5 things to know for Oct. 14: Presidential race, Hurricane recovery, Middle East tensions, Space missions, Boeing strike

By CNN Newsource

Published October 14, 2024 5:37 AM

By Alexandra Banner, CNN

(CNN) — More than 100 cities across the US are celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day today. The alternative to Columbus Day recognizes the contributions and legacy of those who lived here long before Christopher Columbus erroneously claimed to have discovered America. Before running errands, keep in mind that many post offices, banks and government buildings will be closed.

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

1. Presidential race

The latest CNN Poll of Polls average of national polling finds no clear leader in the presidential race, with an average of 50% of likely voters supporting Kamala Harris and 47% backing Donald Trump. The deadlock extends to key battleground states — including Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania — where both candidates will focus their energy in the remaining 22 days of the race. Over the weekend, Trump campaigned in Arizona and announced a plan to expand the Border Patrol. His pitch to crack down on illegal immigration was filled with dehumanizing rhetoric that leaned into stereotypes of foreigners from poorer countries. Harris, meanwhile, focused on North Carolina at a rally in Greenville, where she again slammed Trump for spreading misinformation regarding hurricane response efforts.

2. Hurricane recovery

President Joe Biden announced more than $600 million for electric grid resilience during a visit to Florida on Sunday to survey damage from Hurricane Milton. His visit came as leaders have urged Congress to pass additional funding for disaster relief and small-business programs as extreme weather events this year have rapidly drained the government’s aid funds. Biden empathized with Florida residents who had lost everything, describing them as “heartbroken and exhausted, and their expenses are piling up.” As of early today, more than 400,000 customers remained out of power across the state, according to PowerOutage.us — down from a peak of nearly 3 million. The power companies estimate most people will have electricity by midweek.

3. Middle East tensions

The US is sending 100 troops and an anti-missile system to Israel “to help bolster Israel’s air defenses following Iran’s unprecedented attacks against Israel on April 13 and again on October 1,” the Pentagon said Sunday. It is not the first time the US has deployed the anti-missile system to the Middle East, but it is rare for US troops to deploy inside Israel. The move deepens US involvement in the growing Middle East war and comes after four Israeli soldiers were killed Sunday in a Hezbollah drone attack on an army base in central-northern Israel. The incident is one of the bloodiest attacks on Israel since the beginning of the war last October.

4. Space missions

A NASA mission aiming to investigate a potentially habitable ocean world is scheduled to launch today. The Europa Clipper spacecraft — designed to explore Jupiter’s moon Europa — aims to determine whether the planet’s moon could be suitable for life as we know it. Barring unforeseen delays, the Europa Clipper is expected to lift off aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket at 12:06 p.m. ET from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The event will stream live on NASA’s website. Separately, SpaceX on Sunday successfully launched the latest test flight of Starship. It is the most powerful rocket system ever constructed, which could be used to carry humans to the moon as soon as 2026 as part of NASA’s Artemis III mission. Eventually, SpaceX also hopes that Starship will put the first humans on Mars.

5. Boeing strike

A month-long strike at Boeing has cost the company and its workers nearly $5 billion, a new analysis shows. That massive tab highlights the difficulties facing the aircraft maker, once synonymous with American quality. Instead, it has faced a string of bad news in recent years, from fatal crashes to increased regulatory scrutiny to the strike by 33,000 workers that started on September 13 that ground operations to a near halt. Not a single plane has been worked on at the company’s production facility in Everett, Washington, since the union members walked off the job, triggering the first strike at the company in 16 years. Boeing also announced last week it will be laying off 10% of its workforce — about 17,000 employees — over the next several months.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

‘Game of Thrones’ Iron Throne fetches nearly $1.5 million at auction
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Craving a tropical vacation but not shore where to go? A new report revealed the destinations with the biggest airfare price drops over the past year.

Canadian drink company accused of cultural appropriation
Controversy bubbled for a Canadian drink company after actor Simu Liu, who is Chinese-Canadian, took issue with the founders’ spin on traditional bubble tea. Read why the drink has raised cultural appropriation questions.

Trio wins 2024 Nobel Prize in economics
A trio of economists was awarded the Nobel Prize today for their “studies of how institutions are formed and affect prosperity.”

Radiohead’s bassist has taken behind-the-scenes photos for years. Now he’s sharing them with the world
“How to Disappear: A Portrait of Radiohead” features a behind-the-scenes look at the band through the eyes of its bassist, Colin Greenwood.

TODAY’S NUMBER

444
That’s how many “underperforming” 7-Eleven locations are shutting down, the convenience store announced. The closures are due to a variety of issues, including slowing sales, declining traffic, inflationary pressures and a decrease in cigarette purchases.

TODAY’S QUOTE

“The world record has come back to Kenya.”

— Ruth Chepngetich, after beating the women’s marathon world record in Chicago on Sunday. The Kenyan runner completed the course in 2:09:56, becoming the first woman to break the 2:10 barrier.

TODAY’S WEATHER

Check your local forecast here>>>

AND FINALLY …

Rising costs of climate change may reshape the South
Over the next 30 years, millions of American homeowners are expected to relocate due to the rising cost of home insurance and property damage from climate disasters. Watch this video to see how global warming could transform an entire region of the US.

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