Voters head to polls today in Virginia and New Jersey gubernatorial races. Democrat Abigail Spanberger leads GOP's Winsome Earle-Sears by 10 points in Virginia. Trump hasn't endorsed Earle-Sears. Closer race: AG contest between Republican Miyares and Democrat Jones, whose campaign faces controversy. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

CNN’s Harry Enten predicts a strong Democratic showing in three key races, citing leads in New Jersey, Virginia, and NYC. He highlights how rare Democratic sweeps are, occurring only five times in 90 years, each followed by a U.S. House majority win. A sweep could signal momentum for 2026. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

National Guard forming a 23,500-troop "quick reaction force" for crowd control/civil disturbance in US cities by early next year. A leaked Oct. 8 memo orders nearly all states to train 500 service members. A prior memo mandated a specialized military police battalion for D.C.'s public order. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

**Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu** ordered “powerful strikes” in Gaza after accusing **Hamas** of violating the ceasefire. Explosions and gunfire were reported as tensions soared, threatening the fragile U.S.-brokered peace deal amid disputes over hostage remains and ongoing violence. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Trump administration has begun purging senior ICE officials, replacing them with Border Patrol leaders amid frustration over deportation rates. Sources say the White House favors CBP’s tougher tactics as confidence in ICE’s enforcement efforts fades. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The USDA says **SNAP benefits** won’t be issued Nov. 1 due to the government shutdown, affecting over **40 million Americans**. The agency blames **Senate Democrats**, while advocates warn the cutoff could trigger the worst hunger crisis since the Depression. Food banks brace for a surge in need. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Trump Administration imposed sanctions on Russia’s largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, to pressure Putin to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated the sanctions target the Kremlin’s war funding, urging allies to support efforts to end the conflict. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Reports published on October 20–21, 2025, indicate that President Donald Trump's administration is considering importing Argentine beef to help address high beef prices in the United States. This proposal has been met with immediate and strong backlash from U.S. cattle producers and industry groups. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Democrats face a tough call on the shutdown: cave without healthcare guarantees and anger their base, or hold firm risking blame as the impasse drags on. With Trump threatening mass federal layoffs and trust eroded by broken deals, there's no clear winning move before midterms. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hamas admits difficulty retrieving bodies; Israel identified 2 returned. Defense minister Katz warned of renewed war if Hamas doesn't return all bodies and disarm as per Trump's plan. UN aid cuts threatened. Oct 7 attacks killed 1,200 Israelis; Israeli attacks killed 70K Palestinians. Gaza is devastated. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

China's move to tighten export controls on rare earth metals was a calculated ploy to get President Trump's attention amid trade tensions. This move rattled global markets, leading to a new round of tit-for-tat tariffs and threats between the two nations, escalating economic uncertainty. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Trump suggested he may send Ukraine long-range Tomahawk missiles if Russia continues the conflict, with the Kremlin warning this represents a "dramatic" escalation. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

OpenAI's AI video app, Sora, is a sensation, surpassing ChatGPT's initial downloads. It allows users to create and share AI-generated videos. This success raises concerns about deepfakes and copyright infringement, as realistic videos of celebrities and famous IPs are proliferating online. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The federal government shut down Wednesday as Congress failed to approve new funding. Republicans proposed a funding extension, while Democrats countered with healthcare provisions and limits on presidential funding. Both sides remained deadlocked. A shutdown means agencies can't spend money not approved by lawmakers. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The government shutdown is in its seventh day after Senate Democrats again rejected a Republican funding bill. In a potential shift, President Trump said he is open to a deal with Democrats on extending Affordable Care Act subsidies, a key Democratic demand. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Federal shutdown enters 6th day, with no sign of a deal. Trump blames Democrats, threatening federal worker firings. Lawmakers remain deadlocked, hoping public opinion sways their opponents. Speaker Johnson expected to hold press conference. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Trump signed an executive order: US guarantees Qatar's security. Any attack on Qatar's territory or infrastructure is a threat to US peace and security. This order strengthens ties and protects Qatar from external aggression. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The federal government shut down at midnight after a deadlocked Congress failed to reach a deal on funding. Republicans and Democrats are at odds over enhanced Obamacare subsidies, with leaders of both parties determined not to take the blame. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Republicans and Democrats are at a standoff over a government funding bill. With Republicans controlling the government, Democrats are leveraging the Senate's 60-vote rule to push healthcare policy goals. A shutdown looms as both sides struggle to find common ground on a path forward. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has distanced herself from the MAGA movement after a Trump official warned her against supporting bipartisan legislation to release the Epstein files. Greene, along with three other Republicans, signed a petition that could force a vote if it gains enough signatures. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.