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Political cartoonist Ted Rall and CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou explore topics shaking the world stage.
- Trump-Putin Talks on Hold: The White House now says there are no immediate plans for President Trump to meet Russia’s Vladimir Putin, despite Trump’s earlier suggestion of a Budapest summit to end the Ukraine war. After a “productive call” between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russia’s Sergey Lavrov, Trump’s pattern of pivoting from sanctions or aid to diplomacy raises eyebrows. Experts warn of a familiar cycle with little progress.
- Shutdown Gets Real: Democrats are about to get the fight they want on November 1, when ACA subscribers see their premiums skyrocket. Premiums nationwide are set to rise by 18 percent on average. Nationally, the average marketplace consumer will pay $1,904 in annual premiums next year, up from $888 in 2025. The situation is particularly acute in Georgia, which recorded the second-highest enrollment of any state-run marketplace this year and and where 96 percent of marketplace enrollees in Georgia received subsidies this year. Georgians browsing the state website are seeing estimated monthly costs double or even triple, depending on their incomes, as lower subsidy thresholds resume. Will Republicans blink?
- America’s Covert War Against Venezuela: The U.S. military’s secretive Southern Caribbean campaign escalates, with seven airstrikes killing 32 off Venezuela’s coast, targeting alleged “narco-terrorists.” Trump confirms CIA covert operations, while the abrupt exit of SouthCom Commander Adm. Alvin Holsey sparks questions about the strikes’ legality. Critics, including Sen. Rand Paul, demand transparency over who’s targeted and why—but they keep being annoyed.
- Israel Blocking Gaza Aid Again: Israel’s ban on UNRWA and new rules de-registering major aid groups threaten Gaza’s briefly renewed humanitarian lifeline. Despite Trump’s brokered ceasefire, only two of seven border crossings remain open, leaving aid trucks stranded. Organizations like the Norwegian Refugee Council face re-registration hurdles, accused of vague ideological violations. Why is the world allowing Israel to continue the genocide?
