“The airline passenger who brought Ebola into the U.S. initially went to a Dallas emergency room last week but was sent home, despite telling a nurse that he had been in disease-ravaged West Africa, the hospital said Wednesday in a disclosure that showed how easily an infection could be missed.” This graphic traces Thomas Eric Duncan's travel from Liberia and the various locations in Dallas he came in contact with. Duncan became infected when he tried to save a pregnant woman dying of Ebola by carrying her to the hospital. Health authorities are watching over 12 people who came into direct contact with Duncan. Parents are pulling kids from school in droves after news that the infected man had contact with five children from four separate schools. The U.S. is rapidly increasing its production of ZMapp, the experimental Ebola drug. A patient has been placed in isolation in Hawaii while being tested for Ebola. And here’s a refresher on how one contracts Ebola. [AP]
After numerous security lapses, Director Julia Pierson stepped down yesterday afternoon. According to the White House, her failure to notify the president about the armed convict elevator incident until minutes before the story broke was one of the main reasons Pierson lost the president’s support. Read the official resignation statement released by Homeland Security. And meet the new acting director, Joseph Clancy. [Image via NYT]
“Officials in St. Louis County, Missouri, said they are ‘looking into’ allegations of misconduct on the grand jury hearing the case against Ferguson police Officer Darren Wilson, who fatally shot 18-year-old Michael Brown in August. The county prosecutor's office received information Wednesday morning suggesting that a juror may have discussed evidence in the case with a friend.” Since Michael Brown was killed, over 3,000 people have registered to vote in Ferguson. [HuffPost]
“Pro-democracy protesters have vowed to start occupying government buildings in Hong Kong if the city's leader does not step down by Thursday night as China appeared to harden its stance against the demonstrators and Hong Kong police warned of serious consequences.” China might be spying on protesters through smartphone apps. And China told the U.S. to mind their own affairs. [USA Today]
These deaths are the first to be linked to the virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The mysterious respiratory illness has infected a total of 472 people, mostly children, across the nation. [NYT]
“The pace of rent growth for U.S. apartments is accelerating despite an uptick in construction of new dwellings, as the economy steadily improves and vacancies remain stubbornly low.” [WSJ]
WHAT’S BREWING
Derek Jeter kicked off his retirement by unveiling The Players’ Tribune yesterday, a website for athletes who wish to have more direct contact with their fans. [The Players’ Tribune]
Congrats to Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher. [HuffPost]
“The Mysteries of Laura” is still, very mysteriously, doing really well. [Vulture]
And how much he needs a happier album next go-round. [HuffPost]
Without the sneezing misery. [HuffPost]
Really, put the laptop AWAY. [HuffPost]
Stretch, it’s worth it. [HuffPost]
ON THE BLOG
“To commemorate Banksy's very successful offering to the city and the excitement that ensued with its inhabitants we decided to put together a series of messages left out for him on walls, doors, trucks and fences. Not all the messages are demonstrations of love (indeed some are hostile) but all them are an indication of his clever ability to move people with wit and indicate a certain feeling of familiarity that people have with the anonymous street artist.” [HuffPost]
BEFORE YOU GO
~ Meet “slittens.”
~ This guy held a plank for over four hours -- what’d you do today?
~ Here are the rules MLB is testing out that would speed up the game.
~ You can now get a wedding cake with Disney animation playing across it.
~ This is 35,000 walruses.
~ Don’t chew your hair lest doctors have to remove a nine-pound hairball from your stomach.
~ London phone booths are going green.
~ There’s a NYC Taxi Drivers Calendar.
~ And George Clooney for President?