Not a One-Time Thing

Source: Common Sense
by Paul Jacob

“Proposition 40, in California, calls itself — in the title — a one-time tax. But does anyone truly believe that? … The Democratic Socialists of America have endorsed it, not just because it’s a tax targeted against the rich — but because they want it to be much more than a one-time thing. Those who love total government are insatiable in their lust for other people’s money.” (10/27/260

https://thisiscommonsense.org/2026/10/27/not-a1time-thing/

In the Balkans, a victory for political humility

Source: Christian Science Monitor
by staff

“Just three decades ago, Serbia was the most warmongering place in Europe. On Sunday night, its capital, Belgrade, was the scene of a celebration of peace and joy after parliamentary elections turned out an autocratic ruling party, in a win for a student movement that has no leader and largely put up nonstudent candidates. Most of the student movement’s winning candidates hold doctorate degrees, of whom 44% are women. The Student List, as it’s called, now faces the task of bringing transparency and accountability to a government soaked in crony corruption. Its success in better governance could ricochet across the Balkan states after centuries of violent ethnic rivalries. ‘Serbia is a normal country again,’ Andjela Markovic, a nurse from Belgrade, told the London-based Financial Times. ‘We proved that we can be just like any other nation, where people love their country and love each other even when they disagree.'” (10/27/26)

https://www.csmonitor.com/Editorials/the-monitors-view/2026/1027/In-the-Balkans-a-victory-for-political-humility

Congo: Ebola cases top 10,000

Source: CBC News [Canadian state media]

“The fast-moving Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (D.R.C.) has reached 10,000 confirmed cases, government data showed on Tuesday, as health authorities race to slow the spread of the disease in multiple African countries. It is the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history and nearly half of the 10,060 people confirmed to have the virus have died, according to data from D.R.C.’s Ministry of Health. That also makes it the deadliest outbreak of the disease in the country’s history. The outbreak declared in May is caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment.” (10/27/26)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/ebola-outbreak-10000-cases-9.7397981

CBP Really Doesn’t Want To Reveal What It Does to Americans’ Phones

Source: Reason
by Matthew Petti

“Customs and Border Protection (CBP) insists that it has the right to search Americans’ private data without a warrant when entering the country. But ordered to explain one of these searches by a judge, the agency is now trying to wiggle out from under the microscope, invoking its own data privacy. On Friday, Judge Leonie M. Brinkema in the Eastern District of Virginia ordered CBP to explain the seizure of a local psychiatric nurse’s phone and laptop at Washington Dulles International Airport. CBP argued that the court should seal this information from both the public and the nurse himself in order to protect ‘privileged law enforcement information.’ Brinkema initially agreed …. After reading the filings, the judge declared on Tuesday afternoon ‘that most of the redacted information is not privileged law enforcement information and should not be sealed.'” (10/27/26)

https://reason.com/2026/10/27/cbp-really-doesnt-want-to-reveal-what-it-does-to-americans-phones/

Somalia: Islamic militants kill at least 20 regime troops

Source: ABC News

“Islamic extremist militants killed at least 20 Somali soldiers in an ambush, a military officer who survived the attack said, as the government acknowledged damage to military vehicles but disclosed no troop casualties. The al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab group, which has fought Somalia’s government for nearly two decades, claimed responsibility for Monday’s attack near Jameeca village in southern Somalia. The Defense Ministry said its troops killed about 75 militants and wounded 56 during hours of fighting. Al-Shabab claimed it killed 321 soldiers and captured prisoners and military equipment.” (10/28/26)

https://abcnews.com/International/wireStory/islamic-militants-kill-20-somali-soldiers-ambush-officer-137631631

Who is Making Billions from the Iran War?

Source: Ron Paul Liberty Report
by Ron Paul

“At a campaign rally over the weekend, President Trump dismissed Americans’ concerns over high oil and gas prices, claiming that it’s a small price to pay for the hundreds of billions of dollars ‘we’ are making from these higher prices. ‘We’re making a fortune,’ he said. ‘Hundreds of billions of dollars. Trillions of dollars.’ People are paying a little bit more for gas, he explained, but it doesn’t matter because ‘we’ are making so much money. The question is, ‘Who is ‘we’?’ We know it is not the American people.” (10/27/26)

https://www.ronpaullibertyreport.com/archives/who-is-making-billions-from-the-iran-war

Houthis say Saudi-led airstrikes killed 14 at a market in northern Yemen

Source: SFGate

“Iran-backed Houthi rebels say Saudi-led airstrikes have killed 14 people in a busy market in northern Yemen. Yemeni officials, meanwhile, appealed for international support to protect civilians in Taiz as the Houthis tightened their siege of the city. Separately, a police officer guarding the Israeli Embassy in the Serbian capital of Belgrade shot and killed a man who attacked him with a knife. Police called the incident ‘a terrorist attack’.” (10/28/26)

https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/iran-hails-tehran-security-talks-as-a-step-toward-22497963.php

After Midterms, Let’s Make Politics Boring Again

Source: Racket News
by Matt Taibbi

“For the last twenty years, politics was our most fascinating news story and the most interesting thing on the Internet. Now, one senses huge portions of the electorate would rather take baths in battery acid than listen to even one more word from a politician. Americans have by now been screwed over so many times that the problem may no longer be that the government doesn’t work. It’s that government doesn’t work, and we can’t shut up about it. Other countries manage to deliver lousy economies and naked corruption without so much talking. Can’t we just be Mexico or Paraguay and have peace and quiet while things mostly go to hell?” (10/27/26)

https://www.racket.news/p/after-midterms-lets-make-politics