JQJO — Your world, one story at a time · Page 1240

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.

With premiums poised to climb and enhanced ACA subsidies set to lapse without congressional action, some Americans are weighing cash payment over insurance. Experts say select services—like X-rays, scans, allergy tests, or some generics—can cost less at posted cash prices or via charity care, especially for high-deductible enrollees. But skipping coverage sacrifices negotiated rates, preventive benefits, and progress toward deductibles, and can explode costs if emergencies strike outside enrollment windows. Advocates urge careful price checks, billing-office questions, and federally qualified health centers; hospitals must still provide emergency care under federal law.

Iowa, a Trump stronghold, is reeling from the president’s trade, immigration and energy policies. After President Trump announced a $20 billion bailout for Argentina, China moved to buy Argentine soy, deepening Iowa farmers’ losses as the state’s GDP fell 6.1% in Q1 2025. Tariffs have raised costs for manufacturers and farms, while immigration enforcement and wind-policy cutbacks add strain. John Deere layoffs, meatpacking disruptions and volatile cattle markets underscore the squeeze. Some residents remain loyal and hopeful; others warn of ‘death by a thousand paper cuts’ and question who the bailouts really help.

In northern Iraq, the PKK said it is pulling all fighters out of Turkey to prevent clashes, a move approved by imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan and framed as a fresh step following earlier disarmament gestures. At a news conference, with about 25 arrivals from Turkey present, officials urged Ankara to adopt legal and political reforms. Turkey’s ruling party welcomed the withdrawal and warned against provocations, as Erdogan prepares to meet Kurdish legislators and a 51-member committee readies reform proposals. PKK spokesmen voiced commitment—tempered by frustration over Kurdish language rights and Ocalan’s conditions.

As Zohran Mamdani rallies Sunday with Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the democratic left is framing his front-running New York City mayoral bid as a defining test. He touts universal child care, free buses, city-owned groceries and a rent freeze — proposals critics say are unrealistic and costly, at nearly $7 billion a year. Mamdani has softened some stances, pledged to apologize for calling the Police Department racist and says he’d retain police commissioner Jessica Tisch. Gov. Kathy Hochul endorsed him but rejects his tax hikes; top senators have withheld support as voters eye basics like trash and crime.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Trump administration will not trade away long-standing U.S. support for Taiwan in talks with China over a trade agreement. "No one is contemplating that," he told reporters Saturday aboard his plane, traveling from Israel to join President Donald Trump in Doha en route to a regional meeting in Asia. His comments addressed concerns that favorable trade terms might come at Taiwan’s expense.

Vice President JD Vance attacked Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic front-runner for New York City mayor, mocking Mamdani’s emotional remarks about an aunt who felt unsafe in her hijab after 9/11 and saying attention should be on the victims. Vance also criticized Mamdani’s meeting with Brooklyn imam Siraj Wahhaj. Mamdani, seeking to become the city’s first Muslim mayor, decried politics of division, compared Vance to Andrew Cuomo, and posted a widely viewed video after a Bronx mosque speech. The race has grown tense as allies traded barbs, prompting rebukes from journalists and Democrats.