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U.S. To Remove Sudan From Terrorism List

The U.S. State Department will remove Sudan from a list of countries that sponsor terrorism once its government pays a $335M settlement to American victims of terrorism and their families, President Trump announced yesterday. The move would end more than 25 years of U.S. efforts to isolate Sudan, and would allow the country to receive international loans and aid to bolster its economy.

More: The financial settlement stems from Sudan’s alleged role in bombing two U.S. embassies in Africa in 1998. Dig deeper.

Bolivian Election Results

The party of ex-Bolivian President Evo Morales appeared to claim victory in Bolivia’s presidential election that was held on Sunday. While no official announcement has been made, exit polls projected that Luis Arce, the candidate for Morales’s Movement Toward Socialism Party, received more than 50% of the vote compared to ~30% for his closest rival, who conceded the race on Monday.

More: Ex-President Morales resigned and fled Bolivia to Mexico one month after a disputed Oct. 2019 election in which he claimed a narrow victory for his unprecedented fourth term despite a public vote imposing term limits.

World Surpasses 40M Coronavirus Cases

The world exceeded 40M COVID-19 cases on Monday according to data aggregated by Johns Hopkins University, up from 30M global cases reached on Sept. 18. In the U.S., COVID-19 hospitalizations grew by 5% or more compared to last week in 37 states as of Sunday, according to a CNBC analysis, with record highs reached in ten states -- AK, IA, KY, MT, NE, OK, SD, UT, WI, & WV.

More: COVID-19 by the numbers.

Worth Noting: The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday left intact a ruling by Pennsylvania’s highest court that extended the state absentee ballot deadline by three days and allowed ballots with ineligible postmarks to be counted if received by the deadline.

🚨 Breaking News: The Commission on Presidential Debates released a new set of rules for this Thursday’s final debate, introducing a mute button for both candidates which will be activated during specific segments.

On The Fly

The TSA screened more than 1M passengers on Sunday, marking the first time the daily milestone was reached since the pandemic began. Though the figure represents a ~60% drop-off in passengers screened compared to the same time last year, it’s an increase over the ~100k passengers per day low point reached this past April.

E.T. Phone Home

NASA selected Nokia to build the first 4G cellular network on the moon, which will be used by astronauts to transmit biometric data, control lunar rovers, stream HD video, and enable voice and video communications. The contract is part of NASA’s Artemis Program, which plans to land astronauts on the moon by 2024, and establish a sustainable lunar human presence by 2028.

Oil Change

ConocoPhillips agreed to buy Concho Reserves for $9.7B yesterday in the biggest U.S. oil deal since the beginning of the pandemic. The combined company formed by the all-stock acquisition would be the largest independent U.S. oil-and-gas company with a sizable footprint in the world’s most lucrative shale field -- the Permian Basin, located in West Texas and New Mexico. (Map)

Still In The Running

Carrie Kelly of Salt Lake City, UT, just completed four miles of her community’s Beaver Creek Marathon on October 3rd when she began limping in pain. It seemed the running had re-aggravated her various injuries from over the years, causing Carrie to fall to last place as she attempted to continue the race. Suddenly, she heard footsteps running up behind her.

Shocked that there could be another contestant slower than herself, Carrie turned to find Fidel Ybarra – a prisoner on work release serving on the race’s cleanup crew. Fidel, who refused to let the struggling runner finish the marathon alone, accompanied Carrie for the remaining 22 miles of the race, encouraging her with kind words and jokes even as he completed the feat in work boots.

Good Call, Julia

The transition to online learning during the pandemic has posed new challenges for teachers, many of whom must now conduct virtual lessons from empty classrooms. Although this style of instruction can make educators feel distant from their students, in late September, elementary school teacher Julia Koch of Muskegon Heights, MI, encountered a situation in which it brought her closer to the life of a young learner.

Julia was in the middle of leading a lesson when one of her students began experiencing technical difficulties. Determined to troubleshoot the issue, the exceptional educator called the student’s grandmother, Cynthia Phillips, and noticed that the older woman was slurring her words. Acting quickly, Julia alerted 911, who determined Cynthia was having a stroke. Paramedics were then able to take the woman to a hospital, where she is expected to make a full recovery.

Finding Zoo-boomafoo

Last week, the staff at the San Francisco Zoo alerted the local police to a break-in at the facility, an incident which had resulted in the kidnapping of an elderly ring-tailed lemur named Maki. Although every animal is precious to the zoo, the zookeepers were especially worried about Maki because of his advanced age. At 21 years old, he’s surpassed the average life expectancy of his species by five years.

Just two days after Maki’s abduction, a five-year-old boy named James Trinh discovered the missing lemur playing on a nearby playground while waiting for his mother outside his pre-school in Daly City. As soon as his mother arrived, James insisted that she alert the zoo staff, and animal control soon came to take Maki home. The San Francisco Zoological Society has since pledged to donate $2,100 to the Hope Lutheran Church as a sign of their gratitude.

The Future of Veggies is Here

Shelf-stable, gluten-free, and packed with protein-and-fiber, Green Giant® Riced Veggies Blends make a yummy plant-based addition to power up any meal.

Made from ingredients like legume flour and dehydrated cauliflower, Green Giant® Riced Veggies Blends are a versatile alternative to rice. With no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives, dial your nutrients up to eleven with choices like Red Lentil, Green Pea, & Chickpea Trio, Chickpea Cauliflower Blend, or Green Pea & Chickpea Cauliflower Blend.

Did we mention it’s easy to make?
After a quick cook time, simply enjoy or include as a part of your favorite dish. Delicious, nutritious, and efficient -- a triple threat.