5 things to know for Oct. 23: Israel, House, Synagogue leader, Police shooting, Student loans

By CNN Newsource

Published October 23, 2023 3:34 am

By Alexandra Meeks, CNN

(CNN) — New York City has unveiled a sculpture of alligators lurking in the sewers — a playful homage to one of the city’s long-standing myths. However, the uncomfortable truth is that alligators do occasionally turn up in the Big Apple, like the one rescued from Brooklyn’s Prospect Park earlier this year.

Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.

1. Israel

The US is seeking to delay an Israeli ground offensive in Gaza amid calls to free more hostages held there by Hamas and allow aid into the besieged enclave. A senior Israeli official told CNN there will be “no ceasefire” in Gaza, but emphasized efforts are ongoing to free the more than 200 hostages in the region “as quickly as possible.” However, the official added, “humanitarian efforts cannot be allowed to impact the mission to dismantle Hamas.” More than 4,600 people have been killed in Gaza since October 7 and over 14,200 others wounded, the health ministry there said.

Conditions on the ground in Gaza continue to deteriorate as Israel repeatedly bombards the strip with airstrikes. Listen to CNN’s podcast “Tug of War” to hear what it’s like trying to survive in Gaza.

2. House speaker

House Republicans are once again scrambling to elect a new speaker after voting to push Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan out of the race Friday — the latest sign of the chaos and divisions that have engulfed the majority party. Following Jordan’s exit, nine new candidates have entered the race for the gavel. Republican Rep. Tom Emmer, the House majority whip, received the backing of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, delivering an early boost for his candidacy. Still, it remains to be seen which candidate can gather the support necessary from their conference to secure the 217 votes needed to end Congress’ ongoing dysfunction.

3. Synagogue leader

Police are searching for a motive in the death of a Detroit synagogue leader who was found fatally stabbed in her home. The body of Samantha Woll, president of the board of the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue, was discovered with multiple stab wounds on Saturday morning. As investigators continue to probe for a motive, police chief James E. White said Sunday no evidence has surfaced suggesting the killing was motivated by antisemitism. Friends and family also gathered Sunday during a packed funeral service to honor her legacy. Police have not identified a suspect in the case, and it’s still unclear what led to the killing.

4. Police shooting

Authorities in Tennessee are searching for the estranged son of Nashville’s police chief as a suspect in the Saturday shooting of two suburban police officers. The suspect, John Drake Jr., is now wanted on two counts of attempted first-degree murder and is considered “armed and very dangerous.” Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake said that he was “shocked and deeply saddened” to learn that the suspect is his son. “Despite my efforts and guidance in the early and teenage years, my son, John Drake Jr., now 38 years old, resorted to years of criminal activity and is a convicted felon,” the chief said. The officers, who have both been with the force for less than three years, are expected to recover from their injuries.

5. Student loans

Although the Supreme Court struck down President Joe Biden’s hallmark student loan forgiveness program in June, his administration has found ways to cancel more than $48 billion in debt since then. The cancellations have come through existing federal student loan forgiveness programs, which are limited to specific categories of borrowers, such as public-sector workers, people defrauded by for-profit colleges, and borrowers who have paid for at least 20 years. The Biden administration has been granting that debt forgiveness on a rolling basis and has discharged a total of $127 billion for nearly 3.6 million people to date. Meanwhile, Biden’s Republican critics say that at least some of his debt relief actions are illegal and are an attempt to circumvent the Supreme Court’s ruling.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

2023’s most popular Halloween costumes
If you still haven’t found a costume idea, fear not. CNN has you covered.

Taylor Swift is still in her (Chiefs) Red era with latest appearance supporting Travis Kelce at football game
The singer was spotted in Kansas City once again to support Travis Kelce at his football game. For those invested in the pair’s budding relationship, here’s what we know.

Shopping for an electric vehicle? There are some big discounts right now
Several automakers and car dealers are offering huge discounts on EVs, particularly luxury models.

The Japanese city that dominates street food — and no, it’s not Tokyo
Fukuoka, Japan’s sixth largest city by population, has more open-air food stalls than the rest of the country combined. Enjoy these photos of Japan’s street food capital.

Australia’s Kaylee McKeown makes swimming history as she breaks 50m backstroke world record
See McKeown’s stunned reaction after she broke the women’s 50m backstroke world record in Budapest, Hungary.

IN MEMORIAM

Bobby Charlton, the Manchester United great who played a starring role in England’s 1966 World Cup victory, has died, the Premier League club said on Saturday. He was 86. Charlton is widely considered one of the greatest soccer players of all time. dd Body Copy

TODAY’S NUMBER

25 million
That’s around how many Argentinians cast their ballots in the country’s presidential election — a 75% turnout amid a severe economic crisis. Following the first round of voting Sunday, the battle now heads to a runoff next month between left-wing candidate Sergio Massa and far-right libertarian Javier Milei. Massa received over 36% of the votes while Milei received roughly 30%.

TODAY’S QUOTE

“He knows exactly what to say — and what not to say — so that he avoids jail.”

— Mar-a-Lago member Anthony Pratt, saying in new recordings that then-President Donald Trump told him insider details about his phone calls with world leaders during his presidency. Pratt’s latest disclosures could be used by prosecutors as evidence that Trump had a pattern of sharing sensitive government information with unauthorized people, including political donors and well-connected businessmen in his orbit.

TODAY’S WEATHER

Check your local forecast here>>>

AND FINALLY …

Is this the future of air travel?
CNN visited Hybrid Air Vehicles, a company that claims they have a solution for climate-conscious air travel. Watch this video to see how a design from the past could change the way we fly in the future.

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