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What is truth? The following is an important article that addresses the psychology of how we decide to believe something as true. https://fs.blog/illusory-truth-effect/ To read a 1977 scientific study of this same issue, see: https://bear.warrington.ufl.edu/brenner/mar7588/Papers/hasher-et-al-jvvb-1977.pdf To read a 1999 scientific study of this same issue, see: https://carlo-hamalainen.net/stuff/Reber_Schwarz_Perceptual_fluency.pdf The following reports on a 2017 book on this subject which you can still purchase from Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ICYHWXE/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=farnamstreet-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B00ICYHWXE&linkId=d5825c69374887691eadd41278669a8e

Tropical Storm Trami Widespread flooding and landslides set off by a tropical storm in the northeastern Philippines have left at least 24 people dead, swept away cars and trapped villagers. Many schools and offices are closed on the main island of Luzon today to protect millions of people after Tropical Storm Trami slammed into the country's northeastern province of Isabela after midnight. Local officials said thousands have been rescued by government forces but many more are waiting to be saved, including some on roofs. About 20 storms and typhoons batter the Philippines each year. In 2013, Typhoon Haiyan, one of the strongest recorded tropical cyclones in the world, left more than 7,300 people dead or missing and flattened entire villages.

Iranian hackers Iranian government-linked hackers have researched and probed election-related websites in multiple US swing states in a possible effort to discover vulnerabilities that could be used to influence the presidential election, Microsoft said in a report released Wednesday. The hackers also "conducted reconnaissance of major US media outlets" in May, according to Microsoft. Officials from multiple federal agencies are looking closely at the Iranian activity, a US official told CNN. US intelligence agencies have assessed that Iran has tried to stoke discord during the 2024 election, in part through hacking activity targeting the Trump campaign and in part by encouraging protests of US policy towards Israel.

October 24, 2024 By German Lopez Good morning. We’re covering bipartisan support for marijuana legalization — plus, accusations of fascism, Israeli bombs in Lebanon and #MeToo in Japan. In Rome, Ga. Nicole Craine for The New York Times High support Twelve years ago, mainstream politicians opposed marijuana legalization. Recreational use was forbidden even in the most liberal states. Today, even conservative states are considering the policy — including North Dakota, South Dakota and Florida, through ballot initiatives this November. And both presidential contenders now favor legalization. Kamala Harris confirmed her support this month. Donald Trump says he will vote for Florida’s initiative. He also backs easing federal restrictions on weed. This is the first time even one major-party candidate has publicly supported legalizing pot. The shift was unusually quick for American politics; it’s very rare for the bipartisan consensus to flip in less than a generation. One reason politicians have changed their minds so quickly is that they are following a shift in voters’ views. In today’s newsletter, I’ll look at how public opinion evolved — and why Harris’s and Trump’s positions could matter even in states that have already legalized marijuana. A quick shift Americans’ views on domestic policy are largely stable. Consider guns: Congress passed the last major federal gun measure, the Brady Act, three decades ago. Since then, views on whether firearm laws should be made more or less strict have barely moved, according to Gallup. This is typical for most domestic policy issues, researchers have found. Marijuana legalization is an exception. In 2000, 31 percent supported it; now 70 percent do. The new consensus formed long before politicians caught up. Most Democrats have supported legalization since the late 2000s. Most Republicans have since 2017, according to Gallup. Why did public opinion change so quickly? One explanation is exhaustion with the war on drugs. Decades of punitive policy did not get great results. The United States is in the middle of its deadliest drug overdose crisis ever (although overdose deaths are now falling). People want reform, and one place to start is a drug that most Americans see as less dangerous than legal substances like alcohol and tobacco. The shift has continued even as legalization has produced its own problems. In states where marijuana is legal, people have reported more addiction and other serious medical issues that are linked to daily marijuana use. (See some of those harms.) Still, public opinion remains in favor of legal pot — and now Democratic and Republican leaders are catching up. Federal impact With many states legalizing marijuana — perhaps a majority, after this year’s election — you may wonder whether it matters that the presidential candidates have come around to legalization. After all, many states addressed the issue before federal officials caught up. But federal law still shapes marijuana policy at the state level. For example, many banks, which are regulated at the federal level, remain wary of holding money from marijuana businesses. In many ways, the law treats those transactions the same way it does bank transactions from a drug cartel or another criminal enterprise. This leaves dispensaries open to robbery because many can’t take credit cards and can’t find a secure place to store all their cash. Federal regulation can also help address some of the problems that have appeared with legalization. Congress will ultimately decide whether federal marijuana laws are loosened or repealed. But the next House and Senate will be able to make such changes with confidence, knowing that they probably won’t face a veto from the White House. Related: A jar of legal weed can cost $60 in New York. One reason? Federal prohibition. THE LATEST NEWS Democratic Campaign Vice President Kamala Harris Erin Schaff/The New York Times When asked in a CNN town hall if she believes Trump is a fascist, as his former chief of staff alleged to The Times, Harris said yes. Harris was also asked about her changes in position on fracking and other issues. She said the country deserved a president “who is not afraid of good ideas and does not stand on pride,” adding, “The important thing is to build consensus to fix problems.” Read more takeaways. A leading historian of fascism thought the label was overused. He’s changing his mind. Eminem and Violent J of Insane Clown Posse are among the celebrities who have recently endorsed Harris. The authorities arrested an Arizona man in connection with shootings at a Democratic Party campaign office. He had dozens of guns and a grenade launcher at his home The head of The Los Angeles Times’s editorial board resigned after the paper’s owner blocked an endorsement of Harris. Republican Campaign The Justice Department warned Elon Musk’s super PAC that his plan to give voters $1 million might violate federal law. It’s illegal to pay people to register to vote. The country singer Jason Aldean said he’d voted early for Trump. Can Harris or Trump bring back manufacturing jobs? We looked at the data. Voting Marjorie Taylor Greene turned a Georgia voter’s simple mistake into a conspiracy theory. Other Trump allies are reviving false claims about voting machines. Georgia’s secretary of state said that a foreign cyberattack had failed to shut down the state’s website to request absentee ballots. International Sirajuddin Haqqani Jim Huylebroek for The New York Times Afghanistan’s most wanted militant is trying to remake himself as a statesman. Diplomats are shocked — and intrigued. Read The Times’s interview with him. The Group of 7 nations will use frozen Russian assets to back a $50 billion loan to Ukraine, essentially forcing Russia to financially support Ukraine. Israel bombed the ancient port city of Tyre in Lebanon. It issued a major evacuation order there. Fake X accounts linked to China are attacking Republican members of Congress, accusing them of corruption and promoting their electoral opponents. North Korea’s decision to dispatch troops to help Russia may complicate the Kremlin’s relationship with China. Liberal Party lawmakers in Canada are urging their leader, Justin Trudeau, to step down as prime minister. They worry his unpopularity could hurt them in the next election. Other Big Stories Gina Forbush, of Gig Harbor, Wash. M. Scott Brauer for The New York Times Boeing’s largest union rejected a labor contract and extended a strike. The Biden administration has been trying to rebuild chip manufacturing. But Intel, a cornerstone of its plan, is in trouble. The U.S. government fined Goldman Sachs and Apple nearly $90 million for failing to properly handle fraud and refunds for Apple Card users. A 4-year-old starved to death at home in New York. Read how the city missed the signs. Opinions “Show you’re going to fight for them”: Four economists discuss what the presidential candidates’ policies should be. It’s the inflation, stupid: Adam Seessel writes about why the working class wants Trump back. The Mets’ run this year gave Kathleen O’Brien’s autistic son a hobby he can hold onto when she’s gone. Here are columns by Nicholas Kristof on lead poisoning and Pamela Paul on settler colonialist theory. The Times Sale starts now: Our best rate for readers of The Morning. Save now with our best offer on unlimited news and analysis as part of the complete Times experience: $1/week for your first year. MORNING READS Shrek, a Przewalski’s horse, in Aurora, Colo. Daniel Brenner for The New York Times Today’s great read: How did two of the world’s rarest horses get lost? Table talk: Can’t hear your friends in a noisy restaurant? Headphones could help. Normies: Lana Del Rey married a swamp tour guide. See other celebrities who have married regular people. 11 stories tall: A new mural in Brazil uses materials from environmental disasters to protest corporate destruction of wildlife. A divided house: For politically opposed couples, the election can’t end soon enough. Social Q’s: “My sister chose my birthday for her scheduled C-section. I’m annoyed!” Haunted: Even skeptical real estate agents say they think twice about the existence of ghosts. Lives Lived: Fernando Valenzuela won his first eight starts as a Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher, igniting the “Fernandomania” phenomenon and helping him win the 1981 Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Awards. He died at 63. SPORTS Julia Hawkins in 2019. Brit Huckabay/National Senior Games Association, via Associated Press Sprinter: Julia Hawkins, who took up running after her 100th birthday and went on to set world records in the 100-meter dash, died at 108. N.B.A.: The Los Angeles Clippers opened a new arena with an overtime loss to Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns. College football: Bond was set for two former Penn State players who are awaiting a hearing on rape charges. N.F.L.: The Kansas City Chiefs acquired the receiver DeAndre Hopkins from the Tennessee Titans. ARTS AND IDEAS Dana Carvey and Maya Rudolph on “Saturday Night Live.” Will Heath/NBC There is no shortage of political impersonations this campaign season. Maya Rudolph has returned to “Saturday Night Live” to play Kamala Harris; Sebastian Stan embodies Donald Trump in the movie “The Apprentice.” But Dana Carvey’s impression of President Biden has stood out. “Carvey doesn’t mimic Biden as much as capture his energy and give something that feels like genuine insight,” Alissa Wilkinson writes. Read about how. More on culture Over two decades on TV, Seth Meyers has crafted a precise but genial comic persona. In a new stand-up special, he reveals his acerbic side. “Black Box Diaries,” a bracing documentary about the #MeToo movement in Japan, will be released in the U.S. and Britain tomorrow. Late night hosts mocked Trump’s comments about Hitler. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Linda Pugliese for The New York Times Make mattar paneer. Use a to-do list app. Stay dry with a good raincoat. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was enjoyment. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. —German P.S. A Times reporter has followed Trump through swing states and drive-throughs. Read about his experience. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch

THIS DAY IN HISTORY October 24 1901 First barrel ride down Niagara Falls On October 24, 1901, a 63-year-old schoolteacher named Annie Edson Taylor becomes the first person to successfully take the plunge over Niagara Falls in a barrel. After her husband died in the Civil War, the New York-born Taylor moved all over the U. S. before settling in Bay City, Michigan, around... read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT 19th Century 1861 Western Union completes the first transcontinental telegraph line 21st Century 2003 The Concorde makes its final commercial flight Art, Literature and Film History 1962 James Brown records breakthrough “Live at the Apollo” album 1969 Richard Burton buys Elizabeth Taylor a diamond Crime 1997 Marv Albert faces sentencing in sexual assault case European History 1648 Thirty Years’ War ends Landmarks 1931 George Washington Bridge is dedicated U.S. Presidents 1951 President Truman declares war with Germany is officially over Vietnam War 1973 President Nixon vetoes War Powers Resolution World War I 1916 French troops celebrate recapture of Fort Douaumont at Verdun 1917 Battle of Caporetto 1921 Unknown Soldier is selected World War II 1945 The United Nations is born

✈️ Boeing's strike shocker Boeing factory workers voted to remain on strike and reject a new contract that included pay increases of 35% over four years. Why it matters: The strike — which started six weeks ago — has crippled production of Boeing's best-selling jets during a year when the aerospace giant was already grappling with a battered reputation, Axios' Rebecca Falconer writes. Workers told reporters that the loss of a pension plan that was axed about a decade ago was a sticking point. Boeing insists the plan is not coming back. Boeing strike Around 33,000 workers at Boeing will remain on the picket line after union members rejected an offer from the company in a vote on Wednesday. The membership of the International Association of Machinists voted 64% against the deal. While that was less than the 95% that rejected an earlier offer, it left the vote far short of the simple majority needed to end the strike. Many members are refusing Boeing's offer until it guarantees the return of traditional pension plans. Membership narrowly gave up the pension in 2014 after the company threatened to build the 737 Max and 777X at non-union facilities. Financial analysts say Boeing urgently needs a deal: According to an estimate from Standard & Poor's, the strike is costing the company $1 billion a month on top of its ongoing losses.

🥊 Harris says Trump's a fascist Vice President Harris said she believes former President Trump is a fascist when asked by CNN's Anderson Cooper during a town hall last night. Why it matters: Harris' closing argument in the 2024 race is that her opponent is a fundamental threat to the nation, Axios' Erin Doherty writes. 🙏 Harris opened up about her faith, saying she prays "every day, sometimes twice a day ... I was raised to believe in a loving God ... and your life's work should be to think about how you can serve in a way that is uplifting other people." 🦊 Harris aide in Trump's head Former President Trump has an incongruous new obsession: Ian Sams, an unassuming Harris campaign spokesman, Axios' Sophia Cai writes. Why it matters: Sams is a Democrat who relishes mixing it up on Fox News, prompting Trump and his staff to fire off dozens of social media posts blasting Sams and accusing the network of betrayal. Sams — a veteran of Harris' 2019 presidential team who worked in the White House before moving to her current campaign — was on Fox four times in five days last week. After Sams told Neil Cavuto, "We're not seeing Donald Trump do very many interviews," Trump posted on his Truth Social platform: "Sams is just a below average guy, with memorized FAKE NEWS soundbites, almost all of which are WRONG." After Sams was on Martha MacCallum's show, Trump wondered in a post: "Does Ian Sams, Lyin' Kamala's Special Advisor, own Fox News? ... He is on all the time, as are so many other of her other supporters." "In the old days, you never had Ian Sams," Trump lamented on the "Fox & Friends" couch. Presidential race Vice President Kamala Harris said, "Yes, I do," when asked during a CNN town hall Wednesday if she believes former President Donald Trump is a fascist, as she drilled down on the dangers of a second Trump term. Harris answered questions from undecided Pennsylvania voters on a range of issues, including immigration, abortion access and the Middle East, while vowing to work with Republicans. She also sought to distance herself from President Joe Biden and promised "a new generation of leadership." Meanwhile, Trump made his case to voters and slammed the Democratic candidates at a rally in Duluth, Georgia, as the latest CNN average of national polling still finds no clear leader in the presidential race.

🤷‍♂️ Trump's lifetime of scandals Photo illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images For the third straight election, tens of millions of Americans will vote for a candidate who boasts an encyclopedia of scandals — personal, political and criminal — unprecedented in any corner of public life, Axios' Zachary Basu writes. Why it matters: Donald Trump has defied political gravity. He has survived the unsurvivable, normalized the abnormal and bulldozed through every red line drawn by his predecessors. And yet he just might win — again. Days before the election, Trump's former chief of staff — retired four-star Gen. John Kelly — went on the record to warn that the former president is a "fascist" who would rule like a dictator. "He commented more than once that, 'You know, Hitler did some good things, too,'" Kelly told The New York Times, choosing to speak out after Trump floated using the U.S. military against political enemies. Kelly's comments have landed like virtually every Trump scandal of the past eight years — drawing outrage from Democrats and liberal pundits, shrugs and spin from Republicans. 🎩 Pull any one of these 10 Trump scandals out of a hat and apply it to any other politician — or even just a typical American. More likely than not, it would end their career: Trump was found guilty on 34 felony counts in New York for paying illegal hush money to a porn star. He refused to concede the 2020 election and spread baseless claims of voter fraud that inspired a violent mob to attack the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. He was indicted on federal charges of illegally retaining classified documents that included nuclear secrets. (The case was dismissed but could be reinstated upon appeal.) He was impeached twice — once for his actions on Jan. 6 and once for withholding military aid to pressure Ukraine's government to investigate his political opponents. He has publicly praised dictators and sided with Vladimir Putin over U.S. intelligence agencies that assessed that Russia had interfered in the 2016 election. He was found liable for sexually abusing writer E. Jean Carroll, and has been accused of sexual misconduct by at least 25 other women. He was caught on tape in 2005 bragging about grabbing women by their genitals. He and his company were ordered to pay $350 million in a New York civil fraud trial for artificially inflating his net worth to secure favorable loan terms. He placed full-page ads in The New York Times in 1989 calling for the death penalty for five Black and Latino teenagers who were wrongfully convicted of raping a jogger in Central Park. He has refused to apologize. He promoted the racist conspiracy theory that Barack Obama wasn't born in the United States. He made more than 30,000 false or misleading claims during his four years in office, according to Washington Post fact-checkers.

A just-stay-calm strategy It's likely the election winner won't be known the night of Nov. 5. It may not even be clear the morning after. Or the day after. But that doesn't mean the eventual results were rigged, manipulated or wrong, Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen write in a "Behind the Curtain" column. Why it matters: Sluggish vote counts could fuel distrust in the election, spark protests and paralyze governance. Both parties are preparing to challenge ballots, especially if mail-in or absentee votes are decisive in swing states, raising the possibility of prolonged court fights. 💰 Big money will be spent to confuse you: GOP donors and conservative billionaires has given $140 million to 50 "election integrity" groups, as part of a potential Stop the Steal 2.0 if the vote doesn't go former President Trump's way, The Wall Street Journal reports on today's front page (gift link) Nearly half of Republican candidates for Congress or top state offices (at least 236) have used social media to cast doubt on the election, The Washington Post found (gift link). 🖼️ The big picture: If the results are delayed, the U.S. could enter a period of legal drama, political gridlock and even civil unrest. Because of post-2020 legal changes across the country, including in all seven swing states, many results could be slower than in 2020 — when Biden officially went over the top on Saturday, four days after Election Day. Both sides' legal teams are more organized this time, increasing the chances for drawn-out legal challenges: "If the election is very close, then it's going to be litigated to the hilt," election law expert Rick Hasen predicts. 🔎 Between the lines: During those hours or days of limbo, fake and manipulated news will proliferate to the point that even cautious news consumers will be in danger of falling for falsehoods. We saw this after the recent hurricanes, where conspiracy theorists pushed false stories about the storm's origins and the government's response, leading to threats against weathermen and FEMA workers. Expect the same on Election Day. Aggressive foreign enemies are already trying to mess with the election: The office of Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said yesterday that it had repelled a cyberattack, believed to have come from a foreign country, against a website for requesting absentee ballots. 🧠 What you can do: An easy solution would be to cut back on the time you spend tweeting or reading X. There's high-quality news and information on X. But it's commingled with misinformation, conjecture and nonsense. Be equally careful on all social media platforms. Don't share, like or react to anything you're not certain is real. If you think it's fake, assume it is until it's proven otherwise. 🎯 Pick a few trustworthy accounts rather than gorging on whatever pops up. Dave Wasserman of Cook Political Report (@redistrict) is an essential follow if you want live play-by-play of crucial counties, as are the two Nates — @NateSilver538 and @Nate_Cohn. Jon Ralston (@RalstonReports) is your man in Nevada ... Garrett Archer (@Garrett_Archer) in Arizona ... Greg Bluestein (@bluestein) and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution crew in Georgia. Go deeper: How vote counting will work in the seven swing states, drawn from Axios reporting + a series of AP "Decision Notes." Axios' Zachary Basu contributed reporting.

October 24, 2024 Significance Through Remembering “The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot.” (Proverbs 10:7) What more miserable thought can we conjure than that all our words and deeds will fade and be forever forgotten? This should motivate us to seek how we can find and hold significance that persists beyond our brief stay on Earth. This proverb helps answer our deep longing for lasting meaning. The name of the wicked will not be remembered, but memories of the just will endure. For example, the Lord chose not to name the mightiest man alive during the Exodus—a recalcitrant Egyptian pharaoh. Yet, in that same narrative, the Lord named the just and brave midwives. “And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah” (Exodus 1:15). Those women’s names are blessed, being recorded and preserved in Scripture. Despite building monuments to himself, that pharaoh is now dust, and his name decayed with him. How can we avoid this fate and be counted among the just? Malachi 3:16 says, “Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.” We must fear the Lord. We often labor for significance by trying to make ourselves great in this world. If that’s all we have, then our names will die with us. However, those who fear the Lord find forgiveness, justification, and sanctification. God will likewise bless the memory of our words and deeds in a “book of remembrance.” What joy we’ll find in those blessed pages! BDT

The ZIP in the ZIP code stands for Zone Improvement Plan. Today is: National Bologna Day - Yes, I still know the song! James

💥 McConnell's all-in blast Data: AdImpact; Chart: Axios Visuals A Mitch McConnell-linked super PAC is hitting the Blue Wall with $42 million in new ad spending through Election Day, we have learned. Why it matters: Senate Republicans appear to be abandoning Arizona and Nevada in favor of toss-ups in Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Ohio. If they can win one of those four — and hold off an upset in Nebraska, Texas or Florida — they'll pad their expected majority. 💰 The Senate Leadership Fund (SLF) has not reserved a single dollar at this point to help candidates Kari Lake in Arizona or Sam Brown in Nevada in the closing stretch. That leaves it on track to be outspent by over $13 million in Arizona and Nevada over the next two weeks by the Chuck Schumer-linked Senate Majority PAC (SMP). The two PACs are going toe-to-toe in Ohio and Pennsylvania, but a spending surge from SLF gives it an edge of around $8 million in Michigan and Wisconsin. Zoom in: The two leadership PACs are on track to spend well over $55 million this year in Montana, which has just under 800,000 registered voters. SMP has reserved $6.1 million for the next two weeks versus $5.5 million for SLF. Between the lines: SLF has reserved $2.8 million in ads in deep-red Nebraska to protect Sen. Deb Fischer, who is facing an unexpectedly stiff challenge from independent candidate Dan Osborn. SMP is having to spend $1.8 million in deep-blue Maryland, where former Republican Gov. Larry Hogan is giving Democratic candidate Angela Alsobrooks a tougher-than-expected challenge. — Stephen Neukam and Hans Nichols Schumer's promising poll Here's one good data point for Schumer that's getting lots of buzz in Bidenland: Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Elissa Slotkin leads GOP nominee Mike Rogers by eight percentage points in the newest polling by Quinnipiac (1,136 likely voters, +/- 2.9% margin of error). Two weeks ago, they were tied in a Quinnipiac poll (1,007 likely voters, +/- 3.1% margin of error). Slotkin leads the RealClearPolitics polling average by three percentage points.

(N) 2 Corinthians 3:2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:

SpaceX liftoff matches record for Space Coast launches in a year The Space Coast saw its 72nd launch of the year on Wednesday evening equaling the total number of orbital missions flown in 2023 and with 10 weeks still to go. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/10/23/spacex-launch-tonight-would-match-space-coast-record/?

Lower-priced new cars are gaining popularity, and not just for cash-poor buyers DETROIT (AP) — Had she wanted to, Michelle Chumley could have afforded a pricey new SUV loaded with options. But when it came time to replace her Chevrolet Blazer SUV, for which she’d paid about $40,000 three years ago, Chumley chose something smaller. And less costly. https://apnews.com/article/cars-vehicles-autos-affordable-suvs-compact-price-a9547c1d9a52199a492676f8ef2d5891?

Japan prepares to cheer on Ohtani and the Dodgers, and the country is dressing for the occasion TOKYO (AP) — Jiro Nishi wore a New York Mets cap as he browsed a Tokyo sporting goods store this week that boasts the largest array of MLB gear in Japan. https://apnews.com/article/shohei-ohtani-world-series-dodgers-yankees-1176ce6989deed97fbf0ab06a4c99e0c? 2024 World Series on pace to be highest-selling in history Tickets to the 2024 World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees are on track to being the highest-selling in years on Vivid Seats and StubHub. https://www.axios.com/2024/10/23/2024-world-series-highest-selling-ticket-prices?

Hurricane Milton ravaged one of the most popular areas for ‘snowbirds’ on Florida’s Gulf Coast BRADENTON BEACH, Fla. (AP) — The start of “snowbird” season in Florida is only weeks away, but many Florida Gulf Coast beaches, regularly voted some of the best in the United States, are closed to the public because of the devastation from Hurricane Milton two weeks ago. https://apnews.com/article/florida-hurricane-milton-helene-sarasota-tourism-snowbirds-2c6c92ba9dd4a452ceaa7ce2e42c7bd2? Hurricane season isn’t over: A tropical cyclone could form in next two weeks, experts say Temperatures have cooled in Florida recently, making it tempting to think that hurricane season is over. Mother Nature, however, may have something different in mind. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/10/23/hurricane-season-isnt-over-a-tropical-cyclone-could-form-in-next-two-weeks-experts-say/?

Turkey strikes Kurdish militant targets in Iraq and Syria following deadly attack on defense company ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey’s air force struck Kurdish militant targets in Iraq and Syria on Wednesday in an apparent retaliation for an attack at a key state-run defense company that killed five people and wounded more than 20 others. https://apnews.com/article/turkey-explosion-aerospace-company-413fbeb21e1fa86ea1ecd52a19079e67?

Sweeping blackouts in Cuba raise the question: Why has the island’s solar buildout been so slow? HAVANA (AP) — Cuba’s large-scale blackouts that left 10 million people without power this month may not have happened if the government had built out more solar power to boost its failing electric grid as promised, some experts say. https://apnews.com/article/cuba-solar-power-blackouts-climate-outages-renewables-15fc4a422c798800c0f07a2c48dd5fff?

Officials say North Korea has sent troops to Russia. What would that mean for the war with Ukraine? KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — American and South Korean officials said Wednesday that there’s evidence North Korea has dispatched troops to Russia in a potential escalation of the nearly 3-year-old war with Ukraine. https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-north-korea-war-735ab717dcf92a718adcb68bfbddc653? North Korean soldiers At least 3,000 North Korean soldiers arrived in eastern Russia this month, the White House said Wednesday, and while it remains unclear what exactly they will do, it is a "highly concerning probability" that they will join the fight against Ukraine. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin became the first senior US official to confirm the development on the record as North Korea and Russia have forged increasingly friendly ties since Moscow began its invasion. The US does not believe the North Korean troops have reached Ukraine, but the movements have generated deep concern as a potentially serious escalation in the conflict. Also on Wednesday, the White House announced the US and Western allies are moving forward with a $50 billion loan package to Ukraine backed by the profits of frozen Russian assets.

Harris says Trump ‘is a fascist’ after John Kelly says the former president wanted generals like Hitler’s ASTON, Pa. (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris said that she believes that Donald Trump “is a fascist” after his longest-serving chief of staff said the former president praised Adolf Hitler while in office and put personal loyalty above the Constitution. https://apnews.com/article/trump-john-kelly-nazis-hitler-87d672e1ec1a6645808050fc60f6b8bc? Donald Trump tells supporters to ‘just vote’ at Georgia rally organized by Charlie Kirk DULUTH, Ga. (AP) — Donald Trump implored supporters at a Georgia rally to vote for him — with an early ballot or in-person on Election Day — in a state that will be crucial in the presidential election. https://apnews.com/article/turning-point-election-2024-donald-trump-2b3580134a6b19dff18771c3fdb0f11a? 👀 Surrogate watch: Trump taps Mullin Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) has been hitting the trail for former President Trump to win over Native American voters in battleground states. Why it matters: A strong Trump relationship is powerful currency in the Senate. Mullin has one of those relationships with Trump, and he's landed a unique surrogate role. Mullin's even hinted at his openness to an administration gig, telling a North Carolina crowd this week, "I'm so proud that I'm going to hopefully be part of it, working side by side with [Trump] in the Senate or in another capacity." Mullin has publicly backed Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) for GOP leader next year — and has asked Trump not to intervene in the race, as we told you earlier this month. Zoom in: Mullin, an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation, is one of just five Native Americans serving in Congress — and the only one in the Senate. It's the latest example of the Trump campaign's efforts this cycle to win over non-white voting blocs that have historically sided with Democrats — as the GOP rebrands itself as the party for the working class. Mullin and Tulsi Gabbard, the former Democratic presidential candidate, have been traveling through North Carolina, Nevada and Arizona in recent weeks, touting Trump's promises to tribal nations. "President Trump has already made mention of this that he's going to have a large understanding ... of self-determination and sovereignty and understanding what the treaties actually mean," Mullin said Tuesday at a North Carolina event alongside Donald Trump Jr. The bottom line: The nation's more than 500 tribes have been asserting themselves in recent years, clashing with more Democrats and Republicans over sovereignty issues around oil drilling, endangered species protections and voting rights, our colleague Russell Contreras reports. While Native American voters in states like Arizona, New Mexico and South Dakota tend to be staunchly Democratic, Oklahomans are more likely to vote with the GOP. — Stef Kight

Election officials are fighting a tsunami of voting conspiracy theories ATLANTA (AP) — Voting machines reversing votes. More voters registered than people eligible. Large numbers of noncitizens voting. https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-conspiracy-theories-misinformation-trump-musk-0e5a84b1d9e6cd63cd8ca22ee9900387?

Tucked into a green-sounding federal recycling bill filed last month is a wish list, not of tough new mandates to get a handle on the world’s plastic’s crisis, but of regulatory rollbacks and government assistance that would boost the plastics industry. https://www.propublica.org/article/plastics-industry-wish-list-second-trump-administration?

Right-wing strategists still talk about what happened in Detroit in 2020, when poll watchers stood outside the absentee ballot counting center, banging on windows and shouting “Stop the count!” Conspiracy theories swirled that those volunteers had been kept out while something corrupt was unfolding inside. In fact, at one point the facility held almost double the number of permitted poll watchers of both parties. https://www.propublica.org/article/poll-worker-recruitment-swing-states-true-the-vote-lion-of-judah?

In 2019, the administration of then-President Donald Trump announced plans to relocate the federal government’s largest land management agency from the nation’s capital to Grand Junction, Colorado, a city of about 65,000 people a four-hour drive from the nearest major airport. https://www.propublica.org/article/donald-trump-election-federal-agencies?