The Full Belmonte, 10/29/2023
October 29, 2023
By The Morning Team
Good morning. We’re covering Israeli troops in Gaza — as well as Matthew Perry’s death, the Maine shooting and TikTok.
Northern Gaza. Tamir Kalifa for The New York Times
The war’s ‘next stage’
“Israel announced it will attack Gaza from the air, land and sea, expanding its war against Hamas days after its tanks began an intense ground operation. The military again urged civilians to move south as troops have entered Gaza from the north (see where troops crossed the border).
Benjamin Netanyahu called the troops’ arrival the “second stage” of the war and warned Israelis to expect a long, difficult fight. But he did not say that Israel had launched a full ground invasion. While the number of soldiers in Gaza remains unclear, a more limited initial ground war would align with recent suggestions from the U.S. defense secretary, The Times’s Eric Schmitt reports.
The first stage of the war has been a bombing campaign that Palestinians say has killed thousands of people, many of them children. Israel said its airstrikes were intended to hit military targets, like Hamas’s fighters and weapons stores. But experts say the majority of the group’s fighters and many of its weapons are underground in a vast network of tunnels, making it difficult for Israel to strike them from the air.
In this next stage, the ground war, troops are expected to face bloody urban combat. Hamas is likely to booby-trap apartments and fire at Israelis from rooftops. Gaza’s densely packed streets are difficult to attack with tanks, which could help Hamas despite Israel’s stronger military.
Details of the fighting are expected to become clearer today as phone and internet service begins to return to Gaza. The enclave was in a near-total blackout for much of the weekend. Palestinians said that airstrikes had cut off cell networks, making it harder for them to coordinate medical rescues, speak to family or share news about the fighting.
The blackout also complicated evacuation efforts. For more than two weeks, Israel has been calling on Gazans to move south, closer to the border with Egypt, an order that has pushed hundreds of thousands to leave their homes.
As desperation spread during the blackout, thousands of people broke into warehouses to take aid, like flour, according to the U.N. The Israeli military said, without giving details, that humanitarian efforts to send more aid to Gaza — led by Egypt and the U.S. — would be expanded tomorrow.” [New York Times]
The latest on the fighting
“The Israeli military said two of its soldiers were injured overnight in northern Gaza, its first reported casualties of the expanded ground incursion. Follow our updates.” [New York Times]
“The Israeli military and Hezbollah clashed along the border with Lebanon, fueling fears of a wider war.” [New York Times]
“Ebrahim Raisi, Iran’s president, said Israel had crossed a ‘red line which may force everyone to take action.’” [New York Times]
“‘We are just waiting our turn’: Gazans say they worry they could die at any moment.” [New York Times]
More on the war
“In a social media post that was deleted after a fierce backlash, Netanyahu publicly blamed Israel’s failures on Oct. 7 on the country’s heads of military intelligence and its internal security agency.” [New York Times]
“China is pitching itself as a neutral peace broker, but antisemitism is spreading across Chinese state media and social platforms.” [New York Times]
“Pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched in several cities, including New York and London, calling for a cease-fire. See videos.” [New York Times]
Maine Shooting
“The man who killed 18 people in Lewiston, Maine, had been paranoid and made threats against his Army reserve base last month, prompting an alert to state police, officials said.” [New York Times]
“The attack was the deadliest mass shooting in America this year.” [New York Times]
Auto Strikes
“The United Automobile Workers union reached a tentative contract agreement with Stellantis, which owns Chrysler, Jeep and Ram.” [New York Times]
“Of the three big Detroit automakers, only General Motors has yet to make a deal. The union expanded its strike against G.M. to a plant in Tennessee.” [New York Times]
International
In Senegal.Hannah Reyes Morales for The New York Times
“By 2050, one in four people on Earth will be African. The youth boom is changing the continent, and the world.” [New York Times]
“A monthlong meeting about the future of the Catholic Church ended with an agreement that women need a larger role, but few actual plans for change.” [New York Times]
“Armita Geravand, a 16-year-old high-school student in Iran whose subway collapse fueled outrage against the country’s morality police, has died after weeks in a coma.” [New York Times]
Mike Pence suspends his struggling 2024 campaign
The former vice president was unable to gain traction in the face of Donald Trump’s dominance in the race
“LAS VEGAS — Former vice president Mike Pence suspended his campaign for the GOP presidential nomination Saturday, facing the reality that there was little appetite for his candidacy among the legions of Republican voters who remain loyal to his former running mate Donald Trump and viewed Pence as a traitor because he refused to follow Trump’s demands to overturn the 2020 election results.
After staying fiercely loyal to Trump for nearly four years in the White House, Pence sharply and publicly broke with Trump over his efforts to overturn the election and his inaction during the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. During his announcement speech in June, Pence argued that Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election were disqualifying, declaring that ‘anyone who puts themselves over the Constitution should never be president of the United States.’
That approach fell flat with the party base….” Read more at Washington Post
Democrats make Speaker Mike Johnson their new 2024 boogeyman
BY JULIA MANCHESTER
© Greg Nash
“Democrats are seeking to make new Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) a boogeyman going into next year’s general election, citing his conservative voting record in the House.
Following Johnson’s election Wednesday, President Biden’s reelection campaign blasted out a fundraising email, calling Johnson ‘a Trump lackey.’ Meanwhile, the House Democratic campaign arm sent messaging guidance, referring to Johnson as ‘Jim Jordan in a sports coat.’”
Read the full story here [The Hill]
Conservatives see opening for anti-abortion, anti-trans push with Speaker Johnson
BY NATHANIEL WEIXEL
The House GOP's election of Rep. Mike Johnson (La.) as Speaker is likely to give an opening to social conservatives, who plan to press him on bringing anti-abortion and anti-transgender policies up for a vote.
But Republicans remain divided on those red-meat issues, and any such floor votes could endanger the swing-district members who voted for Johnson and helped the GOP clinch its majority.
Read the full story here [The Hill]
Haley digs at Trump’s eyebrow-raising foreign policy comments
BY LAUREN IRWIN
“Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley took digs at former President Trump’s friendliness to foreign dictators in a speech Saturday at the Republican Jewish Coalition annual summit.
Haley, the former governor of South Carolina and former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, prefaced her statements by giving the former president credit for getting out of the Iran deal and said she ‘was honored to have played a part in those efforts.’”
Read the full story here [The Hill]
Prescription for disaster: America's broken pharmacy system in revolt over burnout and errors
USA TODAY
“Pharmacists with the nation’s largest retail pharmacy chain felt dangerously burned out.
It was August 2020. The pandemic was in full swing, straining an already weary workforce hit by a decade of relentless budget cuts and rising demands.
One by one, the pharmacists dialed into a weekly conference call with their boss. He could have empathized with them or addressed the reality of their pressure-cooker environment – one that breeds medication errors and creates missed opportunities to prevent potentially deadly mistakes.
Instead, CVS District Leader Khalil Haidar turned up the heat. He harped on his Texas-and-Louisiana-based team to hit corporate quotas: Sell more store memberships. Push for more prescription pickups. Vaccinate more people. He threatened discipline and staff cuts unless pharmacists convinced at least five customers that week to get a flu shot before flu season had even officially started.
‘If you get your goal, nobody will come after you,’ Haidar said on the call, one of several recorded and shared with USA TODAY. ‘And many patients, they are ignorant. They don’t know what the flu is ... How are you going to convince them? How can you persuade them? That’s your job as a pharmacist.’
Pharmacists take an oath to hold patient safety in the highest regard when preparing and dispensing medication. But rising pressures inside the nation’s largest retail chains have forced pharmacists to choose between that oath and their job.
The situation was bad before the pandemic. COVID-19 made it worse. It has only gone downhill since then. Frustrations boiled over this autumn in a series of high-profile walkouts that left a string of CVS and Walgreens pharmacies shuttered or short-staffed. Those actions might have caught consumers off guard. But inside the troubled industry, it was the clarion call of a beleaguered workforce pushed to the brink.
Corporations like CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens and Walmart have consistently slashed pharmacy staffing levels while simultaneously saddling their frontline workers with a burgeoning list of additional duties.
Stores that a decade ago might have had two pharmacists and six pharmacy technicians filling an average of 500 prescriptions a day now may have half the staff and an even higher prescription volume – plus an endless crush of vaccine appointments, rapid tests and patient consultation calls.
Every task is timed and measured against corporate goals that reward speed and profits. Staff who do not fill prescriptions fast enough, answer the phones quickly enough or drum up enough vaccination business can face discipline, reassignment or termination.
Pharmacists said it’s nearly impossible to meet all the demands without cutting corners, and when corners get cut, patients can get hurt.
‘The public’s health is in danger,’ said Oklahoma City pharmacist Bled Tanoe, who quit her job at Walgreens in August 2021 over what she considered unsafe staffing levels and an emphasis on hitting corporate targets. ‘The incidents of error are multiplied by infinity.’….” Read more at USA Today
“In 1970, federal public health researcher Dr. Carl Shy published a paper showing that families exposed to nitrogen dioxide gas outside had higher rates of respiratory illness than those living in less polluted areas. The paper led to a meeting with America's gas industry, where he learned gas stoves emit nitrogen dioxide, and range hoods aren't strong enough to remove it.
So why did it take more than 50 years for Americans to discover the danger of gas stoves?
Cornell Watson for NPR
An NPR investigation and documents uncovered by the research and watchdog group Climate Investigations Center reveal how natural gas utilities and their powerful trade group, the American Gas Association (AGA) convinced customers that gas cooking is just as safe as electric.
The AGA and utilities funded studies countering research on the health and climate risks of using gas stoves. The studies focused on and magnified uncertainties, leaving an impression that the research isn't clear despite more and more evidence to the contrary.
It's a familiar playbook — one the tobacco industry used for decades to fend off regulation. The gas industry-backed research has sowed confusion and thwarted policy more than once.
Read NPR's full investigation and the history of the push to get more people to buy gas stoves here. Then, check these stories out for more information:
About 40% of U.S. homes already have a gas stove. So what can you do about it? NPR's Jeff Brady has some advice.
Gas stoves are a polarizing topic in the culture wars. I admit it's hard to sever my fondness for my stove despite all the research. Here's how viral social media content fuels the outrage.
Replacing a gas stove can be too expensive for many people. Here are four other environmentally friendly swaps you could make in the meantime.” [NPR]
'Friends' star Matthew Perry, sitcom great who battled addiction, dead at 54
USA TODAY
“Matthew Perry, who was best known for playing sarcastic, wisecracking Chandler Bing on NBC's smash hit comedy "Friends," has died at 54.
Perry was found dead Saturday in a jacuzzi at his Los Angeles home, according to TMZ, the first to report the news. NBC News and the Los Angeles Times also confirmed his death with police sources.
Warner Bros. Television Group, which produced "Friends," said in a statement. ‘We are devastated by the passing of our dear friend Matthew Perry,’ calling him ‘an incredibly gifted actor and an indelible part of the (studio's) family. The impact of his comedic genius was felt around the world, and his legacy will live on in the hearts of so many. This is a heartbreaking day, and we send our love to his family, his loved ones, and all of his devoted fans.’
Perry co-starred on "Friends" for the entire 10-season run of what was then TV's No. 1 comedy from 1994 to 2004, and appeared in all 234 episodes. He also starred in the films "Fools Rush In" "Almost Heroes" and "17 Again." On TV, he followed his "Friends" role with short-lived series including Aaron Sorkin's NBC drams "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," ABC comedy "Mr. Sunshine" and appearances on CBS' "The Good Wife" and streaming spinoff "The Good Fight."
It was his role as Chandler Bing on "Friends," opposite Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer and Matt LeBlanc, that defined his career. By the series' end, Chandler had married Monica (Cox) and had twins.
Remembering those we lost: Celebrity Deaths 2023
But Perry's real life was not a comedy with a happy ending. He released his memoir, "Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing," in 2022, and opened up about life behind the scenes of the sitcom, chronicling his battle with alcohol and drugs. Perry wrote with candor and compassion and showed his dedication to continue to fighting a near-fatal battle.
‘There is light in the darkness,’ Perry wrote in the prologue. ‘You just have to look hard enough to find it.’
Perry reunited with the six original cast members of "Friends" hits HBO Max in 2021, for a sweet and emotional reunion at the Warner Bros. lot. The unscripted format allowed him to talk with co-stars Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, and Matt LeBlanc.
Throughout the book, Perry details an array of health complications stemming from his substance use, including alcohol-induced erectile dysfunction and pancreatitis at age 30. But one of the most eye-opening experiences in his journey was when he nearly died at age 49 after his colon exploded from opioid use. As a result, the actor was in a coma, on life support, for two weeks. What followed was five months in the hospital and nine more with a colostomy bag – a traumatic experience that ultimately ‘miraculously remove(d) my desire to take drugs.’
More:Mira Sorvino and other celebrities pay tribute to Matthew Perry, who died at 54
‘My therapist said to me, ‘The next time you think about OxyContin, I want you to think about living out the rest of your days with a colostomy bag,'‘ he writes. ‘Having had a colostomy bag for nine long months, my therapist’s words hit hard. And when this man’s words hit hard, the prudent thing to do is to get into action immediately.’
In fall of last year, Perry said he was 18 months sober. He said he was grateful to be alive and to finally share his story – with concerned "Friends" fans and addicts who face stigma and judgment.
‘In the end, admitting defeat was winning,’ he wrote. ‘Addiction, the big terrible thing, is far too powerful for anyone to defeat alone. But together, one day at a time, we can beat it down.’
Perry was born on Aug. 19, 1969, in Williamstown, Massachusetts. His mother, a Canadian journalist and press secretary to former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, and father, an actor and model, split when he was 1, and his mother remarried "Dateline NBC" journalist Keith Morrison. He was raised in Ottawa by his mother and moved to Los Angeles as a teen. His first credited role was in ABC rescue series "240-Robert," in 1979, and he also guest starred in '80s sitcoms "Charles in Charge" and "Silver Spoons" early in his career.
Perry's last Instagram post, on Monday, showed him in a jacuzzi.” [USA Today]
Contributing: Bryan Alexander, Gary Levin and Jenna Ryu
Winners and losers of college football's Week 9: Kansas rises up to knock down Oklahoma
USA TODAY
“Games against SMU, Cincinnati and Central Florida made Oklahoma look beatable. The rivalry win against Texas made the Sooners look like the best team in the Big 12 and a legitimate contender for the College Football Playoff.
More so than any of the other unbeaten Power Five teams at the top of this week's US LBM AFCA Coaches Poll, the Sooners were a question mark. Was this truly an elite team, or simply one that had outplayed expectations?
The reality might land somewhere near the middle: Oklahoma is clearly capable of reaching the conference championship game but is not good enough to run the table in coach Brent Venables' second season.
Kansas handed the Sooners a 38-33 loss behind 280 yards of total offense from backup quarterback Jason Bean, a combined 225 rushing yards and four touchdowns as a team and some solid defense from the secondary, which corralled Dillon Gabriel and the Sooners' passing game to score the upset. It was the first victory for the Jayhawks against Oklahoma since 1997, ending a string of 18 consecutive losses, and their fans responded by hauling off the goal posts after storming the field.
The loss erases Oklahoma's wiggle room when it comes to the playoff and demands a clean sweep through the rest of the regular season and conference title game to secure a top-four finish.
After flirting with danger in a series of competitive wins, Oklahoma ran into trouble against an offense that ranks among the best in the Bowl Subdivision even without Jalon Daniels, who has missed extensive time this season with a back injury.
Bean has been very good in Daniels' place, going for over 400 yards through the air in last week's loss to Oklahoma State and offsetting a pair of interceptions against the Sooners to lead four touchdown drives, the last capped by a nine-yard run by Devin Neal to give KU the lead with 55 seconds left.
Oklahoma is now one of four teams sitting at 4-1 in league play, along with the Texas, Kansas State and Iowa State. At 3-2, Kansas is one of nine teams in the Big 12 with two fewer conference losses. The tiebreaker against Texas and a manageable November schedule makes OU a favorite to finish in the top two of the final Big 12 standings.
Winners
Oregon
Teams don’t do to Utah what Oregon did to the Utes. The Ducks averaged 5.3 yards per carry, gained 390 yards of offense and scored a 35-6 win that sends a major message — one that says Oregon is an elite team that should not be counted out as one of the top championship contenders despite this month’s loss to Washington. Bo Nix continued to build his Heisman Trophy argument by completing 24 of 31 throws for 248 yards and two touchdowns as the Oregon defense forced two turnovers and held the Utes to 2.8 yards per carry, with almost all of that damage coming with the game out of reach. The 29-point margin of defeat is Utah’s worst since losing 38-10 to Texas in the 2019 Alamo Bowl.
Georgia
Georgia’s first game without star tight end Brock Bowers went well. Facing off against Florida, which had been streaking behind some strong play by quarterback Graham Mertz, the Bulldogs got 315 yards on 11.2 yards per attempt from quarterback Carson Beck and dominated the neutral-site rivalry game from the start, taking a 26-7 halftime lead and sailing to a 43-20 win. Even without Bowers, the passing game connected on three gains of at least 40 yards and loosened things up for Daijun Edwards and Kendall Milton, who finished with a combined 151 yards and three scores on 28 carries. Georgia might not be able to three-peat without Bowers, but this team can clearly keep winning and take home the SEC while he’s sidelined with an ankle injury.
Air Force
Air Force remained unbeaten with a 30-13 win in the snow against Colorado State, setting up one of the most important final months in program history as the Falcons look to secure the Mountain West crown and the automatic Group of Five bid to the New Year’s Six. The Rams have been much better than its 3-5 record and has clearly made big strides in Jay Norvell’s second season, as shown in competitive performances against Colorado, UNLV and, for most of the three quarters, the Falcons. In the end, Air Force had the defense and run-first offense to fend off Colorado State and keep on track for the program’s best year in decades. Air Force ran for 259 yards, didn’t commit a turnover and went a combined 9 of 16 on third and fourth down.
Northwestern
The Wildcats are making a remarkable push toward bowl eligibility after a disruptive offseason that featured the dismissal of longtime coach Pat Fitzgerald. His interim replacement, first-year defensive coordinator David Braun, has Northwestern at 4-4 following an upset of Maryland, which has dropped three in a row after a 5-0 start. The 33-27 victory also has Northwestern in the mix for the Big Ten West heading into crucial games against divisional front-runners Wisconsin and Iowa. Even if they go winless in November, the Wildcats have well surpassed the minimal, one-win expectations placed on this team heading into the regular season.
Southern California
About three weeks ago, there’s no way we would’ve applauded Southern California for a 50-49 win against California. Not that the applause is deafening as is: USC remains inept on defense and very well could’ve lost if not for the Golden Bears’ botched punt return when up 43-36 and, of course, the play of quarterback Caleb Williams. But the math has changed for the Trojans following losses to Notre Dame and Utah, so salvaging any sort of win against Cal is extremely meaningful given the fact that Washington, Oregon and UCLA are still to come in November. In other words, a loss Saturday could’ve set up a seven- or even six-win finish, which would’ve been a complete disaster, not to mention an embarrassment for Lincoln Riley and the program.
Nebraska
After topping Purdue 31-14, a three-game winning streak for the first time since 2016. In a four-way tie atop the Big Ten West with Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Owners of the nation's most improved defenses and one of the top defensive units, period. This Matt Rhule thing is going to work out for the Cornhuskers. With one more victory, they'll be in a bowl game after a seven-year absence, dating to that 2016 season.
Losers
Colorado
The losing stretch continues, and that 3-0 start seems deeper and deeper in the past as Colorado tries and struggles to scratch out six wins in Deion Sanders' debut. As expected, the Buffaloes couldn't get going against the UCLA defense in a 28-16 loss, the team's second loss in a row and fourth in five games. Once a Heisman leader, quarterback Shedeur Sanders cracked 200 yards and had a meaningless touchdown in garbage time but was sacked seven times and again under constant duress behind one of the nation's most sieve-like offensive lines. He was outplayed by the Bruins' Ethan Garbers, who finished 20 of 27 for 269 yards and two touchdowns. The Buffaloes are now sitting at 4-4 with a November slate of Oregon State, Arizona, Washington State and Utah, making it very unlikely that Sanders gets to bowl eligibility.
Clemson
Clemson has dropped off the map in just a fraction of the time it took for Dabo Swinney to turn the program into one of the best in the FBS. After losing 24-17 to North Carolina State, the Tigers are a middling 4-4 overall, owners of four losses before November for the first time since 2010, and losers of six of nine against Power Five competition. This isn’t a fluke or an aberration; this is an average team, befitting the .500 record, and one that no longer deserves the benefit of the doubt. The question is: What will Swinney do, if anything, to try and reverse the way Clemson has suddenly turned pedestrian?
Washington
Washington keeps winning but has slumped in the two games since beating Oregon, raising a questions about the Huskies’ place among the best teams in the FBS. After topping Arizona State 15-7 last weekend, Washington again struggled to nail down a 42-33 win against Stanford, another one of the bottom teams in the Pac-12. What does this say about the Huskies? One individual factor to consider is the play of quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who rebounded from a two-interception game against Arizona State with 369 yards and four scores against the Cardinal, though he did have a late turnover that could've proved very costly. While a better performance, these two weeks have dug into the solid lead Penix had built in the Heisman race. From a team perspective, there’s a chance the Huskies have been unable to get back on track after the emotionally draining win against the Ducks. They need to regain that momentum — and they need to do it fast.
Ohio State
What is Ohio State? One of the best teams in the country? One of the small group of teams that can not only make the playoff but win two games in that setting? Last week’s win against Penn State made the case. But the Buckeyes’ lack of a dominant 60-minute performance is becoming more and more concerning after a 24-10 win against Wisconsin that again saw the offense struggle to find explosive plays and sustained drives against an opponent outside the top third of the Big Ten. And where would the team be without Marvin Harrison Jr.? The All-America pick had 123 yards and two scores receiving and carried the offense to the finish line alongside a long-awaited breakthrough night for running back TreVeyon Henderson, who had 162 yards and the game-icing touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Mississippi State
When it comes to the SEC, Mississippi State is better than Arkansas, Vanderbilt and that’s probably it. That’s the takeaway from a 27-13 loss to Auburn, which came into the weekend winless in league play and much less competitive than expected in coach Hugh Freeze’s first season. The Bulldogs are abysmal on offense. They averaged just 5.2 yards per play against the Tigers and converted just a pair of third downs after managing just one touchdown against Arkansas, though that was enough to pull out the 7-3 win. Since Auburn is already two touchdowns better than Mississippi State in 2023, you begin to wonder how much the gap will grow as the Freeze era continues.
Kentucky
A promising season for Mark Stoops and Kentucky has crumbled amid three losses in a row, the latest a 33-27 decision against Tennessee that could doom the Wildcats to the bottom half of the SEC West. There were issues on offense even during the team’s 5-0 start that have risen to the surface during the losing streak; while Kentucky managed put up 444 yards against the Volunteers, it couldn’t get anything going on the ground and struggled to convert on third down. But of even bigger concern has been the decline on defense, which went from allowing 76 points in the first five games to 122 in the past three. Against Tennessee, Kentucky allowed 253 rushing yards on 5.4 yards per carry and 481 yards of offense overall. While the Wildcats will eventually land another victory and get into a bowl, games to come against Alabama and Louisville could cap this year at seven wins.” [USA Today]
”Lives Lived: Joanna Merlin played Tzeitel, the eldest daughter, in the hit Broadway musical “Fiddler on the Roof,” then became a renowned casting director. She died at 92.” [New York Times]
THE WEEK AHEAD
What to Watch For
“Biden is expected to issue an executive order to regulate artificial intelligence tomorrow.
Tuesday is Halloween. Trick or treat!
The Federal Reserve meets Tuesday and Wednesday to decide whether to raise interest rates. Most experts expect them to remain the same.
Trump’s children are scheduled to testify in his company’s civil fraud trial in New York: Donald Trump Jr. on Wednesday, Eric Trump on Thursday and Ivanka Trump on Friday.
The U.S. government releases its monthly jobs report on Friday.” [New York Times]
Israeli tanks and troops move near the border with Gaza in Sderot, Israel.
“The Israeli military said earlier today it was ‘increasing the urgency’ of its calls for people in northern Gaza to flee south, a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had launched the ‘second stage’ of its war against Hamas.
The United Auto Workers union came to a tentative agreement Saturday with Stellantis, which makes vehicles under the Dodge, Ram, Chrysler and Jeep brands. But it expanded the strike against General Motors, America’s largest automaker and the last remaining holdout of the Big Three — dashing hopes it was close to ending the last remaining strike.
Matthew Perry, the beloved actor who starred as Chandler Bing on “Friends,” has died. He was 54. Police in Los Angeles are investigating Perry’s death, a law enforcement source told CNN. There is currently no foul play suspected, the source said. However, the incident remains under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department Robbery-Homicide Division.
Former Vice President Mike Pence has suspended his campaign for president amid lagging poll numbers and financial challenges, vowing to help elect ‘principled Republican leaders’ moving forward. ‘After much prayer and deliberation, I have decided to suspend my campaign for president effective today,’ Pence said at the Republican Jewish Coalition’s annual conference in Las Vegas on Saturday.
The man accused of killing 18 people at a bowling alley and a restaurant in Maine last week was found dead on Friday evening. The body of the suspect was discovered some 10 miles from the shattered community of Lewiston with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities said.
MONDAY
The trial in a lawsuit seeking to block former President Donald Trump from the 2024 presidential ballot based on the 14th Amendment’s ‘insurrectionist ban’ is scheduled to begin in Colorado. Last week, a judge rejected Trump's fifth attempt to throw out the lawsuit, which is one of several pending suits trying to derail his candidacy based on his role in the January 6, 2021, insurrection. The 14th Amendment, which was ratified after the Civil War, says US officials who take an oath to uphold the Constitution are disqualified from future office if they ‘engaged in insurrection’ or have ‘given aid or comfort’ to insurrectionists. However, the Constitution does not spell out how to enforce the ban, and it has only been applied twice since the 1800s.
Also on Monday, Apple is set to hold its second product event of the season, a month after introducing its new iPhone 15 lineup. The tagline for the event — ‘scary fast’ — is an apparent nod to the likely unveiling of its next-generation silicon chip, M3, as well as to Halloween. The company is expected to show off new iMac computers boasting the new powerful chipset.
TUESDAY
Happy Halloween! If you're carving a pumpkin this weekend, watch this short video to learn how to avoid some of the most common injuries. And make sure your little Barbie or Batman wears something warm under their costume because temperatures are expected to plummet across much of the US on Halloween night.
WEDNESDAY
Federal Reserve policymakers will wrap up their two-day meeting with an announcement on interest rates. Economists are anticipating a ‘status quo policy update,’ which means a rate hike is not in the cards. That expectation is being fueled by comments from Fed Chair Jerome Powell, who said earlier this month that the central bank is unwilling to make big moves and risk ‘unnecessary harm to the economy.’
November 1 is the day that areas of West Maui — except for burned-out sections of historic Lahaina — will reopen to tourism following the deadliest US wildfire in more than a century. Maui Mayor Richard Bissen said he made the decision following discussions with his Lahaina advisory team, the Red Cross and other partners, as well as listening to community feedback.
FRIDAY
We'll wrap up the week with the monthly employment report for October. The US economy added an estimated 336,000 jobs in September, blowing expectations out of the water. That was the biggest gain since January, with all major sectors showing growth — particularly leisure and hospitality jobs.” [CNN]