President Biden is set to address the nation following his visit to Israel. And, after 18 years, the main suspect in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway confesses – these stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023.
Biden to address nation on Israel-Hamas war; aid headed to Gaza
President Joe Biden will address the nation during a speech from the Oval Office Thursday night, Oct. 19, where he will update Americans on the U.S.’ response to the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine.
Biden returned home after visiting Israel, where he reaffirmed the United States’ support of Israel in its war with Hamas following the terrorist attack that killed 1,400 people, including 31 Americans.
Biden also announced he secured a deal with Egypt to allow humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. According to Gaza authorities, more than 3,400 people have been killed since Israel began its airstrikes.
The president spoke to reporters about the need for aid while aboard Air Force One.
“I was very blunt with the Israelis. Israel has been badly victimized, but the truth is, if they have the opportunity to relieve suffering of people who have nowhere to go — it’s what they should do — and if they don’t, they’ll be held accountable in ways that may be unfair,” Biden said. “My point to everyone is if you have the opportunity to alleviate the pain, you should do it. Period.”
Israel agreed to give aid to Gaza as long as it doesn’t benefit Hamas and said it would open its own checkpoints for aid only after Hamas releases the roughly 200 hostages taken during the Oct. 7 attack.
Biden said aid would likely begin to arrive in Gaza on Friday, Oct. 20.
The president’s visit to Israel came just a day after a blast at a hospital in Gaza. The Palestinian Health Ministry said 471 people were killed in the explosion.
While Gaza authorities said it was caused by an Israeli airstrike, the United States government has sided with Israel, saying evidence points to a failed rocket launch by a Palestinian militant group being behind the blast.
Back in the U.S., anti-war protesters descended on the Capitol on Wednesday, Oct. 18.
Straight Arrow News was there as approximately 300 people were arrested after protesting inside a congressional building. Hundreds of protesters blocked Independence Avenue directly outside the capitol building.
This all occurred as senators received a classified briefing regarding Israel.
U.S. resumes deportation flights to Venezuela
The United States resumed deportation flights of Venezuelan migrants on Wednesday, Oct. 18. The first plane, with about 130 passengers, took off from Texas and made a stop in Miami before landing in Venezuela.
This is the first time in years that U.S. immigration authorities are deporting migrants to Venezuela as the Biden administration searches for solutions to the growing number of people seeking asylum in the United States.
An official with ICE said the passengers prioritized for the first flight included migrants who recently arrived in the country and those who have committed crimes in the U.S.
Border Patrol said all the passengers had entered the U.S. illegally.
The U.S. plans to have “multiple” deportation flights per week to Venezuela.
Joran van der Sloot confesses to killing Natalee Holloway
Joran van der Sloot, the chief suspect in the 2005 disappearance of American teenager Natalee Holloway, has admitted to her mother he was responsible for Natalee’s death.
Van der Sloot made the confession in an Alabama courtroom Wednesday, Oct. 18, where he pleaded guilty to federal extortion and wire fraud charges.
The confession was part of a plea deal in which van der Sloot agreed to provide additional information to Natalee’s mother Beth Holloway about her daughter’s disappearance.
“Today, I can tell you with certainty that after 18 years, Natalee’s case is solved. As far as I’m concerned, it’s over. It’s over. Joran van der Sloot is no longer the suspect in my daughter’s murder. He is the killer,” Beth Holloway said.
Van der Sloot was charged with extorting hundreds of thousands of dollars from Natalee Holloway’s family in exchange for information following her disappearance.
In June 2023, van der Sloot was extradited to the U.S. from Peru, where he was serving a 28-year sentence in the 2010 murder of a 21-year-old college student.
Van der Sloot was sentenced Wednesday, Oct. 18, to 20 years in prison, which will run concurrently with the time he’s serving in Peru.
Jim Jordan fails to get enough votes for second time
House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, is hoping the third time is the charm as he intends to hold another vote on the House floor on Thursday, Oct. 19, to become the next speaker.
The Ohio Republican failed to reach a majority again during Wednesday’s, Oct. 18, vote, losing support the second go-around. Twenty-two House Republicans voted against Jordan, up from 20 on Tuesday, Oct. 17.
Following the second speaker vote, a spokesperson for Jordan said, “We’re going to keep going.”
As the House remains without an official speaker, a group of House Republicans is considering a measure to expand the power of temporary speaker Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., in order to address issues like preventing a government shutdown and funding aid packages for Israel and Ukraine. But others are opposed, saying that would be unconstitutional.
Our political correspondent Ray Bogan has more on these developments in his report.
Woman arrested for trying to approach Trump during trial
An arrest was made during the civil fraud trial of former President Donald Trump in New York on Wednesday, Oct. 18.
A woman was taken into custody after trying to approach the former president, who was attending the trial for the second time this week. She was quoted as saying, “I want to speak to Mr. Trump.”
A court officer told her to sit back down, and then, moments later, she was escorted out of the courtroom by several officers.
The woman, later identified as a court employee, was arrested on a contempt charge for disrupting a court proceeding. A court spokesperson said the woman has been placed on administrative leave and is barred from entering state courts during the investigation.
When asked about the arrest, Trump said he was not aware of the incident as it happened behind him in the courtroom.
The former president and his company are being accused by the New York attorney general of overvaluing his assets to banks and insurance companies. Trump has denied any wrongdoing.
Wheaties features video game character on box for first time
History is being made at the breakfast table on Thursday morning, Oct. 19. Wheaties, “the breakfast of champions,” as the cereal’s tagline goes, is doing something it has never done in its 100-plus years — feature a video game character on its box.
The General Mills cereal brand is releasing a special edition box featuring Marvel’s Spider-Man character. The collaboration between Wheaties and Marvel coincides with the release of the “Spider-Man 2” video game on Friday, Oct. 20.
The limited-edition box is exclusively available on the Wheaties website.
But it’s going to take the Marvel superhero a while if he wants to catch up to Michael Jordan, who has been featured on the Wheaties box 19 times — the most of any athlete.
