5 things to know for Oct. 4: Hurricane Ian, North Korea, Capitol riot, FAA, Covid-19

By Alexandra Meeks, CNN

The future of social media and online speech could be significantly altered depending on how the Supreme Court rules on a few pivotal cases this term. Some justices have specifically expressed interest in taking up cases regarding online content moderation, but many platforms — including Google, Meta and Twitter — are concerned because that could open up fresh risks for the tech industry.

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

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1. Hurricane Ian

Six days after Hurricane Ian left parts of southwest Florida in ruins, search and rescue teams are going door-to-door looking for survivors. At least 101 people in Florida were killed and more than 1,900 have been rescued, officials said on Monday. Ian also claimed the lives of four people in North Carolina and three others in Cuba. In some cases, government officials dealing with recovery efforts are among those who lost their homes. “When you are walking around the ruins, it’s an apocalyptic scene,” Fort Myers Beach City Councilman Bill Veach said of his own neighborhood, which was destroyed by the storm. The devastation wrought by Ian likely caused more than $50 billion in damages — and also put a dent in overall US economic output, economists say.

2. North Korea

Japan urged residents to take shelter today after North Korea fired a ballistic missile without warning over the country for the first time in five years. Experts say the highly provocative and potentially dangerous act by the Kim Jong Un regime represents a major escalation in its weapons testing program. The missile traveled over northern Japan and is believed to have landed in the Pacific Ocean. While no damage was reported, the unannounced missile launch triggered a rare J-alert, a system designed to inform the public of emergencies and threats. In such emergencies, alerts are sent out via sirens, through radio stations and to individual smartphone users. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida strongly condemned the launch as “outrageous.” This is North Korea’s 23rd missile test this year.

3. Capitol riot

The trial of five alleged members of the Oath Keepers, the far-right militia accused of plotting to attack the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, began on Monday. In the dramatic first day’s opening statements, the Justice Department said the defendants sought to “stop by any means necessary” the lawful transfer of presidential power to Joe Biden, “including taking up arms against the United States government.” On the other side, a lawyer for the Oath Keepers said that the jurors will see evidence that the defendants “had no part in the bulk” of the violence that occurred on January 6. All five members have pleaded not guilty to the charge of seditious conspiracy, a charge rarely brought by the Justice Department, and other charges. It carries a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison.

4. Flight attendants

Federal aviation officials plan to announce a new rule today that flight attendants will get more mandated rest time between flights, sources familiar with the announcement tell CNN. Flight crew unions have fought hard for the change, saying that flight attendants are exhausted and overworked after shifts as long as 14 hours. Current FAA rules mandate that in most cases, an airline provides a flight attendant a nine-hour rest period after being on duty for 14 hours or less. Last year, the FAA opened public comment on a proposed regulatory change that would increase the rest period to 10 hours between shifts. The change was first approved by Congress in 2018 but was not put in place by the Trump administration.

5. Covid-19

With fewer international destinations testing for or reporting Covid-19 cases, the CDC has announced it will no longer maintain a country-by-country list of travel advisories related to the virus. Instead, the agency will only post a notice for a country if there is a concerning variant or situation that would change its travel recommendations. The CDC issued its first Covid-specific travel notice for China in January of 2020 and has long been updating its advisories list each Monday until this week. The agency recommends that regardless of the destination, international travelers should stay up to date on their Covid-19 vaccines and have all eligible booster shots.

THIS JUST IN

Nobel Prize for physics awarded

Alain Aspect, John F. Clauser and Anton Zeilinger have won the Nobel Prize for physics for their achievements in quantum mechanics, the organizing committee said today. The trio’s work “has laid the foundation for a new era of quantum technology,” the Royal Swedish Academy Of Sciences said.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

Expect to shell out more for a Christmas tree this year

Before you start hunting fir your Christmas tree, keep in mind you’ll probably spend more to spruce up your living room this year. Here’s why prices are rising for the perfect pine.

New ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ trailer

Marvel debuted a longer trailer for the upcoming film… and now we’re one step closer to learning the identity of the new Black Panther.

Kim Kardashian charged by the SEC, agrees to pay $1.3 million fine

The reality TV star was hit with a hefty fine after failing to disclose that she was paid $250,000 to publish a particular Instagram post.

Trader Joe’s finally brings back free samples after pandemic hiatus

I mean, who doesn’t love samples? Freebies are back at the grocery store just in time for you to snack on all the unique seasonal items.

Ed Sheeran announces new tour with math symbols

The singer named his North American tour “+ – = ÷ x” and we have an idea what it means.

TODAY’S NUMBER

765

That’s how many points the Dow rose on Monday, kicking off the month of October with more treats than tricks for investors. The Dow’s 2.7% increase marks the biggest gain since mid-July. The Nasdaq and S&P 500 also gained 2.3% and 2.6%, respectively. While inflation remains a concern and stocks are still down sharply this year, the rebound was a positive sign for the market at the start of the fourth quarter.

TODAY’S QUOTE

“We know that we must learn from and take responsibility for the painful lessons of the past in order to move the League into a better future.”

— The National Women’s Soccer League, issuing a statement after an independent investigation found systemic abuse and misconduct within women’s professional soccer in the US. The report, led by former acting attorney general Sally Q. Yates and released Monday, was based on more than 200 interviews and reveals the League under the US Soccer Federation failed to provide a safe environment for players. Monday’s report also states there have been multiple allegations or findings of sexual harassment and misconduct by head coaches.

TODAY’S WEATHER

Check your local forecast here>>>

AND FINALLY

A chapel in the sky

Watch these worshippers make the ultimate climb of faith to reach a chapel perched hundreds of feet above a steep cliff. (Click here to view)

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