JQJO — Your world, one story at a time · Page 1239

Erich Richter of The Post lays out his NFL Week 8 picks against the spread, backing Giants +7 over the Eagles (with A.J. Brown out), Jets +6.5 over the Bengals, Packers -3.5 as his biggest edge, plus Bills -7.5, Patriots -7, Ravens -7.5, Falcons -7.5, 49ers +2.5, Buccaneers -3.5, Broncos -3 and Colts -14.5. For Monday, he takes Chiefs -11.5 over the Commanders. Richter went 5-9 last week and is 43-56 this season.

The USDA said Saturday it will not issue November food benefits amid the federal shutdown, now in its 25th day, saying "the well has run dry," as Congress remains at an impasse. The announcement followed a push by more than 200 House Democrats to use emergency reserves, but a memo seen by Reuters indicated the department will not draw on them. Over 41 million people rely on payments, with dependence reaching 21% in New Mexico. Sharon Parrott of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities criticized the Trump administration, and Louisiana and Virginia declared emergencies to bolster hunger relief.

Donald Trump scrapped a planned ceasefire summit with Vladimir Putin and, in a swift reversal, sanctioned Rosneft and Lukoil — his first such step of his second presidency. Paired with fresh EU energy curbs, the US has now blacklisted Russia’s top four oil producers, responsible for about four-fifths of exports, seeking to squeeze a sector that funds roughly a third of the state budget. India and China’s refineries are reviewing imports, while an EU “reparations” loan backed by frozen assets is stalled by Belgian opposition.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned on Face the Nation that U.S. service members could miss paychecks by Nov. 15 if the shutdown persists, despite a temporary stopgap using about $8 billion in unspent Pentagon research funds to cover the upcoming mid-month pay. He called the situation an “embarrassment,” blaming Democratic leaders and urging moderates to back a House-passed reopening bill that has repeatedly stalled in the Senate. Democrats, including Hakeem Jeffries, pressed Republicans to negotiate a bipartisan spending deal and insisted any agreement extend health insurance tax credits.

Born in basement workshops, Ukraine’s drone start-ups are racing into industry, led by Fire Point—a firm that pivoted from film work to become a military contractor. Executives say it holds $1 billion in contracts this year and builds long-range FP-1 drones at 30 secret sites, used in strikes on Russian refineries while it scales a longer-range Flamingo. Its ascent has prompted scrutiny: accusations of favoritism, a corruption inquiry, quality complaints, and an audit finding missed price talks that added $16.7 million. Fire Point says flaws are fixed and claims its drones conduct 60% of attacks inside Russia.

French judicial officials say a suspect was arrested Friday in connection with an attempted rape on a train near Paris after video of the attack went viral. The Créteil prosecutor’s office confirmed the custody as investigators probe the assault on a 26-year-old Brazilian woman earlier this month in a nearly empty morning carriage in a Paris suburb. French media report she said she was sexually assaulted, slapped and bitten; another passenger intervened and filmed as the man fled. The case has reignited concern over sexual violence on public transport, which a government report says has risen 86% since 2016.

Amid a federal shutdown, Donald Trump ordered paychecks for US troops, repurposing about $8bn in Pentagon R&D funds and accepting a $130m donation from billionaire Timothy Mellon to cover salaries and benefits. Legal and budget experts say the moves are likely unlawful, risk Antideficiency Act violations, and erode Congress's power of the purse. They warn the precedent could enable unilateral funding of more contentious actions, including domestic military deployments, while lawsuits may struggle for standing. Republicans in Congress now face pressure to reassert appropriations authority.

Russia says it has tested its nuclear-powered Burevestnik cruise missile, with Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov telling President Vladimir Putin it flew 14,000km over 15 hours on 21 October. He said the low-flying missile met manoeuvring specifications and showed the ability to bypass air and missile defenses. The experimental weapon, first announced in 2018, has drawn skepticism: Western experts have questioned past Russian claims, and an arms-control campaign group counts at least 13 tests since 2016, with only two partially successful. Putin previously touted a final successful test in 2023, which could not be independently verified.

Cambodia and Thailand agreed Sunday to advance a resolution of their border hostilities, with President Trump claiming credit as mediator. He and Malaysia’s prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim, helped broker a July cease-fire after a five-day clash, and they witnessed Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thai counterpart Anutin Charnvirakul sign a Kuala Lumpur agreement. The text, a joint declaration rather than a peace deal, commits both sides to pull heavy weapons under ASEAN monitoring and includes Thailand’s repatriation of 18 prisoners of war. Obstacles remain: an undefined border and nationalist sentiment. Thailand says the talks were bilateral despite U.S. facilitation.

Republican Sen. David McCormick used a rare interview to defend President Trump’s $230 million push to have the Justice Department cover his legal bills and the donor-funded demolition of the White House’s East Wing, while backing GOP leaders’ stance in the prolonged shutdown. He praised Democratic Sen. John Fetterman as a trusted partner who has repeatedly supported short-term funding, even as he rebuked Democrats’ subsidy demands—walking back his “terrorists” remark to “hostage takers.” McCormick signaled openness to discussing ACA subsidies amid warnings of steep premium hikes in Pennsylvania.