Good Morning! Today’s edition is 1,028 words, a 3-minute read.

What’s on tap: 

• Hurricane Rafael hits Cuba

• House race still in limbo

• Fall foliage photos

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Big Story

Three Charged in Liam Payne’s Death

Three people were charged in connection to the death of British singer Liam Payne, who fell from a third-floor hotel balcony in Buenos Aires.

• The charges include abandonment, drug supply, and facilitation of narcotics. Toxicology reports revealed Payne had alcohol, cocaine, and an antidepressant in his system before his death.

• Prosecutors charged someone who was with Payne daily in Buenos Aires with abandoning a body after death and two hotel workers with the drug chargers.

• Officials ruled out self-harm or interference by others, suggesting Payne may have fallen in a semi-conscious state. Forensic reports listed multiple trauma and hemorrhaging as the cause of death due to the impact of the fall.

• Authorities say Payne was belligerent in his hotel room right before his fall, reportedly breaking furniture and overindulging in drugs and alcohol. Hotel staff had called 911 moments before the fatal fall.

Big Story

Monkeys on the Loose

Over 40 young monkeys escaped from the Alpha Genesis research facility in Beaufort County, South Carolina.

• The monkeys are very young, weigh about 6-7 pounds each, and have not been used for testing because of their age. Authorities have set traps and are using thermal imaging cameras to find them.

• Alpha Genesis CEO Greg Westergaard explained that the monkeys escaped after a caretaker accidentally left an enclosure door open. Forty-three monkeys left, while seven stayed behind.

• Alpha Genesis assured the public that the monkeys aren’t a health risk. The company has had previous escapes and successfully recaptured runaway monkeys.

• Rhesus macaques are known to be curious and adaptable, which can make them challenging to track and recapture.

Big Story

Hurricane Rafael

Category 3 Hurricane Rafael hit Cuba Wednesday evening.

• No fatalities were reported, but the hurricane caused widespread destruction, collapsing older structures and leaving about 50,000 people in shelters.

• Rafael has added to a series of hardships for Cuba, which recently endured island-wide blackouts and another deadly hurricane. The impact of these back-to-back crises, combined with the ongoing economic troubles, has led to rising frustration and increased migration from the island.

• The storm had already weakened to Category 2 yesterday as it moved into the Gulf of Mexico. It is expected to miss the US and bring heavy rain to parts of Mexico instead.

Quick Stories

U.S. News

• The 2024 House race is ongoing. Republicans control 211 of the 218 seats needed for a majority, with Democrats at 197. Fourteen races are uncalled as of this writing — Nine currently favor the GOP, while five favor Democrats. (More)

• California Governor Gavin Newsom has called a special session starting December 2 to “protect California values and rights” in response to the upcoming Trump administration. (More)

• A caravan of thousands of migrants traveling through Mexico to reach the US has shrunk. Many migrants are reconsidering their plans after former President Trump won the election, as he had promised to increase deportations and send undocumented migrants back to Mexico quickly. (More)

World

• Kids with a gambling problem in Great Britain have more than doubled, according to new data from the Gambling Commission. The report shows that 85,000 children are classified as having the problem. (More)

• Australia has proposed a social media ban for children under 16. If the law passes, social media companies will have one year to figure out how to comply with the new rule. (More)

• German opposition parties and business groups are calling for a quick new election after Chancellor Olaf Scholz's coalition government fell apart. The coalition collapsed over disagreements about fixing a large budget gap and helping Germany’s struggling economy. (More)

Business & Economy

• US stock markets closed mixed on Thursday (S&P +0.74%, Nasdaq +1.51%, Dow 0.00%). The S&P and Nasdaq continued their rally after the election. (More)

• The Federal Reserve cut interest rates by 0.25% on Thursday. This follows another rate cut two months ago. Fed Chair Jerome Powell said the Fed believes the US can avoid a recession while lowering inflation to 2%. (More)

• Nissan will cut 9,000 jobs and slash its CEO’s pay in half as its vehicles won’t sell. The company lost $60M last quarter. (More)

Sports & Entertainment

• Christian McCaffrey is expected to make his season debut for the San Francisco 49ers this week against the Tampa Bay Bucs. He has been out all season due to Achilles tendinitis and calf issues. (More)

• Lucasfilm has made a deal with X-Men producer Simon Kinberg to create a trilogy of Star Wars films. The films are expected to be Episodes 10-12 in the Skywalker Saga, but some insiders say they might start a new story instead. (More)

• Chelsea set a UEFA Conference League record with an 8-0 win over Armenian side FC Noah. It was the largest win in the competition's history, beating the previous record of 6-0. (More)

Science, Health, & Tech

• Chinese hackers broke into several US telecom companies earlier this year, accessing sensitive call records of many Americans. Investigators say it's unclear if the hackers took any data. (More)

• Scientists have discovered a new type of neuron called BNC2, which helps control hunger. These neurons quickly respond to hunger signals by blocking AGRP neurons that drive appetite. The research could lead to better ways to manage hunger and appetite. (More)

• The WHO announced that 899,000 vaccine doses have been allocated to nine African countries affected by the recent mpox surge. In August, the WHO declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years. (More)

Extra Credit

🧳 Expat website traffic jumps after the presidential election.

🛎️ Visit these unique hotels in America.

🏖️ Mysterious sticky black balls on Australian beaches contain poop and meth.

🍁 Check out photos of this year’s fall colors.