by Lowell
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Friday, October 31. Polls open in just 95 hours.
- After Decades of Protections, Green Sea Turtles Have Been Saved From Extinction—For Now (“Scientists caution fisheries and climate change still threaten the animals. Sustained conservation efforts must continue so the turtles can continue to recover, they say.”)
- For Years, Islands Have Warned of Climate Disaster. They’ve Seen Little Help.
- Exclusive: Russia uses missile in Ukraine that led Trump to quit nuclear treaty, Kyiv says (“The Ukraine foreign minister’s comments are the first confirmation that Russia has used the ground-launched 9M729 missile in combat – in Ukraine or elsewhere.”)
- What – if anything – did Asian countries get out of Donald Trump’s whirlwind tour? (“Uncertainty surrounds the signing of this week’s trade deals amid the failure to secure reciprocity from the US to cut tariffs”)
- Nvidia strikes bumper AI deals with Asia tech giants
- The $550 Billion Shadow Budget: Trump’s Japan Deal and the Disappearing Appropriations Clause
- A narrow Pacific waterway is at the heart of U.S. plans to choke China’s vast navy (“The U.S. has deployed troops and anti-ship missiles into the northern Philippines as part of almost continuous, joint war drills throughout the country. One goal: to block the Bashi Channel and deny Chinese warships access to the Pacific Ocean if Beijing attacks Taiwan.”)
- Executions and Mass Casualties: Videos Show Horror Unfolding in Sudan (“Evidence of atrocities emerging from the city of El Fasher stoked fears that the region of Darfur was plunging, again, into a cycle of genocidal violence.”)
- Classified U.S. report finds backlog of hundreds of possible Israeli human rights violations (“The State Department’s watchdog says it will take years to review credible allegations against Israeli military units in Gaza, according to officials, raising doubts about future accountability.”)
- Scoop: U.S. offered Hamas militants safe passage out of Israel-controlled Gaza zone
- Hamas hands over bodies of two Israeli hostages amid fragile Gaza truce (“Remains of Amiram Cooper and Sahar Baruch returned to Israel for burial after identification process, Israeli military said”)
- Hezbollah Is Rearming, Putting Cease-Fire at Risk (“Israel is losing patience as the Lebanese militant group restocks rockets, antitank missiles and artillery”)
- Prince Andrew to Be Stripped of His Royal Title (“The extraordinary move caps his fall from grace over his ties to the convicted sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein.”)
- Hurricane Melissa death toll nears 50 as Jamaica relief efforts intensify and storm heads north
- UN human rights chief says US strikes on alleged drug boats are ‘unacceptable’ (100%)
- U.S. boat strikes spread fear across the Caribbean
- Senators criticize Trump administration after Democrats were left out of a drug boat strike briefing
- Trump sets 7,500 annual limit for refugees entering US. It’ll be mostly white South Africans
- Noem rejects Illinois Gov. Pritzker’s request to pause immigration actions over Halloween weekend (Noem is pure evil.)
- ICE Wants to Build a Shadow Deportation Network in Texas (“A new ICE proposal outlines a 24/7 transport operation run by armed contractors—turning Texas into the logistical backbone of an industrialized deportation machine.”)
- Stephen Miller’s wife threatens to get US citizen deported as TV debate gets heated (So she’s just as heinous as her husband.)
- ICE made expansive request for taxpayer data amid IRS pushback
- Stephen Miller directing state department bureaus like ‘fiefdom’ as he shifts its focus to immigration (“Diplomats raise alarm over homeland security adviser assuming control through interagency phone meetings”)
- Here’s How Much Obamacare Prices Are Rising Across the Country
- Trump tells Democrats to ‘do something’ ahead of ObamaCare premiums spike (Reminder: REPUBLICANS control the White House, US Senate, US House and Supreme Court!)
- It’s decision time for millions facing spiking ACA premiums
- Are We Losing Our Democracy?
- Trump push to restart nuclear tests could take years, cost millions, experts say (So f’ing stupid. WHY???)
- ‘A Lot of Us Have Made Wills’: Anti-Fascists Dig In as Trump Cracks Down (“The president has given his administration a green light to go after activists who oppose his authoritarian regime”)
- Judge says prosecutors who were placed on leave ‘did a truly excellent job’
- All It Took for Trump to Dismantle the Justice Dept. (BTW, I really want to hear what Merrick Garland has to say for himself these days. Where IS that guy???)
- Is Justice Done?
- FBI official connected to Trump 2020 election investigation being pushed out, sources say
- Justice Department investigating fraud allegations in Black Lives Matter movement, AP sources say
- The weapon of justice: Ed Martin’s influence at DOJ
- Trump calls for end of Senate filibuster to break funding stalemate
- Analysis Is there any hope for a shutdown breakthrough?
- Who receives SNAP? Food aid for 1 in 8 Americans is threatened in November.
- MAGA salivates at the chance to cut off food stamps (“SNAP benefits are set to lapse — and the right is spreading tired, racist tropes about recipients”)
- Trump says Senate should scrap the filibuster to end the government shutdown
- Americans blame Trump and GOP more than Democrats for shutdown, poll finds (“Independents hold Trump and Republicans responsible for the shutdown by a 2-1 margin, according to a poll conducted by The Washington Post, ABC News and Ipsos.” It’s 100% Trump and Republicans’ fault.)
- Shutdown-ending stopgap will have to move first in any deal, Thune says (“The Senate majority leader struck a cautionary note as a bipartisan group explores advancing appropriations bills.”)
- Democrats’ rift with unions erupts as shutdown pain worsens
- Delta and United call on Congress to immediately end government shutdown, pay air traffic controllers
- Four ways Republicans pushed back on Trump this week
- The Trump Outrages That Matter Most (“Razing the East Wing? Breaking Congress? An unscientific survey of the President’s most disruptive, significant, and truly surprising moves.”)
- Top Trump Officials Are Moving Onto Military Bases (“Stephen Miller soon joined a growing list of senior Trump-administration political appointees—at least six by our count—living in Washington-area military housing, where they are shielded not just from potential violence but also from protest.”)
- Heritage Foundation Defends Tucker Carlson Over His Interview With Holocaust Denier
- Heritage president backs Tucker Carlson after interview with Holocaust-denier Nick Fuentes
- One of the Most Dangerous Interviews Ever in MAGA Media (“Why Tucker Carlson platformed white supremacist Nick Fuentes.”)
- RJC, conservatives condemn Heritage’s defense of Carlson, Fuentes (“‘I am appalled, offended and disgusted that [Kevin Roberts] and Heritage would stand with Tucker Carlson and Nick Fuentes,’ Republican Jewish Coalition CEO Matt Brooks told JI”)
- CBS News fired 8 on-air personalities in latest layoffs under new leader Bari Weiss. All of them are women (Bari Weiss is really, really, really bad.)
- Kennedy Center ticket sales have plummeted since Trump takeover
- Democrats hope for a ‘shot in the arm’ in New Jersey and Virginia after 2024 losses
- Bill Kristol Says He Would Vote For Zohran Mamdani for New York City Mayor (I mean, Cuomo’s certainly not an option – the guy is scum. And obviously not Sliwa. So…)
- Zohran Mamdani on Trump, Schumer and the ‘singles tax’ as mayoral race nears the end
- Why has the shutdown gone 30 days? Look at Mark Warner. (“The Virginia Democrat used to be a reliable participant in bipartisan Senate talks. This time, he doesn’t see the point.”)
- Video: After Trump Administration ONLY Briefs Republican Senators on US Strikes in Caribbean, a Justifiably Outraged Sen. Mark Warner Asks, “Didn’t somebody raise their hand and say, ‘well, holy crap, where are the Democrats?’” (“Where in the hell are my Republican colleagues who are willing to stand up and say, no, this is wrong?”)
- Sen. Kaine says government shutdown solution ‘near, but we’re not there yet’
- In Virginia, fed-up Democrats fight Trump’s craven, nationwide meddling on redistricting
- Focus of Virginia redistricting session shifts to attorney general race
- Cuts to Medicaid have already begun to leave their mark in Virginia (“Families and individuals who rely on Medicaid fear they will lose vital medical care after Republicans slashed funding for the program.”)
- Roanoke College Poll: Spanberger +10 (51%-41%); Hashmi +2 (42%-40%; still a lot of undecideds); Miyares +8 (46%-38%) (Sam Shirazi: “LG is mainly just lower name ID and most Dems will just vote straight ticket”)
- Roanoke College poll: Spanberger up by 10, lieutenant governor’s race close, Miyares builds lead in attorney general’s contest
- Scoop: Trump hosting surprise tele-rally to juice Virginia turnout
- UVA Center for Politics: Races to Watch in the Virginia House of Delegates (“While there is not a single Democrat representing a Donald Trump-won district, Republicans notably hold 8 Kamala Harris-won seats, an interesting dynamic to consider as we gauge how close Democrats can come to matching their 2024 performance this year.”)
- Pope & Schapiro: The last days of Campaign 2025, redistricting, and federal financial impacts
- Poll: Spanberger extends 10-point lead; Miyares up 8 as Hashmi-Reid contest stays close
- Spanberger rallies Latino voters in Alexandria amid growing distrust of government, deportation fears
- Campaign bus for Earle-Sears catches fire en route to Rockingham County event
- Miyares says he would find common ground with whoever wins governor’s race (This is 100% and total BULLSHIT – no way in hell Miyares will work with Abigail Spanberger or “find common ground.” Like literally ZERO chance.)
- Video: VA State Senators Jennifer Boysko, Scott Surovell Discuss Why AG Jason Miyares “Has NOT Done a Good Job” – Lost Case After Case, Refused to Stand Up for Virginians or Against Trump, Fought to Keep Domestic Violence Victim Locked Up, etc.
- This Muslim candidate hopes to break another barrier in November (“Trump’s Muslim ban motivated Ghazala Hashmi’s first political campaign. If elected lieutenant governor of Virginia, she would be the country’s first Muslim woman in statewide office.”)
- Something the polls might be missing with John Reid and MAGA voters (“Spanberger is cruising to a double-digit victory at the top of the ticket. I don’t see the LG race being as close as the polls are suggesting, because of what I’m seeing, with my own two eyes.”)
- Va. Supreme Court hears appeal in suit to block Youngkin’s college board picks
- Governor’s appointments fight heads to Supreme Court of Virginia
- Virginia becomes first state to fund food assistance amid federal SNAP pause
- Rockbridge County: Natural Bridge Zoo owner reports to jail for 100-day sentence (“Mogensen had been ordered by a Rockbridge County Circuit Court judge on Sept. 24 to turn over two missing giraffe calves or face 100 days in jail for contempt. With Mogensen choosing jail time, the location of the baby giraffes remains a mystery. Some of her supporters believe that Mogensen chose jail time, because she was afraid another giraffe would die in Animal Control Unit’s custody.”)
- Abby Zwerner, the teacher shot at Richneck Elementary School, said she ‘thought she would die’
- CWG Live updates: Winds howl for Halloween. Slightly milder this weekend.
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