The Trump administration earlier this week carried out the 20th attack on alleged narco-terrorists in the Caribbean Sea, a Pentagon official confirmed to NBC News.

According to the official, four people were killed in the attack on November 10, bringing the total number of fatalities from these strikes to 79. NBC News has not independently confirmed the strikes.

Over the past few weeks, the Trump administration has steadily announced kinetic strikes against vessels it believes are transporting members of the Tren de Aragua gang and drug smugglers. In late October, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered an aircraft carrier strike group to maneuver into the U.S. Southern Command’s area of responsibility to bolster these attacks.

Children go missing in the United States due to a variety of reasons, including running away, family abductions, and stranger abductions, though the vast majority of missing children are runaways. Other causes include being lost or injured, or falling victim to online enticement leading to trafficking or other exploitation. 

Common reasons children go missing

• Running away: The majority of missing children are teens who have run away from home. This is often listed as an "endangered runaway" because these children are at high risk of exploitation and trafficking.
• Family abduction: This is the most common type of abduction and is typically committed by a parent, often during a custody dispute.
• Stranger abduction: Kidnappings by strangers are rare, but they do occur.
• Lost, stranded, or injured: A child can become missing after becoming lost, getting stranded, or having an accident.
• Online enticement: The internet and social media are increasingly being used by predators to entice children into dangerous situations, including sex trafficking. The number of online enticement reports has increased significantly.
• Exploitation: Missing children are at high risk of exploitation, abuse, and trafficking, especially those who are runaways. 

Other factors

• Digital predators: An increase in online enticement through social media, messaging apps, and gaming platforms has increased the risk for children.
• Disproportionate vulnerability: Certain groups, such as Native and Indigenous youth, are disproportionately vulnerable to trafficking, notes the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and the Not Invisible Act Commission.
• Children with disabilities: Children with autism may wander off due to their interest in certain places or their efforts to escape overwhelming stimuli. 

Children run away from home in the United States primarily due to abuse, neglect, and severe family conflict, often fueled by issues like domestic violence, substance abuse, and divorce. Other common reasons include being kicked out, mental health struggles, and problems at school or with peers. 

Significant reasons for running away

• Abuse and neglect: Physical, sexual, or emotional abuse and neglect are significant drivers for children running away.
• Family crisis: Issues like domestic violence, substance abuse within the family, parental divorce, or the death of a family member can make the home feel unsafe.
• Family conflict: General conflicts and high stress in the home are prevalent reasons, with a large percentage of runaways reporting conflicts with parents or guardians.
• Being kicked out: Some children are forced to leave their homes by parents or guardians.
• Mental health and identity: Struggling with mental health, being rejected for their sexual orientation, or dealing with other social pressures are also risk factors.
• School and peer issues: Problems at school, such as failing or being bullied, and peer pressure, can lead a child to leave home. 

Children run away from home in the United States primarily due to abuse, neglect, and severe family conflict, often fueled by issues like domestic violence, substance abuse, and divorce. Other common reasons include being kicked out, mental health struggles, and problems at school or with peers. 

Significant reasons for running away

• Abuse and neglect: Physical, sexual, or emotional abuse and neglect are significant drivers for children running away.
• Family crisis: Issues like domestic violence, substance abuse within the family, parental divorce, or the death of a family member can make the home feel unsafe.
• Family conflict: General conflicts and high stress in the home are prevalent reasons, with a large percentage of runaways reporting conflicts with parents or guardians.
• Being kicked out: Some children are forced to leave their homes by parents or guardians.
• Mental health and identity: Struggling with mental health, being rejected for their sexual orientation, or dealing with other social pressures are also risk factors.
• School and peer issues: Problems at school, such as failing or being bullied, and peer pressure, can lead a child to leave home. 

Other contributing factors

• Substance abuse within the family.
• Financial worries in the household.
• Stress and anxiety from their living situation.
• A new baby in the family can disrupt the family dynamic. 

Appreciating what you have through a deep-seated attitude of gratitude and by publicly expressing thanks is what it means to be grateful.

While thankfulness is the act of expressing gratitude for something particular, usually a kindness from another person, being grateful is an attitude that focuses on appreciating the good in life, even in trying circumstances.

Saying "thank you" for a particular gift or favor is one way to express gratitude, as is thinking about what you already have.  

God is good....

Venezuela says it is launching a “massive mobilization” of military personnel, weapons, and equipment in response to the build-up of US warships and troops in the Caribbean Sea.

President Trump signs a funding bill to end the longest government shutdown in history, Trump faces renewed scrutiny for his past relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, and health officials sound the alarm over a severe strain of flu as cases surge abroad.

FOX Business's Cheryl Casone joined 'Fox & Friends First' to discuss President Donald Trump's offer to air traffic controllers and the chaos with air travel amid the record-breaking shutdown. Fox News' Mark Meredith also reports the latest from the White House.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has become the target of progressive anger after moderate Democrats struck a deal to reopen the government, raising questions about his future atop the conference even as he distances himself from the agreement.

When Hurricane Melissa devastated parts of Jamaica, thousands were left without power for days — a reminder that reliable backup energy can mean the difference between safety and chaos. Where Hurricane Melissa hit hardest, the towns of Black River and New Hope in Jamaica, the destruction is total.

Homes leveled. A hospital in ruins. Families living beneath half-collapsed roofs. Across the island, people are surviving on whatever the land and sea still offer. With outside help slow to arrive, Jamaicans are doing what they’ve always done, relying on each other. This is the reality behind the headlines: the human cost, the courage, and the fight to survive in the aftermath of one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes in history.

Hurricane Melissa has caused an estimated $6 billion to $7 billion in damages in Jamaica and between $48 billion and $52 billion across the Caribbean. These figures represent a significant hit to Jamaica's economy, equivalent to roughly 30% of its GDP. 

Jamaica

• Total damage: Preliminary estimates place the total damage cost between $6 billion and $7 billion, or about 30% of the nation's GDP, according to the BBC News.
• Insured losses: Insured losses in Jamaica are estimated to be between $2.2 billion and $4.2 billion.
• Economic impact: The storm is expected to cause an 8% to 13% decline in the country's GDP as a result of the devastation. 

Caribbean Region

• Total damage: The total estimated damages across the entire Caribbean are between $48 billion and $52 billion.
• Economic factors: This figure encompasses both physical destruction and long-term financial losses, including those incurred by the tourism sector. 

Other factors

• Insurance payouts: The Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF) announced a payout of $70.8 million to the government of Jamaica, the largest in its history.
• Aid: The United States has pledged at least $11 million in support for relief efforts. 

On November 1, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides food assistance to approximately 42 million Americans, will run out of funding due to the ongoing government shutdown, resulting in the suspension of the federal food aid program until further notice. The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) will also end Nov. 1. Governors and attorneys general from 25 states filed a lawsuit seeking to compel the Trump administration to use emergency funds to support SNAP.

It argues that the USDA is failing to utilize the available emergency funds and is "unlawfully" suspending SNAP benefits, despite contingency funds that Congress has appropriated for emergencies like this being available.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins stated that she does not have the legal authority to keep federal food assistance programs funded during the shutdown, as it would cost approximately $9.2 billion to fund SNAP in November.

Brace yourselves, workers. Your health insurance at the job could cost you a lot more in 2026. Although overall inflation is more muted than a few years ago, employers are preparing for the steepest increase in health benefit costs in 15 years, according to Mercer’s National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans.