Arrest in unprovoked Halloween assault that broke a man's jaw

Authorities say a suspect is in custody after Tommy Finley reported he was randomly attacked around midnight while walking back to his hotel with his partner, leaving him with a fractured jaw. A grim reminder that some people treat holidays like camouflage, and the rest of us pay the medical bills.

Trump’s GB News comfort-couch interview, heavy on superlatives and light on evidence

In a friendly sit-down with Bev Turner, Donald Trump declared he had turned the United States around in ten months, claimed record military recruitment, the strongest border, plunging crime, and forecast a swing-state landslide, all delivered with his trademark indoor-voice subtlety. He called climate change a hoax, derided wind turbines, and urged Britain to reopen North Sea drilling, citing Norway’s coffers and supposed UK oil riches. He made the BBC a primary punching bag, alleging deceptive editing, saying he received an apology letter, and vowing a lawsuit north of a billion dollars to deter what he calls corrupt practices, while also accusing 60 Minutes of generous edits for Kamala Harris. Abroad, he boasted of settling multiple wars, said Russia’s invasion of Ukraine would not have happened on his watch, and prescribed his migration playbook for Britain, complete with military backstops and immediate removals. The closer was a family mantra on avoiding drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes, then a promise to make nations great again, preferably yesterday. File under campaign rhetoric with frequent flyer miles.

Penn State turns opener into a demolition, 45 to 0 over Oklahoma

No. 1 Penn State treated the Bryce Jordan Center like a bonus-point print shop, blanking Oklahoma 45 to 0 with eight bonus wins and a 35 to 1 takedown edge. Tech falls poured in from Marcus Blaze, Joe Sealy, Rocco Welsh, Mitchell Mesenbrink, and Shayne Van Ness, Levi Haines supplied the lone pin, Luke Lilledahl and Connor Mirasola added majors, and Cole Mirasola plus Aaron Nagao took decisions. Clinic hours continue at the Army Black Knight Invitational on Nov. 23, then a Dec. 5 visit to Drexel. Oklahoma, consider this film study a short horror genre.

She asked a chatbot for Powerball numbers, won $150,000, then gave it all away

Virginia’s Carrie Edwards, 68, picked numbers with a chatbot, matched four plus the Powerball, and used Power Play to triple a $50,000 prize to $150,000. Then she donated every dollar to her three favorite charities. In a plot twist rarer than the jackpot, AI did not harvest your data or cost someone a job, it funded good works. Humanity, you may stand down, the machines have finally taught us generosity.

Apple's $230 iPhone Pocket Sells Out

Apple teamed with Issey Miyake on a stretched, sock-like phone sling that evokes the old iPod socks. It came in two lengths, $150 and $230, then vanished worldwide in a blink. Behold the alchemy of Cupertino, turning a fabric tube into a luxury essential while the affluent practice competitive clicking.

Survey: Many Young Women Want Out of the U.S.

A survey finds 40 percent of young women want to leave the United States permanently, while roughly one in five Americans overall say they would consider leaving. The American Dream now appears to come with a return policy. If leaders want people to stay, perhaps try governing instead of auditioning for prime time.

Jack Dorsey Funds Vine Reboot, Branded "diVine"

Twitter's co-founder is backing a comeback for six-second chaos under the name diVine, stocked with classic loops and a few new features to call it innovation. Nostalgia gets a fresh coat of venture capital, and we all pretend the future is a cleverly renamed past.

Five Plead Guilty in North Korea IT Worker Scheme

Prosecutors say five people admitted acting as facilitators who supplied real, fake, or stolen U.S. identities and even hosted company laptops to make overseas North Korean IT workers look local. The alleged operation touched 136 companies and sent about $2.2 million to the regime. U.S. nationals Audricus Phagnasay, Jason Salazar, and Alexander Paul Travis pleaded to wire fraud conspiracy. Erick Ntekereze Prince, whose firm Taggcar supplied talent he knew was offshore, did the same and took in about $89,000. Ukrainian national Oleksandr Didenko pleaded to wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft, sold stolen identities used at more than 40 firms, and will forfeit $1.4 million. The Justice Department also seized over $15 million in crypto tied to North Korean hacks. Nothing says remote work like a laptop in Florida and a login in Pyongyang.

NYC Shop Reports $9,700 Trading Card Heist

New York City officials say a man in a Yankees cap allegedly lifted nearly $10,000 in collectible cards from a store. Fandom is one thing, the five finger discount is another.

California Video Shows Dog Thrown Over Fence, Investigation Underway

Authorities in Anaheim are investigating after footage captured a woman throwing a small dog in a plastic bag over a fence. It is disturbing, and officials are working to identify those involved and determine the animal's condition.

Iran Seeks UN Probe, Sanctions, and Reparations Over June Attacks

Iran formally urged the UN Security Council and the Secretary General to take action against the United States and Israel, requesting an emergency session, an independent investigation, sanctions, and payment for alleged damages. Tehran cites a November 6 comment by Donald Trump, Israel attacked first, I was very much in charge of that, as evidence of U.S. control and alleges war crimes during a 12 day air campaign that Iranian state media says killed more than 900 people, including military officials. U.S. and UN spokespeople have not commented on the new letter. Washington previously called Tehran's compensation demand ridiculous. The moves come as Trump says the United States is prepared to make a deal and Iran signals interest in a peaceful nuclear agreement, a familiar mix of accusations, invoices, and diplomacy.

Trump Assigns Blame

Trump Assigns Blame as he tries to sidestep two headaches: renewed scrutiny over Jeffrey Epstein–related files and voter fury over the cost‑of‑living squeeze. With the shutdown fading, he’s pitching both as the Democrats’ mess—a tidy Beltway maneuver that’s tougher to sell at the checkout line. The capital’s Epstein fixation collides with kitchen‑table economics, tugging at both ends of his MAGA coalition and threatening the populist, pocketbook brand that powered his 2024 win.

Plans for controversial hydrogen plant face scrutiny

Plans for controversial hydrogen plant face scrutiny as Bridgend’s Hybont project—granted planning permission after the HSE dropped its initial safety objection following design tweaks—has stalled with no start date, and developer Marubeni reportedly “considering their financial position.” Independent councillor Tim Thomas, who criticized the rush to approve, says updates dried up until he escalated. The council previously walked away on affordability grounds; Cardiff Capital Region has positioned itself to buy the land contingent on permission. Safety concerns linger, with a local engineer citing past hydrogen accidents in Norway and California and the HSE’s original warning that risks to the surrounding population were high. Complicating confidence, Marubeni brings a chequered rap sheet—86 U.S. convictions since 2000 and major FCPA bribery fines. The council denies any retaliation against critics, and Marubeni declined to comment—apparently leaving the hydrogen hype to wrestle with the balance sheet.

Seventh ‘Sharknado’ film in development for 2026 release

Seventh ‘Sharknado’ film in development for 2026 release: The Asylum says “Sharknado Origins” heads into production this year, a prequel chomping its way onto screens eight years after 2018’s confidently misnamed “The Last Sharknado.” Because when nature gives you flying sharks, Hollywood demands an origin story—and apparently a few more paychecks.

Trump Investigates Epstein's Connections to Prominent Democrats

Trump Investigates Epstein's Connections to Prominent Democrats—by calling on the Justice Department to probe alleged links between convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and Bill Clinton, former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, and megadonor Reid Hoffman. Translation: an “independent” investigation announced via presidential megaphone, with Epstein’s infamy doing the heavy lifting against marquee Democrats.

UN Human Rights Council warns of mounting suffering in Sudan

UN Human Rights Council warns of mounting suffering in Sudan, as its chief, Volker Türk, sounded the alarm over escalating bloodshed, rape, and torture in El Fasher in southwest Sudan.

Michael Flynn in Talks to Settle $50 Million Claim

Michael Flynn in Talks to Settle $50 Million Claim, as the Justice Department negotiates with two ex-Trump officials who say they were targets of politically motivated actions, according to court filings. Talks have been underway since at least late summer: Flynn seeks $50 million for what he calls a wrongful prosecution, while former White House lawyer Stefan Passantino claims a House committee probing the 2020 election torched his reputation by leaking private information. Translation from Washingtonese: when the political knives come out, the legal invoices—and potential taxpayer-funded payouts—aren’t far behind.

Man allegedly poured string-trimmer fuel on his wife, set her on fire after an argument, then blamed the fatal blaze on electrical work

Man allegedly poured string-trimmer fuel on his wife, set her on fire after an argument, then blamed the fatal blaze on electrical work — and now he’s been sentenced to 75 years in prison. Arkansas resident Bruce Lee Cockrell, 48, pleaded guilty to murder and arson in the July 2024 death of his 35-year-old wife, Tonya Marie Liggin-Cockrell. He initially told authorities the fire came from faulty wiring, but first responders found a jug of “weed eater” gas in the home, noted he had no burns, and heard the victim—severely burned but conscious—repeatedly say, “He set me on fire.” Cockrell later admitted he doused her with fuel during a drunken argument, claiming she then lit a cigarette before running from the house; she died the next day. A judge ordered 45 years for murder and 30 for arson, to be served consecutively.

Man admits offences over drug-laced sweets used to sexually abuse children at summer camp

Man admits offences over drug-laced sweets used to sexually abuse children at summer camp: At Leicester Crown Court, 76-year-old Jon Ruben admitted drugging and sexually assaulting two boys after lacing sweets with tranquilising drugs and inviting children to play a “sweet game” at a summer camp in Stathern, Leicestershire, last summer. He also pleaded guilty to eight counts of child cruelty involving six other victims, three counts of making indecent images of children, and four drugs offences. Ruben, of Ruddington, Nottinghamshire, denied one count of assault by penetration; prosecutors have two weeks to decide whether to proceed. The camp was held at rented premises near the village, prosecutor Mary Prior KC told the court, after Judge Timothy Spencer KC invited her to outline the offending.

Supermarket chain invites customers to exchange pennies for gift cards worth twice their value

Supermarket chain invites customers to exchange pennies for gift cards worth twice their value: In a bid to tackle the penny shortage, a Northeast supermarket chain spanning several states is launching a “Double Exchange Day,” inviting shoppers to swap their jars of copper for store gift cards worth twice the face value—finally, a day when pennies pull their weight.

Nevada Supreme Court reinstates case against alleged fake electors tied to 2020 election, orders prosecution to resume

Nevada Supreme Court reinstates case against alleged fake electors tied to 2020 election, orders prosecution to resume—this time in Clark County, where the justices say the venue actually fits the alleged scheme. Reversing a district judge, the court ruled that because the false electoral certificates were addressed to the federal court in Las Vegas—intended to “perpetrate a fraud” upon it—the offenses weren’t complete at the mailbox in Douglas County. The six defendants, including Nevada GOP Chair Michael McDonald, have pleaded not guilty and argued the crime ended upon mailing and the documents were rerouted unopened to Reno; the court replied that receipt and attempted acceptance matter. Translation: you can’t overturn an election with a stamp and a forwarding label. Attorney General Aaron Ford cheered the decision as the case returns to the Eighth Judicial District Court, even as similar prosecutions have stumbled in Michigan and Arizona.

House Democrats Urge Chuck Schumer to Step Down

House Democrats Urge Chuck Schumer to Step Down: A growing number of House Democrats are urging the Senate minority leader to leave leadership, though he’s highly unlikely to oblige. Still, it’s the party’s biggest internal push against a leader since last year’s effort to nudge then‑President Biden off the ticket—another family meeting where the patriarch pretends not to hear the yelling.

Britons say graffiti is blighting neighborhoods, while TfL's cleaning cash vanishes into the sparkle abyss

A majority of Britons say graffiti harms local areas, and Londoners are staring at spray-painted TfL carriages so stubborn that campaigners are doing the scrubbing themselves. This, despite taxpayers shelling out about £155 million a year for cleaning contracts that seem far better at buffing invoices than trains. Bureaucracy gets a gold star for effort, grime gets a season pass.

Blue Origin sends NASA mission toward Mars on New Glenn's maiden flight

Jeff Bezos's rocket finally did more than cosplay a press release. New Glenn lifted off from Cape Canaveral, deploying a pair of NASA Escape probes that will spend the next year looping toward Mars to study how solar wind and radiation stripped its atmosphere. Seven methane-burning engines did the heavy lifting, and the reusable booster is headed back to Port Canaveral for a spa day and refurbishment. Launch windows to Mars arrive roughly every two years, so even with Prime you are still waiting a while. Credit where it is due, this is real progress and not just a sizzle reel.

RedBird bails on Telegraph bid, leaves a half-unpacked merger at the curb

RedBird Capital Partners has pulled its £500 million offer for Telegraph Media Group and will try to sell off the pieces it already picked up but never got across the regulatory finish line. In classic private equity courtship, the bouquet is in the bin, the prenup is confetti, and the Telegraph is back on the market, slightly bruised and entertaining new suitors.

Downing Street says Reeves's tax warning still stands, just not under the income tax label

After a U-turn on income tax rises, Starmer's spokesman insisted the broader warning remains. Translation, the tax hike is not dead, it is shopping for a different aisle. The Treasury still wants its cut, it just may not come with the word income on the receipt.

Madison Avenue discovers bromance, might accidentally help men's health

Admakers are trying to sell male friendship alongside the usual trucks and hairlines, and oddly, it could help. Campaigns that normalize men texting back and grabbing coffee, plus cultural nudges like Scott Galloway's Notes on Being a Man, may chip away at loneliness that harms mental and physical health. Yes, it is marketing. But if the same machine that taught guys to fear salad nudges them to show up for a friend, that is a rare instance of capitalism doing something useful on purpose.

Statewide search for missing infant in Pennsylvania

Police and state troopers are searching for 6-month-old Amiyah Riveras, last seen near Carlisle Avenue in Blair County. Authorities are seeking Pedro Luis Vega-Rivera, the last known person to have been with the child, and conducted a search in a wooded area Thursday night. Anyone with information should contact law enforcement.

US, South Korea say trade deal comes with nuclear-powered sub greenlight

In a joint fact sheet, Washington and Seoul say their finalized trade agreement includes U.S. approval for South Korea to develop nuclear-powered submarines. Nothing says free trade like bundling reactors with tariffs. Translation, the alliance is getting deeper, both economically and under the waves.

Cardiff University travel tab hits £167,906 since 2017, within policy, optics in economy

Cardiff’s Pro Vice-Chancellor for International, Rudolf Allemann, amassed £167,906.77 in travel between April 2017 and July 2025, including approved business-class legs during peak periods in 2022 and 2024. An internal source called the figures eye-wateringly high amid cuts and looming restructures, and alleged senior staff flew flat while support staff sat upright. The university says expenses are published and the same policy applies to all, economy recommended up to seven hours, premium economy for longer, business only with advance approval for reasonable adjustment or business effectiveness. There is no suggestion Allemann broke policy, and he is stepping down from the role. Internationalization, now available with lie-flat irony.

Top Hat at Wales Millennium Centre delivers silk-smooth joy

Phillip Atmore and Amara Okereke click like tap shoes on marble, James Hume and Sally Ann Triplett keep the banter brisk, and Alberto Beddini steals scenes with gusto. Kathleen Marshall’s choreography glides, a lush live orchestra burnishes Berlin gems like Puttin’ on the Ritz and Cheek to Cheek, and the book trims the creak without losing wit. Predictable farce beats, reliable grin, classier by the curtain call. Playing at Wales Millennium Centre until Saturday 15 November, with a Chichester Festival Theatre run slated for 2025.

Years of yellow-sticker discipline save £29,000 on groceries

Laura keeps monthly grocery spend near £40 by pouncing on reductions and budgeting like a hawk, a quiet masterclass in thrift while supermarkets rehearse for record margins. Proof that diligence still beats shrinkflation, and no, you do not need a loyalty card that demands your soul.

U.S. launches strike force against Southeast Asia "pig butchering" scam hubs

The U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia unveiled a Scam Center Strike Force to dismantle sophisticated crypto fraud networks based in Cambodia, Laos, and Burma. These outfits lure victims into phony investments, then cash out while targets bleed dry. For once, the butchers may be the ones on the chopping block. Bon appétit, justice.

Tencent’s AI ambitions hit the GPU ceiling

Tencent says it cannot secure enough high-end chips, so capital expenditure is slowing and likely to decelerate further. About 2 billion dollars in quarterly capex looks modest next to rivals, but the company is still finding ways to monetize AI. In the great GPU gold rush, Tencent brought a wallet, not a shovel, and is trying to rent the mine anyway.

Met Police narrow thousands of flagged grooming cases to a smaller set for reinvestigation

After an initial trawl identified roughly 9,000 cases, the Met has reviewed about 2,200 so far, with around 1,200 still in scope. Ultimately, 2,000 to 3,000 may merit reinvestigation, many involving family, institutional, or online abuse rather than the stereotype of organized “grooming gangs.” Commissioner Mark Rowley urged precise language, said suspects’ ethnicities broadly reflect London’s diversity, and rejected claims that one specific profile predominates. The Met records around 2,000 sexual offences a month, half involving children, and says tackling both current and historic cases will require extra funding and specialist support. A nationwide NCA review is underway, while politics simmered as critics and City Hall sparred over the problem’s nature and scale.

Bonuses for select TSA employees after shutdown

Homeland Security announced 10,000 dollar cash awards for exemplary Transportation Security Administration agents who kept airports secure and running during the standoff. For once, Washington’s rewards seem aimed at the people who did the job, not the ones who held the press conferences. Try not to faint from the novelty.

Paris marks a decade since the November 13 attacks

Survivors, families, and first responders returned to the sites of the 2015 attacks as France paid tribute to the lives lost and the wounds that remain. A solemn remembrance, and a reminder that resilience is not the absence of grief but the strength to carry it.

FBI pushes back on Tucker Carlson over Trump shooting suspect

The FBI publicly disputed Carlson’s claim that the bureau lied about Thomas Matthew Crooks, the man who attempted to assassinate former President Trump in Pennsylvania in 2024. Carlson teased a forthcoming story on X alleging the agency misled the public, while the FBI rejected his characterization. Tune in for affidavits versus algorithm engagement, America’s favorite credibility cage match.

Atlas V finally lofts U.S. communications satellite after valve drama

After a week of delays to cajole some stubborn valves, Atlas V lifted off from Cape Canaveral on Thursday night and delivered its payload to orbit. A brief bout of mechanical melodrama, then a crisp, textbook ascent. Sometimes the rocket science behaves like it read the manual.

China starts trial production at the world's first flying-car factory

Xpeng subsidiary Aridge has begun trial runs at a 120,000 square meter plant in Guangzhou, already rolling out a detachable eVTOL for its modular Land Aircraft Carrier. The site is designed for up to 10,000 modules a year and aims to assemble one aircraft every 30 minutes. For now it is focused on process verification, equipment testing, and prototypes for airworthiness certification. The future of transportation, now with more paperwork, because gravity is easier to beat than regulators.

ASIO warns of Chinese sabotage, Australia wrestles with its own off switch

ASIO chief Mike Burgess says Chinese state linked hackers have mapped and in some cases infiltrated critical infrastructure, shifting from theft to the capacity to disrupt telecoms, energy, transport, and finance during a crisis. As Canberra firms up the grid, proposals like mandatory age checks and stricter online limits for minors risk turning security into a domestic nanny switch. The adult move is clear limits on state power, transparent rules for data access, and real protections for speech. Defend the networks without unplugging the freedoms they power.

Trump administration touts Operation Southern Spear against narco-terrorists

The Pentagon rolled out Operation Southern Spear, pitched as securing America’s neighborhood, with Joint Task Force Southern Spear and U.S. Southern Command in the lead. The USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group arrived in the region shortly before the announcement, because nothing says neighborhood watch like the biggest aircraft carrier on Earth. It follows a string of lethal force strikes on suspected narco boats, while a bipartisan War Powers attempt to rein in the campaign fell nine votes short of breaking a Senate filibuster on Nov. 6. Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro warned against provoking the condor, Trump claimed Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro dangled oil stakes to stop the strikes, and the Defense Department and SOUTHCOM had no immediate comment.

14 arrested in New Jersey mob linked college sports betting ring

Prosecutors say a Newark based operation took in more than 2 million dollars in illicit wagers on college games. The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office and State Police led the bust, a timely reminder that while student athletes might not get paid, someone always tries to.

Dow drops 800 points as rate cut hopes wobble

Wall Street threw an 800 point fit on whispers that a potential third Federal Reserve rate cut in December might not happen. Apparently nothing spooks markets faster than the prospect of slightly less free money, especially from a crowd that swears it loves fundamentals until the fundamentals forget to hand out candy.

Trump considers executive order to limit proxy advisors’ influence

Trump considers executive order to limit proxy advisors’ influence, targeting ISS and Glass Lewis—the obscure duo whose recommendations on CEO pay and social and climate votes are now blamed by the White House for a leftward drift in boardrooms. Officials are weighing an order to curb their sway and may even route them through CFIUS, since ISS is owned by Germany’s Deutsche Börse and Glass Lewis by a Canadian private-equity firm—because nothing says national security like a shareholder memo from Frankfurt and Toronto. The administration is also eyeing how passive giants like Vanguard and BlackRock vote their 20%-plus stakes across corporate America, with “mirror voting” forcing them to follow the broader shareholder mix now getting attention. ISS says its advice is independent; Glass Lewis didn’t comment.

Blind Items Revealed: Part 7

Blind Items Revealed: Part 7 — dated October 29, 2025, a gossip item alleges that Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie are now doing the grifting for their disgraced father, Prince Andrew, handling the handshakes and favors he no longer can. Because in the House of Windsor, even damage control is a hereditary duty.

Arkansas public university offers course on queer childhoods taught by fairy-tale scholar

Arkansas public university offers course on queer childhoods taught by fairy-tale scholar—briefly. The University of Central Arkansas listed “Queer Childhoods,” an English writing course on building arguments and using scholarly sources, taught by visiting assistant professor and fairy-tale specialist Christine Case; the catalog blurb was boilerplate and no syllabus was posted. After auditing more than 3,000 courses for compliance with the new ACCESS law, which restricts DEI and critical race theory, the university says it will no longer offer the class. UCA reported no student complaints and pledged continued rigor and transparency—just not the kind that makes state politicians break out in hives.

Justice Department Sues to Block California U.S. House Map in Dispute That Could Affect Control of Congress

Justice Department sues to block California U.S. House map in a dispute that could affect control of Congress, escalating a coast-to-coast arms race in partisan cartography. The DOJ filed in California federal court to stop new district lines approved by voters last week and pushed by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom—Democrats’ answer to a Republican-led effort in Texas backed by Donald Trump. It sets up a high-stakes clash between a Republican administration and a governor seen as a 2028 presidential hopeful, with the 2026 House majority politely tied to the railroad tracks. In other words: everyone hates gerrymandering, especially when the other team does it.

Trump claims victory in Democratic-led city despite what he calls ‘extraordinary resistance’ from sanctuary officials

Trump claims victory in Democratic-led Chicago despite what he calls “extraordinary resistance” from sanctuary officials, declaring after a weeks-long showdown with Gov. JB Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson over immigration enforcement that the city has seen car thefts, shootings, robberies, violent crime—“and everything else”—drop dramatically; the chest-thumping came via Truth Social, where he blasted “radical opposition and obstruction” from the governor and mayor while taking a victory lap.

Operation Endgame Disrupts Additional Malware Operations

Operation Endgame Disrupts Additional Malware Operations, as a multinational law enforcement sweep nabbed a remote access Trojan operator and unplugged 1,025 servers tied to the Rhadamanthys infostealer, Venom RAT, and the Elysium botnet. Translation: cybercrooks got a surprise system update—mandatory, immediate, and courtesy of agencies tired of their malware cosplay.

AI Pilots Keep Crashing When Leadership Treats Strategy Like a Buzzword

A survey finds under a third of AI proofs of concept make it past testing, nearly a third of firms report near-total failure, yet 46 percent are moving more than 10 percent of pilots into real operations, and the survivors often boost productivity. Translation: when leaders do more than slap AI on a slide, it actually works. Novel concept, I know.

Rev. Jesse Jackson Under Treatment for PSP, Under Observation

The Rainbow PUSH Coalition says Rev. Jesse Jackson is being treated for progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare brain disorder, and is under observation. Wishing him strength and care during treatment.

Mexico Sets 2026 World Cup Kickoff at Estadio Azteca on June 11

Mexico rolled out its roadmap, confirming the tournament opens June 11 at Estadio Azteca. FIFA’s globe-trotting circus starting in a venue that actually deserves the spotlight is a refreshing plot twist.

Shutdown Fallout: October Jobless Rate May Be Unknowable, Says Hassett

National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett says the government cannot determine October’s unemployment rate because the shutdown blocked completion of key household surveys. Washington did not just sideline workers, it furloughed the facts.

BBC Leadership Shakeup Puts Impartiality on Trial

After an inaccurately edited Panorama clip about Donald Trump, director general Tim Davie and head of news Deborah Turness resigned, handing critics an easy cudgel. With charter renewal looming in 2027, finances tight, and audiences splintered into influencer fandoms, the BBC must choose whether impartiality means timid both-sides theater or Ofcom’s version, due weight with evidence first. Chair Samir Shah called the edit an error of judgment, but in a trust vacuum small lapses inflate into charges of institutional bias. Public service media are under siege while outrage merchants monetize grievance. The next leadership can hide in defensive neutrality or commit to rigorous, transparent truth-telling that some will mistake for taking sides. Only the latter keeps it relevant, and keeps news from becoming a vibes channel.

Book Alleges Conflicts Around Welsh Labour Figure in Starmer-Era Disputes

Investigative journalist Paul Holden’s The Fraud puts Alex Barros-Curtis under the microscope, alleging a conflict of interest as he ran Labour’s legal unit while serving as sole director of Movement For Another Future Ltd during Keir Starmer’s rise. Holden argues Barros-Curtis and the leader’s office were too involved in party complaints despite EHRC warnings, citing the 2021 Liverpool mayoral selection in which Black councillor Anna Rothery was dropped. A judge ultimately ruled for Labour, quoting minutes Holden says deserve scrutiny, and he plans to alert the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Barros-Curtis’s selection for Cardiff West by a party panel without a local members’ vote fueled critics’ claims of stitch-ups. Optics matter, and this is the sort of optics that makes voters reach for sunglasses.