5 things to know for Oct. 8: Air travel, Furloughed workers, James Comey, Gaza ceasefire talks, Tesla

By Alexandra Banner, CNN

The Trump administration has ordered FBI employees to urgently search for any records related to the 1937 disappearance of Amelia Earhart. The unusual directive, marked as a top priority by the White House, has agents combing through decades-old files tied to the famed aviator.

Here’s what else you need to know to get up to speed and on with your day.

1️⃣ Air travel

Travelers could face more delays at major airports nationwide due to a shortage of air traffic controllers. The aviation problems come as Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says more controllers are calling out sick amid the government shutdown. Like TSA agents, air traffic controllers are considered essential employees and must work without pay during the impasse. Numerous airports were affected on Tuesday, including Chicago’s O’Hare, which was expected to operate without a full complement of controllers for over nine hours. The FAA also issued a ground stop for flights heading to Nashville International Airport due to staffing shortages. The issues are similar to what happened Monday at Hollywood Burbank International Airport in California, where the entire tower was forced to shut down.

2️⃣ Furloughed workers

President Donald Trump suggested Tuesday that he may withhold back pay from all federal employees once the government shutdown ends. The president also said he’ll soon announce which government programs he intends to permanently eliminate amid the standoff over federal funding. Roughly 750,000 federal workers are expected to be furloughed during this shutdown, according to a Congressional Budget Office analysis. Several top GOP leaders have distanced themselves from Trump’s idea, as they made clear they supported back pay for government workers. An increasing number of Republican lawmakers have also acknowledged the potential political perils of implementing mass layoffs of federal workers during this time.

3️⃣ James Comey

In 2017, President Trump fired FBI Director James Comey, who was overseeing the investigation into possible collusion between his campaign and Russia. Later today, Comey is set to be arraigned on criminal charges that Trump has sought as part of a political vendetta. Comey was indicted last month on federal charges of giving false statements and obstruction of a congressional proceeding for allegedly lying to Congress during testimony in 2020. US District Judge Michael Nachmanoff, an appointee of former President Joe Biden, was randomly assigned to oversee the trial. Comey is expected to plead not guilty.

4️⃣ Gaza ceasefire talks

Negotiations are underway in Egypt to finalize a deal based on President Trump’s Gaza ceasefire plan. Israel and Hamas have made “progress” during the first two days of the talks, a source told CNN, although it remains unclear whether either side will make the necessary compromises for a breakthrough. Also in the region, another fleet of Gaza-bound aid ships carrying journalists, activists and medical professionals has been intercepted by Israeli authorities, organizers said. It comes just days after Israel detained dozens of people on the Global Sumud Flotilla, a separate Gaza-bound convoy that included Swedish activist Greta Thunberg.

5️⃣ Tesla

Tesla has unveiled cheaper versions of the company’s two main cars — the Model 3 and the Model Y. The roughly $5,000 price cuts aim to create a more affordable starting tier for buyers. Tesla said the new Model 3 Standard will cost $38,630 and will be available in December or January. The Model Y Standard will have a starting price of $41,630 and is expected to be available in November or December. Following the expiration of the $7,500 electric vehicle tax credit for US consumers, Tesla now faces a more competitive market — one where EVs have become more expensive relative to gas-powered and hybrid vehicles.

Breakfast browse

Bear enters Japanese supermarket and pounces on customer

Two people were injured Tuesday when a bear rampaged through the sushi section of a Japanese supermarket

A spinach scare

Federal health officials warned that some Hello Fresh meal kits may contain listeria-tainted spinach.

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck reunite on the red carpet

The pair, who split last year, appeared together on the red carpet on Monday. But don’t get your hopes up for Bennifer 3.0.

Bob Ross paintings to be auctioned to support public TV stations

Thirty paintings by the iconic, soft-spoken artist Bob Ross will soon be auctioned to help cover programming costs for public television stations.

A trailblazing architect

Meet Frida Escobedo, the female architect making history at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Quote of the day

The pontiff made the remarks on Monday on the second anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israeli communities. Leo will soon embark on his first international trip, visiting Turkey and Lebanon, where he is expected to focus on promoting peace in the Middle East.

Weather

🌤️ Check your local forecast to see what you can expect.

And finally…

▶️ Don’t be fooled by this new deepfake scam

Write a short blurb with link to video.CNN’s Clare Duffy met with ethical hacker and security expert Rachel Tobac to see just how easy it is for bad actors to impersonate someone using AI. Learn about the latest scam that has cheated companies out of millions.

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Today’s edition of 5 Things AM was edited and produced by CNN’s Andrew Torgan.