• President Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans fighting the impeachment inquiry got the boost they needed Wednesday when The New York Times reported that the Democratic Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Adam Schiff of California, had previous knowledge of the CIA whistleblower's complaint about Trump's Ukraine phone call.
• Schiff had previously said he had no contact with the whistleblower, but the Times reported that the person came to the House Intelligence Committee out of frustration that the complaint might not see proper attention internally.
• The whistleblower did not contact the Senate Intelligence Committee, led by Republican Richard Burr of North Carolina.
• “Big stuff. That’s a big story,” Trump said, waving a copy of the article in the air. “He knew long before and helped write it, too. It’s a scam.”
• “The intelligence community whistle-blower followed the advice of legal counsel from the beginning,” said Andrew Bakaj, the lead counsel for the whistle-blower. “The laws and processes have been followed.”
• Read the full story HERE.

• The Alabama Department of Public Health has confirmed the state’s first vaping-related death.
• A news release Wednesday said an East Alabama man died of lung disease associated with e-cigarettes.
• Chronic Disease Epidemiologist Sondra Reese says the department cannot give his age or other details because of privacy laws.
• The department says it has identified three other probable cases of vaping-related illness and is investigating nine other possible cases. Reese says the department ruled out vaping as the cause of illness in six other patients.
• The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported 12 deaths from vaping-related illness in 10 states as of Sept. 24. Alabama is among several states to report their first such deaths since then.

• The U.S. Air Force recently awarded Boeing a $122.9 million contract to upgrade the cryptography unit of the Boeing-built Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

• The upgrade will provide remote, over-the-air rekey and code change capability for the missile system.

• Some development and assembly work will be performed in Huntsville at Boeing's Electronics Center of Excellence, which recently underwent a 28,000 square-foot expansion.

• Boeing has provided the Minuteman ICBM for the U.S. Air Force since October 1958.

• WASHINGTON/LONDON (Reuters) - Alabama aerospace workers won an unexpected reprieve from escalating trade tensions on Wednesday when the United States spared an Airbus plant in the state from the impact of tariffs against the European airplane builder.
• While Airbus aircraft built in Europe will be hit with a tariff of 10% after the World Trade Organization allowed Washington to impose sanctions on EU goods, semi-finished fuselages and wings are exempted, an official list showed. 
• That means large parts shipped to the deep-sea Alabama port of Mobile from plants in Europe will not be hit by the duties, allowing Airbus to continue to supply U.S.-based airlines with a limited number of locally assembled aircraft.
• The issue has been a big priority for U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne.
• “This is a massive win for the thousands of Alabama workers connected to Airbus Mobile. I thank President Trump for joining me in always fighting for America first. Today's decision is a major win for the citizens of Alabama and our country, and I thank Senator Shelby, Governor Ivey, Mayor Stimpson and others who joined me in working with the Administration on this issue.” Byrne said.
• Read more HERE.