Wednesday morning news: October 2, 2024

SOUND: [Iran attack]

Israel » Iranian missiles rained down on Israel Tuesday as sirens blared.

SOUND: [Iran attack]

And Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared a short time later that— “Iran has made a big mistake tonight, and will pay for it.”

NETANYAHU: [Speaking Hebrew]

But the White House says the U.S. military came to Israel's defense with U.S. naval destroyers joining Israeli Defense Forces in shooting down the incoming missiles.

Secretary of State Tony Blinken told reporters:

BLINKEN: A few hours ago, Iran for the second time in the space of five months, launched a direct attack on Israel, including some 200 ballistic missiles. This is totally unacceptable and the entire world should condemn it.

White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan characterized the attack as a severe escalation by Iran...and warned that it would be met by severe consequences…though he declined to specify what those might be.

Debate » Defending Israel was among the many big topics debated last night during the first and only vice presidential of the 2024 campaign. Kamala Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz argued that with wars raging in the Middle East and Ukraine, Harris has shown a steady hand.

WALZ: We’ve seen a calmness that is able to be able to draw on the coalitions to bring them together, understanding that our allies matter.

And he argued that another Trump presidency would be dangerous in these volatile times.

But Donald Trump’s running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance fired back …

VANCE: Donald Trump actually delivered stability in the world, and he did it by establishing effective deterrence. People were afraid of stepping out of line.

Vance accused the Biden-Harris administration of giving bad actors like Iran a license to stoke violence without consequence.

The senator also hit the current administration on immigration.

VANCE: We have a historic immigration crisis because Kamala Harris started and said that she wanted to undo all of Donald Trump’s border policies.

Gov. Walz, argued that Trump killed a bipartisan Senate border bill that would have helped.

WALZ: Donald Trump said no, told them to vote against it because it gives him a campaign issue. What would Donald Trump talk about if we actually did some of these things?

The two candidates also highlighted stark differences on other major topics, including life and abortion, the economy, and energy.

Helene » In western North Carolina, President Biden will have a firsthand look at the devastation left in the wake of Hurricane Helene’s remnants. And his Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre adds:

PIERRE:  The president will travel to Raleigh, North Carolina, where he will visit the state emergency operations center to meet with local officials and also first responders.

First responders are now searching many communities in the region looking for anyone still unaccounted for after catastrophic flooding.

And the president said on Tuesday:

BIDEN:  In the storm's wake, I've directed my team, including the leadership of key departments and agencies all across the government, to send every, and I mean every available resource that we have at our disposal to the affected region.

The death toll Tuesday reached 166 people across six states.

PROTESTERS: No work without a fair contract.

Dockworker strike » Some 45,000 workers at ports from Maine to Texas are carrying picket signs today. They walked out after labor talks broke down between their union and port operators.

The International Longshoremen’s Association had demanded a 77 percent wage increase over six years and protections from automation.

Boise Butler is the local union president in Philadelphia.

BUTLER: What we control in the economy is billions and billions and billions of dollars every day. Every day. OK? What we want them to do is share.

Port operators had offered a 50 percent pay raise. And the two sides remained at an impasse when the previous labor agreement expired on Tuesday.

The Biden administration says it has no intention of intervening in the dispute.

Mexico new president » Mexico has a new president, the first woman ever elected to the office. WORLD’s Kristen Flavin has more more:

SOUND: [Mexican lawmakers cheer]

KRISTEN FLAVIN: Claudia Sheinbaum took the oath of office on Tuesday on the floor of Congress … as legislators cheered, “presidenta” … the feminine form of the word president in Spanish.

MEXICAN LAWMAKERS: Presidenta! Presidenta!

The 62-year-old scientist-turned-politician has vowed to stay true to the leftist policies of the previous administration. She inherits the social programs of her predecessor, which have, so far, been popular.

But she also inherits problems, including paying for those programs, a sluggish economy, rising debt, and stubbornly high violence.

In her inaugural address, she vowed to, among other things, introduce a new energy plan, fight climate change, and make Mexico a safe place for investors.

For WORLD, I’m Kristen Flavin.

John Amos obit » Actor John Amos has died at the age of 84. He starred as the family patriarch on the hit 1970s sitcom “Good Times.”

AUDIO [From Good Times]: I thought I told you to take the garbage out.  Oh, uh, I will, Dad. That's what you said a half hour ago, Junior. Oh, don't worry, Dad. I got it covered. NOW, JUNIOR!

He also acted in Hollywood hits like Die Hard 2 and Coming to America. And he earned an Emmy nomination for his role in the seminal 1977 miniseries “Roots.”

I’m Kent Covington.

This is The World and Everything in It.

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