10 things you need to know today: October 24, 2015

1. Lincoln Chafee drops out of presidential race

Longshot Democratic presidential contender Lincoln Chafee dropped out of the race Friday. "After much thought, I have decided to end my campaign for president today," Chafee said. "I would like to take this opportunity one last time to advocate for a chance be given to peace." The former senator and Rhode Island governor was the second candidate to end his bid for the Democratic nomination this week, following former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb.

Politico

2. Jeb Bush campaign slashes payroll, downsizes headquarters

Jeb Bush, who was once seen as a frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination, is downsizing his Miami headquarters, cutting payroll by 40 percent, and slashing 45 percent of the campaign budget. Despite these drastic cutbacks and Bush's plummeting poll numbers, his campaign is still trying to cast the cuts as a positive move made from a "position of strength." The latest Monmouth University poll showed Bush polling in sixth place with just 5 percent support — a 10-point drop from his lead in July.

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Bloomberg

3. Patricia weakens to tropical storm over Mexico

Hurricane Patricia weakened to a tropical storm over southwestern Mexico on Saturday morning. Authorities had evacuated residents and tourists on Friday in preparation for what was then a Category 5 hurricane, said to be the strongest Western Hemisphere storm ever recorded. The National Weather Service has forecasted the storm will dissipate by Saturday night. The damage seems to be minor compared to other strong hurricanes, the Mexican government said.

CNN The Associated Press

4. Hillary Clinton calls GOP lawmaker's impeachment threat 'ridiculous'

Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton hit back at a Republican legislator who has called for her immediate impeachment, should she take office. "Isn't that pathetic?" Clinton told MSNBC's Rachel Maddow on Friday. "It's just laughable, it's so totally ridiculous." Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) has suggested that the ongoing scandal over Clinton's use of a private email server as secretary of state would be grounds to accuse her of unlawful activity.

Reuters MSNBC

5. FBI director links police scrutiny, homicide uptick

FBI Director James Comey speculated Friday that public scrutiny surrounding police brutality could be related to the increase some cities have seen in homicides this year. Fatal police shootings of unarmed black people — some caught on video — in cities like Ferguson, Missouri; New York City; and Cleveland have sparked nationwide protests. "In today's YouTube world, there are officers reluctant to get out of their cars and do the work that controls violent crime," Comey said in a speech at University of Chicago's law school.

The New York Times Chicago Sun-Times

6. U.S., Russian leaders hold talk on Syria

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met with his Russian counterpart in Vienna on Friday as part of an ongoing discussion about how to end civil war in Syria. Kerry said the talk was a positive sign, even though he and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov still left in disagreement over Russia's desire to keep Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in power. On Saturday, Lavrov indicated a possible shift in Russia's stance: "External players can not decide anything for the Syrians," he said, advocating for elections.

The New York Times Reuters

7. Obama mocks Republicans at DNC forum

President Obama bashed Republicans in a speech Friday night at the Democratic National Committee's Women's Leadership Forum. "Why is it that Republican politicians are so down on America?" he said, going onto liken them to a popular internet meme. "I mean, they are — they are gloomy. They're like Grumpy Cat." He then frowned to imitate the popular cat, who was voiced by Aubrey Plaza in a Christmas movie on Lifetime.

CNN

8. Colorado movie theater shooter assaulted by another inmate

James Holmes, the gunman behind the 2012 movie theater shooting in Aurora, Colorado, was assaulted by another inmate in prison, a Colorado Department of Corrections official said Friday. Mark Daniels, 27, reportedly lunged at Holmes and swung at him in a Colorado State Penitentiary hallway as both prisoners were being escorted by guards. Holmes, who was not injured in the attack, is serving life in prison after being convicted on all charges in the shooting that killed 12 people and injured 70.

The Denver Post Reuters

9. Adele releases first single in 3 years

After teasing fans with a brief snippet released earlier this week, Adele has finally released "Hello," the first single from her new album, 25. The six-minute music video for "Hello" presents a romantic relationship in miniature, offering brief snapshots of times both happy and miserable. The song is a heartbreaking ballad in the classic Adele wheelhouse, and it's sure to whet appetites for the whole album, which arrives on November 20.

The Hollywood Reporter

10. Royals top Blue Jays, advance to World Series

The Kansas City Royals advanced to their second straight World Series after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays 4-2 in the American League Championship Series. The Royals iced the Jays with a 4-3 win broken up by a rain delay Friday night. The Royals, who in 2014 fell to the San Francisco Giants in seven games, will look for a better outcome against the New York Mets when the championship series kicks off on their home turf Tuesday night.

ESPN