White House announces new oil and gas drilling off California and Florida

The poverty rate in the San Francisco Bay Area increased significantly from 12.2% to 16.3% in 2023, according to a report by Tipping Point Community. This rise means approximately 1.02 million residents in the six-county region are now classified as impoverished, with an additional 12.5% of residents, or about 790,000 people, living on the edge of poverty, struggling to meet basic expenses.

Karoline Leavitt clarified that former President Trump does not advocate for executing Democrats, following his earlier social media post suggesting that their actions are 'punishable by DEATH.' This statement came after Trump criticized Democratic lawmakers for urging military personnel to disobey illegal orders, labeling their behavior as 'seditious.'

North Carolina officials announced that the US Border Patrol has concluded its operations in Charlotte, which were part of a broader immigration enforcement strategy initiated by the Trump administration targeting Democrat-led cities. This decision follows significant community concerns regarding aggressive immigration policies and their impact on local residents.

Democratic representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly stealing over $5 million in FEMA disaster funds. The indictment claims that Cherfilus-McCormick and her brother, Edwin Cherfilus, funneled the money from their family healthcare business into her 2021 congressional campaign, using multiple accounts to disguise the funds' origins. Most of the stolen money was reportedly used for her campaign and personal benefits.

Saad Almadi, a 75-year-old US citizen, has been released by Saudi Arabia after being imprisoned for five months due to critical tweets about the government. His release follows a meeting between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and former President Donald Trump, which has been linked to Almadi's case. Initially sentenced to 19 years in prison in 2021, Almadi's charges were later reduced to cyber crimes, resulting in a 30-year travel ban.

Tom Steyer, the billionaire environmental activist and former Democratic presidential candidate, has announced his candidacy for governor of California. He aims to replace Gavin Newsom, who is concluding his second term in January 2027. Steyer has pledged to address the state's affordability crisis as part of his campaign.

Andrew Paul Johnson, a 44-year-old man who participated in the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol and was later pardoned by Donald Trump, has been arrested in Florida on multiple charges of child sexual abuse. Johnson, who pleaded not guilty, was taken into custody in Tennessee in August before being extradited to Florida to face the charges.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is in Turkey to discuss reviving peace efforts to end the ongoing war with Russia. Meanwhile, Axios reports that the Trump administration is secretly collaborating with Russia to draft a new 28-point plan aimed at resolving the conflict. Dr. Alexandra Filippenko, a political analyst, provides insights into the situation.