October 25 top stories
It is October 25. Here are today’s top stories.
Rep. Mike Johnson wins House Speaker vote
Rep. Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) was elected House Speaker today. He got 220 votes from his Republican colleagues.
This appears to be the end of a three-week ordeal after the former Speaker was ousted due to disputes between conservative and ultra-conservative Republicans.
Once Johnson officially becomes Speaker, the House can go back to legislative business and work on various critical bills such as funding the government and providing support to Ukraine and Israel.
Cat. 5 Hurricane Otis hits Acapulco
The Mexican city of Acapulco was hit by Category 5 hurricane Otis early this morning. It may have had wind speeds of 165 mph.
Weather forecasters said the hurricane grew very strong very quickly and surprised many of them.
Mexican President Obrador said the hurricane hit the region, Guerrero State, very hard. He said this morning that communications have been cut off there.
We will know more by tomorrow on the impact of Hurricane Otis.
First major snowstorm in northern Rockies
The National Weather Service said the first major snowstorm of the season is expected to hit parts of Washington state, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and North Dakota. There is already some snow falling in these areas.
Forecasts said central Montana will see the most snow. A local meteorologist said the first snowfall of the season is always the most dangerous because people just aren’t used to it yet when they drive around.
—-------
[Sponsored video from Sorenson: www.sorenson.com]
—--------
Report: Mark Meadows granted immunity
ABC News reported that Mark Meadows, who was former president Donald Trump’s final chief of staff, was granted immunity to testify under oath with special counsel Jack Smith’s team. Immunity means Meadows will not face criminal consequences for his testimony.
Meadows said Trump was being dishonest with the public when he claimed that he won the election after polls closed on Nov. 3, 2020 before final results were in.
Trump was indicted in August with four counts including conspiring to defraud the U.S. and conspiracy to violate people’s constitutional right to vote.
A spokesperson for Trump said this news is an unethical leak from a “Biden witch-hunt” and that he would continue to focus on winning back the White House.
Suspected shooter of two cops found dead
John Drake Jr., the suspect in the shooting of two police officers in Tennessee, was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound after leading police on a chase in a stolen car.
Drake Jr. was the son of Nashville Police Chief John Drake. He previously said they were estranged. He said he is heartbroken and saddened by this outcome.
The two officers who were shot have been released from a hospital.
Conflicts between Israel and United Nations
The Israeli ambassador to the United Nations (UN) is demanding the UN Secretary-General Guterres to resign for saying in a speech yesterday that the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, although horrifying, “did not happen in a vacuum” because “the Palestinian people have been subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation…”
Israel’s ambassador Erdan said Guterres should resign because his words suggest that Israel has guilt for the actions of Hamas, for the murder of innocents.
Guterres said he is shocked by the criticism.
The Israeli government said it would deny visas to top UN officials.
Another conflict between Israel and the UN is providing fuel to Gaza. UN workers said there needs to be a pause in the fighting to deliver fuel otherwise the area will run out by tonight and the UN will have to stop their aid efforts. Israel’s military showed an image of fuel tanks inside Gaza, said Hamas has been stockpiling fuel, and that the UN can ask Hamas for some fuel.
The UN is the main humanitarian operation in Gaza so this conflict with the Israeli government will have a significant impact on Palestinian civilians.
Israel has been steadfast in saying they will not stop their fight against Hamas until they are erased from the planet.
President Biden said today that Israel has to do everything in its power, as difficult it is, to protect innocent civilians.
That is all the top stories for today. See you tomorrow and stay with the light.
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/live-updates/House-speaker-vote-live-updates/?id=104039543
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/10/25/world/hurricane-otis-acapulco
https://abcnews.go.com/US/chief-staff-mark-meadows-granted-immunity-tells-special/story?id=104231281
https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/police-chiefs-son-wanted-shooting-2-officers-found-104275134