Morning Must Reads: October 23

‘Canada Will Never Be Intimidated’

Prime Minister Stephen Harper offered prayers to the grieving families following an armed attack in Ottawa, which led to the death of an officer and a sustained lockdown of the area, and said the incident would strengthen the country’s resolve

Know if You’re Safe From Recalls

2014 isn’t over, but it’s already broken the record for most auto recalls ever, as automakers have recalled an estimated all-time high of 56 million in the U.S.

Connecticut Monitoring 9 for Ebola

Nine people in Connecticut who could have been exposed to Ebola have been ordered to stay home for 21 days, the state’s Public Health Department said

Royals Beat Giants 7-2 to Take Game 2 of World Series

Kansas City trounced San Francisco on Wednesday for the team’s first win in a World Series game since beating St. Louis in 1985. The Royals haven’t won the series yet, but they did something more important: they showed why they belonged here

Coalition Air Strikes in Syria Have Killed 500

The U.S.-led air campaign designed to degrade and destroy the Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria has killed hundreds of militants throughout Syria — but it’s just a fraction of the group’s ground strength. Dozens of civilians have also died

North Carolina Releases Report on Academic Scandal

The University of North Carolina report details how a lack of oversight allowed the creation of so-called “paper classes” that student athletes were encouraged to take and in which they received high grades with “little regard” for the quality of their work

The Secret to Finding a Super Cheap Thanksgiving Flight

This year, like every year, there’s a lot of mixed messages on what to do if you’ve procrastinated on booking tickets for one of the busiest travel seasons. From checking smaller airlines to avoiding fares on Wednesday and Sunday, here’s a go-to information guide

Experts Assess Prospect of Ebola Falling in Wrong Hands

The virus is considered a bioterrorism agent — a “select agent and toxin” that has the “potential to pose a severe threat to public health and safety.” But massive fines, jail time and a risk of deadly exposure may be enough of a deterrent

Corporations, Advocacy Groups Spend Big on Ballot Measures

Large companies and national advocacy groups are putting big dollars behind committees with benign-sounding names that support or oppose ballot initiatives on issues as varied as minimum wage increases in Alaska and recreational marijuana in Florida

U.S. Murder Suspect Unaware Filipina Was Transgender

A friend of murdered Filipina Jennifer Laude testified that the American suspect, who went out with the two on the night of the crime, didn’t know they were transgender. The witness made her statement during a Philippine Senate hearing on Wednesday

Blackwater Guards Found Guilty in Iraq Shootings

Four former Blackwater guards were found guilty on Wednesday in the 2007 shootings of more than 30 Iraqis in Baghdad, and a federal judge ordered them immediately to jail. The shootings caused an international uproar over the role of defense contractors in warfare

Mayor, Wife Tied to Disappearance of 43 Students in Mexico

Mexican Attorney General Jesus Murillo said he suspects that Iguala Mayor Jose Luis Abarca and wife Maria de los Angeles Pineda are “probable masterminds” in the disappearance of 43 students after demonstrations on Sept. 26

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