Grover Reads the News Podcast

Hi there. Today is Wednesday, November 19th and this is my final update with Grover Reads the News for now. I hope you’ll have a listen or a read through as I sign off this past year of updates with all of you.

I’ve Been Quiet Because I’ve Been Making the Stay or Go Workbook

I co-authored a workbook with my wife, Nova Wehman-Brown, to help others decide if leaving the US is right for them and create an exit plan just in case you need it. It’s called Should I Stay or Should I Go? A step-by-step workbook to help you decide if leaving the US is right for you. It has 61 colorful worksheet pages guiding the reader to name their priorities and longings, assess where they might live and how they might do it, determine their thresholds for leaving given changing conditions, and determine what needs to be resourced to root down and stay where you are now. It’s available now at the StayorGoWorkbook.com or anywhere you read e-books.

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Thank you to EACH AND EVERY ONE of you who subscribed and shared Grover Reads the News and especially to the paid supporters who invested to offset the costs of making this podcast. I’m not done with the type of responsive and community-invested communications work I seem to keep making, I just need to shift out of regular production to allow for longer, slower work to emerge. Speaking of: I hope you’ll subscribe as a free subscriber to You’ve Got Mail (only Butch and Platonic) here on Substack.

If you’re weary of paid subscriptions but would like to leave a tip in the tip jar, so to say, you can do that here via a platform called “buy me a coffee.”

News sources used in this update and links to other news summaries I recommend are in the footnotes of Grover Reads the News Substack

Thank you for being with me through this very, very intense year. Knowing you were out there and you also cared about our shared future helped me get through my days. I’m rooting for you. Until next time. Be well.

Hi there. It’s been a while. It turns out rebuilding all the routines of daily life with children in a new country takes up ALL my available resources for the first few months. But, I’m here now. And I’ve got a news update for you.

Would you like to hear it? If so, have a listen. If not, I’ll offer again soon.

TOPICS:

US NEWS: Mass Immigrant Detention Facilities; US Federal Troops in US Cities

International news: Gaza

Nature News: cross-species listening

Thanks for being with me to face the news today. If you’re new here, welcome. I also write essays and reflections over at You’ve Got Mail (Only Butch and Platonic).

If you’d like to read a recent interview I did with the newsletter, Reasons Not to Quit click here.

Nervous about the rise of fascism in the US and around the world and want to better understand it with a kind expert to guide you? Listen to or read about Ejeris Dixon’s fascism barometer.

Take care out there, yall.

xo

grover

Sources used to create this update:

Immigration & Mass Deportation

https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/alligator-alcatraz-shut-down-closing-florida-lawsuit-rcna227949

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crl5ry3rgzro

https://www.themarshallproject.org/2025/08/22/florida-ice-indiana-louisiana-prison-immigration-detention

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-trump-says-were-not-going-to-war-with-chicago-after-threatening-city-on-social-media

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/05/trump-ice-immigration-chicago-national-guard

https://apnews.com/article/trump-chicago-baltimore-law-enforcement-6d7c80258f17c3d679358467531f7e9d

DC:

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/09/washington-dc-turns-out-to-protest-trumps-occupation/

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/thousands-protest-free-dc-fourth-week-federal-control-washington-rcna229566

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/03/washington-dc-mayor-trump-national-guard

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/thousands-protest-free-dc-fourth-week-federal-control-washington-rcna229566

https://www.thenation.com/article/activism/night-patrol-washington-dc-occupation/

Trump extends control over Washington by taking management of Union Station away from Amtrak https://apnews.com/article/trump-duffy-union-station-amtrak-management-8c1f5d00ab7591f3f021cf4a9ee8d8e2

https://apnews.com/article/trump-chicago-baltimore-law-enforcement-6d7c80258f17c3d679358467531f7e9d

https://time.com/7315444/trump-immigration-crackdown-ice-sanctuary-cities/

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/08/11/politics/police-washington-dc-trump-take-over

Gaza

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg47kvld8go

https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2025-gaza-damage-assessment/

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/gaza-starvation-analysis-1.7623862

https://www.npr.org/2025/09/04/g-s1-86841/gaza-aid-famine-hunger-israel

Nature News: Cross-species listening

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/07/24/science/moths-listen-understand-plant-noises

Other things:

If you want to read a bit about my experience living in another country, you can read some of my recent updates about it at groverwehmanbrown.substack.com.

Hi there. Would you like to hear a news update? If so, have a listen. If not, I’ll offer again soon.

Topics in this episode:

US News: Federal funding package (☠️)

Transnational News: US, Venezuela, El Salvador; Deportation, torture.

Gaza, Israel: Starvation

Nature News: Ecosystem resilience

Want to support Grover Reads the News? Become a paid subscriber, or sign up for free to get updates in your inbox.

SOURCES USED TO CREATE THIS SUMMARY

US Funding Bill Will Increase Poverty and Inequality

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpvjlj3n1vmo

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/whats-in-trump-big-beautiful-bill-senate-version/

Work requirements don't work → https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/07/28/nx-s1-5466338/georgia-work-requirements-medicaid-pathways

https://www.npr.org/2025/04/14/g-s1-59261/medicaid-cuts-long-term-care-caregivers

Deportation and torture:

https://apnews.com/article/florida-immigration-alligator-alcatraz-8607894cc7bab9c17bce30fdf541f0bc

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwyrnrnxy7yo

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/alligator-alcatraz-florida-detainees-conditions-fungus-mosquitoes-rcna220205

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-venezuela-el-salvador-prison-swap-b2791843.html

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/venezuelans-cecot-el-salvador-returned-abuse-rcna220924

Rolling Stone: Inside the Grassroots Fight Against Trump's Deportation Machine

Mass forced starvation in Gaza

https://www.unrwa.org/newsroom/official-statements/unrwa-commissioner-general-gaza-more-1000-starving-people-reported-killed

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/jul/22/food-aid-gaza-deaths-visual-story-ghf-israel

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/malta-recognise-palestinian-state-september-2025-07-29/

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jul/27/israel-announces-daily-military-pauses-as-fury-mounts-over-starvation-in-gaza

https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/israeli-rights-groups-break-taboo-with-accusations-genocide-2025-07-30/

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/britain-warns-israel-it-could-recognise-palestinian-state-gaza-starvation-2025-07-29/

https://www.npr.org/2025/07/23/nx-s1-5477365/israel-gaza-aid-casualties

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/israel-pause-fighting-humanitarian-aid-gaza/

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/07/25/world/video/israel-iran-war-protests-starvation-crisis-vrtc

https://whyy.org/articles/philadelphia-gaza-hunger-protest/

Nature News: Songbirds in Australia are about to eat

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/a-mass-blossoming-is-occurring-in-wake-of-floods-to-feed-honeyeater-birds-in-australia-where-just-300-remain/

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-06-28/gum-trees-set-for-booming-blossom-after-rain-and-floods/105437310

Other things:

If you want to read a bit about my experience living in another country, you can read some of my recent updates about it at groverwehmanbrown.substack.com.

Hi there. I hope you are safe where you are. I hope you can access cold air when you need it and can move through the world as you need to. I wasn’t planning on making an update this week, but given the intensity of the landscape of life in the U.S. and middle east right now, I am offering a basic, political-news-only full episode.

FULL EPISODE

The grief of the world is big. I hope you can hold it with a friend or a tree or a giant, ancient body of water. I hope to be back with you on July 9th.

Until next time. Be well.

Grover Reads the News is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Sources used for this summary:

https://apnews.com/article/israel-iran-war-nuclear-trump-bomber-news-06-22-2025-c2baca52babe915e033ae175ce8b2687

https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/19/world/video/israel-iran-civilian-death-toll-investigation-digvid

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy0w94yj68xo

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-06-23/israelis-move-to-bunkers-as-iranian-missiles-rain-down/105448642

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/06/23/israel-iran-live-updates-us-trump/

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/gaza-faces-man-made-drought-water-systems-collapse-unicef-says-2025-06-20/

https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5361546-transgender-health-challenges-supreme-court/

https://www.npr.org/2025/06/16/nx-s1-5433748/minnesota-shooting-suspect-vance-boelter-arrested-melissa-hortman-john-hoffman

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/19/no-kings-how-many-protesters-attended

Hi there. I have a news update for you. Would you like to hear it? If so, have a listen. If not, I’ll offer again soon.

News topics covered in today’s update:

Intro (no news yet)

US News: LA Protests + Executive office, immigration, travel ban

International News: Haiti, then Gaza, then South Korea

Nature news: Parrots, humans, and rebuilding

Grover Reads the News is a reader-supported publication. Become a paid subscriber to support this work, or join for free to get updates in your inbox.

SOURCES USED FOR THIS SUMMARY:

Immigration, LA and mass protests

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/11/first-thing-los-angeles-protests-arrests-newsom-trump

https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-protests-ice-national-guard-f39ba39287f628ce8c8be47c92ea6147

https://apnews.com/article/immigration-protests-arrests-austin-aa726c826047f8d7eb4091acc8929b8e

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/11/la-los-angeles-police-mass-arrests-overnight-curfew

NO KINGS MASS DAY OF PROTEST

https://www.mobilize.us/nokings/map/

Travel ban

https://one.npr.org/?sharedMediaId=nx-s1-5425489:nx-s1-5485998-1

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/trump-travel-ban-myanmar-civil-war-visa-rcna211500

International News:

Haiti

https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/record-number-people-displaced-by-violence-haiti-un-agency-says-2025-06-11/

Gaza

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/israel-set-deport-greta-thunberg-other-activists-ministry-says-2025-06-10/

https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/08/middleeast/freedom-flotilla-gaza-aid-ship-thunberg-intl-hnk

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-strikes-kill-35-gaza-many-near-an-aid-site-medics-say-2025-06-11/

South Korea

https://apnews.com/article/south-korea-election-da088cf36a61641e23795688df01ee01

Nature news: Parrots

https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/back-to-the-skies-the-unlikely-comeback-of-one-of-brazils-rarest-parrots/

p.s. did you know I have a Substack where I share my writing and thoughts and lists? This week I wrote about how I responded when faced with a transphobic shirt worn by a local contractor, what it feels like to calculate danger, and growing our bravery in these times. You can read it here.

Hi there. I have a news update for you. Would you like to hear it? If so, keep listening. If not, I’ll offer again soon.

News topics covered in this episode:

US News: Executive Office / authoritarianism, Supreme Court, Economy

US / Transnational News: Immigration & Deportation

Israel/Gaza/USA: Anti-Semitic attack in US, Gazans killed while seeking food aid

Nature and Science News: Plastic that leaves no trace

If you want to support the offering by becoming a yearly or monthly subscriber, I’d really appreciate it. Making each week’s update takes about 4-6 hours of my working time. Thanks to those of you who already support the show!

Sources used to create this summary:

https://apnews.com/article/unemployment-benefits-jobless-claims-layoffs-labor-795ec07804ed3f35eb702af27c4983d0

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/06/05/elon-musk-donald-trump-recession-impeachment-00390762

https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/06/politics/trump-military-parade-washington-dc-streets

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/06/05/marcelo-gomes-da-silva-ice-conditions/84057203007/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2025/06/05/djibouti-deportations-migrants-ice-trump/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2025/06/05/first-deportee-returned-trump-guatemala/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/06/05/workplace-discrimination-supreme-court-decision/

THE LINK TO PARTICIPATE IN AN ACTION ON JUNE 14th:

https://www.mobilize.us/nokings/

https://apnews.com/article/boulder-terror-attack-colorado-8af1b11734cbbe75c9945820a9b6684c

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/01/boulder-colorado-attack

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/01/palestinians-gunned-down-while-trying-to-reach-food-aid-site-in-gaza-hospital-says

https://apnews.com/article/gaza-humanitarian-foundation-aid-israel-hamas-d9e205966fb08bdbba0a842e1762a322

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8xg7rv9g4yo

https://apnews.com/article/gaza-humanitarian-foundation-aid-israel-hamas-d9e205966fb08bdbba0a842e1762a322

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/scientists-japan-develop-plastic-that-dissolves-seawater-within-hours-2025-06-04/

Hi all. Today’s update is a little different because I am being nimble to tech challenges. Nimble is the name of the game in this era! And so today’s update is the full summary only, no digest. I also will add links to sources later when my full tech is up and running.

If you want to read a text version of the update, click the transcript button!

Todays topics:

* US federal budget/spending/tax bill

* US immigration policy

* International news — Israel, Gaza; Migration between Africa & Europe

* Nature news: rewinding ghost woodlands

Grover Reads the News is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Until next time, be well.

Grover

Hi there. I have a news update for you. Would you like to hear it? If so, keep listening. If not, I’ll offer again soon.

Topics covered in today’s episode:

Intro (no news yet)

US News Headlines: Natural disasters, prison escapees, plantation burned

US FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION NEWS: Supreme Court rules on Immigration policy, Anti-Vax Rule Change

INTERNATIONAL NEWS: Gaza, Isreael, international pressure

NATURE NEWS: Lemur-made tick repellent

Will you write a review or share with your friend?

Thanks for sharing a link to this episode with your friend or writing us a good review! It will help more people face the news along with you.

If you’d like to financially support the sustainability of this show, you can become a paid subscriber over at groverreadsthenews.substack.com.

News sources used for this summary:

Headlines:

https://apnews.com/article/storms-tornadoes-damage-destruction-3f7207e36dc589e9635755a1f579e926

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-orleans-inmates-escape-update/

https://www.prisonpolicy.org/profiles/LA.html

https://people.com/largest-plantation-in-the-u-s-went-up-in-flames-video-11736429

https://www.theroot.com/the-10-most-hilarious-black-memes-from-the-nottoway-pla-1851781319

US Federal Administration

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/19/us/politics/supreme-court-protected-status-venezuelans.html

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/19/supreme-court-ruling-venezuela-tps-trump

https://apnews.com/article/vaccines-fda-kennedy-covid-shots-rfk-trump-bb4de15b6ff955d6cd0b406aaec3cdc5

Israel's bombing of Gaza

https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-05-05-2025-d22caabfd2cf89e83fe06e649e6438ba

https://apnews.com/article/mideast-wars-israel-gaza-hamas-05-19-2025-da619d393510e0dde9650adbd39cbf0b

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2025/may/21/israel-gaza-blockade-aid-hamas-netanyahu-middle-east-crisis-live-news-updates

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3d4kz8p00eo

Nature News

https://www.bbc.com/reel/video/p0l6j87r/lemur-mum-has-ingenious-idea-to-save-newborn-from-ticks

Hi there. I have a news update for you. Would you like to hear it? If so, have a listen. If not, I’ll offer again soon.

Topics:

* US Executive office, immigration, & resistance

* International News: India & Pakistan; Gaza; Mali

* Nature News: Flamingo water tornadoes

This podcast is also available in digest form so you can listen to some parts and leave others. That is available over on Substack at GroverReadstheNews.Substack.com.

News Sources used to create this summary:

US News: Migration & Civil rights

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/tufts-student-rumeysa-ozturk-back-in-boston-after-release-from-louisiana-detention-center

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/12/episcopal-church-white-south-africans-trump

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/massachusetts-police-hold-girls-face-ground-ice-arrests-mother-video-s-rcna205798

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/05/ice-arrest-deportation-police-worcester-massachusetts/

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5292918-newark-mayor-detained-ice-facility/

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/09/newark-mayor-ras-baraka-arrested-ice-protest-detention-center

International News: India, Pakistan

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/05/12/asia/india-pakistan-kashmir-ceasefire-intl-hnk

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/05/12/israel-hamas-edan-alexander-release-trump/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/05/13/gaza-hospital-israel-strike/

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ceqglvlwzx5o

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/05/12/gaza-famine-report-looting/

https://apnews.com/article/mali-political-parties-dissolve-military-b9a97cc673cc11a804e023250fbecaea

Nature News:

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/12/science/flamingo-vortex-beaks-water.html

Hi there. I’ve got a news update for you. Would you like to hear it?

If so, have a listen. If not, I’ll offer again soon. Because we don’t have to face the news alone. We can do it together.

TOPICS COVERED IN TODAY’s EPISODE:

US News: Fascism watch (homelessness, trans & queer rights, funding for libraries)

International news: Gaza

International News: Kashmir

Nature News: Bonobo Coalitions

Spread the word & support this offering:

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NEWS SOURCES USED TO CREATE THIS SUMMARY

US News: Fascism watch

Housing Housing and Homelessness:

https://apnews.com/article/national-forest-homeless-eviction-bend-oregon-4fa6faf1a3f1f6e29d1a8a680f00e926

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/01/homeless-evicted-forest-service-oregon-deschutes

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/03/realestate/homeless-encampment-removal-forest-oregon.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/05/06/section-8-cuts-trump-budget-proposal/

https://www.them.us/story/maine-janet-mills-school-lunch-funding-trump-administration-feud

https://www.them.us/story/ptown-pittsburgh-lgbtq-bar-police-raid-amanda-lepore

https://www.them.us/story/liberty-hotel-queer-couple-bathroom-kicked-out

https://www.npr.org/2025/05/06/nx-s1-5388902/library-funding-cuts-trump-injunction

https://apnews.com/article/trump-npr-pbs-republicans-public-broadcasting-f0e3e1acb96986732a0211833165bf84

International News: Gaza, Pakistan, India

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/06/hamas-israel-hunger-war-in-gaza?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cwyneele13qt

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/06/world/asia/india-pakistan-attacks.html

Nature News:

https://apnews.com/article/female-bonobos-congo-901bf579296ee5a3dfbff6f68b1fe91f