The Dispatch Podcast, 10/27/25
Source: The Dispatch
“Retribution | Interview: Jonathan Karl and Declan Garvey.” (10/27/25)
True Crime: Murder on the High Seas
Source: CounterPunch
by Ron Jacobs
“In the past few weeks, the US military has killed around thirty people in cold blood. The murders occurred on boats traveling in waters on both sides of Latin America and were undertaken without any warning to the crews on the boats. The rulers in Washington DC claim that those in the boats were involved in drug smuggling; they make this claim without showing any proof …. The former president of the Philippines Jose Duterte is currently in prison in the Hague after being charged with being an ‘indirect co-perpetrator’ in the murders of hundreds of alleged drug dealers by Philippine military and law enforcement during his time in office. If we apply this same reasoning to the aforementioned murders by the US military, then Donald Trump, Marc Rubio, Pete Hegseth and others should be arrested on similar charges.” (10/27/25)
https://www.counterpunch.org/2025/10/27/true-crime-murder-on-the-high-seas/
Trump Admin Helping America Kick Its Addiction to Big Pharma
Source: Town Hall
by Rachel Alexander
“Big Pharma is panicking. The Trump administration’s probe into international pharmaceutical pricing and its executive order to reduce the cost of drugs by up to 80 percent come as both President Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. urge Americans to put fitness and lifestyle ahead of popping pills. Big Pharma is responsible for setting the price of drugs. So, in order to maintain this power, it’s no wonder the industry has promised to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in infrastructure here in the U.S. It also pledged to provide financial assistance to millions of patients who have been ‘failed by a broken health insurance system’ and to launch a new consumer-focused website that allows Americans to buy drugs directly from manufacturers.” (10/27/25)
Trump in Japan to meet with Takaichi
Source: SFGate
“U.S. President Donald Trump is now in Japan for his first meeting with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, an early diplomatic test for the first woman to lead Japan, who took office only last week, backed by a tenuous coalition. Trade is the focus of Trump’s Asia trip. In Malaysia, he participated in a regional summit, seeking to realign the international economy with his ‘America First’ vision. A trade deal between the U.S. and China is drawing closer, officials from the world’s two largest economies said Sunday as they reached an initial consensus for Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to aim to finalize during their high-stakes meeting.” (10/27/25)
How Stockholm Used a $3 Toll To Tame Its Traffic Congestion
Source: Reason
by Katarina Hall
“If you love walking, Stockholm was built just for you. Spread across 14 islands linked by bridges, the city brims with waterfront promenades, ferries gliding through inlets, the whir of bicycle wheels, and pedestrians spilling into lively café-lined squares. Not long ago, traffic clogged the bridges between the city’s neighborhoods. Despite a world-class public transit system and a relatively small population, Stockholm’s congestion rivaled that of London and Paris. For decades, city leaders proposed fixes, but nothing stuck until 2002, when Sweden’s parliament approved congestion pricing. The idea was simple: Charge a small fee for vehicles entering and exiting the city center to reduce traffic, improve accessibility, and clean the air.” (for publication 11/25)
US government shutdown triggers 8,000 flight delays amid air traffic controller shortage
Source: mint [India]
“More than 8,000 flights were delayed across the United States on Sunday as the country grappled with a shortage of air traffic controllers amid the US government shutdown that has now stretched into its 26th day. The absence of air traffic control staff at airports continues to disrupt travel, and officials expect more flight delays and cancellations in the days ahead. US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported air traffic control staffing issues at 22 locations on Saturday. Duffy told Fox News that the figure was among the highest seen in the system since the federal government shutdown began on 1 October, adding, ‘The controllers are wearing thin.'” (10/27/25)
The Daily Blast With Greg Sargent, 10/27/25
Source: The New Republic
“Trump Nixing of Dem State Disaster Aid Backfires, Screwing MAGA Voters.” (10/27/25)
Quantum Vibe, 10/27/25
Source: Big Head Press
by Scott Bieser
Cartoon. (10/27/25)
House Republicans accuse Biden’s FBI of retaliating against whistleblower who exposed misconduct
Source: Fox News
“According to the House Judiciary Committee, the Biden administration’s FBI used a security-clearance process to potentially retaliate against a whistleblower, and even tried to interrogate his wife while denying her repeated requests for an attorney. In a letter signed by Chair Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and Jen Kiggans, R-Va., the committee on Monday informed FBI Director Kash Patel that the Biden administration used a security-clearance interview process to skirt whistleblower protections and investigate Special Agent Valentine Fertitta in 2024. Fertitta had blown the whistle on the FBI’s misuse of ‘law-enforcement authorities.’ After that, his security clearance evaluation process became unusually prolonged. During that time, the FBI made attempts to interrogate his wife, Emily Fertitta, and asked her to participate in a two-day interview.” (10/27/25)
Inflating Russian missile costs hides US weapons crisis
Source: Responsible Statecraft
by Mike Fredenburg
“The West likes to inflate the cost of Russian weapons as a way to suggest Moscow is in a financial bind and manipulate the narrative of a looming Ukraine victory — while also masking real inefficiencies in the U.S. defense industry. By assuming Russian weapons have input costs similar to U.S. systems or conflating export prices with Russia’s internal costs, Western estimates produce misleading figures. These inflated costs bolster the narrative that the strain on Moscow is tremendous, while downplaying the increasing challenges for Ukraine and NATO to effectively counter Russia’s relatively inexpensive missiles and drones.” (10/27/25)