SIMONE DEL ROSARIO: GOOD AFTERNOON, I’M SIMONE DEL ROSARIO. IT’S 12 O’CLOCK CENTRAL ON THIS FRIDAY AFTER THANKSGIVING. AS YOU GET READY FOR THE U-S TO KICK OFF AGAINST ENGLAND, THIS IS YOUR MIDDAY UPDATE.

IRAN SUPPORTERS HARASS PROTESTERS AT WORLD CUP

IRANIANS CLASHED AT THE WORLD CUP TODAY AS THEIR TEAM BEAT WALES 2-0. IRANIAN GOVERNMENT SUPPORTERS HECKLED AND HARASSED THOSE PROTESTING AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT OVER DEADLY UNREST IN THE COUNTRY.

Vanya | Iranian studying in Qatar: “I have friends who have been shot in the past two months. I have a friend who has been lost, we haven’t heard of her.”

THE U-N HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL VOTED THURSDAY TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGED ABUSES BY IRAN’S GOVERNMENT OVER TWO MONTHS OF PROTESTS. INVESTIGATORS SAY 14-THOUSAND PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ARRESTED, INCLUDING CHILDREN, WHILE FORCES HAVE REPORTEDLY USED LIVE AMMUNITION, METAL PELLETS, TEAR GAS AND BATONS ON THE CROWDS.

{Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “According to reliable sources, a conservative estimate of the death toll so far stands at over 300, including at least 40 children. This is unacceptable.”

POTENTIAL RAIL STRIKE JUST TWO WEEKS AWAY

THE U-S IS TWO WEEKS AWAY FROM A POSSIBLE, CRIPPLING RAIL STRIKE THAT COULD COST THE AMERICAN ECONOMY AS MUCH AS $2 BILLION A DAY.

UNIONS AND THE RAILROADS HAVE BEEN FIGHTING OVER CONTRACTS FOR MONTHS. THE STICKING POINTS ARE POLICIES ON ATTENDANCE AND SICK LEAVE. THE UNIONS HAVE ASKED FOR 15 PAID SICK DAYS AND THE RAILROADS HAVE SO FAR PONIED UP ONE PERSONAL DAY.

SEVERAL GROUPS ARE CALLING ON PRESIDENT BIDEN AND CONGRESS TO INTERVENE. CONGRESS CAN FORCE WORKERS TO CALL OFF A STRIKE.

President Biden: “I have not directly engaged yet because they’re still talking.”

BIDEN SAYS HIS TEAM IS IN THOSE NEGOTIATING ROOMS, BUT REFUSED TO COMMENT ON HOW THOSE NEGOTIATIONS ARE GOING.

FORD AND TESLA RECALL THOUSANDS OF CARS

SOME BIG NEWS IN VEHICLE RECALLS. FIRST, FORD IS CALLING BACK 634-THOUSAND SUVS WORLDWIDE OVER FIRE RISKS, MORE THAN HALF A MILLION OF WHICH ARE RIGHT HERE IN THE U-S. THE RECALL INVOLVES BRONCO SPORT AND ESCAPE SUVS FROM 2020 TO 2023. 

FORD’S URGING OWNERS TO BRING IN THEIR CARS, SAYING A FUEL INJECTOR CRACK COULD CAUSE LIQUID TO LEAK ONTO HOT SURFACES AND SPARK A FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. THOUGH THEY SAY THE RISK IS LOW AND THEY HAVE NOT TOLD DRIVERS TO STOP USING THE VEHICLE BEFORE IT’S FIXED.

MEANWHILE, TESLA IS RECALLING 80-THOUSAND CARS IN CHINA BECAUSE OF SOFTWARE AND SEAT BELT ISSUES, ACCORDING TO STATE REGULATORS.

MODEL S AND MODEL X VEHICLES REPORTEDLY HAVE A SOFTWARE ISSUE THAT CAN CAUSE THE CAR TO STOP ON ITS OWN, WHILE AROUND 13-THOUSAND MODEL 3S ARE DEALING WITH A POTENTIALLY FAULTY SEATBELT. CHINA DID NOT SAY IF ANY ACCIDENTS HAD HAPPENED OVER THE MALFUNCTIONS.

KARI LAKE SUES MARICOPA COUNTY OVER MIDTERMS

ARIZONA GOP GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE KARI LAKE IS SUING MARICOPA COUNTY, ACCUSING THEM OF BREAKING ELECTION LAWS. LAKE’S CAMP IS LOOKING FOR INFORMATION ABOUT PRINTER PROBLEMS THAT HAPPENED AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS ON ELECTION DAY.

THE RACE WAS CALLED IN FAVOR OF HER OPPONENT, DEMOCRAT KATIE HOBBS, NEARLY TWO WEEKS AGO. HOBBS HAS 17-THOUSAND MORE VOTES THAN LAKE, BUT LAKE HAS YET TO CONCEDE. 

Kari Lake: This is not our main case. when our main case drops they will hear it, trust me, they will hear it.”

THIS WEEK THE STATE’S CURRENT REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR DOUG DUCEY CONGRATULATED HOBBS ON HER VICTORY.

SCIENTISTS TESTING OUT UNIVERSAL FLU VACCINE

SCIENTISTS ARE EXPERIMENTING WITH A POTENTIALLY GROUNDBREAKING UNIVERSAL FLU VACCINE THAT COULD PROTECT AGAINST ALL 20 KNOWN SUBTYPES OF THE FLU.

TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE, THE CURRENT SEASONAL FLU VACCINES CAN ONLY PROTECT AGAINST – UP TO FOUR STRAINS, WITH SCIENTISTS SELECTING WHICH ONES THEY *THINK WILL BE IN CIRCULATION EACH YEAR.

THIS NEW SHOT BEING DEVELOPED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA USES THE SAME MRNA TECHNOLOGY FOUND IN THE COVID VACCINES. 

ACCORDING TO A JUST-PUBLISHED PAPER, SO FAR SCIENTISTS SAY THEY’RE GETTING PROMISING RESULTS IN MICE AND FERRETS.

SCIENTISTS HAVE BEEN WORKING TOWARD A UNIVERSAL FLU VACCINE FOR MORE THAN A DECADE, BUT THIS LATEST DEVELOPMENT COULD BE A GAME CHANGER IN THE FIGHT AGAINST THE ANNUAL FLU. THE CDC ESTIMATES BETWEEN 12 AND 52 THOUSAND PEOPLE IN THE U-S DIE FROM GETTING THE FLU EACH YEAR.