As a report comes out on the government’s potential plans to evacuate U.S. citizens from the Middle East, former President Barack Obama reacts to the intensifying war. And an off-duty pilot is accused of trying to shut down the engines of an Alaska Airlines plane mid-flight. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023.
Report: U.S. preparing for possible evacuations; Obama issues statement on war
The United States is preparing for the possibility of having to evacuate hundreds of thousands of Americans living in the Middle East should the war escalate, according to a report from the Washington Post.
Officials familiar with the government’s contingency planning told the Post this is a worst-case scenario.
According to the U.S. State Department, approximately 600,000 U.S. citizens live in Israel and 86,000 in Lebanon.
The Post reports that the Biden administration is deeply alarmed at the possibility of the war escalating.
This comes as the Israeli army said it intensified its airstrikes against Hamas in Gaza, striking 400 targets in the past 24 hours, continuing its retaliation for the Oct. 7 attacks that killed more than 1,400 people and injured more than 5,000 in Israel.
The Israel Defense Forces said its strikes killed three Hamas deputy commanders Monday night, Oct. 23. Palestinian authorities say Israeli airstrikes have killed more than 5,000 people in Gaza, injuring more than 15,000.
On Monday, Oct. 23, Hamas released two Israeli hostages. However, the Israeli government says the women’s husbands remain in Gaza, among the more than 200 still being held by the militant group. Hamas released two American hostages last week.
President Joe Biden spoke to Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday afternoon, Oct. 23, about securing the release of all hostages, providing safe passage for U.S. citizens and others in Gaza, and sustaining a flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza after Israel cut off food, water, and fuel into the territory.
Former president Barack Obama released a statement Monday night, Oct. 23, backing Israel’s right to defend itself while urging the Israeli military to abide by international law, saying any strategy that ignores human costs could ultimately backfire.
The former president wrote Israel’s blockade on Gaza not only could worsen a growing humanitarian crisis but “… could further harden Palestinian attitudes for generations, erode global support for Israel, play into the hands of Israel’s enemies, and undermine long-term efforts to achieve peace and stability in the region.”
Republicans to vote on new nominee for House speaker
Republicans are set to vote on a new speaker of the House nominee Tuesday morning, Oct. 24. They hope to move to the floor for an official vote soon after the candidate is chosen, perhaps as early as Tuesday evening, Oct. 24.
The process will be similar to ranked-choice voting. All eight candidates will be on the ballot; the person who receives the fewest votes will be knocked off, and they’ll keep going until someone gets a majority.
During a forum Monday night, the eight candidates made their case. They answered questions about how they would handle issues like government funding, border security, aid packages to Israel and Ukraine, and more.
Tuesday, Oct. 24, marks three weeks without a speaker.
“Superfog” leads to multiple crashes near New Orleans, 7 dead
A mix of fog and smoke is being blamed for seven deaths near New Orleans on Monday, Oct. 23.
What is called a “superfog,” according to Louisiana state police, blanketed Interstate 55, causing multiple crashes involving at least 158 vehicles.
Authorities said Monday night, Oct. 23, the number of deaths could increase as they continue to clear the crash scene. More than 25 people have been taken to the hospital with injuries.
Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards said he is praying for those “hurt and killed” in the crash and called for blood donations. Officials say the “superfog” resulted from smoke from wildfires burning in the area combined with dense fog, leading to low or zero visibility.
Off-duty pilot charged with 83 counts of attempted murder
Officials have released new information about a scare aboard an Alaska Airlines flight on Sunday, Oct. 22. The airline said an off-duty pilot sitting in the jump seat on the plane tried shutting off its engines mid-flight.
According to police and the airline, the suspect, 44-year-old Joseph Emerson, was subdued by the flight crew mid-flight after allegedly attempting to “disrupt the operation of the engines” by pulling the fire extinguishing handles on the engines. The plane was forced to make an emergency landing in Portland, Oregon.
The Alaska flight out of Everett, Washington, was on its way to San Francisco where officials say the suspect was scheduled to be on a flight crew of another plane. No passengers or crew members were injured.
Emerson was arrested by Port of Portland police officers and charged with 83 counts of attempted murder.
UAW expands strike to Stellantis plant
The United Auto Workers expanded its strike on Monday, Oct. 23, to a Stellantis plant in Michigan that produces Ram 1500 pickup trucks.
According to the UAW, 6,800 workers walked off the job in the first work stoppage at a Stellantis facility in over a month.
With this latest move, about 40,000 UAW members working at Stellantis, Ford, and General Motors plants are on strike. The union is seeking, among other items, better pay and shorter workweeks.
The Big Three Detroit automakers have returned with contracts that include pay increases and improved benefits, but UAW says what they offered is not enough.
UAW said in a statement that Stellantis, the maker of Ram, Dodge, and Chrysler vehicles, has “the worst proposal on the table regarding wage progression, temporary worker pay, and conversion to full-time, cost-of-living adjustments (COLA), and more.”
The strike is now in its 6th week.
Oldest dog ever passes away at 31
A 31-year-old dog who made it into the record books is being remembered. Bobi, a guard dog, passed away over the weekend in a veterinary hospital in Portugal.
Bobi, born May 11, 1992, was the oldest dog ever. Officials at the Guinness World Records said they were saddened to learn of the death of Bobi.
According to his owner, Bobi lived such a long life because he had good food, fresh air, and lots of love.
