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BREAKING DOWN MUELLER’S FIRST BIG MOVES Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and business associate Rick Gates were indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of conspiracy and money laundering in connection with the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. Here’s what you need to know about the pair, who pleaded not guilty in federal court and were released on bail. Read the indictment against the two here, and take a look at Manafort’s long-running history with Trump. Howard Fineman writes how Manafort’s pursuit of respect and power got the best of him. And here’s how the president reportedly reacted to the news. [HuffPost] [Tweet | Share on Facebook]
THE NAMES TO PAY ATTENTION TO You’ll be hearing the name Viktor Yanukovych a lot now, but experts say the flipping of 30-year-old campaign adviser George Papadopoulos could be the real pressure point for the president. Papadopoulos pleaded guilty to a charge of lying to FBI agents about the “dirt” he was offered on Hillary Clinton. Here’s who is who in the Papadopoulos court documents. Carter Page, a former Trump foreign policy aid, told MSNBC that there’s a chance he talked about Russia in emails to Papadopoulos. And here’s how Democratic super-lobbyist Tony Podesta ― and the brother of Clinton’s campaign manager ― is tied up in the scandal. [HuffPost]
TRUMP CHIEF OF STAFF JOHN KELLY DEFENDED CONFEDERATE STATUES Saying a “lack of ability to compromise led to the Civil War.” That phrasing did not go over well. [HuffPost]
KEVIN SPACEY’S EMMY HONOR REVOKED AFTER ANTHONY RAPP ALLEGATIONS The actor will no longer be receiving the 2017 International Emmy Founders Award. Zachary Quinto and others slammed Spacey for coming out amid sexual abuse allegations. “House of Cards” creator Beau Willimon has called the allegations “deeply troubling,” and Netflix announced this upcoming season of “House of Cards” would be the show’s last. [HuffPost]
HARVEY WEINSTEIN FALLOUT CONTINUES The New York Times reported new allegations that his behavior stretched back to the 70s, as high-profile scandals involving Mark Halperin, Hamilton Fish, Spacey and others continue to unfold. And as for Weinstein, the Producers Guild of America announced he was banned for life, and the Weinstein company’s first movie since the scandal broke grossed only $742. [HuffPost]
A NORTH KOREAN NUCLEAR SITE TUNNEL HAS REPORTEDLY COLLAPSED Killing up to as many as 200 people. [HuffPost]
FACEBOOK: AT LEAST 126 MILLION AMERICANS SAW RUSSIAN-BACKED POSTS The operatives reportedly published over 80,000 posts. [HuffPost]
A FEDERAL JUDGE HAS BLOCKED THE ENFORCEMENT OF TRUMP’S TRANSGENDER MILITARY BAN The judge said the reasons the Trump administration gave for enacting the ban “do not appear to be supported by any facts.” [HuffPost]
WHAT’S BREWING
THIS DISEASE MANY THINK IS EXTINCT IS STILL A TOP TEN CAUSE OF DEATH GLOBALLY AND KILLS THREE PEOPLE A MINUTE ”[These new numbers for 2016 are] like Groundhog Day ― it’s like a curse. You go to bed, you wake up next year to the same numbers.” [HuffPost]
SAUDI WOMEN WILL SOON BE ALLOWED IN SPORTS STADIUMS The small advance in women’s rights is taking place a month after the country lifted a ban on women drivers. [HuffPost]
THIS COUPLE DIED IN A ‘FIERY CAR CRASH’ Two weeks after surviving the Las Vegas massacre. [People]
THE GOOGLE CHEESEBURGER EMOJI KERFUFFLE HAD SECOND-DAY LEGS As a top story on Fox while the Manafort news was breaking. Seth Meyers had a field day, and here’s what “Fox & Friends” covered instead. [HuffPost]
HERE ARE 1,000 HALLOWEEN COSTUME IDEAS For the fellow procrastinators out there. As well as a joke guide, because this St. Louisan holds firm to the tradition that you need to be able to tell a jokebefore you can get candy. Our all-time favorite growing up: Why did the baseball player go to jail? Because he stole the diamond. (Yes, they breed that Cardinal loyalty early.) [HuffPost]
AND TODAY ISN’T JUST ABOUT THE CANDY Check out all the free food deals that you can tap into just by showing up in costume. You’re welcome. [HuffPost]
BEFORE YOU GO
We still don’t know much about Melania Trump’s bullying prevention plans.
The Senate is about to confirm a flurry of conservative judges.
U.S. forces have reportedly captured a militant who allegedly played a role in a 2012 attack on a U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya.
NATO chief urges sanctions for North Korea over nuclear tests.
The coolest thing about this World Series may actually be this 7-year-old girl with a robotic arm throwing out the first pitch.
Visualizing what smoking a pack a cigarettes a day does to your lungs is terrifying.
Casey Anthony’s dad spoke out about seeing his dead granddaughter, Caylee Anthony, in the flesh.
Trump’s approval rating hit new lows in a Gallup poll, which was done before Monday’s charges.
Two NYPD officers were charged with raping an 18-year-old while she was handcuffed in the back of an unmarked police van.
This Seattle woman says her identity has been stolen 15 times in the wake of the Equifax data breach.
“The city of the future is hiding in the Arizona desert.”
How climate change is already a public health crisis.
A former “Bachelor” staffer is suing Warner Bros. and five producers of the ABC program, saying she was sexually harassed.
The search for Paul Manafort’s favorite antique rug store.
John McCain took some thinly veiled shots at Trump in a Naval Academy speech.
Televangelist Pat Robertson is advocating for Trump to pardon everyone.
It’s 2017, and we’re still seeing Halloween blackface.
A suspected serial killer was arrested in Japan after police reportedly found parts of as many as nine different bodies in his apartments.
There’s more to that Jelena story: Turns out Selena Gomez and the Weeknd had split before she was spotted with Justin Bieber.
We are team anti-clear pumpkin pie ― give us the classic.
We will probably have nightmares over LeBron’s costume.
Kristen Bell is #momgoals after her daughter made her dress up as Elsa ― despite being the voice of Anna ― for Halloween.
We are completely freaked out by these spooky space sounds.
You can’t help but smile looking at these radiant wedding photos.
And be right back, escaping the D.C. swamp and headed to this hotel with 50,000 books and a gin bar.