Who Is Thomas Crooks?
The FBI claimed the man who shot Donald Trump was a lone actor with no online presence and no motive. It was a lie.
This Week in the World Affairs Brief
THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IN HINDSIGHT
The longest government shutdown in history is now over, but not for long. It’s just another in a long series of band-aid fixes to keep the government going for a few more months without a real budget. Most of the compromises agreed upon will only last through the end of January, and then the failure to enact a budget due to the two-party stalemate will clutter the congressional agenda all over again. The most interesting observation behind the actions and motives of the eight Democrats that finally agreed to this compromise over the objections of the Senate “supreme minority leader” Chuck Schumer was by Utah Representative Blake Moore. You’ll enjoy reading his comments in this week’s brief. To receive a free, one-time sample of the Brief, along with options on how to subscribe, click on Request a sample on the left.
Also:
- The US is Becoming a Welfare State
- ...And the US Economy is Sagging
- Snake Venom had a Role in Covid 19 After All
Daily News
Iran's Elite IRGC Seizes Tanker In Strait Of Hormuz
After a long period of relative quiet, the Strait of Hormuz is flaring up again as on Friday Iranian forces are reported to have seized a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker. This is a first in a long time, but the Iranians are saying it is a somewhat 'routine' instance of intercepting a ship for "smuggling fuel", according to state IRNA. The Iranians are now claiming to be acting within the laws of the Islamic Republic.
US Monitoring Russian Ship Operating in International Waters Near Hawaii
The military branch said that, on Oct. 29, it detected a Russian vessel approximately 15 miles south of Oahu, Hawaii.
Oil Prices Soar 2.75% After Ukraine Strike On Major Russian Export Hub
A Ukrainian drone attack on the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, one of the country’s most significant oil export hubs, triggered renewed fears of supply disruptions.
U.S. Sanctions Strand a Third of Russia’s Crude Exports at Sea
All but two Indian refiners have skipped placing orders for Russian crude for December after the U.S. sanctioned Rosneft and Lukoil, sources with knowledge of the purchases told Bloomberg earlier this week. In China, major state-owned refiners have reportedly suspended purchases of Russian crude oil, but the independent refiners in the Shandong province, the so-called teapots, are unlikely to halt imports of the cheap crude that has become a staple for their refineries.
U.S. Buys a Token Barrel to Refill the Strategic Reserve
The Trump administration is dipping its toe—barely—into refilling the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), announcing plans to purchase one million barrels of crude for delivery in December and January. The move, while symbolically significant, amounts to little more than a rounding error in a reserve that once held 700 million barrels.
UAE-based DP World takes control of Syria’s Tartus port in $800m deal
In June, Syria’s government annulled a 2019 agreement between Bashar al-Assad’s administration and the Russian company Stroytransgaz to manage Tartus. Damascus said the deal was terminated due to the Russian company breaching its contract, including by failing to invest a promised $500m in modernising that port’s infrastructure.
Top officials present Trump with military options for Venezuela in the coming days
Earlier this week, the USS Gerald Ford carrier strike group entered U.S. Southern Command's area of responsibility. Southern Command is the primary combatant unit for operations in the Caribbean and South America. The Ford joins a flotilla of destroyers, war planes and special operations assets that are already in the region.
US Government Agencies Terminate 67 Wasteful Contracts Worth $1.4 Billion: DOGE
Federal government agencies terminated and descoped 67 wasteful contracts over the past five days, which had a ceiling value of $1.4 billion, while saving $648 million in taxpayer funds, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) announced in an X post on Nov. 8.
‘War zone’: Violent protest erupts outside UC Berkeley prior to TPUSA event
The lead up to a Turning Point USA event on Monday night at UC Berkeley was filled with violence and mayhem, as aggressive protesters banged against barriers, set off a smoke grenade, and screamed at attendees waiting in line as law enforcement worked to keep things from spiraling into uncontrolled chaos.
FBI Seeks To Unmask Anonymous Web Archiving Service Owner
Launched in 2012, Archive.today functions similarly to the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine but with key differences.
Trump Asks Supreme Court to Take Up E. Jean Carroll’s Defamation Case
Trump’s attorneys told the Supreme Court that the case against him contained multiple flaws related to evidence.
U.S. Aluminum Prices Surge To Record Highs As Tariffs Squeeze Supply
Aluminum prices in the U.S. climbed to new record highs on Monday as domestic inventories tightened sharply, driven by the Trump administration’s steel and aluminum tariffs designed to bolster and revitalize America’s industrial base.
India Races to Replace Russian Oil With U.S., Iraqi, and UAE Crude
The search for alternative oil supplies follows the Trump administration’s decision last month to sanction Rosneft and Lukoil, which together account for half of Russia’s oil exports and a significant portion of Indian imports from the country. The sanctions ignited a rush to secure supplies ahead of the entry into effect of the sanctions, on November 21, while oil buyers look for loopholes to keep their access to discounted Russian crude.
The veteran’s verdict: Our sacrifices were squandered
Penstone’s comments struck a chord as he recalled the sacrifices made by countless servicemen. “I can see in my mind’s eye, rows and rows of white stones, of all the hundreds of my friends...for what?” he asked, revealing a deep sense of regret about the direction his country has taken. He harshly criticized the current state of affairs, asserting, “The sacrifice wasn’t worth the result that it is now.” His statement reflects a broader concern among veterans who witness significant changes in societal values and governance. Penstone’s sentiments resonate amid growing frustrations over issues such as immigration and free speech.
Senate Overcomes Filibuster to Advance Bill to End Shutdown
Also announced as part of the deal, the Senate will vote on a so-called “minibus” appropriations package to fund several sectors of the government for a full year. This minibus package would include three of the 12 government appropriations bills that need to be passed annually. Failure to pass one or all of these bills before the funding deadline results in a partial or complete government shutdown.
Supreme Court Agrees to Decide If Mail-In Ballots Must Arrive by Election Day
The case concerns a challenge to a federal law barring states from accepting mailed ballots after Election Day.
Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi Announces Retirement From Congress
There are two candidates so far running for Pelosi’s seat: California state Sen. Scott Wiener and Saikat Chakrabarti, former chief of staff to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.). Trump called Pelosi’s retirement “a great thing for America.”
Three Russiagate Grand Jury Subpoenas Sent Today, Brennan, Page and Strzok – Up to 30 Subpoenas Pending
Fox News also reports that up to 30 grand jury subpoenas are anticipated to be served on former government officials involved in “Spygate” and/or “Russiagate.”
Ukraine's state-owned energy company says all of its power plants are down after Russia's 'largest-ever attack'
According to the company, the same thermal power plants that had been restored after attacks in 2024 were struck again, with multiple Russian drones targeting them "each minute" overnight on Nov. 8. Ukrainian forces downed 406 out of the 458 drones, including Shahed-type attack drones, launched by Russia overnight, the Air Force reported. Russia also launched 45 cruise and ballistic missiles, nine of which were downed, the statement said.
All Ukraine's State Thermal Power Plants Down After 'Largest Ever Attack' By Russia
"Russian strikes once again targeted people's everyday life. They deprived communities of power, water and heating, destroyed critical infrastructure, and damaged railway networks," Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said in the aftermath. Emergency management crews are working overtime to restore power to the impacted grids, but this has been a growing problem as badly needed parts are hard to constantly replace after years of accumulated damage.
94% Match: New Clues Emerge In Jan. 6 Pipe Bomber Identity
According to the investigation, former U.S. Capitol Police officer, Shauni Rae Kerkhoff, is a high-probability match to the unidentified pipe-bomb suspect seen on surveillance video on Jan. 5, 2021. Kerkhoff, who served four and a half years on the Capitol Police force before leaving in mid-2021 for a security position later described by the CIA as “campus security,” was matched through a forensic gait-analysis software tool that compared her stride to the suspect’s.
UN Bends The Knee, Revokes Sanctions On Syrian Leaders Ahead Of Trump Meeting
The resolution, sponsored by the United States, was adopted via 14 votes in favor and an abstention by China. It removes Ahmed al-Sharaa—previously known as Mohammed al-Jolani—leader of political and military group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), and Interior Minister Anas Khattab from sanctions aimed at ISIS and al-Qaida associates.
China-U.S. Rare Earth Deal "May Have Hit A Snag" As Beijing Reportedly Unlikely To Fully Reverse Restrictions
Despite a recent U.S.-China agreement pausing some restrictions for a year, insiders say broader export controls remain in place. General licenses are expected to be harder to obtain for buyers linked to defense or sensitive sectors. Since April, EU firms have filed roughly 2,000 applications, with just over half approved.
Experts: Full nuclear weapons tests would backfire on US
“The U.S. had conducted over 1,000 nuclear tests,” Erath said Monday in an interview with Defense News. “We had all the data necessary to know how nuclear weapons work, to verify that U.S. nuclear weapons would work, and other people didn’t. So by stopping testing when we did, we sort of locked in an advantage in knowledge that persists to this day.”
Newsom Goes to War With Trump Over 2026 Midterms
“What Prop 50 does is it temporarily takes away the power from the independent redistricting commission to draw up congressional districts so the Legislature can do it, and they’re going to use that power to redraw the congressional districts,” von Spakovsky told The Daily Signal.
Candace Owens: Charlie Kirk Launched TPUSA Audit Days Before Death
On TPUSA, Owens says Kirk raised internal concerns about finances a week before he was killed. She cites an internal memo dated September 2 in which Kirk named fundraiser Justin Strife chief operating officer and empowered him to lead a small “Doge” (efficiency) initiative. According to the memo Owens read aloud, the team’s mandate was to make TPUSA “more efficient,” “more cost-effective,” align goals with metrics, and “reshape company culture.” Owens frames this as Kirk preparing a mini-audit to examine where money was going and, she adds, where it was coming from. She says multiple insiders have since contacted her with tips about vendors, contracting practices, and potential conflicts, and she claims outside journalists have engaged forensic accountants to review TPUSA finances.
‘Massive Fraud’ Uncovered in Food Stamp Program, Says Agriculture Secretary as Benefits Lapse
Thousands of cases of illegal benefit use were found, and dozens were arrested for SNAP fraud.
Supreme Court Weighs Legality of Trump’s Tariffs
The justices asked questions about how much power Trump had under an emergency powers law to impose tariffs.
Moscow Just Gave Venezuela Air Defenses, Not Ruling Out Strike Missiles: Russian Official
Pantsir-S1 and Buk-M2E systems were recently delivered to Caracas by Il-76 transport aircraft, a Russian lawmaker claims.