 | Wednesday 10.2.19 Which country has the world's most powerful passport? There's actually a tie for that title, and they're both in Asia. Here's what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and Out the Door.
By Doug Criss | |  | | Politics
What will the State Department's inspector general say? That's the question on everybody's mind this morning, after the inspector general requested an urgent, private briefing with senior congressional staff members. It's not entirely clear what information the inspector general will provide in today's briefing, but it's happening as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has pushed back on House Democrats' demands to turn over documents related to Ukraine and to depose current and former State officials as part of the impeachment inquiry. Pompeo accused the Democrats of "bullying" State Department staffers; the Dems said Pompeo needs to stop "intimidating" witnesses. Meanwhile, President Trump ramped up his anti-impeachment rhetoric and continued his verbal assault on the whistleblower who filed the complaint that alleges the President abused his powers. Trump and his allies have repeatedly maligned the whistleblower's motives and pushed to reveal the person's identity. In a tweet yesterday, the President wondered, "Why aren't we entitled to interview & learn everything about the Whistleblower, and also the person who gave all of the false information to him." But GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa criticized Trump on that, saying the whistleblower "ought to be heard out and protected." Grassley has been a longtime defender of whistleblowers. And finally, a headline came out last night that on any other day would be the lead story: The President suggested shooting migrants in the legs to slow them down after they cross the southern border. The shocking suggestion, The New York Times reported, came during a meeting in March in which Trump pushed for the shutdown of the entire US-Mexico border. CNN has reached out to the White House for comment. | |  | | North Korea
The US and North Korea agreed yesterday to resume nuclear talks. Then, the North marked this progress by firing off another ballistic missile earlier today. The missile was launched from an underwater launch platform, but it was not fired from a submarine, a US official told CNN. However, the missile that was tested is designed to function as a submarine-launched ballistic missile. It was fired off North Korea's east coast and landed in waters off Japan. Negotiations on denuclearization have stalled since February, when Trump cut short his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Vietnam. | |  | | Economy
More red warning lights are flashing for the economy. American manufacturing had its worst month in over a decade. A closely watched report says manufacturing activity dropped in September to a level not since June 2009, the month the Great Recession ended. Economists blamed the trade war with China for the manufacturing decline. The Dow took it hard, dropping nearly 350 points. President Trump blamed the Federal Reserve. | |  | | Opioid crisis
Pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson said it reached a $20.4 million settlement with two Ohio counties. In the settlement with Cuyahoga and Summit counties, the company admits no wrongdoing. Johnson & Johnson will also give $5.4 million to nonprofit groups in connection with opioid-related programs. The settlement comes as a landmark opioid trial is set to start later this month that combines nearly 2,000 cases involving cities, counties, communities and tribal lands. It accuses drug manufacturers, distributors, pharmacies and practitioners of shipping "hundreds of millions" of suspicious opioid doses over 20 years to their jurisdictions. | |  | | Affirmative action
A federal judge upheld Harvard's admission process after a group representing Asian-American applicants challenged it. The group argued at trial that the school's "personal" rating system hurts Asian-Americans and favors blacks and Hispanics, who generally have lower standardized test scores than Asian-Americans. The judge ruled that the university's admissions process, while "not perfect," is still constitutional. But this is probably not the end of this closely watched case. It's likely to be appealed and end up in the Supreme Court. | |  My life has not been the same. It's just been like a roller coaster. Allison Jean, mother of Botham Jean, testifying yesterday during the sentencing hearing for ex-Dallas police officer Amber Guyger. A jury hours earlier found Guyger guilty of murdering Jean after she entered his apartment, thinking it was her own, and shot him. | | |  | Sponsor Content from Wise Bread
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The number of arrests among children younger than 15 in the past five years in the United States, FBI statistics show | | |  | If you can't get 'Hamilton' tickets ... "Freestyle Love Supreme," the new improvisatory hip-hop musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda, opens today on Broadway. | |  | Dinner date
The little boy wants to share his meal. The Rottweiler is more than happy to oblige. (Click to view.) | | | | |
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