5 things to know for Nov. 12: US-China relations, Geopolitical conflicts, Wildfires, Gunfire hits planes, Honda recall
By Alexandra Banner, CNN
(CNN) — Elon Musk wants to radically reshape who controls America’s money supply. The billionaire is among several people in Donald Trump’s inner circle calling for sweeping changes to the Federal Reserve.
Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.
1. US-China relations
President-elect Donald Trump is likely to pick Florida Sen. Marco Rubio as his secretary of state, sources told CNN, as he rounds out his national security team. Rubio’s selection for the role would signal Trump’s willingness to aggravate China after the leading Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee spent years focused on the “China threat” theory. Rubio has used his perch to introduce legislation that would block tax credits for electric vehicle batteries produced using Chinese technology and has grilled the FBI director on Beijing’s influence over TikTok. With Trump also asking Florida Rep. Mike Waltz — another lawmaker known to be a China hawk — to serve as his national security adviser, it is becoming clear that Trump’s new administration is likely to prioritize tough China policies.
2. Geopolitical conflicts
In addition to managing frayed ties between the US and China, the incoming Trump administration will have to navigate several geopolitical conflicts, including the Ukraine-Russia and Israel-Hamas wars. As of this week, Russia has amassed tens of thousands of troops — including recently arrived North Korean soldiers — that are prepared to retake Russia’s Kursk region from Ukraine in the coming days, a US official told CNN. Trump has promised to end the war in “24 hours,” even as Moscow continues to unleash near-constant waves of drone strikes on Ukrainian cities. Meanwhile, ending the wars in Gaza and Lebanon and integrating Israel in the Middle East are likely to be at the top of Trump’s Middle East agenda. Throughout his campaign, Trump has not specified how he would approach the Israel-Hamas war if reelected, or how his policies would differ from his predecessor Joe Biden’s.
3. Wildfires
Dangerous wildfires are burning on the East and West coasts, with firefighters in New York and New Jersey working to contain a deadly blaze spurred by an ongoing, historic drought — while strong winds in Southern California could fan a destructive fire in Ventura County. The Jennings Creek Fire has scorched around 3,500 acres across parts of New York and New Jersey and is 20% contained. Rain on Sunday helped slow the fire’s progress but dry conditions and high winds are expected to continue this week. On the other side of the country, forceful winds are expected to return to Southern California in the coming days. That’s raising fears the Mountain Fire, which has damaged and destroyed dozens of homes in Ventura County, could spread after calmer weekend weather allowed firefighters to get its containment up to 36%.
4. Gunfire hits planes
Two jets from US-based airlines were struck by bullets on Monday while flying over Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince as Haitian authorities suspended all flights in and out of the capital amid escalating gang violence. A Spirit Airlines plane was hit by gunfire while attempting to land in Port-au-Prince, resulting in what the airline described as “minor injuries” to one crew member. In response to the Spirit incident, JetBlue and American Airlines temporarily canceled flights to and from Haiti. In a later statement, JetBlue extended its flight suspension through December 2, saying damage from a bullet had been identified in one of its planes returning from the country.
5. Honda recall
The government’s highway safety agency is investigating complaints that engines can fail on as many as 1.4 million Honda and Acura vehicles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in documents posted on its website that connecting rod bearings on vehicles with 3.5-liter V6 engines can fail, leading to complete engine failure. The probe by the agency covers various Honda and Acura models made between 2016 and 2020. Honda recalled about 250,000 vehicles in November of 2023 to fix the same problem. In documents explaining the 2023 recall, the automaker said it had more than 1,400 warranty claims due to the bearing problem but no reports of injuries.
BREAKFAST BROWSE
Thousands in Australia line up to see stinking ‘corpse flower’
Stop and smell the roses, they say … but this is one flower you may want to skip. People are flocking to see a rare plant in Australia despite its putrid stench.
23andMe cuts 40% of its workforce, discontinues all therapy programs
Genetic testing firm 23andMe is letting go around 200 employees and discontinuing all its therapies as part of a restructuring program.
Megan Fox announces pregnancy
Megan Fox and fiancé Machine Gun Kelly’s family is getting a little bigger.
New research about a misunderstood planet
A coincidence during a historic 1986 Uranus flyby may have skewed the way scientists understand the planet, a study found.
Disney cruise ship rescues 4 people from sinking catamaran
A Disney cruise ship assisted the US Coast Guard in the rescue of four stranded boaters off the coast of Bermuda on Sunday. Read about the ordeal.
TODAY’S NUMBER
2,100
That’s around how many fake artworks were seized by Italian police in a crackdown on a huge crime network. Authorities said the fake art had a potential market value of about $215 million and included forgeries of works by some of the biggest names in modern and contemporary art, including Banksy, Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol.
TODAY’S QUOTE
“They took a chance on me.”
— Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego, thanking voters after he won a closely watched Senate seat in Arizona, CNN projects, defeating Republican Kari Lake. Gallego, who will become the state’s first Latino senator, vowed to “fight to fix a broken immigration system and security” and to “lower costs on everything, gas, groceries, rent and more.”
TODAY’S WEATHER
Check your local forecast here>>>
AND FINALLY …
AI tech could personalize cancer care
Researchers at the University of California San Diego are hoping to drastically shorten the time between a breast cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment with the help of an artificial intelligence program. See how it works.
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