5 things to know for Oct. 2: Congress, Ukraine, Trump, Health care strike, Nightclub fire

By CNN Newsource

Published October 2, 2023 4:31 AM

By Alexandra Meeks, CNN

(CNN) — Nearly two months after wildfires tore through Maui, several burn zones in Lahaina will reopen today for property owners to survey the destruction left behind. It will be the first time that many families see what remains of their homes and businesses. But on an inspiring note, Lahaina’s historic 150-year-old banyan tree that was charred in the flames is sprouting new green leaves, giving hope that all was not completely lost.

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

1. Congress

A government shutdown was averted late Saturday after Congress passed a stopgap funding measure ahead of a critical midnight deadline. The bill, which will keep the government open through November 17, passed the House with an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote. The measure next passed in the Senate and was signed into law by President Joe Biden. The decision by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to put a bill on the floor that would win support from Democrats could now put his speakership at risk as hardline conservatives continue to threaten a vote to oust him. McCarthy, however, is firing back against his conservative critics who warned such a move could mean the end of his job. “If somebody wants to make a motion against me, bring it,” McCarthy said after the vote.

2. Ukraine

The US may have avoided a government shutdown, but the lack of additional funding for Ukraine in the spending bill has left some residents in the war-torn nation nervous. The stopgap bill includes natural disaster aid but no new funding for Kyiv. Speaking from the White House on Sunday, President Biden vowed the US “will not walk away” from Ukraine, and called on Republicans to support additional aid. This comes as partisan divisions are widening on the role of the US in the conflict. A CNN poll in August found that most Americans oppose Congress authorizing additional funding to support Ukraine in its fight, with the public roughly split on whether the US has already done enough.

3. Trump trial

Former President Donald Trump will appear in court today in New York for his civil fraud trial. Proceedings in the case — brought in September 2022 by New York Attorney General Letitia James against Trump, his eldest sons, their companies and several executives — will begin at 10 a.m. ET. Last week, the judge overseeing the case ruled the former president is liable for fraud and that he overvalued his properties on financial statements for a decade. The New York attorney general is seeking $250 million in damages, a ban on the Trumps from serving as officers of a business in New York, and a ban on the company from engaging in business transactions for five years.

4. Health care strike

More than 75,000 health care workers in the US could strike on Wednesday, potentially affecting dozens of Kaiser Permanente facilities in California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Virginia and Washington, DC. The unionized workers are asking for across-the-board raises, additional job protections, better benefits and a plan from Kaiser to address a staffing shortage “crisis” that has left employees feeling overworked. While hospital management and doctors are not part of the work stoppage, experts say patients at the impacted facilities would still likely feel the effects of the strike. The workers who would walk out for three days include nurses, therapists, technicians, pharmacists and janitorial staff, among other roles.

5. Spain nightclub fire

At least 13 people have been killed in Spain’s deadliest nightclub fire in decades, and officials fear the death toll could rise. The cause of the blaze, which broke out early on Sunday at the Teatre venue in the southeastern city of Murcia, is not yet known. Several others were hospitalized due to smoke inhalation, emergency officials said. The city’s mayor has declared three days of mourning as rescuers search the rubble for more victims. The fire in Murcia marks the deadliest nightclub fire in Spain in 33 years. A blaze in 1990 at a nightclub in northeastern Zaragoza left 43 dead.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

Taylor Swift cheers on Travis Kelce at Sunday Night Football (again)
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Jimmy Carter celebrates 99th birthday
Former President Jimmy Carter made a surprise appearance in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, to celebrate his 99th birthday on Sunday. See his life in pictures here.

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Mission accomplished: Experts rescue and release 2 dolphins in dangerously shallow waters
It took a full day and multiple vessels for rescuers to safely return these two dolphins to deeper waters off the coast of Cape Cod.

Europe holds off late USA comeback to regain Ryder Cup
Europe’s golf pros survived a Sunday scare to regain the Ryder Cup, holding off a late US fightback in Rome.

IN MEMORIAM

Tim Wakefield, the longtime pitcher for the Boston Red Sox and two-time World Series champ, died Sunday. He was 57. No cause of death was provided, though the team recently said that the former pitcher was battling a “disease” and requested privacy for his family.

TODAY’S NUMBER

50
That’s at least how many wildfires are burning in Ontario as Canadian officials grapple with the country’s worst fire season on record. Forecasters say plumes of smoke in the region will continue to waft south, bringing a haze to cities in New York and Massachusetts early this week.

TODAY’S QUOTE

“Laphonza will carry the baton left by Senator Feinstein.”

— California Gov. Gavin Newsom, announcing the selection of Laphonza Butler to finish Diane Feinstein’s senate term. Feinstein, the longest-serving female US senator in history, died last week at 90 and will lie in state at San Francisco City Hall on Wednesday. Butler will become the sole Black female senator serving in Congress and only the third in US history.

TODAY’S WEATHER

Check your local forecast here>>>

AND FINALLY …

AI girlfriends are here
Some artificial intelligence apps are marketing human-like profiles for users to interact with. Watch this video to learn why experts say it’s “ruining an entire generation of men when it comes to relationships.”

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