Monday, October 28, 2024
It is Monday, October 28, 2024. Here are today’s top stories.
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Fires destroy hundreds of ballots in Oregon and Washington
AP News said ballot drop boxes were set on fire in Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington. The Portland ballot box had a fire suppressant inside the drop box and it protected all of the ballots with three of them damaged. The second ballot box in Vancouver also had a fire suppressant system, but it didn’t work for some reason, and hundreds of ballots were destroyed. Authorities said there are surveillance cameras that covered the boxes and the surrounding area. Officials said they would allow people who have recently dropped off a ballot at the affected drop box in Vancouver to contact them to obtain a new ballot. I’m sure they’ll check to make sure nobody votes twice. An official in Vancouver said this is a “direct attack on democracy.”
https://apnews.com/article/vote-ballot-drop-box-democracy-fire-f66c52f774955106fb9e7c8172825cff
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President Biden apologizes for Indian boarding school atrocities
CBS News said President Biden, in a speech in Arizona on Friday, issued a formal apology to Native American communities for the “atrocities committed against Indigenous children and their families during a 150-year era of forced federal Indian boarding schools.”
CBS explained that from 1819 through the 1970s, the federal government and religious institutions established boarding schools throughout the country to assimilate Alaska Native, American Indian and Native Hawaiian children into White American culture by forcibly removing them from their families, communities and belief systems. Many children endured abuse and hundreds died.
Biden said the federal government has never, never formally apologized until today. Biden said what the American government did was a “sin on our soul.” He held a moment of silence for those who died.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/indian-boarding-schools-biden-apology-arizona/
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Philadelphia sues Elon Musk over $1M giveaways
CNN reported that Philadelphia’s district attorney filed a civil lawsuit against Elon Musk over his $1 million-per-day giveaways to random people who signed a petition with his pro-Trump political organization.
The petition is open to any registered voter in select states and it has been criticized by Democratic leaders because it could look like Musk was paying people to register to vote, which is illegal.
Philadelphia’s civil suit said the giveaways is an “unlawful lottery.” The lawsuit did not mention the concept of vote-buying. It focused on violations of lottery and consumer protection laws.
CNN said the Department of Justice has warned Musk that his giveaways might violate federal laws.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/28/politics/elon-musk-philadelphia-lawsuit/index.html
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Kentucky state senator dies after tragic accident
CBS News said Kentucky state Sen. Johnnie Turner died from injuries sustained in a tragic accident when he drove his lawnmower into an empty swimming pool. The accident happened last month and he passed away last week from his injuries. He was 76.
CBS said he was a Republican and a strong supporter of the coal industry.
Turner’s name will still be on ballots in Kentucky for the upcoming election. His opponent recently withdrew from the race. A write-in candidate could win or there will be a special election to fill the seat.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kentucky-lawmaker-johnnie-turner-dies-lawn-mower-pool/
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North Korea sent 10,000 troops to help Russia fight Ukraine
AP News reported that the Pentagon said North Korea has sent about 10,000 troops to Russia to train and fight in Ukraine within the next several weeks.
The NATO and Ukraine said there are some North Korean military units already at the border area between Ukraine and Russia.
Experts told AP News that Ukraine’s military will face more pressure if it has to deal with thousands of new soldiers and that there will new geopolitical tensions in the Korean Peninsula and the region.
President Biden said this is “very dangerous.” The U.S. and South Korean military leaders will meet this week.
https://apnews.com/article/russia-north-korea-nato-ukraine-war-9b7357344d988ea32d8ca21f6e22dcc5
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That is all the top stories for today. See you tomorrow and stay with the light.