| Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... |
by Lowell
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Sunday, October 12.
- Ukraine war briefing: Latest refinery strike shows ‘no safe places in Russia’s deep rear’ (“Bashneft oil refinery in Ufa is 1,400km from Ukrainian border; Zelenskyy says Trump can repeat Middle East peace success in Ukraine.”)
- Trump and Zelensky discuss Tomahawk missiles for Ukraine, sources say (Just give Ukraine everything it needs to win this war!
- Zelenskyy and Trump discuss ‘concrete agreements’ on Ukraine air defense (“The discussion comes amid a broader pivot by Washington as its efforts to end Russia’s all-out war in Ukraine sputter.”)
- China Flexed. Trump Hit Back. So Much for the Thaw.
- China’s Markets Under Threat From Risk of Renewed US Trade War
- China Tells US to Back Off on Tariff Threats, Urges More Talks
- The U.S.-China trade war is back on
- China defends rare earth export curbs as ‘legitimate,’ hits back at U.S. tariffs as Trump-Xi meeting hangs in balance
- French PM Lecornu races against the clock to form government
- Trump Is Blowing Up Boats Off Venezuela. Mexico’s Cartels Are Watching.
- Afghanistan claims 58 Pakistani soldiers killed in clashes; border closed
- Arab states expanded cooperation with Israeli military during Gaza war, files show
- Preparations begin to ramp up aid in Gaza as ceasefire brings hope for end to 2-year war
- Israelis await hostage release as world leaders prepare to join Trump at Egypt summit (“Trump is expected to address Israel’s parliament on Monday. Leaders from more than 20 countries, including Emmanuel Macron of France and Keir Starmer of Britain, will then join Trump in Egypt for a summit on Gaza’s future.”)
- A Test Now for Israel: Can It Repair Its Ties to Americans?
- Hamas Says It’s Ready to Hand Over 20 Living Israeli Hostages (“The militant group and Israel are preparing for captives to be released as early as Sunday, though the timing could slip.”)
- Fact check: Trump’s ‘$17 trillion’ investment figure is fiction (Almost everything Trump says is fiction.)
- Republicans try to weaken 50-year-old law protecting whales, seals and polar bears (Sick mother f***ers)
- ‘It’s Never Been This Bad’ (“Immigrant advocates face escalating consequences and threats from the president.”)
- U.S. Citizen Detained And Held At ICE Building In Portland For Hours Before Release, Lawyer Says (“‘Masked federal agents aren’t welcome in our state and they can’t keep kidnapping Americans,’ Democratic U.S. Rep. Janelle Bynum said.”)
- ICE isn’t hiring the best people
- He was wrongfully imprisoned for 43 years. Moments after being released, ICE took him
- Appeals court temporarily blocks deployment of National Guard troops in Chicago
- Trump’s ‘Divorced From Reality’ Depiction of Portland Ridiculed by Local Officials
- Signs popping up around D.C. note: ‘ICE kidnapping happened here’
- Wall Street Has ‘White Knuckle Moment’ After Tariff Threat Sends Markets Reeling (“Friday’s market slide rattled some investors who thought the 2025 market advance was immune to trade-war tensions.”)
- Market sell-off: Trump post lops off $2 trillion from stocks in a single day
- Black Unemployment Is Surging Again. This Time Is Different.
- ‘The damage is beyond repair’: The CDC is facing another round of deep staff cuts
- More than 1,000 CDC staff receive layoff notices during government shutdown (“Some of the layoff notices, including for those leading the measles response at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and those responding to an Ebola outbreak, will be reversed.” Insanity.)
- Trump Administration Is Bringing Back Scores of C.D.C. Experts Fired in Error (“Friday’s layoffs swept up scientists involved in responding to disease outbreaks and running an influential journal. Officials said the mistaken dismissals were being rescinded.”)
- ‘CDC is over’: RFK Jr. lays off over 1,000 employees in Friday night massacre (“Amid the ongoing shutdown, the HHS secretary wiped out entire offices that investigate disease outbreaks, manage infectious disease responses and collect data.”)
- CDC battered by government shutdown firings, while some are rescinded
- Trump slashes mental health agency as shutdown drags on
- Most Americans Who Rely on Obamacare Live in Republican Areas
- Mike Johnson’s support may be slipping
- Education Department wipes out special ed office in shutdown layoffs, union says
- Pressure growing on Johnson to call House back amid shutdown fight
- Trump directs the Pentagon to use ‘all available funds’ to ensure troops are paid despite shutdown (Does Trump have the authority to do that?)
- Trump Says He Will Pay Troops Despite Government Shutdown
- Trump authorizes troop pay amid government shutdown
- Trump’s Shutdown Layoffs Deepen Impasse, Angering Democrats (“In almost any other government shutdown, Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, both of Virginia, would probably top the list of Democrats most likely to try to find a quick off ramp.
They represent the state with the second-highest concentration of federal employees in the nation. Both have historically been eager to join the so-called bipartisan gangs of senators who try to negotiate their way through partisan gridlock. Instead, the two have appeared remarkably dug in…” BTW, the phrase “partisan gridlock” is complete bulls*** and should not be used in political reporting.) - MAGA congressmen on ‘No Kings’ | ‘Hate America’ rally for ‘pro-terrorist’ Dems (Really, REALLY sick and dangerous/unAmerican rhetoric by Republicans.)
- ‘Page one of the authoritarian playbook’: how Trump and allies are exploiting Kirk’s killing (“The president and his Maga allies have used the rightwing influencer’s killing to justify attacks on critics, experts say”)
- Joe Biden undergoing radiation therapy for prostate cancer treatment
- Barron Trump tipped for top TikTok job (TikTok is going to be, effectively, controlled by Trump.)
- Diane Keaton, Famed for Roles in Father of the Bride, First Wives Club and More, Dies at 79 (RIP!)
- ‘SNL’ Skewers Bondi’s Wild Senate Hearing in Cold Open
- NEW VIDEO: Spanberger Calls Out Winsome Earle-Sears for Backing Trump’s Mass Firings of Virginia Workers Amid Government Shutdown (“I believe Virginia deserves a Governor who puts Virginians first”; “my opponent stands loyal to Trump”)
- VA Flip and Defend-a-District 2025 (10/10): “Composed. Focused. Capable. Professional.” (Spanberger) vs “Unhinged. Manic. Flailing. Chaos” (Earle-Sears) (Also, “another look at THE MOST COMPETITIVE [House of Delegates] RACES to ensure they are on your radar.”)
- Jay Jones’ texts took center stage in gubernatorial debate. Will they dominate remainder of campaign? (This is the top story this morning in the Virginian-Pilot, so clearly they have an opinion on that question…and a role to play in answering it.)
- Editorial: Voters will render their judgment on Jay Jones’ fitness for office
- Virginia Democrats defend Spanberger’s handling of Jones text scandal
- Department of Health updates immunization schedule for COVID, MMRV vaccines (“If you want an updated COVID-19 vaccine, pharmacies in Virginia may now administer it to anyone age 3 or older without a prescription, after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its vaccine recommendations.”)
- Western Virginia federal prosecutor resigns after political hiring dispute
- Betting markets flip in Virginia AG race after Jay Jones scandal
- Williams: The Trump Compact is a bad deal for UVa
- CWG Live updates: Windy today with some light showers; still cloudy and breezy Monday (“A coastal storm keeps us cloudy and windy today and tomorrow with some light showers here and there.”)
Breaking: Siobhan Dunnavant said that Abigail Spanberger is "going to hang for that" on the John Fredericks show and VA gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle Sears says nothing pic.twitter.com/KrchgHTQpC
— Organizermemes (@OrganizerMemes) October 11, 2025
