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5 crucial points for October 17th: Harris on Fox News, Elections abroad, Middle Eastern developments, Archdiocese controversy, Mifepristone prescriptions
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1. Harris on Fox News
Vice President Kamala Harris faced off against Fox News during a fiery interview on Wednesday, marking her debut on the conservative outlet. When grilled about border crossings and violent crimes committed by undocumented individuals under Joe Biden's administration, Harris consistently critiqued former president Donald Trump for blocking a bipartisan border security bill earlier this year. Fox anchor Bret Baier challenged Harris over the Biden administration's decision to eliminate Trump-era border policies, leading to tense exchanges between the two. Harris questioned Trump's cognitive abilities, labeling him "unstable" and stating, "we should all be worried." The interview came as Harris attempts to win over undecided voters who have historically supported Republicans but express reservations towards Trump.
2. Overseas Voting
An overseas voting process that could be vital for Democrats has become the target of several lawsuits backed by the Republican Party. Approximately 6.5 million eligible American citizens live, serve, and study overseas, with about 1.6 million of them hailing from battleground states. These votes could tip the scale: The 2020 election was decided by 44,000 votes across four states. Beyond the recent lawsuits initiated by Republicans in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Michigan, Donald Trump has insinuated without proof that overseas voting is prone to fraud.
3. Middle East
The US has conducted airstrikes against the Houthis in Yemen, targeting five underground weapon storage facilities. It's the first time the US has utilized B-2 stealth bombers to attack the Iran-supported militant group since tensions escalated in the Middle East a year ago. "This was an unprecedented demonstration of the US's capacity to target facilities that our adversaries seek to conceal, regardless of their depth, fortification, or hardness," Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said. The attacked facilities housed weapons used to strike US vessels in the Middle East. Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis are all components of an Iran-led alliance that has targeted Israel and its allies since the conflict began. The militants vowed to continue their attacks until a ceasefire is established in Gaza.
4. Archdiocese Scandal
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles has agreed to pay $880 million to victims of clerical sexual abuse dating back decades, according to an attorney, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. “I am deeply sorry for each one of these incidents, from the bottom of my heart,” Archbishop José H. Gomez said in a statement. “I believe that we have reached a resolution to these claims that will offer just compensation to the survivor-victims of these past abuses,” Gomez added. Lawyers for 1,353 people who claim to have suffered horrific abuse at the hands of local Catholic priests reached the settlement after months of negotiations with the archdiocese. The agreement smoothes out a quarter-century of litigation against the most populous archdiocese in the US.
5. Abortion Pills
Four months following the Supreme Court's dismissal of a major challenge to the abortion drug mifepristone, three conservative states have launched a fresh campaign to restrict access to the pills. Missouri, Kansas, and Idaho filed an amended suit in a federal court in Texas, requesting US District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk to roll back actions the FDA has taken over the past eight years to facilitate access to the drug, such as allowing the pills to be dispensed by mail. The suit may rekindle the issue of mifepristone access before the Supreme Court for review in the upcoming presidential term, potentially endangering the drug's widespread availability in states where abortion is legal.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Early voting begins in North CarolinaEarly in-person voting begins today in North Carolina as authorities in the crucial battleground state have been making last-minute adjustments in the wake of Hurricane Helene to ensure voters can exercise their right to vote despite the storm. Keep up-to-date on the latest developments.
MORNING BOOST
Witness the splendor of October's supermoon tonightQuality time with the cosmos? Spare a moment to marvel at the closest supermoon of the year. It's set to peak at its fullest around 11:26 p.m. ET, but the radiant orb will hold sway throughout the night, as per NASA.
Someone altered the 'Wicked' film poster to resemble the musical's versionCynthia Erivo, the lead actress of the upcoming "Wicked" movie, found some internet jokes disheartening after they digitally altered her appearance in the movie poster's image.
Italian law prohibits couples from having a baby through surrogacy abroadItaly's legislature banned couples from traveling abroad to acquire a baby through surrogacy. Critics argued that the law was intended to discriminate against same-sex partners.
IN MEMORY
Liam Payne, a past member of One Direction, reportedly died following a fall from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires, as stated by local authorities. He was 31 years old. Authorities are currently examining the circumstances surrounding his demise and performing an autopsy.
TODAY’S STAT
13,000This is the number of Minute Maid Lemonade cans that Coca-Cola recalled due to mislabeling. The bottles were misidentified as containing “zero sugar”, when in fact, they contained the regular sugar-filled version of the drink. According to the FDA's announcement.
TODAY’S QUOTE
“This harrowing occurrence has left us all deeply affected.”
— Nigerian Vice President Kashim Shettima, expressing condolences to the victims of a fuel truck explosion in Majiya, a town in Jigawa state. The explosion happened Tuesday after the tanker veered off the road and spilled fuel, leading locals to attempt to collect it. The casualty count now stands at 153 fatalities and 100 injuries, as reported by emergency services and the police.
TODAY’S WEATHER
View your local forecast here>>>
AND FINALLY ...
Take a look behind the scenes at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion ShowAfter a six-year hiatus, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show took place in New York this week. CNN went behind-the-scenes to interview the models about the show's revival.
- During the interview, Vice President Harris mentioned that the Republican Party hasn't been helping in passing a bipartisan border security bill, which is a major concern for us.
- If the lawsuits against overseas voting are successful, it could potentially disenfranchise millions of US citizens living abroad, impacting us and our ability to cast our votes in elections.
