--:-- Georgia Howe: I'm Georgia Howe with Daily Wire editor-in-chief John Bickley. It's Wednesday, November 15th, and this is your Morning Wire afternoon update.
--:-- John Bickley: The Biden administration has renewed a sanctions waiver granting Iran access to around $10 billion in frozen assets from an Iraq electricity purchase. Daily Wire senior editor Cabot Phillips has more.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: The waiver, which will span 120 days, was signed by Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday. It bears several similarities to the $6 billion waiver issued in July, just months before Hamas slaughtered 1,200 people in an attack on Israel.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: The new waiver also comes amid a significant rise in attacks against U.S. forces from Iran-backed entities across the Middle East. As U.S. officials told the Associated Press, the waiver says Iran will receive $10 billion currently being held in Iraqi escrow accounts and may only be used for humanitarian purposes.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: The waiver also allows the Islamic Republic to convert the funds into other currencies and purchase non-sanctioned products. Officials say Blinken signed the waiver to avoid Iraq being cut off from a critical source of electricity.
--:-- Georgia Howe: The Israel Defense Forces brought critical medical supplies to the main hospital in Gaza today after special forces raided the hospital in search of Hamas terrorists hiding there.
--:-- John Kirby: I can confirm for you that we have information that Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad use some hospitals in the Gaza Strip, including Al-Shifa, to conceal and to support their military operations and to hold hostages.
--:-- John Kirby: Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad members operate a command and control node from Al-Shifa in Gaza City. Israeli forces killed at least five terrorists in the precise and targeted operation at the site and are searching for explosives and weapons.
--:-- Georgia Howe: The IDF said the following about the raid: "Our war is against Hamas, not against the people in Gaza, especially not the Sikhs."
--:-- Matt Miller: We want there to be safe evacuation for patients at hospitals so they can get out of harm's way. We would support an independent third party or respected third party to conduct those evacuations.
--:-- Georgia Howe: President Biden met face-to-face with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at a summit near San Francisco today.
--:-- Tim Pierce: This comes after a year of rising tensions between the two countries. It will be the first time that Biden and Xi have talked since their meeting at an international summit in Bali a year ago.
--:-- Tim Pierce: Since that meeting, miscommunications and incidents like the Chinese spy balloon have soured U.S. and China relations, elevating the risk of confrontation between the countries.
--:-- Tim Pierce: U.S. officials believe that Biden has an economic upper hand stepping into this meeting as China's economy is struggling with high youth unemployment and foreign disinvestment.
--:-- Georgia Howe: The meeting is expected to yield agreements on steps to stop the flow of fentanyl from the communist nation, as well as bringing back communications that were cut off in response to Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan last year.
--:-- Georgia Howe: A congressional hearing almost went off the rails earlier this week after a senator challenged the president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters to a fight.
--:-- [Audio clip of the confrontation plays]
--:-- Georgia Howe: The confrontation came after months of on-and-off sparring between the two on X.
--:-- Georgia Howe: In one post, O'Brien seemed to challenge Mullen to a fight. Here's a bit from their exchange, starting with Mullen reading O'Brien's tweet: "Quit the tough guy act and these Senate hearings. You know where to find me. Any place, any time, cowboy."
--:-- Georgia Howe: Senator: Sir, this is a time, this is a place. You want to run your mouth? We can be two consenting adults. We can finish it here. Okay, that's fine. Perfect. You want to do it now? I'd love to do it right now.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Senator: Well, stand your butt up then. You stand your butt up. Oh, hold it. Oh, stop it. Is that your solution? No, no, sit down. No, no, you're a United States senator. Sit down. Actively. Okay. Sit down, please.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Chairman Bernie Sanders: All right. Can I respond? Hold it. Hold it. If we can. No, I have the butt. I'm sorry. Hold it. You'll have your time. Can I respond? No, you can't. This is a hearing.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Lawyers representing Donald Trump asked the court today to declare a mistrial in the New York fraud trial.
--:-- Georgia Howe: They're claiming that the judge overseeing the case and his law clerk are biased. New York Attorney General Letitia James has sued Trump, his business associates, and his organization, saying they misstated information on various financial documents in order to get better business deals and a higher net worth.
--:-- Georgia Howe: The request for a mistrial claims that a law clerk to Judge Arthur Ingeron is politically biased against the former president and has influenced the judge.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Trump's attorneys have accused the judge and his clerk of co-judging the case, saying Ingeron has granted his clerk a great deal of input in the case.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Lawyers representing President Biden's son, Hunter, have called on a judge in his Delaware firearms charges case to subpoena former President Donald Trump and several former administration officials.
--:-- Georgia Howe: In addition to Trump, Hunter Biden is seeking subpoenas for Attorney General Bill Barr, former acting deputy AG Richard Donahue, and former acting AG Jeffrey Rosen.
--:-- Georgia Howe: And New Hampshire state officials announced today that they have set their first-in-the-nation primary for January 23rd.
--:-- Georgia Howe: That decision was made in defiance of both President Joe Biden and the DNC's plan to give South Carolina the party's first contest.
--:-- Georgia Howe: The state will now likely face punishment from the DNC for not following the party's new order, which was originally recommended by President Biden.
