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Today's Headlines: Another day, another school shooting. Four people were killed in a shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon — some of the victims are children — with the teenage shooter also dead and details still emerging. In other gun violence news, Trump reversed his plan to livestream the Fort Hood shooter's firing squad execution, writing that while it "might have been a strong deterrent," many well-meaning people would rather not watch, and Hegseth immediately released a statement saying he "supports the president's decision and they are completely aligned." Sure, Pete. Pivoting back to Kimberly Guilfoyle, she is still everywhere despite being fired — Democrats are investigating her, Trump is claiming she "dated my son a long time ago" as if that's a casual acquaintance, and she's reportedly putting together a burn book of Trump family secrets while planning to stay in Europe to find a rich husband. Meanwhile, the reflecting pool's own inspection report — commissioned by Trump's contractor — found the liner failed in at least 85 places due to improper materials and being filled before it dried, with zero mention of vandalism or boxcutters, and a 15-year-old Maryland student is now suing CBS News for falsely reporting he was arrested for vandalizing it. Apple and Meta announced a partnership to run Meta's AI on Apple desktops, which Meta's AI chief described as "mommy and daddy playing nice again," and New York City is banning horse-drawn carriages after Mayor Mamdani and the City Council moved to phase out the industry. Resources/Articles mentioned: NBC News: Live updates: 3 children and a teacher were killed in Oregon school shooting AP News: Trump, after bipartisan backlash, says Pentagon won't livestream execution of Fort Hood shooter The Hill: House Democrats: Guilfoyle’s resignation ‘does not shield her from accountability’ The New Republic: Kimberly Guilfoyle Reportedly Threatening Trump Family With Burn Book Page Six: Exclusive | Kimberly Guilfoyle plans to look ‘for a rich European husband’ after Greek embassy exit The Hill: GOP donor who texted Guilfoyle pressures Vance over extraditing doctor in Pakistan WaPo: Reflecting Pool liner failed in 85 places after flawed renovation, inspection found Deadline: Teenager Sues CBS News Over Story On Reflecting Pool Vandalism Arrests Politico: Cyberattack disrupts Transportation Department safety agency contact center CNBC: Apple and Meta team up to make Muse AI model run on Mac computers Gothamist: NYC Council, Mayor Mamdani agree to end Central Park's carriage horse industry Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's Headlines: Elon Musk's Starlink cut off service to Ukraine without warning right as Russia launched two consecutive nights of ballistic missile strikes — and the US stopped providing Ukraine advance intelligence about incoming strikes, which it had done for years. Zelensky said the Trump administration is threatening to cut intelligence sharing entirely unless Ukraine stops hitting Russian oil refineries, and Musk responded by saying Trump and the military control speed restrictions so it's their fault, while also noting a commercial company shouldn't be helping with offensive military operations. Georgia broke its first-day early voting record by 50,000 votes with 189,000 ballots cast, and the DOJ is threatening emergency court action against California unless they investigate a thumb drive's worth of alleged noncitizen voters within 48 hours and set aside their ballots. In other immigration news, the Wall Street Journal reported that the goal of the Ilhan Omar investigation is to strip her of citizenship and deport her, with a dozen subpoenas already issued to her relatives. September inflation came in at 3.7% annually with a 9.1% monthly spike in gas prices, and Trump's economic adviser spun it as "a bunch of good news." A federal judge ruled Trump cannot legally ban CNN, MSNBC, and Politico from White House coverage, and a watchdog group filed a bar complaint against new press secretary Katie Zacharia for claiming to be a lawyer in California without a license, which is a crime in California. Eight states sued OpenAI alleging the company misled users about ChatGPT's safety and failed to prevent it from encouraging self-harm and suicide among teenagers. And finally, a Harvard survey found that 53% of men claimed to know two completely fake AI executives, compared to 40% of women — men are faking AI expertise at scale, which tracks. Resources/Articles mentioned: NPR: The Trump administration warns Ukraine it could cut off intel, Zelenskyy tells NPR The Guardian: Ukrainian military’s access to Starlink satellite internet suddenly restricted | Ukraine Georgia Recorder: Georgia voters kick off early voting with nearly 189,000 ballots cast Axios: DOJ gives California 48 hours to check voters or face lawsuit WSJ: Ilhan Omar Investigation Aims to Build Case for Stripping Her Citizenship Axios: Inflation heats up as gas prices surge The Hill: Trump adviser sees ‘a whole bunch of good news’ in inflation report NPR: CNN, MS NOW and Politico prevail against White House — for now The HIll: Watchdog files complaint against Katie Zacharia with California bar Politico: Bipartisan coalition of states sues OpenAI over user safety Wired: Men Can’t Stop Faking How Much They Know About AI Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's Headlines: Kimberly Guilfoyle resigned as US ambassador to Greece after her grifting became too public to ignore, announced by new White House press secretary Katie Zacharia during her first briefing — which lasted 14 minutes, eight of which she spent reading from a script, and within 48 hours it emerged she claimed to have passed the bar in China, where noncitizens aren't allowed to take it but Trump told reporters she was "very good." On the public execution situation, TikTok and Newsmax both said they won't air Pete Hegseth's planned nationwide livestream of the Fort Hood shooter's firing squad execution, and Trump is apparently nervous about the public reaction. Meanwhile, Ilhan Omar's investigation expanded to include her financial disclosures alongside the immigration paperwork allegations, all of which she's denied and which have been right-wing talking points for years. An OpenAI engineer was arrested for planting a secret microphone in a conference room USB port using advanced encryption to transmit data — a 35-year-old Saudi national who worked there for over a year — which is a new category of AI company security problem. Bank of America was fined $1.2 billion by the Treasury Department for willfully violating anti-money laundering laws related to Iran, Russia, drugs, and terrorism, which is the third-largest Treasury fine in history. Cornell banned all fraternity parties for the rest of the academic year and is bringing in trauma-informed criminal investigators, which is a significant step that will absolutely just move the parties off campus. And Pope Leo's lung surgery revealed cancer — surgeons removed the lower lobe of his right lung — with no word yet on further treatment. Resources/Articles mentioned: The Guardian: Kimberly Guilfoyle ousted as US ambassador to Greece after alleged misconduct | Trump administration WaPo: White House scrambles over questions on new press secretary’s background Axios: TikTok, Newsmax say they won't air possible livestreamed public execution Axios: Rep. Ilhan Omar under investigation by Jeanine Pirro's office WaPo:U.S. probe of Rep. Ilhan Omar focuses on birth date, citizenship papers, people familiar say NYT: F.B.I. Arrests OpenAI Employee Accused of Planting Bug in Office AP News: US hits Bank of America with $1.2 billion fine, saying it violated money laundering, sanctions laws NBC News: Cornell bans fraternity parties for the rest of the academic year amid investigation into alleged sexual assault NYT: Pope Leo Has Lung Cancer, Vatican Says Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's Headlines: DHS raided Ilhan Omar's home as part of a criminal investigation into alleged immigration fraud in her family's paperwork, Trump told reporters he had "nothing to do with it" and it's "really up to the DOJ," which is what he says about all his revenge prosecutions. Meanwhile, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to stop cutting down trees at East Potomac for Trump's golf course renovation — after 400 were already cut without permission — saying he has "no faith" the government won't cut them down without a court order, they’re not wrong. A separate judge temporarily blocked the $20 million in taxpayer-funded campaign ads the White House was calling public service announcements, though the White House noted they'd already spent the money anyway. Great. In election news, Republicans are worried about losing one or both chambers of Congress in three weeks, and the solution appears to be money — Elon Musk has already spent $276 million on the midterms, including $158 million to the Senate Leadership Fund and $10 million specifically to help Ken Paxton, who ProPublica found took nearly 1,000 taxpayer-funded out-of-state trips as Texas AG with a legitimate government reason found for only 138 of them. A pro-Susan Collins super PAC spent $25,000 on ads attacking her opponent — in Portland, Oregon instead of Portland, Maine. Speaking of Elon, DOGE alumni have raised half a billion dollars for startups seeking the government contracts they spent their tenure dismantling. And finally, actress Selma Blair was arrested after allegedly biting a flight attendant and attempting to open a window mid-flight, with her rep saying it was a medical emergency. Resources/Articles mentioned: AP News: Agents search Rep. Omar's Washington home in criminal probe as she vows she won't 'be silenced' WaPo: ‘Furious’ judge halts tree removal, demands answers on Trump’s D.C. golf plan Axios: Judge halts Trump administration's taxpayer-funded ads WaPo: Trump’s midterm roadshow reveals GOP troubles — and his own priorities Newsweek: Pro-Susan Collins Group Spends $25,000 in the Wrong Portland AP News: Elon Musk quietly becomes biggest known donor in midterm contests as he tries to save Republicans ProPublica: Ken Paxton took nearly 1,000 trips with state-funded security - The Texas Tribune  WaPo: They came to Washington to dismantle government. Now, they’re profiting from it TMZ: Selma Blair Arrested, Attacks Flight Crew In Mid-Air Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's Headlines: Here’s what you may have missed over the weekend: Trump announced a deal to lift sanctions on Russian oil and import it — violating a law Congress passed 100-0 in 2022 banning Russian energy imports — calling it an "energy ceasefire" that Ukraine, which is actively hitting Russia's oil refineries, was not part of and wasn't told about. Zelensky called it "not fair and not honest" and a "birthday gift to Putin," Trump responded by telling reporters Ukraine should "get a new leader who can make a deal," and six senators called for Trump to immediately reverse course. Onto the other useless war, Houthi strikes hit Riyadh's international airport two days in a row killing 13 and wounding 309, then struck another Saudi airport, and Trump said he's "going to look at" joining Saudi retaliation. Trump also spent the weekend furious that he didn't win the Nobel Peace Prize — calling the committee's choice "an indelible stain on Norway" — and floated renaming the Atlantic or Pacific "Trump Ocean or Ocean of the Americas or something like that," while also suggesting “we need a great river” and wanting Fetterman to switch parties. In other Trump circus news, Kimberly Guilfoyle is reportedly about to be fired as ambassador to Greece after the Wall Street Journal released audio of her bragging that two Greek magnates were bankrolling her luxury travel including Paris, Gstaad, and Christmas abroad, and complaining she wasn't initially invited to a dinner honoring Eric Trump. Trump is also reportedly planning to convert his West Palm Beach golf club into the new Camp David, offering future presidents comped memberships. And finally, Pope Leo announced he's having surgery this week to remove an early-stage lung nodule, with about a week's recovery expected. Resources/Articles mentioned: BBC: Ukraine strikes Yandex data centre in third attack on Russian tech giant Axios: U.S. official: Trump cut deal with Putin after Zelensky ignored his requests AP News: Six senators call for Trump administration to 'immediately reverse course' on Russian diesel plan CNBC: Trump says he is 'going to look at' joining Saudi Arabia in the fight against Iran-backed Houthis after deadly airport strike NYT: Trump Says He Should Have Won ‘8 Nobel Peace Prizes’ After Being Snubbed WaPo: Trump suggests ‘Ocean of Americas’ as new name for Atlantic or Pacific AP News: Trump urges Sen. John Fetterman to switch parties and become a Republican WaPo: Trump wants a new Camp David — at his own golf club AP News: AP source: Trump, Rubio weigh firing US envoy to Greece after mounting reports of improper conduct WSJ: At Davos, Kimberly Guilfoyle Boasted of Private Jet Trips, Luxury Stays NBC News: Pope Leo says he will undergo surgery to remove a nodule on his lung Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's Headlines: To end the week, Trump decided not to strike Iran before the November 3rd midterms, primarily because high gas prices are already threatening to cost Republicans one or both chambers of Congress. Trump declared anyone using the term "artificial intelligence" instead of "super intelligence" to be "THE ENEMY," while the White House continues using "AI" on its own website, and handed out National Medals of Science to Elon Musk, Jensen Huang, Sergey Brin, Satya Nadella, and others, telling them they'd "go down in the annals of history as being great." Meanwhile, The USS Abraham Lincoln finally docked in San Diego after a record 322-day deployment — with 8 reported suicide attempts, no clean food or water, and broken plumbing — and Pete Hegseth announced that the firing squad execution of the Fort Hood shooter will be livestreamed for public viewing in December. The DOJ is reportedly moving to indict Cassidy Hutchinson — the January 6th committee witness — for allegedly lying to Congress, because revenge prosecutions have a schedule to keep. And Kimberly Guilfoyle was reported by the Wall Street Journal to have texted a Trump donor asking him to wire $100,000 directly to her Amex account so it wouldn't show up during her ambassador confirmation process — the donor said she's a grifter, called out Corey Lewandowski and Kristi Noem for similar behavior, and then said he'd vote for Trump again anyway. You really can’t make this up.  Resources/Articles mentioned: Axios: Trump: US won't attack Iran before midterms Forbes: Trump Calls Anyone Who Says 'AI' Instead Of 'Super Intelligence' An 'Enemy' NBC News: Trump awards Musk and other tech titans National Medals of Science The Guardian: USS Abraham Lincoln to dock in San Diego after harrowing stretch at sea | US military PBS News: Pentagon says firing squad execution of Fort Hood shooter will be livestreamed Punchbowl: DOJ seeks indictment of Cassidy Hutchinson - Punchbowl News WSJ: ‘Honey Please’: Kimberly Guilfoyle Pushed Donor to Wire $100,000 to Her Amex Account Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's Headlines: Pardoned election denier Tina Peters met with Trump at the White House to discuss how Howard Lutnick could legally seize voting machines before the midterms, it remains a mystery why she was even pardoned by democratic governor, Jared polis. Trump also told reporters he "could have done very bad things" to Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, and Barack Obama but chose not to out of respect for the presidency. Ken Paxton was caught on tape complaining that Trump's Iran war and the midterm convention are dragging down his numbers and that his campaign is being run from DC, right before Trump held a rally for him in Texas, which is a remarkable amount of loyalty to someone who just talked trash about you on tape. In international news, two of Trump's close midterm advisers — currently running his massive ad campaign — were just in the Balkans helping a pro-Putin government secure power in Bosnia's Republika Srpska, because apparently managing one election at a time isn't enough. Meanwhile, the Russian oligarch who paid for Don Jr.'s wedding celebration held a press conference to say Don Jr. paid him back, comparing it to inviting someone to your country house. A naked 8-foot golden statue of Trump titled "The Orange Plague" was unveiled at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, depicting him sitting on a frail man's shoulders holding a golf club, the world, and scales — inspired by The Emperor's New Clothes. France is dealing with its largest student protests in decades, with hundreds of thousands of students, hundreds of school closures, and 6,000 arrests, all stemming from a teachers' strike over lack of resources. And finally, the Cornell fraternity scandal is spreading, with the University of Arizona suspending all Greek life after sexual assault, hazing, and drug reports flooded in across nearly half its frat chapters. Resources/Articles mentioned: Colorado Newsline: Tina Peters met with Trump to discuss election plans, former Trump administration attorney says The Hill: Trump: I could have done ‘bad things’ to Hillary Clinton, Biden, Obama Yahoo: Donald Trump vows “big surprises” with Project 2025 author before midterms Axios: Exclusive: Paxton privately blames woes on Iran war, gas prices NYT: Amid Midterm Crunch, Trump Advisers Took Time to Help Russia-Aligned Government The Independent: Putin pal responds to Trump’s claim that Don Jr paid him back for wedding USA Today: Nude gold statue of Trump 'Orange Plague' unveiled CNN: Unprecedented student protests are rocking France. Here’s why they’re angry NYT: University of Arizona Suspends Fraternity Activities, Citing Misconduct Reports Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's Headlines: Another day of mad king things. Trump told a Nebraska rally crowd to "let them take out Los Angeles, let them take out San Diego," suggesting Iran could destroy two major American cities and that high gas prices are "a small price to pay" — California Governor Newsom responded by calling for the 25th Amendment. Meanwhile, Marco Rubio unveiled a new standard US passport design featuring Trump's image on the inside cover of every American passport, making it mandatory for all renewals. On immigration, ProPublica revealed that over 500 US citizens have been detained by ICE since Trump took office — including at least 70 American children and teenagers, roughly a dozen of whom were deported — with more than 100 detained after being questioned about citizenship they legally hold, almost all of them non-white. The DOJ separately filed actions to strip 40 naturalized citizens of their citizenship, with more denaturalization cases in the pipeline. In public health, New York declared a statewide measles emergency as Pennsylvania's outbreak crosses 1,000 cases — the largest state measles outbreak in over 30 years — and the CDC is "closely monitoring" Russia's pneumonic plague outbreak while the State Department told Americans in Russia to leave immediately, and Trump announced he'll call Putin about the plague "very soon." He must be very excited. Cornell appointed former Deputy AG Sally Yates to lead an independent review of the university's sexual assault policies following the Jane Doe case, as new evidence including Snapchat threads and recorded phone calls continues to emerge. And finally, the Paramount-Warner Brothers merger is officially being rebranded as Skydance, combining HBO Max and Paramount+ into one streaming service.  Resources/Articles mentioned: The Guardian: Trump suggests Iran could ‘take out’ Los Angeles or San Diego | California Forbes: Trump’s Image ‘Non-Negotiable’ On New U.S. Passport Redesign ProPublica: ICE Investigation The Guardian: US justice department moves to strip citizenship of 40 naturalized citizens | US immigration Axios: CDC: Monitoring Russian plague risk, "prepared" for any threat Newsweek: U.S. Embassy Issues Russia Plague Update for Americans AP News: Trump says he has call scheduled with Putin to discuss possible case of pneumonic plague in Russia NYT: Hochul Declares a Measles Emergency as Cases Rise in Rural New York NYT: Sally Yates to Lead Internal Investigation Into Cornell’s Handling of Sexual Assault Report The Verge: HBO Max and Paramount Plus will merge into a single streamer under Skydance Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's Headlines: We’re starting today with news out of Brazil. Flavio Bolsonaro — son of coup-attempting former president Jair, who is currently serving 27 years in prison — won Brazil's presidential election in a shocking first-round victory over progressive incumbent Lula, with four Bolsonaro family members also in Congress, which is hopefully not a preview of anything. In recall news, Nestlé recalled some Toll House break-and-bake cookie dough for possible wood fragments, Stewart's Shops recalled ice cream for metal contamination, and Starbucks was sued for labeling protein drinks "sugar free" when they allegedly contain more sugar than a Reese's peanut butter cup, so dessert is broadly unsafe right now. California became the first state to officially list "Jewish" as an ethnicity for data collection purposes, which Gavin Newsom signed into law. On the Cornell scandal, ABC News obtained excerpts of a phone call between Cornell's Jane Doe and one of the seven men she alleges raped her, along with Snapchat threads showing the fraternity members coordinating to keep the incident quiet afterward — and one of the accused claimed during the school's investigation that he was too intoxicated to consent and that Jane Doe assaulted him, which is… something. A large protest at Cornell is calling for expulsions and the president's resignation, and the Change.org petition for Jane Doe has hit 60,000 signatures. On an sexual assault adjacent note, Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert died at 84 — the longest-serving Republican speaker and the highest-ranking elected official in US history to serve federal prison time, after admitting to sexually abusing teenage wrestlers as young as 14 during his years as a coach. And finally, Karoline Leavitt, who left the White House to spend more time with her family, is starting as a Fox News contributor in November. Resources/Articles mentioned: The Guardian:  Flávio Bolsonaro poised to win Brazilian presidency after shock first-round victory ABC 7: Nestle recalls some Toll House chocolate chip cookie dough AP News: A lawsuit accuses Starbucks of mislabeling 8 ‘sugar-free’ protein drinks LA Times: California wants to list Jewish as an ethnicity, sparking discussion over what it means to be a Jew ABC News: 'Damage control': Phone calls, records suggest some Cornell frat brothers tried to contain 'gang rape' allegations Axios: Dennis Hastert, disgraced ex-House speaker, dies at 84 Politico: Karoline Leavitt to join Fox News as contributor Cornell Alumni Petition: Petition · CORNELL ALUMNI SUPPORTING JANE DOE - United States Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's Headlines: This weekend has brought a lot, some would say too much, disturbing news. A lab worker at an anti-plague research institute in Siberia died after breaking a test tube containing pneumonic plague, with around 200 people placed under medical observation and several hospitals under quarantine — and yes, Kash Patel's Russia trip is coming up soon, which is a fun coincidence. Speaking of Russia, a different sanctioned Russian oligarch from the one who funded Don Jr.'s wedding is donating to Trump's White House ballroom, and a company linked to that donor subsequently received Treasury authorization to acquire a company owned by a sanctioned Russian bank, interesting. Trump is diverting the $20 million in taxpayer-funded campaign ads from the portion of the DHS budget specifically allocated for border security, anti-drug trafficking, and memorials for law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty — which is documented in federal spending records under "commemorative events." In more shenanigans, Trump doxxed Republican Senator Tom Cotton by posting his personal cell phone number on Truth Social to pressure him into supporting the permanent Daylight Savings Time bill, which is a new use of the presidential platform. On the Epstein beat, the whistleblower who alerted Congress to emails between Howard Lutnick and Jeffrey Epstein — emails Lutnick had emphatically denied existed — died by suicide this weekend, two months after sharing the evidence with the House Oversight Committee, not suspicious at all. Anthropic has apparently been lobbying the Vatican and religious leaders to argue that Claude may be a conscious being with a soul and moral status, Pope Leo responded by tweeting that algorithms "lack the spark of humanity," and Sam Altman tweeted that treating AI like a religious force is a "real safety issue" — which is rich coming from the man building it. And finally, The September jobs report added only 29,000 jobs with unemployment rising to 4.2% and wage growth hitting its lowest point since 2021, so interest rates aren't coming down anytime soon. Resources/Articles mentioned: EuroNews: Has plague returned to Siberia? Panic in Russia after death of lab worker Politico: FBI Director Kash Patel plans Russia trip Axios: Scoop: White House monitors suspected plague outbreak in Russia Esquire: A Wealthy Russian Businessman Is Helping Fund Trump’s Stupid Ballroom. Nothing Sketchy About That, Right? WaPo: Trump says Secret Service wants him to ‘take down’ Oval Office WaPo: Trump ads use money for border security and slain officers' memorials NY Post: Furious Trump doxes Sen. Tom Cotton, releases personal cell number, over bill to end daylight savings THe Daily Beast: Whistleblower Who Exposed Trump Goon’s Ties to Epstein Found Dead NYT: Religious Scholars Met With Anthropic. What They Heard Stunned Them. Business Insider: Sam Altman: Don't Treat AI Like a 'Religious Force' - Business Insider CNBC: Jobs report September 2026 Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's Headlines: Trump told TIME he won't rule out invoking the Insurrection Act around the midterm elections, threatened to "annihilate" Iran again, and expressed enthusiasm for data centers — while separately telling reporters that Iran was probably behind the pilot stabbing on the FlyDubai flight and that if confirmed, "Iran will be hit very hard, don't worry." A third aircraft carrier and 9,000 more troops are headed to the region, and Trump won't rule out restarting full strikes after the midterms, so the war that was declared over multiple times is very much still running. In other news, the family of Renee Good — killed by ICE — filed lawsuits against the agent who shot her and multiple Trump administration officials including Stephen Miller, Kristi Noem, Tom Homan, and former ICE director Greg Bovino. A Tennessee death row inmate named Christa Pike survived two doses of lethal injection drug pentobarbital in an unprecedented execution failure and is now in critical condition receiving life-saving care. On teh Cornell 7, New York Governor Hochul appointed Letitia James as special prosecutor to oversee the reopened Cornell gang rape case, citing lost confidence in the county DA's ability to handle it after newly released information raised serious questions about the original 2024 investigation. And finally, overseas tourism to the US has dropped nearly 2 million visitors year-over-year — down 20% from 2019's peak — with former allies like Canada and European countries leading the decline, making the US the only major country in the world losing tourism, even in a World Cup hosting year. Resources/Articles mentioned: Time: Read TIME’s ‘What Trump Has Built’ Interview Transcript AP News: Third aircraft carrier and thousands of troops head to Mideast as Trump weighs new Iran strikes CNN: Family of Renee Good sues US government and Trump officials over her death Axios Nashville: Lawyers: Pike getting "life-saving care" after failed execution AP News: New York's governor removes DA in Cornell rape allegations, appoints AG Letitia James to take over https://www.semafor.com/article/09/29/2026/decline-in-tourism-hits-us-economy Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's Headlines: A FlyDubai pilot stabbed his co-pilot mid-flight, the plane nosedived 17,000 feet in under two minutes, and six passengers stormed the cockpit to overpower him before an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. In adjacent news, the UK confirmed "strong indications" that Iran was behind last weekend's suspected bomb plot at the military base used by the US during the Iran war, which Iran denied, because of course they did. Pete Hegseth gave his "State of the Force" address to hundreds of troops, laying out his military vision as "no fatties, no trannies, no beardos, no weirdos, no wimps — clowns are out, cowboys are in," called reporters covering the Iran war "anti-American losers" and accused them of treason, and unveiled a new autonomous warfare drone command called AutoWarCom set to be operational by October 2027, with Elon Musk, Palmer Luckey, and Newt Gingrich appointed to study the future of warfare under something called Project Meridian. The FTC opened an investigation into OpenAI, Anthropic, and other AI companies over product risks — one day after they were all at Trump's AI lunch table. Trump began sending $500 checks to almost a million people just before the midterms, with a letter about his healthcare record enclosed, because nothing says policy achievement like a check arriving six weeks before an election. And the Massachusetts AG released a report finding 270 Catholic clerics across three dioceses were accused of abusing 944 children over several decades — the first full public accounting since the Boston Globe's Spotlight investigation — with no new indictments possible due to statutes of limitations. Resources/Articles mentioned: AP News: Pilot stabs fellow pilot on flight to Israel before passengers intervene to stop attack WSJ: U.K. Says It Has ‘Strong Indications’ Iran Is Linked to Foiled Attack on Air Base NYT: In Speech, Hegseth Targets Diversity, Transgender People, Reporters and Iran WSJ: Hegseth Unveils New Command to Oversee Military-Drone Tech CNBC: FTC is investigating OpenAI, Anthropic and other AI companies over product risks WSJ: Trump Sending $500 Checks With Letter Touting Healthcare Record Axios: Over 270 Catholic clerics abused nearly 1000 children, MA AG finds Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's Headlines: Republicans dragged Jack Smith back to Congress to testify about his Trump investigations, tried to catch him in a lie about attending a basketball game, and got the team name wrong — so he wasn't even at the game they accused him of attending, which is a new low for congressional gotcha moments. Meanwhile, Trump is personally handpicking the taxpayer-funded TV ads praising himself that DHS is airing before the midterms using $20 million from Customs and Border Protection funding. Trump also held a day-long AI summit he's calling "SI," had tech executives sign what he called a "morally binding" voluntary self-policing agreement, and launched America.gov — an AI-powered government website that initially answered that Trump lost the 2020 election before being updated to refuse the question entirely. Of course. Hegseth announced he's cutting over 20% of admirals and generals across the Army, Navy, and Air Force. In other news, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 to let deportations to third countries continue while they decide whether it's constitutional — which is the judicial equivalent of "keep doing it while we figure out if you're allowed to." The Venezuelan DoorDash driver ICE shot ten days ago, who still has a bullet in his back because ICE rushed him out of the hospital, was charged with assaulting an agent for allegedly swiping him with a side mirror while trying to drive away. California banned ICE's electric shock gloves the same week. The Senate passed the Protect College Sports Act 77-22 in a rare bipartisan moment overhauling college athletics and NIL rules, though it still needs to pass the House after midterms. And New York Governor Hochul called the Cornell gang rape allegations "nothing short of horrifying" and requested an independent review, as USA Today revealed Cornell received 1,200 sexual assault reports between 2018 and 2024, filed disciplinary charges in 162, and expelled only 7 people. Resources/Articles mentioned: NYT: Jack Smith, Former Special Counsel Who Charged Trump, Appears Before Congress: Live Updates Axios: Scoop: Trump's hand-picked, taxpayer-funded ads about to ramp up AP News: Homeland Security taps $20M in taxpayer funds for pro-Trump ads Axios: Exclusive: Full list of attendees at White House AI lunch Axios: Trump, top AI leaders agree to voluntary ​AI ​standards AP News: Live updates: Trump says top tech firms have signed accord to 'self-police' AI development The Hill: Hegseth to cut 20 percent of admirals, generals in major Pentagon overhaul Axios: Senate passes sweeping college sports package AP News: Supreme Court lets quick deportations to third countries resume for now while it weighs Trump policy AP News: New California law bans officers from using gloves that deliver electric shocks AP News: Federal prosecutors charge Venezuelan man shot by ICE agent in Texas with assaulting an officer Cornell Sun: Gov. Kathy Hochul Requests ‘Independent Review’ of Cornell's Response to Alleged Chi Phi Gang Rape Cornell Alumni Petition: Petition · CORNELL ALUMNI SUPPORTING JANE DOE - United States Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's Headlines: Trump is airing a taxpayer-funded TV ad nearly identical to one of his 2024 campaign ads, ending with "paid for by the US government," which the White House is calling a public service announcement. Ok. The FBI was hacked by a criminal group called ShinyHunters who obtained tens of thousands of current and former employees' social security numbers, secret job assignments, and medical records — and many employees found out about it when the FBI sent a staff-wide email reminding them that October is cybersecurity awareness month, we couldn’t make this up even if we tried. Pivoting from terrible to horrific, a former Cornell student's civil complaint alleging she was gang raped for seven hours by seven fraternity members in 2024 — after which the school allowed five of the seven back after writing essays — prompted the Cornell Sun to publish the accused men's names, a county DA to reopen the investigation, and the Ithaca mayor to call for a pause on all Greek life after the university failed to alert police. This is why women would choose the bear. In horrific tech news, Bill Gates warned on Meet the Press that AI is "certainly powerful enough to drive events that cause a billion deaths," OpenAI scrapped the release of its new model Astra after it tested poorly on alignment and showed "high levels of deception," and Florida's AG asked a court to force OpenAI to halt ChatGPT development entirely. Finally, Pete Hegseth ordered the Pentagon to protect the midterms from foreign interference while DHS simultaneously announced a crackdown on sanctuary cities in 12 states, and Texas Governor Greg Abbott declared a statewide emergency over diesel prices hitting $5.86 a gallon — Texas Republicans must be fairly worried about November. Resources/Articles mentioned: Politico: John Thune: Taxpayer dollars shouldn't fund Trump ads - Live Updates Axios: Exclusive: Hegseth directs Defense Dept. to fight foreigners who "meddle" in U.S. elections The Hill: DHS announces nationwide surge in 'sanctuary' cities NYT: Embarrassing Breach at F.B.I. Fuels Fears of Harm to Its Employees NYT: Cornell Sexual Assault Investigation to Be Reopened CNY Central: Ithaca Mayor seeks moratorium on Cornell Greek life as DA reopens sexual assault case Cornell Alumni Petition: Petition · CORNELL ALUMNI SUPPORTING JANE DOE - United States The Hill: Education Department formally rescinds Title IX protections for LGBTQ students WaPo: Bill Gates warns of ‘a billion’ deaths if AI goes wrong WSJ: OpenAI Scraps Release of New AI Model Over Safety Concerns Axios: Florida asks for order to halt ChatGPT development AP News: Nvidia is touting a software tool to contain runaway AI. How would it work? WaPo: Texas governor declares emergency to bring down fuel prices Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's Headlines: So NATO is preparing for war, aka potential Russian aggression, with Poland and Lithuania developing cross-border civilian evacuation plans for the Baltic states and practice exercises scheduled for next week. Meanwhile, five people were arrested near a UK Royal Air Force base used by the US during the Iran war, on suspicion of planning a terrorist attack after someone spotted three suspicious vehicles heading toward the base after midnight — no names released, no country claimed responsibility, and the US embassy issued a security alert for Americans traveling in the UK. On Iran, Trump rejected Iran's latest peace proposal while claiming negotiations are continuing in New York, which sounds like nothing really. In potential voter suppression news, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 (of course)  that the Trump administration can move forward with its centralized voter citizenship verification database using Social Security data — with six weeks until the midterms, the timing is almost certainly the point. The Trump administration is scouting Grand Teton National Park for a baseball stadium because the MLB wants to host a game there, which would require major construction on some of the most protected land in the country. On the scary tech beat, OpenAI and Anthropic are investigating tens of thousands of problematic AI security incidents — not a few rogue hacking episodes, tens of thousands — and ProPublica's investigation found that DraftKings actively recruited a journalist mimicking compulsive gambling behavior into its VIP program after he lost $1,800 in one night chasing losses. And finally, RFK Jr. accepted over $4 million in book advances and $270,000 in gifts during his year as Health Secretary, with his wife separately receiving $210,000 in "consulting fees" from the same MAHA-connected friend, because public health leadership is a great side hustle. Resources/Articles mentioned: Euronews: Poland and Lithuania preparing cross-border evacuation plan for Baltic states WaPo: 5 arrested in U.K. near base used by U.S. on suspicion of planning terror act Axios: Trump says he rejected the latest Iranian proposal SCOTUS Blog: Supreme Court clears way for Trump administration to use modified voter verification database WaPo: Trump officials weigh MLB game at Grand Teton National Park Axios: Scoop: Top AI companies probing tens of thousands of security incidents ProPublica: I Posed as a Problem Gambler. DraftKings Made Me a VIP NYT: RFK Jr. Drew $4 Million in Book Advances From Publisher Who Also Monetized MAHA Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices