Monday morning news: October 23, 2023

Israel/Gaza » Aid trucks rolled into Gaza from Egypt on Sunday as the international community worked to provide humanitarian relief to victims of the war between Hamas and Israel.

HAMAD: [Speaking Arabic]

Gaza Health Ministry official Mahmoud Hamad discussing aid that arrived over the weekend, calling it a simple and small delivery.

On Friday, the terror group Hamas released two American hostages from Gaza. Qatar and the International Red Cross helped facilitate their release. Hamas says it freed the hostages, both women, for humanitarian reasons.

Meanwhile, President Biden met with European Union leaders at the White House to discuss wartime support for Israel and Ukraine.

BIDEN: We stood together to support the brave people of Ukraine in the face of Putin's aggression. And we stood together to tackle the economic challenges and established standards to guide our relationship with China. And we're standing together now to support Israel in the wake of Hamas's appalling terrorist attack.

The president is asking Congress to approve a $105 billion dollar security package. It would provide roughly $60 billion to Ukraine and less than $15 billion to Israel.

AUDIO: [Protesters chant “Palestine”]

Protests » Demonstrators around the world marched in support of Palestinians in Gaza this weekend and called for a cease-fire.

U.S. embassies were on high-alert for possible attacks by Hamas supporters.

AUDIO: [Protesters chanting]

Near the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, protesters shouted, “No, no, to America. No, no to Israel. Yes, yes, for jihad.”

Supporters of Israel rallied for peace calling on Hamas to release hostages. They gathered outside United Nations headquarters in Geneva.

PROTEST: May we say, Israel, I will go wherever you go.

In Berlin, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier addressed a pro-Israel rally, saying his country has a special responsibility to protect Jewish life.

House Speaker race » Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is endorsing Republican Majority Whip Tom Emmer for speaker of the House.

McCARTHY: We need to solve this problem. We've got a wide open southern border. We got crushing inflation we got war in the Middle East. This is not a moment in time to play around with learning on the job we need someone who understands how to do this job. 

The majority whip faces opposition from some of former President Donald Trump’s advisers and allies, who have already made public statements criticizing Emmer.

The House has gone without an elected speaker for almost three weeks. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Congressman Jim Jordan have both failed to secure the role after receiving the GOP nomination.

Republicans are expected to convene behind closed doors on Tuesday to appoint a new nominee for the position. A House floor vote could occur after that.

China/Philippines maritime UFC » The Philippines is calling the actions of a Chinese coast guard vessel in the South China Sea dangerous and irresponsible. WORLD’s Josh Schumacher has more.

SOUND: [Boats colliding]

JOSH SCHUMACHER: That’s the sound of a Chinese coast guard vessel ramming into a Philippine military supply ship.

Philippine officials denounced the incident yesterday off the Second Thomas Shoal.

Both nations claim sovereignty over the shoal. For more than 20 years the Philippines has stationed soldiers on a ship it deliberately ran aground on the shoal to bolster it’s claim.

The Philippine ships involved in the incident yesterday were supplying those soldiers.

AUDIO: [Chinese newscaster]

Meanwhile Chinese state media report that the Philippine vessel was trespassing in Chinese waters.

For WORLD, I’m Josh Schumacher.

SOUND: [Water sloshing]

Northern Europe weather » In Scotland, rescue workers wade through flooded streets after a major storm hit Northern Europe.

At least five storm-related deaths were reported in Britain and Germany. Residents had to evacuate from more than three-hundred homes in one Scottish town.

SCOTTISH WORKER: Carpet can be replaced, furniture can be replaced, but it’s just memories, as well.

Hurricane Norma » And in Mexico, Tropical Storm Norma, formerly Hurricane Norma, has been lashing the Baja Peninsula and West Coast with rain and winds. The storm made landfall on Saturday.

RESIDENT: [Speaking Spanish]

One resident saying that the biggest problem from storms like this is the rain washing sand into lower-level streets.

Meanwhile in the Atlantic, another hurricane, Tammy, hit the outer Caribbean islands. The National Weather Service expects the storm to keep moving North, deeper into the Atlantic over the coming days.

I'm Anna Johansen Brown.

Straight ahead: Red ink and the deep blue sea on Legal Docket. Plus, the Monday Moneybeat.

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