Barak Ravid / Axios: Israel faces weeks of political wrangling after deadlocked election — TEL AVIV, Israel — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's electoral coalition opened a sizable lead over Gadi Eisenkot's opposition bloc with 85 percent of the vote counted. — But while Netanyahu outperformed exit polls …
Burgess Everett / Semafor: Senate Dems put $500,000 into Mississippi — Senate Democrats' campaign arm is spending $500,000 with Mississippi Democratic Senate candidate Scott Colom in a coordinated ad buy, according to details first shared with Semafor. — The new ad from Colom and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign …
Jenna Monnin / The Washington Sun: Judge Issues Broader Block on Trump's Taxpayer Funded Ads — The new ruling is the second blow to the White House's campaign-style ads that began airing ahead of the midterms. — Copy — A federal judge on Wednesday blocked the Trump administration from creating and airing ads using taxpayer dollars …
A recent Pew Research Center survey finds that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is by far the most unpopular federal agency, easily outstripping even the widely despised IRS. According to Pew, 56% of Americans disapprove of ICE, compared to only 35% who approve. That's substantially worse than the IRS (which is disapproved by only a 46-37 margin).
Other recent surveys show growing public support for abolishing ICE. For example, a July YouGov poll indicates that 48% support abolition, compared to 40% who oppose it. Another survey, conducted in March of this year, showed a similar 50-39 margin in favor of abolition.
The fact that ICE is unpopular doesn't by itself prove the agency should be abolished. Having written a book and many other publications on widespread public ignorance about government policy, I would be the last to argue that popularity is a good metric of a policy's - or an agency's - merit. But, in this case, public opinion is right. As I explained in an August 2025 article in The Hill, and a follow-up piece for the Boston Globe, (non-paywalled version here), ICE's many abuses do indeed justify abolishing it. And the case for doing so has been strengthened by more recent events, such as the brutal killing of two US citizens in Minnesota.
As explained in my article in The Hill, abolishing ICE would not completely end interior deportations. But it would make them heavily dependent on the cooperation of state and local governments, thereby strengthening constitutional federalism and reducing incentives for abuse, at least to a significant degree.
In that article, I also explain how support for abolition be further bolstered by combining it with shifting ICE funds to state and local law enforcement. This undermines the principal political obstacle to abolition: the fear that getting rid of ICE would increase crime. Transferring the funds to state and local police would help defuse such concerns, win the support of law enforcement agencies, and foster genuine reductions in violent and property crimes; social science evidence shows that putting more police on the streets has that effect, whereas deportations do not.
Alan Feuer / New York Times: Justice Dept. Turns Civil Rights Group's Informant Against It — Lawyers for the Southern Poverty Law Center say that federal prosecutors capitalized on the informant's money problems and exposure to indictment to persuade him to assist the government. — When the Justice Department charged …
Cuba’s top diplomat has branded Mike Waltz a “liar” after the American ambassador accused Havana’s leadership of corruption
US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz shouted “Back up!” at Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez during a heated confrontation at the General Assembly over Washington’s blockade of the island. The Cuban diplomat accused Waltz of spreading “crude lies” to justify US “economic aggression.”
During the UNGA session on Tuesday, Waltz dedicated his speech to allegations of corruption among the Cuban leadership, pointing to what he called their collection of luxury watches, real estate, and yachts, as well as their relatives’ holidays in Europe. While ordinary Cubans “are starving,” the US blockade and embargo of the island “does not exist” and “doesn’t apply to luxury goods” that “somehow get through to the Cuban regime elites,” he claimed.
His words drew loud condemnation from the Cuban delegation led by Rodriguez as the diplomats clapped and knocked on their desks in protest against Waltz’s speech.
See the corrupt Cuban regime’s Rolex collection while their people sit in the dark. https://t.co/6wMlNhmNhl
The foreign minister interrupted the US diplomat’s speech by requesting urgent intervention and delivered his own remarks, in which he accused the American envoy of lying in a “rude and arrogant manner” and “violating the dignity of the General Assembly” with his words.
Rodriguez approached the podium and engaged in a heated argument with Waltz. In a video posted on X by the US envoy, Waltz is heard urging the General Assembly president to make the Cuban minister “back away from this podium,” saying he would not allow Rodriguez to “intimidate” him on US territory. He shouted: “I’m the representative of the United States of America! Back up! […] Do you understand who you are dealing with?! Back up!”
The Castro regime has profited at the expense of the Cuban people with luxury cars, expensive watches and a private island resort. As I shared this with the world, regime thugs rushed the stage to interrupt my speech.
They can intimidate their own people in Cuba but think again about trying that nonsense in the United States of America.
The US ambassador posted videos on social media detailing the incident, accusing the “so-called ‘diplomats’” and “regime thugs” of “melting down at the first hint of criticism.”
Rodriguez subsequently addressed the General Assembly, accusing Waltz of lying in a “rude and arrogant manner” and “violating the dignity of the General Assembly” with his remarks.
He later shared a cartoon on X depicting the confrontation with the words “Gringo mentiroso” (lying gringo) above the two diplomats. He captioned the post: “Cuba is not a threat. The blockade is.”
#CubaNoEsUnaAmenaza El Bloqueo Sí. https://t.co/OJd5pcHKBQ
In a separate post, Rodriguez “denounced the economic war that the United States is waging against Cuba with aims of domination and ‘regime change.’” Rodriguez blasted the blockade as an “act of war” and “genocide prohibited by the International Law.” He also shared the results of the vote, which he said was rejected by a “large majority” of the nations.
A resolution condemning the US embargo of Cuba was supported by 130 countries, including Russia, China, India, and even several US allies such as Canada, France, and the UK. It was opposed by 17 nations, including the US, Israel, and Ukraine, with 25 nations abstaining.
US President Donald Trump has intensified pressure on Havana since the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in January. Trump has since repeatedly stated that Cuba would be “next,” as his administration imposed a near-total energy blockade against the island nation.
The restrictions contributed to severe energy shortages on the island. Cuba has entered its worst economic crisis in decades, marked not only by prolonged blackouts but also food shortages. Last month, Trump described Cuba as an “absolutely failed state” and “a haven for foreign adversaries” on America’s doorstep.
Moscow and Beijing have expressed solidarity with Cuba in the face of the pressure. Russia has been among the countries providing relief to Cuba, delivering around 700,000 barrels of oil in March. China also said in late September it would support Cuba in “safeguarding its national sovereignty” and pursuing a “development path suited to its national conditions.”
In mid-October, the US issued an arrest warrant for former Cuban President Raul Castro, 95, accusing him of ordering an attack on two American planes operated by anti-Communist Cuban exiles off the island’s coast in 1996. The warrant followed a separate federal indictment brought against Castro and five others in May. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel condemned the case as a “political maneuver, devoid of any legal foundation” and accused Washington of creating a pretext for a military intervention.
Moscow has condemned the accusations against the former Cuban leader as “groundless” and “contrived,” calling it “revenge” by the anti-Cuban lobby.
Cuba’s top diplomat has branded Mike Waltz a “liar” after the American ambassador accused Havana’s leadership of corruption
US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz shouted “Back up!” at Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez during a heated confrontation at the General Assembly over Washington’s blockade of the island. The Cuban diplomat accused Waltz of spreading “crude lies” to justify US “economic aggression.”
During the UNGA session on Tuesday, Waltz dedicated his speech to allegations of corruption among the Cuban leadership, pointing to what he called their collection of luxury watches, real estate, and yachts, as well as their relatives’ holidays in Europe. While ordinary Cubans “are starving,” the US blockade and embargo of the island “does not exist” and “doesn’t apply to luxury goods” that “somehow get through to the Cuban regime elites,” he claimed.
His words drew loud condemnation from the Cuban delegation led by Rodriguez as the diplomats clapped and knocked on their desks in protest against Waltz’s speech.
See the corrupt Cuban regime’s Rolex collection while their people sit in the dark. https://t.co/6wMlNhmNhl
The foreign minister interrupted the US diplomat’s speech by requesting urgent intervention and delivered his own remarks, in which he accused the American envoy of lying in a “rude and arrogant manner” and “violating the dignity of the General Assembly” with his words.
Rodriguez approached the podium and engaged in a heated argument with Waltz. In a video posted on X by the US envoy, Waltz is heard urging the General Assembly president to make the Cuban minister “back away from this podium,” saying he would not allow Rodriguez to “intimidate” him on US territory. He shouted: “I’m the representative of the United States of America! Back up! […] Do you understand who you are dealing with?! Back up!”
The Castro regime has profited at the expense of the Cuban people with luxury cars, expensive watches and a private island resort. As I shared this with the world, regime thugs rushed the stage to interrupt my speech.
They can intimidate their own people in Cuba but think again about trying that nonsense in the United States of America.
The US ambassador posted videos on social media detailing the incident, accusing the “so-called ‘diplomats’” and “regime thugs” of “melting down at the first hint of criticism.”
Rodriguez subsequently addressed the General Assembly, accusing Waltz of lying in a “rude and arrogant manner” and “violating the dignity of the General Assembly” with his remarks.
He later shared a cartoon on X depicting the confrontation with the words “Gringo mentiroso” (lying gringo) above the two diplomats. He captioned the post: “Cuba is not a threat. The blockade is.”
#CubaNoEsUnaAmenaza El Bloqueo Sí. https://t.co/OJd5pcHKBQ
In a separate post, Rodriguez “denounced the economic war that the United States is waging against Cuba with aims of domination and ‘regime change.’” Rodriguez blasted the blockade as an “act of war” and “genocide prohibited by the International Law.” He also shared the results of the vote, which he said was rejected by a “large majority” of the nations.
A resolution condemning the US embargo of Cuba was supported by 130 countries, including Russia, China, India, and even several US allies such as Canada, France, and the UK. It was opposed by 17 nations, including the US, Israel, and Ukraine, with 25 nations abstaining.
US President Donald Trump has intensified pressure on Havana since the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in January. Trump has since repeatedly stated that Cuba would be “next,” as his administration imposed a near-total energy blockade against the island nation.
The restrictions contributed to severe energy shortages on the island. Cuba has entered its worst economic crisis in decades, marked not only by prolonged blackouts but also food shortages. Last month, Trump described Cuba as an “absolutely failed state” and “a haven for foreign adversaries” on America’s doorstep.
Moscow and Beijing have expressed solidarity with Cuba in the face of the pressure. Russia has been among the countries providing relief to Cuba, delivering around 700,000 barrels of oil in March. China also said in late September it would support Cuba in “safeguarding its national sovereignty” and pursuing a “development path suited to its national conditions.”
In mid-October, the US issued an arrest warrant for former Cuban President Raul Castro, 95, accusing him of ordering an attack on two American planes operated by anti-Communist Cuban exiles off the island’s coast in 1996. The warrant followed a separate federal indictment brought against Castro and five others in May. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel condemned the case as a “political maneuver, devoid of any legal foundation” and accused Washington of creating a pretext for a military intervention.
Moscow has condemned the accusations against the former Cuban leader as “groundless” and “contrived,” calling it “revenge” by the anti-Cuban lobby.
Finya Swai / The Hill: Trump reups calls to put Cruz on Supreme Court in vacancy scenario — President Trump joked Tuesday that Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) would be his pick for the next Supreme Court vacancy, saying the senator could get unanimously confirmed because lawmakers in both parties would jump at the chance to get rid of him in Congress.
Christina Jewett / New York Times: Kennedy to Allow Broad Use of Unapproved Peptide Injections — In a unilateral declaration by the health secretary, several injections promoted by online influencers will become widely available. The F.D.A. had advised against the move. — Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr …
O Vasco anunciou nesta quarta-feira a renovação do meia Ramon Rique, de 19 anos, até deembro de 2030. O "cria" do Colina estreou pelo clube em abril, na vitória por 3 a 0 contra o Olimpia (PAR), pela Copa Sul-Americana, e vem agradando torcida e comissão técnica.
"Vasco acerta a renovação de contrato com Ramon Rique até dezembro de 2030. ✍️💢 #CriaDaColina, o volante chegou ao Gigante da Colina em 2020 e fez sua estreia como profissional nesta temporada", informou o clube.
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O jogador fez 23 jogos com a camisa do cruzmaltino. Ele marcou o primeiro gol no profissional na goleada por 5 a 0 diante do Coritiba, pelo Campeonato Brasileiro.
Acting President Delcy Rodriguez demanded Wednesday that the Bank of England return Venezuela’s gold, calling the metal a Central Bank reserve that belongs to the Venezuelan people and declaring that no excuse remains.
Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodriguez delivered the demand during a working meeting with the Council of Ministers and regional authorities held at Miraflores Palace. She insisted the gold constitutes a reserve of the Central Bank and belongs to the nation.
Rodriguez recalled that the National Assembly, including the 2015 legislature, had produced an agreement in which political sectors of Venezuela called for the gold’s return, framing the demand as a settled matter of national will.
The Acting President added that an irrational legal action that opposition figures had attempted was dropped by those same actors. That withdrawal, she argued, removed any remaining justification for the Bank of England to hold the metal.
“There is no excuse. That is the only thing I have to tell the Bank of England. They must return Venezuela’s gold, which belongs to Venezuelan men and women”, she stated.
The language was direct. Rodriguez offered no room for negotiation, framing the gold as a sovereign asset held outside the country against the will of Venezuelan institutions.
#28Oct | La presidenta encargada de Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, solicitó a la Cancillería de la República y a la Procuraduría General que inicien las gestiones correspondientes para recuperar el oro venezolano que se encuentra en el Banco de Inglaterra.
Text reads: “The Acting President of Venezuela, Delcy Rodriguez, requested the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Office of the Attorney General to initiate the appropriate steps to recover the Venezuelan gold that is at the Bank of England. “I will not stop demanding the Bank of England to return our gold. Enough excuses. There was an agreement”, said Rodriguez, referring to the agreement to recover international reserve assets reached last August during the first cycle of dialogue between the delegations of the elected National Assembly in 2015 and the government (…)”
Mining Push Grows
The same working session included a live link with Mining Minister Hector Silva from the Choco plant in Bolivar state. Silva confirmed the arrival of 41 surface machines, part of a total of 544 pieces of equipment purchased by the state.
Those machines are meant to boost gold and coal production. The government tied the mining drive to strengthening the country’s reserves and generating income for social projects, health care, and worker welfare.
The equipment delivery anchors the government’s broader argument. Venezuela insists it does not need foreign permission to manage its resources, whether gold underground or gold stored abroad.
The Bolivarian government also pledged a productive revival across the country to energize the engines of the economy and support organized local development. The gold demand sits at the center of that agenda. Every program announced, from ham production to health brigades, depends on revenue the government says its reserves should generate.
Venezuela has long argued that the Bank of England’s refusal to release the gold violates its sovereignty. Acting President Rodriguez renewed that claim in the sharpest terms, insisting the metal funds the welfare of a people, not the accounts of a foreign institution.
No response from the Bank of England appears in the official record. The demand now stands public, delivered from the presidential palace and addressed directly to London.
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System: Federal Reserve issues FOMC statement — For release at 2:00 p.m. EDT — The Federal Open Market Committee approved the following statement for release by a 10 - 2 vote: — The Committee decided to maintain the target range for the federal funds rate at 3-3/4 to 4 percent, in support of the Federal Reserve's dual mandate.
The Washington Sun: We Did the Math: Trump Really Is Talking More About Butts and Bodies — President Donald Trump can't stop talking about Sen. Jon Husted's butt. — In speech after speech ahead of the midterm elections, Trump has said he “looked him up and down,” said he “examined his ass” and referred to Husted's backside as “a pile of muscle.”
Wall Street Journal:
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