10 things you need to know today: October 21, 2023

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) was removed as the Republican candidate for House speaker

(Image credit: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

published 21 October 2023

1. Jim Jordan's bid to become speaker ends after secret vote

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) saw his bid to become the next speaker of the House ended on Friday after a secret vote ousted him as the party's candidate. Jordan lost the Republican conference ballot by a vote of 112-86, bringing the Republicans back to square one following the removal of Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) two weeks ago. The secret ballot was held after Jordan lost three consecutive votes to become speaker, garnering fewer "yes" votes from Republicans each time. The controversial Ohio congressman is known for his far-right views and staunch support of former President Donald Trump. House Republicans are expected to hold a forum Monday to search for a new speaker candidate, and Jordan told reporters the GOP should unite around someone. NPR, Politico

Two American hostages kidnapped by Hamas were released Friday, Israeli officials said. Judith Raanan and her daughter, Natalie, were taken hostage by the Palestinian militant group in their attack on Israel on Oct. 7, along with a number of other Americans. The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) said the pair had been released by Hamas into the care of the Red Cross and are currently on track to return to the United States. The duo lives in the Chicago suburb of Evanston, Illinois, and Hamas said in a statement that they released the Raanans "for humanitarian reasons" while chastising the Biden administration. President Biden spoke with the pair following their release. NBC News, ABC News

The first convoy of trucks carrying humanitarian aid arrived in the Gaza Strip on Saturday. The vehicles made their way into the war-torn region from Egypt, with the 20 trucks carrying food, water, medicine and other necessities for Palestinian civilians remaining in Gaza. The United Nations welcomed the aid but said that more would be required in the coming days, and that closer to 100 trucks of aid per day are needed to contain the crisis. Israel had previously blocked aid from reaching Gaza, but allowed assistance to be given following pressure from the United States. However, Israel noted that the aid would be halted if any of the supplies made their way into the hands of Hamas. Reuters, The Wall Street Journal

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Kenneth Chesebro, a one-time attorney for former President Donald Trump, pleaded guilty on Friday as part of an alleged racketeering conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia. Chesebro pleaded guilty to conspiracy to file false documents in a deal that spared him jail time. He will instead serve three to five years of probation and was also ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution while agreeing to testify against his indicted co-conspirators in future cases. Chesebro was initially charged with conspiracy to interfere with the election and install false Trump electors in Georgia. Chesebro's guilty plea comes one day after another former lawyer for Trump, Sidney Powell, pleaded guilty in the same case. The Washington Post, USA Today

Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones can't use his pending bankruptcy to get out of paying the families of the Sandy Hook massacre victims, a Texas judge ruled Friday. Jones, known for his inflammatory broadcasts as the host of the far-right radio show Infowars, can't use bankruptcy court to discharge the money he was ordered to pay the families because the payment is a result of "willful and malicious injury by the debtor," the judge wrote. Jones was previously ordered to pay nearly $1.5 billion in damages to the families of the Sandy Hook victims after he spread the baseless conspiracy theory that the 2012 mass shooting was a false-flag operation. Jones has yet to pay any of this money out. Forbes, CNN

India's space agency on Saturday conducted the first of a series of spaceflight tests ahead of its plan to launch astronauts into space in 2025. The Gaganyaan spacecraft was launched and then brought back to Earth in order to test the vessel's crew escape system, the Indian Space Research Organization said. Though the test was delayed by inclement weather and engine issues, the Gaganyaan eventually launched successfully and touched down in the Bay of Bengal. The test flight was the first leg of India's expansion into space, including the planned Indian-led manned mission and the creation of an Indian space station in the 2030s. The Associated Press, BBC

The city of Baltimore agreed this past week to pay $48 million to three men who were wrongfully convicted of murder — and spent 36 years in prison as a result. The Baltimore Board of Estimates approved the payout to settle a lawsuit from Alfred Chestnut, Ransom Watkins and Andrew Stewart, who were arrested in 1983 and charged with fatally shooting a 14-year-old boy. The trio was convicted and sentenced to life in prison based on eyewitness testimony, and were behind bars until the discovery of new evidence led to their exoneration and release in 2019. The three men had previously received $2.9 each from the state of Maryland before filing a federal lawsuit. The Baltimore Sun, The New York Times

A federal judge on Thursday handed down four months in prison for the former Florida lawmaker who sponsored the so-called "Don't Say Gay" bill that generated nationwide controversy. Former State Rep. Joe Harding (R) was sentenced after he pleaded guilty earlier this year to wire fraud, money laundering and making false statements in relation to a Covid-19 fraud scheme. Harding was also sentenced to two years of supervision following his release. The former lawmaker is known for sponsoring the Parental Rights in Education Act, commonly referred to as the "Don't Say Gay" bill, that highlighted the ongoing culture wars between Florida corporations and the state's Republican governor, Ron DeSantis. Politico

Low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines canceled about 100 flights on Friday after removing some of its planes from service for inspection. Spirit did not specify why the planes were being inspected, but the Federal Aviation Administration said it was related to their airframes, calling it a "mandatory maintenance inspection." At least 11% of the carrier's nationwide itinerary was canceled on Friday as 25 of Spirit's 198 planes were removed from service, the company said in a statement. Spirit added that the delays to their schedule were "expected to last several days as we complete the inspections and work to return to normal operations." The Associated Press

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Friday that she was splitting from her TV journalist partner after he made a number of sexually charged comments on television. "My relationship with Andrea Giambruno, which lasted almost 10 years, ends here," Meloni wrote on social media. "I thank him for the splendid years we spent together." Meloni's announcement came after Giambruno, who shares a 7-year-old daughter with Meloni, was seen on video during a television commercial break making a number of lewd comments. This included asking his co-hosts if they were interested in having sex, and he was also seen grabbing his genitals. CNN

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Justin Klawans has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022. He began his career covering local news before joining Newsweek as a breaking news reporter, where he wrote about politics, national and global affairs, business, crime, sports, film, television and other Hollywood news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.