5 things to know for November 1: Ukraine, Paul Pelosi, Mississippi, Trump, Seoul

By Alexandra Meeks, CNN

With the holiday travel surge right around the corner, some pilots are intensifying their push for better pay by insisting they will strike unless they get a new contract. Some Delta pilots say their contract is years out of date, while pilots at other airlines — especially regional carriers — have already negotiated substantial pay bumps amid crew and staffing shortages.

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

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1. Ukraine

Russia’s “partial mobilization” of citizens to fight in its war against Ukraine has been completed, President Vladimir Putin said today. Citing Russia’s Ministry of Defense, Putin said 41,000 recruits were currently in combat formations of the Russian Armed Forces. However, Moscow’s mobilization efforts have been beset by errors, caused angry protests and prompted a mass exodus since it was announced in September. More than 200,000 people traveled from Russia into Georgia, Kazakhstan and the EU in just the first week, collective data from those regions showed. Tensions are also rising over the future of the Black Sea grain deal, with Russia claiming the corridor — which allows the safe passage of grain and oilseeds to reach global markets — is suspended. Ukraine, however, is insisting it is committed to its continuation.

2. Paul Pelosi

Police have debunked a salacious conspiracy theory about the attack on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband. The false claim, being pushed by big names like Elon Musk and Donald Trump, Jr., suggests Paul Pelosi and the man who attacked him were gay lovers who had gotten into a fight. It runs contrary to the explanation police and federal law enforcement have outlined — that the suspect broke into Pelosi’s house and attacked him. “There is absolutely no evidence that Mr. Pelosi knew this man,” San Francisco Police Chief William Scott told CNN. “As a matter of fact, the evidence indicates the exact opposite.” Analysts say the explosion of social media posts discussing the theory shows how quickly conspiracies can spread, especially as violent threats against lawmakers are on the rise.

3. Mississippi

More than two months after residents in Jackson, Mississippi, were plunged into a public water crisis, the EPA announced Monday that the water in the city is safe to drink again. Water issues in the region were compounded after flooding overwhelmed the city’s already troubled water system and the main treatment plant failed, resulting in brown, cloudy water flowing from pipes. It also prompted a catastrophic water shortage and weeks of boil water notices. The city remains under a state of emergency, however, as Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves recently extended the order until late November.

4. Trump

Former President Donald Trump has asked the Supreme Court to stop the IRS from turning over his tax returns to a Democratic-led House committee. Trump filed the emergency request Monday after a federal appeals court cleared the way last week for the returns to be disclosed to the House Ways and Means Committee in the coming days. The case is the most direct way for the House to obtain Trump’s federal tax returns after pursuing them through different avenues for years. Also on Monday, the criminal tax fraud trial against the Trump Organization began with New York prosecutors laying out an alleged 15-year scheme within the organization to pay high-level executives in perks like luxury cars and apartments without paying taxes on them. Trump is not a defendant in this case and is not expected to be implicated in any wrongdoing, but the charges against the real estate business he built from the ground up are the closest any prosecutor has gotten to the former President.

5. Seoul crowd crush

South Korean authorities say they had no guidelines on how to handle the huge crowds that gathered for Halloween festivities in Seoul as families mourn the 156 victims of Saturday night’s crowd crush. The incident took place in the narrow neon-lit alleyways of the popular nightlife district Itaewon, where witnesses described being unable to move or breathe as thousands of partygoers stood shoulder-to-shoulder in a street no more than 13 feet wide. With all of the victims now identified, officials say the tragedy affected mostly young people who had gone to Itaewon Saturday night, eager for South Korea’s first Halloween celebrations in years. Among the victims was Rep. Brad Wenstrup’s niece, Anne Marie Gieske, the Ohio Republican said in a statement Monday. Gieske, a nursing student at the University of Kentucky, had been studying abroad in Seoul this semester.

HAPPENING LATER

Parkland school shooter sentencing

Nikolas Cruz, the now 24-year-old who admitted to killing 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, in 2018 will be sentenced this week to life in prison without parole. Before he receives his official sentence, a two-day hearing will begin today where the victims’ families will have an opportunity to address Cruz in court. Cruz also has the right to make a statement in the sentencing if he chooses to, according to a criminal defense attorney..

BREAKFAST BROWSE

Astronomers spotted a ‘planet killer’ asteroid hiding in the sun’s glare

While it may sound like a new movie plot, a massive near-Earth asteroid has actually been lurking undetected within the glare of the sun.

Actress Julia Roberts reveals Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King paid the hospital bill for her birth

Find out why the civil rights leaders paid for the birth of the woman who would become an international star.

Taylor Swift breaks another record by claiming all top 10 spots of the Billboard Hot 100

Swift is the first artist to ever accomplish the feat in Billboard’s 64-year history. Here are the songs at the top of the charts.

Powerball jackpot climbs to $1.2 billion after Halloween drawing haunts players

Once again, the lottery has dealt more tricks than treats. Participants have been haunted for 38 drawings in a row with no jackpot winner, Powerball said.

World Series Game 3 postponed because of rain

Baseball fans had a dreary day Monday after Game 3 of the World Series was postponed due to poor weather. It has been rescheduled for today.

A NEW MORNING SHOW IS HERE

Join the power trio Don Lemon, Poppy Harlow, and Kaitlan Collins for more stories across the world and refreshing conversations. Tune in to the launch of CNN This Morning today from 6-9 a.m. ET on CNN or stream it live on CNNgo.

TODAY’S NUMBER

$19.99

That’s the monthly fee that Twitter is considering charging for verified accounts on its site. According to internal Twitter documents viewed by CNN, the company is considering a pay-for-verification feature that would give the coveted blue check marks only to users who are willing to pay $19.99 a month for a subscription service. Twitter may also take away the check marks of existing users if they don’t start paying for the service within 90 days, the documents said. However, it’s possible the plan and pricing could change, as Twitter’s new billionaire owner Elon Musk looks to put his stamp on the social media platform.

TODAY’S QUOTE

“I thought that part of what it meant to be an American and to believe in American pluralism is that actually our institutions, you know, are reflective of who we are, as people in all of our variety.”

— Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan, a liberal, speaking passionately Monday about why diversity is important in college admissions practices. With a 6-3 conservative-liberal majority, the Supreme Court is poised to strike down affirmative action — meaning colleges and universities would no longer be able to take race into consideration in admissions programs. This decision will likely overturn decades-old precedent and could diminish the number of African American and Hispanic students in higher education, advocates say.

TODAY’S WEATHER

Check your local forecast here>>>

AND FINALLY

5 deliciously unique coffees around the world

As you drink your morning cup of coffee, watch this video to see the many diverse ways that you can prepare it. (Click here to view)

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