Seeking Big Weekend Energy

Hey, everyone …

Our annual fundraiser had a “zero dollar day” yesterday.

We’re stuck (as of 5am Friday) at $245.50 versus our goal of $5,503 (with supporter GL’s “matching funds” offer, we only have to raise $2,751.50 from the rest of our readers).

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“Mini-goal”: Please help us reach the $500 mark by Monday. That’s only $254.50 away. YOUR contribution will shorten that distance. The URL once again:

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Have a happy, healthy, and prosperous weekend!

Yours in liberty,
Tom Knapp
Publisher
Rational Review News Digest / Freedom News Daily

Nobel Peace Prize 2026 awarded to ICC judge

Source: CBS News

“The Nobel Peace Prize for 2026 was awarded Friday to Navanethem ‘Navi’ Pillay, a South African human rights champion and judge on the International Criminal Court. The Nobel Committee said awarding the prestigious prize to someone on the ICC, which has faced huge pressure from the Trump administration, was a message to those who seek to undermine international justice. The South African-born former United Nations human rights chief, who is 85 years old, was recognized for her efforts to promote peace and international law, said Jørgen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee. ‘This is definitely a message to those who are undermining the international system and institutions,’ Frydnes said.” (10/09/26)

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nobel-peace-prize-2026-navanethem-navi-pillay-south-africa/

Russian strikes on Ukraine’s public buses leave 30 dead as blackouts worsen in Kyiv

Source: National Public Radio [US state media]

“A Russian-guided bomb exploded next to public buses filled with passengers in eastern Ukraine, authorities said Thursday, killing 30 people as part of a wave of attacks that also worsened power outages in the capital. … Thursday’s attack followed a Russian missile strike a day earlier that killed 22, including five children, in the northern Ukrainian town of Pryluky. Rescuers were searching the rubble of a residential building. At least 54 people were wounded. Several survivors slept in heavily damaged apartments because they couldn’t find anywhere else to stay. … Ukraine’s energy company DTEK said national grid operator Ukrenergo had ordered emergency power outages in Kyiv. Regular, rolling outages that occur on a schedule across the country will be halted during these shutdowns.” (10/08/26)

https://www.npr.org/2026/10/08/g-s1-147106/russia-ukraine-war

NYC: ICE thug attempts to murder motorist with five-year-old reportedly in car

Source: The Guardian

“A US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) [gang member] shot and injured a man in New York City on Thursday afternoon during an [abduction] operation, federal officials said. The man was conscious and hospitalized, authorities said, and the shooting quickly sparked angry protests from local residents and elected officials in the neighborhood. Early reports indicated that [gang members] had surrounded the man and a five-year-old child in his car in a residential area before firing multiple rounds, the city’s mayor, Zohran Mamdani, said in a statement on Thursday evening. The child was physically unharmed, he said.” (10/08/26)

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/08/nyc-shooting-federal-agent

US weekly initial jobless claims edge down to 197,000

Source: Investing.com

“The number of Americans filing for first-time unemployment benefits inched down last week, but remained within a recent range, suggesting ongoing resilience in the U.S. labor market despite employer caution around increasing hiring. Initial jobless claims stood at 197,000 in the week ending October 3, a decline of 2,000 from the prior week and lower than expectations of 200,000. Over a four-week average, which accounts for volatility in the weekly figure, jobless claims dipped to 198,000 from 200,500. Continuing claims, a hiring proxy that measures the amount of people receiving unemployment benefits after an initial week of aid, edged up to 1.716 million in the week ending on September 26. The previous week’s number was revised down to 1.699 million from 1.701 million.” (10/08/26)

https://www.investing.com/news/economic-indicators/us-weekly-initial-jobless-claims-edge-down-to-197000-4939074

Hegseth vows to make first military firing squad killing since WW2 “public”

Source: CNN

“US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth vowed in an interview this week that the [killing] of the man who killed 13 people in a mass shooting at Fort Hood in 2009 would be ‘public.’ ‘We’ll make sure that people are able to watch it, that it’s public, because people need to understand that there’s serious consequences for these types of things,’ Hegseth told far-right podcaster Jack Posobiec in an interview aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln on Wednesday. A Pentagon official said Thursday that the [killing] ‘will be livestreamed,’ but did not offer more details. … Hasan was convicted in July 2013 of 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted murder. During his trial, he told the panel of 13 officers that he was targeting soldiers who would deploy to Afghanistan and ‘were going to engage in an illegal war.'” (10/08/26)

https://www.cnn.com/2026/10/08/politics/pete-hegseth-vows-to-make-first-firing-squad-execution-in-decades-public

Crew-12 astronauts return to Earth after nearly eight months in space

Source: Space.com

“The four astronauts of SpaceX’s Crew-12 mission returned to Earth this morning (Oct. 8) after nearly eight months in space. Crew-12’s Crew Dragon capsule, named ‘Freedom,’ undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) on Wednesday morning (Oct. 7) at 8:05 a.m. EDT (1205 GMT), beginning a roughly 27-hour trip back to its home planet. Everything went well during the journey: Freedom splashed down as planned in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Los Angeles today at 11:34 a.m. EDT (1534 GMT).” (10/08/26)

https://www.space.com/space-exploration/international-space-station/spacex-crew-12-iss-astronaut-mission-return-to-earth

Rodrigo Duterte ruled fit to stand trial at ICC

Source: United Press International

“The International Criminal Court announced Thursday that former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte is fit to stand trial in The Hague, the Netherlands. Duterte is facing charges for his war on drugs during his presidency, from 2016 to 2022, in which tens of thousands of small-time drug dealers were executed. The ICC’s case includes killings from Nov. 1, 2011, when Duterte was the mayor of Davao, until March 2019, when he pulled his country from ICC membership. On Sept. 16, he appeared at the ICC for a status hearing to verify his health. Duterte’s lawyers have said his health is fading and he would be unfit. The trial is set to begin Nov. 30.” (10/08/26)

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2026/10/08/netherlands-icc-rodrigo-duterte-fit-trial/8461791473740/

Trump bought up to $25 million in Meta and millions in SpaceX debt in August

Source: CNBC

“President Donald Trump disclosed more than 500 securities transactions in August, including a purchase of up to $25 million in Meta stock and an investment of as much as $5 million in SpaceX debt two days before he signed a sweeping policy aimed at expanding U.S. commercial space transportation, according to a newly released financial disclosure. The 517 purchases and sales totaled roughly $74.3 million to $273.3 million, according to a CNBC analysis of Trump’s August financial disclosure, which reports each item in a range of value. Purchases accounted for at least $44.2 million and sales at least $30.1 million, CNBC calculated. The 18-page filing shows Trump’s portfolio remained highly active, even as trading slowed from June and July, when he disclosed more than 1,000 transactions in each month.” (10/08/26)

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/10/08/trump-august-trades-meta-spacex-financial-disclosure.html

South Korea: Regime test-flies its first domestically developed hypersonic weapon

Source: ABC News

“South Korea flight-tested on Thursday its first domestically developed hypersonic weapon, designed to fly at least five times the speed of sound and evade missile defense systems, bringing Seoul closer to what it says could be game-changing weapons capabilities. There was no immediate response from North Korea, which last week tested its own hypersonic missile that landed in the waters near Japan. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung attended the test, saying it’s a major step in strengthening the country’s conventional defense capabilities, according to a statement. It did not elaborate where the test took place.” (10/08/26)

https://abcnews.com/International/wireStory/south-korea-test-flies-domestically-developed-hypersonic-weapon-137090542