Republicans say they’re appealing a Georgia judge’s ruling that invalidates seven election rules

By KATE BRUMBACK and JEFF AMY ATLANTA (AP) — National and state Republicans on Thursday appealed a judge’s ruling that said seven election rules recently passed by Georgia’s State Election Board are “illegal, unconstitutional and void.” The Republican National Committee and the Georgia Republican Party are appealing a ruling from Fulton County Superior Court Judge Thomas Cox, who ruled Wednesday that the State Election Board did not have the authority to pass the rules and ordered it to immediately inform all state and local election officials that the rules are void and not to be followed. The rules that Cox invalidated include three that had gotten a lot of attention — one that requires that the number of ballots be hand-counted after the close of polls and two that had to do with the certification of election results. Related Articles National Politics | TikTok let through disinformation in political ads despite its own ban, Global Witness finds National Politics | Trump is consistently inconsistent on abortion and reproductive rights National Politics | Overwhelmed by election incivility? Check out a rare comet or the year’s brightest

Ahead of preseason finale, Warriors still have too many players

SAN FRANCISCO — On the eve of the Warriors’ preseason finale, which they consider a dress rehearsal for the regular season, head coach Steve Kerr still has an unsettled rotation — both in the starting lineup and behind it. Kerr has said this is the deepest team he has coached in Golden State, in terms of sheer NBA-quality players. The team goes 13 deep, with Moses Moody, Gary Payton II, Kevon Looney and Lindy Waters III each duking it out for playing time at the end of the bench. They’ve each proven themselves to be rotational players in the NBA, but cracking the 10-man rotation isn’t easy. “Roster-wise, we haven’t made any decisions on the back end, but we feel like we have a pretty good handle on our team,” Kerr said on Thursday, after what he and others deemed their best practice of the preseason. The Warriors have used five distinct starting lineups in each of their five preseason games, going 5-0 while experimenting with different combinations. None of them have jumped off the page, but each provides hints at the team’s thinking. In

TikTok let through disinformation in political ads despite its own ban, Global Witness finds

By BARBARA ORTUTAY, AP Technology Writer SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Just weeks before the U.S. presidential election, TikTok approved advertisements that contained election disinformation even though it has a ban on political ads, according to a report published Thursday by the nonprofit Global Witness. The technology and environmental watchdog group submitted ads that it designed to test how well systems at social media companies work in detecting different types of election misinformation. The group, which did a similar investigation two years ago, did find that the companies — especially Facebook — have improved their content-moderation systems since then. But it called out TikTok for approving four of the eight ads submitted for review that contained falsehoods about the election. That’s despite the platform’s ban on all political ads in place since 2019. The ads never appeared on TikTok because Global Witness pulled them before they went online. “Four ads were incorrectly approved during the first stage of moderation, but did not run on our platform,” TikTok spokesman Ben Rathe said. “We do not allow political advertising and will continue to enforce this policy on an ongoing

Fan-edited ‘Wicked’ poster removed Cynthia Erivo’s eyes, and now she’s seeing red

Cynthia Erivo, whose “Wicked” movie hits theaters next month, has spoken out against a fan-edited film poster that resembles the poster for the Broadway show. A fan posted a TikTok video that compares the two posters and shows the edits being made. Erivo — who plays the green-skinned witch, Elphaba, based on the Wicked Witch of the West from the classic “Wizard of Oz” movie — is given smirking red lips and a dark shadow over her eyes from her wide-brimmed witch hat. Glinda (played by pop star Ariana Grande) whispers into Elphaba’s ear in the poster. Her hand is moved higher, but no changes are made to her hair or face. (Universal Pictures) “This is the wildest, most offensive thing I have seen,” Erivo said in an Instagram story, posting the edited version of the poster and calling it degrading. “The original poster is an ILLUSTRATION. I am a real life human being,” she said, arguing she made an artistic choice to stare down the camera straight to the viewer. “[W]ithout words we communicate with our eyes,” she said. “Our poster is an homage

Criminal case against handyman who gunned down L.A. bishop paused amid mental health concerns

Criminal proceedings against a handyman who prosecutors say fatally shot a beloved L.A. bishop last year were suspended Thursday after attorneys raised doubts about his competence to stand trial. Carlos Medina, 61, was charged with murder in February 2023 for allegedly gunning down Bishop David G. O’Connell, 69, at his Hacienda Heights home. Medina was arrested the next day in Torrance, and law enforcement sources previously told The Times that he confessed to the killing. A motive in the homicide has remained unclear for more than 18 months. Medina’s wife worked for O’Connell as a housekeeper, and authorities said last year that the 61-year-old gave detectives several reasons for the shooting, but “none of them made sense to the investigators,” according to L.A. County Sheriff’s Department Lt. Michael Modica. O’Connell’s friends and parishioners had hoped Thursday’s preliminary hearing — usually the first time prosecutors have to present significant evidence in a case in open court — would provide some motive for the out-of-nowhere shooting. But L.A. County Deputy Public Defender Pedro Cortes told the court he had doubts about Medina’s ability to aid in his

Syracuse data shows high lead levels in drinking water

Syracuse data shows high lead levels in drinking water – CBS News Watch CBS News Citizens, local and national groups warned that Syracuse, New York, is facing a crisis over lead in its drinking water. The city’s data showed that 27 of about 100 homes exceeded the “federal action level” for lead contamination. Valerie Baron, senior attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council, discusses the group’s demands to address the issue. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

What Yahya Sinwar’s death means for the Israel-Hamas war

What Yahya Sinwar’s death means for the Israel-Hamas war – CBS News Watch CBS News Yahya Sinwar, the wanted leader of the militant group Hamas, was killed by Israeli troops in Gaza, Israel said Thursday. He is one of five top Hamas leaders who have been assassinated since the Oct. 7 attack that sparked the Israel-Hamas war. Margaret Brennan examines what Sinwar’s death could mean for the war going forward. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Inside Lebanon’s only burn unit

Inside Lebanon’s only burn unit – CBS News Watch CBS News Israel’s multi-front conflict against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon has a significant civilian toll. A CBS News foreign correspondent reports on Lebanon’s only burn unit. Warning: some of the images are disturbing. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Alabama executes man who killed 5 and asked to be put to death

October 17, 2024 / 8:27 PM EDT / CBS/AP Alabama executed a man Thursday who admitted to killing five people with an ax and gun during a drug-fueled rampage in 2016 and dropped his appeals to allow his lethal injection to go forward. Derrick Dearman, 36, was pronounced dead at 6:14 p.m. Thursday at Holman prison in southern Alabama. He pleaded guilty in a rampage that began when he broke into the home where his estranged girlfriend had taken refuge. Dearman had dropped his appeals this year. “I am guilty,” he wrote in an April letter to a judge, adding that “it’s not fair to the victims or their families to keep prolonging the justice that they so rightly deserve.” “I am willingly giving all that I can possibly give to try and repay a small portion of my debt to society for all the terrible things I’ve done,” Dearman said in an audio recording sent this week to The Associated Press. “From this point forward, I hope that the focus will not be on me, but rather on the healing of all the people

Southern California driver who outran CHP at ‘extreme speeds’ busted days later

A motorist on a Southern California freeway who made the decision to evade an officer with the California Highway Patrol at “an extremely high rate of speed” was taken into custody days later, officials announced.   It’s unclear exactly when the incident occurred, with CHP only describing it as “recently,” but the driver was spotted in the express lanes of the 405 Freeway by an officer moments before using the center divider to pass other vehicles.   “When our officer attempted to make an enforcement stop, the driver fled while continuing to drive recklessly,” CHP said in a post to Instagram. “Due to the extreme speeds and the reckless nature of the fleeing vehicle, the driver ultimately eluded our officer.”   A suspect seen driving on the 405 Freeway at high speeds while using the center lane divider to pass other motorists. (CHP) An officer with CHP Westminster seen tracking a fleeing suspect on the 405 Freeway. (CHP) The suspect seen as an officer takes him into custody days after eluding CHP on the 405 Freeway. (CHP) The suspect’s vehicle seen as it’s towed to

Man Convicted in Deadly Hit and Run in Laguna Hills

A 38-year-old man was convicted Thursday of a deadly hit-and-run in Laguna Hills. Andrew Austin Arbuckle was convicted of a felony count of hit-and-run with permanent and serious injury. He pleaded guilty in June to driving on a suspended or revoked license due to a DUI. Arbuckle is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 22. Arbuckle ran over 22-year-old Fabio R. Castro of Atascadero while driving a pickup truck at The Hills Hotel at 25205 La Paz Road about 9:15 p.m. July 16, 2020, according to prosecutors. Arbuckle was dropping off a friend at the hotel after spending the day drinking, according to prosecutors. Castro was staying at the hotel because the horse groomer was working a horse show in San Juan Capistrano, prosecutors said.

Riverside Couple Admit Sexually Abusing Their Two Kids

A Riverside couple who sexually abused their two children for years pleaded guilty Thursday to multiple felony charges. Joshua Daniel Hawkins, 37, and Sabrina Lynn Hawkins, 33, admitted their crimes just as a preliminary hearing was set to get underway Thursday at the Riverside Hall of Justice. The pair reached separate plea agreements with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office. Joshua Hawkins pleaded guilty to four counts of lewd acts on a minor, two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child, and one count each of sodomy of a minor, forced oral copulation of a child, forcible penetration of a person under duress or fear and child abuse, as well as a sentence-enhancing allegation of targeting multiple victims in a sex crime. In exchange for his admissions, prosecutors agreed to drop more than a dozen related charges against the defendant. His spouse admitted two counts each of oral copulation of a child and lewd acts on a minor, along with one count of sodomy of a minor. Prosecutors also agreed to drop just over a dozen charges against Sabrina Hawkins in exchange for her

One Direction pays tribute to Liam Payne: ‘We will miss him terribly’

Former One Direction stars paid tribute to fellow member Liam Payne, who died Oct. 16 after falling from his third story hotel room in Argentina, according to state police. He was 31. Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, and Harry Styles shared a joint statement on the official One Direction Instagram account on Thursday. “We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing,” they said. “In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say. But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly.” MORE | Argentine authorities probe what happened before Liam Payne’s fatal fall from his hotel balcony A fan of former One Direction singer Liam places a photo of him on a tree outside the hotel where he was found dead the previous day in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Oct. 17, 2024. AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko “The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever,” they continued. “For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and the fans who loved him alongside us. We will

Judge grants Texas lawmakers’ unusual effort to pause execution in shaken baby case

HOUSTON, Texas — A last-ditch effort to stop Texas from executing an autistic man in a shaken baby case stretched into the final hours Thursday night as one judge granted an extraordinary maneuver by lawmakers to delay the lethal injection while the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for it to proceed. The judge granted a request from a Texas House committee for a temporary restraining order to delay the execution of Robert Roberson so the condemned man could testify next week about his case at a hearing by lawmakers. Roberson was scheduled Thursday evening to become the first person in the U.S. executed for a murder conviction tied to a diagnosis of shaken baby syndrome. The lawmakers on the committee, both Republicans and Democrats, are part of a diverse coalition who say Roberson is innocent in the 2002 death of his 2-year-old daughter and was convicted on faulty scientific evidence. The order by state District Judge Jessica Mangrum was expected to be quickly appealed by the Texas Attorney General’s Office to the state’s top criminal appeals court, which has previously denied on multiple occasions

Ashley Tisdale, Vincent Martella and Alyson Stoner are back for a new season of ‘Phineas and Ferb’  

The summer fun continues with the announcement of fan-favorite characters returning for the next season of the Disney hit series By Ryder Maldonado Thursday, October 17, 2024 11:19PM LOS ANGELES — Phineas and Ferb will enjoy another 104 days of summer vacation in a new season of their hit show. The cast and creators hosted a panel at New York Comic Con to announce the returning characters, marking their first reunion in over a decade. The new season features the return of Vincent Martella as the creative planner Phineas, and David Errigo Jr. as the cool, calm and collected Ferb. Joining them are cast members Ashley Tisdale as their responsible sister Candace and Alyson Stoner who voices the group’s supportive friend, Isabella Garcia-Shapiro. The panel also showcased co-creators Dan Povenmire, the voice behind the zany Dr. Doofenshmirtz and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh who brings Major Francis Monogram to life. The cast and creators of “Phineas and Ferb” reunite after a decade to announce the cast for the new season. Disney True to “Phineas and Ferb” style, the new season promises a huge list of celebrity cameos featuring a

VP Harris, former President Trump keep focus on battleground states in election’s final weeks

WASHINGTON — Both presidential candidates are keeping their eyes on battleground states in the final weeks of their election campaigns. With three weeks left in the presidential campaign, Harris is spending most of her days trying to shore up support in the “blue wall” states of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin as she tries to avoid a repeat of Hillary Clinton’s collapse there eight years ago. Her schedule reflects the Democratic nominee’s focus on her most likely path to victory over Republican candidate Donald Trump. Harris is in Milwaukee on Thursday seeking support from college-age voters. She dropped by a business class at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and is holding a student rally at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. She closes out the day with a rally in Green Bay. Trump visited a barber shop in New York ahead of the Alfred Smith dinner Thursday night, which raises money for Catholic charities. Harris is expected to attend virtually. Wednesday, Trump took questions during a town hall held by Spanish-speaking network Univision, in which he disparaged Chicago several times. “And when you say, Chicago, immediately, we have

‘Smile 2’ supera a su antecesora en ambiciones y en terror, y su creador lo sabe

Hace dos años, los amantes del terror recibieron con beneplácito la llegada de uno de esos cineastas que parecen haber nacido para crear películas del género debido al estreno de “Smile”, una inquietante historia con tintes sobrenaturales que llevaba la firma de un tal Parker Finn en los puestos de dirección y de guión. La cinta se convirtió no solo en el éxito más grande de taquilla en lo que se refiere a títulos originales dentro de la escuela de los sustos, sino que demostró también el talento de su autor para el desarrollo y la implementación de un relato que presentaba a una misteriosa serie de entidades demoníacas que se apoderaban de las mentes de sus víctimas y que se trasladaban luego a los cuerpos de otras personas de maneras inusuales. Si “Smile” tenía al frente a Sosie Bacon (hija del gran Kevin) en el papel de Rose Cotter, una terapista atormentada, “Smile 2”, que se estrena este fin de semana, nos mete de lleno en el universo de Skye Riley (Naomi Scott), una estrella del pop que, luego de atravesar un accidente automovilístico

How much for two tickets for a World Series in L.A.? Thousands, not hundreds

The Dodgers put World Series tickets on sale Thursday morning, selling out quickly despite prices that started above $800. The Dodgers did not make a formal announcement of the sale, or issue a news release about it. Instead, they posted the news on social media and sent an email to previous ticket buyers and other fans who had registered with the team. Lon Rosen, the Dodgers’ chief marketing officer, said the team has more than 1 million names in its database. By early afternoon, the scattered seats still available included reserve seats high above the foul poles, for $909.45 per ticket. The Dodgers, like most teams, adjust prices based on supply and demand. The prices Thursday reflect the possibility of the Dodgers facing the New York Yankees in the World Series for the first time since 1981. By late afternoon, with tickets no longer available on the Dodgers’ website, the minimum price for a World Series ticket on StubHub: $1,125. For those buying tickets from the Dodgers on Thursday, the team website included this message in bold face: “Tickets purchased for the purpose of being

Mystery smell prompts partial evacuation at downtown L.A. jail, 2 employees hospitalized

Two employees were transported to a local hospital Thursday after an unidentified smell prompted a partial evacuation of the Inmate Reception Center in downtown Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The odor, first detected at about 2:30 p.m., did not impact any areas that house or hold inmates, officials said. “It’s not affecting the secure side of the building,” Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman Nicole Nishida told The Times. “We have had no complaints of any inmates being affected.” By 4 p.m., she said, fire officials were still on scene investigating the source of the odor. “It smelled like a very strong nail polish or paint smell,” one staffer told The Times while coughing repeatedly. “We knew it wasn’t nail polish or paint, but it was similar to that.” Over roughly 15 minutes, the smell quickly spread and grew stronger until officials decided to send workers home and evacuate, according to the employee, who asked to remain anonymous because they were not authorized to speak on the record. “My throat’s burning,” the staffer continued. “My voice is a little froggy now, and normally

Postpartum mental health care still out of reach for many

By Nikki Battiste, Devyn Rafols-Nunez October 17, 2024 / 8:08 PM EDT / CBS News Facility offers new approach to postpartum care Michigan facility offers new approach to postpartum care 03:56 For Katherine Schiefer, whose son Owen was born five months ago, motherhood the second time around has felt drastically different. The 35-year-old lawyer was recently diagnosed with postpartum depression after her husband John encouraged her to get help for her suicidal thoughts. “I had the thought in the middle of the night, like, I don’t want to be here. And when I say not be here, I mean on this earth,” said Schiefer, who still gets emotional recalling the symptoms. “I know my kids need me and I love them and I want to be here for them, so to have thoughts like that were alarming.” Among new mothers in the U.S., one in eight suffer from postpartum depression, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Three-quarters of them go undiagnosed or untreated. “I think it’s destigmatizing that we don’t just have to have one feeling of joy, but that becoming

Texas judge temporarily pauses Robert Roberson’s execution

Texas judge temporarily pauses Robert Roberson’s execution – CBS News Watch CBS News A Texas judge Thursday temporarily halted the execution of a man who was convicted of murder in the death of his 2-year-old daughter. Robert Roberson would have been the first person in the U.S. executed for a murder conviction tied to “shaken baby syndrome.” Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On