2 Filipinos killed, 1 feared dead in Hamas attack
2 Filipinos killed, 1 feared dead in Hamas attack;
U.S. Sec. Blinken to visit Israel, to show solidarity and support;
Race for new U.S. Speaker of the House now underway
U.S. Sec. Blinken to visit Israel, to show solidarity and support;
Race for new U.S. Speaker of the House now underway
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NewsTranscript
00:00 Good day, I'm William Thio and this is PTV News Now.
00:04 Two Filipinos have been confirmed dead in an attack by the Palestinian militant group
00:09 Hamas in Israel.
00:11 One more Filipino is also feared dead, but officials are still validating the nationality
00:16 of the disease through DNA testing.
00:19 DFA Secretary Enrique Manalo strongly condemned the killing of the two Filipinos and the violence
00:25 of Hamas.
00:26 Meanwhile, DFA Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said Israel is now under alert level 2 by
00:33 decision of the Foreign Ministry, which also means there will be a restricted deployment.
00:40 United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken is heading to Israel and Jordan to echo and
00:46 vow support for Israel's right to self-defense.
00:49 Blinken will be meeting with senior Israeli leaders.
00:52 U.S. State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said Blinken wants to hear from the
00:57 leaders from Israel and personally check the status quo.
01:01 The U.S. Secretary is expected to arrive in Israel Thursday.
01:05 He will also visit Jordan to meet with senior officials.
01:11 And the race for new Speakership of the United States House of Representatives is underway.
01:16 Republican Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan making the case for their candidacies, while many
01:23 lawmakers still support Kevin McCarthy, who was removed from the post last week.
01:28 VOA's Katherine Gibson tells us more.
01:32 The contest to elect a new Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives kicked off Tuesday,
01:38 with each day delaying an embattled U.S. package of aid to Ukraine.
01:43 And you're right.
01:44 We don't want to see a single lapse.
01:46 That's why we're going to continue to work with Congress to see if we can get supplemental
01:49 funding.
01:50 We've got enough right now to get us through some time.
01:53 But as I said the other day, it's not indefinite.
01:57 Even before Speaker Kevin McCarthy was removed from office last week, the White House's $24
02:03 billion aid request had stalled in the Republican-majority U.S. House of Representatives at a key point
02:09 in the war.
02:10 Ukraine is in the middle of an offensive to try and reclaim stolen territory, and that
02:17 is intensive of use of military articles.
02:20 And so the inability to resupply will obviously result in that offensive grinding to a slow
02:27 ebb or even a halt.
02:29 Opposition to Ukraine aid grew among House Republicans over the summer, and it will be
02:34 difficult for any candidate to become Speaker without winning over those critics.
02:40 Republican Jim Jordan, a candidate for Speaker, has said aid to Ukraine is not a priority.
02:46 The most pressing issue on Americans' minds is not Ukraine.
02:48 It is the border situation and it is crime on the streets, and everybody knows that.
02:53 In October 2023, a poll by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs found that 60 percent of
02:59 Americans still support the U.S. sending aid to Ukraine.
03:03 It's expensive, and our country has its own share of problems right now, and a lot of
03:08 people would like to see money go in different directions, but I just feel like, you know,
03:13 as the United States has really helped so many people in so many countries in their
03:19 time of need, and this is a critical one.
03:23 The White House reportedly is exploring the possibility of linking aid to Ukraine with
03:28 aid for the war in Israel.
03:30 McCarthy, who is still supported by many lawmakers to become Speaker again, said Israel should
03:36 come first.
03:37 You're thinking some type of game to play?
03:40 I think right now Israel is just attacked.
03:42 I would put Israel's supplemental on the table, on the floor right now.
03:47 Speaker candidate Steve Scalise, who has been supportive of aid to Ukraine in the past,
03:52 said lawmakers should move swiftly to elect a new leader.
03:55 We've got to get back on track.
03:57 This is a dangerous world right now.
04:00 Republicans will hold their vote for the Speaker post on Wednesday until the full U.S. House
04:05 of Representatives elects a Speaker.
04:07 No legislation can be passed.
04:10 Catherine Gipson, VOA News, Capitol Hill.
04:17 This is William Thio.
04:18 Stay informed, be aware, get ahead, be a fuse.
04:22 Get the news right here.
04:23 here.
04:25 (upbeat music)