Pushing Back: Blue States Are Setting Up a Shadow Public-Health Alliance to Counter RFK Jr. (Wall Street Journal)

The public-health resistance to Health and Human Services Secretary RFK Jr. is growing.

Governors across 15 states including New York, California and North Carolina are forming a new public-health alliance to detect and respond to disease threats, saying federal funding cuts and policy changes by the Trump administration are putting their citizens at risk and forcing them to find alternatives.

The state leaders, all Democrats, will join forces to help one another prepare for pandemics, track infectious diseases, write public-health guidelines, share expertise on preventive care and buy vaccines and supplies in bulk.

"In light of the assaults on science and medicine coming out of Washington, governors have to step up and lead," said Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York. "We really have no choice."

The Governors' Public Health Alliance is, so far, the largest effort to create an alternative public-health network outside the federal government, as more doctors, policymakers, and state leaders grow alarmed by cuts in federal funding. Many have also become wary of changes to federal health guidance since Kennedy, a longtime vaccine skeptic, became HHS secretary.

Science vs Politics: Trump Rattles Vaccine Experts Over Aluminum (New York Times)

US federal health officials are examining the feasibility of taking aluminum salts out of vaccines, a prospect that vaccine experts said would wipe out about half of the nation’s supply of childhood inoculations and affect shots that protect against whooping cough, polio, and flu.
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The review at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began after President Trump and RFK Jr. listed aluminum in vaccines as harmful during a press briefing about the unproven link between Tylenol and autism.
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Aluminum salts have been in vaccines since the 1920s and are added to enhance the immune-stimulating effect. Developing vaccines without aluminum salts would require an entirely new formulation, taking years of safety tests, costing hundreds of millions of dollars, and could expose thousands of infants to deadly diseases.
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The scientific consensus is that the small amounts of aluminum in vaccines are safe. Aluminum is also one of the most abundant elements on earth; people breathe it in dust and take it in through food and drinks every day.

From Bad to Worse: RFK Jr.'s Comments on Circumcision Are Only Going to Confuse and Shame Parents (New York Times Opinion - Jessica Grose)

Last week, RFK Jr., the Secretary of Health and Human Services, said in a cabinet meeting, “There’s two studies that show children who are circumcised early have double the rate of autism. It’s highly likely because they’re given Tylenol.” Was he trying to persuade parents to avoid circumcision, Tylenol (the most popular brand of acetaminophen) or both?

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It seems clear that what Kennedy says, no matter how distantly tethered to scientific consensus, is successful at driving the public health conversation. Even as his statements are debunked by the most experienced researchers and disbelieved by many Americans, every time he mentions a fringe, unproven theory, it gains a firmer foothold and a measure of undeserved legitimacy.

Trade Wars and Health: America Is Heavily Reliant on China for Raw Materials in Medicines (New York Times)

Nearly 700 US medicines use at least one chemical solely sourced from China. One example is the allergy-relief medicine best known by the brand name Benadryl. 
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As tensions between Washington and Beijing have escalated, experts fear that this reliance could leave American patients vulnerable, especially if a trade war or future pandemic prompts China to curtail exports. Supply shortages for some generic medicines have already become common. 

World Trade Today

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US Trade Partners Look Elsewhere: Highest US Tariffs Since the 1930s Redraw the International Trade Map (Bloomberg)

Canada is importing more cars from Mexico than from the US, and China is buying soybeans from South American growers instead of the US. The global economy has defied expectations of a recession, with the World Trade Organization revising its forecast for merchandise trade growth in 2025 from 0.9% to 2.4%.

The new contours of global commerce are starting to emerge as governments redraw trade alliances and companies seek other markets to avoid the highest US tariffs since the 1930s.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said she and other officials in Brussels are laser-focused on expanding the bloc’s list of 76 trade partnerships, including by fast-tracking negotiations that had dragged on for years.

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Smaller economies are also adapting to a world where US consumers and companies are costlier to reach. A group of 14 countries that include New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates has formed a partnership to boost trade and investment.

'TACO' Tracker: China Got Trump’s Attention but Renewed a Risky Game of Chicken (New York Times)

China’s decision to tighten export controls on rare earth metals was not only about strengthening its grip on the world’s supply of these crucial minerals. It was also a high-stakes ploy to jolt President Trump into paying attention to what Beijing felt were attempts by his subordinates to sabotage a US-China détente, analysts tell the Times.

Evidently, it worked: President Trump has redirected his focus toward trade with China, but China’s move also unnerved governments and businesses in Europe, and sparked another round of tit-for-tat trade blows that rattled stock markets.

What I'm Reading

MidEast Deadlock: Hamas Says It Can’t Find Dead Hostages as Israel Pushes Back (Bloomberg)

Hamas says it’s handed over all the bodies of hostages that it can find without special machinery in the devastated Gaza Strip, but Israel says it’s not trying hard enough and owes at least another dozen under the terms of the ceasefire.

The return of all 28 dead hostages is a condition of the US-backed ceasefire deal that came into effect earlier this week. The Gaza peace plan required Hamas to hand over all 28 deceased hostages by Monday, Oct. 13, but only 10 bodies have been returned so far, with one transferred on Tuesday determined not to be a hostage.

The dispute is among a number of cracks becoming apparent as the deal moves toward its second phase with little detail, including who will fund reconstruction or provide troops to secure Gaza.

Europe on Alert: EU Needs to Be ‘Ready’ for War with Russia by 2030 (Politico)

EU countries have five years to prepare for war, according to a military plan called the Defense Readiness Roadmap 2030, which says that “by 2030, Europe needs a sufficiently strong European defense posture to credibly deter its adversaries, as well as respond to any aggression.”

The plan, a response to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine and US President Trump’s unclear commitment to European security, calls for at least 40 percent of defense procurement to be joint contracts by the end of 2027 and at least 60 percent of arms purchases to come from EU and Ukrainian companies by 2030.

It outlines priorities such as air and missile defense, drones, artillery, cyber, and maritime systems, with key projects like the European Drone Wall, the European Air Shield, and a Defense Space Shield, while emphasizing coordination with NATO and the goal of a stronger, more independent Europe in a perilous world.

Latest in Climate: Carbon Dioxide Levels Increase By Record Amount to New Highs in 2024 (World Meteorological Organization)

Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels surged by a record 3.5 parts per million in 2024 to reach 423.9 ppm, marking the largest annual increase since modern measurements began in 1957, as reported by the World Meteorological Organization.

The unprecedented spike was driven by continued emissions from fossil fuels and wildfires, combined with weakening natural carbon absorption by forests and oceans, creating what scientists describe as a “vicious climate cycle,” according to John Ellis' News Items.

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Secret Directives: Trump Confirms Report He Authorized CIA Action in Venezuela (Bloomberg)

Ruling: Judge Blocks Federal Firings During Government Shutdown for Now (Bloomberg)
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A US judge has ordered the Trump administration to pause plans to fire thousands of federal workers during the government shutdown while labor unions challenge the move. The ruling follows layoff notices that have gone out to more than 4,100 federal employees since last week.

Nightmare for Democrats: Supreme Court Casts Doubt on Use of Race to Draw Voting Maps (Bloomberg)

The US Supreme Court’s conservatives suggested they will restrict the creation of majority-Black or Hispanic voting districts in a case that could further undercut a landmark civil rights law and bolster Republican electoral prospects.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh questioned whether a central aspect of the 1965 Voting Rights Act is still warranted 60 years after it was passed in response to rampant discrimination against Black voters in the South.

A decision narrowing the Voting Rights Act would be a boon for Republicans given that the disputed districts tend to vote Democratic, with progressive groups saying as many as 19 congressional districts with primarily Black or Hispanic populations are at risk.

Free Speech, Selectively: US Says It Revoked Visas of People Who Criticized Charlie Kirk (New York Times)

But At Home... JD Vance Downplays Leaked Young GOP Group Chat Messages: ‘Kids Do Stupid Things, Especially Young Boys.’ (Politico)
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Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday downplayed bigoted messages in Young Republicans’ group chats, suggesting they were nothing more than “edgy, offensive jokes.”
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The comments came in response to a trove of Telegram messages between Young Republicans, including state group leaders and at least one Trump administration staffer, that were rife with racist, antisemitic, and homophobic content, including jokes about gas chambers, slavery, and rape.

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Inflation Nation: US Electricity Bills Seen Rising Most in Three Years This Winter (Bloomberg)

More Gold Coming: Inside Trump's White House Makeover (Axios)

Donald Trump is obsessing over remodeling the White House like no other president. He has gilded the Oval Office, replaced trees, paved the Rose Garden lawn, hung art and mirrors all over, erected flagpoles and begun work on a $250 million ballroom.

The president's wandering architectural eye is now gazing southwest from the White House to land around the Memorial Bridge, dubbed by the White House as 'Arc de Trump'. He wants to erect a giant arch as a grand entrance into Washington from Arlington National Cemetery.

New York Tonight: The General Mayoral Election to Host Its First Debate of the Fall Campaign (Politico)

The three New York City mayoral candidates, Zohran Mamdani (D), Curtis Sliwa (R), and Andrew Cuomo (I) will face off Thursday at 7 PM EDT in their first general election debate, which is co-sponsored by POLITICO and NBC 4 New York. Each candidate brings their own political calculus to the forum as the city’s voters prepare to replace Mayor Eric Adams as the leader of the nation’s largest city. The general election will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 4.

Must See in NYC: 'Icons of Culture' to Bring 'Women in Front' for Dynamic Conversations at PAC NYC (PAC NYC)

Icons of Culture 2025, PAC NYC’s Oct. 29–Nov. 1 festival, celebrates “Women in Front” with a dynamic lineup of conversations spotlighting creativity, activism, and cultural impact. Featured guests include Diane von Furstenberg on leadership and legacy, Es Devlin on immersive art, Lucy Liu on creativity and reinvention, Christy Turlington Burns on activism and visibility, and Tiffany Haddish and Danai Gurira on shaping culture.

Adding to the festival’s energy are vibrant lobby performances by Natalie Tenenbaum, FEMME, SOPHIETHEHOMIE, and Miranda Joan. Tickets are now available for purchase and reservation.

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Best of Late Night

On Time Magazine's cover on the Middle East featuring a not-particularly-flattering photograph of Trump:

“Trump said: ‘I never liked taking pictures from underneath angles, but this is a super bad picture and deserves to be called out. What are they doing and why?’ It’s like he’s a TikTok influencer yelling at her boyfriend for not knowing her angles.”
-- Jimmy Kimmel

“The photographer for Time could not be reached for comment. He is currently en route to El Salvador.”
-- Jimmy Kimmel

“I’m not sure we’re even allowed to show his neck on TV. Wouldn’t it be funny if the F.C.C. fined us for showing his neck on TV?” 
-- Jimmy Kimmel

And from The Late Show: Stephen Colbert delivered commentary on the week’s political drama: President Trump took time out from his Middle East peace victory tour to complain about a magazine cover, Americans are blaming Republicans for the chaotic government shutdown, and organizers are preparing for this Saturday’s nationwide “No Kings” protests. Click the photo to watch.