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NEED TO KNOW

Debate Changes Mulled

The Commission on Presidential Debates said yesterday it was considering changes to the structure of the next two presidential debates. The news follows a Tuesday face-off between President Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden that quickly descended into interruptions, with little in the way of substantive policy debate. The commission did not say what changes were under review—some have suggested the mics be cut—but said it would announce updates soon. The remaining debates are scheduled for Oct. 15 and 22, with the vice presidential debate Wednesday. 

Separately, a battle is brewing in Florida, where those with past felony convictions have until Oct. 5 to pay court fines and fees to be eligible to vote. Voting rights activists—including former presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg—have raised money for those affected, prompting an ethics complaint from state officials. See an overview here.

Separately, an effort by LeBron James to recruit poll workers netted 10,000 volunteers.

Seagram's Heiress Sentenced 

Clare Bronfman, the heir to the billion-dollar Seagram's empire, was sentenced to six years and nine months on sex trafficking charges for her role in the cultlike self-help organization NXIVM (pronounced NEX-e-um). Holding a leadership position in the group, Bronfman helped organize and perpetuate "master-slave" relationships in a subgroup that used blackmail ($$, NYT) to coerce female members to carry out orders, including having sex with the group's leader, Keith Raniere. She was also accused of using her fortune to aggressively pursue legal action against defectors. 

The broader organization, operating as a multilevel marketing scheme selling executive development seminars, burst into public view when Bronfman and "Smallville" actress Allison Mack were accused, among other things, of branding women with Raniere's initials. Bronfman remained loyal to Raniere through sentencing.

Catch HBO's "The Vow" (trailer) for an in-depth look at how the case broke.

Caucasus Conflict Escalates

The death toll in a conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region has risen to nearly 100, with at least seven civilians killed. Observers say the hostilities, which follow border clashes between the two countries over the summer, threaten to spiral into a larger war. 

The mountainous, 1,700-square-mile territory is technically part of Azerbaijan but is mostly home to ethnic Armenians (see map). Largely practicing self-rule, the area has been a de facto autonomous state for almost three decades. Experts worry the fighting will expand and destabilize the wider South Caucasus region. Turkey has openly backed Azerbaijan—and has had historically chilly relations with Armenia—while Iran, the southern neighbor, has been rumored to have supplied Armenia with weapons. Russia, with a military base in Armenia, has called for de-escalation. 

See an excellent visualization of the conflict and its history.

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GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE

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IN THE KNOW

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

> Los Angeles Lakers handle Miami Heat 116-98 to take Game 1 of the NBA Finals (More) | Astros, Rays, and Yankees all advance to American League Division Series of MLB playoffs (More)

> Helen Reddy, 1970s Grammy Award-winning singer best known for "I Am Woman," dies at 78 (More) | Country music singer-songwriter Mac Davis dies at 78 (More)

> NFL reverses decision, postpones Sunday’s Tennessee Titans-Pittsburgh Steelers matchup until Monday or Tuesday due to Titans' COVID-19 outbreak (More)

Science & Technology

Brought to you by Honey

> AI-powered algorithm identifies COVID-19 in patients' lungs with same efficacy as physicians, while distinguishing the symptoms from influenza (More) | US reports more than 7.2 million total cases, with 206,959 deaths; see rolling averages here (cases, deaths)

> MIT researchers validate basic physics behind its SPARC fusion experiment, construction to begin in 2021; concept could potentially generate power through a self-sustaining plasma (More) | See system design here (More, PDF) | How fusion works (More)

> New 3D-printed invisible fibers can detect breath, sound, and the presence of biological cells, a key advance in next-generation wearable devices and the Internet of Things (More)

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Business & Markets

> US stock markets up (S&P 500 +0.8%, Dow +1.2%, Nasdaq +0.7%) as third quarter ends higher for second consecutive quarter (More)

> US airlines begin furlough process of tens of thousands of employees as government bailout hopes fade (More)

> Data analytics firm Palantir and project management software firm Asana trade up in first day as public companies following direct listing IPOs (More)

Politics & World Affairs

> Judge approves $800M settlement from MGM Resorts for victims of the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting; today marks the third anniversary of the attack (More) | Suspect arrested in ambushing of two Los Angeles police officers (More)

> White House presents $1.5T counteroffer proposal for a coronavirus stimulus package, negotiations with House continue (More) | Senate passes short-term funding bill, keeping government open through Dec. 11 (More) | Former FBI Director James Comey testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee on 2016 Russia probe (More)

> Protests in India after lower-caste woman raped, killed, and body cremated allegedly without family's consent (More) | Black transgender woman shot and killed in Philadelphia; the 29th transgender homicide in the US, 10% above 2019's total (More)

IN-DEPTH

Lovers Make the Easiest Mark

Toronto Life | Katherine Laidlaw. Victoria thought she had met her perfect match in Shaun Rothberg—or was it Rootenberg?—a fit, successful, middle-aged divorced parent like herself. Two months later, she was handing over a $160,000 investment in his promising new startup. (Read)

The End of Deafness

Medium/Future Human | Emily Mullin. Genetic therapies that could cure deafness by altering a child's DNA are on the horizon, offering an alternative to cochlear implants. But many in the community don't view the condition as an impairment, resisting the idea it must be "cured." (Read)

A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN

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Returns as of 9/11/2020

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ETCETERA

Most voters say they were annoyed by the first presidential debate.

In case you missed it up top—Fat Bear Week is here.

Everything you need to know about Oktoberfest.

A long-running debate around a dinosaur feather has been settled.

Amazon acquires rights to "Borat" sequel.

How to turn corpses into compost (legally). ($$, Medium)

Commuter train ruins the day for these Harry Potter fans.

This $23M toilet is about to head to space.

Clickbait: Subway fails to meet the legal definition of bread.

Historybook: Yosemite National Park is established (1890); HBD President Jimmy Carter (1924); HBD actress Dame Julie Andrews (1935); Walt Disney World opens (1971); 58 killed, 868 injured in mass shooting in Las Vegas (2017).

"Perseverance is failing 19 times and succeeding the 20th."

- Dame Julie Andrews

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