EFTA01658979

From To Subject: FW: [EXTERNAL EMAIL] - FBI Public Affairs News Briefing Monday, October 26, 2020 Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2020 10:28:33 +0000 c Importan e: Normal From: Bulletin Intelligence Sent: Monday, October 26, 2020 6:27:36 AM (UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada) To: FBI@BulletinIntelligence.com Subject: [EXTERNAL EMAIL] - FBI Public Affairs News Briefing Monday, October 26, 2020 Mobile version and searchable archives available at fbi.bulletinintelligence.com. I BI News Briefing TO: THE DIRECTOR AND SENIOR STAFF DATE: MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2020 6:30 AM EDT TODAY'S TABLE OF CONTENTS LEADING THE NEWS • Police Departments Preparing For Potential Election Day Unrest. PROTESTS • Trump Supporters And Opponents Clash In New York's Times Square. • Most Black Lives Matter Demonstrations Have Been Peaceful. • Seattle Office Of Police Accountability: Seattle Officers Utilized Excessive Force Against Protestors. • Illinois Officer Fired After Shooting And Killing Black Man. • WPost Al Discusses Mother's Struggle To Get Help For Black, Mentally III Son Amid Pandemic, Racial Unrest. • Black Journalists Who Worked With Vogue Editor In Chief Wintour Feel She Created Environment That Sidelined Black Women. • DO): Boogaloo Bois Member Fired On Minneapolis Police Precinct. • FBI Arrests White Supremacist Who Allegedly Targeted BLM Founder. • WPost Al: Experts Increasingly Cite Systemic Racism As Cause Of Some Racial Disparities In US. • Alabama Voters Have Chance To Eliminate Racist Language From State Constitution. OPERATION LEGEND • Myrtle Beach, South Carolina To Receive Federal Grant To Fight Gun Crime. COUNTER-TERRORISM EFTA01658979 • Michigan Judge Slashes Bond For Man Linked To Whitmer Kidnap Plot. • CSIS: White Supremacists Responsible For Majority Of US Terrorist Attacks This Year. • Man Receives 20-Year Prison Sentence For Purchasing Firearms Used In 2015 Terror Attack In California. • Ninth Circuit Dismisses Key Terrorism Charge For California Man. • UK Special Forces Storm Vessel In Suspected Hijacking. • Afghanistan Claims Top Al-Qaida Propagandist Wanted By FBI Was Killed. • Guantanamo Bay Not Closing Despite Lack Of Population Growth Under Trump. • Bloomberg Analysis: French Interior Minister Now "Public Face Of A Crackdown Whipping Up Sentiment Against The Broader Muslim Community." • Spokesman Says Houthis Targeted Airports, Base In Saudi Arabia. • At Least Six Children Die In Cameroon During Attack On School. • Trump Marks 37th Anniversary Of Terrorist Attack In Beirut. • US Embassy In Turkey Warns Of Potential Terrorist Attacks. COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE • Sen. Johnson: FBI Interviewed Hunter Biden's Former Partner. • Russian Bankers Ask Judge To Depose Steele Dossier Source Danchenko. • Judge Orders DOJ To Verify Filings In Flynn Case. • CISA Contradicting Trump's Attempts To Question Election. • Cuccinelli Addresses Foreign Interference In US Election. • Ransomware Attack On Georgia County Government Disables Voter Signature Database. • O'Brien Says Hackers Can't Change Votes. • Voters Urged To Be Careful When Opening Election-Related Mail. • Editorial: Americans Must Brave Outside Attacks On Elections And Vote. • FBI Alerted After Online Video Implies Maryland Election Judge Improperly Marked Ballot. • Cybersecurity Experts Concerned Over Threat Of Disinformation From Within US. • Continuing Coverage: DOD, ODNI Release Intel Budget Requests For FY21. • Kremlin Laments US Election Campaigns' Focus On Dislike For Russia. • US Imposes Sanctions On Russian Government Research Center Involved In 2017 Cyberattack. • Report: Russian Scientists Were In Contact With Military Science Institute Developing Novichok Nerve Agent. CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS • Maxwell's Attorneys: US Prosecutors Not Honoring Promise To Supply Evidence. • Teenager Sentenced To Time In Juvenile Facility, Probation For Plotting Attack On Black Church. • California Prosecutors To Again Seek Death Penalty For Peterson. • NXIVM Leader Speaks Ahead Of Sentencing. • Teen Plotted To Assassinate Joe Biden, Federal Authorities Say. • Former Ohio City Councilman Arrested On Human Trafficking Charges. • FBI Investigating Border Patrol Officer-Involved Shooting. • Illinois Police Department Fires Officer Who Killed Black Teen As FBI Joins Shooting Investigation. • FBI Investigating "Ambush Style" Killing On Crow Reservation In Montana. • FBI Set To Release New Information On 1981 New York Cold Case. • Nearly $100K In Narcotics Seized In Florida Operation. • FBI Releases Photo Of Florida Bank Robbery Suspect. • Six California Gang Members Indicted On Federal Charges. • California Man Faces Federal Child Pornography Charges. • Texas Woman Gets 17 Years In Federal Prison For Bank Robberies. • Alleged California Gang Members To Stand Trial On Multiple Attempted Homicide Charges. EFTA01658980 • Man In Custody After Allegedly Abducting Daughters, Two Boys Found Dead. • Former Ohio Priest Charged With Sex Trafficking Of A Minor. • Texas Man Charged With Sexual Assault Of Child. FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS • Judge Orders Securities Fraud Case Against Texas Attorney General To Move To Paxton's Home County. • Attorneys For LA Lawmaker To Challenge Federal Court's Grand Juror Selection Methods. • US Charges Costa Rican Man In $1M Lottery Tax Scam. CYBER DIVISION • US Sanctions Russian Government Research Institution For Cyberattacks Against Key Infrastructure Of Allies. • Louisiana National Guard Called In To Prevent Cyberattacks Weeks Prior To Election. • Bipartisan Bill Would Help National Guard Support States' Cybersecurity Modernization. • French Court Asks Microsoft To Guarantee Safeguards Against Sharing Health Data With US. • Kushner's "Close Friend" Charged With Cyberstalking. LABORATORY • Police Say Body Found In Missouri Creek Was Missing Social Worker. LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES • When Jury Trials In DC Superior Court Will Resume Still Uncertain. • Proponents Of Now-Passed Virginia Sentencing Measure Feel Bill Will Have Transformational Impact. • Springfield, Massachusetts Police Working To Repair Relationship With FBI. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS • After Arrest Of Former Defense Minister On Drug Charges, Mexico's President Shifts Some Blame To US Officials. OTHER FBI NEWS • Trump Plans To Fire Wray, Haspel, Esper If He Is Reelected. OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS • Senate Votes 51-48 On Cloture, Setting Barrett Up For Monday Confirmation. • Pence To Continue Campaigning Even After Top Staffers Test Positive. • Fauci Says Effectiveness Of Vaccines Will Be Evident By Early December. • Trump, Administration Officials Defend Response To Coronavirus. • Whitmer: Trump's Plans For Rally In Lansing Is "Recipe For Disaster." • Administration Cancels Plan To Offer Santa Impersonators Early Access To Vaccine. • US Records "Biggest Two-Day Surge" In Coronavirus Cases. • Native Americans "Disproportionately" Impacted By COVID Ahead Of Election Day. • False Positives Having "Serious Consequences" In Some Communities. • Protesters Burn Masks In Pushback Against Restrictions. • Green Bay "Noticeably Subdued" Despite Football's Return. • Fox's Baier, MacCallum, Perino Advised To Quarantine. • Biden Tweet From 2019 Warning Of Pandemic Trends On Anniversary Of Post. • Pelosi "Optimistic" About Coronavirus Relief Bill Before Election. • DOJ Lawsuit Against Google Targets Agreement With Apple. • Senators Request IG Investigation Of CBP's Warrantless Utilization Of Cellphone Location Data. • USA Today Analysis: Under Administration, Refugees Must Wait Longer To Receive Visas. • Undocumented Farmworker Died After Experiencing Brutal Treatment During Arrest. EFTA01658981 • Tropical Storm Zeta Strengthens In Caribbean. • Kushner, lvanka Trump Threaten To Sue Over Lincoln Project Billboards. • State Department Confirms It Has Suspended Diversity Programs. • Pelosi Says She Plans To Seek Another Term As Speaker. • High Winds Increase California Wildfire Risk. • State Department Suspends Diversity Training Following Trump Executive Order. • WPost Analysis: Trump Has "Presided Over A Norm-Shattering Expansion Of Private Interests In Government." • WPost Al: Trump Has Made Sustained "Assault" On Civil Service. • NYTimes Al: Trump's Financial Records "Cast Doubt" On Philanthropic Claims. • WPost Analysis: Trump Has To Pay Off $400M In Loans By 2024. INTERNATIONAL NEWS • European Countries Impose New Restrictions Amid Second Wave Of COVID Cases. • Colombia Passes 1M Confirmed Coronavirus Cases. • Malaysia's King Rejects PM's Proposal To Declare COVID State Of Emergency. • Iraqis Protest A Year After Demonstrations That Toppled Government. • As Peace Talks Continue, Taliban Fighters Stage Attacks Across Afghanistan. • Trump Announces Sudan Will Recognize Israel. • Meadows Predicts More Middle East Peace Deals. • Pompeo, Esper To Reinforce Trump's Anti-China Message In India. • WPost Analysis: Putin has Benefitted From Trump's Time In Office. • Thousands Of Belarusians Protest, Demanding Lukashenko's Resignation. • Armenia, Azerbaijan Agree To Cease-Fire. • Polish Protesters Disrupt Church Services After Tightening Of Abortion Law. • France Withdraws Its Ambassador To Turkey. • Chileans Vote To Draft A New Constitution. • Venezuelan Opposition Leader Arrives In Madrid. • Fiftieth Country Ratifies Treaty On The Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. • WPost Urges Openness About Invisible Attacks On US Diplomats, Intel Officers. THE BIG PICTURE • Headlines From Today's Front Pages. WASHINGTON'S SCHEDULE • Today's Events In Washington. LEADING THE NEWS Police Departments Preparing For Potential Election Day Unrest. The Washington Post (10/24, Berman, 14.2M) reports that "police departments across the country are bracing for Election Day, mobilizing officers as they prepare for the possibility of voter intimidation, unrest or violence." Though law enforcement agencies typically prepare "for elections, officials say this year's preparations are unusually extensive because of the sheer levels of anxiety and toxicity across the country - with fears that a modern American election could give way to potential violence." Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Deputy Chief Andrew Walsh said, "I don't think we've seen anything like this in modern times." Meanwhile, Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown said, "We are all in conversations with our counterparts across the country about what we might expect. But everything is uncertain. And so we're trying as best we can to anticipate any hazard that might happen." EFTA01658982 The Wall Street Journal (10/24, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports that according to law enforcement officials and business leaders, the New York Police Department has told Midtown Manhattan businesses to take extra security measures due to the possibility of protests surrounding the presidential election. Americans Purchasing "Tactical Apparel" Ahead Of Election. Bloomberg (10/23, Robison, Adams-Heard, 4.73M) says, "Conflict is on America's streets in 2020, and 'tactical apparel' has become a lifestyle industry serving militarized law-enforcement agents and the freelance gunmen who emulate them. Less than two weeks before Election Day, orders are rolling in." Bloomberg adds that since last year, Internet orders have propelled "a 20-fold jump in sales of goods like the $220 CM-6M gas mask - resistant to bean-bag rounds - for Mira Safety of Austin, Texas." Regarding his new customers, Mira Safety founder Roman Zrazhevskiy said, "They think that no matter who wins, Biden or Trump, there are going to be people who are upset about the result." Minnesota AG Probing Firm Accused Of Recruiting Armed Guards For Election Day. NBC News (10/23, Wong, 6.14M) reports, "Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced on Tuesday that his office launched an investigation into a private security company that has been accused of recruiting armed security guards for Election Day, saying that such an effort would intimidate voters." Atlas Aegis "is accused of posting since-deleted advertisements on Facebook for U.S. military Specials Operations personnel to guard polling sites in Minnesota on Election Day, according to a lawsuit filed by the Council on American-Islamic Relations of Minnesota (CAIR) and the League of Women Voters of Minnesota." Poll: More Than Two In Five Ready To Question Legitimacy Of Election Result. Reuters (10/25, Kahn) reports that a Reuters/Ipsos poll of 2,649 likely voters (10/13-10/20) shows that 43% of supporters of Joe Biden would not accept a victory by President Trump as legitimate, "while 41% of Americans who want to re-elect Trump would not accept a win by Biden. Smaller portions would take action to make their displeasure known: 22% of Biden supporters and 16% of Trump supporters said they would engage in street protests or even violence if their preferred candidate loses." Several outlets look at the possibility of conflict and even violence in the wake of the election. The Wall Street Journal (10/25, Horwitz, Seetharaman, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports Facebook has prepared internal tools designed for use in what it calls "at-risk" countries for use in the US. The Philadelphia Inquirer (10/25, Orso, 347K) reports progressive organizations in Philadelphia progressive "are planning 'mass action' and preparing protests for the days after the Nov. 3 election in the event of coordinated voter intimidation, mail-in ballot invalidation, or other electoral discord." The Seattle Times (10/25, 935K) reports officials across the US "are preparing for the prospect that this year's long, hot summer of unrest won't end" with the election. Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas (D), on CBS' Face The NationVi (10/25, 2.68M), said, "Particularly in communities of color, particularly communities where you see voter intimidation tactics work, I'm concerned about something in Missouri called 'poll challengers.' They can stand there when you're checking in and say this person shouldn't be voting today because of someone who was turned away recently because of a snafu, that could be a real barrier perhaps for somebody who is going out to vote for the first time." Marc Fisher of the Washington Post (10/25, 14.2M) writes, "One week before Americans choose their path forward, the quadrennial crossroads reeks of despair. In almost every generation, politicians pose certain elections as the most important of their time. But the 2020 vote takes place with the country in a historically dark mood - low on hope, running on spiritual empty, convinced that the wrong outcome will bring disaster." At Least 58.6M Have Voted So Far. The AP (10/25, Riccardi, Kastanis) reports, "With nine days before Election Day, more people already have cast ballots in this year's presidential election than voted early or absentee in the 2016 race as the start of in-person early voting in big states led to a surge in turnout in recent days." At least 58.6 million ballots have been cast EFTA01658983 so far. Democrats "have continued to dominate the initial balloting, but Republicans are narrowing the gap. GOP voters have begun to show up as early in-person voting, a sign that many heeded [Trump's) unfounded warnings about mail-voting fraud." On ABC World News TonightVi (10/25, story 2, 3:20, Llamas, 4.45M), Stephanie Ramos reported that this weekend saw "early voting breaking voter turnout records across the country. More than 93,000 voters turned out to the polls on the first day of early voting" in New York City, where "massive lines stretched for blocks, with voters determined to make their ballot count." The CBS Weekend NewsVi (10/25, story 5, 2:55, Yuccas, 9.26M) reported on absentee votes being cast by Americans outside the US. Texas Supreme Court Stays Order Blocking Abbott's Limit On Ballot Dropoff Sites. The Dallas Morning News (10/25, 946K) reports the Texas Supreme Court has stayed a lower court's order that had blocked an order by Gov. Greg Abbott (R) "limiting counties to one mail ballot drop-off site. The decision followed a ruling Friday by Texas' Austin-based Third Court of Appeals that had upheld a state judge's order blocking Abbott's order. The state had appealed the Third Court of Appeals order." The state Supreme Court "was still reviewing whether to take further action in the case and ordered both sides to file their responses by 5 p.m. Monday." Reuters (10/23, Brice) reports the Texas 3rd Court of Appeals on Friday "ruled the Republican governor cannot limit drop-off sites for mail ballots to one per county, a setback for U.S. President Donald Trump." The court concurred with a "lower court that limiting the number of drop boxes would increase the risk that voters could get infected with COVID-19, and would infringe on their right to vote." Texas Gov. Greg Abbott "has informed the voting rights groups who oppose his move to limit drop boxes that he intends to quickly appeal Friday's ruling to the Texas Supreme Court, effectively delaying the re-opening of ballot drop-off locations." Boston Ballot Dropbox Set On Fire. The Boston Globe (10/25, 972K) reports, "A ballot drop box outside the Boston Public Library was set on fire early Sunday morning, according to state and city officials, who say it appears to be a deliberate, criminal attack and called it a 'disgrace to democracy." The fire "was set around 4 a.m. in the Copley Square drop box." Pennsylvania Supreme Court: Mail-In Ballots Can't Be Rejected Over Signature Discrepancy. Reuters (10/23, Pitas) reports Pennsylvania's Supreme Court "ruled on Friday that mail-in ballots cannot be refused because a voter's signature does not appear to match the one on file, a decision that could help Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden." The court ruled, "(We) hold that county boards of elections are prohibited from rejecting absentee or mail-in ballots based on signature comparison conducted by county election officials or employees, or as the result of third-party challenges based on signature analysis and comparisons." According to Reuters, "Democrats hailed the move while Republicans were critical." Voter Advocates Drop Suit Against Ohio Rule Limiting Drop Boxes. The AP (10/23, Smyth) reports that "a coalition of voter advocacy groups dropped a lawsuit Friday against Ohio's strict rule limiting ballot drop boxes to one location per county, a coup for President Donald Trump's reelection campaign in a key battleground state." The A. Philip Randolph Institute, the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio, and the League of Women Voters of Ohio "made the decision after the federal appellate court in Cincinnati set a timetable last week that pushed further activity in the case past Election Day." Ohio ACLU Legal Director Freda Levenson "said that would 'obviously be too late." PROTESTS Trump Supporters And Opponents Clash In New York's Times Square. EFTA01658984 The New York Times (10/25, Southall, 18.61M) reports, "Political tensions over the upcoming presidential election escalated on New York City's streets on Sunday, as supporters of President Trump clashed with counterprotesters during a day of demonstrations." As a "pro-Trump caravan" organized by "a group that identifies itself as Jews for Trump" passed through Times Square, it "converged with a group of anti-Trump protesters who had marched from Brooklyn. The cars in the convoy were then blocked by counterprotesters, and some drivers got out of their cars to confront the anti-Trump demonstrators." The clashes "came as the Police Department was preparing for more possible unrest." In Brooklyn, one police officer "used a police loudspeaker to voice support for the president while arguing with a man on the street." The officer "was suspended without pay on Sunday after videos of the incident went viral on social media." The New York Daily News (10/25, Annese, 2.52M) reports that during the Times Square clash, "protesters hollered curses at former mayor Rudy Giuliani," who said he "wasn't part of the 'Jews for Trump' caravan" but was on his way home from a radio appearance. The New York Post (10/25, Celona, Moore, Fitz-Gibbon, 4.57M) also reports on the Giuliani incident. Most Black Lives Matter Demonstrations Have Been Peaceful. In an approximately 4,500 word piece, USA Today (10/24, 10.31M) reports that President Trump "and his supporters continue to warn voters that big cities run by Democrats are 'going to hell' due to violence associated with Black Lives Matter protests that erupted nationwide this summer in the wake of a series of police killings of Black Americans." However, those who reside "and work in those cities say the president is either terribly misinformed or lying." Though cities throughout the nation have seen murders and shootings significantly increase, "the vast majority of demonstrations associated with the Black Lives Matter movement have been non-violent." USA Today goes on to feature comments from residents of Portland, Milwaukee, Chicago, Detroit, and Louisville regarding how their cities have been impacted by protests. Demonstrators Arrested Following Floyd's Death Were Charged Mostly With Nonviolent Offenses. In an approximately 3,000 word piece, the Washington Post (10/23, 14.2M) reported that demonstrators arrested following George Floyd's death "were a diverse, young group of people who demonstrated close to home and were charged largely with nonviolent crimes, according to a...Post review of data on more than 2,600 people detained in 15 cities." The data belies suggestions by the President as well as "other officials that those who took to the streets were mostly agitators from out-of-town." According to the Post's review, the vast "majority arrested in those 15 cities - 2,059 of the 2,652 - were accused of nonviolent misdemeanors, most on charges of violating curfew or emergency orders." LAPD Reports Indicate Most Floyd Protests Were Nonviolent. Under the headline "LAPD Reports Show That The Vast Majority Of George Floyd Protests Were Peaceful," the Los Angeles Times (10/23, 4.64M) says, "Field reports from Los Angeles police commanders at protests across the city this summer indicate that between 6% and 7% resulted in violence, destruction or serious uses of force by police, according to the LAPD." Most events that occurred in the timeframe "reviewed - May 25 to July 31 - were peaceful." Seattle Office Of Police Accountability: Seattle Officers Utilized Excessive Force Against Protestors. The Hill (10/24, 2.98M) reports the Seattle Office Of Police Accountability "found that police officers in the city used excessive force during some encounters with protesters amid multiple Black Lives Matter demonstrations over the summer." The office made public five finished probes "into the conduct of the Seattle Police Department in its handling of protests in the city that began in late May following the death of George Floyd." The Hill adds that OPA "said in a press release that it has been contacted more than 19,000 times about officers' conduct at these demonstrations since May 30 and has opened 126 investigations." EFTA01658985 Illinois Officer Fired After Shooting And Killing Black Man. The New York Times (10/24, Cramer, 18.6111) reports, "An Illinois police officer who shot and killed a 19-year-old Black man who was sitting in a car that was reversing toward the officer has been fired, according to the police." The Times adds that "the officer, who has not been publicly identified, was fired on Friday night, three days after the shooting, said Wayne Wailes, the chief of police in Waukegan, Ill." In a statement on Friday, Walles said, "The City of Waukegan terminated the officer that discharged his firearm during that incident, for multiple policy and procedure violations." Meanwhile, the Illinois State Police "said on Thursday that they were investigating the killing of the man, Marcellis Stinnette." The CBS Weekend NewsVi (10/24, story 5, 0:21, Yuccas, 2.08M) reported that Stinnette's girlfriend, who was driving the car, was wounded. WPost Al Discusses Mother's Struggle To Get Help For Black, Mentally Ill Son Amid Pandemic, Racial Unrest. In an approximately 4,500 word front-page piece, the Washington Post (10/24, Al, 14.2M) highlights a Georgia mothers struggle to get help for her 11-year-old son, who's Black and mentally ill, amid both the pandemic and increasing racial unrest. Black Journalists Who Worked With Vogue Editor In Chief Wintour Feel She Created Environment That Sidelined Black Women. A roughly 3,800 word New York Times (10/24, Lee, 18.61M) piece says that "Black journalists who have worked with" Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour, "speaking on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retribution, said they had not gotten over their experiences at a magazine whose workplace mirrored its exclusive pages." Many of the individuals the Times interviewed "said the racism they encountered was usually subtle, but sometimes blunt. Their main accusation was that Ms. Wintour created a work environment - and there is no facet of Vogue that she does not control - that sidelined and tokenized women of color, especially Black women." DOJ: Boogaloo Bois Member Fired On Minneapolis Police Precinct. The Minneapolis Star Tribune (10/23, 1.04M) reports that "in the wake of protests" after George Floyd's killing, "a member of the Boogaloo Bois opened fire on the Minneapolis Police Third Precinct with an AK-47-style gun and screamed Justice for Floyd' as he ran away, according to a federal complaint made public Friday." Ivan Harrison Hunter, "a 26-year-old from Boerne, Texas, is charged with one count of interstate travel to incite a riot for his alleged role in ramping up violence during the protests in Minneapolis on May 27 and 28." Charges indicate that Hunter "shot 13 rounds at the south Minneapolis police headquarters while people were inside. He also looted and helped set the building ablaze, according to the complaint, which was filed Monday under seal." The Washington Post (10/23, Bailey, 14.2M) reports, "According to a federal criminal complaint filed Monday but made public Friday," Hunter, of Bourne, Texas, "traveled to Minneapolis after Floyd's death and was captured on surveillance video May 28 firing 13 rounds from an AK-47 into the precinct building as it was overtaken by protesters. According to the complaint, Hunter fired his gun and allegedly shouted, 'Justice for Floyd!" Hunter "was charged with traveling across state lines to participate in a riot and made his first court appearance Friday in San Antonio, according to Erica MacDonald, the U.S. attorney for the District of Minnesota, whose office is handling the case." CNN (10/23, Campbell, 83.16M) reports, "According to a federal criminal affidavit, Hunter was present between May 27-28 at the Minneapolis Police Department's Third Precinct when the building was set on fire during protests. The FBI said it obtained video that showed Hunter firing 13 rounds from an AK-47 style rifle into the Third Precinct while people were inside the building." Hunter "returned to Texas after the Third Precinct incident, and 'made various EFTA01658986 statements on social media describing the violence in which he engaged in Minneapolis; according to the affidavit." CNN adds, "In the charging documents, the FBI alleged that Hunter was also associated with Steven Carrillo - another adherent of the Boogaloo Bois movement who is charged with killing two law enforcement officers in California in late May and early June." The Hill (10/23, Castronuovo, 2.98M) reports, "Federal officials wrote in the complaint that another individual charged in connection with the incident who is cooperating with authorities said that Hunter was the one who fired shots outside the precinct, which authorities later corroborated with several social media posts. Upon returning to Texas, Hunter made several posts about the event and on May 30, Hunter reportedly sent a message to another individual stating, 'I set fire to that precinct with the black community,' followed by 'Minneapolis third precinct,' according to the legal documents. On May 31, Hunter sent a message to another individual, saying, 'My mom would call the fbi if she knew what I do and at the level I'm at w[ith] it." ABC News (10/23, 2.97M) reports, "Hunter is the third 'Boogaloo Bois' member to face federal charges for his role in the Minneapolis riots, along with Michael Solomon and Benjamin Teeter - who were previously indicted on charges of conspiracy to provide material support for a foreign terrorist organization. All three were communicating and coordinating their movements regularly through the night of the riots, according to the FBI affidavit." The San Francisco Chronicle (10/24, Williams, 2.67M) reports, "Carrillo, 32, is accused of spraying bullets across a guard shack in front of the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building in Oakland on May 29, killing David Patrick Underwood, a federal security officer from Pinole, and wounding another person. One week after the Oakland shooting, the Air Force sergeant allegedly ambushed deputies in Santa Cruz County who were responding to reports of a van containing guns and bomb-making materials. Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller, 38, was killed and several other deputies were wounded." Authorities "said Hunter and Carrillo had been messaging each other on Facebook before, during and after the Oakland and Minneapolis shootings. About four hours after the shooting that killed Underwood, Hunter messaged Carrillo, 'go go go; according to the court documents." BuzzFeed News (10/24, Hernandez) and the Daily Beast (10/23, Weil, 1.39M) also report. FBI Arrests White Supremacist Who Allegedly Targeted BLM Founder. Black Entertainment Television (10/23, 893K) reports, "Alicia Garza, co-founder of the Black Lives Matter movement, revealed on Twitter today (October 23) that she was told by the FBI of a possible white supremacist plot against her." BET adds, "Garza shared that agents from the bureau visited her to inform her that they had arrested a suspected white supremacist who was armed and has her name 'on a list."They arrested a man in Idaho on weapons charges who they believe was affiliated with white supremacist groups,' Garza tweeted. 'They found my name on a list in his home, alongside others." WPost Al: Experts Increasingly Cite Systemic Racism As Cause Of Some Racial Disparities In US. In a front-page article, the Washington Post (10/22, Al, Samuels, 14.2M) reports experts "are increasingly pointing to...systemic racism" as the cause of racial disparities in the US that relate to health and certain kinds of deaths. The article says Black men in the US "are twice as likely as White men to die of a cocaine overdose, twice as likely to be killed by police and...10 times as likely to" be murdered. Study: Black Individuals Arrested For Misdemeanors At Higher Rates Than Other Racial Groups. The Washington Post (10/23, Mettler, 14.2M) reports, "People of color are still disproportionately arrested on misdemeanors in Prince George's even though the rate of enforcement for such lower-level charges has decreased in the Maryland county and across six other large jurisdictions over the past 10 years, according to a new national study from the EFTA01658987 Data Collaborative for Justice at John Jay College." The study "draws on data collected from agencies between the early 2000s and the late 2010s in New York, Louisville, Los Angeles, Seattle, Durham, N.C., St. Louis and the D.C. suburb of Prince George's." According to the Post, "The key findings, including that Black people were arrested for misdemeanors at the highest rate of any racial group, come as government leaders and law enforcement officials nationwide face mounting pressure to reform criminal justice and policing." Alabama Voters Have Chance To Eliminate Racist Language From State Constitution. The AP (10/23, Reeves) reports Alabama voters once more have an opportunity to eliminate "the racist language of Jim Crow from the state's constitution, which was approved in 1901 to enshrine white supremacy as state law." Prior efforts to remove "the offensive phrases have failed," and though "organized opposition to the measure" hasn't materialized this time, there is concern "that conservative backlash to the Black Lives Matter movement could quash the proposal, which qualified for the ballot months before the nationwide demonstrations that" followed George Floyd's killing. The AP adds, "A measure on the Nov. 3 ballot would allow the state to recompile its 119-year-old constitution in a process supporters say would remove a lingering stain from the state's era of racial segregation and the legalized oppression of Black people." OPERATION L Fir3FNI) Myrtle Beach, South Carolina To Receive Federal Grant To Fight Gun Crime. The Myrtle Beach (SC) Online (10/24, Albert, 47K) reports, "Myrtle Beach will now have help from the federal government in putting violent criminals behind bars. The $265,258 in U.S. Department of Justice funding will be used to hire special prosecutors to try federal firearms cases originating in the Myrtle Beach area, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's office." MBO adds, "The grant comes after a violent end to the summer season in Horry County. Shootings took the lives of a Myrtle Beach police officer, two beloved members of the Racepath community and armed suspects." According to MBO, "A review of FBI and U.S. Census Bureau data shows the violent crime rate in Myrtle Beach outpaces places like Virginia Beach, Va., and Daytona Beach, Fla. It even surpasses cities such as Chicago. The federal grant is part of Operation Legend, an initiative led by the Department of Justice to lower violent crime." COUNTER-TERRORISM Michigan Judge Slashes Bond For Man Linked To Whitmer Kidnap Plot. The AP (10/23) reported from Jackson, Michigan, "A judge on Friday slashed bond from $10 million to $100,000 for a man accused of assisting in a scheme to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and commit other violence against state government." The AP adds, "A defense attorney argued that Pete Musico was kicked out of the group in the early summer because he was too `soft' and wouldn't commit to violence after participating in armed but legal spring rallies at the Capitol. `He was telling them you cannot accomplish what we're trying to accomplish through violence; Kareem Johnson said." Jackson County Judge Michael Klaeren "reduced Musico's bond, clearing the way for him to be released from jail. He must wear a GPS tether." The AP (10/24, Flesher) reports from Traverse City, Michigan, "When members of a Michigan paramilitary group were accused a decade ago of scheming to overthrow the U.S. government, their defense was based largely on one claim: We were all talk, no action. It worked so well that a federal judge took the rare step of dismissing most charges against the extremist group known as Hutaree, without giving the jury a say." The AP adds, "A defense EFTA01658988 lawyer in that case now represents Ty Garbin, one of six men accused of conspiring to kidnap Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer because of anger over her stay-at-home policies to contain the coronavirus. Again, attorney Mark Satawa contends his client had no intention to carry out the alleged plan, whatever he might have said in recorded or online conversations. 'Saying things like 'I hate the governor, the governor is tyrannical' ... is not illegal, even if you're holding a gun and running around the woods when you do it,' Satawa told The Associated Press." MLive (MI) (10/24, Burns, 925K) reports, "The idea that 14 men accused of planning to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer were actually trying to enact a legal citizen's arrest is far-fetched, law experts who spoke with MLive say," but "it's a possible legal defense." Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf, "who criticized Whitmer's coronavirus restrictions during a May 18 Michigan Patriot Rally in Grand Rapids, at which he shared the stage with one of the criminally charged suspects, first raised the prospect that this may not have been a kidnapping plot at all. 'It's just a charge, and they say a "plot to kidnap" and you got to remember that; Dar told Fox 17 Grand Rapids' reporter Aaron Parseghian. 'Are they trying to kidnap? Because a lot of people are angry with the governor, and they want her arrested. So are they trying to arrest or was it a kidnap attempt? Because you can still in Michigan, if it's a felony, make a felony arrest." Whitmer Says Several Officials Have Received Death Threats. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D), on Fox News SundayVi (10/25, 1.27M), said, "We are just days since the plot to kidnap and try and kill me was revealed. Fourteen people have been arrested. First, I want to acknowledge the incredible work of the FBI and the Michigan state police. But I also want to acknowledge that rhetoric like this contributes to bringing up the heat. I have asked the White House since April to bring the heat down. That's when the death threats started. We now know that my good friend Mike DeWine, Republican governor of Ohio has been receiving threats. We know the people on both sides of the aisle who are just to do their jobs and save lives, like (NIAID Director) Fauci, have received threats. This kind of rhetoric is anti-American and it seeks to undermine the foundational principles of this country." Fox News (10/25, Blitzer, 27.59M) reports that Whitmer "blamed the Trump administration for rhetoric that she claimed led to a kidnapping plot against her, after the Trump campaign accused her of encouraging attempts on the president's life. 'First I want to acknowledge the incredible work of the FBI and the Michigan State Police,' Whitmer told 'Fox News Sunday' host Chris Wallace, 'but I also want to acknowledge that rhetoric like this contributes to bringing up the heat. I have asked the White House since April to bring the heat down. That's when the death threats started." Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R), on CBS' Face The NationVi (10/25, 2.24M), discussed the degree of harsh rhetoric in the campaign, particularly the "lock her up" chants at the President's rallies. Hutchinson said, "That's not a chant I would ever participate in. You know, we need to have a more civil discourse, even though it's a hotly contested presidential race. We need to lead by example." CSIS: White Supremacists Responsible For Majority Of US Terrorist Attacks This Year. The New York Times (10/24, Gross, 18.61M) says, "White supremacists and other like-minded groups have committed a majority of the terrorist attacks in the United States this year, according to a report by a security think tank that echoed warnings made by the Department of Homeland Security this month." The Times adds that "the report, published Thursday by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, found that white supremacist groups were responsible for 41 of 61 'terrorist plots and attacks' in the first eight months of this year." Man Receives 20-Year Prison Sentence For Purchasing Firearms Used In 2015 Terror Attack In California. The AP (10/23, Dazio, Taxin) reports that "the man who bought two rifles that husband-and- wife assailants used to kill 14 people in a Southern California terror attack" in 2015 received a EFTA01658989 20-year prison sentence on Friday. Enrique Marquez Jr. "supplied the weapons that Syed Rizwan Farook and Farook's wife, Tashfeen Malik, used on Dec. 2, 2015, to open fire on a meeting and holiday gathering of San Bernardino County employees who worked with Farook. Minutes later, a post on a Facebook page associated with Malik pledged allegiance to the leader of the Islamic State terror group." Farook and Malik "died later that day in a gunbattle with authorities." The Orange County _(CA SI ister (10/23, Rokos, 546K) reports, "U.S. District Court Judge Jesus G. Bernal said he couldn't hold Marquez legally responsible for the 14 slayings. Authorities have said that Marquez did not know about the plot in advance." Marquez, of Riverside, California, "had been convicted of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and making a false statement on federal firearms-purchase forms: Marquez said the firearms he was buying in 2011 and 2012 were for his use. Instead, he sold them to neighbor Syed Rizwan Farook as part of an aborted plan to wage attacks on motorists on the 91 Freeway and at Riverside City College, prosecutors said. By then, Farook had radicalized his longtime friend to Islam." The New York Times (10/23, Levenson, 18.61M) reports, "In pleading guilty, Mr. Marquez had acknowledged making false statements in connection with his role as a `straw buyer' of the rifles, federal prosecutors said." Farook and Malik "were killed in a shootout with the authorities hours after the massacre, which was the worst terrorist attack on American soil since Sept. 11, 2001, federal prosecutors said." Federal prosecutors said Marquez "had admitted in a plea agreement and in open court that he had also plotted with Mr. Farook in 2011 and 2012 to attack Riverside City College and a California freeway. Those attacks were never carried out, but Mr. Marquez had discussed with Mr. Farook using radio-controlled improvised explosive devices for the attacks and bought Christmas tree light bulbs and a container of smokeless powder to use in the devices, federal prosecutors said." The Hill (10/23, 2.98M) reports that Marqez "pleaded guilty in 2017 to conspiracy to provide material support and resources to terrorists, and one count of making false statements in connection with the acquisition of firearms. `This defendant was an active member of a conspiracy that planned to inflict death and destruction on innocent people; First Assistant United States Attorney Tracy Wilkison said in a statement. 'By his own admissions, this defendant collaborated with and purchased weapons for a man he definitively knew held radical and anti-American beliefs - and who wanted to kill innocent people.'" The Wall Street Journal (10/23, Levy, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) also reports. Ninth Circuit Dismisses Key Terrorism Charge For California Man. The San Jose (CA) Mercury News (10/23, Gartrell, 456K) reports from San Francisco, "In a rebuke of a Bay Area federal judge's decision, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has struck down a terrorism enhancement against a man who was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for opening six Twitter accounts for an undercover agent he believed was a member of ISIL." Amer Alhaggagi "was convicted of `attempting to provide material support' to terrorists simply because he agreed to open social media accounts for the purported member of the Islamic State, known as ISIL and ISIS." Prosecutors asked US District Judge Charles Breyer "to apply a so-called `terrorism enhancement' that made him eligible for up to 20 years. Breyer applied the enhancement and sentenced Alhaggagi to 15 years." The appeals court ruled that the enhancement "did not apply to Alhaggagi's case." UK Special Forces Storm Vessel In Suspected Hijacking. Reuters (10/25, Nicholls) reports, "British special forces stormed a Greek-operated oil tanker in the English channel on Sunday" in a "suspected hijacking." Special forces troops from Special Boat Service "boarded the Nave Andromeda near the Isle of Wight off southern England." UK officials "authorised the armed forces to board the ship `to safeguard life and secure a ship that was subject to suspected hijacking; the defence ministry said." It isn't "clear where the EFTA01658990 stowaways were from or what their intentions were." British police said, "They had made verbal threats towards the crew. No one has been reported injured." Afghanistan Claims Top Al-Qaida Propagandist Wanted By FBI Was Killed. The AP (10/25) reports, "Afghanistan claimed Sunday it killed a top al-Qaida propagandist," Husam Abd al-Rauf, also known as Abu Muhsin al-Masri, "on an FBI most-wanted list during an operation in the country's east." The move, as well as ongoing violence, "threaten the face-to- face peace talks and risk plunging this nation beset by decades of war into further instability." Afghanistan's National Directorate of Security "claimed on Twitter to have killed him in Ghazni province," then "released a photograph late Sunday afternoon it described as al-Rauf's corpse, which resembled FBI images of the militant leader." According to "Wahidullah Jumazada, a spokesman for the provincial governor in Ghazni...Afghan forces killed six suspected militants in the raid, without acknowledging al-Rauf had been killed." Reuters (10/24, Shalizi) reports that NCTC Director Chris Miller "confirmed al-Masri's death in a statement, saying his'removal .. from the battlefield is a major setback to a terrorist organization that is consistently experiencing strategic losses facilitated by the United States and its partners." Miller added the loss "highlights the diminishing effectiveness of the terrorist organization." Bloomberg (10/24, Najafizada, 4.73M) reports, "The U.S. issued a federal arrest warrant in 2018 after he was charged with conspiracy to kill American nationals and providing material support and resources to foreign terrorist organizations," according to the FBI website. The Hill (10/25, Coleman, 2.98M) reports that an Afghan presidential palace statement said the death "proved that the threat of terrorism and the Taliban's links to terrorist networks are still in place." The statement added, "The Taliban should prove to the people, the government of Afghanistan and the international community that they are ending their links with terrorist groups, including al-Qaida." The palace is urging those groups to "stop the war and violence and facilitate a dignified and sustainable peace in the country." Guantanamo Bay Not Closing Despite Lack Of Population Growth Under Trump. The Hill (10/25, Kheel, 2.98M) reports that Guantanamo Bay's "population has not grown" under President Trump, whose Administration "recently celebrated bringing two of the most notorious alleged ISIS fighters to the United States for trial." The detention center "has all but disappeared from either party's talk on the campaign trail as the facility nears 20 years of operations," and remains open. The Administration has, however, brought "27 Americans captured by the SDF back to the United States for prosecution," the DOJ announced this month. Amnesty International's Daphne Eviatar said her group will "definitely try to push a new administration on this." She added the US is "coming on the 20th anniversary of the prison, and I think that people might remember, `Oh my god, this prison is still open. People are still being held indefinitely without charge or trial. This is crazy." Bloomberg Analysis: French Interior Minister Now "Public Face Of A Crackdown Whipping Up Sentiment Against The Broader Muslim Community." A Bloomberg (10/24, Nussbaum, 4.73M) analysis says that French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin "has vowed to root out extremists after a grisly murder in Paris. In saying he wants to preserve a distinctly French way of life, he risks the perception he's targeting not just Islamists, but all Muslims." Bloomberg adds that Darmanin's "vision for the country includes fewer halal butchers, ethnic clothing stores and even specialist supermarket aisles." While speaking with French television on Tuesday, he said, "It always shocked me to enter a supermarket and see a shelf devoted to the food of one community, and to another one next to it." He also said, "Some people need to understand that winning market share by appealing to basic instincts doesn't necessarily contribute to the common good." According to Bloomberg, EFTA01658991 Darmanin "has become the public face of a crackdown whipping up sentiment against the broader Muslim community." Spokesman Says Houthis Targeted Airports, Base In Saudi Arabia. Reuters (10/24, Khalek) reports, "The military spokesman for Yemen's Houthi movement said in a tweet on Saturday it had targeted the Jizan and Abha airports and the Khamis Mushait base in Saudi Arabia with drones." Previously on Saturday as well as in a pair of "statements on Friday, the Saudi-led coalition had said it had intercepted and destroyed three explosive-laden drones from the Houthis aimed towards the southern region of Saudi Arabia." Moreover, on Sunday, "the coalition said it had intercepted another drone aimed for the same region." According to Reuters, "The coalition's spokesman did not specify the targets of the drones in the statements on Saudi state news agency SPA." Houthi military spokesman Yahia Sarea tweeted, "The hit was accurate." At Least Six Children Die In Cameroon During Attack On School. The New York Times (10/24, 18.61M) reports, "Gunmen killed at least six children and badly wounded about eight others when they opened fire in a school in the city of Kumba in Cameroon's Southwest region on Saturday, officials told Reuters." Officials indicated that secessionist insurgents were behind the attack, "though Reuters was unable to immediately confirm that." Trump Marks 37th Anniversary Of Terrorist Attack In Beirut. President Trump on Friday tweeted, "On the 37th anniversary of the horrendous attack on our United States Marines, Sailors, and Soldiers in Beirut, we honor the 241 heroes who lost their lives that day. We will NEVER forget them. Semper Fi!" US Embassy In Turkey Warns Of Potential Terrorist Attacks. The AP (10/23) reports that the US Embassy in Ankara, Turkey "issued a security alert on Friday, saying it had received reports of a possible coming attack on Americans and other foreigners, and temporarily suspended consular services." According to the AP, the embassy "urged American citizens to exercise caution, including while at large office buildings, shopping malls and other places foreigners gather. It said citizen and visa services would be suspended temporarily at all U.S. consulates in Turkey." The Washington Post (10/23, Fahim, 14.2M) reports that the State Department "issued [the) unusually sharp warning Friday about new threats to U.S. citizens in Istanbul, saying that the U.S. Mission in Turkey has received 'credible reports of potential terrorist attacks and kidnappings' targeting Americans and other foreign nationals." The Post adds, "A Turkish government spokesman said the country's Interior Ministry would release a statement about the security warning later Friday." COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE Sen. Johnson: FBI Interviewed Hunter Biden's Former Partner. The Washington Times (10/23, Scarborough, 492K) reports Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Chairman Ron Johnson on Friday announced the FBI "interview[ed] former Hunter Biden business partner Tony Bobulinski, who came forward on Wednesday to assert that he met with Joseph R. Biden about his son's profitable foreign business ventures." The Wall Street Journal (10/23, Duehren, Areddy, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports Bobulinski has alleged that Joe Biden worked with his son to set up an investment firm in partnership with a Chinese state-controlled oil company, although the deal never came to fruition. EFTA01658992 Republicans Advocate For Investigations Into Hunter Biden Emails. White House Chief of Staff Meadows, on Fox News' Sunday Morning Futures (10/25), said, "It's very important because what we see is what most Americans hate about Washington DC: a politician gets elected and they go out and enrich themselves and their family and there's no denying that that's happened here when we start to see the evidence, whether it comes out in the next nine days or the next nine months, Joe Biden will be at the very center of this. He will be a guilty player in all of this and when you start to look at the mounting evidence, whether it is with money laundering or whether it is with a number of witnesses that are now coming forward, Joe's story just doesn't holdup." Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), on Fox News' Sunday Morning Futures (10/25), said, "The Vice President is lying, again. Check out page 78 of our report where we show a company, a Chinese company, CEFC, transferred about $5 million to businesses controlled by Hunter Biden. $5 million, so no, he's lying. He's lying about the fact he said he never spoke to his son Hunter about his overseas business connections, flew over to China, had a handshake with Jonathan Li, who ended up being a business partner in BHR, which is that investment firm and we documented and talked to the Vice President and the conflict of interest in Ukraine, the Vice President then talked to Hunter to raise a meeting with Amos Hochstein, so the Vice President has been caught in repeated lies over Biden Inc about his family's businesses." RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel, on Fox News SundayVi (10/25, 1.27M), said, "I think that it's incumbent upon the press to start investigating. I think what's frightening is we should have a free and fair press that should be looking at a laptop that has not been disputed by the Biden campaign to be authentic. These emails are deeply troubling as it looks like Hunter Biden is negotiating with a Chinese energy company to profit not just for himself, but for his father, but it warrants an investigation. That's not my job. That's the press' job. That's for the FBI, those who have this laptop, to look into it." Trump 2020 Director of Press Communications Erin Perrine was asked on Fox News' MediaBuzz (10/25, 536K) about conservatives who say making Hunter Biden a top campaign issue is a mistake. Perrine said, "talking about a wide variety of things here but, again, this is the 47 months versus 47 years argument the President's been making the entire time. The reason President Trump is President of the United States is a rejection of the Obama/Biden policies and a corrupt crooked Hillary Clinton Inc. That's why he is President. ... So absolutely, this is going to be part of the conversation even if the media doesn't want to do their job and cover it." Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D), on Fox News SundayVi (10/25, 1.27M), said, "[Joe Bider)) has answered these questions. The American people aren't going to be distracted from the fact that this election is about the dinner table issues. The dinnertable issue of 2020 is a Trump administration that has never been able to have a national strategy on COVID. The dinnertable issue is the tens of millions who are unemployed because of the lack of a national strategy around COVID. The dinnertable issue is the fact that so many people are in line at the food pantries across the country because of a lack of national strategy around COVID. That's what we need to be focusing on, because that is life and death for the people of this country and having a President who gets it, who has a plan, who will get us back to work and keep us safe, that's what Joe Biden offers." In her Washington Post (10/25, 14.2M) column, Monica Hesse says the Trump campaign's final strategy "has landed, convolutedly, on the narrative that Hunter Biden is an inconvenient son," but "as a starting place, we might note that Joe Biden's response to all of this has been to love his son." According to Hesse, "Hunter Biden might not be the son America dreams of having. Joe Biden might be the dad." Giuliani Allies Advance His Claims On Hunter Biden. Under the headline "Giuliani's Crew Of Misfits And Hucksters Storms Into The Hunter Biden Wars," the Daily Beast (10/25, Markay, 1.39M) reports that according to "bombastic private investigator" Bo Dietl, former NYPD Commissioner Bernie Kerik, "white shoe attorney" Bobby Costello, and "whistleblower" EFTA01658993 Bradley Birkenfeld are among "a makeshift team of investigators, cynical political operatives, and loyal Trump boosters who have latched on to the Hunter Biden saga as the miracle cure for the president's re-election woes." Putin Rejects Trump's Criticism Of Hunter Biden's Business In Ukraine, Russia. Reuters (10/25, Osborn) reports Russian President Vladimir Putin "said on Sunday that he saw nothing criminal in Hunter Biden's past business ties with Ukraine or Russia, marking out his disagreement with one of Donald Trump's attack lines in the U.S. presidential election." Reuters adds Putin, "who has praised Trump in the past for saying he wanted better ties with Moscow, has said Russia will work with any U.S. leader, while noting what he called Joe Biden's 'sharp anti-Russian rhetoric:" WSJoumal Rejected Effort By White House Allies To Push Hunter Biden Email Story. In a nearly 2,300-word article, the New York Times (10/25, Smith, 18.61M) reports two sources say that in October, three allies of the President met with "straight-shooting" Wall Street Journal White House reporter Michael Bender, to pitch him on writing an article about "a cache of emails detailing Hunter Biden's business activities." According to the Times, "The Trump team left believing that The Journal would blow the thing open and their excitement was conveyed to the president." However, the Times adds that as they "waited with excited anticipation for a Journal exposé, the newspaper did its due diligence," and after the New York Post broke the story, ultimately "published a brief item, just the stub of [its) reporting. The core of it was that [Hunter Biden's former business partner Tony Bobulinski) had failed to prove the central claim." Meanwhile, a New York Times (10/25, Lipton, Vogel, Haberman, 18.61M) analysis says "there is no evidence that the former vice president was involved in or profited from a joint venture pursued by his son and brother." However, the Wall Street Journal (10/25, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) editorializes that the press has a progressive bias, as is evident from the response to its reporting on Hunter Biden. The Journal accuses other mainstream media outlets of wrongly using their influence to advance Democrats at the expense of the public. Parnas: Giuliani Was Offered Salacious Documents Belonging To Hunter Biden In Spring 2019. Politico (10/24, Bertrand, 4.29M) reports President Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani "was offered salacious photos and other documents belonging to Joe Biden's son Hunter in the spring of 2019, earlier than previously known, according to one of Giuliani's closest former associates." Moreover, the alleged offer was made by a Ukrainian oligarch seeking assistance "with a potential legal jam." According to Politico, "The claim made by Lev Parnas, a Ukrainian-born businessman who was indicted last year on campaign finance charges, raises new questions about the provenance of the materials Giuliani has said he obtained recently from a computer repair shop in Delaware - and that he is now touting to accuse the Democratic nominee of corruption." Parnas, "who collaborated with Giuliani on the former New York mayor's quest to find damaging information on the Bidens beginning in late 2018, now says that similar materials were being offered to Giuliani just weeks after Joe Biden launched his presidential run." Politico Analysis: MAGA World Attempting "To Conjure Up The Same Event That Helped Them" During 2016 "Home Stretch." A Politico (10/24, Nguyen, 4.29M) analysis says that "MAGA world is trying to conjure up the same event that helped them in the home stretch of 2016 - an out-of-left-field FBI investigation into their opponent." Though "the ingredients are all the same," an FBI probe is not, in the current instance, "supplying the ingredients. Instead, MAGA adherents are sourcing the ingredients and hoping they summon an FBI investigation. And, of course, the new target is Joe Biden, not Hillary Clinton." According to Politico, Giuliani "has obtained a laptop he claims belongs to" Hunter Biden and has given the laptop "to the FBI, claiming it contains emails that show a variety of misdeeds and corruption - even if the emails aren't all verified, don't offer conclusive evidence of the misdeeds and bear the hallmarks of a Russian disinformation effort." EFTA01658994 In his Washington Post (10/24, 14.2M) column, Max Boot says that while Trump "got himself impeached by trying to blackmail Ukrainian officials into accusing Biden and his son Hunter of wrongdoing," it has not "stopped the right-wing scandal merchants from employing the supposed Hunter Biden emails to malign his father." Boot concludes, "The scandal is not anything that Joe Biden did. It is that Trump is running what may be the sleaziest presidential campaign since the notorious election of 1800 - or possibly ever." Russian Bankers Ask Judge To Depose Steele Dossier Source Danchenko. The Daily Caller (10/25, 716K) reports lawyers for Alfa Bank "asked a federal judge on Friday to order Igor Danchenko, the primary source for the Steele dossier, to appear for a deposition regarding his work on the salacious document." The Daily Caller adds the lawyers "said in a court filing on Friday that Danchenko had rejected a subpoena to appear voluntarily for a deposition in a lawsuit against Fusion GPS, which commissioned the infamous dossier on behalf of the Clinton campaign and DNC." According to the Daily Caller, German Khan, Peter Aven, and Mikhail Fridman, the owners of Alfa Bank, "are suing Fusion GPS for defamation over one of the memos from Christopher Steele's 35-page dossier." Judge Orders DO) To Verify Filings In Flynn Case. Politico (10/23, Cheney, 4.29M) reports US District Judge Emmet Sullivan, who is "presiding over the criminal case against former national security adviser Michael Flynn," on Friday "ordered the Justice Department to conduct an unusual review of its filings in the case and certify by Monday whether any have been manipulated." Politico describes the order as "a signal of intense distrust" between Sullivan and the DO), "whose filings are typically accepted at face value." According to Politico, the DO) "acknowledged that two documents it previously filed - handwritten notes taken by former FBI counterintelligence agent Peter Strzok and former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe - were altered `inadvertently' to include inaccurate dates." CISA Contradicting Trump's Attempts To Question Election. The AP (10/24, Fox) reports that a day after President Trump this month "predict[ed] on Twitter that this election would be `the most corrupt' in American history," Christopher Krebs, the director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, "an obscure government agency he created," ended an online conference by saying, "I have confidence that your vote is secure, that state and local election officials across this country are working day in and day out, 24/7, that the 2020 election is as secure as possible." According to the AP, CISA "has been offering a counternarrative as it works behind the scenes to not only help safeguard the election but also to reassure the public despite messages to the contrary from the White House." In addition, the Washington Post (10/24, Gardner, Stanley-Becker, Viebeck, 14.2M) reports state and local officials "hastened to reassure Americans this week that the nation's election systems are secure after the country's top intelligence official accused Iran of sending threatening emails to voters in several states and the United States said Russia obtained voter information from at least one county." The Post adds US officials "and cybersecurity experts said the activity did not appear to include penetration of voting systems or access to voter registration databases, or the hacking of equipment that could be tampered with to alter election results." However, Trump on Saturday tweeted, "What a terrible thing for Biden to say! Rigged Election?" He added, "Law Enforcement is watching and involved. So dishonest!" The Washington Post (10/24, Stanley-Becker, Romm, 14.2M) reports election offices nationwide have seen an uptick in questions about the integrity of the election, "including many where residents have routinely voted by mail, said" Weber County Clerk Ricky Hatch (R), "who also chairs the election committee for the National Association of Counties." The Post adds, "In many cases, the worries can be traced to baseless or alarmist statements by President Trump and posts on his Twitter feed. Others have been fed by headlines stripped of context and EFTA01658995 misleading reporting in the mainstream media, according to election administrators, voting rights advocates and experts in online communication." According to the Post, "The confusion and chaos follow a months-long campaign by Trump and his allies to sow doubt about voting by mail, a method of casting ballots that has been embraced in Democratic- and Republican- leaning states and has grown more popular this year because of the coronavirus pandemic." Meanwhile, the New York Times (10/23, Grady, 18.61M) highlighted a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that "cites lessons learned from Delaware's primary and suggests that voters could use some instruction in the right way to wear a mask." The Times reported that while "many states and cities have imposed safety measures to protect voters and poll workers from exposure to the coronavirus," the CDC on Friday warned that polling places "still have the potential to become `mass gathering events," and it announced "measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 could be improved." CNN (10/23, 83.16M) reports similarly. Bloomberg View: US Election Security Effort Robust Despite President's Public Comments. The editorial board of Bloomberg View (10/25, 4.73M) wrote that the US government "has gone to extraordinary lengths to protect this year's election from foreign interference." Last week, for instance, DNI Ratcliffe and FBI Director Christopher Wray "held a joint briefing to warn that Iran and Russia had obtained registration data and (in Iran's case) sent fraudulent emails intended to intimidate voters." On October 15, DOJ "announced the indictment of six Russian intelligence officers who had engaged in politically motivated computer attacks around the world, including one who had previously been charged for the 2016 incident." Behind the scenes, national security agencies "have frozen the assets of foreign hackers, imposed sanctions, revoked visas, knocked spies offline, prevented suspected adversaries from entering the U.S., and worked with social-media companies to take down suspect accounts, all in a preemptive effort to prevent further meddling." The moves are "in marked contrast to the president himself, who has said next to nothing about election interference publicly." Cuccinelli Addresses Foreign Interference In US Election. On the RJ Harris Show (10/23), Acting DHS Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli addressed the department's recent report on foreign interference in the election. On the Mike Broomhead Show (10/23), Cuccinelli explained "what information the Russians and Iranians got from us," and sought to reassure "Americans that their votes cannot be changed or negated." Ransomware Attack On Georgia County Government Disables Voter Signature Database. The AP (10/23, Bajak) reports, "A ransomware attack that hobbled a Georgia county government in early October reportedly disabled a database used to verify voter signatures in the authentication of absentee ballots." The ransomware attack marks "the first reported case of" such an attack impacting "an election-related system in the 2020 cycle." The attack on Hall County, which took place on October 7, "hit critical systems and interrupted phone services, the county said in a statement posted on its website." The AP paraphrases a Gainesville Times report as having said that "the attack also disabled the county's voter signature database." Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Georgia Voting System Vulnerable To Cyberattacks. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (10/23, 895K) reports, "Georgia's new electronic voting system is vulnerable to cyberattacks that could undermine public confidence, create chaos at the polls or even manipulate the results on Election Day." While state officials "have dismissed" concerns over "security deficiencies in Georgia's system and in electronic voting in general," a Journal-Constitution investigation "shows...Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger's office weakened the system's defenses, disabling password protections on a key component that controls who is allowed to vote." His office has also "pushed out new software to each of the state's 30,000 voting machines through hundreds of thumb drives that experts say are prone to EFTA01658996 infection with malware." The Journal-Constitution urges officials to "tell voters to verify their selections on a paper ballot before feeding it into an optical scanner." O'Brien Says Hackers Can't Change Votes. Politico (10/25, Hooper, 4.29M) reports National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien told CBS' Face The NationVi Sunday that Russian hackers who have carried out attacks on state and local governments "can't change votes" in the Nov. 3 elections. Asked if hackers can change votes or make it more difficult to vote, O'Brien said, "No, they can't do either of those things. And we got ahold of them early on because we've got great cyber folks, and we put a stop to it, but there's nothing they can do to change your vote or to stop you from voting." Fox News (10/25, O'Reilly, 27.59M) reports that O'Brien's comments "come just days after U.S. officials said that Russian hackers have targeted the networks of dozens of state and local governments in the United States in recent days, stealing data from at least two servers." The NSA official "tried to assure Americans that the hackers can't change voters or make it harder to cast a ballot." However, he said, "the actor may be seeking access to obtain future disruption options, to influence U.S. policies and actions, or to delegitimize (state and local) government entities." Voters Urged To Be Careful When Opening Election-Related Mail. The Detroit Free Press (10/25, 1.52M) urges voters to "be extra cautious when election-related emails swoosh into their inboxes." For instance, voters in some states recently "received threatening emails claiming to be from the far-right, authoritarian group Proud Boys," though those were "part of a disinformation campaign," according to DNI Ratcliffe. Last week, Ratcliffe "Iranian hackers were behind the attack." University of Michigan's director of the Center for Social Media Responsibility, Paul Resnick, said voters should stay alert. He said, "If you're thinking, `This might be a phishing attack'...You're already halfway to safety." The Free Press also advises voters to check the address and if they suspect something out of the ordinary, to "get an independent verification of the information." Editorial: Americans Must Brave Outside Attacks On Elections And Vote. The editorial board of the San Antonio Express-News (10/23, 762K) writes that a "cyberwar against the U.S." is being waged on the election. Threats such as the recent emails received by voters in multiple states from actors claiming to be far-right extremists "should spark bipartisan concern." The email attack, which has been attributed to Iran, was a "deliberate act to damage America, either by scaring voters or exacerbating existing tensions, and we see a government that should be more transparent with voters about these threats." The editorial board urges voters to "be mindful of these outside attacks, resist their fearmongering and divisiveness, and vote." FBI Alerted After Online Video Implies Maryland Election Judge Improperly Marked Ballot. WUSA-TV Washington (10/23, 98K) reports that the FBI has been alerted to a suspected "intentional disinformation attack this week" in Montgomery County, Maryland, "according to James Shalleck, the President of the County's Board of Elections." A video "showing an election judge marking a mail-in ballot with a pen" was circulated online, though "county elections authorities say [they] are false claims of election fraud." The FBI said its "standard practice is to neither confirm nor deny any investigation, we take all election-related threats seriously, and, we're committed to supporting our election security partners and protecting the American people during the 2020 election season." A Montgomery County investigation "determined the worker seen in the video was filling in a lightly marked mail-in ballot so that it could be accurately read by counting machines, according to elections authorities." EFTA01658997 Cybersecurity Experts Concerned Over Threat Of Disinformation From Within US. The New York Times (10/25, Niu, Bracken, Eaton, 18.61M) reports that experts "are more concerned with disinformation coming from our very own backyard" than that coming from Russia or other foreign countries. For instance, one man, "with a single tweet, disrupted a governor's race in Kentucky" in 2019. The incident "became one of the most viral pieces of disinformation in an already close election and cast doubt on the results." The Times says the "same pattern is already playing out this year, with the added layer of uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic." Currently, "there is no unified policy from the major tech companies when it comes to combating election misinformation." Continuing Coverage: DOD, ODNI Release Intel Budget Requests For FY21. Bloomberg Government (10/23) reported that DOD and ODNI "released their intelligence budget requests for fiscal 2021 totaling $85 billion earlier this year." The agencies "released enacted 2020 figures Oct. 21, allowing for comparisons and revealing a slight decrease from $85.8 billion total in the fiscal 2021 request." The intelligence budget is "comprised of two primary categories, the Military Intelligence Program (MIP) and the National Intelligence Program (NIP)." MIP includes "spending for the intelligence components of the military services as well as some of the funding for intelligence agencies that fall under DOD" such as DIA and NGA. NIP includes funding for agencies such as CIA, "portions of the FBI," INR, "as well as some portion of the DOD-controlled agencies." Kremlin Laments US Election Campaigns' Focus On Dislike For Russia. Reuters (10/23, Antonov) reports, "The Kremlin said on Friday it regretted that US election campaigns seem like competitions for candidates to show how much they dislike Russia, but that it was only up to American voters to pick a new president on Nov. 3." US Imposes Sanctions On Russian Government Research Center Involved In 2017 Cyberattack. The New York Times (10/23, Perlroth, 18.61M) reports that the US on Friday "imposed economic sanctions against a Russian government research organization that was responsible for a potentially deadly cyberattack on a Saudi petrochemical facility in 2017." Though the target was not named, "description of the attack matched with a hacking that year of Petro Rabigh, the Saudi oil giant, that shut off the safety systems that are used to prevent an explosion." The State Research Center of the Russian Institute of Chemistry and Mechanics "built the custom tools used in a spate of 2017 attacks on oil facilities in the Middle East as well as attempted hackings of at least 20 electric facilities in the United States." Officials said the tools had the "capability to cause significant physical damage and loss of life." The 2017 episode "prompted an investigation" by the NSA, FBI, DHS, and "the Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, as well as investigators at Schneider, the security firm FireEye's Mandiant security team and Dragos, a security firm that specializes in industrial control security." The Washington Post (10/23, Nakashima, 14.2M) reports, "The Treasury Department's designation of an institute of the State Research Center of the Russian Federation marks the first time the United States has sanctioned hackers for targeting industrial control systems, analysts said." Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said, "The Russian Government continues to engage in dangerous cyber activities aimed at the United States and our allies. ... This Administration will continue to aggressively defend the critical infrastructure of the United States from anyone attempting to disrupt it." Assets held by the institute in the US are frozen, "and Americans are barred from engaging in transactions with the lab." Treasury "said in a news release that the use of the Triton malware 'against our partners is particularly troubling given the Russian government's involvement in malicious and dangerous cyber-enabled activities." EFTA01658998 Also reporting are Reuters (10/24, Satter), Bloomberg (10/23, Mehrotra, 4.73M), and The Hill (10/23, 2.98M). Report: Russian Scientists Were In Contact With Military Science Institute Developing Novichok Nerve Agent. CNN (10/23, Lister, 83.16M) reports, "Bellingcat has uncovered new details about Russia's development of the Novichok nerve agent," which was used against Sergei Skripal in 2018 and Alexey Navalny this year. The investigative group "found frequent contacts between the director of a military science research institute in St. Petersburg and the agents accused of poisoning Skripal and his daughter Yulia with Novichok in the English city of Salisbury in March 2018." The Bellingcat report was published on Friday. It "finds that scientists previously working for the Russian Ministry of Defense 'were dispersed into several research entities which continued collaborating among one another in a clandestine, distributed R&D program." Bloomberg (10/23, Meyer, 4.73M) reports that Bellingcat "said it found close links between two research organizations that allegedly have masterminded the Novichok program since 2010 - the St. Petersburg State Institute for Experimental Military Medicine of the Ministry of Defense and the Scientific Center Signal - and a clandestine unit of Russia's GRU military intelligence." Watchdog group the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons "earlier this month confirmed that Navalny was poisoned by a military-grade Novichok nerve- agent on Aug. 20, when he was campaigning for anti-Putin candidates in elections in Russia's Siberia." Putin Purges FSB As He Reiterates Lack Of Involvement In Navalny Poisoning. The Daily Beast (10/23, 1.39M) reports, "President Vladimir Putin vowed on Thursday he would not be swayed by Western pressure over the poisoning" of Alexei Navalny. Still, a "reported mysterious shakeup in a Russian intelligence agency, and other comments by Putin, suggest the Kremlin has been forced to at least try to demonstrate distance between the president and those who might be behind" the poisoning of Putin's "prominent domestic critic." Putin has "declared he had personally allowed Navalny to leave Siberia for Berlin for medical treatment, which saved the opposition leader's life." The Russian President also "fired the deputy director" of FSB, General Sergei Smirnov, "according to a report in a respected business newspaper, RBK." CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS Maxwell's Attorneys: US Prosecutors Not Honoring Promise To Supply Evidence. Bloomberg (10/24, Hurtado, Burnson, 4.73M) reports, "Ghislaine Maxwell's lawyers say U.S. prosecutors are reneging on a promise to provide her with the evidence they've collected in her sex-trafficking case." According to Bloomberg, "The government's failure to provide the evidence makes it impossible for Maxwell to prepare her defense, the British socialite's lawyer Jeffrey Pagliuca said Friday in a letter to U.S. District Judge Alison Nathan." As an illustration, the indictment does not provide exact "dates for when Maxwell committed the alleged crimes, only saying they occurred between 1994 and 1997, Pagliuca said." He wrote, "Neither the indictment nor the discovery inform Ms. Maxwell about critical information necessary to prepare her defense." Teenager Sentenced To Time In Juvenile Facility, Probation For Plotting Attack On Black Church. The Hill (10/24, Pitofsky, 2.98M) reports, "A 17-year-old girl who was accused of plotting an attack against a predominantly Black church was sentenced to four years in a juvenile facility and probation on Thursday." According to The Hill, "The teenager, who is white, was arrested and charged last year after law enforcement officials discovered her alleged plan to attack EFTA01658999 parishioners of the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Gainesville, Ga., with knives." CNN reported that in a statement, Sixth Episcopal District of the AME Church Presiding Prelate Bishop Reginald Jackson said, "While we are angered and frustrated by this incident, we do not hold hostility against this defendant. While she apparently hates or hated us, we do not hate her, and do not wish to nullify her future, and do not give up on her." California Prosecutors To Again Seek Death Penalty For Peterson. The AP (10/23, Thompson) reports prosecutors in California "said Friday they again will seek the death penalty for Scott Peterson even as a county judge considers throwing out his conviction for murdering his pregnant wife because of juror misconduct during a 2005 trial that riveted the nation." Stanislaus County Assistant District Attorney Dave Harris "announced that it is prosecutors' intention to retry the penalty phase of the case, spokesman John Goold said after a court hearing." NXIVM Leader Speaks Ahead Of Sentencing. NBC Nightly NewsVi (10/23, story 10, 2:54, Holt, 1.82M) reported on an interview with NXIVM leader Keith Raniere to "Dateline" from jail "for the first time since his arrest." Correspondent Stephanie Gosk referred to NXIVM as "a shadowy self help organization described by federal prosecutors as cult-like." Raniere "has not spoken publicly since his arrest for than two years ago," and Gosk indicated that his interview occurred days before his sentencing on federal charges. Raniere "spoke with, of all people, the man that helped bring him down, web journalist Frank Parlato, a former NXIVM spokesman." Parlato asked, "Do you intend to make a statement at your sentencing that you are innocent?" As part of his response, Raniere said, "Yes, I am innocent." He also said during the interview, "There is a horrible injustice here and whether you think I'm the devil or not, the justice process has to be examined." Teen Plotted To Assassinate Joe Biden, Federal Authorities Say. The Washington Post (10/23, Bella, 14.2M) reports 19-year-old Alexander Hillel Treisman appears to have planned and threatened to assassinate Joe Biden, federal authorities say. The teen "searched online for Biden's home address and for night-vision goggles, and purchased an AR-15 in New Hampshire, according to federal court documents first reported Thursday by WBTV." In the spring, "Treisman ended up at a Wendy's within four miles of Biden's home in Delaware." After "he was arrested later that month in North Carolina, police searching his van found four rifles, a 9mm handgun, explosive materials, books on bomb making, and $509,000 in cash that's believed to be his inheritance." These "revelations all come in an order that a federal magistrate judge filed earlier this month outlining why Treisman, who was indicted by a federal grand jury in September on child pornography charges, should remain in custody." It remains "unclear whether Treisman will face additional charges related to the alleged plot." ABC World News TonightVi (10/23, story 8, 1:09, Muir, 5.75M) reported, "In April, he allegedly posted a meme with the caption, 'Should I kill Joe Biden?" Authorities "also discovered he had an interest in terror attacks and mass shootings, and had traveled around the country purchasing weapons in various states." CBS Evening NewsVi (10/23, story 8, 1:59, O'Donnell, 1.93M) reported, "Prosecutors have only charged Treisman with child pornography. He has pleaded not guilty. His attorney says that he has Asperger's syndrome. Citing all the evidence in this case, a judge ordered that he remain behind bars." NBC Nightly NewsVi (10/23, story 7, 1:22, Holt, 1.82M) reported, "Police near Charlotte, North Carolina say when they checked out an abandoned van in this bank parking lot they found guns and cash inside." The AP (10/23) reports from Kannapolis, North Carolina that Treisman "had searched earlier this year for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden's home online, traveled near the home and wrote a checklist that ended with the word 'execute,' according to federal court EFTA01659000 documents." The AP adds, "The information was contained in documents related to a detention hearing for Alexander Hillel Treisman, held in U.S. District Court in Durham. A magistrate, in an order signed Oct. 8, ordered Treisman to remain in custody." According to the AP, "An officer with the U.S. Marshal's Service and the Joint Terrorism Task Force testified that a search of Treisman's electronic devices and account showed a timeline of internet searches between March and May of this year seeking information about Biden's home address, state gun laws, rifle parts and night vision goggles." CNN (10/24, Campbell, 83.16M) reports, "Between March and May 2020," Treisman "conducted internet searches on Biden's home address and traveled within 4 miles of the Biden residence, according to a detention order signed by a federal magistrate judge." CNN adds, "After describing Treisman's alleged interest in Biden, the judge wrote that authorities also discovered a checklist believed to have been written by the defendant, which included the word 'execute.' Also included in a list of evidence noted by the judge was an online meme posted by Treisman in April 2020 with the caption: 'should I kill joe biden?' The information about the former Vice President was included among a lengthy list of evidence that prosecutors included in his case. Although a grand jury indicted Treisman for possession of child pornography, he has not been charged in relation to the weapons in his possession, or his research or writings on Biden. Prosecutors declined to talk about any potential future charges." CBS News (10/23, O'Kane, 3.68M) reports, "While Treisman faces pornography charges and has not been charged with any crimes related to his possession of guns or other evidence, a judge ruled that due to the evidence, he should remain in custody." Treisman, "who used the alias Alexander S. Theiss, is from Washington and was arrested in May after police in Kannapolis, North Carolina, received calls about a van left in a parking lot. Through the window of Treisman's green Honda, which was left outside of a bank, Kannapolis police officers saw 'an AR-15 style rifle,' explosive material, a box for a handgun and ammunition, FBI Special Agent Aaron Seres testified, according to the court documents." Former Ohio City Councilman Arrested On Human Trafficking Charges. The Cincinnati Enquirer (10/24, Hunt, Grasha, Dufour, Mitchell, 223K) reported former Portsmouth, Ohio city councilman and still-practicing attorney Michael "Mearan was arrested on human trafficking, racketeering and related charges." Victims allege that "Mearan, as a prominent attorney, would represent women facing drug charges," promise "them lenient sentences from judges he knew and parole officers willing to ignore probation requirements," so long as the women agreed "to have sex for money." Women said they "were paid anywhere between $200 and $2,000 per encounter, and in some of the instances, Mearan himself handled the payment." FBI Investigating Border Patrol Officer-Involved Shooting. USA Today (10/25, Falcon, 10.31M) reports the FBI and local police in Texas are investigating after a "U.S. Border Patrol officer-involved shooting that killed one man and injured two in Laredo, Texas, on Friday night." US Border Patrol Laredo Sector's Chief Patrol Agent Matthew Hudak "said U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Homeland Security, and Webb County Sheriff's Office intercepted a tractor trailer truck in Laredo that was used to smuggle a large number of undocumented immigrants." A vehicle arrived on the scene, "and as it got close enough to realize the smuggling load had already been intercepted, the driver aggressively put his vehicle in reverse and tried to flee the scene," Hudak said in a video. The New York Times (10/25, Levenson, 18.61M) reports Border Patrol agents shot and killed the driver of the vehicle after it "reversed into an agent and pinned him against another vehicle, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection." The driver "died at the scene. The Border Patrol agent, who sustained leg injuries, was taken to a hospital and later released." Hudak said two other occupants of the car were also injured. An FBI San Antonio spokesperson "confirmed on Sunday that the bureau was participating in the investigation." EFTA01659001 The AP (10/24) reports the vehicle was "another semi," and after "officers identified themselves and were approaching the tractor-trailer when the driver began moving in reverse, pinning a Border Patrol agent against another vehicle. Other agents then opened fire, shooting the driver, who was pronounced dead at the scene." Illinois Police Department Fires Officer Who Killed Black Teen As FBI Joins Shooting Investigation. The Lake County (IL) News-Sun (10/24, Ward, 1.75M) reports Waukegan, Illinois, Police Chief Wayne Walles announced Friday that an "officer who shot and killed a 19-year-old Black man and wounded his girlfriend has been terminated from the department...hours after Lake County's chief prosecutor said the FBI would be joining the investigation into the incident." Walles "said the officer had been fired for 'multiple policy and procedure violations' related to the death of Marcellis Stinnette and the wounding of Tafara Williams." The AP (10/23) reports Lake County State's Attorney Michael Nerheim said the bureau "will join Illinois State Police in investigating a police shooting in suburban Chicago that killed a Black man who was a passenger in a vehicle and wounded the Black female driver," saying "he asked the U.S. Justice Department to review the circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting." Reuters (10/23, Staff) reports the Waukegan Police Department "said a Hispanic male officer shot into the couple's car because it went into reverse when he approached it and he feared for his safety. No firearm was found in the vehicle, the police said." The Hill (10/23, Polus, 2.98M) reports state officials "had previously opened an investigation into wrongdoing by the cop in question, a five-year veteran of the suburban Chicago police force, who opened fire at the couple after they fled a traffic stop. Now, the FBI is joining the efforts after County State Attorney Michael Nerheim requested that the bureau review the circumstances surrounding the incident." FBI Investigating "Ambush Style" Killing On Crow Reservation In Montana. The Billings (MT) Gazette (10/25, Kordenbrock, 180K) reports the FBI is leading the investigation into "an 'ambush style homicide' Saturday on the Crow Reservation Saturday left one person dead." A press release from the Crow Tribe Executive Branch "says that two members of a federally recognized tribe were involved. ... The Crow Tribe Executive Branch, citing the Crow Tribal Police, identifies the suspect in the killing as 27-year-old Taylor Leigh Plainbull." FBI Set To Release New Information On 1981 New York Cold Case. WSYR-TV Syracuse, NY (10/23, 58K) reports next week the FBI is set to release new information on "one of Central New York's coldest cases. Tammy Mahoney was last seen in Oneida in 1981. The 20-year-old Morrisville State College student was hitchhiking south on Route 46" when she was "picked up and taken to a party on the Oneida Nation." Nearly $100K In Narcotics Seized In Florida Operation. The Fort Myers (FL) News-Press (10/23, Greenockle, 173K) reports, "The Lee County Sheriff's Office said it arrested a Cape Coral man Wednesday after finding about $100,000 worth of narcotics while serving him a warrant on an unrelated case." According to the News- Press, "The U.S. Marshalls Regional Fugitive Task Force served a warrant on Leonard Pitters, 26, in the 1100 block of NE 11th Street, Cape Coral, for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for an active case from June 17, according to an LCSO news release. In that case, Pitters allegedly battered and threatened his victim at gunpoint." The News-Press adds, "The narcotics unit took over the investigation and got a search warrant for Pitters' home where they found cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, crack cocaine, oxycodone, hydrocodone pills, two firearms and $87,452 in U.S. currency, the release states." EFTA01659002 FBI Releases Photo Of Florida Bank Robbery Suspect. WFOR-TV Miami (10/23) reports, "The FBI is releasing a picture of a robber who robbed a Pompano Beach bank on Friday afternoon." The suspect "is wearing a light blue button-down shirt with collar, a black Under Armor baseball hat with a red, white and blue logo, sunglasses and a black neck gaiter mask." Six California Gang Members Indicted On Federal Charges. The San Jose (CA) Mercury News (10/23, 456K) reports US Attorney for the Northern District of California David L. Anderson and other law enforcement officials on Thursday "named members of a Salinas gang 'murder squad' in an unsealed federal indictment on Thursday describing how six Nortek) gang members allegedly conducted seven shootings, killing eight people and injuring several others." The piece quotes FBI SAC John Bennet saying, "Over the past three years, the FBI San Francisco Division has worked to link this murder squad with the Nuestra Familia and Norte° street gangs." California Man Faces Federal Child Pornography Charges. The Sacramento (CA) Bee (10/23, 567K) reports a federal grand jury has indicted Jayson Fernandez Butay of Sacramento, California, for "producing and possessing child pornography in connection with an FBI investigation of alleged exchanges he had on Snapchat, according to filed court documents." Butay "is accused of producing child pornography with a minor on Sept. 28, 2019, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Sacramento." Texas Woman Gets 17 Years In Federal Prison For Bank Robberies. The Killeen (TX) Daily Herald (10/23, 47K) reports Eboni Siamone McMurray was sentenced to "more 17 years in federal prison in connection with two armed bank robberies, announced U.S. Attorney Gregg N. Soler, FBI San Antonio Division Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs and Killeen Police Chief Charles F. Kimble." KWKT-TV Waco, TX (10/23) reports in June, McMurray "pleaded guilty to two counts of bank robbery and two counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. ... FBI agents and Killeen Police officers, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, arrested McMurray at her residence without incident the following day. She has since remained in federal custody." Alleged California Gang Members To Stand Trial On Multiple Attempted Homicide Charges. The East Bay (CA) Times (10/25, 63K) reports court records show "four of seven people who are alleged to be part of a North Richmond gang that police have linked to at least eight nonfatal shootings and multiple targeted robberies have been ordered to stand trial." The four "are to stand trial on 23 felony counts that include eight attempted murder charges, a count of conspiracy to commit murder, and a half-dozen robberies or attempted robberies." All seven "were arrested and charged last May, following a Richmond police and FBI-led operation that targeted members of a North Richmond gang known as Jet Life." Man In Custody After Allegedly Abducting Daughters, Two Boys Found Dead. The AP (10/24) reports, "Authorities found two girls who were abducted from a Kansas home where two boys were discovered dead Saturday, and a suspect is in custody." An Amber Alert "said the suspect in the abduction is the girls' father, 40-year-old Donny Jackson. Leavenworth County Emergency Management said in a Facebook post that Jackson also is a person of interest in the homicides. ... The FBI referred questions to the patrol, which said the sheriff's office was answering questions in the case." Former Ohio Priest Charged With Sex Trafficking Of A Minor. EFTA01659003 WTOL-TV Toledo, OH (10/23, Strock, 76K) reports from Findlay, Ohio, "A former Findlay priest is the subject of a 10-count indictment, facing charges that include sex trafficking of minor, sex trafficking of an adult and minor by force, fraud and coercion." According to WTOL-TV, "The indictment was handed down by a federal grand jury in Cleveland on Friday against Michael J. Zacharias, 53. He was arrested on Aug. 18 and has since remained in federal custody. 'This defendant is accused of using his status and position as a religious and community leader to seek out troubled minors and exploit their personal challenges for his own satisfaction; U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said." WTOL-TV adds, "According to court documents, from approximately 1999 to July 2020, Zacharias is accused of sex trafficking of a minor victim and using force, fraud or coercion to sexually traffic other minors and adults." Texas Man Charged With Sexual Assault Of Child. KXXV-TV Waco, TX (10/24, 44K) reports that a Montgomery County, Texas man "is accused of sexual assault of a child and authorities are concerned there could be more victims." KXXV-TV adds, "On October 22, 2020, the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office conducted a search and arrest warrant operation in the Magnolia, Texas area for Felipe de Jesus Ledezma-Arellano. The operation was conducted with the assistance of the US Marshals Service, the FBI, and the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office. During the execution of this operation, Felipe was located and taken into custody on a sexual assault warrant." According to KXXV-TV, "The initial report indicated that a two-year-old female child was possibly a victim of sexual abuse at a Magnolia residence, according to MCSO. As Detectives investigated further, they identified three additional female victims in this case that were subjected to prolonged periods of domestic violence and sexual abuse at the hands of the suspect." FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS Judge Orders Securities Fraud Case Against Texas Attorney General To Move To Paxton's Home County. The AP (10/23, Bleiberg) reports Harris County District Court Judge Jason Luong on Friday "ordered the long-running criminal case against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton returned to his home county in a legal victory for the Republican." Luong "ruled that the securities fraud case should continue in Collin County, north of Dallas, siding with Paxton's defense attorneys." Paxton "pleaded not guilty in 2015 and the case has been stalled for years over legal challenges." Attorneys For LA Lawmaker To Challenge Federal Court's Grand Juror Selection Methods. The My News LA (CA) (10/23) reported, "Attorneys for Jose Huizar are preparing to challenge the methods used to choose the federal grand jurors that indicted the suspended Los Angeles city councilman on public corruption charges, according to court papers obtained Friday." Huizar's attorneys "indicate that they wish to question whether the grand jury in their client's case represented 'a fair cross-section of the community.' Attorneys aren't seeking juror names, but want, among other things, attendance records and reasons for the possible absences of any grand jurors who indicted Huizar. Such information 'may reveal the demographic effects that the current pandemic had on the operation and composition of the grand jury in this case; the document states." US Charges Costa Rican Man In $1M Lottery Tax Scam. The El Paso (TX) Times (10/24, 123K) reports, "A Costa Rican man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso in an alleged lottery scam." Allan Francisco Castrillo Bastos, 39, "who currently lives in El Paso, is accused of scheming to steal more than $1 million from EFTA01659004 dozens of people who believed they had won the lottery and had to pay a tax in advance of receiving their winnings, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office Western District of Texas. On Wednesday, Castrillo Bastos waived arraignment and entered a plea of not guilty to the charges." The Times adds, "A 13-count federal grand jury indictment charges Castrillo Bastos with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 10 counts of wire fraud, making a false statement to obtain credit and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The indictment alleges Castrillo Bastos participated in, or caused, a series of fraudulent wire transfers between August 2018 and March 2019." CYBER DIVISION US Sanctions Russian Government Research Institution For Cyberattacks Against Key Infrastructure Of Allies. The Wall Street Journal (10/23, Volz, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports that the Treasury Department on Friday sanctioned a Russian government research institution the Administration claims is responsible for carrying out cyberattacks against key infrastructure of US allies in the Middle East. The New York Times (10/23, Perlroth, 18.61M) reports, "The hacking group, Energetic Bear, is among Russia's stealthiest. It appears to be casting a wide net to find useful targets ahead of the election, experts said." Recent "intrusions marked the first time that researchers caught the group, a unit of Russia's Federal Security Service...targeting states and counties." In attacks in Germany and the US, "the group has infected websites popular in the energy sector, downloading malware onto the machines of anyone who visited the sites, then searching for employees with access to industrial systems." In other attacks elsewhere, the group "has hijacked the software updates for computers attached to industrial control systems." Louisiana National Guard Called In To Prevent Cyberattacks Weeks Prior To Election. In an exclusive, Reuters (10/23, Bing) reports the Louisiana National Guard "was called in to stop a series of cyberattacks aimed at small government offices across the state in recent weeks, according to two people with knowledge of the events, highlighting the cyber threat facing local governments in the run up to the 2020 U.S. presidential election." Reuters adds that "the situation in Louisiana follows a similar case in Washington state, according to a cybersecurity consultant familiar with the matter, where hackers infected some government offices with a type of malware known for deploying ransomware." It's uncertain as to whether the hackers aimed "to target systems tied to the election in Louisiana or were simply hoping for a payday. Yet the attacks raised alarms because of the potential harm it could have led to and due to evidence suggesting a sophisticated hacking group was involved." Bipartisan Bill Would Help National Guard Support States' Cybersecurity Modernization. ExecutiveGov (10/23) reported that Sens. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and John Cornyn (R-TX) "have introduced a bill to help the U.S. National Guard support cybersecurity modernization across state and local governments." The legislation "would allow state governors to request the National Guard for help to keep critical infrastructure systems secure, Hassan's office said Wednesday." Potential efforts are "cybersecurity services and training duties to be performed by the National Guard." Hassan said "we must ensure that the National Guard can help with these types of threats just like any other threat that states face." French Court Asks Microsoft To Guarantee Safeguards Against Sharing Health Data With US. EFTA01659005 The Wall Street Journal (10/23, Stupp, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reported that a French court has asked Microsoft to guarantee data collected in a government-run health data gathering project will not be shared with US intelligence authorities. Last week's ruling comes after the European country's data protection authority told the court any US-based cloud provider could be compelled by US surveillance laws to share data, so they should not be able to host the most sensitive health-related data should. Microsoft is working with French authorities to put additional safeguards in place for the Health Data Hub. Kushner's "Close Friend" Charged With Cyberstalking. The New York Times (10/23, Hong, Drucker, 18.61M) reports Ken Kurson, described as a "close friend of the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner," was "arrested in connection with incidents stemming from his divorce," and "charged with cyberstalking." The Times says Kurson "helped write a speech for the president's 2016 campaign," and "was also a longtime associate of" Rudy Giuliani. According to the limes, "Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn accused Mr. Kurson of sending threatening and stalking messages to several people, including a friend whom he blamed for the deterioration of his marriage." LABORATORY Police Say Body Found In Missouri Creek Was Missing Social Worker. The AP (10/23) reports from Kansas City, Missouri, "A decomposing body that a 10-year-old boy found in July in a creek was a missing Kansas City social worker, authorities say." The AP adds, "Police spokesman Sgt. Jake Becchina said Friday that an FBI lab had confirmed that the remains are those of 39-year-old Marina Bischoff. She was last seen leaving a Kansas City police station in May. Police said Bischoff had been arrested the night before on suspicion of driving while impaired and leaving the scene of a crash. No foul play is suspected, but the final cause of death has yet to be determined. The county medical examiner is still conducting a final exam, Becchina said." LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES When Jury Trials In DC Superior Court Will Resume Still Uncertain. The Washington Post (10/23, Alexander, 14.2M) reports that in Washington, DC as well as throughout the country, "the pandemic halted jury trials." The Post adds that "in the District, victims and their families will continue to wait for justice, most likely into 2021." Since March, in excess of 300 jury trials slated to happen "in D.C. Superior Court for jailed defendants have been postponed, a court spokeswoman said." According to the Post, "Court officials declined to specify when the trials will resume, but there are indications none will be held for the remainder of the year." Anita Josey-Herring, the court's chief judge, said, "The health crisis is driving when the court can realistically reopen to the public at large and at what level the court can open." Proponents Of Now-Passed Virginia Sentencing Measure Feel Bill Will Have Transformational Impact. The Washington Post (10/23, Weiner, Vozzella, 14.2M) reported a Virginia measure permitting "defendants convicted in a jury trial to be sentenced by a judge" has been passed. Proponents of the bill claim its "effect will be transformational, because juries, which have less flexibility than judges in crafting sentences, tend to hand out stiffer punishments than those called for by guidelines. While judges can reduce a jury sentence, they rarely do." Springfield, Massachusetts Police Working To Repair Relationship With FBI. EFTA01659006 The Springfield (MA) Republican (10/25, Barry, 395K) reports that "through gritted teeth, Springfield Police Commissioner Cheryl C. Clapprood confirmed she is working with the new head of the local FBI office to repair bitter relations with the feds. The department has come under fire from the FBI and U.S. Department of Justice over the past four years in connection with a number of police corruption investigations." The Republican adds, "Among the tangible symptoms of the feud was the police department earlier this year yanking its officers from several federal task forces, which officials initially attributed to 'manpower issues.' Meanwhile, a roundtable discussion on gun violence hosted by Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling on Oct. 21 featured local police chiefs, including Clapprood, from cities across the state experiencing an uptick in shootings. Lelling touted a revival of federal and local partnerships to combat the problem under a national 'Project Guardian' project." INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS After Arrest Of Former Defense Minister On Drug Charges, Mexico's President Shifts Some Blame To US Officials. The Wall Street Journal (10/23, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports that since the arrest of Mexico's former defense minister on drug trafficking charges int he US, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is pulling back from efforts to reform the Mexican army and is placing some of the blame on officials in the US. OTHER FBI NEWS Trump Plans To Fire Wray, Haspel, Esper If He Is Reelected. Axios (10/25, Swan, Treene, 521K) reports President Trump will "move to immediately fire FBI Director Christopher Wray and also expects to replace CIA Director Gina Haspel and Defense Secretary Mark Esper" if he is reelected, according to "two people who've discussed these officials' fates with the president tell Axios." Axios says if Trump wins, "no matter the margin," he will be "embolden[ed]...to ax anyone he sees as constraining him from enacting desired policies or going after perceived enemies. ... There could be shake-ups across other departments. The president has never been impressed with Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, for example. But that doesn't carry the urgency of replacing Wray or Haspel." Fox News (10/25, O'Reilly, 27.59M) reports, "A senior White House official told Fox News on Sunday Trump is planning to remove Wray from his post if the president defeats Democratic nominee Joe Biden in the presidential election next week." Fox News adds, "A senior FBI official told Fox News that Wray is widely considered a popular leader within the bureau and among law enforcement groups across the country, but that he is 'keeping his head down and focusing on the work of the FBI." The Hill (10/25, 2.98M) runs a piece based on Axios' reporting. OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS Senate Votes 51-48 On Cloture, Setting Barrett Up For Monday Confirmation. The Senate voted 51-48 on Sunday afternoon to invoke cloture on the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, setting up a near-certain Monday vote to confirm her. The CBS Weekend NewsVi (10/25, story 6, 0:20, Yuccas, 9.26M) said Barret moves "toward final confirmation despite Democratic objections. ... Barrett would be just the fifth woman to ever serve on the high court, compared to 109 men." The AP (10/25, Mascaro) reports, "Senate Republicans voted overwhelmingly" to advance the nomination, "excited by the chance to install a third Trump justice on the court, locking in a conservative majority for years to come. Barrett's ascent opens up a potential new era of EFTA01659007 rulings on abortion, gay marriage and the Affordable Care Act. A case against the Obama-era health law scheduled to be heard Nov. 10." The New York Times (10/25, Fandos, 18.61M) reports Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) "joined united Democrats in an attempt to filibuster" the nomination "to protest a decision they say should be left to the winner of the presidential election. But Republicans had the simple majority they needed to blow past them." Collins is expected to vote against confirmation, though Murkowski said this weekend that she will back Barrett on the final vote. The Washington Post (10/25, Kim, 14.2M) reports Barrett is expected to serve "a first full day as a justice as early as Tuesday and as the court continues to hear election-related legal challenges ahead of Nov. 3." The Wall Street Journal (10/25, Wise, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports Senate Majority Leader McConnell said in a floor speech, "This is something to really be proud of and feel good about. We've made an important contribution to the future of this country. A lot of what we've done over the last four years will be undone, sooner or later, by the next election. They won't be able to do much about this for a long time to come." The Washington Post (10/25, 14.2M) says in an editorial that on the Barrett nomination, "there is only one reasonable vote for any senator who claims to put country over party: no. We say this not primarily because of the hypocrisy [McConnell] asks his caucus to embrace, though that is reason enough. ... There is a more urgent reason to delay: the potential for Judge Barrett's confirmation to stain the nation's choice of president." Barrett "has refused to commit to recusing herself in election-related cases." Bloomberg (10/25, Litvan, 4.73M), the Washington Times (10/25, Swoyer, 492K), the Fox News (10/25, O'Reilly, 27.59M) website, Axios (10/25, Treene, Baker, 521K), Politico (10/25, Levine, Desiderio, 4.29M), The Hill (10/25, Carney, 2.98M), Roll Call (10/25, Ruger, 154K), and Townhall (10/25, Baumann, 177K) are among the other sources covering the Sunday votes. Murkowski Says She Will Vote In Favor Of Barrett's Confirmation. The Washington Post (10/24, Itkowitz, 14.2M) reports Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), who previously "opposed voting on a new Supreme Court justice so close to the election, said Saturday she would vote to confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett." The Post adds that "in a Senate floor speech, Murkowski lamented that the Senate was spending the weekend debating a judicial nominee" instead of a coronavirus assistance measure days prior to the election. However, Murkowski "said she wouldn't hold her opposition to the process against Barrett." Said Murkowski, "I have no doubt about [Barrett's) capability to do the job and to do it well." The New York Times (10/24, Fandos, 18.61M) reports that while speaking on the Senate floor, Murkowski said of Barrett, "While I oppose the process that has led us to this point, I do not hold it against her as an individual who has navigated the gauntlet with grace, skill and humility." Murkowski's "unexpected turnabout gave a boost to Senate Republicans looking to quiet intraparty dissent in the face of unified Democratic opposition. They already had the votes they needed to confirm Judge Barrett, President Trump's third Supreme Court nominee, but Ms. Murkowski's support means that only one Republican - Senator Susan Collins of Maine - is likely to defect when the roll is called on Monday." The Wall Street Journal (10/24, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) last week talked with Barrett and hasn't indicated how she's going to vote. The CBS Weekend NewsVi (10/24, story 3, 0:28, Yuccas, 2.08M) provided similar coverage in a brief broadcast. LGBTQ Activists Concerned About Barrett Joining Supreme Court. The Washington Post (10/24, Barnes, 14.2M) says that in contrast to a number of President Trump's other federal judicial nominees, Judge Amy Coney Barrett "had no problem at her recent confirmation hearing endorsing Brown v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court's famous 1954 desegregation decision." Likewise, Barrett also had no issue endorsing Loving v. Virginia, "which 13 years later said states could not prohibit interracial marriages." However, with regard to "Obergefell v. Hodges, the court's 2015 decision saying same-sex couples have a right to EFTA01659008 marry," Barrett refused to indicate whether the case "was correctly decided," and the Post says that her doing that "frustrated Senate Democrats and alarmed LGBTQ activists, who worry about her elevation to a Supreme Court that has only three justices remaining from the five- member majority in the 2015 decision." Pence To Continue Campaigning Even After Top Staffers Test Positive. The Wall Street Journal (10/25, Bender, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports Vice President Pence, the head of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, will continue to campaign on behalf of President Trump even though he was in close contact with Chief of Staff Marc Short, who tested positive for COVID on Saturday. Sources told the Journal that Pence adviser Marty Obst and at least three other staff in the Vice President's office have also tested positive. In the lead story on ABC World News TonightVI (10/25, lead story, 3:30, Llamas, 4.45M), Rachel Scott reported that Short "was by the Vice President's side at several campaign stops in the past week," including "an Ohio rally Friday." CNN (10/25, Diaz, Klein, 83.16M) reports on its website that according to two sources, one of the staffers who tested positive was Zach Bauer, "Pence's `body man,' meaning his job is to accompany Pence throughout the day and night helping him with a wide range of duties, putting him in close proximity to the vice president," but a source "told CNN that Bauer has not been in the office since Tuesday, when he went home to quarantine after coming into contact with Obst. Bauer tested positive Saturday." However, Kelly O'Donnell reported on NBC Nightly NewsVi (10/25, lead story, 2:40, Snow, 3.43M) that aides "say [the Vice President] and the second lady tested negative again" on Sunday, so "he headed to North Carolina." According to O'Donnell, "Top White House officials defend that choice, calling candidate Pence an essential worker." O'Donnell added, "Under CDC guidance, essential workers should wear masks and keep distance, but are not required to stay home 14 days." She also reported the Vice President's aides "say he has canceled local interviews in order to keep distance, and also dropped the usual practice politicians have of what's known as a rope line, a chance to greet supporters after event events, like the rally he's holding now. That's been dropped as well. He will be traveling this week with stops in Minnesota and the Carolinas on his agenda." The AP (10/25, Colvin, Weissert, Miller, Madhani) reports Pence "has an aggressive travel schedule planned for the final days of the campaign," while CNN (10/25, Cole, 83.16M) reports on its website that Pence "emerged maskless from Air Force Two in Florida, running down the steps and jogging across the tarmac, fist pumping as he approached the podium." The AP (10/25, Miller, Colvin) reports President Trump "commented on Short early Sunday after his plane landed at Joint Base Andrews, outside Washington." Trump said, did hear about it just now." He added, "I think he's quarantining. Yeah. I did hear about it. He's going to be fine. But he's quarantining." In the lead story on the CBS Weekend NewsVI (10/25, lead story, 3:20, Yuccas, 9.26M), Paula Reid said that on CBS' Face The Nation, Margaret Brennan pressed National Security Advisor O'Brien, "who also had the virus earlier this year, on Pence's refusal to quarantine." O'Brien said, "The free election is foundation of our democracy, so I think campaigning and voting are the most essential thing we can be doing." O'Brien added, "I think is he taking all the precautions and my understanding is he tested negative as has the second lady." Chief of Staff Meadows, on CNN's State Of The UnionVi (10/25, 1.29M), said, "Obviously Mark Short and a couple of the key staff around the Vice President have come down with the coronavirus. It just goes to show you that we continue to face this enemy that came from China and, yet, what we also know is the one area that where we are rounding the corner is really the death rate. Our ability to handle this has improved each and every day and each and every month. When there were estimates that as many as 10% of the population that got this would actually experience a fatal result, you know, we are now down to 2.6%. Every death is too many. But hopefully we are going to get this to the point where it's not as lethal as the flu." EFTA01659009 In addition, The Hill (10/25, Coleman, 2.98M) reports Meadows "said Centers of Disease Control and Prevention guidelines indicate that essential personnel can do their jobs while wearing a mask." USA Today (10/25, 10.31M) reports Meadows "also declined to share the identity of the other staffers who had tested positive, noting that 'sharing personal information is not something that we should do.' But he added, 'Anytime there's someone in harm's way, we have an obligation to let people know for contract-tracing.' Trump campaign adviser Corey Lewandowski, on NBC's Meet The PressVI (10/25, 3.09M), said, would make sure the Vice President is taking all of the precautions necessary as he's always done. I'm sure he's tested regularly and he's in the best care of the best physicians in the world at the White House. I'm sure he will do what is necessary and what is appropriate. Look, we've also seen Kamala Harris' team, members of her team come down with COVID and she took the necessary precautions. Let's see where this goes. I have not spoken to the team directly on that." According to the New York Times (10/25, Al, Shear, Karni, Haberman, Stolberg, 18.61M), the coronavirus outbreak among Pence's aides is "raising new questions about the Trump administration's cavalier approach to the worst health crisis in a century." The Times highlights that while Trump "made no reference to the new cases during campaign rallies in New Hampshire and Maine on Sunday," the infections at the White House "just over a week before Election Day was a visceral reminder of the president's dismissive and erratic handling of the virus, even in one of the most secure spaces in the country. And it comes just as the United States suffers its third surge in infections across the nation, with a record number of daily new cases on Friday and a death toll that has risen to almost 225,000." The Washington Post (10/25, Al, Rucker, Dawsey, Wang, 14.2M) similarly says the new White House outbreak "spotlighted the administration's failure to contain the pandemic" and "undermines the argument Trump has been making to voters that the country is 'rounding the turn; as the president put it at a rally Sunday in New Hampshire," as does the "extraordinary admission" from Meadows that the Administration has "effectively given up on trying to slow the virus's spread." Meadows told CNN, "We're not going to control the pandemic," Meadows continued, "We are going to control the fact that we get vaccines, therapeutics and other mitigations." The Post adds that Joe Biden, "who regularly wears a mask on the campaign trail and strictly adheres to social distancing guidelines, sought to capitalize on the remark." Reuters (10/25, Shalal, Scheyder) reports Biden in a statement "seized on those comments, saying Meadows 'stunningly admitted this morning that the administration has given up on even trying to control this pandemic, that they've given up on their basic duty to protect the American people." He added, "This wasn't a slip by Meadows, it was a candid acknowledgment of what President Trump's strategy has clearly been from the beginning of this crisis: to wave the white flag of defeat and hope that by ignoring it, the virus would simply go away. It hasn't, and it won't." USA Today (10/25, Hayes, 10.31M) reports Biden "and others say Trump has never tried to control the spread of the virus, citing actions ranging from his mocking of mask wearing to his insistence on holding campaign rallies with maskless people packed close together." Breitbart (10/25, Mora, 673K) reports Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) on Sunday used Meadows' comments "about controlling the spread of the coronavirus to lambast...Trump's handling of the pandemic." Harris told reporters, "They are admitting defeat." She continued, "This is the greatest failure of any presidential administration in the history of America." Harris added, "This administration fails to take personal responsibility or responsibility in terms of leading the nation through this dangerous and deadly mass casualty event. And that's why they have forfeited their right to a second term in office." House Speaker Pelosi, on CNN's State Of The UnionVi (10/25, 1.29M), said, "I wish them safety and hope they pay attention to the reality of how this spreads. I'm sorry it's reached close to the Vice President and I hope he will and his wife will keep their distance from those who are infected. It's really sad. Now, look. They have all of the protections in the world, all of EFTA01659010 the anticipation of how this could spread, all of the prevention from it and, yet, they are susceptible. Just think of America's working families and especially America's essential workers how susceptible they are to this virus and that is really part of our discussion on the coronavirus negotiations." Politico (10/25, McCaskill, 4.29M) reports Senate Republicans "were forced to address Meadows' comments." Politico adds that whereas Senate Majority Whip Thune and Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) "disagreed with Meadows," Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham "took a different tack, appearing to defend Meadows." The New York Daily News (10/25, Shahrigian, 2.52M) reports former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R), who tested positive for COVID last month after working with the President to prepare for the first debate, delivered "muted criticism" of Pence's decision not to quarantine. On ABC's This Week, Christie stated that he was "a little bit surprised" to hear Pence would continue to campaign and he "said the Trump White House's disdain of wearing masks in spite of warning from health officials 'has been a problem." The AP (10/25, Marchione) reports "health policy specialists" on Sunday "questioned White House officials' claim that federal rules on essential workers allow...Pence to continue to campaign and not quarantine himself after being exposed to the coronavirus." Axios (10/25, 521K) reports former FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb "said 'the short answer is yes' when asked whether...Pence is putting others at risk by continuing to campaign after several aides tested positive for COVID-19, stressing that the White House needs to be 'very explicit about the risks that they're taking." Ashish Jha, Dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, said on CNN's Inside PoliticsVi (10/25, 1.11M) the Vice President "should be in quarantine, period. A negative test doesn't get you out of quarantine. And the quarantine is not a nice thing to do if you have the luxury to do it. It is essential to protect other people around him so he doesn't become a vector for more cases. I think that is really not an area of debate, and no public health expert would say he should be on the road right now." Fox News (10/25, Stabile, 27.59M) reports on its website that Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease expert, on Sunday said Pence remains "at very high risk for developing coronavirus" and should "self-quarantine for 14 days based on the amount of people around him that are positive." Toluse Olorunnipa of the Washington Post said on CNN's Inside PoliticsVi (10/25, 1.11M), "This is the head of the White House coronavirus task force, openly flouting some of the guidelines and recommendations from the CDC, which essentially say that if you are in close contact with someone, at least out of abundance of caution, even if you test negative, you should not be traveling. You should not be spending a lot of time around other people. ... The fact is Vice president is openly flouting some of the recommendations is not a good message to send to people who are trying to actually get this virus under control." The Hill (10/25, Coleman, 2.98M), the Daily Beast (10/25, Baragona, 1.39M), and The Intelligencer (10/25, Danner, 1.1M) provide similar coverage. Fox News President, Several Anchors Advised To Quarantine After Exposure To Coronavirus. The Hill (10/25, Bowden, 2.98M) cites the New York Times in reporting that "numerous Fox News personalities including anchors Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum, as well as network president Jay Wallace, were reportedly advised to quarantine following their exposure last week to a person who tested positive Sunday for COVID-19." The Hill adds that while the Times "reported that the other personalities at the network advised to quarantine included two co-hosts of 'The Five,' Juan Williams and Dana Perino," a spokesperson for Fox News "declined to confirm to The Hill or the Times on the details of who, if anyone, was exposed, citing health privacy concerns." However, two sources "told the Times that the exposure occurred on a charter flight from Nashville to New York following the final presidential debate last week between President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden (D)." EFTA01659011 Fauci Says Effectiveness Of Vaccines Will Be Evident By Early December. Reuters (10/25, James) reports NIAID Director Fauci "said on Sunday it would be clear whether a COVID-19 vaccine was safe and effective by early December, but that more widespread vaccination would not be likely until later in 2021." Fauci told the BBC, "We will know whether a vaccine is safe and effective by the end of November, the beginning of December." Fauci added, "When you talk about vaccinating a substantial proportion of the population, so that you can have a significant impact on the dynamics of the outbreak, that very likely will not be until the second or third quarter of the year." The Hill (10/25, Choi, 2.98M) reports Fauci "made the remarks during a discussion on President Trump's claims of having a vaccine ready by the end of the year." Trump, Administration Officials Defend Response To Coronavirus. President Trump was asked in an interview with CBS' 60 MinutesVi (10/25, 8.66M) about increases in coronavirus cases in 40 states. Trump said, "You know why cases are up also? Because we do more testing. The fake news media loves to say cases are up." Trump added, "We have turned the corner. We understand the disease. We understand the elderly, and we are taking care of them like nobody's ever taken care of them. So we are taking care of our people." In an interview with Fox News' Life Liberty and Levin, Vice President Pence criticized the Obama Administration's response to the H1N1 Swine Flu epidemic in 2009. Pence said, "In a very real sense, they had an utterly failed response. I mean, by the fall of 2009, when Joe Biden was vice president, the swine flu...had infected 60 million Americans, and if it had had the same fatality rate as the coronavirus does, we would have lost more than two million American lives." Pence contrasted that with President Trump, who, he said, took "decisive action to put the health of America first. And all along the way, he listened to the scientists ... I'm absolutely convinced that because of the President's leadership, because of our partnership with state health officials, because of doctors and nurses, and because of the cooperation of the American people, that we literally saved hundreds of thousands of American lives." Pence was asked in an interview with CBS' 60 MinutesVi (10/25, 8.66M) about the President's criticism of NIAID Director Fauci and other public health experts. Pence said, "The scientists who've worked around the White House Coronavirus Task Force, who will meet again today here at the White House have provided a great public service. They've brought the perspective of scientists all along the way. And I have a strong relationship with Dr. Fauci and Dr. Birx. But remember, the President of the United States has to consider the whole of America. The President's been balancing the broad interests of the country - and the health of the American people, and well continue to do that every day." Chief of Staff Meadows, on CNN's State Of The UnionVi (10/25, 1.29M), discussed the Trump Administration's efforts to address the coronavirus. Meadows said, "I agree it's very serious. We continue to test more than most other countries so the cases that we find will go up. If you're not testing, you're not finding it so a lot of these other countries are not testing near at the rate we are testing at. ... What is Joe Biden's plan for the pandemic? How is he going to do it? He is going to wear two masks like he does every day and suggest we skip Thanksgiving. He doesn't have a plan. He has rhetoric because you and I both know for 47 years, he's talked about things and not done things. You've covered him. I know him. The American people should know his record." National Security Adviser O'Brien, on CBS' Face The NationVI (10/25, 2.68M), said, "It is spiking in Europe. It is running rampant through Europe. I was just in Brazil and South America to sign three new trade deals, and it is running rampant through Brazil. This is a terrible virus. At the end of the day, what we need to do is flatten the curb and protect the most vulnerable. We need to protect the elderly and those who are frail and have pre-existing conditions. Ultimately, the only thing that is going to stop this virus - there is no magic way - what will is a EFTA01659012 vaccine. We're on track to have a vaccine for Americans in less than a year. It is really incredible." Whitmer: Trump's Plans For Rally In Lansing Is "Recipe For Disaster." The Detroit Free Press (10/25, Egan, 1.52M) reports Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) on Sunday called President Trump's "planned campaign rally in Lansing on Tuesday 'a recipe for disaster' among soaring coronavirus case numbers and urged the public not to attend the event." Whitmer "also urged parents to pull their children out of high school winter sports such as hockey, basketball and wrestling if some of the other students involved in those activities are not wearing masks." Administration Cancels Plan To Offer Santa Impersonators Early Access To Vaccine. The Wall Street Journal (10/25, Wernau, Grimaldi, Armour, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports HHS on Friday announced it has halted plans to spend $250 million on an advertising campaign that would offer Santa Claus performers early access to a vaccine in exchange for promoting vaccination to the public. A HHS spokesman said that Secretary Azar was not aware of HHS Assistant Secretary Michael Caputo's outreach effort, which was revealed by audio recordings. The Journal adds that the chairman of the Fraternal Order of Real Bearded Santas expressed disappointment in the announcement. US Records "Biggest Two-Day Surge" In Coronavirus Cases. On ABC World News TonightVi (10/25, story 3, 2:35, 4.45M), Tom Llamas reported on "the alarming new COVID numbers. The biggest two-day surge in the US since the pandemic began. More than 167,000 new cases in just 48 hours." Trevor Ault added the US is "entering a dangerous new phase in the pandemic. The most infections we've ever seen. New cases soaring above 83,000 each of the past two days." On NBC Nightly NewsVi (10/25, story 3, 2:50, Snow, 3.43M), Sam Brock said that as the number of coronavirus cases "climb, communities are reeling. Illinois recording record numbers, reckoning with 9,500 deaths." Brock added the trends are "triggering alarm bells" nationwide. He continued that 43 states and the District of Columbia "are now up at least 10% the last two weeks." The AP (10/25, Ramer, Sainz) reports that data from Johns Hopkins University "shows that 83,718 new cases were reported Saturday, just shy of the 83,757 infections reported Friday. Before that, the most cases reported in the United States on a single day had been 77,362, on July 16." The Wall Street Journal (10/25, Krouse, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports public health experts say the coronavirus is spreading across the US due to large gatherings and the easing of lockdown restrictions. However, the Washington Times (10/25, Howell, 492K) reports the situation "is not as dire as it was last spring, when a crush of patients forced state and federal governments to lock down wide swaths of the economy," although "the trend line is worrying, with hospitalization rates up 40% since last month. Hospitalizations increased in 39 states over the past week and declined in only 11." Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R), on CBS' Face The NationVi (10/25, 2.24M), discussed the recent surge in coronavirus cases in the state. Hutchinson said, "It's very concerning. And that's a statistic I watch, both the deaths and hospitalizations. I do think that people who get ill want to go into the hospital quicker because they can start their treatment. They have a better chance of recovery. So I think that's a little bit of a factor. Right now our hospitalization space is tight. We have adequate space, but we watch it very carefully. And the spike in cases that we've seen is a concern. I think it reflects what we're all looking at nationwide in terms of going into the winter, a combination of flu, the combination of more indoor settings. So it is concerning. And we're making preparations for it. But we have to really pull together to follow the guidelines that are necessary to keep the economy moving, but at the same time make sure we don't increase that spread." EFTA01659013 Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas (D), on CBS' Face The NationVi (10/25, 2.68M), discussed how the city is handling the uptick in coronavirus cases. Lucas said, "We are not setting up field hospitals. But we always have a standby plan if we need them. We have trouble trusting data, sometimes data from Washington or own our state. So while our city has a mask mandate, there are cities all around Kansas City that do not. A lot of those folks get sick and have to go to hospitals, and there is hospital space in the cities. So we're running into real challenges with ICUs and the virus. ... We're not yet overwhelmed, but we have concerns over what happens in the winter months, as more people are inside. We had more deaths in Missouri in September than any month previously. That has been a huge concern for our area." Former FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb, on CBS' Face The NationVi (10/25, 2.24M), discussed his expectations for the trajectory of the pandemic. Gottlieb said, "We're at a dangerous tipping point right now. We're entering what is going to be the deep slope of the epidemic rate. These cases are going to continue to increase. We have a moment of opportunity right now to take some forceful steps to try to abate the spread that is under way. But if we don't do that, if we miss this window, this is going to continue to accelerate and it will be more difficult to get under control. ... We need to take some steps right now. There is no public support for shutdowns nationally, like we did in the spring. That is not going to happen. So we need to reach for other measures." In an editorial, the Washington Post (10/25, 14.2M) says the US "is not turning the corner on the coronavirus pandemic, as President Trump claims, but spiraling toward a devastating new wave of illness and death, spread across many states and intensifying as winter cold approaches." According to the Post, "This calamity could and should have been met head-on by Mr. Trump and was not. But given the enormity of the loss - at least 223,000 people have died directly from the virus and tens of thousands indirectly - this is a moment to look beyond hapless leadership." The Post adds, "We, too, can bend the trajectory of this pandemic, and we must." San Francisco Has Been A "COVID-19 Success Story." In an article headlined "How San Francisco Became A COVID-19 Success Story As Other Cities Stumbled," the Los Angeles Times (10/25, Dolan, 4.64M) reports San Francisco "has become the first urban center in California to enter the least restrictive tier for reopening. Risk of infection, according to the state's color-coded tiers, is considered minimal, even though San Francisco is the second- densest city in the country after New York." However, the Times adds city officials "still are not declaring victory. Characteristically, they warn, the virus still lurks around the corner. And as they have before, they will follow local metrics rather than reopen just because the state allows it." According to the Times, experts "credit San Francisco's success to a long partnership between public health officers and universities, most notably during the AIDS crisis," and San Francisco residents "largely followed health guidelines." Native Americans "Disproportionately" Impacted By COVID Ahead Of Election Day. According to USA Today (10/25, Cava, 10.31M), "COVID-19 has disproportionately sickened or killed Native Americans across the U.S., creating another Election Day challenge for a poor and geographically isolated population already fighting to overcome steep voting barriers ranging from discriminatory election laws to distant polling stations." USA Today reports that while "many Americans" this election turned "to voting by mail to avoid COVID-19 exposure, some Indigenous Americans risk having their votes ignored given the limited and inefficient nature of postal service on many rural reservations. Spotty internet access also makes it challenging to access information on how to vote in a pandemic." False Positives Having "Serious Consequences" In Some Communities. The New York Times (10/25, Wu, 18.61M) reports that while false positives in coronavirus testing "are widely considered to be benign in comparison with false negatives, which can deprive infected people of treatment and embolden them to mingle with others, hastening the EFTA01659014 spread of disease," but they "can have serious consequences as well, especially in places where the virus is scarce." According to the Times, false positives can "erod[e] trust in tests and, under some circumstances, prompt...outbreaks of their own." Protesters Burn Masks In Pushback Against Restrictions. On NBC Nightly NewsVI (10/25, story 4, 2:30, Snow, 3.43M), Kathy Park reported the debate over wearing masks is "firing up Americans. In south Florida, demonstrators burned masks, after Palm Beach County officials extended their mask mandate." However, Park added NIAID Director Fauci "says now might be the time to take national action." Fauci: "If people are not wearing masks, then maybe we should be mandating it." According to Park, "The CDC recommends mask wearing especially when social distancing is impossible, citing laboratory studies that show masks reduce the spray of droplets. And a new study shows if 95% of Americans wore masks, at least 100,000 lives could be saved through February, but not everyone believes in the science." Green Bay "Noticeably Subdued" Despite Football's Return. The New York Times (10/25, McDonnell Nieto Del Rio, 18.61M) reports that in Green Bay, Wisconsin, "a town that lives or dies with its Packers, the metaphor takes on a somewhat chilling hue in the middle of a pandemic." The Times says that on a recent game day "when the Packers were taking it to the Texans in Houston, the scene back home was noticeably subdued, as the coronavirus surged in Wisconsin and people mostly avoided the bars that are usually jammed when the Packers are playing." Fox's Baier, MacCallum, Perino Advised To Quarantine. The New York Times (10/25, Crowley, Astor, 18.61M) reports several "top anchors" at Fox News including Bret Baier, Martha MacCallum, and Dana Perino "have been advised to quarantine after being exposed to someone on a private flight who later tested positive for the coronavirus, two people with direct knowledge of the situation said on Sunday. The infected person was on a charter flight to New York from Nashville with a group of network executives, personalities and other staff members who attended the presidential debate on Thursday," sources said. Biden Tweet From 2019 Warning Of Pandemic Trends On Anniversary Of Post. Bloomberg (10/25, Yang, 4.73M) says Joe Biden's tweet "warning about a pandemic was trending on Twitter on Sunday, the one-year anniversary of the post." Bloomberg adds that the tweet, "now gathering over 112,000 likes, has gone viral several times before as the coronavirus raged." Pelosi "Optimistic" About Coronavirus Relief Bill Before Election. The AP (10/25) reports House Speaker Pelosi told CNN's State Of The UnionVi Sunday that she is not giving up on passing a coronavirus relief measure before the election. Politico (10/25, Hooper, 4.29M) quotes Pelosi as saying, "I never give up hope. I'm optimistic. We put pen to paper and had been writing the bill based on what we hope will be the outcome, what they said they would get back to us on." Bloomberg (10/25, Litvan, House, 4.73M) reports Chief of Staff Meadows, who also appeared on CNN's State Of The UnionVi (10/25, 1.29M), "didn't sound optimistic." Meadows said, "We continue to make offer after offer after offer, and Nancy Pelosi keeps moving the goalposts." Bloomberg adds Meadows "said the administration can't say whether 13 Republicans senators would support a deal until one is reached. That's the number needed to vote with Democrats and get a bill on the Senate floor." Meadows said, "Obviously we've identified those Senate Republicans most likely to vote for it. ... We haven't got an agreement. I do have a EFTA01659015 commitment from [Senate Majority) Leader McConnell that if we have an agreement he's willing to bring it to the floor and get it passed." DO) Lawsuit Against Google Targets Agreement With Apple. The New York Times (10/25, Wakabayashi, Nicas, 18.61M) reports the agreement reached between Apple and Google 15 years ago under which Google's search engine is "the preselected choice on Apple's iPhone and other devices" was "worth billions of dollars to both companies and cemented their status at the top of the tech industry's pecking order." However, "the partnership is in jeopardy," after the Justice Department "filed a landmark lawsuit against Google...and homed in on the alliance as a prime example of what prosecutors say are the company's illegal tactics to protect its monopoly and choke off competition in web search." The Wall Street Journal (10/25, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) says according to analysts and investors, losing the agreement would be a significant setback for Apple since it has been estimates that payments from Google are responsible for up to a fifth of Apple's overall profit. Senators Request IG Investigation Of CBP's Warrantless Utilization Of Cellphone Location Data. The Washington Post (10/23, Harwell, 14.2M) reported, "U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials who have used cellphone location data to track people inside the country without a warrant are refusing to tell members of Congress what gives them the legal right to do so, a group of Democratic senators said Friday." When individuals utilize "any one of a broad assortment of weather, gaming and other apps, their location data is bundled and resold by companies such as Venntel to advertisers, commercial buyers — and, in recent months, federal agencies such as CBP." However, "the practice has raised alarms among" legislators as well as privacy proponents, and the Post added that five Democratic senators on Friday requested Department of Homeland Security Inspector General Joseph Cuffari to probe "the practice, saying CBP had refused to provide any legal analysis defending the warrantless searches." USA Today Analysis: Under Administration, Refugees Must Wait Longer To Receive Visas. A USA Today (10/24, King, 10.31M) analysis says, "Across the U.S., thousands of refugees are desperately waiting to be reunited with their children, parents, spouses and other siblings. Under the Trump administration, these families have had to wait even longer for their relatives to receive visas to travel to the United States, if they are approved at all." USA Today adds that after the President assumed office, the Administration "halted the resettlement program entirely for 120 days; banned people from the Muslim-majority countries of Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen from entering the country for 90 days; and cut the amount of refugees admitted into the country during that fiscal year from 110,000 to 50,000." The Administration "has since gone further, limiting the number of refugees allowed into the U.S. during this fiscal year to 15,000 applicants, the lowest rate in the resettlement program's 40- year history." Undocumented Farmworker Died After Experiencing Brutal Treatment During Arrest. The New York Times (10/24, Dobbins, 18.61M) says Officer Coltynn Williams "was the first person at the Hidalgo County Jail to actually see Jorge Gonzalez Zuniga," who "was still in the drunk tank, 20 hours after his arrest." Gonzalez, "an undocumented farmworker from Mexico, had been arrested at a party the day before for public intoxication and violating the curfew imposed across parts of the Rio Grande Valley to help control the widening coronavirus pandemic. Now, he lay motionless." When Gonzalez couldn't "hold his head up for a mug shot, Mr. Williams sent him to the hospital, where doctors diagnosed a crushed vertebra and a body temperature of 82.4 degrees." After "several weeks on a ventilator," Gonzalez "died on July 15." The Times acquired a partial copy of the Texas Ranger's investigation, which "found evidence of EFTA01659016 brutal treatment during Mr. Gonzalez's arrest, during which witnesses said he was Tased, tripped, punched and knelt on before being pushed chest-first into a patrol car." Tropical Storm Zeta Strengthens In Caribbean. The AP (10/25) reports Tropical Storm Zeta "strengthened Sunday in the western Caribbean and will probably become a hurricane before hitting Mexico's resort-dotted Yucatan Peninsula and the U.S. Gulf Coast in coming days. Zeta was the earliest named 27th Atlantic storm recorded in an already historic hurricane season." Florida Today (10/25, 180K) reports heavy rainfall associated with Zeta is expected to hit the Gulf Coast region by Wednesday. The Baton Rouge Advocate (10/25, 399K) says that if Zeta "makes landfall in Louisiana, it would be the fifth named storm to do so this year, the most since hurricane record-keeping began in 1851." The New York Times (10/25, Pietsch, 18.61M), the Washington Post (10/25, Cappucci, 14.2M), and the Wall Street Journal (10/25, McWhirter, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) are among the national outlets covering the progress of the storm. Kushner, Ivanka Trump Threaten To Sue Over Lincoln Project Billboards. Reuters (10/25, Landay) reports Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump are threatening to sue the "anti-Trump Republicans" of the Lincoln Project "for posting billboard ads in New York City's Times Square linking them to the country's almost 225,000 coronavirus deaths." A lawyer representing the couple, in a letter to the Lincoln Project, "call[ed] the ads 'false, malicious and defamatory' and saying they constituted 'outrageous and shameful libel." USA Today (10/25, Elbeshbishi, 10.31M) reports one billboard depicts Ivanka Trump "gesturing to the number of national and statewide deaths due to the coronavirus. The other includes a smiling Kushner - a senior adviser to the president - and a quote attributed to him saying, '[New Yorkers[ are going to suffer and that's their problem.' The bottom of the ad is also lined with body bags." The New York Times (10/25, Rubinstein, 18.61M) reports attorney Marc E. Kasowitz wrote in the letter, "Of course, Mr. Kushner never made any such statement, Ms. Trump never made any such gesture, and the Lincoln Project's representations that they did are an outrageous and shameful libel." The Daily Caller (10/25, 716K) reports the Lincoln Project vowed "to leave the billboards up in a Friday night statement," saying in part, "The level of indignant outrage Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump have shown towards The Lincoln Project for exposing their indifference for the more than 223,000 people who have lost their lives due to their reckless mismanagement of COVID-19 is comical." State Department Confirms It Has Suspended Diversity Programs. Reuters (10/25) reports the State Department said Sunday that it has "suspended employee training programs related to diversity and inclusion, confirming a Reuters exclusive a day before, but affirmed its commitment to fostering a more diverse workplace." A State Department spokesman said in an email, "As an Executive Branch Agency, the Department of State complies with all Executive Orders." WTimes Analysis: State Department Hopes For Renewed Clout Under Biden. The Washington Times (10/25, Taylor, 492K) writes that the prospect of a Joe Biden presidency "has sent hopes soaring in the diplomatic establishment that the State Department could be in for more money and more clout over the next four years as it claws back power lost in recent decades to the Pentagon and National Security Council." The Times says Biden aides say a Biden Administration "would swiftly reverse President Trump's trademark transactional foreign policy, including toward allies like NATO and adversaries such as China, Russia and Iran." Pelosi Says She Plans To Seek Another Term As Speaker. The Washington Post (10/25, Zakrzewski, 14.2M) reports House Speaker Pelosi told CNN on Sunday that she plans to seek another term as speaker if Democrats hold the House, as is EFTA01659017 expected. The Washington Times (10/25, Richardson, 492K) reports Rep. Alexandria Ocasio- Cortez (D-NY) said she would back Pelosi if Pelosi "is the most progressive contender." Politico (10/25, Hooper, 4.29M) also reports. High Winds Increase California Wildfire Risk. Tom Llamas said on ABC World News TonightVi (10/25, story 4, 1:20, 4.45M) that "high winds across California have fire officials so concerned that Pacific Gas and Electric has protectively shut off power to hundreds of thousands of customers." ABC's Will Carr: "California is on high alert. The state is facing the highest fire risk this year, with powerful winds up to 70 miles per hour." Jamie Yuccas similarly reported on the CBS Weekend NewsVI (10/25, story 3, 1:40, 9.26M) that PG&E is "shut[ting] down some lines to prevent them from sparking new fires." The Washington Post (10/25, Leonard, 14.2M) reports, "The combination of hurricane- force wind gusts and extremely dry conditions mean that the potential of a fire starting, and spreading rapidly, is unusually high. In the San Francisco Bay and areas from Sacramento northward, high winds of up to 80 mph are expected in higher elevations, with gusts to 50 mph possible even in downtown San Francisco." The Los Angeles Times (10/25, Wigglesworth, 4.64M) reports power was cut off for "nearly 1 million people in Northern and Central California on Sunday." State Department Suspends Diversity Training Following Trump Executive Order. In an exclusive, Reuters (10/24, Pamuk) reports the State Department "has suspended all training programs for employees related to diversity and inclusion, an internal cable obtained by Reuters showed, after President Donald Trump directed federal agencies last month to end programs deemed divisive by the White House." The cable reads, "Beginning Friday, October 23, 2020, the Department is temporarily pausing all training programs related to diversity and inclusion in accordance with Executive Order...on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping." It adds, "The pause will allow time for the Department and Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to review program content." WPost Analysis: Trump Has "Presided Over A Norm-Shattering Expansion Of Private Interests In Government." In a roughly 3,500 word analysis, the Washington Post (10/24, Dawsey, Helderman, Fahrenthold, 14.2M) says that "during his four years in office, [President) Trump has taken few steps to clean up Washington. He has instead presided over a norm-shattering expansion of private interests in government." According to the Post, "The government has had to spend money at Trump's private hotels as his family has traveled around the globe. Trump sidestepped rules that had been designed to prevent nepotism, allowing his son-in-law to serve in a top government role. He has touted companies run by supporters and allies who received government contracts. His administration has allowed former lobbyists to serve in jobs in which they have oversight of policies that affect their former employers." WPost Al: Trump Has Made Sustained "Assault" On Civil Service. In a front-page article titled "Trump's Historic Assault On The Civil Service Was Four Years In The Making," the Washington Post (10/23, Al, Rein, Dawsey, Olorunnipa, 14.2M) reports that the President's "extraordinary directive allowing his administration to weed out career federal employees viewed as disloyal in a second term is the product of a four-year campaign by conservatives working from a little-known West Wing policy shop." According to the Post, the effort "threatens to be the most significant assault on the nonpartisan civil service in its 150 history: a sweeping executive order that strips job protections from employees in policy roles across the government. Exactly which roles would be affected will be up to personnel officials at federal agencies, who were tasked on Friday with reviewing all of their jobs and deciding who would qualify." EFTA01659018 NYTimes Al: Trump's Financial Records "Cast Doubt" On Philanthropic Claims. In a front-page article titled "Trump's Philanthropy: Big Tax Write-Offs And Claims That Don't Always Add Up," the New York Times (10/23, Al, Craig, Buettner, McIntire, 18.61M) reports that while the President describes himself as "a committed philanthropist with strong ties to many charities" and according to his tax records, "has given back at least $130 million since 2005, his second year as a reality TV star," his "long-hidden tax records, obtained by The New York Times, show that Mr. Trump did not have to reach into his wallet for most of that giving. The vast bulk of his charitable tax deductions, $119.3 million worth, came from simply agreeing not to develop land - in several cases, after he had shelved development plans." The Times adds the records "show that much of his charity has come when he was under duress - facing damage to his reputation or big tax bills in years of high income." WPost Analysis: Trump Has To Pay Off $400M In Loans By 2024. The Washington Post (10/23, Fahrenthold, O'Connell, Partlow, 14.2M) reports that "in the next four years," President Trump "faces payment deadlines for more than $400 million in loans - just as the pandemic robs his businesses of customers and income, according to a Washington Post analysis of Trump's finances." The Post adds, "The bills coming due include loans on his Chicago hotel, his D.C. hotel and his Doral resort, all hit by a double whammy: Trump's political career slowed their business, then the pandemic ground it down much further." The Post goes on to report that "if Trump is reelected, these loan-saddled properties could present a significant conflict of interest: The president will owe enormous sums to banks that his government regulates." INTERNATIONAL NEWS European Countries Impose New Restrictions Amid Second Wave Of COVID Cases. The Wall Street Journal (10/25, Al, Walker, Bisserbe, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports Italy, Spain, France, and other European countries are responding to an increase in coronavirus cases by enacting new restrictions. The AP (10/25) reports the Spanish government on Sunday "declared a national state of emergency that includes an overnight curfew in hopes of not repeating the near collapse of the country's hospitals." Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez "said the decision to restrict free movement on the streets of Spain between 11 p.m.-6 a.m. allows exceptions for commuting to work, buying medicine, and caring for elderly and young family members." Reuters (10/25, Carrefio, Jones) reports the new rules "go into force from Sunday night and will require all regions except the Canary Islands to impose a nighttime curfew and limit the number of people allowed to meet to six." The New York Times (10/25, Kwai, 18.61M) reports Spain in March had "invoked emergency powers to enact one of the world's strictest lockdowns," which "was lifted in June, but as cases spiked after the country reopened over the summer, officials reinstated a partial lockdown in swaths of the country, including the capital of Madrid." According to the Times, Spain was "the first Western European country to surpass one million cases this week, though Mr. Sanchez has said the number of cases may be as high as three million people." Meanwhile, the AP (10/25, D'Emilio) reports Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte "imposed at least a month of new restrictions across the country Sunday to fight rising coronavirus infections, shutting down gyms, pools and movie theaters, putting an early curfew on cafes and restaurants and mandating that people keep wearing masks outdoors." The New York Times (10/25, Pianigiani, 18.61M) reports Italy "was the first Western country to go on a general lockdown last March," but the government "introduced the new restrictions starting on Monday with the hope of avoiding a second lockdown that would severely damage the country's economy." EFTA01659019 The Washington Post (10/25, Mellen, 14.2M) reports Italy "had 1,208 covid-19 patients in intensive care on Sunday - more than on March 9, when Conte announced the lockdown." Colombia Passes 1M Confirmed Coronavirus Cases. The AP (10/25) reports Colombia "reached 1 million confirmed coronavirus cases on Saturday, becoming the second country in Latin America to report that number in less than a week." According to the AP, Colombia, a nation of 50 million, "saw cases peak in August and has seen a decline since but still continues to register around 8,000 new infections a day." Malaysia's King Rejects PM's Proposal To Declare COVID State Of Emergency. The AP (10/25, Ng) reports Malaysia's king "rejected a proposal by embattled Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to declare a state of emergency to fight a new outbreak of the coronavirus." In a statement, the palace said Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah "is of the opinion that there is currently no need for His Majesty to declare a state of emergency in this country or any part of Malaysia." The AP says Muhyiddin's plan, "which involves suspending Parliament, has sparked national outrage, with critics slamming the move as an undemocratic means for him to hang on to power amid challenges to his leadership." Iraqis Protest A Year After Demonstrations That Toppled Government. The Washington Post (10/25, Loveluck, Salim, 14.2M) reports thousands of Iraqis "took to the streets of Baghdad on Sunday, a year after large-scale protests over corruption and a lack of basic services swept Iraq and toppled the government." Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi "pledged that security forces would avoid the kind of harsh crackdown carried out during the months-long protest movement. More than 500 protesters were killed in the violence. Sunday's demonstrations, for the most part, stayed peaceful." As Peace Talks Continue, Taliban Fighters Stage Attacks Across Afghanistan. The Washington Post (10/25, Constable, 14.2M) reports Taliban fighters have, in recent weeks, "staged ground attacks and bombings in 24 of Afghanistan's 34 provinces, leaving scores dead. ... The message of the surge is clear and coldblooded. Even as Taliban delegates continue to nominally participate in peace talks with Afghan leaders in Qatar, the insurgents have shown no intention of reducing violence. Instead, they appear out to prove they can wreak havoc everywhere." The Post says most Afghan observers "agreed that the violence is aimed at gaining advantage at the Doha talks, but some said it seemed more likely to destroy them. Several observers warned that the insurgents were taking dangerous risks in pushing things so far, and that instead of leading them to victory in battle or at the peace table, it could lead to chaos." Trump Announces Sudan Will Recognize Israel. President Trump on Friday announced Sudan will join the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in normalizing relations with Israel. While the network newscasts did not provide coverage, the New York Times (10/23, Jakes, Walsh, Halbfinger, 18.61M) says the deal "began with opening economic and trade ties," but "it appeared to stop short of establishing full diplomatic relations, as Israel has planned with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in similar agreements that Mr. Trump helped negotiate, as he seeks to claim foreign policy achievements ahead of the Nov. 3 election." The AP (10/23, Riechmann) reports Sudan is "the third Arab state to do so as part of U.S.- brokered deals in the run-up to Election Day." The AP also says Sudan has "agreed to put $335 million in an escrow account to be used to compensate American victims of terror attacks," including "the 1998 bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania by the al-Qaida network while its leader, Osama bin Laden, was living in Sudan. In exchange, Trump notified EFTA01659020 Congress on Friday of his intent to remove Sudan from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism." Reuters (10/23, Spetalnick) reports Trump "sealed the agreement in a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and Transitional Council Head Abdel Fattah al-Burhan." Reuters adds, "Trump's decision this week to remove Sudan from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism paved the way for the accord with Israel, marking a foreign policy achievement for the Republican president as he seeks a second term." Reuters goes on to report that Israel and Sudan "plan to begin by opening economic and trade links, with an initial focus on agriculture." The President tweeted, "HUGE win today for the United States and for peace in the world. Sudan has agreed to a peace and normalization agreement with Israel! With the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, that's THREE Arab countries to have done so in only a matter of weeks. More will follow!" In addition, Bloomberg (10/23, Wingrove, Alamin, Levingston, 4.73M) quotes Trump as saying, "The state of Israel and the Republic of Sudan have agreed to make peace. It's peace in the Middle East without bloodshed." The Wall Street Journal (10/23, Schwartz, Bariyo, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) also reports Trump said the countries will begin negotiations on cooperation agreements for several industries. Reuters (10/23, Sawafta, al-Mughrabi, Ayyub) quotes Netanyahu as saying, "This is a new era. An era of true peace. A peace that is expanding with other Arab countries - three of them in recent weeks." Netanyahu added, "In Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, the three principles of the Arab League were adopted in 1967: No peace with Israel, no recognition of Israel, and no negotiations with Israel. ... Whereas today Khartoum says - yes to peace with Israel, yes to recognition of Israel and to normalization with Israel." In addition, the Washington Post (10/23, Al, Gearan, Hendrix, 14.2M) reports on its front page that Netanyahu "said [Israel and Sudan] would soon negotiate cooperative agreements in agriculture, trade and aviation, as Israel has begun to do with the UAE and Bahrain. 'The skies of Sudan are open to Israel today. This allows for direct and shorter flights between Israel and Africa and South America,' he said." However, the Washington Post (10/23, Berger, 14.2M) reports that during a call with Netanyahu, "the conversation took a turn when Trump pivoted from the day's diplomatic development to ask Netanyahu if 'Sleepy Joe' - the president's nickname for his Democratic rival Joe Biden - would have achieved a similar result." The Post adds, "Judging by Trump's reaction, he may not have received the response he expected from Netanyahu, one of the president's most fervent global allies, less than two weeks ahead of the presidential election." Politico (10/23, Forgey, 4.29M) similarly reports Netanyahu "passed up [the] opportunity to knock...Biden, seemingly deflating...Trump in the presence of reporters in the Oval Office." Meanwhile, Reuters (10/23, Abdallah) says the UAE "welcomed Sudan's decision to start relations with Israel, state news agency WAM reported early on Saturday" while Reuters (10/23, Tolba, Awadalla) reports Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said, "I welcome the joint efforts of the United States, Sudan and Israel to normalize relations between Sudan and Israel and I value all efforts aimed at establishing regional peace and stability." However, Reuters (10/23, Sawafta) also reports that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas "said...the Palestinians reject and condemn Sudan's move to normalise ties with Israel under a U.S.- brokered agreement." Israel Drops Objection To US Sales Of F-35s To UAE. Bloomberg (10/23, Levingston, 4.73M) reports that also on Friday, Netanyahu indicated that Israel "won't object to the sale of 'certain weapons systems' to the United Arab Emirates...making it likely the U.S. will sell Lockheed Martin Corp.'s F-35 stealth jet to the Gulf country." According to Bloomberg, "The Israeli announcement comes after a meeting between Defense Minister Benny Gantz and U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper at the Pentagon on Thursday." Bloomberg says the UAE "has been seeking to buy the F-35 for several years, and Emirati officials said their recent agreement to normalize relations with Israel would enable a deal." EFTA01659021 According to Reuters (10/23), "Under a principle of preserving Israel's 'qualitative military edge,' the United States consults with it on proposed sales of advanced arms to other countries in the region." Reuters reports that when "asked about potential F-35 sales to the UAE, Trump said the 'process is moving along." Trump is quoted as saying, "We've never had a dispute with UAE; they've always been on our side. And that process is moving along - I think hopefully rapidly." Meanwhile, Bloomberg (10/23, Wingrove, Alamin, Levingston, 4.73M) characterizes Israel's decision not to block the deal as "a significant boost to the Gulf nation." Trump, Hamdok Urge Egypt, Ethiopia To Reach Dam Agreement. Reuters (10/23, Mason, Ali) reports Trump and Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok on Friday "called for an agreement to be reached over" the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). Reuters adds Trump told reporters he "told Egypt [the dispute] was a dangerous situation and that Cairo could end up 'blowing up that dam" and "said he had brokered an agreement to resolve the issue but that Ethiopia had broken the pact, forcing him to cut funds." Trump asserted, "I had a deal done for them and then unfortunately Ethiopia broke the deal, which they should not have done. It was a big mistake." Trump added, "They will never see that money unless they adhere to the agreement." He continued, "You can't blame Egypt for being a little upset." Administration Officials Celebrate Israel-Sudan Deal. On Fox News Outnumbered Overtime (10/23), White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows hailed Sudan's decision to normalize relations with Israel. On Fox Business The Claman Countdown (10/23), White House Trade Advisor Peter Navarro lauded the recent US peace deals with Middle Eastern and African countries. Meadows Predicts More Middle East Peace Deals. Chief of Staff Meadows was asked on Fox News' Sunday Morning Futures (10/25) about the recent peace deal normalizing ties between Israel and Sudan. Meadows said, "We will see more countries coming in. The President has been not only a leader but he's been very proactive on trying to make sure that peace in the Middle East is really not just a dream but a reality. I can tell you that for him, it's all about our men and women in the military; wanting to make sure that we don't get involved in endless wars. ... He's made sure that the military is well-funded. But listen if you had asked me even three years ago or three months ago if we would have an agreement between Sudan and Israel, I would not have put the odds at a great betting odd but never bet against this President." Pompeo, Esper To Reinforce Trump's Anti-China Message In India. The AP (10/25, Sharma) reports Secretary of State Pompeo and Defense Secretary Esper "will visit India for meetings focused largely on countering China's growing global influence." The talks "this week in New Delhi aim to reinforce the president's anti-China campaign message." Pompeo and Esper "will meet their Indian counterparts for strategic and security talks on Tuesday, after which Pompeo will travel on to Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Indonesia. All of them are contending with a tug-of-war between Washington and Beijing that has intensified as Trump seeks to paint Biden as weak on China." The Wall Street Journal (10/25, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports Indian officials said the US and India are expected to sign a military agreement this week to strengthen cooperation in the Pacific and Indian oceans. WPost Analysis: Putin has Benefitted From Trump's Time In Office. The Washington Post (10/25, Rucker, Harris, 14.2M) reports, "Few countries have benefited more geopolitically from Trump's time in office than Russia." As Russia's leader, Vladimir Putin "has systematically sought to grow his nation's influence at America's expense by breaking up its long-standing alliance structure and discrediting its democratic institutions and values." During the four years of the Trump Administration, he "has succeeded to a remarkable degree, aided by the credibility and support on the world stage that Trump has given him, according to national security and foreign policy experts, some of them Trump's most strident critics." EFTA01659022 Thousands Of Belarusians Protest, Demanding Lukashenko's Resignation. The AP (10/25) reports tens of thousands protested in the streets of Belarus' capital Sunday, "pressing for the resignation of the country's authoritarian president." More than "200,000 people took part in the largest demonstration in Minsk since late August, the Viasna human rights center said." Demonstrators "carried red and white flags and marched while chanting 'Go away!' and 'New election!,' references to a disputed presidential vote that returned President Alexander Lukashenko to a sixth term and triggered almost daily protests." The Wall Street Journal (10/25, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) says thousands of Belarusians have joined the weekly protests for nearly three months. The rallies often draw more than 100,00 people who believe opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya should have been declared the winner. Reuters (10/25) says Lukashenko "defied an ultimatum to surrender power by midnight on Sunday, challenging his opponents to make good on their threat to paralyse the country with a national strike." Reuters adds "the crisis in the former Soviet republic entered a new phase with the expiry of the "People's Ultimatum" set by...Tsikhanouskaya." Tsikhanouskaya "has urged Belarusians from Monday to block roads, shut down workplaces, stop using government shops and services and withdraw all money from their bank accounts." The Washington Post (10/25, Khurshudyan, 14.2M) says it is "unclear whether Belarusians will heed her call for a strike. While many workers at major state-owned factories and other enterprises went on strike in the first week after the election, those stoppages were short-lived because of threats that those employees would lose their jobs permanently." Armenia, Azerbaijan Agree To Cease-Fire. The AP (10/25, Demourian) reports while "fighting over the Nagorno-Karabakh region continued Sunday," Armenia and Azerbaijan "reiterated their commitment to a peaceful resolution of their decades-old conflict and agreed to a third attempt to establish a cease-fire after four weeks of hostilities." The cease fire, which is "set to begin at 8 a.m. (0400 GMT) Monday was announced in a joint statement by the governments of the United States, Armenia and Azerbaijan." Reuters (10/25, Bagirova, Pamuk) reports President Trump tweeted, "Congratulations to Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who just agreed to adhere to a cease fire effective at midnight. Many lives will be saved." The Washington Post (10/25, Khurshudyan, DeYoung, 14.2M) says Trump "appeared Sunday to back Armenia, saying its troops were 'fighting like hell." During a campaign rally in New Hampshire, "Trump noted a group of Armenians had attended his recent reelection rally in Ohio." Trump praised the Armenian "spirit," and said of the dispute: "We'll get that straightened. I call that an easy one." The Wall Street Journal (10/25, McBride, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) provides similar coverage. Polish Protesters Disrupt Church Services After Tightening Of Abortion Law. The AP (10/25, Gera) reports Polish women's rights activists "staged protests outside and inside churches Sunday, disrupting Masses" in opposition to "a tightening of Poland's already restrictive abortion law." The protests "follow a ruling on Thursday by Poland's constitutional court that declared that aborting fetuses with congenital defects is unconstitutional. Poland already had one of Europe's most restrictive abortion laws, and the ruling will result in a near- complete ban on abortion." Reuters (10/25, Ptak, Stezycki) and the Washington Post (10/25, 14.2M) provide similar coverage. France Withdraws Its Ambassador To Turkey. The Washington Post (10/25, McAuley, Fahim, 14.2M) reports French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Sunday that France is recalling Ambassador to Turkey Herve Magro a day after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo6an "sharply criticized French President Emmanuel Macron's response to the beheading of a teacher who had shown students pictures of the prophet Muhammad, strictly prohibited by the Muslim faith." Le Drian said the decision to withdraw EFTA01659023 Magro is due to a "hateful and slanderous propaganda against France, testifying to a desire to stir up hatred against us and our heart," as well as "direct insults against the President of the Republic, expressed at the highest level of the Turkish state." The AP (10/25, Ganley) reports, "A day after saying that Macron needed his head examined, [Erdo§an] said Sunday that the French leader has 'lost his way." Bloomberg (10/25, Ozsoy, Nussbaum, 4.73M) provides similar coverage. Chileans Vote To Draft A New Constitution. The New York Times (10/25, Bonnefoy, 18.61M) reports Chileans voted Sunday to do way with its "dictatorship-era" constitution "and write a new one — a process that could transform the politics of a country that has long been regarded as one of the most stable and prosperous in Latin America." The referendum appeared "headed for a landslide victory; with 62 percent of the votes counted, 78 percent were cast in favor of a new Constitution, and it was leading in almost every part of the country." Bloomberg (10/25, Malinowski, Thomson, 4.73M) reports, "The referendum was one of several concessions that the government and lawmakers agreed to in order to quell riots that started last October." the protests, which began over "a metro fare increase...quickly spiraled into a broader social movement with grievances ranging from pensions to education." Venezuelan Opposition Leader Arrives In Madrid. Reuters (10/25) reports Spain's foreign ministry said Venezuelan opposition politician Leopoldo Lopez arrived in Madrid on Sunday. Lopez spent "the past year at the Spanish ambassador's residence in Venezuela to escape house arrest." The Spanish foreign ministry said in a statement that Lopez decision to leave the embassy was "personal and voluntary." Fiftieth Country Ratifies Treaty On The Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. The New York Times (10/25, Gladstone, 18.61M) reports Honduras has become the 50th country to ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which is "aimed at destroying all nuclear weapons and forever prohibiting their." Fifty countries ratifying the accord is "an important benchmark" because it is "the minimum needed for it to enter into force as international law." The Times adds that the treaty "is not binding on those nations that refuse to sign on to it. The United States and the world's eight other nuclear-armed countries — Russia, China, Britain, France, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel - boycotted the negotiations that created the treaty and have shown no inclination to accept it." WPost Urges Openness About Invisible Attacks On US Diplomats, Intel Officers. A Washington Post (10/25, 14.2M) editorial calls for "more openness from the U.S. government" about the "invisible attacks on American diplomats and intelligence officers abroad." The attacks, which "began in Cuba and China," left "U.S. officials with headaches, dizziness, blurred vision and memory loss after hearing strange noises and feeling odd sensations." The Post says Congress should have "a report commissioned by the State Department and completed some months ago into the attacks" and make it public. The Post argues, "That is the first of many steps still needed to identify the perpetrators, protect Americans abroad and respond properly." THE BIG PICTURE Headlines From Today's Front Pages. Wall Street Journal: Europe Imposes New Covid-19 Restrictions As Second Wave Accelerates EFTA01659024 Dividend Darlings Trail Stock Market Despite Pumped-Up Yields Samsung Heir Takes Reins Of Tech Giant Stuck In His Father's Past Business On Biden: Not So Bad, Given The Alternatives Brazilians Turn To Botox To Wipe Away That Quarantine Frown China Trade War Didn't Boost U.S. Manufacturing Might New York Times: Infection Of Pence Aides Raises New Questions About Trump's Virus Response Inside Decades Of Nepotism And Bungling At The N.Y.C. Elections Board A Voting Rights Battle In A School Board 'Coup' Pope Francis Appoints First African-American Cardinal Biden Pledges Ambitious Climate Action. Here's What He Could Actually Do Washington Post: U.S. Unrest, Ailing Alliances Are Seen As 'Gift' To Putin The Headstones Dumped In The Potomac White House Is Again Afflicted Biden Tries To Narrow Deep Divide Walks A Delicate Tightrope On Climate D.C.'s Gregory Is Named First African American Cardinal Trump Flouted Safety Pact For Minn. Rally, Records Show Financial Times: US Records Worst Covid-19 Week Since Summer Peak Lee Kun-Hee, Samsung Family Patriarch, 1942-2020 Private Jets Take Off As Wealthy Flyers Seek To Avoid Virus Washington Times: Trump Falls Far Behind Biden In Fundraising GSA Plot Hindered Trump In Transition Pre-election Litigation Already Keeping Lawyers, Courts Busy Across The Country COVID-19 Resurgence Strains Rural Hospitals, Worries Officials Establishment Diplomats Hope To Reclaim Clout Under Biden Story Lineup From Last Night's Network News: ABC: Pence-COVID; Early Voting; COVID-Cases; Wildfires; Weather Report; Latino Vote; Murder Hornets; NYC-College Student Hit With Stray Bullet; Pope Francis-New Cardinals; California-Firefighter's 10 Year Old Daughter Tells Why Her Dad Is A Hero. CBS: Pence-COVID; COVID-Voting; Wildfires; Pope Francis-New Cardinals; Absentee Voting; SCOTUS Seat; Female Judges Who Were Trailblazers; African American Male Voters; Los Angeles-Mountain Lion Sighting; Salem-Halloween 2020. NBC: Pence-COVID; Campaign Trail; COVID-Cases; COVID-Masks; Florida-Senior Vote; Tropical Storm Zeta; Weather Report; Pope Francis-New Cardinals; Black Senate Candidates; Wedding During Coronavirus. Network TV At A Glance: Pence-COVID - 9 minutes, 30 seconds Story Lineup From This Morning's Radio News Broadcasts: ABC: Pence-COVID; Fauci-Masks; SCOTUS Nominee; Tropical Storm Zeta; Wildfires. CBS: Early Voting; Pence-COVID; COVID-Cases; COVID-Italy; PG&E-Power Shutoffs; SCOTUS Nominee. FOX: Biden-Online Concert; Harris-Campaigning; Pence-North Carolina Rally; Gas Prices. NPR: Pence-COVID; Trump-NH Rally; Sen. Harris-Drive-In Campaign Events; Biden-Online Concert; PG&E-Power Shutoffs. EFTA01659025 WASHINGTON'S SCHEDULE Today's Events In Washington. White House: • President Trump — Delivers victory remarks to American workers in Allentown, Pennsylvania; delivers remarks at a Make America Great Again Victory Rally in Lititz, Pennsylvania; delivers remarks at a Make America Great Again Victory Rally in Martinsburg, Pennsylvania. • Vice President Pence — Delivers remarks at a Make America Great Again! Event in Hibbing, Minnesota. US Senate: • No scheduled events. US House: • House of Representatives on recess from 2 Oct - 16 Nov Cabinet Officers: • Secretary of State Pompeo continues India / Sri Lanka / Maldives / Indonesia trip - Secretary of State Mike Pompeo continues trip to India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Indonesia, with agenda, respectively, including joining Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and their Indian counterparts in leading the third annual U.S.-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in New Delhi; visiting Colombo; visiting Male; and visiting Jakarta to deliver public remarks and meet his Indonesian counterparts Visitors: • No visitors scheduled. This Town: • Yahoo Finance All Markets Summit held virtually - Yahoo Finance All Markets Summit - 'Road to Recovery'. Speakers include NIH National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr Anthony Fauci, Citigroup CEO Michael Corbat and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Co-Chair Bill Gates; 9:00 AM • Federal Reserve Board of Governors closed meeting - Federal Reserve Board of Governors closed meeting to review and determine the advance and discount rates to be charged by the Federal Reserve Banks Location: Federal Reserve Board, 20th Street & Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC; 11:30 AM • Central European foreign ministers speak on Atlantic Council online event - 'The U.S. and Central Europe: Shaping the post-COVID-19 transatlantic agenda' Atlantic Council virtual event as part of the Central Europe Week virtual series, with Slovak Republic Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Ivan Korcok, Czech Republic Minister of Foreign Affairs Tomas Petricek, Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Zbigniew Rau, and Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade State Secretary for Information and the International Representation of Hungary Tamas Menczer; 11:45 AM • CDC Center for Preparedness and Response Board of Scientific Counselors meeting; 12:30 PM Copyright 2020 by Bulletin Intelligence LLC Reproduction or redistribution without permission prohibited. 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