Biden visiting Israel to reaffirm support; seek aid for Gaza: The Morning Rundown, Oct. 17, 2023

PRESIDENT BIDEN WILL BE MAKING A TRIP TO ISRAEL — AS THE COUNTRY’S WAR WITH HAMAS CONTINUES

STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS TALKS WITH JIM JORDAN AHEAD OF TODAY’S OFFICIAL VOTE FOR SPEAKER

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TODAY IS TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17TH.

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I’M KARAH RUCKER.

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN WILL BE VISITING ISRAEL ON WEDNESDAY — AS THE UNITED STATES CONTINUES TO SHOW ITS SUPPORT FOR THE COUNTRY IN ITS FIGHT AGAINST THE TERRORIST GROUP HAMAS – WHILE ALSO LOOKING FOR WAYS TO PROVIDE HUMANITARIAN AID FOR CIVILIANS LIVING IN GAZA AMID ISRAEL’S ONGOING RESPONSE TO THE OCTOBER 7TH ATTACK.

SPEAKING FROM TEL AVIV MONDAY NIGHT — SECRETARY OF STATE ANTONY BLINKEN LAID OUT THE GOALS OF BIDEN’S TRIP FOLLOWING A MEETING WITH ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU.

“The president will reaffirm the United States’ solidarity with Israel and our ironclad commitment to its security. President Biden will again make clear, as he’s done unequivocally since Hamas’ slaughter of more than 1400 people, including at least 30 Americans, that Israel has the right and indeed the duty to defend its people from Hamas and other terrorists, and to prevent future attacks.”

THE UNITED STATES HAS SENT TWO CARRIER STRIKE GROUPS TO THE MEDITERRANEAN – AND AROUND 2,000 US TROOPS HAVE BEEN TOLD TO PREPARE FOR DEPLOYMENT TO THE MIDDLE EAST IN CASE THEY ARE NEEDED IN THE AREA TO SUPPORT ISRAEL.  

BLINKEN SAID – DURING HIS TRIP — BIDEN WILL WORK WITH ISRAELI PARTNERS ON FREEING THE NEARLY 200 HOSTAGES – INCLUDING AMERICANS – TAKEN BY HAMAS MILITANTS.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE SAYS BIDEN WILL ALSO LOOK TO HEAR HOW ISRAEL IS CONDUCTING ITS RETALIATION AGAINST HAMAS — WHILE MINIMIZING CIVILIAN CASUALTIES AND ENABLING HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO THOSE LIVING IN GAZA.

ACCORDING TO THE PALESTINIAN HEALTH MINISTRY, MORE THAN 2,800 PEOPLE HAVE DIED IN THE TERRITORY SINCE ISRAEL LAUNCHED ITS AIRSTRIKES IN RESPONSE TO HAMAS’ TERRORIST ATTACK.

WHILE IN THE MIDDLE EAST, PRESIDENT BIDEN WILL ALSO TRAVEL TO JORDAN TO MEET WITH THEIR COUNTRY’S KING AS WELL AS THE EGYPTIAN AND PALESTINIAN PRESIDENTS.

AN OVERNIGHT MANHUNT FOR A GUNMAN WANTED IN THE KILLING OF TWO SWEDISH SOCCER FANS IN BRUSSELS ENDED THIS MORNING WITH POLICE FATALLY SHOOTING THE SUSPECT.

THE ATTACK HAPPENED MONDAY NIGHT THREE MILES FROM THE STADIUM WHERE BELGIUM WAS PLAYING SWEDEN.

THE SOCCER GAME WAS SUSPENDED.

BELGIUM’S PRIME MINISTER CALLED THE SHOOTING A BRUTAL TERRORIST ATTACK.

POLICE DESCRIBE THE 45-YEAR-OLD SUSPECT AS A (TWO-NEE–SHEN) TUNISIAN EXTREMIST.

A SPOKESPERSON FOR BELGIUM’S FEDERAL PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE SAID A SOCIAL MEDIA VIDEO ALLEGEDLY SHOWING THE SUSPECT SPEAKING FOLLOWING THE SHOOTING MENTIONED THE SWEDISH NATIONALITY OF THE VICTIM WAS A PROBABLE MOTIVE IN THE ATTACK.

THE SPOKESPERSON SAID THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS OF POTENTIAL LINK WITH THE ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR.

A THIRD VICTIM WAS BEING TREATED FOR SERIOUS INJURIES.

THE ATTACK LED BRUSSELS TO RAISE ITS TERROR THREAT LEVEL TO 4 — THE HIGHEST ON BELGIUM’S SCALE.

THE SUPREME COURT HAS ONCE AGAIN RULED IN FAVOR OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION’S ENFORCEMENT OF REGULATIONS AIMED AT GHOST GUNS – FIREARM-MAKING KITS THAT CAN BE PURCHASED ONLINE AND ASSEMBLED AT HOME.

MONDAY’S ORDER – WHICH HAD NO DISSENTING JUSTICE – CALLED FOR TWO INTERNET SELLERS OF GUN PARTS TO COMPLY WITH THE REGULATION.

THAT REGULATION — ISSUED BY THE ATF LAST YEAR — CHANGED THE DEFINITION OF FIREARMS UNDER FEDERAL LAW TO INCLUDE GHOST GUNS.

THE RULE REQUIRES MANUFACTURERS AND SELLERS OF THE KITS TO OBTAIN LICENSES, CONDUCT BACKGROUND CHECKS AND ADD SERIAL NUMBERS.

IN AUGUST – BY A VOTE OF 5 TO 4 – A SUPREME COURT RULING KEPT THE REGULATION IN EFFECT AFTER IT HAD BEEN INVALIDATED BY A LOWER COURT.

IN WASHINGTON – AN OFFICIAL VOTE FOR SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE IS EXPECTED TODAY.

HOUSE JUDICIARY CHAIRMAN JIM JORDAN — NOMINATED BY HOUSE REPUBLICANS LAST WEEK AFTER THEIR INITIAL CHOICE —  MAJORITY LEADER STEVE SCALISE DROPPED OUT — NEEDS 217 VOTES TO BE ELECTED TO THE POSITION.

STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT RAY BOGAN REPORTED MONDAY THAT JORDAN HAS PICKED UP SUPPORT FROM KEY REPUBLICANS – FOLLOWING A SECRET BALLOT FRIDAY THAT INDICATED 50 MEMBERS WERE OPPOSED TO HIS NOMINATION.

AT LEAST SIX HOUSE REPUBLICANS ARE REPORTEDLY STILL PLANNING TO NOT VOTE FOR JORDAN – WHO CAN ONLY AFFORD TO LOSE FOUR GOP VOTES.

AHEAD OF THE VOTING ON THE HOUSE FLOOR — RAY BOGAN CAUGHT UP WITH JORDAN OUTSIDE HIS OFFICE ON MONDAY.

Jordan: I feel real good. I think we’re close.

Bogan: What’s your message to the members who are still holdouts?

Jordan: Well, it’s just time to come together. You can’t do the work of the American people if you don’t have a speaker. So we need to unite and get a speaker and I think it’s important that the members make this decision, not any kind of pressure from folks around the country. It’s up to members and I feel good about where members are at. We’re having great discussions, so I feel good about tomorrow.

Bogan: Some members say they’re gonna have a challenger on the floor. Are you concerned about that?

Jordan: No.

STAY WITH STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS AS WE’LL BRING YOU THE LATEST FROM THE CAPITOL THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

LINKEDIN — AN ONLINE RESOURCE MANY GO TO WHEN LOOKING FOR A NEW JOB – IS LAYING OFF HUNDREDS OF EMPLOYEES.

THE SOCIAL NETWORK OWNED BY MICROSOFT SAYS IT WILL BE CUTTING 688 POSITIONS.

THE CUTS AFFECT MORE THAN 3 PERCENT OF ITS STAFF AND WILL BE IMPACTING THE COMPANY’S ENGINEERING, PRODUCT, TALENT AND FINANCE TEAMS.

THESE LAYOFFS FOLLOW LINKEDIN LETTING GO OF MORE THAN 700 WORKERS IN MAY –

AS WELL AS MICROSOFT ANNOUNCING THOUSANDS OF CUTS EARLIER THIS YEAR.

LAST WEEK, MICROSOFT CLOSED ITS $69 BILLION DOLLAR ACQUISITION OF VIDEO GAME COMPANY ACTIVISION BLIZZARD –

WHICH HAS ADDED AROUND 13,000 EMPLOYEES.

FINALLY THIS MORNING — A SURPRISING TWIST AHEAD OF THE 2024 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION – HAPPENED YESTERDAY ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

MEMBERS OF PRESIDENT BIDEN’S RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN HAVE JOINED TRUTH SOCIAL – THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM STARTED BY FORMER PRESIDENT AND GOP FRONTRUNNER DONALD TRUMP.

THE FORMER PRESIDENT LAUNCHED THE SITE IN 20-22 AFTER BEING BLOCKED FROM OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS.

THE BIDEN CAMPAIGN EXPLAINED THEIR REASONING FOR JOINING TRUTH SOCIAL – IN A POST ON ANOTHER SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM – X – SAYING QUOTE “WE JOINED TRUTH SOCIAL, MOSTLY BECAUSE WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE FUNNY.”

TRUTH SOCIAL OFFICIALS TELLING FOX NEWS – IT IS A “FREE AND OPEN PLATFORM” – AND “WELCOMES ANYONE TO JOIN.”

THE BIDEN CAMPAIGN’S FIRST POST ON TRUTH SOCIAL READ “WELL. LET’S SEE HOW THIS GOES. CONVERTS WELCOME.”

AS OF THIS MORNING, THE ACCOUNT HAS OVER 14 THOUSAND FOLLOWERS.

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WE’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE TOMORROW.

UNTIL THEN I’M KARAH RUCKER. HAVE A GREAT DAY!