The Countdown: NYC Columbus Day Parade; Russians hack US airports
NEW YORK (WABC) -- In this edition of 'The Countdown,' we highlight Italian American pride, which was on full display Monday as the 78th annual Columbus Day Parade returned to Midtown.
It's the country's biggest celebration of Italian American heritage.
Thousands lined Fifth Avenue to see the parade, featuring more than 20 marching bands, dozens of floats, and hundreds of other performers.
Here are the other headlines from Monday's show:
Airport cyber security
Service has largely been restored to the websites for some of the nation's largest airports, including LaGuardia, after they were taken down by Russian hackers. More than a dozen websites were hit Monday morning and a Russian hacker group claimed responsibility. The systems targeted did not handle air traffic control, internal airline communications/coordination or transportation security.
Russia strikes Kyiv, multiple Ukrainian cities
Russia unleashed a lethal barrage of strikes against multiple Ukrainian cities Monday, smashing civilian targets including downtown Kyiv where at least eight people were killed amid burnt-out cars and shattered buildings that brought back into focus the grim reality of war after months of easing tensions in the capital.
COVID booster push
There's a renewed push to make sure people get their COVID booster shot on Long Island, where residents have been hesitant to roll up their sleeves for another shot. The numbers remain low while health officials say more Long Islanders died from COVID this past summer than the previous two.
Midterm election update
The crucial U.S. midterm elections are less than a month away with the control of Congress at stake. Now, one of the most controversial candidates is getting a new show of support from the leaders of his party.
You can watch 'The Countdown' live Monday-Friday at 6:30 p.m. on ABC7NY.com or our ABC7NY app on Roku, FireTV, Apple TV and Android TV.
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