Saturday, October 31, 2026
The Little-Known Weapon Behind Some of the Worst Protest Injuries in America – Mother Jones
Marketed as highly safe and very accurate, this .68 caliber pneumatic launcher has been used by law enforcement agencies all over the world— from Belgium and Turkey, to Georgia and even Libya under Muammar Gaddafi, whose ministry of defense purchased 2000 launchers in 2009. Though it closely resembles a pepperball or paintball gun, with a plastic body and air tank affixed to the front, it fires a denser and faster-moving projectile that can cause debilitating injuries in crowd control settings…
Trump tried not to roil the economy before midterms. He's about to be unleashed. - POLITICO
Trump still wants to bring tariffs close to where they stood before the Supreme Court struck down a broad swath of them in February, according to nine current and former officials, congressional aides and industry representatives. He has teed up trade measures that could lead to new duties in the weeks after the election. The Pentagon, meanwhile, has been sending more forces to the Middle East, and Trump has been hinting that more action is coming in Iran.
Republican and industry officials don’t believe the president is going to slow his agenda because of a poor showing by his party in the midterms. If anything, he may speed it up…
The Final Countdown: MAGA’s Racist Blitz and Trump’s Next Big Lie – Mother Jones
As this episode shows, the GOP—from Donald Trump to JD Vance to Cabinet secretaries to senators and representatives—has made hateful bigotry a central element of its final midterms push.
Those assaults have primarily targeted Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, with Vance calling him a “cancer” with “zero attachment” to America’s land or history; Sen. Ted Cruz falsely labeling El-Sayed a “theocratic zealot” and lifelong Muslim Brotherhood supporter; and Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno declaring El-Sayed doesn’t belong in Washington, DC, because he doesn’t believe “Jesus came here for our salvation”. Pointing out that Moreno appeared to be establishing a religious test for service in Congress, David says, “That’s not what the Constitution says. That is what Christian nationalists say.” The race-baiting doesn’t stop there: Donald Trump warned that El-Sayed and Democrats will invite “hordes of jihadists” until Americans “cannot even have a Christmas.” …
Maya Wiley: the enduring influence of white ethno-Christian nationalism (video from the 2026 National Convention of the Freedom From Religion Foundation)
Maya Wiley, a prominent civil rights attorney and activist, recieves our Champion of Human Rights Award.
In her acceptance speech, Wiley reflects on the enduring influence of white ethno-Christian nationalism in the United States, highlighting its historical roots in racial segregation, genocide, and slavery.
She discusses how this ideology has resurfaced, manifesting in alarming ways, including recruitment and participation of extremists in the military post-January 6th.
Wiley emphasizes the importance of unity and coalition-building among diverse groups to combat this resurgence and protect civil liberties, including the freedom of religion and non-religion.
Interview:
‘Elite North Korean group’ blamed for $6.3bn Binance hack in biggest ever crypto heist
Binance was founded in 2017 by Changpeng Zhao, who in 2023 pleaded guilty to a felony in the US related to his failure to prevent money laundering on the platform and stepped down as CEO. Donald Trump pardoned him in 2025…
“It may further dampen risk appetite and prompt investors to reassess the safety of assets held on centralised exchanges, as well as counterparty, solvency and liquidity risks,” said Tim Sun, a senior researcher at HashKey Group, based in Hong Kong…
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/oct/29/binance-crypto-exchange-hack
Lawmakers call to reform Louisiana’s ‘blatantly unconstitutional’ justice of the peace system
Louisiana’s justices of the peace courts, which oversee thousands of evictions annually, alongside other small claims and civil matters, are uniquely funded by the filing fees that each court generates. The Guardian revealed a system that brings in millions of dollars a year in filing fee revenue – leading to a handful of justices, who are compensated directly from this income, earning lucrative amounts…
Government corruption a top issue for US midterm voters, exclusive poll finds
Harris poll for Guardian finds 76% believe officials care more about self-enrichment than helping everyday Americans…
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/30/government-corruption-us-midterm-poll
An ICE officer is charged with assault for striking a man with a car in Houston | PBS News
A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer accused of intentionally ramming his car into a Mexican construction worker in Houston was indicted by a grand jury Friday on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, prosecutors said.
The officer, Mario Alberto Morales, was driving an unmarked SUV on Oct. 10 when he struck and ran over Miguel Parra Hernandez, 48, who was running away during a pursuit through a parking lot, the Harris County District Attorney's Office said. Parra Hernandez broke his leg and remains in federal custody at a rehabilitation facility, District Attorney Sean Teare said…
Electrocutions, disease and no pay: how workers risk exploitation in Europe’s datacenters
As thousands of datacentres are constructed across Europe, the Guardian and Investigate Europe have uncovered disturbing evidence that some workers building them are exposed to dangerous conditions and living in fear of speaking out…
Trump’s VA killed a home loan program. Veterans are paying for it : NPR
More than 700 veterans suffered payment increases of $1,000 or more…
https://www.npr.org/2026/10/30/nx-s1-5995628/trump-va-home-loan-program-veterans-paying
On what anatomical feature was Trump fixated this week? The quiz knows — do you? : NPR
This week was packed with pre-midterm drama, of which only the silliest is in the quiz. The rest of the world had elections, too! If you've been paying attention, you'll get at least three questions correct. Good luck!
https://www.npr.org/2026/10/30/g-s1-150445/trump-midterms-ai-china-star-trek-dhs-news-quiz
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