Morning Announcements

Today's Headlines: It's here, Election Day! Early turnout is already beating 2022 in 23 states, including Texas, Delaware, Georgia, and North Carolina, and polls have Democrats leading every major Senate race, with shots in Kansas, South Carolina, and Kentucky. Meanwhile, Trump wrapped up his campaign with a surprise Election Eve speech at the renovated reflecting pool, spending nearly an hour on its pipes, resodding the Mall, and cleaning up graffiti, and he “joked” about renaming it the Trump Reflecting Pool. Speaking of his renovation obsessions, his administration also submitted a 55-page East Potomac golf course overhaul plan with no cost estimate, no timeline, and no word on who gets to play, though it does include over $300 million for a seawall. On the legal front, a judge ordered the administration to stop demanding that California set aside 20,000 supposedly noncitizen ballots, so it ran to the Supreme Court, which rejected the request almost instantly. Clearly worried about the results, Trump promised to protect Elon if Democrats take Congress and investigate SpaceX and Tesla, and floated preemptive pardons for his staff, while the NYT found that none of the nine law firms that struck deals with Trump have taken cases checking his administration’s midterm meddling, with some scrubbing voting rights work from their websites and even firms without deals turning down such cases. On the pardon beat, Trump is reportedly “furious” that Alina Habba was allegedly paid $50 million to help secure a pardon for a Venezuelan billionaire and he didn’t get a cut, since he wanted some for his presidential library (spoiler: the billionaire did get the pardon). On the foreign front, Trump said “no” when asked whether he’d resume Iran strikes after the midterms and that he’s “in no rush,” which is better than usual, though Netanyahu reportedly wants strikes so he can throw Israel’s post-election process into chaos and force another election, and Iran promises a “powerful response” to any new attack. Finally, pro-Putin Iliana Yotova won Bulgaria’s presidential runoff with over 57% to Andrey Gyurov’s 39%, becoming its first elected female head of state on just 29% turnout, and while Bulgaria is in NATO, she opposes military aid to Ukraine and thinks talking to Putin will change his mind.

Resources/Articles mentioned:

WMTW: 2026 Midterm Election: How many people have voted early in the US?

NYT: Democrats Show Strength in Final Days of Race for the Senate, New Polls Find

WSJ: Trump Surprises Republicans With Election-Eve Speech About Reflecting Pool

WaPo: Trump administration lays out plan to overhaul D.C. golf course

NYT: Supreme Court Rejects Trump Administration Request to Intervene in California Ballot Case

Axios: Trump vows to protect Musk, floats pre-emptive staff pardons

NYT: As Midterms Near, Top Law Firms That Capitulated to Trump Are on the Sidelines

NYT: Trump Erupted After Learning of Alina Habba’s $50 Million Deal

Axios: Trump to Axios: "No rush" to decide on bombing Iran again

ABC News: Iran live updates: Tehran warns of 'powerful response' to any renewed attack

Yahoo: Pro-Putin candidate wins Bulgaria presidential run-off

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Today's Headlines: With the big day tomorrow, 54 million Americans have already voted, up 8 million from this point in 2022, and in the 27 states that report party affiliation, Democrats are outpacing both Republicans and unaffiliated voters, while in the 14 states that report by age, voters over 40 account for more than 80% of early votes. Meanwhile, Trump’s attempts to influence the results hit a wall when a federal judge dismissed his lawsuit to block certification of Alaska’s results if Sen. Dan Sullivan loses, calling it “infeasible” because ballots are already cast and the government had no workable plan to segregate votes for the other Dan Sullivan while preserving voter secrecy, though the DOJ says it will appeal, naturally. The other big midterm drama came out of Michigan, where Rep. Haley Stevens, who lost the Senate primary, switched her endorsement from Democrat Abdul El Sayed to Republican Mike Rogers after insisting to colleagues as recently as the day before that she’d stick with El Sayed, and instead of attending a unity event with El Sayed at a Black church in Detroit, she popped up with Rogers at a different Black church, leaving her own staff to show up at the El Sayed event. Drama. On a more worrying note, Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, 53, suffered a stroke Saturday but is reportedly awake, alert, and being treated at Johns Hopkins. In a first, ICE officer Mario Alberto Morales was indicted in Texas for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after allegedly ramming his car into a Mexican construction worker in Houston, leaving the man with a broken leg. Meanwhile, Trump had a rough Halloween when a federal judge threw out his $10 billion lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal and Rupert Murdoch over the Epstein birthday book drawing, saying he was “grasping at straws” and dismissing it with prejudice so he can’t refile. Finally, a private jet from Austin to the Bahamas crashed near Cresthaven, Florida, reportedly not far from Mar-a-Lago, killing nine, with videos showing it nosediving into a fireball near a highway.

Resources/Articles mentioned:

USA Today: Early voting surges past 54 million, topping 2022 midterm total

AP News: Judge dismisses lawsuit seeking to block certification of Alaska Senate race

AP News: El-Sayed's primary opponent stuns Democrats by endorsing Republican opponent in Michigan Senate race

Politico: Haley Stevens' bombshell sends Michigan Senate race into chaos

NYT: Senator Chris Murphy Is ‘Awake and Alert’ After Suffering a Stroke

CNN: An ICE officer has been charged after striking a man with a car in Houston

AP News: 'Grasping at straws': Judge dismisses Trump suit against Wall Street Journal over Epstein letter

CNN: Learjet plane crash in Palm Beach County, Florida kills 9

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Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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Today's Headlines: Trump canceled a bunch of his remaining pre-election rallies in favor of “telerallies,” and when asked why, he said “I don’t feel I have to go to Kansas,” then called the reporter disgusting and told them to “put yourself in shape, you look like hell.” Meanwhile, in Alaska, Gov. Mike Dunleavy ordered a criminal investigation into Mary Peltola’s campaign over its role in recruiting the other Dan Sullivan and suggested the state could withhold certification if Peltola wins, and the DOJ escalated with grand jury subpoenas and records preservation demands (fun detail: the incumbent Sullivan was himself recruited from Ohio to run against a different Dan Sullivan). The DOJ was busy elsewhere too, expanding its effort to prove thousands of noncitizens are on California’s voter rolls by issuing grand jury subpoenas to local election officials. On the foreign front, Ukraine agreed to pull back strikes on Russian oil refineries until after the midterms, just as Donald and Putin would like, while Russia keeps hitting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and cities and Trump keeps calling for Zelensky’s ouster. Back at the White House, the NYT reports Natalie Harp has moved her operation into Trump’s private dining room off the Oval Office, which might explain the extra unhinged mood, and he’s also trying to evict the press corps and turn the briefing room into an indoor swimming pool, following those gilded “FDR pool” renderings. On the security front, the NYT reports US intelligence sees Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang as the target of a Chinese spy plot via a Singapore data center executive who was allegedly passing info to Beijing, and Trump was told and took no action against Huang, Nvidia, or China, while Hegseth told a judge that Trump’s DC arch is a “generational national defense opportunity” because you can deploy drones and snipers from it. Turning to capitalism, Alphabet had its worst day ever, losing roughly half a trillion dollars in market value after weak revenue drivers, higher costs, and cash worries during the AI transition, while DoorDash is buying Instacart for $17 billion and Josh Kushner’s Thrive Capital is buying ADT for $7.6 billion. Finally, Binance founder Changpeng Zhao says hackers stole at least $1.7 billion, the largest crypto heist ever, though he insists “user funds are safe.” Ok.

Resources/Articles mentioned:

The Independent: Trump cancels final Kansas and Iowa rallies before Election Day — and unloads on reporters asking about it

NYT: Alaska Governor Orders Investigation Into Peltola Campaign Over Second Dan Sullivan Recruitment Claims

NYT: Trump Administration Pressures California With Expanded Voter Fraud Investigation

WSJ: Ukraine Pauses Strikes on Russian Refineries After Pressure From U.S.

NYT: As Trump Faces Down the Midterms, a Grim Mood Takes Over the White House

NYT: Trump Pushes to Evict White House Press Corps

NYT: Nvidia Chief, Jensen Huang, Is Seen as Target of Chinese Spy Plot

WaPo: Hegseth tells court Trump’s arch needed for national defense

WSJ: Alphabet Sheds Half a Trillion in Market Value in Stock’s Worst Day Ever

CNBC: DoorDash to acquire Instacart for $17 billion

WSJ: Josh Kushner’s Thrive to Buy ADT for $7.6 Billion

WSJ: Binance Suspends Transactions as It Probes What May Be Biggest-Ever Cyber Heist

Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: http://betchesnews.substack.com/

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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Today's Headlines: Flavio Bolsonaro arrived in Miami under the protection of our own president after missing Brazil’s Supreme Court deadline to surrender his passport, and the Trump administration, voted in to be tough on immigrants and crime, has given this criminal immigrant and his family visas, though Brazil’s Supreme Court isn’t backing down, with a justice ordering a police investigation into a donor network co-founded by JD Vance and its ties to Flavio’s campaign, which is a crime in Brazil if the money is foreign and should make things awkward with Lula. Speaking of Vance, he reportedly reached out to a powerful Iranian hardliner at Trump’s direction to revive peace talks, a classic good cop/bad cop while Trump threatens to restart the war after next week’s midterms, and the Pentagon told Congress the war has cost more than $47 billion so far. Meanwhile, Israel is still pending, since we technically know the results but not whether Gadi Eisenkot can form a coalition. Back home, Trump posted that the Alaska Senate election should be canceled and Sen. Dan Sullivan handed another term automatically, and he also called for Democrat Mary Peltola to be prosecuted after the NYT reported her campaign staffers helped recruit the other Dan Sullivan onto the ballot to siphon votes. On the health front, RFK Jr. announced he’ll use “enforcement discretion” to let companies sell unapproved peptide injections without FDA review, even though reporting says FDA scientists advised against widespread use and weren’t included in the decision. In economic news, the Fed held rates at 3.75 to 4% despite persistent inflation, with Lisa Cook and Beth Hammack dissenting in favor of a quarter-point hike. Finally, labor icon and United Farm Workers founder Dolores Huerta died at 96, leaving a legacy of fighting for immigrant, labor, and women’s rights, and 14 children.

Resources/Articles mentioned:

WaPo: Flávio Bolsonaro lands in Miami, declares himself Brazil’s true ‘leader’

WaPo: Brazilian judge orders investigation into JD Vance donor network

WSJ: Vance Reaches Out to Iranian Hard-Liner in Bid to Restart Peace Talks

AP News: Iran war's cost to American taxpayers grows to an estimated $47.1 billion

AP News: Takeaways from Israel's inconclusive election

WSJ: Trump Calls for Alaska Democratic Senate Candidate to Be Prosecuted

NYT: RFK Jr. to Allow Broad Use of Unapproved Peptide Injections

WSJ: Fed Holds Rates Steady but Two Officials Sought Another Increase

NYT: Dolores Huerta, Who Founded United Farm Workers With Cesar Chavez, Dies

Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: http://betchesnews.substack.com/

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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Today's Headlines: Netanyahu’s party failed to win a majority in Israel’s election and, per exit polls, came in second behind opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot, with Netanyahu’s coalition losing 14 seats from its 64 in 2022 to land around 50, while Eisenkot’s bloc has 52 or 53 and the two Arab parties hit record representation with 17 or 18 seats, which means Eisenkot would need them to form a government, and while final results are due in two days, a coalition could take weeks, and if no one reaches 61 seats, there’s another election. Over in Brazil, the just-defeated Flavio Bolsonaro fled to the US, fearing arrest after police asked for his passport in a billion-dollar money laundering probe, and the State Department says it plans to issue visas to him and his family, so happy to help, apparently. Back home, hackers targeted the FEC’s website a week before the midterms, knocking its campaign finance filing system offline during the most expensive election in history, with the FEC saying “we have a bad actor attempting to breach FEC systems,” which doesn’t exactly narrow it down, and meanwhile Trump posted a $1 million reward for tips on voter fraud, past or future, that lead to convictions, without saying where the money comes from. At the Pentagon, Hegseth ordered a one-day “stand down” so troops can vote, so here’s hoping they vote based on their experience with this war, and he’s also pressing Congress to formally authorize renaming the Defense Department the Department of War, which has so far only been done by executive order, at up to $125 million for new signs, websites, and uniforms. In Texas, a judge ruled that Gov. Greg Abbott must let his opponent, Democrat Gina Hinojosa, review over a thousand pages of unredacted communications with Elon Musk, a major Abbott donor, though Abbott is appealing. Finally, the FT reports that Don Jr. went on a two-day hunting trip in remote Mongolia with the Russian oligarch who paid for one of his Bahamas wedding parties, where he killed an endangered sheep with valuable horns, and afterward he had dinner with Mongolia’s president to discuss US-Mongolia relations and business opportunities.

Resources/Articles mentioned:

CNN: Netanyahu suffers rebuke in Israeli elections, exit polls indicate

NYT: Flávio Bolsonaro Leaves Brazil for the U.S. After Election Defeat

Axios: U.S. granting visas to Flávio Bolsonaro and family

Reuters: Hackers target US FEC system, disrupting campaign finance disclosures days before midterms

NBC News: Trump offers $1 million reward for voter fraud tips that lead to convictions

MS Now: Hegseth gave troops a day off to vote, but those votes may not break the way he hopes

The Hill: Pentagon presses Congress to keep measure changing name to ‘Department of War’

Bloomberg Law: Abbott’s Elon Musk Records Can Be Seen by Election Opponent (2)

The New Republic: Don Jr.’s Hunting Trip Reveals He’s Closer to Putin Ally Than We Knew

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Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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Today's Headlines: Flavio Bolsonaro refused to concede to Lula and said he’d seek an annulment, and after Trump called the result “another rigged election,” Flavio conceded minutes later, though he still plans to sue over Lula’s “abuse of incumbency” (he’s also under investigation for corruption and money laundering, police ordered him to surrender his passport, and a source told the Washington Post he’s terrified his father will die in jail and that he’ll be jailed this week, so like father, like son). On the strongman beat, the WSJ reports the Trump administration is pushing Hungary’s ousted Viktor Orban for UN Secretary-General and trying to get Russia and China to “joint nominate” him, which would make it very likely. Meanwhile, Trump’s DOJ charged James Comey a third time, with two counts of leaking sensitive info to a New York Times reporter in 2016, which we only know because Comey asked a judge to unseal the indictment, and it was signed by specially appointed deputies of Todd Blanche rather than career prosecutors (the seashells case is delayed until 2027 while a judge weighs dismissal), and in what looks like a bizarre coincidence, just hours earlier a different judge ruled the DOJ wrongly fired Maurene Comey, the Epstein prosecutor and Comey’s daughter, and ordered her reinstated with backpay, which matters for the other prosecutors fired the same way. On the Epstein front, House Judiciary Democrats released a 50-plus page report on Trump’s documented ties to Epstein and are calling for an independent special counsel, also to look at Blanche’s conflicts and why the DOJ won’t release all the files. In tech news, Anthropic filed IPO paperwork, with a listing possible as soon as the week before Thanksgiving, and its 400-page filing shows it isn’t really profitable in the technical sense, though it earned over a billion dollars in interest on its cash and forecasts outcomes ranging from curing cancer to humans losing control of AI, while the FTC also demanded Anthropic executives testify in a consumer harm probe similar to its OpenAI investigation, with more subpoenas coming. Speaking of AI’s costs, Microsoft offered voluntary buyouts to 60,000 employees, 27% of its workforce, as part of an “AI efficiency push.” Finally, Halloween candy prices are up 7.7% over the past year, more than twice overall inflation, and while the National Retail Federation forecasts record spending of $13.5 billion, NielsenIQ says candy sales are down almost 7%, and today is also Israel’s election day, so stay tuned.

Resources/Articles mentioned:

Reuters: Trump says Brazil election looked 'rigged' as Bolsonaro refuses to recognize Lula win

WSJ: Viktor Orbán, U.N. Secretary-General?

WaPo: Justice Dept. charges James Comey, ex-FBI director, for a third time

NBC News: Judge orders DOJ to reinstate former federal prosecutor Maurene Comey, daughter of ex-FBI director

MS Now: House Judiciary Democrats release 50-page report on Trump’s alleged involvement in Epstein files

WSJ: The Biggest Takeaways From Anthropic’s IPO Prospectus

Axios: FTC demands Anthropic execs testify in expanding AI safety probe

CNBC: Microsoft offers voluntary buyouts as AI leads to efficiency push

WaPo: Halloween candy is more expensive than ever

Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: http://betchesnews.substack.com/

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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Today's Headlines: Vanity Fair excerpted a bombshell book alleging that in 2017, MBS and MBZ gave Jared Kushner a $750 million slush fund (reportedly stolen from a charity) to influence his father-in-law, with the Russians and the Dutch allegedly knowing for years after the Dutch flipped a dark web hacker working for Russia who handed over screenshots from a live feed of Kushner’s phone showing the fund and an Israeli account holding a billion dollars, and while the UAE allegedly funded it on the condition that Jared push Trump to kill the Iran deal (which happened a month later) and the money reportedly went to mercenary groups, a warlord, and a hitman, Kushner and his lawyers dispute all of it and are threatening to sue, which backfired when Simon & Schuster released the book two days early. Speaking of awkward legal positions, a federal judge ordered Trump to sit for a deposition in his defamation suit against the BBC over how it edited his January 6th speech in a 2024 documentary that never aired in the US, the first time one of his media lawsuits has forced him into discovery, and he’s trying to wriggle out of it. Meanwhile, Musk admitted on HIS little social media app that he cut off Starlink in Ukraine, blaming a loophole he says was Ukraine’s fault (they dispute that), and Reuters reports that both the Biden and Trump administrations have previously haggled with him over turning Starlink on or off. Over in Europe, more than 400,000 people protested in France for a second weekend, starting peacefully and getting less so, with demonstrations also in Madrid, Lisbon, Rome, Turin, and Milan, and in Albania government buildings were set on fire with 2,500 police deployed, and while it’s unrelated, fire also nearly destroyed Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest in the Bavarian Alps in an arson attack, with a 33-year-old arrested who showed signs of mental illness, though prosecutors are checking for a political motive. Back home, midterm ad spending has passed $10 billion and is projected to hit a record $11.5 billion, with the Texas Senate race alone topping $500 million (much of it Elon’s), followed by Ohio at $450 million and Maine at $200 million, and Obama campaigned in Cleveland with Sherrod Brown and Amy Acton, while on the other side, the Trump DOJ sued Alaska to preemptively delay certifying results if Sen. Dan Sullivan loses, citing the two Dan Sullivans on the ballot even though Alaska’s Supreme Court already let the second one stay, with Trump saying “I’m the one that said do it” and AG Todd Blanche defending it by saying “there could be a crime.” Elsewhere, strongmen are having a rough time, as Serbia’s Vucic conceded to the Students’ List after 14 years, Lula beat Bolsonaro’s son in Brazil’s runoff, and Israel votes tomorrow with Netanyahu reportedly begging Trump for more vocal support. Finally, Apollo’s chief economist found “zero payoff” from AI in productivity outside the Mag 7, and even there it’s mostly those companies paying each other, while the rest of corporate America is pulling back and treating token spending as a cost center.

Resources/Articles mentioned:

Vanity Fair: The Art of the Deal: Jared Kushner’s Hacked Phone Revealed His Secret Negotiations—Including More Than $700 Million in Transfers | Vanity Fair

WSJ: Trump Must Sit for Deposition in BBC Lawsuit, Judge Orders

NBC News: Elon Musk says SpaceX closed Ukraine Starlink ‘loophole,’ while Kyiv denies breaching terms

Reuters: US has for years asked Musk to alter Starlink service in Ukraine, Middle East, sources say

NPR: Soldiers guard center of Milan as thousands of protesters march in cities across Europe

AP News: A fire devastates the Eagle's Nest retreat built for Hitler in Germany. A suspect is detained

Time: Midterm Ad Spending Has Surpassed $10B. Where Is the Money Coming From?

C-Span: Fmr. President Obama Campaigns with Ohio Democratic Candidates in Cleveland | Video

PBS: Trump says he ordered suit to block Alaska Senate results if GOP loses

WaPo: Todd Blanche defends DOJ lawsuit over Senate election in Alaska

AP News: Serbia’s strongman leader Vucic concedes defeat to student-led movement in seismic political shift

AP News: Brazil votes in a tense Lula vs Bolsonaro runoff with US influence over Latin America at stake

Axios: Scoop: Netanyahu presses Trump for more support ahead of tight Tuesday election

Bloomberg: AI Provides ‘Zero Payoff’ to S&P 493 Outside Tech, Apollo Economist Says

Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: http://betchesnews.substack.com/

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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Today's Headlines: AI reportedly found a bug in PHP, which runs up to 70% of the world’s websites, that could let hackers steal data or attack visitors, and while governments and businesses have been scrambling since Wednesday (some even taking sites offline preemptively), attempted attacks have ramped up since the public disclosure. Unsurprisingly, markets panicked, with the Nasdaq falling 2.5% and the S&P 500 falling 1.4% in the worst day in months, while SpaceX dropped 9% and Meta fell 7% after reporting it’s low on cash and creating a new stock class in case Zuckerberg owes a billionaire tax. Meanwhile, the DOJ charged Virginia state Sen. Louise Lucas, 82, a powerful Democrat and Trump critic, and six others with racketeering and money laundering conspiracy tied to a cannabis business she co-owns, and it also opened a criminal probe into Corey Lewandowski over allegedly profiting as a DHS adviser while his girlfriend Kristi Noem ran the department, with Trump saying “if people are not honest, they’re stealing from me” and that it’s “my DOJ” handling it. On the Israel front, AIPAC announced it will stop endorsing candidates and making direct PAC contributions after the midterms, though its super PAC, which has spent $80 million this cycle, is unaffected, and separately, Israeli forces detained dozens of volunteer monitors in the West Bank, including NYC congressional candidate Brad Lander, who were protecting Palestinian olive harvesters from settler attacks. Speaking of the region, Netanyahu has reportedly nudged Trump into planning new strikes on Iran after the midterms, with specific plans for a short, intense operation, while Iran is threatening to hit American bases and warships plus Gulf airports, pipelines, and civilian targets, and Peter Thiel was caught on tape at an October 12th Nashville lecture saying the US shouldn’t have gotten into the Iran war. On the Ukraine front, Trump reportedly called Musk and asked him to restore Starlink there, and it’s working better now, while Elon spent another $76 million on Republicans in the first two weeks of October, bringing his total to nearly $400 million. Finally, WaPo reports that Pete Hegseth wanted Eisenhower’s WWII floor globe for his office, and his staff skipped the trained curators, fetched it themselves, and dropped it, impaling it on its own display axis.

Resources/Articles mentioned:

WSJ: AI Just Found a Bug That Puts up to 70% of the World’s Websites at Risk

NYT: PHP Security Flaw Sets Off Global Rush to Patch, Leaving Websites Offline

NYT: Stocks See Steepest Decline in Months Amid A.I. Worries

NBC News: High-ranking Virginia Democrat charged in public corruption case

NYT: Justice Dept. Opens Inquiry Into Corey Lewandowski

WSJ: Aipac Says It Is Ending Candidate Endorsements, PAC Contributions

WaPo: Israel detains Brad Lander, activists amid West Bank olive harvest

NYT: U.S. and Israel Draw Up Plans for Renewed Strikes on Iran After Midterm Elections

WSJ: Iran Threatens Wider Strikes on Economic and Civilian Targets if U.S. Attacks

The Daily Beast: MAGA Billionaire Peter Thiel Caught Turning on Trump in Leaked Audio

WSJ: Trump Called Musk and Asked Him to Lift Ukraine Starlink Restrictions

Politico: Elon Musk pours another $76 million into boosting Republicans - Live Updates

WaPo: Hegseth wanted Eisenhower’s globe for his office. His staff broke it.

Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: http://betchesnews.substack.com/

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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Today's Headlines: The EU says it’s investigating whether Russian, Iranian, and Algerian actors helped fuel the riots in France and elsewhere, with pro-Kremlin and far-right accounts reportedly caught spreading violent videos (though officials stress they didn’t start the protests) and regulators asking Amazon and Vinted to pull listings for apparently looted goods, while the EU and Canada are also trying to cut their Starlink dependence, with Canada’s Telesat promising a rival network by 2028 that will be open to allies, which means defending against Russia and, apparently, us. Speaking of Russia, Trump envoy Steve Witkoff called Putin a “humanitarian” and saluted him after Russia released American Stephen Hubbard, who was captured in Ukraine in 2022 and accused of being a mercenary. Back home, polls keep moving toward Democrats, but votes alone may not be enough this year, and as proof, members of the Bush family, including Neil Bush, are backing Democrat James Talarico over Ken Paxton in Texas, while Stella Parton (Dolly’s sister) warned voters to double-check their ballots after hers kept flipping to the wrong candidate in Tennessee. Meanwhile, New Mexico had a big day, suing Epstein’s longtime lawyer and accountant Darren Indyke and Richard Kahn for allegedly helping finance and conceal his trafficking at Zorro Ranch, which could cost them their estate proceeds and push assets toward victims, and on top of that, a court ordered Meta to pay the state $25 billion over the Cambridge Analytica case after a jury found more than 43 million violations of its unfair practices act (down from nearly $220 billion, with 15% annual interest, and Meta is appealing). Speaking of Meta, it also warned California that Zuckerberg might leave the state over a billionaire tax and is creating a new stock class that lets him sell up to half his stake without losing voting control, and in more billionaire news, Elon floated merging SpaceX and Tesla by the end of 2027, which conveniently helps him chase that trillion-dollar earnout, while also promising Tesla will sell humanoid robots next year. Finally, Mayor Mamdani’s administration proposed the nation’s first rule on AI customer service chatbots, requiring companies doing business in NYC to disclose AI use, provide timely help instead of looping you through menus, and offer a human option, with fines of $525, $1,050, then $3,500 for repeat violations.

Resources/Articles mentioned:

Financial Times: EU probes pro-Kremlin disinformation around French riots

Cybernews: Telesat Lightspeed: Canada’s Starlink rival could aid Ukraine

WaPo: Trump’s special envoy calls Vladimir Putin a ‘humanitarian’

The Guardian: Bush’s brother crosses party lines to vote for James Talarico for Senate | Texas

The Tennessean: Dolly Parton’s sister, Stella, reminds voters to double check their ballots after early voting in TN. How to verify

WSJ: New Mexico Sues Jeffrey Epstein’s Lawyer and Accountant

CNBC: Meta ordered to pay $25 billion penalty in New Mexico Cambridge Analytica case

Politico: Zuckerberg considered leaving CA over wealth tax, Meta says

WSJ: What to Know About the SpaceX-Tesla Merger Talks

WSJ: Musk Says Tesla Aims to Begin Humanoid Robot Sales Next Year

Gothamist: NYC proposes crackdown down on AI customer service chatbots

Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: http://betchesnews.substack.com/

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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Today's Headlines: The WSJ reports that Elon Musk ordered the Starlink slowdown that blindsided Ukraine on the battlefield, and while the Trump administration was reportedly surprised, Trump himself wasn’t, since sources say he and Elon discussed it beforehand. Elon is also spending $300 million to elect Republicans, though they’re polling so badly that Democrats are now advertising in Mississippi to help Scott Colom unseat Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, and on top of that, Trump’s mid-cycle Texas redistricting, meant to net five extra House seats, is backfiring in the south Texas districts that depended on Latino support. Even with Republicans in close races distancing themselves from him, Trump plans to spend $400 million-plus from his super PAC, while Bloomberg is giving Democrats $80 million. Of course, there’s always a Plan B, because ProPublica reports that Trump’s DHS appointees asked the federal election-security cyber agency to secretly acquire a voting machine, hack it, and report back to the White House without telling the manufacturer about any flaws, with one employee worried the administration could “keep it in their back pocket” to invalidate results it doesn’t like. Luckily, WaPo reports that about 10 current and former national security officials are quietly advising states and members of Congress on how to prepare for federal election meddling. Meanwhile, Trump and Vance announced a $25 million Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program run by DOJ that pays tipsters up to $30,000, with Trump declaring he’ll be the arbiter of all decisions, and speaking of questionable dealings, Kennedy Center chief Ric Grenell allegedly misappropriated a big donation from a Turkish businessman married to Alina Habba, who took a year to realize the money never reached the Kennedy Center, after Grenell reportedly promised VIP access and proximity to the president in a text. Finally, the DOJ is investigating whether conditions at a DC jail are so bad they violate the Constitution, following inmate lawsuits over mold, bad plumbing, and mice and insects in the food.

Resources/Articles mentioned:

WSJ: Musk Ordered Starlink Slowdown That Blindsided Ukraine

Politico: Senate Democrats start spending in Mississippi - Live Updates

WaPo: Texas redistricting may backfire — and take out some rising Latino GOP stars

NYT: Election Dispatches:: Vast Sums Flood Races as Republicans Try Fending Off Democratic Charge

ProPublica: Trump Appointees Asked a Federal Cybersecurity Agency to Secretly Acquire a Voting Machine — and Hack It

WaPo: U.S. officials privately advise states fearing Trump election meddling

AP News: Trump and Vance announce $25M whistleblower program to encourage public to report alleged fraud

The Independent: ‘Pay-for-influence’ scandal involving Trump allies hits White House: report

WaPo: DOJ announces investigation into whether D.C. jail conditions violate Constitution

Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: http://betchesnews.substack.com/

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Today's Headlines: Trump posted that New Mexico should immediately rename itself “New America,” claiming it would raise home values and incomes and maybe even make its elections honest again. Speaking of elections, over 10 million Americans have already voted early in the midterms, with Texas early voting kicking off in the Talarico-Paxton race, where Paxton is reportedly losing suburban women even with Elon’s hundreds of millions behind him. Less fun: Wired reports election offices in at least 32 states have received suspicious white powder letters, some intercepted but others not, with at least four states evacuating offices and similar letters hitting congressional offices in both parties, including one to Rep. Hillary Scholten warning of an “impending civil war.” On top of that, Iran is reportedly obsessed with using oil prices in the final two weeks to punish Trump at the polls, Carter-1980 style, and those energy prices are also tied to the war in Ukraine, where Trump says he’s open to Putin’s Beijing summit but wants to talk “denuclearization” rather than Ukraine since Russia has been “fine” there. Fine?! Meanwhile, Zelensky told Bloomberg he believes steps have been taken to push Ukraine to capitulate, and Trump responded by posting that Zelensky probably never wanted peace. Over in France, the weekend’s riots led to curfews in Paris, Nice, and Lille, including an 11pm to 6am curfew in two looted areas of Paris, while the interior minister offered to resign (Macron declined), the justice minister admitted the government failed to contain the violence, the damage count doubled to at least 3,000 pillaged businesses, and another mass protest is being called for next weekend. In performative generosity news, Elon responded to Anthropic putting 5% of its shares into a public benefit fund by promising one SpaceX share to every kid in America next year, roughly $10.66 billion at $146 a share, with no details on how it would work, so let’s believe it when we see it. Finally, it was a big day at the Supreme Court, which refused to revive plea deals that would have spared 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammad the death penalty, keeping it on the table for his June 2028 trial, and then agreed to hear a case on whether Congress could constitutionally ban home distilling in 1868, which will decide whether your bathtub gin habit is a federal crime.

Resources/Articles mentioned:

WaPo: Trump says New Mexico should ‘immediately’ change name to New America

NBC News: Tracking the 2026 Early Vote: Midterm Elections

Wired: Election Offices in at Least 32 States Have Received Suspicious Letters

WaPo: Tehran seeks to punish Trump in midterms with oil price pain, Iranian officials say

WSJ: Trump Says He Would Be Open to Meeting With Putin and Xi

NYT: Trump Is Pushing Ukraine to Surrender to Russia, Zelensky Says

NYT: France Imposes Curfews in Parts of Paris and Other Cities After Nationwide Rioting

AP News: Musk pledges to give a share of his SpaceX company to 'every kid in America'

Axios: Accused 9/11 mastermind loses Supreme Court plea deal bid

AP News: Supreme Court agrees to review a Reconstruction-era ban on distilling spirits in private homes

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Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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Today's Headlines: Katie Zacharia lasted five days as White House press secretary (less than half a Scaramucci), and she went out with a farewell photo in the Oval Office where she blurred a map on Trump’s desk that eagle-eyed viewers say shows East Potomac golf course renovation plans, which are currently being fought over in court after a judge scolded DOJ attorneys for chopping down trees they weren’t allowed to. Speaking of things going wrong, Saturday also brought hundreds of No Kings protests and, conveniently, a Meta suspension of the main No Kings account mid-protest, blamed on an “automated action” for high-frequency posting despite the account barely posting, while TikTok permanently banned the account for Alex Gibney’s Musk movie for “political content” before reinstating it Sunday and calling it an error. Meanwhile, Elon’s still everywhere: between the movie ad fights, the scam-ish flying Hot Wheels demo, and hundreds of millions poured into the election, Starlink restrictions are reportedly keeping Ukraine from using its drone interceptors against Russian strikes (not deliberate, he says), even as Ukraine makes gains by hitting Russian data centers. On that front, Putin floated a Beijing summit with Trump and Xi next month to settle Ukraine’s fate. Over in Europe, things are literally on fire: more than half a million people marched in France over living costs and school conditions, with nearly 1,000 police injured, almost 2,400 detained, a 19th-century city hall torched, and around 1,500 reports of looted or damaged stores, while five days of protests in Albania over corruption and the economy (Kushner’s island deal included) ended with the Supreme Court set ablaze in Tirana and police firing rubber bullets, water cannons, and tear gas at crowds demanding PM Edi Rama’s resignation. And finally, Trump endorsed Netanyahu for reelection ahead of Israel’s October 27 vote.

Resources/Articles mentioned:

Yahoo: Katie Zacharia pushed for the Fox interviews that preceded her ouster as press secretary, texts reportedly show

NPR: No Kings draws crowds with focus on early voting

The Guardian: Outrage after Meta suspends No Kings Instagram account during protests | US midterm elections 2026

The Hollywood Reporter: TikTok “Permanently Suspends” the ‘Musk’ Film Ad Account Before Reinstating It, Raising Suppression Fears (Exclusive)

CBS News: Ukraine still unable to intercept Russian drones due to Starlink restrictions, Zelenskyy says

Kyiv Independent: Ukrainian drones reportedly strike Yandex data center, warehouses in overnight attack on Russia

WSJ: Putin Floats a Summit With Trump and Xi to Discuss Ukraine Deal

NYT: France in Shock After Protests Turn Into Riots, Damaging Buildings and Shops

Albania Daily News: Fire Reported at Albania’s High Court as Protest Escalates in Tirana

AP News: Trump endorses embattled Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for reelection

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Today's Headlines: Another day, another school shooting. Four people were killed in a shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon — some of the victims are children — with the teenage shooter also dead and details still emerging. In other gun violence news, Trump reversed his plan to livestream the Fort Hood shooter's firing squad execution, writing that while it "might have been a strong deterrent," many well-meaning people would rather not watch, and Hegseth immediately released a statement saying he "supports the president's decision and they are completely aligned." Sure, Pete. Pivoting back to Kimberly Guilfoyle, she is still everywhere despite being fired — Democrats are investigating her, Trump is claiming she "dated my son a long time ago" as if that's a casual acquaintance, and she's reportedly putting together a burn book of Trump family secrets while planning to stay in Europe to find a rich husband. Meanwhile, the reflecting pool's own inspection report — commissioned by Trump's contractor — found the liner failed in at least 85 places due to improper materials and being filled before it dried, with zero mention of vandalism or boxcutters, and a 15-year-old Maryland student is now suing CBS News for falsely reporting he was arrested for vandalizing it. Apple and Meta announced a partnership to run Meta's AI on Apple desktops, which Meta's AI chief described as "mommy and daddy playing nice again," and New York City is banning horse-drawn carriages after Mayor Mamdani and the City Council moved to phase out the industry.

Resources/Articles mentioned:

NBC News: Live updates: 3 children and a teacher were killed in Oregon school shooting

AP News: Trump, after bipartisan backlash, says Pentagon won't livestream execution of Fort Hood shooter

The Hill: House Democrats: Guilfoyle’s resignation ‘does not shield her from accountability’

The New Republic: Kimberly Guilfoyle Reportedly Threatening Trump Family With Burn Book

Page Six: Exclusive | Kimberly Guilfoyle plans to look ‘for a rich European husband’ after Greek embassy exit

The Hill: GOP donor who texted Guilfoyle pressures Vance over extraditing doctor in Pakistan

WaPo: Reflecting Pool liner failed in 85 places after flawed renovation, inspection found

Deadline: Teenager Sues CBS News Over Story On Reflecting Pool Vandalism Arrests

Politico: Cyberattack disrupts Transportation Department safety agency contact center

CNBC: Apple and Meta team up to make Muse AI model run on Mac computers

Gothamist: NYC Council, Mayor Mamdani agree to end Central Park's carriage horse industry

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Today's Headlines: Elon Musk's Starlink cut off service to Ukraine without warning right as Russia launched two consecutive nights of ballistic missile strikes — and the US stopped providing Ukraine advance intelligence about incoming strikes, which it had done for years. Zelensky said the Trump administration is threatening to cut intelligence sharing entirely unless Ukraine stops hitting Russian oil refineries, and Musk responded by saying Trump and the military control speed restrictions so it's their fault, while also noting a commercial company shouldn't be helping with offensive military operations. Georgia broke its first-day early voting record by 50,000 votes with 189,000 ballots cast, and the DOJ is threatening emergency court action against California unless they investigate a thumb drive's worth of alleged noncitizen voters within 48 hours and set aside their ballots. In other immigration news, the Wall Street Journal reported that the goal of the Ilhan Omar investigation is to strip her of citizenship and deport her, with a dozen subpoenas already issued to her relatives. September inflation came in at 3.7% annually with a 9.1% monthly spike in gas prices, and Trump's economic adviser spun it as "a bunch of good news." A federal judge ruled Trump cannot legally ban CNN, MSNBC, and Politico from White House coverage, and a watchdog group filed a bar complaint against new press secretary Katie Zacharia for claiming to be a lawyer in California without a license, which is a crime in California. Eight states sued OpenAI alleging the company misled users about ChatGPT's safety and failed to prevent it from encouraging self-harm and suicide among teenagers. And finally, a Harvard survey found that 53% of men claimed to know two completely fake AI executives, compared to 40% of women — men are faking AI expertise at scale, which tracks.

Resources/Articles mentioned:

NPR: The Trump administration warns Ukraine it could cut off intel, Zelenskyy tells NPR

The Guardian: Ukrainian military’s access to Starlink satellite internet suddenly restricted | Ukraine

Georgia Recorder: Georgia voters kick off early voting with nearly 189,000 ballots cast

Axios: DOJ gives California 48 hours to check voters or face lawsuit

WSJ: Ilhan Omar Investigation Aims to Build Case for Stripping Her Citizenship

Axios: Inflation heats up as gas prices surge

The Hill: Trump adviser sees ‘a whole bunch of good news’ in inflation report

NPR: CNN, MS NOW and Politico prevail against White House — for now

The HIll: Watchdog files complaint against Katie Zacharia with California bar

Politico: Bipartisan coalition of states sues OpenAI over user safety

Wired: Men Can’t Stop Faking How Much They Know About AI

Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: http://betchesnews.substack.com/

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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Today's Headlines: Kimberly Guilfoyle resigned as US ambassador to Greece after her grifting became too public to ignore, announced by new White House press secretary Katie Zacharia during her first briefing — which lasted 14 minutes, eight of which she spent reading from a script, and within 48 hours it emerged she claimed to have passed the bar in China, where noncitizens aren't allowed to take it but Trump told reporters she was "very good." On the public execution situation, TikTok and Newsmax both said they won't air Pete Hegseth's planned nationwide livestream of the Fort Hood shooter's firing squad execution, and Trump is apparently nervous about the public reaction. Meanwhile, Ilhan Omar's investigation expanded to include her financial disclosures alongside the immigration paperwork allegations, all of which she's denied and which have been right-wing talking points for years. An OpenAI engineer was arrested for planting a secret microphone in a conference room USB port using advanced encryption to transmit data — a 35-year-old Saudi national who worked there for over a year — which is a new category of AI company security problem. Bank of America was fined $1.2 billion by the Treasury Department for willfully violating anti-money laundering laws related to Iran, Russia, drugs, and terrorism, which is the third-largest Treasury fine in history. Cornell banned all fraternity parties for the rest of the academic year and is bringing in trauma-informed criminal investigators, which is a significant step that will absolutely just move the parties off campus. And Pope Leo's lung surgery revealed cancer — surgeons removed the lower lobe of his right lung — with no word yet on further treatment.

Resources/Articles mentioned:

The Guardian: Kimberly Guilfoyle ousted as US ambassador to Greece after alleged misconduct | Trump administration

WaPo: White House scrambles over questions on new press secretary’s background

Axios: TikTok, Newsmax say they won't air possible livestreamed public execution

Axios: Rep. Ilhan Omar under investigation by Jeanine Pirro's office

WaPo:U.S. probe of Rep. Ilhan Omar focuses on birth date, citizenship papers, people familiar say

NYT: F.B.I. Arrests OpenAI Employee Accused of Planting Bug in Office

AP News: US hits Bank of America with $1.2 billion fine, saying it violated money laundering, sanctions laws

NBC News: Cornell bans fraternity parties for the rest of the academic year amid investigation into alleged sexual assault

NYT: Pope Leo Has Lung Cancer, Vatican Says

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Today's Headlines: DHS raided Ilhan Omar's home as part of a criminal investigation into alleged immigration fraud in her family's paperwork, Trump told reporters he had "nothing to do with it" and it's "really up to the DOJ," which is what he says about all his revenge prosecutions. Meanwhile, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to stop cutting down trees at East Potomac for Trump's golf course renovation — after 400 were already cut without permission — saying he has "no faith" the government won't cut them down without a court order, they’re not wrong. A separate judge temporarily blocked the $20 million in taxpayer-funded campaign ads the White House was calling public service announcements, though the White House noted they'd already spent the money anyway. Great. In election news, Republicans are worried about losing one or both chambers of Congress in three weeks, and the solution appears to be money — Elon Musk has already spent $276 million on the midterms, including $158 million to the Senate Leadership Fund and $10 million specifically to help Ken Paxton, who ProPublica found took nearly 1,000 taxpayer-funded out-of-state trips as Texas AG with a legitimate government reason found for only 138 of them. A pro-Susan Collins super PAC spent $25,000 on ads attacking her opponent — in Portland, Oregon instead of Portland, Maine. Speaking of Elon, DOGE alumni have raised half a billion dollars for startups seeking the government contracts they spent their tenure dismantling. And finally, actress Selma Blair was arrested after allegedly biting a flight attendant and attempting to open a window mid-flight, with her rep saying it was a medical emergency.

Resources/Articles mentioned:

AP News: Agents search Rep. Omar's Washington home in criminal probe as she vows she won't 'be silenced'

WaPo: ‘Furious’ judge halts tree removal, demands answers on Trump’s D.C. golf plan

Axios: Judge halts Trump administration's taxpayer-funded ads

WaPo: Trump’s midterm roadshow reveals GOP troubles — and his own priorities

Newsweek: Pro-Susan Collins Group Spends $25,000 in the Wrong Portland

AP News: Elon Musk quietly becomes biggest known donor in midterm contests as he tries to save Republicans

ProPublica: Ken Paxton took nearly 1,000 trips with state-funded security - The Texas Tribune

WaPo: They came to Washington to dismantle government. Now, they’re profiting from it

TMZ: Selma Blair Arrested, Attacks Flight Crew In Mid-Air

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Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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Today's Headlines: Here’s what you may have missed over the weekend: Trump announced a deal to lift sanctions on Russian oil and import it — violating a law Congress passed 100-0 in 2022 banning Russian energy imports — calling it an "energy ceasefire" that Ukraine, which is actively hitting Russia's oil refineries, was not part of and wasn't told about. Zelensky called it "not fair and not honest" and a "birthday gift to Putin," Trump responded by telling reporters Ukraine should "get a new leader who can make a deal," and six senators called for Trump to immediately reverse course. Onto the other useless war, Houthi strikes hit Riyadh's international airport two days in a row killing 13 and wounding 309, then struck another Saudi airport, and Trump said he's "going to look at" joining Saudi retaliation. Trump also spent the weekend furious that he didn't win the Nobel Peace Prize — calling the committee's choice "an indelible stain on Norway" — and floated renaming the Atlantic or Pacific "Trump Ocean or Ocean of the Americas or something like that," while also suggesting “we need a great river” and wanting Fetterman to switch parties. In other Trump circus news, Kimberly Guilfoyle is reportedly about to be fired as ambassador to Greece after the Wall Street Journal released audio of her bragging that two Greek magnates were bankrolling her luxury travel including Paris, Gstaad, and Christmas abroad, and complaining she wasn't initially invited to a dinner honoring Eric Trump. Trump is also reportedly planning to convert his West Palm Beach golf club into the new Camp David, offering future presidents comped memberships. And finally, Pope Leo announced he's having surgery this week to remove an early-stage lung nodule, with about a week's recovery expected.

Resources/Articles mentioned:

BBC: Ukraine strikes Yandex data centre in third attack on Russian tech giant

Axios: U.S. official: Trump cut deal with Putin after Zelensky ignored his requests

AP News: Six senators call for Trump administration to 'immediately reverse course' on Russian diesel plan

CNBC: Trump says he is 'going to look at' joining Saudi Arabia in the fight against Iran-backed Houthis after deadly airport strike

NYT: Trump Says He Should Have Won ‘8 Nobel Peace Prizes’ After Being Snubbed

WaPo: Trump suggests ‘Ocean of Americas’ as new name for Atlantic or Pacific

AP News: Trump urges Sen. John Fetterman to switch parties and become a Republican

WaPo: Trump wants a new Camp David — at his own golf club

AP News: AP source: Trump, Rubio weigh firing US envoy to Greece after mounting reports of improper conduct

WSJ: At Davos, Kimberly Guilfoyle Boasted of Private Jet Trips, Luxury Stays

NBC News: Pope Leo says he will undergo surgery to remove a nodule on his lung

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Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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Today's Headlines: To end the week, Trump decided not to strike Iran before the November 3rd midterms, primarily because high gas prices are already threatening to cost Republicans one or both chambers of Congress. Trump declared anyone using the term "artificial intelligence" instead of "super intelligence" to be "THE ENEMY," while the White House continues using "AI" on its own website, and handed out National Medals of Science to Elon Musk, Jensen Huang, Sergey Brin, Satya Nadella, and others, telling them they'd "go down in the annals of history as being great." Meanwhile, The USS Abraham Lincoln finally docked in San Diego after a record 322-day deployment — with 8 reported suicide attempts, no clean food or water, and broken plumbing — and Pete Hegseth announced that the firing squad execution of the Fort Hood shooter will be livestreamed for public viewing in December. The DOJ is reportedly moving to indict Cassidy Hutchinson — the January 6th committee witness — for allegedly lying to Congress, because revenge prosecutions have a schedule to keep. And Kimberly Guilfoyle was reported by the Wall Street Journal to have texted a Trump donor asking him to wire $100,000 directly to her Amex account so it wouldn't show up during her ambassador confirmation process — the donor said she's a grifter, called out Corey Lewandowski and Kristi Noem for similar behavior, and then said he'd vote for Trump again anyway. You really can’t make this up.

Resources/Articles mentioned:

Axios: Trump: US won't attack Iran before midterms

Forbes: Trump Calls Anyone Who Says 'AI' Instead Of 'Super Intelligence' An 'Enemy'

NBC News: Trump awards Musk and other tech titans National Medals of Science

The Guardian: USS Abraham Lincoln to dock in San Diego after harrowing stretch at sea | US military

PBS News: Pentagon says firing squad execution of Fort Hood shooter will be livestreamed

Punchbowl: DOJ seeks indictment of Cassidy Hutchinson - Punchbowl News

WSJ: ‘Honey Please’: Kimberly Guilfoyle Pushed Donor to Wire $100,000 to Her Amex Account

Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: http://betchesnews.substack.com/

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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Today's Headlines: Pardoned election denier Tina Peters met with Trump at the White House to discuss how Howard Lutnick could legally seize voting machines before the midterms, it remains a mystery why she was even pardoned by democratic governor, Jared polis. Trump also told reporters he "could have done very bad things" to Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, and Barack Obama but chose not to out of respect for the presidency. Ken Paxton was caught on tape complaining that Trump's Iran war and the midterm convention are dragging down his numbers and that his campaign is being run from DC, right before Trump held a rally for him in Texas, which is a remarkable amount of loyalty to someone who just talked trash about you on tape. In international news, two of Trump's close midterm advisers — currently running his massive ad campaign — were just in the Balkans helping a pro-Putin government secure power in Bosnia's Republika Srpska, because apparently managing one election at a time isn't enough. Meanwhile, the Russian oligarch who paid for Don Jr.'s wedding celebration held a press conference to say Don Jr. paid him back, comparing it to inviting someone to your country house. A naked 8-foot golden statue of Trump titled "The Orange Plague" was unveiled at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, depicting him sitting on a frail man's shoulders holding a golf club, the world, and scales — inspired by The Emperor's New Clothes. France is dealing with its largest student protests in decades, with hundreds of thousands of students, hundreds of school closures, and 6,000 arrests, all stemming from a teachers' strike over lack of resources. And finally, the Cornell fraternity scandal is spreading, with the University of Arizona suspending all Greek life after sexual assault, hazing, and drug reports flooded in across nearly half its frat chapters.

Resources/Articles mentioned:

Colorado Newsline: Tina Peters met with Trump to discuss election plans, former Trump administration attorney says

The Hill: Trump: I could have done ‘bad things’ to Hillary Clinton, Biden, Obama

Yahoo: Donald Trump vows “big surprises” with Project 2025 author before midterms

Axios: Exclusive: Paxton privately blames woes on Iran war, gas prices

NYT: Amid Midterm Crunch, Trump Advisers Took Time to Help Russia-Aligned Government

The Independent: Putin pal responds to Trump’s claim that Don Jr paid him back for wedding

USA Today: Nude gold statue of Trump 'Orange Plague' unveiled

CNN: Unprecedented student protests are rocking France. Here’s why they’re angry

NYT: University of Arizona Suspends Fraternity Activities, Citing Misconduct Reports

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Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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Today's Headlines: Another day of mad king things. Trump told a Nebraska rally crowd to "let them take out Los Angeles, let them take out San Diego," suggesting Iran could destroy two major American cities and that high gas prices are "a small price to pay" — California Governor Newsom responded by calling for the 25th Amendment. Meanwhile, Marco Rubio unveiled a new standard US passport design featuring Trump's image on the inside cover of every American passport, making it mandatory for all renewals. On immigration, ProPublica revealed that over 500 US citizens have been detained by ICE since Trump took office — including at least 70 American children and teenagers, roughly a dozen of whom were deported — with more than 100 detained after being questioned about citizenship they legally hold, almost all of them non-white. The DOJ separately filed actions to strip 40 naturalized citizens of their citizenship, with more denaturalization cases in the pipeline. In public health, New York declared a statewide measles emergency as Pennsylvania's outbreak crosses 1,000 cases — the largest state measles outbreak in over 30 years — and the CDC is "closely monitoring" Russia's pneumonic plague outbreak while the State Department told Americans in Russia to leave immediately, and Trump announced he'll call Putin about the plague "very soon." He must be very excited. Cornell appointed former Deputy AG Sally Yates to lead an independent review of the university's sexual assault policies following the Jane Doe case, as new evidence including Snapchat threads and recorded phone calls continues to emerge. And finally, the Paramount-Warner Brothers merger is officially being rebranded as Skydance, combining HBO Max and Paramount+ into one streaming service.

Resources/Articles mentioned:

The Guardian: Trump suggests Iran could ‘take out’ Los Angeles or San Diego | California

Forbes: Trump’s Image ‘Non-Negotiable’ On New U.S. Passport Redesign

ProPublica: ICE Investigation

The Guardian: US justice department moves to strip citizenship of 40 naturalized citizens | US immigration

Axios: CDC: Monitoring Russian plague risk, "prepared" for any threat

Newsweek: U.S. Embassy Issues Russia Plague Update for Americans

AP News: Trump says he has call scheduled with Putin to discuss possible case of pneumonic plague in Russia

NYT: Hochul Declares a Measles Emergency as Cases Rise in Rural New York

NYT: Sally Yates to Lead Internal Investigation Into Cornell’s Handling of Sexual Assault Report

The Verge: HBO Max and Paramount Plus will merge into a single streamer under Skydance

Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: http://betchesnews.substack.com/

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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