Top Items:
Politico:
Vought sounds layoff siren: ‘The RIFs have begun’ … It's unclear how many people were laid off and Vought provided no further details. — But an administration official granted anonymity to discuss the layoffs said they hit agencies including: Interior, Homeland Security, Treasury, EPA, Commerce, Education, Energy, HHS and HUD.
Discussion:
Axios, Townhall, Forbes, masslive.com, Fox Business, UPI, Blaze Media, The Guardian and New Republic
RELATED:
Washington Post:
Trump administration begins laying off federal workers amid shutdown — White House budget director Russell Vought said reductions-in-force were underway. — Just now — The Trump administration moved to begin laying off federal workers Friday while the government was shuttered …
Discussion:
The Hill, CNBC, Reuters, Blue Virginia and New York Daily News
Wall Street Journal:
White House Says Government Layoffs Have Begun — OMB chief Vought makes announcement as shutdown continues — WASHINGTON—A top White House official said Friday that mass layoffs of federal employees had started in response to the government shutdown, following through on weeks of threats meant to increase pressure on Democrats.
Discussion:
The Hill, CBS News, /home, Reason, GovExec.com, New Republic, RedState, NPR, Washington Times and The National Pulse
Jordain Carney / Politico:
Collins knocks Vought over firing of federal workers — Sen. Susan Collins is the first high-ranking Republican to criticize White House budget director Russ Vought's decision to move forward with a mass firing of federal workers — an early sign of GOP unease with the plans.
Discussion:
The Hill, Bloomberg, Raw Story, Washington Examiner, The Gateway Pundit, Fox News and The Daily Caller
Associated Press:
Firings of federal workers begin as White House seeks to pressure Democrats in government shutdown
Discussion:
CNN, CNBC, USA Today, NBC News, NOTUS, Associated Press, PoliticusUSA, Scripps News, Bloomberg, Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, New York Times, Centralmaine.com, Newsweek and Mediaite
Andrew Solender / Axios:
Democrats fume as Mike Johnson cancels third week of votes
Democrats fume as Mike Johnson cancels third week of votes
Discussion:
NewsMax.com
Andrew Solender / Axios:
“This is a disaster”: Congress erupts at Trump's shutdown mass firings
“This is a disaster”: Congress erupts at Trump's shutdown mass firings
Discussion:
NewsMax.com
Mike Lillis / The Hill:
Johnson says House will remain closed until shutdown ends
Johnson says House will remain closed until shutdown ends
Discussion:
New York Post
Nicholas Wu / Politico:
Democratic troop pay bill blocked in House amid shutdown
Democratic troop pay bill blocked in House amid shutdown
Discussion:
Washington Post, Fox News, The Hill, NewsMax.com and New Republic
Associated Press:
Live updates: Budget office says ‘substantial’ firings of federal workers have started
Live updates: Budget office says ‘substantial’ firings of federal workers have started
Discussion:
WBEZ Chicago and FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth
Steven Nelson / New York Post:
Cybersecurity agency that clashed with Trump one of the first hit with federal firings due to government shutdown
Cybersecurity agency that clashed with Trump one of the first hit with federal firings due to government shutdown
Discussion:
NBC News, Quartz and NewsMax.com
Molly Roberts / Lawfare:
The Justice Department's Dangerously Weak Case Against Letitia James — Lindsey Halligan didn't have a strong case against Letitia James. She indicted her anyway. — Meet The Authors … Earlier this week, the Justice Department seemed poised to pursue an indictment …
RELATED:
CNN:
Lindsey Halligan didn't coordinate NY AG Letitia James indictment with Pam Bondi's DOJ — Attorney General Pam Bondi was caught off guard Thursday when President Donald Trump's handpicked US attorney, Lindsey Halligan, secured New York Attorney General Letitia James' indictment from a grand jury …
NBC News:
Trump accidentally posted message pressuring Pam Bondi to charge his enemies, source says
Discussion:
The Nation, Vox, Politico, Fox News, Axios, Truthout, masslive.com and The Hill
Louis Casiano / Fox News:
New York AG Letitia James' indictment sparks sharp partisan divide
New York AG Letitia James' indictment sparks sharp partisan divide
Discussion:
The Bulwark, Bloomberg, New York Times, Politico, JURISTnews, CNN, The Guardian, RedState, MSNBC, JONATHAN TURLEY, American Greatness, Daily Kos, Forbes and Al Jazeera
Vimal Patel / New York Times:
M.I.T. Rejects a White House Offer for Special Funding Treatment — The Trump administration offered nine universities benefits in exchange for signing an agreement to protect conservative voices, among other things. M.I.T. was the first to refuse. — M.I.T. became the first university …
Discussion:
The Tech, Erin In The Morning and Forbes
RELATED:
Sally Kornbluth / orgchart.mit.edu:
Regarding the Compact — The U.S. Department of Education recently sent MIT and eight other institutions a proposed “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education,” along with a letter asking that MIT review the document. — From the messages I've received, I know this is on the minds …
Marc Rowan / New York Times:
Trump's ‘Compact’ With Universities Is Badly Needed — Last week the Trump administration sent letters to a group of presidents of universities proposing a set of principles that has come to be known as the “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education.”
Discussion:
Credit Slips, Deseret News and The Argument
New Republic:
Transcript: Trump ICE Raids Worsen as Pritzker Drops Bombshell Warning — The following is a lightly edited transcript of the October 10 episode of the Daily Blast podcast. Listen to it here. — (After we recorded, a judge temporary blocked National Guard deployments in Illinois).
Discussion:
Public Notice and Raw Story
RELATED:
NobelPrize.org:
Announcement, Nobel Peace Prize 2025 — The Nobel Peace Prize for 2025 goes to a brave and committed champion of peace - to a woman who keeps the flame of democracy burning amid a growing darkness. — The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2025 to Maria Corina Machado.
Discussion:
Bloomberg, CBS News, Politico, Breitbart, Axios, Reuters, Newsweek, New Republic, Townhall, Washington Examiner, Mediaite, Fox News, Washington Post, New York Times, New York Post, Florida Politics, New York Sun, UPI, Daily Kos, France 24, Latin America Risk Report, Salon, The Daily Caller, HotAir, Foreign Policy, Palm Beach Post, Deseret News, NewsMax.com, MPR News, Diane Ravitch's blog, American Thinker, New York Magazine, IJR, MSNBC, The Independent, The Hill, israelhayom.com, CNBC, Metro.co.uk, Mock Paper Scissors and Al Jazeera
RELATED:
Faith Wardwell / Politico:
Venezuelan opposition leader dedicates Nobel Prize to Trump for ‘decisive support’
Discussion:
Politico, NBC News, Bloomberg, New Republic, New York Times, Fox News, Al Jazeera, Washington Examiner, Washington Times, Mediaite, New Jersey Online, IJR and The Japan Times
Associated Press:
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado wins the Nobel Peace Prize
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado wins the Nobel Peace Prize
Discussion:
The Guardian, Wall Street Journal, MeidasTouch News, Reuters, New York Times, The Parnas Perspective, CBS News, Telegraph, Business Insider, Bloomberg, Washington Post, Mediaite, Dave Dubya's Freedom Rants, Axios, Breitbart, WTOP News, UnHerd, Raw Story, Lawyers, Guns & Money, The Hill, Truthout, PinkNews, Washington Examiner, The National Pulse, Middle East Monitor, Fortune, TMZ.com, El País, Metro.co.uk, The Last Refuge, Reason, New York Post, Townhall, The Japan News, Rolling Stone, HuffPost, Bangor Daily News, Deadline, France 24, NewsNation, NPR and Al Jazeera
Chris Nesi / New York Post:
Why Trump wasn't awarded Nobel Peace Prize for Israel-Hamas cease-fire deal
Why Trump wasn't awarded Nobel Peace Prize for Israel-Hamas cease-fire deal
Anne Applebaum / The Atlantic:
Why María Corina Machado Deserved the Nobel Peace Prize
Why María Corina Machado Deserved the Nobel Peace Prize
Discussion:
New York Times, USA Today, Reuters, Associated Press, BBC, Breitbart, WTOP News, El País, NewsMax.com, The Independent, Mediaite, MeidasTouch News, New York Post, New Republic and CBS News
Robert Channick / Chicago Tribune:
WGN-TV producer detained during ICE enforcement action in Lincoln Square — A WGN-TV video editor and producer was roughly detained by two Border Patrol agents on Friday morning during a highly visible rush hour enforcement action in Lincoln Square. — Debbie Brockman, who has worked …
Discussion:
Reason, Block Club Chicago, Chicago Sun Times, Raw Story, The Independent, TheDesk.net, Capitol Fax.com, FOX 32 Chicago and ABC7, more at Mediagazer »
RELATED:
Brad Reed / Common Dreams:
ICE Pins Chicago TV News Producer to the Ground, Hauls Her Off in Unmarked Van
ICE Pins Chicago TV News Producer to the Ground, Hauls Her Off in Unmarked Van
Discussion:
TMZ.com
Washington Post:
Inside billionaire Peter Thiel's private lectures: Warnings of ‘the Antichrist’ and U.S. destruction — The Washington Post reviewed leaked audio from four off-the-record lectures the tech investor delivered in San Francisco over the last month that fused beliefs about religion and technology.
Discussion:
Gizmodo, Reuters, The Guardian, The Nerd Reich and The Daily Caller
RELATED:
Brett Samuels / The Hill:
Trump announces 100 percent tariff on China in response to rare earth controls — President Trump announced Friday he will raise tariffs on China in response to a move from Beijing to tighten its control over certain critical minerals and rare earth elements.
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, South China Morning Post, New York Times, UPI, Breitbart and Fortune
RELATED:
Joe Walsh / CBS News:
Trump announces extra 100% tariff on Chinese goods starting next month
Trump announces extra 100% tariff on Chinese goods starting next month
Discussion:
CNN, CNBC, The Hill, Reuters, Scripps News, Washington Post, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, israelhayom.com, The Last Refuge, The Independent, Ars Technica, Fox Business, Forbes, ABC News, The Post Millennial, The National Pulse, Raw Story, Mediaite, Washington Examiner and Newsbusters, more at Techmeme »
Marisa Kabas / The Handbasket:
DHS top lawyer says ‘no legal barrier’ to actions officers can take to defend federal property — In a memo obtained exclusively by The Handbasket, Federal Protective Service (FPS) officers were given free rein. … Staffers at a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) law enforcement agency received …
Discussion:
NPR
MSNBC:
Criminal charges against Bolton expected as early as next week — Federal prosecutors could charge Trump's former national security adviser as early as next week, sources told MSNBC exclusively. — The acting U.S. Attorney in Maryland is moving forward quickly to seek criminal charges …
Discussion:
The National Pulse, Raw Story, NewsMax.com and Mediaite
The Tennessean:
Some killed in explosion at Hickman County plant felt miles away — everything we know — Kirsten Fiscus Vivian Jones Craig Shoup Angele Latham Liz Schubauer Austin Hornbostel Hadley HitsonNashville Tennessean — Hickman County emergency services are warning people to stay away …
Discussion:
WTVF-TV, CNN, HotAir, USA Today, NBC News, Washington Examiner, The Daily Caller, WZTV, Mediaite, NewsNation, Associated Press, El País, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, New York Post, The Gateway Pundit and Blaze Media
Kathryn Watson / CBS News:
Hegseth announces Qatar will build air force facility at U.S. base in Idaho — Washington — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday announced a finalized agreement that will allow the Qatari Emiri Air Force to build a facility at the Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho.
Discussion:
Axios, The Hill, Reuters, Bloomberg, Lawyers, Guns & Money, NOTUS, CNBC, The Parnas Perspective, Fox News, Washington Examiner, Washington Times, New York Sun, The Times of Israel, Jewish Insider, New Republic, Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion, Mediaite, Task & Purpose, The Independent, Daily Kos, JNS.org, One America News Network, Mercury News, IJR, The National Pulse, Raw Story and Newsweek
Amee Vanderpool / SHERO:
“Less Than a Ham Sandwich” — SHERO is a reader-supported publication that makes most articles free and available to the public. Please support independent journalism for everyone by becoming a paid subscriber today. — Federal prosecutors dismissed charges on Wednesday against three …
Discussion:
MSNBC, New York Times and Above the Law
Kimmy Yam / NBC News:
Indian immigrant fights deportation after police mistake perfume labeled ‘Opium’ for the narcotic — Kapil Raghu, 28, was arrested in May after an officer in central Arkansas spotted the rollerball perfume bottle in his car during a routine traffic stop. — An Indian immigrant who was working …
Axios:
1 big thing: The 22 states close to (or in) recession … - Their problems are driven largely by a mix of slowing immigration, increasing tariffs and federal job cuts, Zandi argues. — The analysis is based on Zandi's calculation of where things stood in the economy at the end of August …
Discussion:
MSNBC, masslive.com, Raw Story and The Hill
Dan Diamond / Washington Post:
Trump eyes a triumphal arch to mark America's 250th anniversary — The new structure would be President Donald Trump's biggest architectural mark on the nation's capital. — Across from the Lincoln Memorial, barely inside the boundaries of Washington, sits a traffic roundabout known as Memorial Circle …
Discussion:
The Daily Caller and Newsweek
Oregonian:
Trump's antifa roundtable made some wild claims about Portland. Here's the truth about 7 of them — President Donald Trump held a roundtable on Wednesday, which featured prominent administration officials and independent journalists, billed as a “Roundtable on antifa.”
Discussion:
CNN, Associated Press and The Nation
Gregory Svirnovskiy / Politico:
Johnson describes planned No Kings rally as ‘hate America,’ ‘pro-Hamas’ gathering … The No Kings movement first sprang up as counter-programming to a military parade spearheaded by the White House in June, leading to the largest coordinated demonstration against Trump to date since his return to the Oval Office.
Discussion:
New Republic, Raw Story, Mediaite and The Gateway Pundit
Wall Street Journal:
Americans Are Falling Behind on Their Car Payments — Delinquency rates on subprime auto loans are at records — One of the cylinders in the U.S. economic engine is causing some sputtering. — Since the pandemic, buyers on auto-dealer lots have encountered surging sticker prices …
Discussion:
NewsMax.com

