Here's a roundup of news trending across the nation and world today.
What to know now:
1. Not from Russia: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said Thursday that claims by Democrats that Russia is behind the hack of thousands of emails is incorrect. Assange, speaking to "Russia Today" on Thursday, said "the Russian government isn't the source" of the leaked information. "The Clinton camp has been able to project a neo-McCarthyist hysteria that Russia is responsible for everything," Assange said. "Hillary Clinton has stated multiple times, falsely, that 17 US intelligence agencies had assessed that Russia was the source of our publications. That's false – we can say that the Russian government is not the source." Assange said he feels sorry for Clinton, and sees her as a person "eaten alive" by her ambitions."
2. CMA's celebrate 50 years: It was a show that saw country music royalty, a new generation of talent and, Queen Bey all in one evening. The Country Music Association celebrated 50 years Wednesday night with an awards ceremony that rocked the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville with stars from the past performing the hits that made them famous. Garth Brooks won entertainer of the year, with Chris Stapleton and Carrie Underwood taking top male and female entertainer awards. Pop icon Beyonce made an appearance with the Dixie Chicks to sing "Daddy Lessons."
3. Harry's American girl: Remember the name Meghan Markle, you could be hearing it a lot in the future. Markle is an American actress who is dating England's Prince Harry, according to some media outlets. There is some speculation that the relationship is serious since she was introduced to Harry's father, Prince Charles, first in line to the British royal throne.
4. Incompetent to stand trial: The wife of concert pianist Vadym Kholodenko is mentally unfit to stand trial in the deaths of couple's two daughters, a Texas judge has ruled. Sofya Tsygankova is charged with killing the two girls, Nika, 5, and Michaela, 1, at their Benbrook, Texas home. Tsygankova allegedly smothered the girls with a pillow. She has been ordered to a Texas mental hospital for at least 120 days of treatment.
5. State worked with Clinton: Emails said to be from John Podesta and leaked by WikiLeaks appear to show a State Department official coordinating with Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign just before the former secretary of State's use of a private email server was first reported in 2015. The emails show the State Department official provided Clinton aides with the department's official response to a New York Times reporter's question about the private email server Clinton used to send work-related and at least some classified information. State Department spokesman John Kirby said that it was necessary to talk with the Clinton campaign about reporter inquires at times to provide accurate responses to their questions.
And one more
The Chicago Cubs broke a more than 100-year "curse" on Wednesday night when they won the World Series in a dramatic extra-innings contest. Chicago lead for most of the night until the Cleveland Indians stormed back from a 6-3 deficit in the bottom of the eighth inning to tie the game. No one scored in the ninth, sending the game into extra innings. After a rain delay, the Cubs scored two runs in the top of the 10th and held Cleveland off in the bottom of the inning to take the championship.
In case you missed it
Jimmy Kimmel's annual Halloween prank is priceless.
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