Freed Hamas hostage describes 'hell' and House set to choose speaker candidate: Morning Rundown

A newly released Hamas hostage describes her experience in captivity. House Republicans will narrow down the eight remaining speaker candidates to choose a nominee. And crashes involving 150 vehicles on a Louisiana highway killed at least seven people.

Here's what to know today.

Two more hostages released by Hamas

The release of two more hostages by Hamas was welcome news for loved ones desperate for their return, but many are still in agony over the 200-plus people who remain captive.

The two hostages released last night were identified as Nurit Cooper and Yocheved Lifshitz. Both had been released for “compelling humanitarian” reasons, the military wing of Hamas said in a statement on Telegram.

“I believed this moment would come,” said Lifshitz’s grandson, Daniel Lifshitz. “I wanted this moment to come.” He added, “We’re expecting the rest to be released, all hostages from the kibbutz, and all hostages in general.”

The two women have been recovering at a hospital in Tel Aviv, which said in a video statement that their medical condition was “fine” and they had a reunion with their family members.

Yocheved Lifshitz, 85, described the ‘hell’ of being taken hostage but also her time in captivity, where she said she was treated well. She told reporters in her hospital that after being seized by militants she was put on a motorbike to be taken into Gaza, beaten with sticks, and then taken through a network of tunnels.

Read the full story about Cooper and Lifshitz’s release.

In a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after Lifshitz and Cooper’s release, President Joe Biden reaffirmed his commitment to efforts to secure the release of hostages and to continue the flow of aid into Gaza. The U.S. has advised Israel to delay a ground invasion into Gaza to allow more time for hostage negotiations and humanitarian aid.

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GOP will attempt to choose a third speaker nominee

Republicans will meet today to whittle down the eight House speaker candidates to just one. The third attempt to fill the role comes exactly three weeks after a vote to oust Kevin McCarthy left the House in a state of unprecedented chaos, with wars raging and a possible government shutdown a few weeks away.

In this round, nine candidates threw their hats into the ring, but Rep. Dan Meuser of Michigan dropped out after making his pitch yesterday. Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota is the favorite to win the nomination.

A public floor vote could happen as soon as today. Even if things were to get that far, it’s not clear whether a nominee would be able to secure the 217 votes needed to win the gavel.

At least 7 dead in Louisiana ‘Superfog’ crashes involving 150 vehicles

Seven people died and more than 25 injured after a series of crashes yesterday that stretched across a mile and affected 150 vehicles along Interstate 55. The National Weather Service had warned that dense fog and smoke from nearby marsh fires had combined to form a “Superfog,” which had impacted parts of the interstate. Authorities fear the death toll could rise as they clear the area around a tanker truck carrying hazardous liquid.

Police focus on ‘different theories’ in synagogue president’s slaying

Investigators are focusing on “persons of interest” and “a number of different theories” in the murder of 40-year-old Samantha Woll, a prominent Jewish leader who was found fatally stabbed over the weekend. Speaking to reporters yesterday, Detroit Police Chief James E. White reiterated that Woll’s killing was most likely not a hate crime and added, “We believe that there are no other groups or anyone else at risk.”

Police said Woll, the board president of a Detroit synagogue, had been at a wedding on Friday night. She was found the next morning in her front yard with a “trail of blood” that led back into her home, White said. Here’s what else we know so far.

Politics in Brief

Georgia election interference case: Donald Trump is claiming Sidney Powell “never was” his attorney in the wake of her guilty plea last week.

E. Jean Carroll lawsuit: A federal appeals panel wants to know why lawyers for Donald Trump didn’t try years ago to use a claim of presidential immunity to shield him from a defamation lawsuit by a woman who accused him of sexual assault.

Menendez indictment: Sen. Bob Menendez pleaded not guilty to a new charge alleging he accepted bribes from the Egyptian government and conspired to act as a foreign agent while serving as a member of Congress.

2024 election: Republicans have a deep bench of candidates in most major battleground states as it looks to flip the Senate next year. But one of the most closely divided states has been a weak spot so far.

Staff Pick: ‘They don’t want to come here anymore’

This summer, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bipartisan law banning certain Chinese nationals from buying property in the state. So how’s that going? Three months in, buyers are forced to walk away from deals and some real estate agents say they are losing business. There’s also the whole racial profiling issue. “If somebody comes in and is Asian-looking, you’re automatically going to start asking questions about where you’re from, which never used to happen,” one person said. — Jessi Prois, NBC Asian America editorial director

News. Culture. The stories we’re talking about across our communities. Sign up for our newsletter from NBC Asian America.

In Case You Missed It

• A suspect in a drug-induced robbery scheme that led to the deaths of two gay men in New York City last year has pleaded guilty to robbery, grand larceny and identity theft charges.

• Bobi, the world’s oldest known dog ever, has died. He was 31 years and 165 days old.

• Olympic gymnastics icon Mary Lou Retton returned home after she was in the intensive care unit last week for pneumonia.

• An off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot was charged with 83 counts of attempted murder after he allegedly tried to shut off a plane’s engines mid-flight.

• Jeff Wilson, a Washington state senator, was arrested at an airport in Hong Kong after a pistol was found in his carry-on bag.

Select: Online Shopping, Simplified

If you use a computer most of the day for work, having an ergonomic equipment can help reduce strain and prevent potential injuries. Our Select team talked to experts about ergonomic mice. First off, do they work? And which ones do they recommend? Here’s what they say.

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This article was originally published on NBCNews.com