U.S.Yahoo NewsBreonna Taylor jurors: Louisville police 'didn't know what they were doing'
Two grand jurors in the Breonna Taylor case said Wednesday that they believed three Louisville, Ky., police officers acted with negligence when they fired into Taylor's apartment during a botched raid that left the 26-year-old woman dead. Identified simply as “Juror One” and “Juror Two,” the two male jurors spoke at length about their experiences on the grand jury during a conference with reporters that was attended by their attorney, Kevin Glogower. The jurors decided to go public with their account of their time on the grand jury after Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron announced last month that none of the three officers who shot into Taylor's apartment — Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly, Detective Myles Cosgrove and former Detective Brett Hankison — would be charged directly with her death.
PoliticsYahoo NewsTrump tries to turn back a tidal wave of early voting
Throughout the 2020 campaign, President Trump has pursued a strategy to try to keep voter turnout low in the general election, which, conventional wisdom holds, helps Republicans. On Wednesday, for example, the president made clear that he wanted states to stop counting ballots soon after Election Day, regardless of whether they had been cast legally. “Hopefully the few states remaining that want to take a lot of time after Nov. 3 to count ballots, that won't be allowed by the various courts, because you know we're in courts on that,” Trump told reporters ahead of a campaign rally in Arizona.
U.S.Miami HeraldPassenger hanging out van window falls and dies after killing bicyclist, Vegas cops say
A man died after Las Vegas police said he hung out of a car and struck a bicyclist, killing her. On Sunday, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department responded to a report of two people who had been hit by a car, according to a news release. The man was the passenger in a car driven by 22-year-old Rodrigo Cruz, police said, and he leaned out of the window, pushing a female bicyclist to the ground.
WorldAssociated PressEurope and US facing new round of shutdowns amid virus surge
Germany on Wednesday moved to shut down restaurants, bars and theaters all over again and France weighed demands for another nationwide lockdown as a new wave of coronavirus infections in Europe and the U.S. wipes out months of progress against the scourge on two continents. The resurgence and the growing clampdown sent a shudder through financial markets, and stocks slumped. “We must act, and now, to avoid an acute national health emergency,” German Chancellor Angela Merkel said as she announced a four-week partial lockdown starting Monday.
PoliticsYahoo News'Anonymous' WH official who wrote about officials thwarting Trump reveals himself
The author of an anonymous 2018 New York Times op-ed that depicted President Trump as a danger to the nation whose destructive impulses were being thwarted by patriotic administration officials revealed his identity on Wednesday, more than two years later. Donald Trump is a man without character,” Miles Taylor, the former chief of staff at the Department of Homeland Security, said in a statement. It's time for everyone to step out of the shadows.
WorldAssociated PressThousands in Bangladesh protest against French cartoons
Around 10,000 people in Bangladesh rallied in the South Asian nation's capital on Tuesday to protest France's president and his staunch support of secular laws that deem caricatures depicting the Prophet Muhammad as protected under freedom of speech. Protesters from the conservative Islami Andolon Bangladesh group, which supports the introduction of Islamic law in the Muslim-majority country, carried banners and placards reading: “All Muslims of the world, unite” and “Boycott France.” It was the largest protest yet against the cartoons in recent days.
BusinessReutersGlobal economic rebound at risk from rising coronavirus cases: Reuters poll
There is a high risk the resurgence in coronavirus cases halts the global economic recovery by year-end, according to Reuters polls of around 500 economists, a majority of whom expected the rebound next year to be weaker than previously thought. The Oct. 6-27 Reuters polls of economists across Asia, Europe and the Americas covering 46 economies showed scant sign of activity recovering to pre-COVID-19 levels anytime soon. "Even before the renewed lockdowns there was already a broad acceptance that many countries will see a permanently lower level of GDP than they would have done in the absence of the pandemic," noted Janet Henry, global chief economist at HSBC.
PoliticsYahoo NewsWhite House admits report that listed 'ending' COVID pandemic as Trump accomplishment was 'poorly worded'
The White House acknowledged on Wednesday that a report touting the “ending of the COVID-19 pandemic” as one of the Trump administration's accomplishments was “poorly worded.” “I think that was poorly worded,” White House communications director Alyssa Farah said on Fox News. On Tuesday, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy published a 62-page report outlining what it called “highlights” in “Advancing America's Global Leadership in Science & Technology” over the past four years.
U.S.Associated PressGun-wielding St. Louis couple seek prosecutor's removal
The attorney for a St. Louis couple facing felony charges for waving guns at racial injustice protesters who marched near their home asked a judge Wednesday to remove the city's top prosecutor and her entire office from the case. A grand jury earlier this month indicted Mark McCloskey, 63, and Patricia McCloskey, 61, on charges of unlawful use of a weapon and tampering with evidence. The effort to disqualify Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, a Democrat, contends that her prosecution is politically motivated.
WorldReutersCivilians killed as Nagorno-Karabakh conflict deepens
Azerbaijan and Armenia accused each other of killing civilians by shelling cities in and around Nagorno-Karabakh on Wednesday, in an escalation of a month-long conflict over the mountain enclave that has defied three ceasefires. Azerbaijan said 21 people were killed when Armenian shells hit the town of Barda, northeast of Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenian-backed officials in Nagorno-Karabakh said Azeri shells had fallen on the enclave's two largest cities, killing one person.
PoliticsYahoo News'The possibility of real-world harm is high': Experts warn of violence from QAnon around the election
On Oct. 17, roughly 100 people reportedly gathered in a conference room at a resort in Scottsdale, Ariz., for Q Con Live, an all-day event featuring speeches from some of the most prominent disciples of the QAnon movement. According to an audio recording of his speech obtained by hosts of the “QAnon Anonymous” podcast, which has been tracking the growing conspiracy movement since its early days, Hostetter, who claims the coronavirus pandemic has been exaggerated by the media and that masks are part of a tyrannical effort to control the public, can be heard describing the U.S. as on the brink of civil war and suggesting that President Trump must be reelected in order to prevent the country from descending into violent conflict. Just two days before the event in Arizona, disinformation experts highlighted concerns about the risks presented by the rapid recent expansion of QAnon during a virtual hearing with members of the House Intelligence Committee on combating the spread of false information online.
LifestyleArchitectural DigestOur Favorite Home Decor Pieces From the Second Annual Etsy Design Awards
From upcycled technicolor furniture to wall-mounted minimalist cat beds, there's so much to love Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
WorldAssociated Press'We're working on it:' Pope's COVID advisers and the mask
Pope Francis' decision to forgo wearing a mask has been noticed, with some concern, by the commission of Vatican experts he appointed to help chart the Catholic Church's path through the coronavirus pandemic and the aftermath. The Rev. Augusto Zampini, one of the key members of the pope's COVID-19 commission, acknowledged Tuesday that at age 83 and with part of his lung removed after an illness in his youth, Francis would be at high risk for complications if he were to become infected with COVID-19. “He has started to use the mask now,” Zampini said in response to reporters' questions.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderJames Comey's wife tried to convince him not to make his surprise October announcement about Hillary Clinton's emails in 2016
Patricia Comey, the wife of former FBI director James Comey, tried to stop him from making his surprise October 2016 announcement about reopening an investigation into Hillary Clinton's email server, she told New York Times reporter Michael Schmidt. Comey's announcement, days before Election Day in 2016, damaged Clinton's candidacy, analysts have said. "You can't do this this close to the election.
PoliticsYahoo News'Safer than your local grocery store': How the Pentagon kept the virus at bay as the White House struggled
The COVID-19 outbreak sweeping through the White House, most recently among the staff of Vice President Mike Pence, has underlined the fact that in Washington's halls of power there has been a tale of two pandemics. The contrast between the chaos the pandemic has wreaked on the White House and the limited impact it has had on the health of the 25,000-strong Pentagon workforce, which has rigorously followed CDC guidelines, could not be more pronounced. President Trump has continually downplayed the severity of the virus and mocked those who took steps to protect themselves from it.
- PoliticsReuters Videos
Merkel plans circuit-break lockdown for Germany
Germany may be about to reimpose a coronavirus lockdown almost approaching the level of the sweeping measures that hit last spring. Chancellor Angela Merkel is due to meet regional leaders on Wednesday to discuss measures that will mean the closing of restaurants and bars, but schools and nurseries would be kept open. The plan will be to try and agree on nationwide rules in favor of a confusing patchwork of local measures.
WorldReutersProminent Saudi women's rights activist on hunger strike in detention, says family
Prominent Saudi women's rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul, held in Saudi Arabia since 2018, began a new hunger strike on Monday over the conditions of her detention, her family said. Hathloul's sister Lina told Reuters that the main demand was to be allowed regular contact with her family. In late August Hathloul went on a six-day hunger strike after authorities at Riyadh's al-Hair prison cut off contact for over four months.
U.S.Associated PressRising infections complicate rules for New York-area travel
The problem is, if I bring my daughter to Rhode Island for her weekend here, then when she goes back to New York — due to Rhode Island being on New York's quarantine list — she can't go to school. She has to quarantine for 14 days," said Collins, 36, of Warwick. It's been taking its toll,” he said.
U.S.The IndependentFive US states at high risk of election-related violence from militias, report claims
Five states are at a "high risk" of facing election-related armed violence from militia groups, according to a report. Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project and MilitiaWatch released a report that claimed Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan, Wisconsin and Oregon are at risk of experiencing violence from militia groups during the 2020 US election. The report is titled "Standing By: Right-Wing Militia Groups and the US Election," a reference to Donald Trump's "stand back and stand by," which was viewed by many as an endorsement of far-right hate group the Proud Boys.
- WorldReuters Videos
Sex cult leader sentenced to 120 years in prison
Keith Raniere, the founder of the cult-like group NXIVM where women were kept on starvation diets, branded with his initials, and ordered to have sex with him, was sentenced on Tuesday to 120 years in prison following his conviction for sex trafficking and other crimes. The sentence was imposed by a U.S. District Judge in Brooklyn after a hearing where 15 former NXIVM members, most of them women, described what they called the devastating impact Raniere had on their lives. Federal prosecutors had sought a life sentence for the 60-year-old Raniere for exploiting victims at NXIVM, a purported self-help group based near Albany, New York.
PoliticsAssociated PressThe Latest: Winfrey boosts Biden at get-out-the-vote event
Miles Taylor, a former chief of staff at the Department of Homeland Security, revealed himself Wednesday to be the senior White House administration official known as “Anonymous” who wrote a scathing New York Times op-ed about Trump and a subsequent book, “A Warning. As “Anonymous,” he claimed to be part of a “resistance” working “from within” to thwart Trump's “worst inclinations. Taylor has been an outspoken critic of Trump's in recent months and has a contributor contract on CNN.
U.S.USA TODAYA woman went missing for 12 days in Zion National Park. Here's how her story led to an online frenzy
Holly Courtier, a 38-year-old California mom, was found Oct. 18 in Zion National Park visibly famished, pounds lighter and dehydrated. Upon her discovery, she left the park with her family and sought medical care. What started as a widespread plea for tips and support to find Courtier became an international sensation filled with vitriol and conspiracy theories about her disappearance.
WorldAssociated PressSatellite photos show construction at Iran nuclear site
Iran has begun construction at its Natanz nuclear facility, satellite images released Wednesday show, just as the U.N. nuclear agency acknowledged Tehran is building an underground advanced centrifuge assembly plant after its last one exploded in a reported sabotage attack last summer. The construction comes as the U.S. nears Election Day in a campaign pitting President Donald Trump, whose maximum pressure campaign against Iran has led Tehran to abandon all limits on its atomic program, and Joe Biden, who has expressed a willingness to return to the accord. Heightened tensions between Iran and the U.S. nearly ignited a war at the start of the year.
U.S.The IndependentBilly Graham’s pastor grandson denies vulgar act on plane in case of mistaken identity
The grandson of religious leader Billy Graham was forced to deny he was the pastor who performed a vulgar act on a plane passenger in an apparent case of mistaken identity. The Rev Will Graham took to Twitter to deny he was involved in the bizarre incident and had not even been on the flight at the time. Now it has been reported that it was the Rev Danny Chalmers who was charged with disorderly conduct for the allegedly urinating on a passenger on a flight from Las Vegas Detroit, according to the Religion News Service.
PoliticsReutersBiden lead over Trump grows in Michigan, race is statistically even in North Carolina: Reuters/Ipsos
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden's lead over President Donald Trump in Michigan is looking increasingly comfortable but the two remain neck and neck in North Carolina, Reuters/Ipsos opinion polls showed on Tuesday. Reuters/Ipsos is polling likely voters in six states - Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Michigan, North Carolina, Florida and Arizona - that will play critical roles in deciding whether Trump wins a second term in office or if Biden ousts him. The national online survey, conducted Oct. 23 to 27, found that 52% of likely voters said they were backing Biden, while 42% were voting for Trump.
![White House Declares Pandemic Over As It Cites Renowned Scientist Ivanka Trump [UPDATE]](https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/W0iUnt40UVpLRSvuH2MC7Q--~B/Zmk9c3RyaW07aD0xNDQ7cT04MDt3PTE0NDthcHBpZD15dGFjaHlvbg--/https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/3Xp5.zJBJnj.1YJc0jYvzQ--~B/aD0xMzg2O3c9MjA3ODthcHBpZD15dGFjaHlvbg--/https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/5f985f622400006c1f61e8dc.jpg.cf.jpg)
“Many are longtime Republicans wrestling with what they see as a choice between two lousy candidates.”
“Some undecideds turn out to be people who’ve long felt alienated from the two big political parties.”
“They’re not following the 24-hour news cycle. The election and politics are just not a high priority.”
“One common trait: at this stage of the game, the undecided voter doesn’t fit into an easy political profile.”
“More realistically...these voters may not be motivated to vote at all in the 2020 election.”