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.

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 …

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.

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 …

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).

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.

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 …

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.

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 …

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 …

“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 …

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 …

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.”

UPS is ‘disposing of’ U.S.-bound packages over customs paperwork problems  —  Shifting Trump tariffs have created a nightmare for UPS, as thousands of packages from overseas pile up at its hubs while they await customs clearance.  —  Thousands of U.S.-bound packages shipped by UPS are trapped …

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 …

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 …

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 …

The Tom Homan Affair Has More Red Flags Than a May Day Parade  —  The accusations are explosive: That in 2024, Tom Homan, now President Trump's border czar, met with some businessmen who handed him $50,000 stuffed into a bag from Cava, the fast-casual restaurant chain; in exchange …

Trump's Quest for Unchecked Power: A Video Roundup  —  Dear Readers:  —  The most compelling justification for the recent government shutdown is that it is a necessary constitutional stand-off—a moment when Democrats use, and thereby refuse to forfeit, Congress' power of the purse to resist an authoritarian executive.