It’s Wednesday, but we’ll spare you the “hump day” jokes. Instead, have a quick and clever take on your morning news. Here are the top stories everyone will be talking about:
1. A step toward change
The Justice Department has announced plans to release 6,000 inmates early. The inmates scheduled for release are all drug offenders who’ve received harsh sentences over the past 30 years. Their release is due in part to overcrowding in jails, but it’s also a move toward prison reform. The ultimate goal is to change who goes to jail and for how long. They’ll be set free between Oct. 30 and Nov. 2 of this year, and it will be among the largest prison releases in U.S. history. — Washington Post
More:Incarcerated Women In Prison star has advice for women who are free
2. This is not OK
A few days ago a U.S. airstrike hit a Doctors Without Borders hospital in Kunduz, Afghanistan. The strike killed 22 people and wounded 37 others. Now, General John Campbell, a U.S. commander, has admitted the airstrike was accidental and the result of a miscommunication. Afghan forces said they were under fire and the airstrike was called in, but the hospital should never have been in the line of fire. Doctors Without Borders says that’s not a good enough explanation and are demanding an independent investigation to determine whether or not the strike actually constitutes a war crime. — CNN
3. OMG
A nurse stands accused of reusing syringes when administering flu shots at a New Jersey clinic. The nurse was contracted to give flu shots to 67 employees of Otsuka Pharmaceutical. This week employees who got the shots received a letter from the New Jersey Department of Health stating the nurse “failed to follow proper medical procedures.” Needles where changed between shots, but the syringe was not, meaning patients could have been exposed to contaminated blood. No infections have been reported so far, but employees are urged to get tested for hepatitis B, C and HIV. — NBC Philadelphia
More:7 Flu shot facts
4. Say what?
Presidential hopeful Ben Carson can’t stop saying dumb things. During an interview on Fox and Friends, he talked about the Oregon shooting and how he would’ve prevented himself from being killed, saying, “I would not just stand there and let him [the shooter] shoot me.” A few days ago, he said he wouldn’t meet families of the victims this time, but would “go to the next one.” His comments are not only callous and out of touch, but the implication that the Oregon victims just willingly allowed themselves to be killed — as though it’s somehow their fault — is awful. Good luck in the primaries, buddy. — Mother Jones
5. Another comedian in cars
Beloved former Tonight Show host Jay Leno is returning with a new show. The comedian is taking his online video series, Jay Leno’s Garage, to CNBC. The show will feature eight hour-long segments devoted to a specific type of automobile. Tonight’s episode is about the American muscle car and features a drag race with Tim Allen. It airs at 10 p.m. ET, so either put off bedtime or set your DVR. Leno is back to late night in a totally new way. — USA Today
More:Evidence Jay Leno and Mark Twain are basically the same person (QUOTES)
6. Leaves for sale
If you’ve been pining for fall foliage but live in a place that doesn’t quite achieve the promised beauty of autumn, you’re in luck. For just $19.99 you can log onto ShipFoliage.com and order yourself some leaves from New England. According to the site, the leaves are “picked and color balanced in a bundle of three” and then carefully preserved to “ensure they’ll last for years to come.” Sounds pretty cool, but at that price you’ll need hundreds of dollars to have a decent pile. — TIME
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