U.S. and world news for Oct. 19

Biden’s speech: President Biden arrived back at the White House from Israel overnight and is scheduled to speak to the nation in a nationally-televised address tonight. He is expected to ask Congress to appropriate up to $100 billion in a new package that links support for Israel in its war with Hamas with aid for Ukraine and Taiwan. After Biden had left Israel to return to Washington, Israel launched a new round of intense airstrikes against Gaza. The Israelis hit targets in the southern part of Gaza where people living in the north had been told to move for safety. Hamas claimed more than 600 civilians were killed in the airstrikes. Egypt has agreed to allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza through its border and trucks were being readied to begin deliveries.

Hospital controversy: A spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Agency says that examination of overhead images, communications intercepts and other evidence indicates that it was a Palestinian missile that caused the explosion and fire at a hospital in Gaza. Israeli has denied attacking the hospital, where an estimated 500 people were killed. It appears that a missile went astray and landed in a parking lot next to the hospital building and detonated. Hamas still claims that the hospital was bombed in an Israeli airstrike.

Powell pleads guilty: Donald Trump’s former attorney Sidney Powell has pleaded guilty to charges stemming from efforts to overturn presidential election results in Georgia. The deal was struck in the case brought by Fulton County Georgia District Attorney Fani Willis. Powell was indicted along with Trump and 17 others. Powell will be placed on probation for six years, pay a fine and testify truthfully against Trump and others named in the indictment.

Jordan pressure campaign: Republican members of Congress who voted against Jim Jordan for Speaker of the House in the first two rounds of voting say they have been subjected to inappropriate pressure from Jordan’s supporters to end their opposition. They say the pressure has included death threats against themselves and family members. At least seven of the Republicans have gone public about the pressure campaign. The personal phone numbers and other personal information about those opposing Jordan were posted on the internet.

Journalist arrested: Russia has arrested a journalist who works for Radio Free Europe – Radio Liberty, which is a broadcasting service funded by the U.S. government. She’s Alsu Kurmashev, who holds dual U.S. and Russian citizenship. She lives and works in Prague and entered Russia to visit family members. Russia said they detained her because she failed to register as a foreign agent.

Wages up, unemployment down: The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported this morning that increases in wages in the U.S. have outpaced increased costs at least by a bit. The bureau reported that median weekly earnings of the nation’s 122.1 million full-time wage and salary workers were $1,118 in the third quarter of 2023, 4.5% higher than they were a year ago. BLS said that the Consumer Price Index, which measures costs, was up 3.5% in the same period. New unemployment insurance claims dropped by 13,000 to 198,000 for the week ending Oct. 14. That’s the lowest level since January.

Burt Young dead at 83: Actor Burt Young has died in Los Angeles at age 83. Young played Paulie, the best friend of Sylvester Stallone’s character in the “Rocky” series of movies. He was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance in the original “Rocky.” Young also is remembered for his performances in other movies including “Chinatown” and “Once Upon a Time in America” and on TV in “The Sopranos.”

Cover photo of Burt Young by SilvioPozatto / Wikimedia Commons