10 things you need to know today: November 8, 2014

1. White House to nominate Loretta Lynch for Attorney General

The White House officially announced late on Friday that President Barack Obama will nominate Loretta Lynch, the U.S. Attorney in Brooklyn, to be the next Attorney General. Obama will officially introduce Lynch's nomination today at the White House, a statement from the administration said, joined by both Lynch and outgoing Attorney General Eric Holder. If she is confirmed by the Senate, Lynch would be the first African-American woman to serve as Attorney General.

The Washington Post

2. U.S. unemployment rate drops to 5.8 percent

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Friday that U.S. employers added 214,000 jobs in October, while the unemployment rate fell from 5.9 percent in September to 5.8 percent. While the jobs number was slightly below expectations, the number of Americans filing for unemployment fell to 278,000 last week, marking the lowest average for jobless claims in 14 years and suggesting the U.S. job market is improving.

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The Wall Street Journal

3. European, U.S. authorities arrest 17 in Darknet site raids

European and U.S. officials announced on Friday that they have arrested 17 people across 16 European countries and the U.S. in coordinated raids on underground, online markets. The Darknet sites are used to sell drugs and weapons, and officials seized at least $1 million in Bitcoin, along with hundreds of thousands of Euros, and drugs, gold, and silver.

NPR

4. Federal judge approves Detroit plan to exit bankruptcy

Just 16 months after Detroit declared bankruptcy, a federal judge on Friday approved the city's blueprint for exiting bankruptcy. The plan would allow Detroit to cut its $18 billion debt by $7 billion, and invests nearly $2 billion over the next nine years in city services such as computer systems, fire trucks, and ambulances. "The big hurdle is whether or not they can get the services and infrastructure in place to build the city back up," John J. Ramirez, a restructuring lawyer, said.

The Washington Post

5. Supreme Court agrees to hear challenge to Affordable Care Act

The Supreme Court justices announced on Friday that they will rule on whether the Affordable Care Act "authorizes subsidies that help millions of low- and middle-income people afford their health insurance premiums." Opponents of the law argue that such subsidies are illegal.

The Associated Press

6. South Korea to disband coast guard following ferry disaster

South Korea's National Assembly announced on Friday that it will disband its coast guard, following criticism for the guard's failure to save hundreds of passengers from April's Sewol ferry disaster. That ferry's sinking killed more than 300 people, and South Korean officials said "swifter, more aggressive action" from the coast guard could have saved more passengers. The guard's duties will now be handled by the country's National Police Agency.

The Associated Press

7. Dallas Ebola monitoring period comes to an end

Twenty-one days after a final person had contact with one of Dallas' three Ebola patients, state health officials announced that the city's monitoring period had ended on Friday evening. No new cases of Ebola have been reported in Texas, and the two nurses who treated Thomas Eric Duncan last month and became infected with Ebola have recovered and been declared virus-free. The total number of people monitored was 177 — those individuals had either handled medical waste or come into contact with one of the state's three Ebola patients.

KERA News

8. VA used counterfeit, unauthorized medical equipment

Internal Department of Veterans Affairs emails obtained through a FOIA request show that some veterans who received care at VA hospitals were treated with counterfeit, possibly dangerous medical supplies. The VA purchased the equipment from Johnson & Johnson, which had purchased the supplies from "gray market" companies.

The Washington Times

9. Poll: 6 in 10 Americans believe homes with guns are safer

A new Gallup report shows a 30 percent increase since 2000 in the number of Americans who believe having a gun in the home makes them safer. While 60 percent of Americans said guns in the home made them safer, just 42 percent actually keep a gun for safety reasons. And, the poll responses were divided along political and geographical lines.

Time

10. Lionsgate announces upcoming The Hunger Games stage play

Lionsgate announced on Friday that it will mount a Hunger Games "theatrical experience" in London, opening sometime in 2016. The company promised "world-class production values and state-of-the-art technology," and noted that a new theater will be purpose-built next to London's Wembley Stadium for the show.

Variety