TODAY’S TOP NEWS - YESTERDAY’S BEST BLOG POSTS
OCTOBER 17, 2026
REMEMBER IN NOVEMBER
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U.S. NEWS
- Oregon school shooting: A teen shooter killed 4 at an elementary school before a witness shot him. The shooting was at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend. accessnorthgaPBS
- Fort Hood execution: Trump called off Hegseth’s plan to livestream the execution of Nidal Hasan, who killed 13 people at Fort Hood in 2009. The reversal followed bipartisan backlash. havanatimesaccessnorthga
- Illinois temple plot: A self-described neo-Nazi teen was arrested for allegedly planning a mass shooting at the Hindu temple in Aurora, Illinois. His rifle reportedly jammed. havanatimes
- Georgia amusement park: More roller coasters were shut down while authorities investigate a fatal fall. accessnorthga
- Southern California fires: Brush fires sparked as hot weather and winds raised wildfire risk. Separately, LA fire survivors are set to lose case managers as California and FEMA’s standoff drags on. accessnorthgaPBS
- ICE shooting: A New York man shot by ICE officers appeared in immigration court. accessnorthga
POLITICS
- Press secretary exit: Katie Zacharia is out as White House press secretary after less than a week on the job. PBS
- Georgia rally: Trump will rally Georgia Republicans despite party divisions in the battleground state. More stops are planned in Kentucky and Florida. accessnorthgacbsaustin
- Midterm messaging: Trump wants the midterms to be all about himself, and Democrats’ ads are happy to oblige. accessnorthga
- DOJ vs. California: DOJ says California officials who process ballots from suspected noncitizens risk prosecution. It demanded the state sideline those ballots and threatened legal action. California could be pivotal in deciding House control. PBS News: News, Analysis, Top Headlines, Live Coverage +2
- TrumpRx: Trump unveiled the TrumpRx drug discount site. Democrats say he increased investments in drugmakers that were given Medicare exemptions. PBS
- Iran school report: The Pentagon will withhold an internal report on the attack on an Iranian school until after the midterms. havanatimes
WORLD AFFAIRS
- Iran war and Hormuz: Another oil tanker was struck near the Strait of Hormuz. Crude climbed past $100 as Iran escalated its attacks in the strait. havanatimesCNBC
- Black Sea: Drone strikes threaten a global shipping route, have left two people dead, and at least 25 are missing. There are fears of a Russian test of NATO’s response. ctvnews
- Alberta vote: Monday’s vote is not a direct independence referendum. Albertans decide whether to begin the legal process toward a future separation vote. Carney warned that the U.S. is trying to break Canada so it can “own us.” washingtontimeswashingtontimes
- Yemen: Houthi militias struck the presidential palace in Aden, killing five. havanatimes
- Israel and Gaza: The U.S. approved a sale of helicopter gunships to Israel as Israeli strikes killed four Palestinians in Gaza on Thursday. havanatimes
- West Bank: Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians during the olive harvest and beat a U.S. photojournalist. PBS
U.S. EDUCATION
National education news was thin today. Most of what I found is from California.
- LAUSD scores: LAUSD announced its highest-ever state assessment scores in English, math and science. The state released its annual School Dashboard this week. lausdedsource
- LAUSD closures: Enrollment is down more than 40% since the early 2000s with nearly the same number of campuses. The district’s “Stronger Schools Together” meetings could lead to a closure vote within the next year. laist
- Federal action on LAUSD: The U.S. Education Department announced enforcement action over alleged FERPA and PPRA violations. That was Oct. 6. edsource
- Student deportations: The Trump administration is appealing a decision on deporting students based on speech. edsource
- SFUSD lottery: San Francisco Unified will remove its lottery system and assign students to neighborhood schools. edsource
- Berkeley High: The California Department of Education found that a 2026 yearbook photo discriminated against Jewish students. edsource
ECONOMY
- Friday’s market close: The S&P 500 fell 1.1% and the Nasdaq sank 2.1%. The S&P’s roughly 2% weekly drop was the market’s worst week since late June. springfieldnewssun
- Oil: Brent settled at $106.06 on Wednesday, and WTI hit its highest level in three weeks. Crude topped $100 Friday as Ukraine vowed to keep striking Russian refineries. Yahoo FinanceCNBC
- Inflation and rate-hike fears: Hotter-than-expected U.S. inflation data stoked rate-hike fears across markets. CNBC
- Thursday rebound: Stocks recovered as Treasury yields fell and fears over AI debt financing eased. Yahoo Finance
TECHNOLOGY
- CoreWeave debt stress: Its bonds fell to distressed levels, and it carries about $50 billion of debt. The cost of insuring that debt rose to about 1,200 basis points. investinglufkindailynews
- AI stock rout: Twenty major AI and semiconductor stocks lost over $1 trillion in value this week on credit stress, spending worries and hot inflation. CNBC
- Private credit exposure: Carlyle said private credit could be called on to finance roughly $1 trillion of AI-compute buildout. investing
- Nvidia and China: Jensen Huang said Nvidia must cooperate with Chinese AI businesses to manage potential risks. CNBC
- SpaceX: Shares fell on CoreWeave woes as Barclays predicted a Tesla merger. thestreet
HEALTH
- U.S. measles: 4,410 confirmed cases have been reported as of Oct. 15. At least 1,200 are in Pennsylvania, with six measles-related deaths. The CDC is sending a “disease detective” there, its first in-person help after August’s RFK Jr.–Shapiro feud. Measles Cases and Outbreaks +2
- Ebola in Kenya: Kenya recorded its third Bundibugyo case. This strain has no licensed vaccine. Al Jazeera
- Ebola funding: Africa CDC says more than $700 million of donor money is unaccounted for. Al Jazeera
- Ebola risk to the U.S.: The CDC reports 4,444 confirmed deaths and says risk to the American public remains low. cdc
- New York: New York declared a statewide disaster emergency over measles. Substack
- HHS vaccine injuries: On Oct. 9, HHS announced a new initiative to research possible vaccine injuries and open a specialized NIH clinic. aap
SPORTS
- NLCS: Milwaukee beat Los Angeles 6-4 to sweep the series and reach its first World Series since 1982. Substack
- ALCS: Game 4 between Cleveland and Tampa Bay was rained out. Cleveland leads 2-1, and the winner faces the Brewers. The series resumes Saturday. cbssports
- Thursday Night Football: Denver beat Seattle 17-14. Jaxon Smith-Njigba had 134 yards in the overtime loss. Substack
- NHL: Four hat tricks landed on the same night. Substack
- NBA tip-off: The regular season begins Oct. 20. Wikipedia
Choosing Democracy: No Kings : Prepare for the vote https://choosingdemocracy.blogspot.com/2026/10/no-kings-prepare-for-vote.html
Volunteer Opportunities, Events, and Petitions Near Me · AFT on Mobilize https://www.mobilize.us/aft/?
Midterms 2026 | AFT Votes https://aftvotes.org/midterms2026
TRUMP IN THE NEWS TODAY
REMEMBER IN NOVEMBER
Here are the top Trump and Trump administration stories.
- Russia sanctions waiver. Trump waived some sanctions, restrictions and duties on Russia under the Graham sanctions act, according to an executive order issued Friday. He faced an Oct. 18 deadline to impose them or use the waiver authority. This came a week after he announced a diesel deal with Putin. Live - CENTCOM says US controls Hormuz, blocked $25 billion in Iran oil exports +2
- Iran war comments. At a Georgia rally, Trump said losses among Iran’s leadership left him with nobody to talk to, and predicted the war would end very soon. He also floated renaming the Strait of Hormuz the “Trump Strait.” iranintliranintl
- Midterm rally blitz. Trump rallied Georgia Republicans despite party divisions in the battleground state. His public schedule lists a Saturday political rally in Highland Heights, Kentucky. accessnorthgarollcall
- Press secretary out. Katie Zacharia is out as White House press secretary after less than a week on the job. PBS
- Fort Hood execution reversal. Trump said the government won’t livestream the firing squad execution of Nidal Hasan, contradicting a recent announcement by Defense Secretary Hegseth. He made the reversal after bipartisan backlash. NBC Newsaccessnorthga
- DOJ vs. California ballots. DOJ demanded that California sideline mail ballots from suspected noncitizens and threatened legal action. It also says officials who process those ballots risk prosecution. Critics note the letters cite no clear legal authority for the demand. Trump’s DOJ demands California halt ballots to suspected noncitizens +2
- Executive privilege in Kennedy Center case. A White House lawyer said Trump formally invoked presidential communications privilege in the court fight over his management of the Kennedy Center. NBC News
- FBI firings lawsuit. Nine former FBI employees involved in the classified documents case against Trump sued FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Todd Blanche, calling their firings unlawful. NBC News
- “Leakers” remark. At a Wednesday rally in Arizona, Trump said “leakers should be shot” while discussing a military raid he said was called off after its timing leaked. NBC News
Also in the news: Trump unveiled the TrumpRx drug discount site, and Democrats say he increased investments in drugmakers given Medicare exemptions. PBS
The Supreme Court and the midterms | SCOTUSblog https://www.scotusblog.com/2026/10/the-supreme-court-and-the-midterms/
Robot trainers - The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/16/briefing/robot-trainers.html
There’s a Powerful, Hidden Force Behind Migration: Climate Change – Mother Jones https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2026/10/theres-a-powerful-hidden-force-behind-migration-climate-change/
“You Can See Everything” Will Make You Question Everything – Mother Jones https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/10/you-can-see-everything-will-make-you-question-everything/
A vulnerable Republican takes on both parties over immigration - POLITICO https://www.politico.com/news/2026/10/16/a-vulnerable-republican-takes-on-both-parties-over-immigration-01123178
Katie Zacharia faces sharp questions from Fox News hosts about rocky start - POLITICO https://www.politico.com/news/2026/10/16/katie-zacharia-press-secretary-fox-news
The Many Ways Trump Is Kneecapping White-Collar Crime Enforcement – Mother Jones https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/10/white-collar-crime-enforcement-trump-white-house-sec-doj-cftc/
Mar-a-Lago Face Won’t Save You – Mother Jones https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/10/mar-a-lago-face-katie-zacharia-kimberly-guilfoyle-kristi-noem/
Getting the Second Amendment right | SCOTUSblog https://www.scotusblog.com/2026/10/getting-the-second-amendment-right/
UC Davis to start a one-year master’s program to prepare teachers | EdSource https://edsource.org/updates/uc-davis-to-start-a-one-year-masters-program-to-prepare-teachers
Trump administration appeals decision on deporting students based on speech | EdSource https://edsource.org/updates/trump-administration-appeals-decision-on-deporting-students-based-on-speech
LAUSD celebrates progress in student test scores, dashboard markers | EdSource https://edsource.org/updates/lausd-celebrates-progress-in-student-test-scores-dashboard-markers
Katie Zacharia Is Out After Half a Scaramucci – Mother Jones https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/10/katie-zacharia-is-out-after-half-a-scaramucci/
Scaramucci has some advice for Zacharia - POLITICO https://www.politico.com/news/2026/10/16/anthony-scaramucci-katie-zacharia-press-secretary-01123784
The Film Israeli Officials Don’t Want You to See - Progressive.org https://progressive.org/latest/the-film-israeli-officials-dont-want-you-to-see-powers-20261016/
Behind The Lens: Thrust and Power — SpaceX’s $100 Billion spaceport proposal (audio) | The Lens https://thelensnola.org/2026/10/16/spacex-spaceport-vermilion-parish/
Panic Attack: Inside Musk’s Midterm Disinformation Blitz – Mother Jones https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/10/stress-test-gop-panic-elon-musk-money-video-podcast/
Court unlikely to alter deference to sentencing guidelines commentary | SCOTUSblog https://www.scotusblog.com/2026/10/court-unlikely-to-alter-deference-to-sentencing-guidelines-commentary/
Trump administration asks justices to determine courts’ ability to vacate federal agency actions | SCOTUSblog https://www.scotusblog.com/2026/10/trump-administration-asks-justices-to-determine-courts-ability-to-vacate-federal-agency-actions/
He Mapped Yard Shrines, Sidewalk Altars and Flowerpots - The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/16/nyregion/joseph-sciorra-dead.html
House Democrat introduces bipartisan bill to block Trump’s Russian diesel deal - POLITICO https://www.politico.com/news/2026/10/16/house-democrat-bill-blocks-trump-russian-diesel-deal-01123646
Washington Post journalist Heidi Levine attacked by Israeli settlers in West Bank: What to know | Vox https://www.vox.com/today-explained-newsletter/506707/heidi-levine-photojournalist-attack-settlers-west-bank
Anthropic quietly pitches its own AI safety bill to lawmakers - POLITICO https://www.politico.com/news/2026/10/16/anthropic-ai-safety-01124654
Appeals court appears skeptical of Trump’s attempt to shield presidential records - POLITICO https://www.politico.com/news/2026/10/16/presidential-records-act-arguments-donald-trump
When a Social Media Mob Came for Cornell’s Jane Doe - The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/16/realestate/cornell-jane-doe-internet-doxing.html
Internal FEMA memo reveals plans to curb states’ reliance on federal aid - POLITICO https://www.politico.com/news/2026/10/16/fema-state-reliance-federal-aid-01124455
State superintendent candidates Shaw, Barrera respond to California student test scores | EdSource https://edsource.org/updates/state-superintendent-candidates-shaw-barrera-respond-to-california-student-test-scores
Susie Wiles helped set up Fox interview ahead of press secretary’s exit - POLITICO https://www.politico.com/news/2026/10/16/susie-wiles-helped-set-up-fox-interview-ahead-of-press-secretarys-exit-01125176
Cornell Board Presents United Front Amid Crisis Over Sexual Assault Allegations - The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/16/nyregion/cornell-trustees-board.html
What the End of Amazon’s MTurk Tells Us About Today’s AI Race - In These Times https://inthesetimes.com/article/amazon-ai-artificial-intelligence-mturk
