5 things to know for Oct. 25: Campaign trail, SpaceX, Israeli hostages, Extreme weather, Lead paint
By Alexandra Banner, CNN
(CNN) — For decades, Election Day in the US has been held on Tuesdays — when many people have to block off time between their responsibilities at home and at work to vote. There are, however, 28 states where employers must give you time off to do so.
Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.
1. Campaign trail
Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are campaigning in battleground states as they make their final pitches to voters before Election Day. On Thursday, Harris campaigned with former President Barack Obama in Georgia, where they issued parallel warnings about what a second Trump presidency would look like. Trump, before a rally in Arizona, told Fox News that “everyone knows that’s not true,” in response to Harris’ comment at a CNN town hall that she believes he is a fascist. The former president also said in a radio interview Thursday that he would quickly “fire” special counsel Jack Smith, who has brought charges against him, if reelected. In another radio interview, Trump said he was open to pardoning Hunter Biden, who was convicted earlier this year on felony gun charges.
2. SpaceX
Astronauts aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft splashed down safely off the coast of Florida earlier today. The mission, dubbed Crew-8, was delayed after weeks of bad weather. The four astronauts that returned spent 232 days docked at the International Space Station, making it the longest mission a Dragon has ever been in orbit. Notably, the two test pilots for the inaugural crewed flight of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft — NASA’s Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore — were once again left behind for the simple reason that they were not assigned to that specific spacecraft. They left Earth for the ISS in June under the impression their trip would last only about one week but have now been in space for several months.
3. Israeli hostages
Talks on a possible hostage release and ceasefire deal in Gaza are expected to resume this weekend, though there is little expectation of a breakthrough before the US presidential election, sources tell CNN. Some US officials have privately acknowledged that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — who is tracking the ins and outs of the upcoming election and the potential implications for US foreign policy — is waiting to make any serious decisions about the future of the Gaza conflict until he knows who his next counterpart in Washington, DC, will be. Meanwhile, more than 130 Israeli reservists signed a letter refusing to fight in Gaza and Lebanon unless a deal is signed to end the war and bring back the 101 hostages that remain in Hamas’ captivity.
4. Extreme weather
An unprecedented 91 flash flood emergencies have been issued by the National Weather Service this year, more than any other year since this most-dire language was first used in 2003. Devastating flooding has killed dozens of people, altered entire landscapes and cost the US billions of dollars in the last several months. Climate experts say the most intense rain events are getting heavier and more frequent as the world warms due to fossil fuel pollution. A warmer atmosphere is capable of soaking up more moisture like a sponge and wringing it out in the form of gushing rainfall. Precipitation from hurricanes Debby, Francine, Helene and Milton accounted for about half of all flash flood emergencies issued this year, according to a CNN review.
5. Lead paint
The EPA on Thursday finalized stricter rules for identifying and cleaning up lead paint dust in homes and child-care facilities across the US. Even low levels of lead exposure can hurt brain development in children and lead to lasting health effects. Lead has been phased out of paints in the US for decades, but it is still found in many older buildings. An estimated 31 million houses built before 1978 may contain such paint. “Any level of lead detected in a home will trigger the need for action, and a certified lead abatement specialist has to come in and clean it up, and their job will not be considered done until they have reached the lowest levels of lead our labs can reliably detect,” a White House spokesperson said. The new regulation is expected to reduce lead exposure in up to 1.2 million people in the US each year.
BREAKFAST BROWSE
Beyoncé to join Kamala Harris campaign rally today, source says
Beyoncé’s appearance at Harris’ rally in Houston today is designed to be one of the biggest closing acts of the campaign. Here’s what we know.
Sam’s Club enters the Thanksgiving meal deal wars
Some people are experts at cooking a Thanksgiving turkey. Others try to wing it. If you consider yourself the latter, several retailers are offering pre-cooked feasts to make your holiday dinners easier.
This viral banana artwork is on sale again
Maurizio Cattelan’s conceptual art piece may just be a banana duct-taped to a wall, but auction house Sotheby’s believes it could fetch up to $1.5 million.
More straight couples are calling each other partners. Here’s why
More Millennial and Gen Z couples are using the word “partner” for their significant others, claiming “boyfriend” and “girlfriend” don’t convey the significance of their commitment.
Amazon Prime introduces a new benefit to save on gas
The newest perk from Amazon will allow members to save 10 cents per gallon at around 7,000 participating gas stations.
QUIZ TIME
Why did the CDC issue a food safety alert about McDonald’s this week?
A. Salmonella outbreak
B. E. coli outbreak
C. Listeria outbreak
D. Norovirus outbreak
Last week, 41% of readers who took the quiz got eight or more questions right. How will you fare?
TODAY’S NUMBER
11
That’s how many times the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers have played against each other in World Series matchups since their first in 1941 — when the Dodgers were still in Brooklyn. The Yankees have clinched eight of those championships. Later today, the two powerhouse teams will face off again for the first time since 1981.
TODAY’S QUOTE
“None of us can change the past, but we can commit with all our hearts to learning its lessons and to finding creative ways to right inequalities that endure.”
— Britain’s King Charles III, saying the Commonwealth should acknowledge its “painful” history as he delivered a speech in Samoa today to Commonwealth leaders. His comments came as the subject of slavery reparations has reemerged in recent days.
TODAY’S WEATHER
Check your local forecast here>>>
AND FINALLY …
CNN’s online grief community
Grief can feel lonely, but talking about it and listening to others share their grief experiences helps. In Season 3 of All There Is, Anderson Cooper continues his deeply personal exploration of grief in all its complexities. Hear from people who left CNN voicemails after each season of the podcast.
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