THE PORT ANGELES GLOBE: 10/23/20

View video of Biden bragging about During a Council on Foreign Relations discussion on January 23, 2018, Joe Biden bragged about how he threatened to withhold $1 billion in U.S. loans as a pressure tactic to force Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to immediately fire Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oesl2RXpfPQ

If that isn't an example of extortion, by Biden, not Trump, then someone is doing their best to cover it up for Biden.

Trump-Biden Second Debate

President Trump and Joe Biden, the Democratic presidential nominee, faced off in their second and final debate, which was held at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. They sparred over several questions, including the coronavirus response, national security and foreign policy, climate change, race in America, and health care. Kristen Welker of NBC News moderated the debate.--Watch the video from CSPAN

https://www.c-span.org/video/?475796-1/trump-biden-debate

Here are a few headlines about the debate last night:

Debate Recap: Trump Was in Command While Biden Told a Bunch of Whoppers--PJ Media

WATCH: The Moment Joe Biden Realized He Lost the Debate---PJ Media

Americans Will Pay More in Taxes Under Biden's Plan

Picking apart Biden's dubious denials that his tax plan won't cost Americans more.---Patriot Post

Donald Trump Won the Debate

This is the one they’ll be talking about years from now.--American Spectator

How the Internet Viewed the Presidential Debate--NYT

Candidates clash over pandemic, trade allegations of corruption

President Trump cast Joe Biden as a scandal-plagued politician who failed over decades in office. Biden portrayed Trump as a demagogue who criminally abused immigrants and mishandled the pandemic.--WP

Analysis: Trump cools his bluster but doesn’t transform a race he’s losing

President Trump was more restrained than in his first debate with Joe Biden, but all the Democrat had to do was not mess up.---LA TIMES

Trump Seizes on Biden Oil Comment to Warn Swing State Voters--NEWSMAX

AI-powered computer says Trump won the debate--Washington Times

Welker defies expectations, asks Biden about Hunter's business affairs--Washington Examiner

TOP HEADLINE NEWS FOR TODAY...

Murray, Cantwell, Colleagues Ask National Guard for Wildfire Readiness Assessment to Help Congress Address Gaps, Better Equip the Guard.

Press release issued 10/22/20

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) joined Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and 11 of their colleagues in a letter asking the National Guard for a report on its readiness to help states prepare, fight, and recover from wildfires. The report will help Congress address any current needs and utilize all available resources to respond to this year’s record wildfire season. The senators also noted that such a report will help Congress better equip the Guard in the future for the likelihood of increasingly severe and destructive fire seasons brought on by human-driven climate change.

“We commend all the heroic men and women of the National Guard who have been responding to raging wildfires as part of a federal, state, and local effort,” the senators wrote in their letter to the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, General Daniel R. Hokanson. “With a more complete understanding of the Guard’s ability to respond, we can ensure proper resourcing and will be better able to keep our Guard members always ready and always there.”

The 2020 wildfire season has been one of the worst in more than two decades. According to the most recent Incident Management Situation Report from the National Interagency Coordination Center, this year's wildfires have already burned 8,427,589 acres. The fires have killed dozens of Americans, destroyed thousands of structures, and displaced thousands. On August 19, Governor Inslee issued an emergency proclamation authorizing the Washington National Guard to respond to wildfires statewide. The National Guard has been active since in responding to fires across the state, including assisting with the Whitney Fire in Davenport that burned more than 127,430 acres.

In their letter, the senators requested the National Guard provide the following information:

The availability of appropriately trained personnel and equipment for firefighting-related needs;

An accounting of the capacity available through Emergency Management Assistance Compacts and whether expanding them may provide additional opportunities or wildfire capacity; and

Any National Guard Bureau plans or constructs developed with governors for coordinated regional response.

Department of Health to release monthly report on Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children--DOH

Olympia - The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is releasing new data about how many cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) are occurring statewide. This report will be published monthly and include county-level counts of MIS-C cases.

MIS-C is a condition that causes inflammation in different body parts, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, or gastrointestinal organs. Children with MIS-C may have a fever and symptoms such as abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, neck pain, rash, bloodshot eyes, or feeling extra tired. Symptoms can range from mild to severe with many patients requiring hospitalization. While we do not yet know what causes MIS-C, we know that many children with MIS-C had the virus that causes COVID-19.

As of October 10, a total of 15 children in Washington have been diagnosed with MIS-C since April. None have died. The graphs below show the case count by month and county.

While rare, MIS-C is a serious complication that appears to be associated with COVID-19. Children who suffer from MIS-C can become critically ill and some can even die.” said Dr. Kathy Lofy, State Health Officer. “That’s why it’s important that children also take measures to decrease their risk of COVID-19 like masking, hand washing, and social distancing. These are the best ways to limit the spread of COVID-19.”

WORLD NEWS HEADLINES:

UN salutes new Libya ceasefire agreement that points to ‘a better, safer, and more peaceful future’--UN NEWS CENTER

Warring parties in Libya on Friday agreed an historic ceasefire, which was hailed by the head of the UN Support Mission in the country (UNSMIL), who led the mediation, as a courageous act that can help secure a “a better, safer, and more peaceful future for all the Libyan people”.

Behind the global ceasefire call: 75 years of UN mediation, preventing conflict, promoting peace

When Member States signed the United Nations Charter 75 years ago, it was to prevent more existential conflicts and save succeeding generations from a third world war. Conflict prevention is part of the Organization’s DNA and remains a central priority today, a guiding principle behind the UN Secretary-General’s current call for a global ceasefire during the coronavirus pandemic. --UN NEWSCENTER

Rohingya conference pledges to ‘remain steadfast’ in finding solutions to crisis.

A joint UN-hosted donor conference to rally international support behind Myanmar’s displaced Rohingya minority, ended on Thursday with a promise to continue engaging with concerned countries towards finding a long-term solution to their plight.---UN NEWS CENTER

NATIONAL NEWS HEADLINES:

President Donald J. Trump is Taking Unprecedented Steps to Protect the Pensions of American Workers--WH

PROTECTING AMERICAN AUTOWORKERS: President Donald J. Trump is taking action to address the Obama administration’s decision to terminate the pension plans of non-union and salaried autoworkers of the Delphi Corporation.

Mission Engineering: Ensuring Key Technologies Drive the Joint Warfighting Concept--DOD

Justice Department Announces $5.3 Million in Awards to Support Operation Legend

At a roundtable with law enforcement in Indianapolis today, Attorney General William P. Barr announced that the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) is making up to $5.3 million available in grants to support Operation Legend. Eight Legend cities - Kansas City, Mo., Albuquerque, Cleveland, Detroit, Memphis, Milwaukee, St. Louis, and Indianapolis – will be eligible for up to $500,000 in grant funding to support Real Time Crime Centers, which provide police with rapid intelligence and instant information to help identify emerging crime patterns. In addition, more than $1.3 million will fund special prosecutors who have been cross-designated to try federal firearms cases originating in Albuquerque, Memphis, St. Louis, and Kansas City, Mo.--DOJ

BUSINESS & FINANCE NEWS:

Seattle Software Developer Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud for COVID-Relief Fraud Scheme

A Seattle man pleaded guilty today to one count of wire fraud for carrying out a scheme to defraud several COVID-19 relief programs.--DOJ

Federal Reserve Board fines the Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. $154 million for failure to maintain appropriate oversight, internal controls, and risk management with respect to 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB)---THE FED

FTC Data Shows Big Jump in Consumer Reports about Scams Originating on Social Media.

STATE HEADLINE NEWS:

Initial unemployment insurance claims for week of October 11 - 17, 2020--ESD

OLYMPIA – During the week of October 11 - 17, there were 16,890 initial regular unemployment claims (down 24.3 percent from the prior week) and 491,241 total claims for all unemployment benefit categories (up 3.0 percent from the prior week) filed by Washingtonians, according to the Employment Security Department (ESD).

WDFW to hold digital open house for southwest Washington.

OLYMPIA – Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Director Kelly Susewind and Southwest Region Director Kessina Lee will host an online meeting from 6-7 p.m. on Oct. 27, 2020 to discuss sea lion management in the Columbia River basin and take questions on other local topics.

Public invited to Nov. 6 Interstate Bridge Replacement Program steering group kickoff meeting--WSDOT

IN OTHER HEADLINES...