First Look at the Biopic Exploring a Hollywood Icon’s Early Years

First Look at the Biopic Exploring a Hollywood Icon’s Early Years: the based-on-a-true-story drama reveals a formative chapter of stardom with Toby Jones, Lesley Manville, and Harry Lawtey leading the cast—because in Hollywood, even legends need a meticulously lit origin story.

HMRC worker ordered to pay £20,000 for refusing to return to the office after COVID lockdown

HMRC worker ordered to pay £20,000 for refusing to return to the office after COVID lockdown: A Liverpool employment tribunal has ordered HMRC employee Martin Bentley to pay £20,000 in legal costs after rejecting his disability discrimination claim and finding no medical reason he needed to work from home. Bentley, who cited long‑standing anxiety, depression, and kidney disease, worked remotely from March 2020 until his 2024 retirement, declined to use phones, and resisted returning despite an Occupational Health report deeming him fit for the office. The tribunal said he exaggerated evidence and acted vexatiously, noting HMRC even offered taxis when he said public transport was a problem—an issue he later walked back. A 2021 report also found his “personality and emotional response” ill‑suited to the role. HMRC called itself an office‑based organization with flexible arrangements “where appropriate.” In the ongoing return‑to‑office soap opera, the court’s message was simple: preference isn’t a legal accommodation, and moving the goalposts won’t save you from the bill.

ABC News projects Democrat Mikie Sherrill elected New Jersey governor

ABC News projects Democrat Mikie Sherrill elected New Jersey governor, defeating Republican Jack Ciattarelli. The win shores up Democratic control in a state reliably blue in presidential and Senate races, despite its recent flirtation with a rightward swerve—apparently just a glance, not a lane change.

Pennsylvania voters reelect Supreme Court justices, extending the Democratic majority on the state’s highest court

Pennsylvania voters reelected all three state Supreme Court justices on the ballot, extending the Democratic majority on the state’s highest court. In a presidential battleground where the seven-member bench has been central to fights over voting rights, redistricting, and election rules, the lineup stays put — the referees for the next round of democracy drama aren’t changing jerseys.

Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream issues voluntary recall of select Häagen-Dazs mini bars over undeclared wheat allergen

Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream issues a voluntary recall of select Häagen-Dazs Dark Chocolate Mini Bars after discovering some may contain undeclared wheat—because nothing says indulgence like a surprise allergen. The company calls it “a limited number” of bars; consumers with wheat allergies should steer clear while the grown-ups in labeling double-check their homework.

Sherrill Wins in New Jersey, with Implications for the Midterms

Sherrill Wins in New Jersey, with Implications for the Midterms: Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) captured the governor’s mansion on Tuesday, handing Democrats a much-needed jolt of momentum and leaving Republicans to explain why Jack Ciattarelli’s third try still wasn’t the charm. The result instantly becomes a Rorschach test for both parties heading into next year’s midterms—Democrats touting renewed suburban strength, Republicans insisting it’s an outlier, and campaign consultants celebrating the only true winner: their invoice.

Tom Brady says his new dog is a clone of his late pet

Tom Brady says his new dog is a clone of his late pet, courtesy of Colossal Biosciences—the biotech firm he’s invested in—which used DNA collected before his pit bull mix died; a tender tribute with a distinctly venture-backed reboot vibe.

Biopic peeks at a Hollywood icon’s pre-legend years

Toby Jones, Lesley Manville, and Harry Lawtey lead a based-on-a-true-story drama that lingers in the awkward formative chapter before the star became a myth. Expect craft, character, and a little controlled nostalgia. Hollywood polishing its origin stories, what a shock.

Pennsylvania man arrested after alleged threat to kill lawmaker

Police say 43-year-old Richard Griffin was taken into custody on Election Day outside the Russell Senate Office Building after allegedly threatening to kill a member of Congress. He was stopped before passing through security at the Delaware Avenue entrance. Another sober reminder that political tensions are producing too many security incidents and not nearly enough accountability.

Engineers build a skyscraper chip, stacking 41 layers to push past Moore’s Law limits

An international team led by KAUST’s Xiaohang Li designed a chip that stacks 41 layers of semiconductors and insulators, roughly ten times taller than prior efforts, according to Nature Electronics. The vertical approach boosts circuit density without shrinking footprints, and Li says even six stacked layers can deliver a 600 percent logic increase in the same area with better performance and lower power. If lateral scaling is running into physics, the future may simply go up. Moore’s Law did not retire, it rented a penthouse.

Rescue under way for big cats and bears abandoned at defunct Argentina zoo

Four Paws has begun emergency care for 62 big cats and two brown bears from the shuttered Luján Zoo near Buenos Aires, once infamous for letting visitors pose with lions and tigers. After its 2020 closure, a few former keepers kept feeding animals, but years without proper care left nearly half of 136 big cats dead. A 2023 visit found lionesses packed into a tiny cage and tigers crammed with African lions, driving injuries, infections, and organ failure. Under a new agreement with Argentina’s government, veterinarians are assessing survivors, some needing urgent surgery, with sanctuary transfers to follow. The country has pledged to end the sale and ownership of exotic cats, a promise that will live or die on enforcement. A damning indictment of a system that needed an NGO to do what a zoo and regulators should have done from the start.

WWII pilot laid to rest 80 years after his death

Lt. Gerard Melofchik, a U.S. Army Air Forces pilot killed in 1944 when his B-17G was hit over France and collided with another aircraft, was finally brought home to Bucks County. Identified on June 24 through work by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency and Middle Tennessee State University, he was honored with full military rites at Washington Crossing National Cemetery as more than 50 relatives gathered. The service included a five-pound Hershey’s bar, a nod to his wartime request. A fitting, long-delayed salute to a life given in service and a reminder to honor all who served.

Biopic First Look, Hollywood Polishes Its Halo Again

A glossy peek at a new biopic about a Hollywood icon's early years arrives with the usual cocktail of reverence and soft focus, starring Toby Jones, Lesley Manville, and Harry Lawtey. Based on a true story, shot with great lighting, and dedicated to Tinseltown's favorite sport, mythologizing itself while pretending it is anthropology. Expect gravitas, cameos, and exactly one scene where someone stares meaningfully out a window.

Ferrari Mints a Token, Because Nothing Says Heritage Like a Crypto Auction

Ferrari is partnering with Italian fintech Conio to mint a Token Ferrari 499P so its Hyperclub, roughly 100 ultra exclusive clients, can trade among themselves and use it to bid on a 499P, the endurance racer credited with three straight Le Mans titles. It is a limited pilot aimed at the AI and data center nouveau riche, a demographic that apparently demands carbon fiber delivered on a blockchain. Ferrari already accepts Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDC in the United States since 2023 and in Europe since last year, and now the prancing horse is trotting confidently into the crypto corral, where the gas is premium and the receipts are on chain.

Veterans Rescue Shuttered T-Minus Zero, Experience Outraces Corporate Whiplash

T-Minus Zero Entertainment, the former NetEase studio that closed in September, has been acquired by a small group of veteran directors and founders who are giving the team a second act. In an industry that bins studios faster than it ships patches, the graybeards swooping in is a rare plot twist, competence muscling past corporate churn for once.

VRacer Hoverbike Hits PS VR2, Seven Years Late but Leaning Hard

VRacer Hoverbike lands on PlayStation VR2 with cross platform multiplayer, dynamic foveated rendering, headset rumble, and adaptive triggers, plus a chest leaning control scheme in the spirit of VRider SBK. Across 30 sleek tracks, there are seven modes, career, time trials, weekly challenges, and an optional combat suite with missiles, drones, and EMPs. Early reviews call it fast, tactical, and physically engaging, with smart design and customizable content. The launch rolls in alongside a PS VR2 blitz from Flat2VR Studios with dates for Audio Trip, Roboquest VR, and Shadowgate VR this month, plus updates on Out of Sight VR and RAGER. After a seven year tune up, the hoverbike finally found the throttle.

Virginia Governor's Race Doubles as Trump Era Stress Test

Virginia voters are choosing between Republican Winsome Earle Sears, a staunch conservative lieutenant governor, and Democrat Abigail Spanberger, a centrist former CIA officer who helped flip the House during Trump's first go round. The winner will be Virginia's first woman governor, and if it is Earle Sears, the first Black woman elected governor in any state. It is the first major statewide test since Trump's return to the White House, set against a prolonged shutdown and a blizzard of executive actions. Republicans are gauging whether a Trump style conservative can win a purple state without the full spectacle, while Democrats are betting moderation still clears a market flooded with outrage. Spanberger is running on economic frustration, abortion rights, and a promise to check what she calls Trump's recklessness. Earle Sears is focused on parental rights, public safety, and cultural flashpoints, borrowing the policy and skipping the circus. Trump is offering lukewarm support, the campaign equivalent of decaf at a rally. Down ballot stakes are high too, with lieutenant governor, attorney general, and the entire House of Delegates on the line. Call it a preview of 2026, and a referendum on how much sway the man in Washington still holds over places that have to live with his drama.

Morning Joe Co-Host Questions Zohran Mamdani on Funding for Socialist Programs

Morning Joe Co-Host Questions Zohran Mamdani on Funding for Socialist Programs as Willie Geist presses the Democratic NYC mayoral nominee on who pays for a $30 minimum wage, government-run grocery stores with cheaper prices, free buses, and higher taxes. Mamdani first swiped at opponent Andrew Cuomo for embracing endorsements from Donald Trump and Elon Musk, but Geist dragged the conversation back to the checkbook, asking how small businesses survive a $30 wage. Mamdani said the hike would be phased in for small firms, argued it already takes roughly $30 an hour to live in the city, and cited a worker commuting from Pennsylvania on $11.99 an hour. A resurfaced 2021 clip of Mamdani touting socialism’s goal of “seizing the means of production” and endorsements from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders shadow the pitch, while RealClearPolitics shows him leading by 14 points heading into Election Day.

Police seek suspect in Northeast Philadelphia Dunkin’ robbery

Police seek suspect in Northeast Philadelphia Dunkin’ robbery after releasing new surveillance video that shows the man officers say held up the shop—because apparently even coffee and donuts need a security detail now.

Live updates: Senate votes on ending the shutdown; Trump defies SNAP order; latest Election Day developments

Live updates: Senate votes on ending the shutdown; Trump defies SNAP order; latest Election Day developments — The Senate is taking up the House-passed GOP funding bill for the 14th time as the shutdown ties the 2018–19 closure for longest in U.S. history. Majority Leader John Thune says he’s “optimistic” the government will reopen by week’s end—because nothing telegraphs urgency like two weeks of reruns.

Scott Jennings Challenges David Hogg’s Claim That Republicans Caused the Government Shutdown

Scott Jennings challenges David Hogg’s claim that Republicans caused the government shutdown, using a feisty CNN Newsnight panel to remind him Democrats wrote Obamacare, created the enhanced subsidies, and set their 2025 expiration—so, he says, stop stapling ACA subsidies to a continuing resolution and open the government first. Democrats want a CR with over $1 trillion in priorities, including the COVID-era subsidy boost; Hogg argues they won’t be complicit in raising premiums, while Jennings accuses them of linking unrelated issues and turning SNAP and unpaid federal workers into bargaining chips. Adding intraparty pressure to the standoff, Sen. Chuck Schumer has taken heat from the left for a past GOP-backed spending deal, with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez floated as a 2028 primary challenger—because nothing says “solve today’s shutdown” like scheduling tomorrow’s knife fight.

Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson launch Neil Diamond tribute band in 'Song Sung Blue'

Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson launch Neil Diamond tribute band in 'Song Sung Blue' as Focus Features drops the full-length trailer, revealing the duo teaming up to belt out the Diamond canon. Prepare your “bah-bah-bahs” and sequins—apparently the multiverse where Wolverine covers “Sweet Caroline” is the one we’re living in.

Labour Insists Tax Pledges Are Safe, For Now

Labour says it has no regrets over its manifesto promises not to raise Income Tax, National Insurance, or VAT, brushing off chatter that Rachel Reeves might bin them. A party spokesman said working people have already paid for 14 years of Conservative failure, translation, we meant it until the Treasury spreadsheets grow fangs. For now, the line holds, and the calculators are on probation.

Academics Push Back on Mandated Land Acknowledgements, Appeal to Phillipson

Academic freedom campaigners have written to Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson after a SOAS Middle East conference told participants to preface work by acknowledging the traditional owners of their campus land, or, in cases of military occupation, to note the land’s status. Nothing like a compulsory geopolitical preamble before your bibliography to keep the seminar lively. The row pits performative policy against the quaint notion of free inquiry, with lecturers stuck between checklists and principles.

Wales Boss Craig Bellamy Not Swayed by Celtic Chatter, Says FAW Chief

FAW chief Noel Mooney insists Craig Bellamy is focused on Wales, not Parkhead gossip. With Brendan Rodgers out and Martin O’Neill holding the fort, Bellamy’s past loan spell in Glasgow fueled links, but he is one year into a four-year deal and locked on qualifying for the World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Wales chase six points in November against Liechtenstein and North Macedonia, riding an unbeaten run of nine and a promotion to the Nations League’s top tier. Rumors can pose for selfies, Wales want results.

Dragon Quest Creator Yuji Horii Awarded Order of the Rising Sun

Yuji Horii becomes the first video game designer to receive Japan’s Order of the Rising Sun, 4th class Gold Rays with Rosette, a tidy acknowledgment that games are, in fact, culture. The ever-modest legend credited four decades of collaborators and players, from Love Match Tennis and the Portopia Serial Murder Case to defining the modern JRPG with Dragon Quest. With Square Enix’s 2D-HD remakes of Dragon Quest I-III rekindling interest, Horii says Dragon Quest XII is still in the works, patience required. Also honored at the same class, manga icon Go Nagai. When you crown architects of entire mediums, try not to skimp on the laurels.

EU Enlargement Report Gives Mixed Grades

Brussels praises progress in Moldova, Ukraine, Albania, and Montenegro, while warning of negative trends in Serbia and Georgia. It is the annual ritual of gold stars and see-me-after-class notes, a reminder that accession is part marathon, part obstacle course, and entirely political.

Mayors Launch Global Climate Coalition Ahead of UN Summit in Brazil

City leaders are banding together to prepare for a hotter future, trading speeches for flood maps and heat plans. While national leaders haggle over talking points, the people who actually run cities are trying to keep them livable. Radical concept, competence.

Are racism fears shaping mental health sectioning decisions?

Paul Birch argues that anti-racism initiatives may be discouraging necessary interventions in high risk situations involving African-Caribbean people with schizophrenia, potentially leaving some individuals unsupervised. He calls for closer scrutiny of how race, risk, and mental health policy intersect. The goal should be equal dignity and equal duty of care, not optics management. More data, better safeguards, and clinician support would beat policy PR any day.

Deported man returns to UK, policy trips over its own shoelaces

No 10 confirms an Iranian man who arrived by dinghy in August, was sent to France in September under the one in, one out scheme, then returned in October, is still in Britain in an immigration removal centre while officials process his case with France. He claims he was a victim of modern slavery in France, and legal action may be under way. The Home Office says removals are scaling up. Downing Street calls the plan a landmark, not a silver bullet. Sir Keir Starmer says it is on course. Kemi Badenoch calls it total chaos. OECD figures show UK asylum claims hit a record 108,000 in 2024, up 28 percent year on year. If this is on course, someone might want to confirm the compass is not just for decoration.

Rescued worker dies after Rome tower collapse

A worker who was pulled from rubble after a partial collapse at the medieval Torre dei Conti in Rome during renovation died shortly after being rescued late Monday. Authorities are investigating the cause. A grim reminder that safety standards are not a formality, they are survival.

Major crash shuts M6 southbound between J13 and J12

A serious late night collision around 11:40 pm has closed the M6 southbound between Junctions 13, Stafford, and 12, Cannock. National Highways reported a crash involving a heavy goods vehicle and a van, while West Midlands Ambulance Service attended a collision involving a van and a pedestrian. A man with potentially life threatening injuries was taken to Royal Stoke University Hospital. Staffordshire Police are leading the investigation, with lanes closed for recovery and barrier repairs. Delays of up to two hours are expected, with clearance estimated around 1:30 pm. Drivers should allow extra time or follow the hollow circle diversion via the A449 southbound to the A5 at Gailey, then the A5 eastbound to rejoin the M6 at J12.

Rep. Nancy Mace blames airport security timing after reported tirade

After reports she unleashed a profanity laced rant at Charleston International, Rep. Nancy Mace went on Fox Business to fault airport security, saying officers did not show up on time to greet her and calling it a serious issue. Translation, the outburst becomes a security failure, because public safety apparently includes punctual VIP meet and greet. If only turbulence took appointments.

Runaway box truck scrapes South Philly street, driver bolts

A box truck squeezed a too tight turn on a narrow South Philadelphia street, chewed through parked cars, then floored it while neighbors caught the mess on video and sprinted after. Property damage aplenty, accountability zero, and one driver who treated a neighborhood like a slalom course and a Yelp review at the same time.

Bradford student gets 10 years for rape after taxi ruse

A 29 year old student met a 17 year old after a bus terminated early in March, offered to share a taxi, then directed it to his flat instead of the bus station. He trapped and raped her. CCTV later showed the teenager fleeing to seek help. The court sentenced him to 10 years in prison and ordered deportation after release. The victim described ongoing trauma including flashbacks and nightmares. Police credited her swift report for enabling a fast paced investigation.

RBA holds at 3.6 percent, cheap money sends a postcard

Australia’s central bank kept the cash rate parked at 3.6 percent, opting for caution over confetti. Inflation is still pressing the top of the 2 to 3 percent band, so the dragon is singed, not slain. Markets and the big four have pushed rate cut fantasies into 2026, with whispers of another hike next year or in 2027. The economy is inconveniently resilient, GDP up 1.8 percent over the year to June 2025, unemployment at 4.5 percent, a tight labor market keeping wages warm. Goods prices are easing, but housing, insurance, health care, and education are floating like helium. Globally, the Fed trimmed rates in October but stayed hawkish, and the ECB and BoE are in wait and see mode, so the RBA’s patience looks standard rather than stubborn. Next stop is the December meeting, with January CPI as the real decider. Until then, caution is the only thing easing.

Doctor flags risky supplements, starting with your liver

Hospital physician Christine Nwoha, MD, warns the lightly policed supplement bazaar can do real harm, starting with your liver. She cites a healthy middle aged woman who developed severe liver injury after taking high dose turmeric for weight loss on a remote naturopath’s advice. Nwoha is most wary of ashwagandha, green tea extract, garcinia cambogia, kratom, anabolic steroids, and high dose turmeric. Many side effects pass, liver failure does not. With regulation lagging and miracle claims blooming, do real research and treat natural as a marketing word, not a safety label. If you want green tea, try a cup, not a chemistry experiment.

New Mexico Launches Universal Free Child Care

New Mexico just did the radical thing of treating child care like infrastructure, not a luxury add-on. Starting Nov. 1, every family, regardless of income, gets free child care, with parents saving about $12,000 per child each year. The state is recruiting more licensed home providers and seeding a $12.7 million low-interest loan fund to build and renovate facilities. With 60 percent of 3 and 4 year olds not enrolled in school, this aims to close a gaping access gap, lift workforce participation, and give toddlers a fighting chance. A policy that helps kids and the economy, try to contain your shock.

Orcas Refine Liver-Only Dining, Great Whites Provide The Entrée

In the Gulf of California, the Moctezuma pod of orcas has been filmed flipping juvenile great white sharks into tonic immobility, opening them with surgical precision, and sharing the fat-rich liver that can be a quarter of a shark’s mass. Recorded in 2020 and 2022 and published in Frontiers in Marine Science, the hunts echo South Africa’s orca attacks, though Mexico’s predators target younger sharks, suggesting group-specific learning. Drones are finally catching behavior that may be centuries old, and researchers warn it can reshape ecosystems, as great whites have been known to abandon feeding grounds after repeated orca ambushes. Nature, where the tasting menu bites back.

Wall Street Eyes Venezuela, Talks Of Renewal While Counting Returns

As rhetoric hardens against Caracas, bankers are already workshopping the sequel. Barclays hosted heavyweight funds with opposition figure María Corina Machado during IMF-World Bank week, while her team courted multilateral lenders. UBS dubbed a post-Chavismo Venezuela a land of opportunity, citing oil reserves, farmland, and logistics, the kind of clean slate you only get after years of economic arson. Republican hawks promise private capital will rebuild, not taxpayers, while investors want basics restored first, like property rights and sanctions relief. Analysts sketch three paths, an internal military ouster, a major U.S. operation, or a negotiated transition that preserves some regime elements, each with its own risk-reward spice. The public pitch is drugs, the roadmap sounds like regime change, and the rush is very much about deals.

Trump Cranks The Caps Lock, Warns Of Doom If Voters Defy The GOP

In a late push aimed at Virginia and New Jersey, Donald Trump told Americans to vote Republican or you will rue the day that you voted to destroy your life. Subtle it is not. Routine state races are recast as an apocalyptic loyalty test, fear traded in by bullhorn rather than dog whistle. It is politics as melodrama, and the volume knob is stuck on max.

EA insists creative control will remain in-house amid potential investor deal

Electronic Arts says any consortium sale would be a financial reshuffle, not a creative takeover, and that new investors will not steer its games. Corporate translation, more owners in the room, all promising to admire the joystick from a respectful distance.

Kentucky resident receives cadaver parts after courier mix-up

A Hopkinsville woman awaiting urgent medical supplies opened a box to find two arms and four fingers packed on ice. Officials say the human remains were lawful cadaver material for surgical training, misrouted from Nashville. Deputies and the coroner retrieved the shipment, sent it to the morgue, arranged delivery to its proper destination, and ensured the resident got her intended supplies. Peak spooky-season logistics, unsettling, but resolved.

Senate scrambles for an exit as partial shutdown drags on

With a new endurance record in sight, Washington is treating governance like a marathon no one trained for. President Trump says he will not discuss Democrats' health insurance concerns until the government reopens, while senators insist bipartisan talks are gaining steam despite minimal movement. The USDA told a court it will release all SNAP contingency funds to keep food assistance flowing. Lots of talk, a few stopgaps, and a capital city praying the record book does not need a sequel.

Diane Ladd, celebrated actor and mentor, dies at 89

Diane Ladd, three-time Academy Award nominee and mother of Laura Dern, died at home in Ojai, California, at 89. Over seven decades she earned nominations for Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, Wild at Heart, and Rambling Rose, appeared in Chinatown, and later joined the TV sitcom Alice. Early television credits included Perry Mason, The Fugitive, and Gunsmoke. She frequently worked with Dern, and spoke candidly about the industry's relentless scrutiny. An enduring career, and a loss felt across film and television.

Jonas Brothers unwrap holiday single and trailer for A Very Jonas Christmas Movie

The trio debuted Coming Home This Christmas, featuring Kenny G's signature sax, alongside a trailer for A Very Jonas Christmas Movie. The film premieres November 14 on Disney+ and Hulu, because even holiday cheer likes a distribution hedge. Consider it the earliest snowfall of the season, complete with a branded playlist.

Whitmer rejects return to early COVID restrictions, defends past choices

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer said there is no appetite to revive pandemic-era rules, including the much-maligned dining pods, arguing they were the best options with limited data and aimed to limit exposure within small groups. Critics note her own missteps, including a maskless indoor dinner she apologized for before the rule was rescinded, travel limits that even roped off seed aisles, and trips to Florida and an inauguration that fueled hypocrisy charges. Translation, the old playbook is closed, and so is the window for reliving its greatest hits.

Blind Items Revealed, Part 2

Blind Items Revealed, Part 2: The ongoing Real Housewives family drama is veering into a bigger scandal, with allegations that deep pockets can smooth the path to adoption even when glaring red flags are present—while middle-class families with pristine records get parked at the back of the line. If that holds up, it’s less reality TV and more a tutorial in how celebrity and money can steamroll systems meant to protect kids.

Blind Item #8

Blind Item #8: That emergency summit between the alliterate actress and her ex wasn’t about nostalgia—it was a heads-up. He told her the producer she’s seeing has been cheating, proving once again that in Hollywood, fidelity is a cameo at best.

Reckless driving leads to serious crash on Chester Pike in Delaware County, destroying Corvette

Reckless driving led to a serious crash on Chester Pike in Delaware County, destroying a Corvette and forcing an extended closure between Summit Ave. and Amosland Rd. as police investigate. Drivers should avoid the area and expect significant delays.

Michelle Obama Reflects on the Intense Glare of Public Scrutiny

Michelle Obama Reflects on the Intense Glare of Public Scrutiny: the former First Lady says the “white hot glare” on a Black woman in the White House meant no fashion missteps allowed. Promoting The Look, her new book co-authored with her stylist, she recalls avoiding talk of clothes then—too easily weaponized—while now embracing style as “soft power,” choosing welcoming palettes (rarely white), and dressing with the imagined nod of mothers and grandmothers. She calls out the reflex to attack women’s appearance to keep them “in place,” and notes some designers acted like they “own the first lady,” as if the East Wing came with a house label. The outfit was always a message, she says—about culture, care, and belonging—just not one written by her detractors. At 61, with her daughters launched and her husband “settled,” she’s enjoying the freedom to say it plainly—and wear it unapologetically.

Trial Opens for Man Charged With Throwing Sandwich at Federal Agent

Trial Opens for Man Charged With Throwing Sandwich at Federal Agent: In what looks like Washington’s new war on lunch, a man went on trial Monday for allegedly assaulting a CBP agent by tossing a sandwich at his chest during a protest. After a grand jury refused a felony indictment, prosecutors pressed ahead with a lesser charge—one of several unusually minor cases the Trump administration has hustled into federal court at the president’s direction.

Today's Quote

Today's Quote comes from Speaker Mike Johnson, who told reporters that House Democrats are “gaslighting” by claiming Republicans are shutting down the government—calling it “the most extreme” example in American politics—and chastised the media for enabling it. In short, he says the lie is the crisis and the cameras are accomplices. Washington blames the mirror; the mirror shrugs.

Mike Johnson Says a New Funding Bill Is Likely

Mike Johnson says a new funding bill is likely, as GOP leaders scramble ahead of the Nov. 21 expiration of the House-passed continuing resolution now mired in the Senate. Behind closed doors, Republicans are eyeing another stopgap that could stretch into early 2026 as part of any deal to reopen the government—because why fix a budgeting mess today when you can pre-schedule your next punt two fiscal years out?

Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi proposes summit with Kim Jong Un on abductee issue

Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi proposes a summit with Kim Jong Un on the abductee issue, saying she wants a face-to-face meeting to finally resolve North Korea’s decades-long abductions of Japanese nationals—an overture that puts the ball squarely in Pyongyang’s court.

Live updates: SNAP funding deadline looms for Trump administration as shutdown nears record length

As the SNAP funding deadline looms for the Trump administration and the shutdown nears a record length, the Senate returns to Washington on Day 34 with both parties scrambling for an off-ramp; a cluster of moderate Democrats is quietly huddling to plot a way out—because nothing says “functional government” like hunting for the exit after a month of self-inflicted gridlock.