Good morning.
Here’s what you need to know:
• Keeping tabs on Ebola.
U.S. health officials today begin monitoring for the virus in all passengers arriving from West Africa. The travelers’ temperatures will be taken daily for 21 days.
The White House and medical experts are trying to stem the movement toward mandatory quarantine policies for medical workers who had contact with Ebola patients in West Africa but do not show symptoms.
More than 10,000 people have been infected with Ebola and nearly half of them have died, according to the latest figures from the World Health Organization.
• Narrow races for governor.
Many
governors’ races ahead of next week’s elections are still tight: 11
contests are within 4 percentage points, and six more are within 10
percentage points, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News/YouGov survey.
That
could lead to a wide range of results: Republicans keep their advantage
— 29 states, versus 21 Democratic governors — or Democrats pick up a
half-dozen seats.
• Sticking with the president in Brazil.
Financial markets were expected to be volatile today after Brazil’s president was re-elected in the tightest vote there in years after an acrimonious campaign.
In nearby Uruguay, the presidential race runoff went to a runoff.
• Second victim dies after school shooting.
Hospital officials in Washington State said that a 14-year-old girl who was shot by a high school classmate died late Sunday.
While investigators are looking for the shooter’s motive, Friday’s attack put a spotlight on gun-control measures that voters in the state will decide a week from Tuesday.
• Voters in Ukraine side with the West.
Pro-Western parties appeared to win an overwhelming majority in Parliament, according to exit polls; the official count is expected today.
The
results would complete a transformation of the government that began in
February when the former president fled after bloody street protests
over his decision to align more closely with Russia.
• Seeking answers.
Canada’s top security officials are expected to testify today before a parliamentary committee about threats facing the nation.
They’ll meet in the same building where a man opened fire last week, killing one soldier. The gunman made a video shortly before his attack.
• Toronto heads to the polls.
Doug Ford, who replaced his cancer-stricken brother, Mayor Rob Ford, on the ballot, is a contender in today’s race to become mayor of Canada’s largest city. Voting ends at 8 p.m. Eastern.
• Hazing trial starts.
Four members of the Florida A&M University marching band are scheduled to be in court today on charges of felony hazing and manslaughter, almost three years after a drum major died from a beating.
MARKETS
• Wall Street stock futures are slightly lower this morning after Friday’s gains.
European stocks turned negative. The European Central Bank flunked 13 of 130 big banks — four of them Italian — in a test of their ability to withstand a financial crisis.
• Rite Aid and CVS disabled Apple’s new mobile payment system in their stores nationwide, apparently in an effort to favor their own system, which is not yet available.
• Twitter posts its earnings today.
OVER THE WEEKEND
• Combat operations in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, officially ended for the U.S. Marines and British troops stationed there.
• Hong Kong protest leaders canceled a vote over how to push for democratic concessions from China.
• The horror movie “Ouija” — slimmed down to a $5 million budget from at least $100 million — placed No. 1 at the weekend box office.
• Jack Bruce, 71, who became famous in the 1960s as the bassist and lead vocalist for the rock group Cream, died.
• Catching up on TV: We have your episode recaps for “Boardwalk Empire,” “The Good Wife,” “Homeland” and “The Affair.”
NOTEWORTHY
• Giants are one win away.
Madison Bumgarner threw a four-hit shutout in Game 5 of the World Series on Sunday night, as San Francisco defeated Kansas City, 5-0, to take a three-games-to-two lead.
The Giants can pop the Champagne if they beat the Royals on Tuesday.
• Officially crossing over.
Taylor Swift, once known as a country music star, releases today
her first pop album, “1989.” She’ll be on ABC’s “Good Morning America”
and join NBC’s “The Voice” at 8 p.m. Eastern as an adviser for the
contestants.
Other albums out today: the Who’s 50th-anniversary greatest hits album; Barry Manilow’s “My Dream Duets”; and the Flaming Lips’ “Sgt. Pepper’s” tribute album.
• The godfather of soul.
“Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown,” a documentary produced by Mick Jagger and directed by the Oscar winner Alex Gibney, chronicles the story of Mr. Brown’s journey from rhythm and blues to funk.
The
film reflects on how he changed American music, and includes interviews
with band members, TV appearances and never-seen-before concert footage
(9 p.m. Eastern, HBO).
• Just in time for Halloween.
A medical study shows an antioxidant in chocolate appears to improve some memory skills that people lose with age.
BACK STORY
Gerrymandering
— the drawing of wacky-shaped voting districts to give one party an
advantage — is one of the factors in next week’s midterm congressional
elections.
It
got its name in 1812, when the Massachusetts Legislature reconfigured
state Senate districts, one of which snaked around the edges of a
county.
The
governor, Elbridge Gerry, signed the bill approving the map, which was
ridiculed by a newspaper. It said the district looked like a salamander
and published a cartoon, “The Gerry-mander.”
State
legislatures generally redraw congressional districts every 10 years,
based on the new census. After the 2010 census, Republicans created favorable maps in states like Florida, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Wisconsin and North Carolina.
It is one reason the party kept a 33-seat majority in the 2012 election despite Democratic House candidates receiving 1.4 million more votes than their Republican opponents.
Victoria Shannon contributed reporting.
Your Morning Briefing is posted weekdays at 6 a.m. Eastern.
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