U.S. and world news for Oct. 21

Trump’s language: At a political rally over the weekend, Donald Trump resorted to lewd language to describe Vice President Harris and also spent about 12 minutes telling a story about golfing legend Arnold Palmer’s body. News programs seen on over-the-air TV stations bleeped-out the language Trump used to describe Harris in order not to violate their standards and practices. Trump’s story about Arnold Palmer dealt with Palmer showering with other golfers in a clubhouse and referenced Palmer’s genitals.

Mike Johnson: Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has defended Donald Trump’s intent to use the National Guard and regular U.S. military to arrest and prosecute his critics and political opponents. Johnson was interviewed on CNN by correspondent Jake Tapper. Johnson tried to deny that Trump had said he would prosecute critics even when Tapper showed him videos of Trump saying what he said. Trump used Congressman Adam Schiff and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as examples of the people he’d target.

Cuba: Hurricane Oscar made landfall as a Category 1 storm in Cuba. The island’s electrical system had failed last week and the portion of the electrical system that had been put back into service was shut down again by the storm. Sporadic demonstrations had broken out as people protested the power problems. Cuba’s President Diaz-Canel said the government will not allow demonstrators to continue causing public disorder. Hurricane Oscar was moving out into the Atlantic after dumping up to a foot of rain on parts of Cuba.

Boeing: The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers says it will hold a ratification vote on Wednesday for the tentative contract between the union and Boeing. Acceptance by the union members would bring an end to the strike, which has shut down some of Boeing’s operations. Workers would get a bonus of $7,000 if the contract is ratified. The proposed new contract provides for a 35% pay raise over four years.

Helicopter: A helicopter struck a radio tower in Houston last night and crashed in a residential neighborhood. All four people on board the helicopter were killed in the accident. The Federal Aviation Administration had published a Notice to Air Missions, NOTAM, last week that some of the required warning lights on the radio tower were inoperative. The helicopter had taken off from Ellington Field, about 15 miles from the accident site.

Walt Disney: The Walt Disney Company announced today that James Gorman has been named chairman of its board of directors effective Jan. 2. He will succeed Mark Parker, who will be leaving the board after nine years. Gorman currently is chairman of Morgan Stanley. He’ll be leaving Morgan Stanley at the end of the year. Disney also said that it expects to name a replacement for current CEO Bob Iger early in 2026.