10 things you need to know today: October 5, 2014

- 1. Hong Kong protesters agree to scale back demonstrations
- 2. Ex-Haitian dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier dies
- 3. Brazilians vote in tight presidential election
- 4. Giants sink Nationals in record-setting 18-inning game
- 5. Biden apologizes to Turkish president Erdogan
- 6. Redbox streaming service to shut down
- 7. Detainees allege sex abuse at Texas immigration facility
- 8. Dallas Ebola patient in critical condition
- 9. Hunt resumes for missing Flight MH370
- 10. Ralph Hall, oldest House member, injured in car crash

A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Thank you for signing up to TheWeek. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
1. Hong Kong protesters agree to scale back demonstrations
Pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong on Sunday agreed to scale back their blockades ahead of the work week so schools and government offices could open. The government had warned protesters to pull back or face another crackdown, with a police spokesperson saying, "To restore order, we are determined and we are confident we have the capability to take any necessary action." The concession came as both sides said they were willing to begin negotiations over ending the week-old stalemate. Tens of thousands of people have flooded Hong Kong's streets since last weekend to protest restrictions China placed on the 2017 election to select the city's next leader.
2. Ex-Haitian dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier dies
Jean-Claude Duvalier, the former Haitian president whose 15-year rule was marked by allegations of rampant human rights abuses, died Saturday of a heart attack. He was 65 years old. Nicknamed "Baby Doc," Duvalier became "president for life" following the death of his father, François "Papa Doc" Duvalier, in 1971. He was removed from power in 1986 and fled the country, though he returned from exile in 2011.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
3. Brazilians vote in tight presidential election
Brazilians head to the polls Sunday to vote in a presidential election that is likely to conclude in a runoff. President Dilma Rousseff is seeking a second term, but polls suggest she won't receive the 50 percent of the vote needed to avoid a runoff. The race has hinged on the nation's economy, which has sputtered in the last few years following a decade of booming growth.
4. Giants sink Nationals in record-setting 18-inning game
The San Francisco Giants snatched victory from the jaws of defeat Saturday night, downing the Washington Nationals in record-setting fashion. The Giants scratched out a run in the ninth to tie the score, and then went on to win in 18 innings on a home run from Brandon Belt. At six hours and 23 minutes, it was the longest playoff game in baseball history.
5. Biden apologizes to Turkish president Erdogan
Vice President Joe Biden on Saturday quickly apologized to Turkish President Recep Erdogan after triggering a diplomatic spat when he accused Turkey of enabling ISIS. Earlier Saturday, Biden claimed Erdogan conceded to him that Turkey "let too many people through" its border who may have gone on to aid ISIS. "The vice president apologized for any implication that Turkey or other allies and partners in the region had intentionally supplied or facilitated the growth of ISIL," the White House said in a statement.
The Washington Post The Associated Press
6. Redbox streaming service to shut down
Redbox Instant announced Saturday it would discontinue its streaming service on October 7, one year after it went live. The service, a partnership between Verizon and the company Outerwall, was envisioned as a potential competitor to Netflix in the digital streaming game. "The service had not been as successful as either partner hoped it would be," the companies said in a joint statement.
7. Detainees allege sex abuse at Texas immigration facility
"Numerous" women being held at a Texas immigrant detainment center have accused guards and other workers of widespread sexual abuse. Lawyers for the detainees allege that guards at the Karnes County Residential Center removed women from their cells at night for sex, groped them, and swapped sex for promises of legal assistance. In a statement, the private contractor that runs the facility said the "center provides high quality care, and our company strongly denies any allegations to the contrary."
8. Dallas Ebola patient in critical condition
The first and only patient to be diagnosed with Ebola in the United States regressed from serious to critical condition Saturday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week confirmed a patient at a Dallas hospital, who had recently returned from Liberia, tested positive for the deadly virus. The CDC says it has not seen symptoms in any of the people who came into contact with the Dallas patient.
9. Hunt resumes for missing Flight MH370
Seven months after the plane went missing, search crews on Sunday are to resume their hunt in the Indian Ocean for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. Reconnaissance crews had taken a month-long break to map the search area, which lies about 1,800 miles off the coast of Australia. The plane went missing March 8, but months of search efforts turned up no sign of the wreckage.
10. Ralph Hall, oldest House member, injured in car crash
Rep. Ralph Hall (R-Texas) was injured Saturday in a car accident. Hall hurt his hip and sustained minor cuts and bruises in the crash but is expected to make a full recovery. The 91-year-old lawmaker is the oldest sitting member of the House.
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
Sign up to our 10 Things You Need to Know Today newsletter
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Jon Terbush is an associate editor at TheWeek.com covering politics, sports, and other things he finds interesting. He has previously written for Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, and Business Insider.
-
Should you fire your financial adviser? 4 signs it's time to say goodbye.
The Explainer Breakups are never fun, but you have to protect your wallet
By Becca Stanek Published
-
The daily gossip: Man arrested in connection with shooting of Tupac Shakur, an OceanGate movie is in the works, and more
Feature The daily gossip: September 29, 2023
By Brendan Morrow Published
-
What to expect from an El Niño winter
The Explainer Things might be different thanks to this well-known weather phenomenon
By Devika Rao Published
-
10 things you need to know today: September 29, 2023
Daily Briefing House committee starts Biden impeachment inquiry, court rejects Trump's request to delay civil fraud trial, and more
By Harold Maass Published
-
Ten Things You Need to Know Today: 29 September 2023
The Week’s daily digest of the news agenda, published at 8am
By The Week Staff Published
-
10 things you need to know today: September 28, 2023
Daily Briefing Republican rivals clash as absent Trump tries to upstage debate, the Senate approves a formal dress code, and more
By Harold Maass Published
-
10 things you need to know today: September 27, 2023
Daily Briefing A New York judge rules Trump defrauded banks, Biden visits auto workers on picket line, and more
By Harold Maass Published
-
10 things you need to know today: September 26, 2023
Daily Briefing Congress returns to work with shutdown looming, Ukraine says it killed Russia's Black Sea Fleet commander, and more
By Harold Maass Published
-
10 things you need to know today: September 25, 2023
Daily Briefing GOP leaders pressure far-right holdouts to help prevent a shutdown, Hollywood writers reach tentative deal to end strike, and more
By Harold Maass Published
-
10 things you need to know today: September 24, 2023
Daily Briefing Nagorno-Karabakh's Armenian population to leave region amid fears of persecution, Atlantic coast remains under flood warnings from Ophelia, and more
By Justin Klawans Published
-
10 things you need to know today: September 22, 2023
Daily Briefing Zelenskyy visits Washington as Biden unveils more Ukraine aid, Rupert Murdoch steps down at Fox and News Corp., and more
By Harold Maass Published