News Wrap: U.S. auto industry nears a historic strike

Amna Nawaz:

In the day's headlines: The U.S. auto industry nears the precipice of an historic strike at midnight Eastern time.

The United Auto Workers union and the Detroit three automakers bargain through the day, hoping to avoid a first-ever walkout against the entire industry. The UAW said initially it plans to strike at selective plants.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy dared a hard-right Republican faction today to try to oust him or stop using the threat. McCarthy was quoted as saying, "If somebody wants to file a motion, file the effing motion," as he met with party members behind closed doors.

Later, he acknowledged he is fed up with Freedom Caucus members demanding steeper spending cuts and risking a government shutdown at the end of the month.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA):

I showed frustration in here because I am frustrated with the committee. I'm frustrated with some people in the conference. I don't walk away from a battle. I knew changing Washington would not be easy.

I knew people would fight or try to hold leverage for other things. I'm going to continue to just to focus on what's the right thing to do for the American people. And you know what? If it takes a fight, I will have a fight.

Amna Nawaz:

The speaker warned that nobody will win a government shutdown if it comes to that. Congress has just nine working days to pass the necessary spending bills or a short-term measure to avoid a shutdown.

A judge in Georgia ruled today that former President Trump and 16 others will be tried separately from two co-defendants. All of them are accused of illegally trying to overturn the 2020 election results. Lawyers Sidney Powell and Kenneth Chesebro have demanded a speedy trial now set to begin on October 23. Mr. Trump's legal team has pushed for a later trial date.

A hurricane watch is up tonight from Maine to the Canadian border as Hurricane Lee closes in. The storm has lost some punch, but could bring heavy rain and 20-foot waves to coastal New England and Atlantic Canada by early Saturday. Parts of that same area have already been inundated with 10 inches of rain from an earlier storm that triggered flash floods this week.

NASA says it wants to join the search for UFOs and make it a serious scientific endeavor. The space agency released a yearlong study today. It found no evidence of aliens visiting Earth. Instead, it called for advanced satellites to aid the search. Officials also urged reducing the stigma around what they call UAPs, or unidentified anomalous phenomena.

Bill Nelson, NASA Administrator:

We want to shift the conversation about UAPs from sensationalism to science.

David Spergel, UAP Independent Study Team, NASA:

I think of this in terms of the signs we see around for security, which say, if you see something, say something. I think, in this context, we would summarize it as, if you see something, collect high-quality data on it, because then we can learn.

Amna Nawaz:

NASA has hired a director for research in the field, but it's not publicly naming the official to prevent harassment and threats from critics who say the government is hiding evidence of UFOs.

New census data shows more Americans are back in the office and back on the roads. In 2022, only 15 percent of workers did their jobs entirely from home. That's down from nearly 18 percent a year earlier. The rate of those working from home was only 5.7 percent before the pandemic. The census survey also found that, with more people going into the office again, car commutes rose, and so did the average commute time.

And on Wall Street, stocks advanced on strong economic data. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 331 points, or 1 percent, to close at 34907. The Nasdaq rose 112 points, and the S&P 500 added 37.

Still to come on the "NewsHour": political researchers make the case for how minority rule is threatening American democracy; Elon Musk's biographer on what motivates the controversial tech CEO; theaters across the country fight to save their historic art form; plus much more.