIRE BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS IS IN A SORT OF LIMBO PERIOD. PHASE 1 IS EXPIRED, THE DETAILS FOR PHASE TWO WERE SUPPOSED TO BE WORKED OUT BY NOW, BUT AREN’T.
SO, WILL THERE BE A RETURN TO FIGHTING IN GAZA? OR SHOULD ISRAELI’S AND PALESTINIANS STILL HOLD OUT HOPE THE CEASEFIRE WILL TURN INTO SOMETHING MORE PERMANENT?
FOR HELP ADDRESSING SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS, I SPOKE WITH AVI MELAMED. HE’S A FORMER ISRAELI INTELLIGENCE OFFICER AND HOSTAGE NEGOTIATOR. AND WE’VE SPOKEN TO HIM THROUGHOUT THE WAR IN GAZA. HE’S CURRENTLY CRISS-CROSSING THE UNITED STATES ON A SPEAKING TOUR FOR HIS ORGANIZATION INSIDE THE MIDDLE EAST.
Ryan Robertson:
All right, Avi, thanks once again for joining us. Lots happened since the last time we spoke. As far as I understand it, and correct me if I’m wrong, the Israel-Gaza ceasefire deal is still kind of in phase one. Negotiators are trying to iron out next steps. That an accurate description?
Avi Melamed:
Yes, that’s correct. I mean, formally, Phase One came to an end a couple of days ago, but there is now a kind of like an interim phase that was not originally planned in between Phase One and Phase Two. So now there are attempts to endure, sort of speaking, Phase One in order to try to facilitate another another phase of release of hostages in return of release of Palestinians that are imprisoned in Israel.
Ryan Robertson:
Israel believes that there are 24 hostages still left alive, and Israel wants to extend Phase One like you, kind of like you said. Hamas wants to try to organize a deal where Israel pulls back from the border between Gaza and Egypt. Egypt had presented a peace deal that you roundly criticized because it did not disarm Hamas. For those who don’t know, why is it so important for Israel that Hamas is disarmed completely before any kind of peace deal or ceasefire is signed?
Avi Melamed:
Well, Ryan, it’s not only important to Israel, it’s no less important to the Palestinians and the Arabs and the world that Hamas will be disarmed. As you accurately mentioned, I did write about the Palestinian proposal that was in a way kind of like a dialoguing with Trump, President Trump’s statements regarding Gaza. The Arab states continue to play the same old rhetoric. In other words, they don’t really deal with the elephant in the room. The elephant in the room is Hamas. The Palestinian Authority, the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas–he said more than once, very clearly, he said, I’m not willing to accept a situation when there is more than one power that holds weapons. So, and he definitely knows why, because Hamas eliminated the rule of the Palestinian Authority in Gaza Strip in 2007 using its weapon. And so as long as Hamas is not disarmed, the only thing that we could expect is the next round of violence.
Ryan Robertson:
Would Palestinians in Gaza accept the rule of the Palestinian Authority again, even if they were disarmed?
Avi Melamed:
In the end of the day, the issue goes back to the Palestinians in the most substantial manner, and that is the question whether the Palestinians are going to make an inner decision that they are departing Hamas’ path or not.
Though one could expect that following the disaster that Hamas has inflicted upon its own brothers and sisters in Gaza, as the Palestinian President himself said–He said to Hamas, you have inflicted the biggest catastrophe ever upon the Palestinian people and he is right. One could have expected following this disastrous situation in Gaza, the Palestinians will actually kick Hamas out of the door. It’s not happening.
In fact, there is an inner Palestinian debate whether they should support Hamas or continue to support Hamas or not support Hamas. So, in the wide perspective and in the long run, the major critical issue is the question whether the Palestinians will say to Hamas, ‘your path is no longer something that we support and we want to take another path’ or not.
Ryan Robertson:
Israel is withholding some humanitarian aid right now as a way to try to force Hamas back to the, you know, back to the negotiating table in more of a, in an open way, I guess, because they are still kind of negotiating. Is that, is that tactic a good one in your mind? I mean, you’re a former negotiator. Is withholding the humanitarian aid from civilians, is that a good tactic that Israel is employing? Would you employ that tactic? Or is that creating more support for Hamas within Gaza?
Avi Melamed:
Well, I would associate it with the wider perspective and this is the administration, Trump administration. And definitely it’s very clear that currently, at least the Israeli government feel that Trump administration will be much more easy and receptive to some more harsh steps. Look, roughly speaking, I would say that when you are doing something like that, in the end of the day, you have, of course, to calculate the ramifications. And it’s not only in the context of fueling the Palestinian anger on Israel. But I would say that in a wider perspective, this is something that is more likely to be more counterproductive than productive because it’s kind of like calling for an enormous pressure. It’s going to isolate Israel more and more in international community. It’s going to play in a way to the hands of Hamas rhetoric. So this is kind of like a tool that I will say if you use that tool, you have to very, very carefully, meticulously kind of like calculate whether the outcomes of what you’re going to do are going to be much more counterproductive than productive.
Ryan Robertson:
You’d mentioned president Trump, you and I have talked about President Trump’s plan before too when he said, you know, the U.S. would take over Gaza. The Palestinians, they would be relocated. Maybe temporarily, but would be relocated. The last couple of days, the Trump administration has kind of walked back that statement a little bit. President Trump had also tweeted out or posted a video on Truth Social, an AI generated video with, you know, I’m sure you saw it, gold statues of Trump, the belly dancing Hamas fighters. Is the Trump White House and the rhetoric coming from the White House, is that productive to peace talks? Do you think that still is, I think the phrase you used before is at least it adds something new to the conversation and it’s moving it forward. How do you feel today with the last couple of weeks now behind us?
Avi Melamed
Look, I’m not surprised about this belly dancing and I don’t want to say necessarily if this is the most significant thing. It wasn’t really the most significant thing to start with in the sense that in the end of the day, President Trump basically says nobody is going to force Palestinians out of Gaza. But the issue here is in the end of the day that when following Trump’s proposal or statement, I would put it this way. We saw this hustle bustle in the Arab world and then we saw this counter Egyptian plan or program that has been formally adopted by the leaders of the Arab world. And there has been a reaction to Trump, to Trump administration to that program and the reaction was that this is not sufficient. And rightly so because particularly because of the issue of the disarmament of Hamas. And so it seems to me right now that what we are watching is kind of like a tennis court or a ping pong table where they are basically throwing this problem from side to side.
Ryan Robertson:
My last question for you Avi is, how do you feel…I guess my last question for you is, are you hopeful that a peace deal that will bring the 24 living hostages home and the bodies of those who remain in Gaza, are you hopeful that a deal will be made still or is that hope kind of dying?
Avi Melamed:
There is a lot of space or room for significant concern about it, because it seems currently that we are kind of like in an impasse. However, I don’t exclude the possibility that there will be some sort of like, you know, some step or act that will break the circle, sort of speaking. And maybe lead to some sort of kind of a deal. But again, the question is in the end of the day, whether there is going to be such an accumulative pressure on Hamas to the point that Hamas basically will really face no choice but other than conclude the deal. So, Hamas desperately to come forward with some sort of like achievement. And it seems like that in the end of the day, the more the time goes by, it seems like that the probability of being able to come up with this victorious achievement that will justify all the disaster it has inflicted, it seems like that in course of time, that ability is kind of like fading away.
And so, and so I would say that at this point, seems to me that Hamas in its inner calculation and inner discussion is more and more engaged about the question, ‘how do I come out of this whole thing in the less damaged image possible?’ And not ‘how do I come as the most, you know, big winner of this whole thing?’ Because in the context of the discussion of winning and losing, as you probably know, Hamas already, of course, has marked triumph and victory. Which by the way, many people in the Arab world and the Palestinians, of course, are saying what victory and what triumph exactly are you talking about?
But the bottom line is, look, as long as Hamas exists and has the ability to continuing to dictate the disastrous path that, unfortunately, it was able to do for the last 40 years, generously supported by the Iranians, as long as Hamas has the capacity neither Israelis nor Palestinians has any kind of future ahead. That has to be clear to everybody.
So the objective is not to eliminate Hamas because it’s not going to vanish. Hamas is going to stay around. The objective is to create a situation where Hamas is no longer able to continue to dictate its radical agenda. And one of the core components of that, a must condition, is to disarm Hamas. If Hamas is not disarmed, there is no hope. Not for Israel and not for Palestinians.
Ryan Robertson:
Avi Melamed, as always, really appreciate your time. Thank you so much for joining us today.
Avi Melamed
Sure. Thank you, Ryan, for having me. Have a good one.
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- By the end of 2025, hundreds of federal agency leases will be terminated, totaling two million square feet of office space. The General Services Administration is collaborating with the Department of Government Efficiency to cut at least $500 million in lease costs.
- The IRS, Social Security Administration, Department of Agriculture and U.S. Geological Survey are among the agencies facing 20 or more lease cancellations.
- Public opinion remains divided, with 54% of voters opposing DOGE’s actions and 60% disapproving of its handling of the federal workforce.
Full Story
By the end of 2025, hundreds of federal agencies plan to terminate their leases, marking a significant downsize in government office spaces across the country. The General Services Administration (GSA) in partnership with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is leading the charge to clear offices and buildings nationwide.
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Center 68%
Right 13%
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GSA focused on cost-cutting
The lease cancellations are coming in waves, with a total of two million square feet of office space set to close. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Social Security Administration, Department of Agriculture and U.S. Geological Survey are among the agencies facing 20 or more lease cancellations.
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GSA said it’s prioritizes agreements that agencies can vacate without penalty. DOGE said it expects the closures to save taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.
Starting in June, the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Massachusetts and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service in Idaho will be among the first to shut their doors. By August, the Federal Highway Administration in Iowa and the IRS National Office in Alabama will follow suit.
In September, the Bureau of Prisons in Atlanta and the FDA in Baltimore will close, with dozens more slated to shut down by December, including the National Park Service in Colorado and Alaska and the Federal Railroad Administration in Fort Worth, Texas.
Mixed reactions to DOGE’s measures
While DOGE touts the GSA’s lease terminations as a significant money-saving initiative, public opinion remains divided. According to a recent Quinnipiac University poll, 54% of voters oppose the actions spearheaded by DOGE and Elon Musk, with many arguing the measure is hurting the country. On the other hand, 40% believe the moves are helping the nation.
The same poll also reveals a divide over federal workers. 60% of respondents oppose DOGE’s handling of the federal workforce, while 36% support Musk’s approach.
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What is the General Services Administration?
As the nation’s largest real estate organization, the GSA manages over a million federal workers’ workspaces. On its website, DOGE tracks the progress of these cancellations, displaying a “leaderboard” to show which agencies are saving the most money. The GSA is at the top of the board.
However, not all lease terminations are guaranteed. Agencies still have options to reduce their current space, relocate to a new office, or negotiate a new lease to stay in the same location.
Tags: DOGE, Donald Trump, Elon Musk, federal employees, General Services Administration, IRS, Real estate, Social Security, U.S. Department of Agriculture, United States Geological Survey, United States Secret Service
[KALÉ CAREY]
BY YEAR’S END, HUNDREDS OF FEDERAL AGENCY LEASES WILL BE TERMINATED.
THE GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY, IS CLEARING OFFICES AND BUILDINGS NATIONWIDE.
WITH LEASE CANCELLATIONS COMING IN WAVES, SHUTTERING A TOTAL OF TWO MILLION SQUARE FEET OF OFFICE SPACE.
THE IRS, SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY EACH FACE 20 OR MORE LEASE CANCELLATIONS ACROSS THEIR AGENCIES.
EACH DOT MARKS A LOCATION SET TO CLOSE, THE GSA IS FOCUSED ON AGREEMENTS WHICH CAN BE VACATED WITHOUT PENALTY FIRST.
STARTING IN MASSACHUSETTS WITH THE NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE, OR IN IDAHO WITH THE ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE—BOTH SET TO CLOSE IN JUNE.
BY AUGUST, THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION IN IOWA AND THE IRS NATIONAL OFFICE IN ALABAMA WILL SHUT THEIR DOORS.
A MONTH LATER, IT’S THE BUREAU OF PRISONS IN ATLANTA AND THE FDA IN BALTIMORE.
AND BY DECEMBER, DOZENS MORE CLOSURES, INCLUDING THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE IN COLORADO AND ALASKA AND THE FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION IN FORT WORTH, TEXAS
ACCORDING TO DOGE, THERE’S CLOSE TO 800 LEASE TERMINATIONS UNDERWAY EQUALING AT LEAST 500 MILLION DOLLARS IN SAVINGS.
THE GSA IS THE NATION’S LARGEST REAL ESTATE ORGANIZATION—THEIR WEBSITE CLAIMS THEY PROVIDE WORKSPACES FOR OVER A MILLION FEDERAL EMPLOYEES
ON DOGE’S WEBSITE, THERE’S A ‘LEADERBOARD’ SHOWING WHICH AGENCIES ARE SAVING THE MOST MONEY.
IN THE NUMBER ONE SPOT IS THE GSA.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS SAYS FEDERAL AGENCIES AND U-S LAWMAKERS ARE TRYING TO SAVE THEIR WORKSPACES BY APPEALING THE ORDER.
ON THE OTHER HAND, A NEW POLL RELEASED THURSDAY SHOWS SOME VOTERS ARE DIVIDED ON DOGE— WITH THE MAJORITY BELIEVING THE COST-CUTTING AGENCY IS HURTING THE COUNTRY.
54 PERCENT OPPOSE ELON MUSK’S ACTIONS, WHILE 40 PERCENT SAY HE’S ACTUALLY HELPING THE NATION
THE QUINNIPIAC POLL SURVEYED NEARLY 1,200 REGISTERED VOTERS THIS MONTH—AND THE DATA REVEALS A DIVIDE OVER FEDERAL WORKERS.
60 PERCENT OPPOSE DOGE’S HANDLING OF THE FEDERAL WORKFORCE, WHILE 36 PERCENT AGREE WITH MUSK’S APPROACH.
ALTHOUGH DOGE AND THE GSA ARE INITIATING THE CANCELLATIONS, IT’S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT IT’S NOT GUARANTEED ALL THESE LEASES WILL BE TERMINATED.
AGENCIES COULD STILL HAVE OPTIONS TO REDUCE THEIR CURRENT SPACE, MOVE TO A NEW OFFICE, OR NEGOTIATE A NEW LEASE TO STAY IN THE SAME LOCATION
FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M KALÉ CAREY
FIND MORE STORIES LIKE THIS ONE ON THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS MOBILE APP.
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See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn more
Left 18%
Center 68%
Right 13%
Bias Summary
- The Department of Government Efficiency plans to cancel nearly 800 federal agency building leases throughout the country as part of an effort to cut government waste.
- The General Services Administration is notifying landlords about the lease terminations, which will affect agencies by June to December.
- Ending the leases will save the government roughly $500 million, which is less than 1% of the cost-cutting goal of $1 trillion.
- Several departments, including the IRS and the Agriculture Department, are expected to face multiple lease cancellations, prompting concerns.
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54 other sources covering this story
Total News Sources
54
Leaning Left
7
Center
26
Leaning Right
5
Last Updated
3 weeks ago
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- According to new research from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, cooking emissions from some of America’s favorite foods are rivaling fossil fuels as an ozone pollutant in the Los Angeles area. Researchers in Southern California measured pollutants known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
- These toxins are created from cooking on a grill or stove, and scientists found they create roughly the same number of VOCs as vehicles.
- VOCs are one of two ingredients needed to produce toxic air known as ground-level ozone, which is deadly at high levels.
Full Story
It’s an American summer tradition, firing up the grill to cook a juicy burger or steak. However, according to new research from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), cooking emissions from some of America’s favorite foods are rivaling fossil fuels as an ozone pollutant in the Los Angeles area.
What did researchers find?
Researchers in Southern California measured pollutants known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These toxins are created from cooking on a grill or stove, and scientists found they create roughly the same amount of these air contaminants as vehicle emissions.
VOCs are one of two ingredients needed to produce air known as ground-level ozone, which is deadly at high levels.
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The study found that, in the LA area, cooking emissions are responsible for 26% of ozone pollution, with 29% produced by vehicles and 45% emitted by products like paints, adhesives, pesticides and beauty products.
Are cities taking action?
The findings come as a city on the opposite coast of the U.S. is cracking down on emissions produced by restaurants, like charbroilers in New York City.
New York City regulators are trying to make rules to force some restaurants that use charbroilers to cut back on emissions.
How are restaurant owners reacting?
Restaurant owners in the Big Apple aren’t happy about it, and the new rule will reportedly mandate eateries to cut their cooking emissions by 75%.
Officials said up to 200 restaurants could be impacted by the change.
The move could reportedly lead to some restaurants revamping kitchens with new ventilation and kitchen equipment, costing businesses thousands of dollars.
What are NYC officials saying?
Officials said that the new rule would impact restaurants that charbroil more than 875 pounds of meat each week using grills installed before May 2016.
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The New York Department of Environmental Protection said that restaurants in the city emit about 4,000 tons of pollution particles each year.
Is there an exemption?
The DEP notes that food establishments can apply for a hardship exemption or show that their current system meets the proposed emissions standards to avoid the mandate.
[KALE CAREY]
IT IS AN AMERICAN SUMMER TRADITION, FIRING UP THE GRILL TO COOK A JUICY BURGER OR STEAK.
BUT ACCORDING TO NEW RESEARCH FROM THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION– COOKING EMISSIONS FROM SOME OF AMERICA’S FAVORITE FOODS ARE RIVALING FOSSIL FUELS AS AN OZONE POLLUTANT IN THE LOS ANGELES AREA.
RESEARCHERS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA MEASURED POLLUTANTS KNOWN AS VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS OR V-O-C’S. THESE TOXINS ARE CREATED FROM COOKING ON A GRILL OR STOVE AND SCIENTISTS FOUND THEY CREATE ROUGHLY THE SAME AMOUNT OF V-O-C’S AS VEHICLES.
V-O-C’S ARE ONE OF TWO INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PRODUCE TOXIC AIR KNOWN AS GROUND LEVEL OZONE, WHICH IS DEADLY IN HIGH LEVELS.
THE STUDY FOUND COOKING EMISSIONS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR 26 PERCENT OZONE POLLUTION WITH 29 PERCENT PRODUCED BY VEHICLES AND 45 PERCENT EMITTED BY PRODUCTS LIKE PAINTS, ADHESIVES, PESTICIDES AND BEAUTY PRODUCTS.
THE FINDINGS COME AS A CITY ON THE OTHER COAST IS CRACKING DOWN ON EMISSIONS PRODUCED BY RESTAURANTS, LIKE CHARBROILERS IN NEW YORK CITY.
N-Y-C REGULATORS ARE TRYING TO MAKE NEW RULES TO FORCE SOME RESTAURANTS THAT USE CHARBROILERS TO CUTBACK ON EMISSIONS.
RESTAURANTS OWNERS AREN’T HAPPY ABOUT IT AND IT WILL REPORTEDLY MANDATE EATERIES TO CUT THEIR COOKING EMISSIONS BY 75 PERCENT.
OFFICIALS SAY UP TO 200 RESTAURANTS COULD BE IMPACTED BY THE CHANGE.
THE MOVE COULD LEAD TO RESTAURANTS REVAMPING KITCHENS WITH NEW VENTILATION SYSTEMS AND KITCHEN EQUIPMENT, COSTING BUSINESSES THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
OFFICIALS SAY THE NEW RULE WOULD IMPACT RESTAURANTS THAT CHARBROIL MORE THAN 875 POUNDS OF MEAT EACH WEEK USING GRILLS INSTALLED BEFORE MAY 2016.
THE NEW YORK DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION SAYS RESTAURANTS IN THE CITY EMIT ABOUT FOUR-THOUSAND TONS OF POLLUTION PARTICLES EACH YEAR.
THE D-E-P NOTES, FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS CAN APPLY FOR A HARDSHIP EXEMPTION OR SHOW THEIR SYSTEM IN PLACE MEETS PROPOSED EMISSION STANDARDS TO AVOID THE MANDATE.
FOR MORE ON THIS STORY– DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR VISIT SAN DOT COM.
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- Tesla sent an unsigned letter to the Trump administration’s U.S. trade representative, warning of the impact of retaliatory tariffs. The company said tariffs could impact delicate supply chains and harm its competitiveness.
- The company sent the letter the same day President Donald Trump and CEO Elon Musk held a Tesla event at the White House.
- Tesla previously took issue with Trump’s tariff policies during his first term in the Oval Office and even sued the administration.
Full Story
Tesla CEO Elon Musk is one of President Donald Trump’s most public allies. But Musk’s clean energy and car company just wrote an unsigned letter to the administration warning about its exposure to retaliatory tariffs.
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In that letter to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Tesla said it is crucial that the White House’s efforts to address trade imbalances “do not inadvertently harm U.S. companies.”
President Trump made trade and tariffs central to his first two months in office. But his trade moves have so far triggered retaliatory tariffs from some of the nation’s biggest trading partners, including the European Union, China and Canada.
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What does the Tesla letter say?
The Tesla letter, dated March 11, was sent on the same day that Trump and Musk held an event showing off the company’s vehicles at the White House.
“Past U.S. special tariff actions have thus (1) increased costs to Tesla for vehicles manufactured in the United States, and (2) increased costs for those same vehicles when exported from the United States, resulting in less competitive international marketplace for U.S. manufacturers,” the company wrote in the letter, which was not signed by a specific representative from the company.
The company urged the trade representative to find ways to avoid this in future rounds of tariffs. Tesla also asked the USTR to consider how trade actions affect delicate supply chains, specifically for EV batteries.
“Even with aggressive localization of the supply chain, certain parts and components are difficult or impossible to source within the United States,” the letter read.
Professional and financial connections between Trump and Musk
Musk spent roughly $290 million supporting Trump in the 2024 presidential election. Since Inauguration Day, the world’s wealthiest person has been the face of the Department of Government Efficiency.
President Trump tasked the group with “modernizing federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity.”
Tesla’s stock has fallen more than 30% since the start of 2025. Like the overall stock market, it has given up all of its post-Election Day gains.
“It should be the opposite,” Trump said of Tesla’s falling stock price at the White House event. “People should be going wild. And they love the product, but because he’s finding all sorts of terrible things that have taken place against our country, they want to penalize him in an economic sense. And I just think that’s very unfair. So I just wanted to make a statement. I’m going to buy one.”
What has Tesla said about Trump’s tariffs before?
Tesla sued the first Trump administration in 2020 to get two sets of tariffs voided. The company also wanted the government to refund Tesla’s tariff costs plus interest. In 2018, the company complained that China’s tit-for-tat tariffs crushed its competitiveness.
In the 2025 letter, the company wrote, “Tesla recognizes and supports the importance of fair trade,” but stated that “U.S. exporters are inherently exposed to disproportionate impacts when other countries respond to U.S. trade actions.”
Despite his company’s concerns, Musk publicly praised the president’s policies on Tuesday, March 11, and talked about expanding production.
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“I want to say, as a function of the great policies of President Trump and his administration, and as an act of faith in America, Tesla is going to double vehicle output in the United States within the next two years. Double,” he said.
The Trump administration is planning to impose 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico. A trade group representing all of the major automakers in the U.S. except Tesla says those tariffs could run up car prices by as much as 25%.
Tags: 2024 Elections, Automakers, DOGE, Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Tariff, Tariffs, Tesla, Trade, Trade Representative
[Simone Del Rosario]
Elon Musk is one of President Donald Trump’s biggest cheerleaders. But his most lucrative company just wrote an unsigned letter to the administration warning about its exposure to retaliatory tariffs.
In that letter to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Tesla said it is crucial the White House’s efforts to address trade imbalances “do not inadvertently harm U.S. companies.”
[Donald Trump]
“Whoa, it’s beautiful. Wow.”
[Simone Del Rosario]
Tesla sent the letter the same day President Trump and CEO Elon Musk hosted a Tesla showroom at the White House.
Tesla’s stock has taken a drubbing so far in 2025. It’s plummeted more than 30% since the start of the year. Like the stock market as a whole, it’s given up all post-election gains.
[Donald Trump]
And when I watched the other day, I said, I can’t believe it. It should be the opposite. People should be going wild. And they love the product, but because he’s finding all sorts of terrible things that have taken place against our country, they want to penalize him in an economic sense. And I just think that’s very unfair. So I just wanted to make a statement. I’m going to buy one.
Musk spent roughly $290 million supporting Trump in the 2024 presidential election. Since Inauguration Day, the world’s wealthiest person has been the face of the Department of Government Efficiency. The group is tasked with “modernizing federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity.”
[Simone Del Rosario]
Musk has stayed mum about tariffs throughout this election cycle. And his or any other signature on this latest Tesla letter is noticeably absent.
But it’s not the first time Tesla has spoken out about Trump’s tariffs. The EV maker sued the first Trump administration in 2020 to get two sets of tariffs voided. The company also wanted the government to refund Tesla tariff costs plus interest. In 2018, the company complained that China’s tit-for-tat tariffs crushed its competitiveness.
[In the 2025 version of events, Tesla wrote in its letter]
“Past U.S. special tariff actions have thus (1) increased costs to Tesla for vehicles manufactured in the United States, and (2) increased costs for those same vehicles when exported from the United States, resulting in less competitive international marketplace for U.S. manufacturers.”
The company urged the trade rep to find ways to avoid this in future rounds.
Tesla also asked the USTR to consider how trade actions affect delicate supply chains, specifically for EV batteries. Tesla wrote,
“Even with aggressive localization of the supply chain, certain parts and components are difficult or impossible to source within the United States.”
Despite his company’s private concerns, Musk publicly praised the great policies of President Trump and what they’ll mean for his business.
[Elon Musk]
“I want to say, as a function of the great policies of President Trump and his administration, and as an act of faith in America, Tesla is going to double vehicle output in the United States within the next two years. Double.”
President Trump has made trade and tariffs the central thesis of his first two months in office.
[Simone Del Rosario]
Tit-for-tat trade escalations are leading to retaliatory tariffs from the European Union, China, and Canada, three of America’s biggest trading partners.
The administration is planning to impose 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico. And a trade group representing all of the major automakers in the U.S. except Tesla, says those tariffs could run up car prices by as much as 25%.
Tesla’s letter says the company “recognizes and supports the importance of fair trade,” but “U.S. exporters are inherently exposed to disproportionate impacts when other countries respond to U.S. trade actions.”
For SAN, I’m SDR. Download the SAN app for more straight facts coverage straight to your phone.
Media Landscape
See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn more
Left 31%
Center 39%
Right 31%
Bias Summary
- Tesla has warned U.S. officials that it faces "disproportionate" retaliatory tariffs due to President Donald Trump's trade policies.
- The electric carmaker's market value has decreased significantly due to investor concerns related to trade tensions.
- Tesla emphasized that sourcing certain parts in the U.S. is challenging, which could potentially affect production and consumer prices.
- Automakers, including Tesla, caution that broad tariffs could disrupt U.S. assembly production, leading to job losses and fewer vehicle options for consumers.
Bias Comparison
Media outlets on the left
framed potential tariffs as “retaliatory” and part of “Trump’s trade war,” emphasizing “harm” to U.S. automakers and highlighting Tesla’s struggles with sales and public image, exacerbated by Musk’s ties to Trump, alongside terms such as “shocking” sales declines.
Media outlets on the right
acknowledged the “trade war” and potential “harm from retaliatory tariffs,” but de-emphasized Tesla’s broader market struggles.
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Bias Distribution
113 other sources covering this story
Total News Sources
113
Leaning Left
18
Center
23
Leaning Right
18
Last Updated
3 weeks ago
Bias Distribution Powered by Ground News™
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[Simone]
WHO STANDS TO BENEFIT THE MOST FROM A TRADE WAR? THE E-U’S FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF IS WARNING CHINA COULD GET THE LAST LAUGH IF THEY’RE NOT CAREFUL.
there are no winners in trade wars … who is laughing on the side… looking at the side is China who is really benefiting from US having a trade war with Europe.
KAJA KALLAS MADE THE COMMENTS TO BLOOMBERG ON THE SIDELINES OF A MEETING OF G-7 LEADERS IN CANADA.
SHE SAYS THE E-U IS READY TO RETALIATE BUT ALSO, HOLD BACK. SHE SAYS TRADE WARS USUALLY TRIGGER INFLATION PEAKS THAT END UP HITTING CITIZENS WHERE IT HURTS: THEIR WALLETS.
KALLAS’ COMMENTS CAME AFTER PRESIDENT TRUMP THREATENED TO IMPOSE A 200 PERCENT TARIFF ON ALCOHOL FROM THE EU.
TRUMP MADE THE THREAT IN RESPONSE TO THE E-U’S PLAN TO TAX AMERICAN WHISKEY EXPORTS – A MOVE THE E-U MADE IN RESPONSE TO TRUMP’S STEEL AND ALUMINUM TARIFFS.
TRUMP STOOD FIRM ON HIS TARIFF POLICY THURSDAY WHILE TALKING TO REPORTERS AT THE WHITE HOUSE.
Any chances that you will bend on the tariffs on aluminum and the ones that are planned for April 2nd? No.. you’re not going to change your mind? No. Look, we’ve been ripped off for years, so we’re not going to be ripped off any more. No I’m not going to bend it all on aluminum or steel or cars. We’re not going to bend.
IN A POST TO X, FRANCE’S TRADE MINISTER WROTE … “DONALD TRUMP IS ESCALATING THE TRADE WAR HE CHOSE TO UNLEASH. FRANCE REMAINS DETERMINED TO RETALIATE TOGETHER WITH THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION AND OUR PARTNERS. WE WILL NOT GIVE IN TO THREATS AND WILL ALWAYS PROTECT OUR SECTORS.”
MEANWHILE, A NEW REUTERS IPSOS POLL OF MORE THAN 14-HUNDRED AMERICANS FOUND 57% SAY TRUMP’S ECONOMIC POLICY MOVES ARE “TOO ERRATIC.” HOWEVER, ONLY 29% OF REPUBLICANS SAID THE SAME, WHILE 60% DISAGREED WITH THE STATEMENT.
TRUMP INSISTS THE ECONOMY WILL BOOM WITH HIS POLICIES. HE’S CALLED THE ECONOMY’S CURRENT STATE A “PERIOD OF TRANSITION,” SAYING BRINGING WEALTH TO AMERICA WILL TAKE TIME.
FOR SAN, I’M SIMONE DEL ROSARIO. TO KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST ON TRADE AND OTHER NEWS – DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP TODAY.
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- U.S. and Israeli officials are considering moving Palestinians displaced from the war in Gaza to Africa. Anonymous American and Israeli sources tell The Associated Press that the nations have reached out to three East African regions with the idea.
- The countries reportedly being considered are Sudan and Somalia, with a breakaway region from Somalia, Somaliland, also being considered.
- Human rights advocates are concerned about the plan because all of the nations face poverty and, in some cases, widespread violence.
Full Story
Anonymous American and Israeli sources told The Associated Press in a report published on Friday, March 14, that the two nations have reached out to three East African regions with an idea regarding Palestinian refugees. They have proposed moving these Palestinians, displaced by the war in Gaza, to nations in Africa.
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The countries reportedly being considered are Sudan and Somalia, with a breakaway region from Somalia, Somaliland, also being considered.
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Why are some concerned?
Human rights advocates are concerned about the plan because all of the nations face poverty and, in some cases, widespread violence. Critics also say that it conflicts with Trump’s promise to resettle Gaza’s Palestinians in a “beautiful area,” and much of the world is opposed to the mass removal of Palestinians from their homes.
Officials from Sudan tell the AP that they rejected the proposal, while those from Somalia and Somaliland said they were unaware of any such talks.
What has the Trump administration previously proposed?
The Trump administration has repeatedly pushed for Gaza’s more than 2 million people to be permanently resettled in other countries.
President Donald Trump has also said he wants the United States to take over the territory, lead postwar recovery efforts and develop it into a real estate haven, even sharing an AI-generated version of an imaginary future Gaza Strip last month on Truth Social.
Trump shared those ideas with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last month, who welcomed it as a “bold vision.”
How have other countries and Palestinians responded?
Besides the African nations in question, Palestinians have also rejected the idea of leaving Gaza.
Aside from Gaza’s residents, Arab nations have also opposed moving them out of the region, and have offered alternative postwar reconstruction plans.
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When did negotiations reportedly begin?
Negotiations between the U.S. and Israel with the African regions being floated as Palestinian destinations reportedly began last month, days after Trump revealed his Gaza vision to Netanyahu, American sources told the AP.
The White House and Israeli government have yet to officially comment on the matter.
Tags: Africa, Benjamin Netanyahu, Gaza, Hamas, Immigrant, Immigration, Israel, Israel Defense Forces, Middle East, Middle East Crisis, Palestine, Refugees, Sudan, War, White House
[KALE CAREY]
U-S AND ISRAELI OFFICIALS ARE CONSIDERING MOVING PALESTINIANS DISPLACED FROM THE WAR IN GAZA TO AFRICA.
ANONYMOUS AMERICAN AND ISRAELI SOURCES TELL THE ASSOCIATED PRESS THE NATIONS HAVE REACHED OUT TO EAST AFRICAN GOVERNMENTS WITH THE IDEA.
THE COUNTRIES REPORTEDLY BEING CONSIDERED ARE SUDAN, SOMALIA AND A BREAKAWAY REGION FROM SOMALIA, SOMALILAND.
HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCATES ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE PLAN BECAUSE ALL OF THE NATIONS FACE POVERTY AND IN SOME CASES WIDESPREAD VIOLENCE.
CRITICS ALSO SAY IT CONFLICTS WITH TRUMP’S PROMISE TO RESETTLE GAZA’S PALESTINIANS IN A “BEAUTIFUL AREA” AND MUCH OF THE WORLD IS OPPOSED TO THE MASS REMOVAL OF PALESTINIANS FROM THEIR HOMES.
OFFICIALS FROM SUDAN TELL THE A-P THEY HAVE REJECTED THE PROPOSAL WHILE THOSE FROM SOMALIA AND SOMALILAND SAY THEY ARE UNAWARE OF ANY TALKS.
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS REPEATEDLY PUSHED FOR GAZA’S MORE THAN TWO-MILLION PEOPLE TO BE PERMANENTLY RESETTLED IN OTHER COUNTRIES.
PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS ALSO SAID HE WANTS THE U-S TO TAKEOVER THE TERRITORY, LEAD POSTWAR RECOVERY AND DEVELOP IT INTO A REAL ESTATE AREA, EVEN SHARING AN A-I-GENERATED VERSION OF AN IMAGINERY FUTURE GAZA STRIP LAST MONTH.
TRUMP SHARED THOSE IDEAS WITH THE ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER LAST MONTH WHO WELCOMED IT AS A “BOLD VISION.”
PALESTINIANS, HOWEVER, HAVE REJECTED THE IDEA OF LEAVING GAZA AND ARAB NATIONS OPPOSE MOVING THEM OUT OF GAZA WHILE OFFERING ALTERNATIVE POSTWAR RECONSTRUCTION PLANS.
NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE U-S AND ISRAEL WITH THE THREE AFRICAN REGIONS BEING FLOATED AS PALESTINIAN DESTINATIONS STARTED LAST MONTH, DAYS AFTER TRUMP REVEALED HIS GAZA VISION TO THE ISRAELI P-M, AMERICAN SOURCES TOLD THE A-P.
THE WHITE HOUSE AND ISRAELI GOVERNMENT HAVE YET TO OFFICIALLY COMMENT ON THE MATTER.
THE WHITE HOUSE AND ISRAELI GOVERNMENT HAVE YET TO OFFICIALLY COMMENT ON THE MATTER.
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Media Landscape
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Left 42%
Center 30%
Right 27%
Bias Summary
- Rutrum feugiat lacinia risus odio congue, nibh enim faucibus facilisis.
- Rhoncus lorem sed nullam vitae litora montes eros urna amet, dolor viverra fames potenti senectus bibendum dis aliquet, nisi facilisis gravida class fermentum ut curabitur blandit.
- Dapibus ornare laoreet tortor efficitur nullam augue lorem leo consectetur ut malesuada enim sociosqu eros ipsum hendrerit velit, ullamcorper senectus urna interdum egestas dignissim porttitor cubilia ridiculus porta posuere dui finibus vel primis cursus.
Bias Comparison
The Left
adipiscing duis fermentum lorem non finibus integer praesent nibh facilisi vehicula, condimentum faucibus quis augue dictum convallis netus ornare bibendum consequat, fames mollis blandit ipsum morbi sodales vel cursus metus.
The Center
elit non litora sapien in justo massa volutpat phasellus aliquam rutrum a curae imperdiet habitasse curabitur sollicitudin, dui posuere ante mus eget eros maximus congue proin ullamcorper torquent sagittis aliquet libero nullam.
The Right
pulvinar sem curabitur blandit lectus facilisis massa dictumst phasellus nunc aliquam hac, dis diam facilisi sit quam sodales semper odio libero.
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Bias Distribution
100 other sources covering this story
Total News Sources
100
Leaning Left
28
Center
20
Leaning Right
18
Last Updated
3 weeks ago
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- Houthi rebels in Yemen have reportedly acquired hydrogen fuel cell components, enhancing the group’s drone capabilities and potentially tripling flight range. This upgrade poses significant threats to regional targets, including ships and infrastructure.
- Researchers discovered smuggled components, including compressed hydrogen tanks mislabeled as oxygen cylinders, linked to Chinese companies.
- The Houthis’ advanced drone technology raises concerns about increased risks to ships and infrastructure amid stalled Israel-Hamas ceasefire talks.
Full Story
Houthi rebels in Yemen are reportedly upgrading their drone technology with hydrogen fuel cell components that could significantly extend flight range and reduce detection risks.
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Left 44%
Center 26%
Right 30%
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A recent report by Conflict Armament Research found evidence that smuggled hydrogen fuel cell systems could allow Houthi drones to travel up to three times farther than those powered by traditional lithium batteries or gas engines.
Hydrogen fuel cells generate electricity by combining compressed hydrogen and oxygen across charged metal plates, producing water vapor with minimal heat or noise emissions.
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If successfully integrated, these systems could make Houthi drones more difficult to track using infrared and acoustic sensors. It would also allow them to target ships and infrastructure beyond the Red Sea.
Where did the hydrogen fuel cell components originate?
Weapons researchers working alongside Yemen’s National Resistance Forces discovered shipments of compressed hydrogen tanks mislabeled as oxygen cylinders. The cargo also included small European-made engines capable of powering cruise missiles, radar and ship-tracking systems and hundreds of commercial drones.
Shipping documents linked the hydrogen fuel cell components to companies in China, though it remains unclear whether the materials were supplied directly by Chinese manufacturers or through intermediaries.
The discovery suggests that the Houthis may be developing a new supply chain for weapons components beyond their traditional reliance on Iran.
What impact have Houthi attacks had on the region?
For more than a year, the Houthis have launched missile and drone strikes on commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea, claiming solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. Their attacks have disrupted global shipping and led to retaliatory airstrikes from U.S. and Israeli forces.
Although Houthi strikes slowed after an Israel-Hamas ceasefire in January, the group recently announced plans to resume attacks on Israeli-linked vessels, citing Israel’s refusal to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza.
The group’s Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center said that it aims to block Israeli-associated ships in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Arabian Sea.
Maritime security analysts warn that the Houthis’ broad definition of “Israeli vessels” could increase risks for ships owned, managed or operated by Israeli entities, as well as vessels traveling to Israeli ports.
How has the US responded?
Since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, the Houthis have publicly aligned with the group, targeting over 100 merchant vessels and launching more than 350 drones and missiles at Israel. The ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, which came into effect on Jan. 19, briefly halted these attacks, but negotiations for a second phase stalled on March 1.
Hamas rejected a U.S. proposal to extend the ceasefire during Ramadan, prompting Israel to freeze aid shipments to Gaza and warn of “further consequences” if talks remained at a standstill.
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Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi threatened to resume missile attacks on Israel, specifically targeting Tel Aviv if the conflict in Gaza escalates. The group gave Israel a four-day deadline to reopen aid crossings to Gaza, which has since expired.
Broader implications of Houthi drone advancements
The U.S. State Department reclassified the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization on March 4, just over a month after President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the reclassification.
Tags: China, Drones, Hamas, Houthi, Navy, Palestine, People’s Republic of China, Red Sea, shipping containers, Yemen
[Ryan Robertson]
THE HOUTHI MILITANTS IN YEMEN MAY BE ON THE VERGE OF A TECHNOLOGICAL LEAP THAT COULD MAKE THEIR ATTACK DRONES DEADLIER, HARDER TO DETECT, AND CAPABLE OF REACHING TARGETS FAR BEYOND THE RED SEA.
A NEW REPORT FROM CONFLICT ARMAMENT RESEARCH SUGGESTS THE REBELS ARE ACQUIRING CHINESE-MADE HYDROGEN FUEL CELL TECHNOLOGY THAT COULD TRIPLE THE RANGE OF THEIR DRONES WHILE MAKING THEM NEARLY INVISIBLE TO HEAT AND NOISE SENSORS.
FOR MORE THAN A YEAR, THE HOUTHIS LAUNCHED DRONE AND MISSILE ATTACKS ON SHIPS IN THE RED SEA, CLAIMING SOLIDARITY WITH PALESTINIANS IN GAZA — STRIKING MORE THAN 100 MERCHANT VESSELS AND LAUNCHING OVER 350 DRONES AND MISSILES AT ISRAEL.
THEIR STRIKES DISRUPTED GLOBAL TRADE AND DREW RETALIATORY AIRSTRIKES FROM U.S., BRITISH AND ISRAELI FORCES.
WEAPONS EXPERTS WORKING WITH YEMEN’S NATIONAL RESISTANCE FORCES SAY THEY INTERCEPTED COMPRESSED HYDROGEN TANKS DISGUISED AS OXYGEN CYLINDERS—MATERIALS LINKED TO LONG-RANGE DRONE OPERATIONS. ALONG WITH THE TANKS, THE SHIPMENT INCLUDED EUROPEAN-MADE ENGINES, RADAR AND SHIP-TRACKING EQUIPMENT, AND HUNDREDS OF COMMERCIAL DRONES.
INVESTIGATORS TRACED SOME OF THE FUEL CELL COMPONENTS TO CHINESE COMPANIES, THOUGH IT’S UNCLEAR WHETHER THEY WERE SUPPLIED DIRECTLY OR THROUGH INTERMEDIARIES.
AND NOW, THE HOUTHIS ARE VOWING TO RESUME ATTACKS ON ISRAELI-LINKED VESSELS, SAYING IT’S IN RESPONSE TO ISRAEL BLOCKING HUMANITARIAN AID TO GAZA. THE IRANIAN-BACKED HOUTHIS DECLARED A BAN ON ISRAELI-AFFILIATED SHIPS IN THE RED SEA, THE GULF OF ADEN, AND THE ARABIAN SEA. BUT THE HOUTHIS’ DEFINITION OF AN ISRAELI VESSEL IS VAGUE—POTENTIALLY PUTTING ANY SHIP WITH ISRAELI TIES AT RISK.
THE U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT DID RE-DESIGNATE THE HOUTHIS AS A FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION, JUST WEEKS AFTER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP RETURNED TO THE WHITE HOUSE.
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Media Landscape
See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn more
Left 44%
Center 26%
Right 30%
Bias Summary
- Yemen's Houthi rebels announced that "any Israeli vessel" is now a target as Israel blocks aid to the Gaza Strip, creating chaos in a crucial maritime route.
- The Houthis previously set a four-day deadline for Israel to resume aid shipments to Gaza, threatening military action against any Israeli vessels.
- Israel halted all aid to Gaza and faced international criticism, as over 2 million Palestinians depend on aid, exacerbated by a military offensive that destroyed infrastructure.
- The rebellion has previously targeted over 100 vessels, indicating increased risk for maritime traffic in the region.
Bias Comparison
Media outlets on the left
highlight the ambiguity surrounding the Houthi warnings, emphasizing the potential risk to multiple vessels and depicting a complex maritime security situation.
Media outlets in the center
emphasize the previous targeting of over 100 vessels, showcasing the impact of the Houthi threats on maritime traffic more explicitly.
Media outlets on the right
focus on the Houthis’ desperation by mentioning the expired deadline for aid resumption, framing their threats within a failure of diplomacy.
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Bias Distribution
93 other sources covering this story
Total News Sources
93
Leaning Left
20
Center
12
Leaning Right
14
Last Updated
3 weeks ago
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Tags: Artificial Intelligence, Beijing, Big Tech, China, Copyright infringement, Copyright law, DeepSeek, Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Grok, Lawsuit, One-China, OpenAI, People’s Republic of China, Stargate, Tech, Technology, White House
[KALE CAREY]
OPEN A-I IS URGING THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO LOOSEN REGULATIONS ON ITS INDUSTRY SURROUNDING ONE OF THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL ASPECTS… COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL
THE TECH GIANT SUBMITTED ITS PROPOSAL TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THURSDAY, PUSHING THE NEED FOR SPEED IN A-I INNOVATION AND TO REMOVE GUARDRAILS AGAINST TECH COMPANIES, POINTING TO WHAT IT CONSIDERS DANGERS POSED FROM A-I COMING OUT OF BEIJING.
THE PROPOSAL IS PART OF OPEN A-I’S EFFORTS TO INFLUENCE THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S “A-I ACTION PLAN,” A TECH STRATEGY REPORT INITIATED BY AN EXECUTIVE ORDER FROM PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP AND BEING DRAFTED BY THE OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY, WHICH MUST BE SUBMITTED BY JULY.
OPEN A-I’S PUSH FOR INFLUENCE COMES AFTER THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCED THE COMPANY AS PART OF ITS STARGATE INITIATIVE, WHICH GIVES BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO BIG TECH FOR A-I INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT.
OPEN A-I, HOWEVER, IS CURRENTLY IN LEGAL AND P-R BATTLE WITH ELON MUSK, WHO OWNS RIVAL A-I STARTUP, X-A-I AND IS ONE OF THE PRESIDENT’S TOP ADVISERS.
IN ITS PROPOSAL, OPEN A-I EXPRESSED FRUSTRATION WITH REGULATIONS THAT RESTRICT LARGE LANGUAGE MODELS FROM LEARNING FROM COPYRIGHTED CONTENT AND EXPANDED ‘FAIR USE’ MATERIAL TO TRAIN WITH.
CLAIMING IT NEEDS “THE FREEDOM TO INNOVATE IN THE NATIONAL INTEREST” AND A “VOLUNTARY PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR” INSTEAD OF “OVERLY BURDENSOME STATE LAWS.”
THE COMPANY SAYS THE U-S SHOULD HAVE “A COPYRIGHT STRATEGY” FOCUSING ON “THE FREEDOM TO LEARN” AND “PRESERVING AMERICAN A-I MODELS” CAPABILITY TO LEARN FROM COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL.”
OPEN A-I’S RECOMMENDATIONS COME AS IT HAS BEEN SUED OVER COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT FROM MULTIPLE NEWS OUTLETS FOR USING THEIR MATERIAL TO TRAIN ITS A-I MODEL.
OPEN A-I ALSO ARGUES APPS LIKE CHINESE A-I STARTUP DEEP SEEK THREATENS USERS’ PRIVACY AND SECURITY.
THE CHINESE APP BROKE ONTO THE SCENE EARLIER THIS YEAR AND WAS REPORTEDLY MADE AT A FRACTION OF THE COST TO MODELS LIKE OPEN A-I’S, SPARKING CONCERN AMONG AMERICAN A-I PRODUCERS.
INDUSTRY EXPERTS, HOWEVER, WARN OPEN A-I’S PUSH FOR LESS REGULATIONS AND A RUSHED POLICY MAY RISK CUSTOMERS SAFETY AND PRODUCT EFFECTIVINESS.
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GoFundMe
- Popular mom influencer Elise Caffee died just days after being severely burned in a multi-vehicle crash while in Cancun, Mexico for a friend’s wedding. According to her family, a truck carrying hot asphalt struck her vehicle, flipping it over. Its contents poured onto Caffee.
- Through an Instagram account, Caffee’s family updated her social media followers as they prayed for her recovery in a Salt Lake City hospital.
- The family announced Caffee passed away Wednesday, March 12, from her injuries and said a celebration of life would be announced soon.
Full Story
Elise Caffee, a popular parenting travel blogger, died Wednesday, March 12, nearly one week after being severely burned in a 10-car pileup while in Cancun, Mexico, according to her family. During the chain-reaction crash, a truck carrying hot asphalt struck the vehicle Caffee and her husband Dan were riding in and killed the driver.
Who was Elise Caffee?
Elise Caffee was a 45-year-old wife and a mother of three from Utah. Caffee amassed a large fanbase on Instagram under the account “3kidstravel,” where she documented trips with her husband and their daughters. Her videos, which included tips for traveling on a plane with kids to deciding when the right age is to start vacationing with children, reached over 48,000 followers.
On Facebook, Caffee’s brother, Scott Smith, CEO of the screen recorder company Zight, posted a message the morning of Thursday, March 13 about his sibling. Smith said his sister “packed more life into those [45] years than most do in a lifetime,” and added, “I will miss her laugh so much.”
“She helped everyone,” Smith said. “A fierce advocate for refugees, a champion for disadvantaged students, an entrepreneur in the book publishing world, and the kind of person who somehow always made time for those who needed her. Like our dad, she was always go, go, go—always with a plan, always accomplishing something remarkable, and always making time for a treat.”
What happened in Cancun on March 6?
According to an Instagram account dedicated to providing updates on Caffee’s recovery, Elise Caffee Updates, and a GoFundMe page set up by her family, Caffee and her husband had traveled to Cancun for a friend’s wedding on Thursday, March 6. They were on the way from the airport to their hotel when the multi-vehicle accident occurred on a highway.
“Their car was struck by a truck filled with asphalt that fell on top of them, trapping Elise and their driver Luis inside the vehicle as the boiling hot contents of the truck poured in,” a message on the GoFundMe page read. “Elise was able to be removed from the van after a great deal of effort by Dan and first responders that rushed to help, however, Luis was not able to get out in time and unfortunately passed away at the scene.”
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A Friday, March 7, post on the Elise Caffee Updates Instagram account said the crash happened in front of a hospital.
“Hospital workers rushed out and immediately started trying to help get people out from under cars as did Dan, but were getting burned through their protective gloves because the asphalt was so hot. Elise’s body is badly burned, her face is not,” the post read.
What happened to Elise Caffee after the crash?
As the days went on, the Instagram account updated its followers with the latest on Caffee’s recovery which, at time, showed promising signs.
A Saturday, March 8, post from the hospital in Mexico read, “Elise still remains critically stable (intubated and sedated) in the ICU,” followed by a post later showing Caffee being flown back to a hospital in Salt Lake City.
“Elise will be brought in for surgery later this morning. The surgery will involve cleaning off the asphalt from her skin, removing dead skin, making nice clean edges/cuts where she is burned, and skin grafting what they can,” another post read.
On Sunday, March 9, Caffee’s surgery was postponed to allow her additional time to improve.
“We are closely monitoring her vital signs and several other metrics for continued improvement,” a post on the Elise Caffee Updates account said. “We’ve already seen some improvement from last night.”
As Caffee prepared for surgery, her family said they were seeing improvements in “her numbers in the last 24 hours that have given us cause to be hopeful.”
On Tuesday, March 11, the account said Caffee was recovering from surgery to remove damaged tissue from the previous day.
“Elise remains in critical condition. She’s fighting for her life right now. She continues to need your prayers,” the post read.
The account said Dan and their daughters then spent time with their wife and mother as she laid unconscious in her hospital bed. Caffee’s daughters helped braid her hair and Dan serenaded his wife with a guitar.
Elise Caffee Updates announced that Caffee had passed away Wednesday night. The following caption was attached to a picture of the couple with their three daughters:
“We are absolutely heartbroken to share the news of Elise’s passing tonight. She held on so long and fought so hard against an impossibly difficult set of circumstances. Absolutely everything that could have been done for her was done and we are so grateful she was able to make it back home to say goodbye to her family before leaving us.
“We believe in eternal families and know we’ll see our beautiful mom, sister, wife, and daughter again. We’re so grateful for all the prayers and love that have buoyed us up in the last few days and that we know will continue to in the days ahead.”
In a Facebook post early Thursday, March 13, her brother, Scott Smith, also shared the devastating news.
“We love you, Elise. We miss you more than words can say,” Smith said.
The family said they would soon share information about an upcoming service and celebration of life for Caffee.
What has the response been from her multitudes of followers?
There has been an outpouring of support for the mom influencer and her family. Each Instagram update has garnered thousands of likes. Caffee’s family said they received hundreds of letters as they documented her time in the Salt Lake City hospital.
Though her family, through the Elise Caffee Updates Instagram page, alerted that some of Caffee’s fans were taking their interest in her health a little too far while she was in the hospital.
“The hospital has informed us that they are receiving floods of calls to get updates on Elise, some from people pretending to be family. This is taking valuable time away from the hospital staff that should be going towards treating our sister,” a March 8 post read.
How has Caffee’s supporters helped the family of the driver?
While Caffee’s family said they felt blessed by the public’s “love and generosity” to want to help, they said they had “sufficient insurance coverage and funds to cover their expenses.” But that was not the case for the family of the couple’s driver in Mexico, Luis, who died in the pileup.
Caffee’s loved ones started a GoFundMe page to help Luis’ family cover funeral expenses, potential legal fees and other needs his “family will have during this difficult time and in the days ahead.”
“Unfortunately, Luis, leaves behind his wife, Alejandra as well as his twin daughters (15), and son (12), without their family’s main provider. We are asking you to take the love and generosity that you feel towards our family during this time of crisis, and direct it to helping our friends in Mexico who have also been impacted by this horrible accident,” a message on the GoFundMe page reads.
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On LinkedIn, Smith added, “In this difficult time, we want to rally together to support his family. If you’re able, please consider donating to help them through this unimaginable loss. Every contribution makes a difference.”
As of Friday, March 14, the GoFundMe page amassed over $67,000.
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- Sen. Chuck Schumer says he’s weighed the consequences of a government shutdown, and is willing to vote for the House-approved funding bill. He said that while the bill was bad, “a shutdown has consequences for America that are much, much worse.”
- Some Democrats worry that a shutdown could be used by the Trump administration to fire more federal workers.
- But there is dissent, with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez saying, “To me it is almost unthinkable why Senate Democrats would vote to hand the few pieces of leverage that we have away for free.”
Full Story
Some Senate Democrats are about to vote for a government funding bill that they strongly opposed, and still describe as very bad. But with a government shutdown imminent and uncertainty about how it would impact federal workers and the economy, their leader has announced it’s best to vote to keep the government open, two days after he said Democrats would not support the package on the table.
Media Landscape
See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn more
Left 39%
Center 38%
Right 23%
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“While the CR bill is very bad, the potential for a shutdown has consequences for America that are much, much worse,” Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said during a speech Thursday, March 13.
Schumer gave multiple reasons for changing his vote, which gives his caucus the green light to vote yes as well.
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Democrats said the biggest concern is that Donald Trump could determine which employees are essential and have to continue working without pay and which get furloughed. They contend that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) could also use it as a tool to essentially lay more people off.
“Under a shutdown, the Trump administration would have full authority to deem whole agencies, programs and personnel nonessential, furloughing staff with no promise that they would ever be rehired,” Schumer said.
Not all Democrats are ready to vote for the bill
House Democrats voted nearly in unison against the funding package. Progressives are not happy with Schumer’s decision.
“To me it is almost unthinkable why Senate Democrats would vote to hand the few pieces of leverage that we have away for free,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said on CNN.
Sen. John Fetterman appeared to be the only Senate Democrat who said he’d vote in favor of the bill, even before Schumer flipped his stance.
Democrats had been asking for a 30-day extension so a deal could be made on funding that would last for the rest of the year. They described the current package in stark terms.
“I’m just talking about the outrage that what the Republicans are doing is not a CR, it’s a license to destroy,” Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., told reporters Thursday morning.
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What are Republicans saying?
Republicans say that it’s the fault of Democrats that they’re in this position in the first place.
Congress needs to pass 12 appropriations bills every year to fund the government. Last year, when Democrats had the majority, Schumer didn’t hold a vote on any of them, despite the fact that they had bipartisan support.
“Month after month, leader Schumer found something more important to do than fund the government. And not one, one of those bipartisan bills ever came to the floor. So today we’re trying to finish up last year’s work so we can begin,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said.
This budget package is just the beginning of the budget battle for Congress. It’s already time to begin work on government funding for fiscal year 2026, which begins in October.
Tags: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Chuck Schumer, Cory Booker, Democratic Party, DOGE, Donald Trump, federal employees, Government funding, House of Representatives, John Thune, Republicans, U.S. Senate
[Ray Bogan]
Some Senate Democrats are about to vote for a government funding bill they strongly opposed and still describe as very bad. But with a government shutdown imminent and uncertainty about how it would impact federal workers and the economy, their leader announced it’s best to vote to keep the government open, two days after he said Democrats would not support the package on the table.
[Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-NY]
“While the CR bill is very bad, the potential for a shutdown has consequences for America that are much, much worse.”
Schumer gave multiple reasons for changing his vote, which gives his caucus the green light to vote yes as well.
Democrats say the biggest concern is Donald Trump could determine which employees are essential and have to continue working without pay and which get furloughed. They contend the Department of Government Efficiency could use it as a tool to essentially lay more people off.
Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-NY: “Under a shutdown, the Trump administration would have full authority to deem whole agencies, programs and personnel, nonessential, furloughing staff with no promise that would ever be rehired.”
House Democrats voted nearly in unison against the funding package. Progressives are not happy with Schumer’s decision.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, D-NY: “To me it is almost unthinkable why Senate Democrats would vote to hand the few pieces of leverage that we have away for free.”
Senator John Fetterman appeared to be the only Senate Democrat who said he’d vote in favor of the bill, even before Schumer flipped his stance.
Democrats had been asking for a 30 day extension so a deal could be made on funding that would last for the rest of the year. They described the current package in stark terms.
Sen. Cory Booker, D-NJ: “I’m just talking about the outrage that what the Republicans are doing is not a CR it’s a license to destroy.”
Republicans say it’s Democrats’ fault that they’re in this position in the first place. Congress needs to pass 12 appropriations bills every year to fund the government. Last year when Democrats had the majority, Leader Schumer didn’t hold a vote on any of them, despite the fact that they had bipartisan support.
Sen. John Thune, R-SD: “Month after month, Leader Schumer found something more important to do than fund the government. And not one, one of those bipartisan bills ever came to the floor. So today we’re trying to finish up last year’s work so we can begin.”
This budget package is almost just the beginning of the budget battle for Congress. It’s already time to begin work on government funding for fiscal year 2026 which begins in October.
Media Landscape
See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn more
Left 39%
Center 38%
Right 23%
Bias Summary
- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez expressed outrage at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's plan to allow a Republican funding bill to advance.
- Ocasio-Cortez plans to mobilize her base to oppose Schumer's decision, accusing Senate Democrats of betrayal.
- Some House Democrats have privately encouraged Ocasio-Cortez to challenge Schumer in a primary due to their anger over his stance.
Bias Comparison
Media outlets on the left
framed Schumer’s actions as a “tremendous mistake” and “capitulating to fascism,” emphasizing the “extreme” nature of the GOP bill and highlighting specific budget cuts.
Media outlets on the right
used terms like “dangerous” to describe the bill and emphasized AOC’s opposition, portraying her as a “leftist firebrand” rising against Schumer amidst a “shutdown meltdown,” thus highlighting Democratic divisions.
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Bias Distribution
44 other sources covering this story
Total News Sources
44
Leaning Left
15
Center
15
Leaning Right
9
Last Updated
3 weeks ago
Bias Distribution Powered by Ground News™
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