10 things you need to know today: October 14, 2023
Table of Contents
1. Republicans nominate Jim Jordan for House speaker
Republicans on Friday nominated Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio to be the next speaker of the House, setting up a battle in the lower chamber after Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) ended his own bid for the job. Jordan is now looking to secure the votes needed to obtain the gavel. However, Jordan, a founding member of the far-right House Freedom Caucus and staunch ally of former President Donald Trump, is facing opposition both from Democrats and the more centered faction of the GOP. A secret second ballot showed that many Republicans did not intend to vote for Jordan, putting his quest for speaker in potential jeopardy if he is unable to secure the necessary 217 votes. The Washington Post, The New York Times
2. Palestinians head south as Israel continues Gaza evacuation
Palestinians continued to evacuate the northern area of Gaza on Saturday as Israeli forces prepared for a possible invasion of the region. Israel, which has launched counteroffensives following a surprise attack from the Palestinian-led terrorist organization Hamas, had maintained an evacuation order for more than one million citizens of the Palestinian-controlled Gaza Strip, despite the United Nations saying this timeframe was unreasonable. However, Israel did soften its initial evacuation orders, removing a deadline for evacuees to flee the region after previously saying they had just 24 hours to do so. Israel has already cut off supplies, including food and water, to the majority of the Gaza Strip, and has warned that it will continue military operations. CNN, The New York Times
3. North Korea delivered weapons to Russia, White House says
Biden administration officials said Friday that North Korea had provided Russia with a large shipment of weapons, alleging that more than 1,000 containers of weaponry had been delivered to the country. The White House presented satellite images that it said showed ammunition and weapons being loaded onto a Russian ship at a North Korea border. These weapons were then brought into Russia via rail, the White House said. The weapons transfer comes as North Korea and Russia continue to bolster their relationship. “We condemn [North Korea] for providing Russia with this military equipment, which will be used to attack Ukrainian cities, kill Ukrainian civilians, and further Russia’s illegitimate war,” White House spokesperson John Kirby said. Reuters, The Hill
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4. Biden allocates $7 billion for clean hydrogen projects
The White House is committing $7 billion to build seven regional hubs for clean hydrogen development, President Biden announced Friday. Areas across the United States will share the funds, which will include 17 states. The project is “about people coming together across state lines, across industries, across political parties to build a stronger, more sustainable economy,” Biden said during an announcement of the project. The development of clean hydrogen from these hubs “will eliminate 25 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions from end uses each year — an amount roughly equivalent to combined annual emissions of over 5.5 million gasoline-powered cars,” the White House said in a press release. NPR, CNBC
5. New Zealand shifts right, elects conservative Christopher Luxon as next prime minister
New Zealand saw a major shift to the right on Saturday, as Kiwis elected conservative Christopher Luxon to be the country’s next prime minister. Luxon, a former business executive, is currently the leader of the opposition as head of New Zealand’s center-right National Party. While the exact makeup of his government has yet to be determined, Luxon and his party won the election handily, with estimates putting the National Party’s parliamentary seat gains at around 50. The conservative shift comes after six years of a nationally popular liberal government, most of that time spent governed by former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Outgoing Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said he called Luxon to concede the election. The Associated Press, New Zealand Herald
6. This September was the hottest ever, climate report finds
September 2023 was the hottest September in recorded climate history, according to a new report released Friday. The report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) found that globally, this past September was “the warmest September in the 174-year NOAA record.” Year-to-date, 2023 was also “ranked as the warmest such period on record.” The study noted that these temperature increases were significantly caused by climate change and a heatwave driven by El Niño weather. Ellen Bartow-Gillies, the lead author of the report, told NPR that this past September was warmer than the average July from 2001 to 2010, and had beat out all prior records. NPR
7. Rudy Giuliani punished by judge after defying court orders
The judge presiding over Rudy Giuliani’s damages trial said Friday that she was punishing the former New York City mayor for his “continued and flagrant disregard” of her court orders. In her ruling, U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell wrote that the jury would be instructed to assume that Giuliani was intentionally nefarious in his attempts to hide his financial records. The jury must “infer that defendant Giuliani was intentionally trying to hide relevant discovery about the Giuliani Businesses’ finances for the purpose of shielding his assets from discovery and artificially deflating his net worth,” Howell wrote. Giuliani is facing charges related to allegations that he defamed poll workers in relation to the 2020 election. NBC News, The Hill
8. Australia rejects Indigenous referendum
Australians rejected a referendum Saturday that would’ve altered the country’s constitution to enshrine the rights of its Indigenous people. The referendum would have created a committee in the Australian Parliament known as the Voice that would advise the government on Indigenous issues. The referendum was proposed by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as a way to help bring the country toward reconciliation over its past injustices against its Aboriginal natives. However, more than half of voters opposed the referendum, including a number of prominent Aboriginal leaders, with many feeling that it was a moot effort in attempting reconciliation toward Indigenous groups. The official vote is not yet tabulated, but officials are not contesting the loss. The Associated Press, The Sydney Morning Herald
9. Natalee Holloway suspect expected to plead guilty in extortion case
Joran van der Sloot, the prime suspect in the 2005 disappearance of Natalee Holloway in Aruba, is expected to plead guilty this coming week in an extortion case related to her vanishing. The Dutch van der Sloot had previously pleaded not guilty, but will reportedly change this plea when he appears in an Alabama federal court on Oct. 18. He was previously hit with federal extortion charges for allegedly attempting to extort money from Holloway’s mother, as prosecutors alleged that van der Sloot offered to reveal the location of her daughter’s body in exchange for money. Holloway has never been found, while van der Sloot is already serving a 28-year prison sentence for murder in Peru. The Associated Press
10. Ferrari to accept cryptocurrency payments for US cars
Luxury racing car brand Ferrari will begin accepting cryptocurrency as a form of payment in the United States, and is expected to expand this practice into Europe. The company’s marketing and commercial chief told Reuters that it was making the change in order to try and reduce its carbon footprint. “Our target to reach for carbon neutrality by 2030 along our whole value chain is absolutely confirmed,” he said. Ferrari also said that the decision was made after continued requests from its customers, many of whom are large-scale investors in the cryptocurrency market. At least 1,800 Ferrari cars have already been exported to the United States as of October, with an order portfolio reportedly booked into 2025. Reuters
