“San Francisco on Tuesday became the first county in the Bay Area to enact a temporary moratorium on the construction of new data centers. The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously at its regular meeting to approve a 45-day urgency ordinance that took effect immediately. The moratorium calls for a halt to the approval of permit applications to expand an existing data center or build a new one, which house the computing hardware and infrastructure needed to power newly developed artificial intelligence tools.” (10/07/26)
“A former CIA officer has pleaded guilty in an Alexandria federal court to stealing nearly $194 million, including more than $40 million in gold bars. David J. Rush, 49, entered the plea on Tuesday as part of a plea agreement. Under the deal, Rush could face up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced. ‘By his own admission, David Rush defrauded the government of hundreds of millions of dollars, and then misused those funds for extravagant purchases,’ said FBI Director Kash Patel in a statement.” [editor’s note: In other words, he did to them what they do to everyone else – TLK] (10/06/26)
Thanks to supporters ERW, ACS, WH, TP, and CS! Their contributions yesterday, totaling $55.50, bring our annual fundraiser total (as of 5am) to $170.50!
It’s a “little engine that could” thing — every contribution gets us closer to $2,751.50, and once we’re there supporter GL will “match funds” to get us to the goal of $5,503. So please think you can at …
“Ukraine’s air force said on Wednesday that Russia launched 130 drones, 48 cruise missiles, and an unspecified number of ballistic missiles in the overnight attack on Ukraine, saying air defence units downed 161 targets. … Kyiv and Poltava in central Ukraine, the southeastern region of Dnipropetrovsk, and Kharkiv in the northeast were the focus of the Russian attacks, authorities said. … In a separate post on X, Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces hit four Russian targets over the last 24 hours, including two oil facilities and a training ground in the Perm, Samara, and Astrakhan regions, as well as carrying out a response in the Black Sea.” (10/07/26)
“[US president Donald] Trump has faced a chorus of condemnation from Democratic leaders in California after his comments at a rally in Nebraska on Monday night, which the White House has suggested were being taken out of context. At the president’s rally in Grand Island, Nebraska, Trump claimed that high prices due to the war with Iran are a ‘small price to pay for keeping the world safe – keeping our country safe’. He went on: ‘They can take out a city. Let them take out Los Angeles. Let them take out San Diego.’ The crowd applauded the line.” (10/06/26)
“Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 25 counties that could be impacted by a tropical depression that’s quickly gaining strength in the Gulf. Tropical Depression Nine officially formed on Tuesday afternoon and is expected to start drifting toward the northeast later this week. It’s currently forecast to develop into a hurricane on Thursday and hit the northern Gulf Coast on Friday afternoon. Parts of the state are expected to experience heavy rainfall over the next few days, totaling up to nine inches in some areas. Strong winds, coastal flooding, and isolated tornadoes are also possible across North Florida.” (10/06/26)
“Iran-backed Houthi rebels [sic] in Yemen on Wednesday claimed attacks on military facilities and airports in neighboring Saudi Arabia as the escalation deepened the latest front in the Iran war and threatened a crucial shipping alternative to the Strait of Hormuz. The Houthis’ military spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, said on social media that the rebels launched ballistic missiles and drones in the attacks targeting King Khalid International Airport in the capital, Riyadh, but did not provide evidence. Flights to and from the airport were briefly disrupted, according to Flightradar24, a tracking platform.” (10/07/26)
“Christa Pike is conscious and speaking nearly a week after a botched [killing attempt by state employees] left her critically injured and temporarily on a ventilator, her attorneys said Tuesday. … Pike, 50, continues to receive medical care after she survived being administered two lethal doses of pentobarbital and was hospitalized following the failed Sept. 30 [killing] in Nashville, her attorneys said. She has ‘severe damage’ to her arms and remains handcuffed to her bed, her attorneys said. … Her attorneys said Tuesday they continue to ask Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee to commute her sentence to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.” (10/06/26)
“The Trump administration pushed the FBI to investigate Los Angeles protesters in violation of their constitutional rights and the bureau’s policies, a former FBI supervisor alleges in a new whistleblower complaint. Jill Fields, a former supervisory intelligence analyst in the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, made a formal whistleblower complaint to Senate Judiciary Committee leaders over the federal response to anti-ICE protest activity around federal buildings, as well as in a residential area, early last year. Fields asked Congress and the Justice Department’s watchdog to investigate the allegations, her attorneys said in a letter to lawmakers. She says they violated the First Amendment right to free speech and to peaceably assemble. … A person whose name is redacted in the complaint told Fields that an investigation would be opened because ‘the President wants this investigation,’ Fields’[s] whistleblower complaint says.” (10/06/26)
“British police on Tuesday arrested a 22-year-old man in London on suspicion of a terror offence over a security incident at a US-run military airbase in England that authorities have linked to Iran. The arrest is the seventh in connection with a suspected plot against RAF Fairford, located 160km (100 miles) west of London, which has been used by American bombers to strike Iran during this year’s war. Five British men in their 20s were detained near the perimeter of the base in the early hours of September 27, and a 25-year-old British-Iranian man was arrested in London on Thursday. All six have been released on bail under investigation.” (10/06/26)
