From CNN, I'm a Ifeoma Dike with the five things you need to know for Wednesday, October 16th. Vice President Kamala Harris spoke about patriotism, unity and upholding the Constitution during a speech in battleground state, Pennsylvania.
Vice President Kamala Harris
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Anyone who has called for the, quote, termination of the Constitution of the United States, as Donald Trump has, must never again stand behind the steel of the president of the United States.
More than 100 Republicans who are backing her joined her at the event. And a bipartisan effort to call for putting country above party ahead of Election Day. A new CNN poll of polls, average of national polling continues to find no clear leader in the presidential race. Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump, who trails with women in recent national polls, made at least 19 false claims in front of a female audience at a Fox News townhall that aired today. Here's one of them.
Former President Donald Trump
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I'm the father of IVF. We really are the party for IVF. We want fertilization. And it's all the way. And the Democrats tried to attack us on it.
The first child conceived through IVF, was born in 1978, which Trump had nothing to do with. She called his comments, quote, quite bizarre. The fertility treatment has come under threat following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v Wade.
The U.S. State Department says Israel has taken steps to improve the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza. That's after Biden administration officials sent a letter to the Israeli government laying out demands. The department says 50 humanitarian trucks went into Gaza from Jordan yesterday. The administration wants at least 350 aid trucks to be allowed into Gaza daily. This comes as sources tell CNN at least seven medical NGOs or it's all there banned from entering the enclave. And members of the now banned organizations who are already inside Gaza will not be allowed back in after they leave. CNN has reached out to some of the groups for comment.
Relatives of the Menendez brothers spoke on their behalf today at a news conference in Los Angeles. Like their aunt who talks about their claims of abuse by their father.
Aunt of Lyle and Erik Menendez
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As details of Lloyd Erik's abuse came to light, it became clear that their actions, while tragic, were the desperate response of two boys trying to survive the unspeakable cruel of their father.
'In 1996, Erik and Lyle Menendez were convicted and sentenced to life in prison for the murders of their parents. While they haven't denied the killings, the brothers have maintained that they acted in self-defense and had suffered years of physical and sexual abuse from their father, Jose Menendez. Last year, the brothers' attorneys filed a petition that argued that they should be granted relief from their prison sentences based on new allegations that speak to their father's alleged pattern of sexual abuse, and a letter they say Erik Menendez wrote before the murders. On Sunday, the L.A. County district attorney posted an image on social media, which has since been removed of an undated letter that was part of that filing. The brothers' lawyers say the letter was written by Erik Menendez to his cousin in 1988, and it alludes to the abuse.
This brand is back from the beyond. Bed, Bath and Beyond is coming back to a physical store near you after going out of business last year. But this time it's taking up space at a rival. Beyond Inc bought the defunct retailer out of bankruptcy and is investing $40 million in the container store. The partnership aims to give a much needed lifeline to two of the most recognizable names in shopping that have fallen into a financial mess in recent years. As part of the investment Bed, Bath and Beyond, branded kitchen baths and bedroom products will soon be sold at the Container Store's 102 locations. Coming up, sad news for Directioners.
Liam Payne, a former member of the boyband One Direction, has died at the age of 31, according to police in Buenos Aires. Authorities say he fell from the third floor of a hotel in Argentina's Palermo neighborhood. Payne was a teenager when he joined One Direction. The group cut a meteoric path to the top of the charts after forming on The X Factor in 2010 and then split up in 2015. That's a wrap. Our next episode drops at 6 a.m. Eastern.