Good morning. It's Thursday, Oct. 22, and we're covering tonight's debate, Pope Francis, and a major opioid settlement. Have feedback? Let us know at [email protected].

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NEED TO KNOW

Final Face-Off

President Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden face off tonight in the second and final presidential debate, live from Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee (9pm ET, all major networks). NBC White House correspondent Kristen Welker will moderate the event. 

One of the biggest stories heading into the night is the decision by debate officials to mute microphones. Each candidate will be provided two minutes at the beginning of each of the six topics to speak uninterrupted. During that time, the opposing candidate's mic will be automatically turned off—the open discussion portion of each topic will not feature a mute button. Per reports, Welker will not be in control of the mics, and candidates will be allowed to freely engage with each other during the open dialogue. 

The debate comes 12 days ahead of the Nov. 3 election. Biden has maintained a steady and significant lead in national polling—races are tighter in battleground states (see poll averages)—and the event is one of the last high-profile opportunities for the president to close the polling gap. Meanwhile, analysts say Biden, who has stayed off the campaign trail to prep, faces pressure to avoid any major missteps. 

If you're feeling fatigued by election news, here are eight tips to stay sane.

Francis Makes a Break

In a break from Catholic Church doctrine, Pope Francis has endorsed legal recognition for same-sex couples. The statements came in the middle of a newly released documentary on Francis' pastoral approach, and mark the first time a pope has endorsed such a position. Though he had not issued an explicit decree as pontiff, Francis reportedly privately pushed the issue while serving as Archbishop of Buenos Aires.

Francis specified his support for civil union laws—the granting of equivalent legal rights—as opposed to church-sanctioned marriages. He also declared same-sex couples had the right to a family, which many argued revealed tacit support for adoption, another break from standing church doctrine. Since being elevated to the office in 2013, Francis has stressed outreach to LGBTQ members—though he typically emphasizes nonjudgmental engagement rather than specific policies.

Surveys suggest more than half of US Catholics support same-sex marriage. 

Historic Opioid Settlement

The Justice Department announced yesterday that OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma will plead guilty to three federal criminal conspiracy charges as part of an $8B settlement for its role in the US opioid epidemic. The high-profile settlement includes the largest penalties ever imposed against a pharmaceutical manufacturer, including a criminal fine of $3.5B and $2B in criminal forfeiture, plus a civil settlement of $2.8B. The court overseeing Purdue's bankruptcy must approve the settlement, while the company's executives and owners—the Sackler family—remain under criminal investigation.  

OxyContin, a powerful prescription painkiller, is widely blamed for fueling the opioid epidemic that resulted in nearly 450,000 US deaths between 1999 and 2018. The news comes as early data suggest US drug overdose deaths may reach an all-time high in 2020 due to the pandemic, which has exacerbated drug use while disrupting access to treatment. 

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IN THE KNOW

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

> Brandon Lowe homers twice to power Tampa Bay Rays to 6-4 win over Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 2 of World Series; series now tied 1-1 (More)

> Carrie Underwood wins top prize for Music Video of the Year at 2020 CMT Music Awards (More) | James Randi, magician and skeptic best known for debunking the paranormal, dies at 92 (More)

> Rudy Giuliani allegedly caught in compromising position in new “Borat” film; Giuliani denies any inappropriate behavior (More)

Science & Technology

> CRISPR gene editing is shown to fix the underlying genetic condition behind Angelman syndrome in mice studies; the neurodevelopmental condition has no known cure (More) | What is CRISPR? (More)

> Scientists uncover unique joint microstructure giving rise to the diabolical ironclad beetle's ultratough exoskeleton, with bioinspired applications for structural engineering (More)

> AI-powered algorithm predicts who is most likely to develop active tuberculosis from a latent infection (More) | Roughly 2 billion people estimated to carry the TB bacteria, mostly in the latent stage (More)

Business & Markets

Brought to you by The Ascent

> Quibi, short-form video streaming service cofounded by Meg Whitman and Jeffrey Katzenberg, to shut down six months after launch after raising $1.75B from investors (More)

> Tesla reports record quarterly revenues up 39% over last year, sees fifth consecutive profitable quarter; shares up 3% in after-hours trading (More) | GM announces sellout of first year’s supply of Hummer electric pickup truck after Tuesday’s unveil (More)

> PayPal to allow customers to buy and use cryptocurrency to pay for items, sending its stock and the cryptocurrency markets higher (More) | Airbnb hires Jony Ive, legendary designer who led Apple’s design alongside Steve Jobs (More)

Mortgage rates are at a historic low. No matter what you bought your home at, there's no stopping you from refinancing at the incredible market rates today, which can amount to thousands in savings. Carpe diem, while it lasts. #Ad

Politics & World Affairs

> US intelligence officials say Iran and Russia have directly tried to interfere in the 2020 election (More) | Iran said to be behind intimidating emails sent to Florida voters purporting to be from the far-right Proud Boys group (More)

> Oxford University vaccine trial to continue after Brazilian volunteer dies; sources say participant was in the placebo group (More) | US reports a total of 8.4 million cases as of this morning, with 222,210 deaths; see rolling averages (cases, deaths)

> Court filings reveal the parents of 545 migrant children, separated at the border under the 2017-18 "zero tolerance" policy, cannot be located following their deportation (More)

IN-DEPTH

The Global Crisis—In Data

Financial Times | Staff. This data-rich visual presentation is one of the best overviews we've seen on the evolution of the pandemic, from its December emergence in China to the current resurgence in the West. (More)

The Eighth Wonder of the World

The Verge | Josh Dzieza. Three years ago, Taiwanese mega-manufacturer Foxconn announced a $10B investment that would ultimately provide 13,000 jobs in southern Wisconsin. After three years and $400M in state support, neither the factory nor the jobs have materialized. (More)

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ETCETERA

A unique way to visualize the election. 

Participate in a fascinating experiment on how we view history.

The scariest novel set in every state. ($$, NYT)

The year's best photos celebrating the beauty of weather.

Visualizing the world's 100 smallest countries.

This hilarious short film was generated by AI.

The docuseries we all need for 2020. 

The best of the worst real estate listings.

Clickbait: Don't just eat bacon—inhale it.

Historybook: Original metropolitan Opera House opens in NYC (1883); Oscar-winning actress Joan Fontaine born (1917); Actress Annette Funicello born (1942); President Kennedy addresses nation on Cuban Missile Crisis (1962); HBD reggae artist Shaggy (1968).

"Effort and courage are not enough without purpose and direction."

- John F. Kennedy

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