“The Trump administration is making the courts look like fools,” he said.
With the midterm elections quickly approaching, Weissmann warned it is time for America’s judges to work “faster and smarter” before it’s too late.
“The administration, over and over again, is doing things unilaterally without permission and, at times, in violation of court orders,” the former Justice Department official explained.
According to an analysis from The Associated Press earlier this year, district court judges have found the second Trump administration violated or failed to follow federal court orders in at least 31 lawsuits and in more than 250 individual immigration cases.
When the court does intervene, sometimes it’s already too late, Weissmann said, pointing to the administration’s use of taxpayer dollars to run ads for the president. When a federal judge blocked that effort, it was only after nearly $22 million had already been spent.
“Tens of millions of people saw those ads, paid for by you and me,” he said.
Weissmann argued that Trump’s DOJ has effectively taken a “do now and ask questions later” approach to the law.
“The court only belatedly says, ‘Hey, don’t do that.’ But the damage is already done, and you can’t put the genie back in the bottle,” he said.
The former federal prosecutor said it was time for courts to be “faster and smarter” in responding to Trump’s blatantly illegal moves, and he cautioned against setting “a permission structure for this administration,” especially as the election approaches.
“What I am worried about is: The midterms are coming up, and is this going to be a government that goes ahead and seizes ballots with the idea that we can break the chain of custody, we can make it impossible to count votes? And maybe later a court will say, ‘You shouldn’t have done that,’ but the damage will have been done,” he explained.
“There has to be a deterrent,” Weissmann warned. “And courts have to be faster and smarter to not get outplayed.”
A teacher tackled the teenager who opened fire at an Oregon elementary school Thursday, allowing an armed parent to fatally shoot the gunman, authorities said Friday, revealing new details of the attack that killed three children and one adult.
Speaking at a news conference, Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz said the teenager — a former student at the school — entered the school campus by climbing over a fence, throwing his gun over first. The driver of a red truck on a street near the school saw the teenager and confronted him from his vehicle. The teen fired on the truck, striking it at least three times.
A 36-year-old parent of children at the school saw the gunman fire at the truck while driving nearby. In response, the parent drove into the campus parking lot and followed the teenager into the building.
According to Krantz, the assailant forced entry into the school through external double doors, firing multiple rounds into the glass panes, then went into a special education classroom, where he fired as many as 15 rounds.
A teacher confronted the gunman, threw her cellphone at him and wrestled him for his firearm. The teacher was not injured in the confrontation, Krantz said. “She almost certainly helped prevent more bloodshed.”
The parent had a legally secured .40-caliber pistol in his vehicle, which he brought with him as he followed the gunman into the school and saw the teacher confronting him.
Krantz said the teacher’s intervention allowed the parent to kill the gunman.
Officers who arrived at the scene found a Maverick 88 pump-action 12-gauge shotgun and a backpack near the shooter. Investigators found about 44 remaining rounds of 12-gauge ammunition on the shooter or in his backpack.
Authorities on Friday identified two people killed in the shooting as Rhoam Summer, a 5-year-old student, and Meghan Lambert, a 25-year-old teacher in her first year at Silver Rail Elementary School.
Rhoam Summer.Courtesy of Bend Police DepartmentMeghan Lambert.Courtesy of Bend Police Department
The families of the other two victims, who were ages 8 and 11, declined to share their names and asked for privacy.
Krantz said a 7-year-old girl injured in the shooting who received lifesaving care in the classroom is in serious but stable condition. A 54-year-old female teacher also suffered serious but not life-threatening injuries and is receiving treatment at St. Charles Bend hospital.
The parent who killed the shooter has been identified as Kaylub Giamanco, NBC News and The New York Times reported Friday.
Giamanco, 36, is the father of two girls who attend the school.
Giamanco’s mother, Kenda Freeman, said in a statement Friday that her son is not “seeking recognition but instead wishes to express his gratitude to the first responders, school personnel and community for the outpouring of love and support.”
Police have identified the the gunman as Griffin J. John II, 16, who previously attended Silver Rail Elementary School and was a special education student. He was no longer enrolled in the Bend-La Pine school district at the time of the shooting, Krantz said.
“I don’t think we can underestimate or underappreciate that courage,” Krantz said of the teacher’s and the bystander’s actions.
“When someone is willing to risk their own life for others, we recognize that. The quick thinking to observe, to then park and follow someone into the school is incredible and undoubtedly saved people,” Krantz said. “If it came natural as a protective father, that’s terrific.”
“The teacher who’s willing to stand and fight for her children — incredible,” the chief added. “We all recognize that is true heroism. We don’t see that a lot in society.”
President Donald Trump on Friday praised Giamanco for confronting the attacker, calling him a “great hero.”
“There was a great hero,” Trump told reporters. “He took care of business, and thank God we had him,” Trump said. “Otherwise, it would have been much worse. It’s a terrible thing, but thank goodness for a man that had a gun and knew how to use it.”
The family of the teacher killed in the shooting said Lambert had a goal to be an “educator and teach in the school district she loved growing up in.”
“She always fought for the underdog and those with special needs,” the family statement read. “She was an incredible sister, daughter, niece, and granddaughter. Her friends became her family. She was funny and opinionated, and she lit up the room.”
“Meghan loved those children and so we will show you love for her.”
– Italia, la piazza sfida il riarmo di Margherita Furlan
– Avvocatura dello Stato: è guerra mondiale ibrida di Jeff Hoffman
– La Francia ferma i suoi figli di Jeff Hoffman
– Tirana in fiamme, Rama non cede di Jeff Hoffman
– USA e UE sempre più distanti di Gionata Chatillard
– Due stretti in fiamme, l’Europa paga di Jeff Hoffman
– Taiwan cerca alternative a Hormuz, Trump si inserisce di Ivan Bodyan
– Buon giro intorno al Sole
A cura di Margherita Furlan
Con la collaborazione di Gionata Chatillard, Ivan Bodyan e Jeff Hoffman
Editing di Mario Ferdinandi
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Elon Musk approached US President Donald Trump with a proposal to limit the speed of Starlink satellite communications in Ukraine, disrupting Kyiv’s ability to counter Russian drone attacks, The Telegraph reported on 16 October, citing four sources familiar with the discussions.
The restrictions had immediate consequences for Ukraine’s defenses, forcing some drone missions against Russian positions to be called off and threatening the ability to intercept Russian jet-powered drones as they targeted Ukrainian cities at the time.
According to The Telegraph, Trump agreed with Musk’s suggestion, paving the way for the Pentagon to impose restrictions on Starshield, the military-grade version of SpaceX’s satellite network used by Ukrainian forces.
The report contradicts Musk’s public claim that the US military and ultimately Trump were responsible for deciding any limits on the system. However, Trump denied that either he or Musk was responsible for Ukraine losing access, while an anonymous US official told AFP that the president had not requested the reduction in service.
The reported restrictions come amid tensions between Washington and Kyiv over Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries. The episode has raised concerns about Ukraine’s dependence on privately controlled communications infrastructure and the risk that changes to US support could weaken its battlefield capabilities.
Starshield is the military-grade version of Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite internet network. It allows Ukrainian drone operators to maintain communications with aircraft moving at high speeds, supporting both defensive interception missions and strikes against Russian targets.
The speed limit imposed on Ukrainian drones using Starshield was around 160 kph, making it difficult for them to intercept Russian jet-powered drones and missiles traveling at roughly twice that speed.
According to The Telegraph, a senior source said Musk had become concerned about potential backlash from European consumers following the restrictions. A high-ranking European official and two Ukrainian sources reportedly corroborated the account that Musk and Trump were both involved in the decision.
The Pentagon has not publicly explained the restrictions. The report’s account also remains disputed: Trump said on 16 October that he did not believe either he or Musk was responsible for Ukraine losing access, while an anonymous US official cited by AFP said the president had not requested the reduction.
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“Trump and Musk must be held accountable”: US senator warns Starlink network failing over Ukraine could cripple its shield against Russian missiles and drones
Ukraine says Starshield capabilities are being restored
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on 16 October that restrictions on SpaceX’s Starshield satellite communications system had disrupted several military operations, including efforts to intercept Russian jet-powered Geran drones attacking Ukrainian cities.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine did not use Starlink to support attacks inside Russia, but relied on the system to intercept drones targeting civilians, conduct mid-range strikes against Russian military targets in occupied Ukrainian territory, and deliver food and water to frontline troops using drones.
“When the speed was reduced, we were unable to intercept a certain number of jet-powered ‘shaheds,’ [Gerans - ed.]” Zelenskyy wrote on X, adding that Ukrainian forces had lost the ability to carry out some operations while the restrictions were in place.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine’s Defense Ministry was in contact with partners and had received signals from the White House that the capabilities would be restored. However, he stressed that speeds had not yet returned to their previous levels, although restoration was underway.
We don’t use Starlink for our responses inside Russia. We use Starlink to intercept jet-powered “shaheds” that attack our civilians and kill families.
Starlink wasn’t turned off – its speed was reduced. And when the speed was reduced, we were unable to intercept a certain number…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 16, 2026
Europe warns against dependence on Musk’s network
The latest episode has renewed European concerns about relying on Musk and SpaceX for critical communications infrastructure. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski warned Musk on social media that European customers were watching his actions, The Telegraph reported.
The European Union is developing its own satellite communications system, IRIS², intended to provide an alternative to Starlink, according to The Telegraph. The system is planned to become operational by 2030, leaving Ukraine and European governments dependent on existing providers in the meantime.
The report adds to concerns that decisions made in Washington or by private technology providers could directly affect Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against Russian attacks.
Conflicting traffic figures and competing claims of control are making it increasingly difficult to establish what’s happening in the Strait of Hormuz, even as attacks on merchant shipping intensify. The...
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent has been placed on leave after striking a man with his vehicle in Houston on Saturday, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson confirmed to MS NOW.
The unnamed agent struck 48-year-old Miguel Parra, an undocumented immigrant, shortly after 7 a.m. local time on Saturday, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. Parra was hospitalized with injuries following the incident, Maj. Anthony McConnell, who leads the Special Investigations Bureau at the sheriff’s office, said at a Saturday press conference.
The DHS spokesperson told MS NOW on Friday that it is “standard practice” for an agent to be placed on leave while an internal investigation is pending, adding that it is “not any indication of wrongdoing.” The spokesperson did not immediately respond to follow-up questions.
In a statement provided to the outlet over the weekend, an ICE spokesperson said immigration agents were not targeting Parra, but that he fled on foot after a traffic stop. Surveillance footage obtained by NBC affiliate KPRC of Houston appears to show Parra and another passenger get out of a vehicle and run before a vehicle strikes Parra. The second person who fled remains unaccounted for, according to the sheriff’s office.
The agent’s placement on leave is the latest controversy to roil ICE as the agency faces scrutiny over seceral recent incidents and high-profile killings. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani demanded ICE end its operations in the city after an agent shot and wounded a Dominican man while attempting to arrest him earlier this month, while his 5-year-old child was in the backseat. On Thursday, California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit alleging ICE agents were unconstitutionally taking people into custody near state courthouses.
Speaking about the incident in Houston, Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare told NBC News that he believes the ICE agent intentionally struck and ran over Parra, an allegation that, if substantiated, could lead to aggravated assault charges. But the DHS spokesperson rejected the allegation that the agent intentionally struck Parra, calling it “RECKLESS and FALSE” in a statement to MS NOW.
Teare, a Democrat, also told NBC News that the federal government was not cooperating with an independent investigation being conducted by his office and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. A spokesperson for the Harris County DA’s Office referred MS NOW to Teare’s public statements.
McConnell, from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, initially said Parra’s leg was broken in the incident. But Cesar Espinosa, the co-founder of FIEL, a local immigration advocacy organization, said at a Wednesday press conference that Parra’s leg was not broken. Espinosa said, however, that Parra had sustained “multiple fractures” and was “very, very injured.”
As of Wednesday, Parra was still hospitalized, according to Espinosa.
Parra’s lawyer did not respond to questions from MS NOW on Friday.
This story has been updated with additional information provided by the sheriff’s office.
MS NOW’s Michael Steele said the American people “turned the hand” of Donald Trump after the president announced the government would not livestream the execution of the Fort Hood shooter. “I think we need to sometimes put a check on ourselves, and in this instance, we did,” he said.
Last week, Pentagon officials said the execution of Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, who was convicted of killing 13 people at a military medical building in 2009, would be livestreamed. But on Thursday, Trump reversed course in a Truth Social post, writing, “He will die, as scheduled, by firing squad, but this event will not be streamed.”
Although the livestream has been called off, Steele said the fact that officials considered broadcasting the execution raises profound questions about the country’s leadership. “What does it say that our country would even consider doing something like this?” he asked.
“This level of barbarism, it doesn’t matter where you are on the death penalty and all of that; this is about who we are as a nation and whether or not we want to participate in this type of voyeurism, this type of dehumanizing behavior,” he continued.
As “The Weeknight” co-host pointed out, even some victims’ families expressed reservations about the plan. “It is painful for the families,” he said. “It is enough to have to live through the loss of their loved ones, but then to have this type of reality TV approach to something so serious, a matter so serious.”
Steele said the controversy underscored why those in power must be held accountable by the public. In this case, he said, Americans had to question whether the government’s plan reflected the country’s values. “I think we need to sometimes put a check on ourselves, and in this instance, we did,” he said, crediting public backlash for Trump’s reversal.
“I think the response of the American people is what turned the hand of the president on this,” he continued, adding that he was “grateful” the public chose to stand up for decency and sent Trump a clear message: “No, we’re not going to watch that.”
“We decided. You responded. That’s how this works,” Steele said.
At least 350 children remain in custody at this time, where they face harsh conditions, including torture, food deprivation, isolation, and denial of medical care.
Settlers in the occupied West Bank attacked Palestinian villagers, set fire to the olive trees they were harvesting and beat an American journalist Friday in the latest instance of rising settler violence in the region.
Heidi Levine, a veteran photojournalist for The Washington Post, said she was wearing a vest that clearly read “PRESS” on the front and back when a group of settlers, dressed in black with their faces covered, pushed her to the ground and kicked her at least 50 times as she tried to document what witnesses described as a “coordinated attack.”
Levine was taken to a hospital in the Ramallah region, where she is in stable condition.
“I was attacked, pushed to the ground,” Levine told reporters from her hospital bed Friday. “Luckily I had my flak jacket and helmet. Otherwise I probably wouldn’t even be here because they just kept kicking me and kicking me.”
Witnesses who spoke to The Associated Press and Reuters said the attack began when a group of 80 or more settlers descended from a hill above an olive grove in which Palestinian villagers from Abu Falah had gathered to harvest, an annual tradition that has long been a cornerstone of Palestinian culture.
The settlers set the groves on fire and hurled rocks at the Palestinian villagers, according to the witness accounts. Levine was part of a group of journalists who were about 80 yards away when settlers chased them down and overtook them.
She was beaten with sticks and kicked until a group of Palestinians pushed the settlers back enough for American journalist Jasper Nathaniel to reach Levine and help her to safety, according to The Washington Post.
“To be clear, the only reason I was able to reach Heidi was because young Palestinians provided cover with rocks against machine-gun- and tear-gas-wielding settlers and soldiers,” Nathaniel said in a post on X, which included video footage of a group rushing to help Levine. “It’s those kids, not the settler terrorists, who the IDF was hunting after the attack.”
In a subsequent post, Nathaniel shared a photo of a bandaged Levine lying in a hospital bed.
“Heidi is going to be okay, but her injuries are significantly worse than initially thought,” Nathaniel wrote in the post. “It appears that she may have been stabbed. She’s getting ready for surgery.”
The Washington Post did not immediately respond to MS NOW’s request for comment on Friday. Executive Editor Matt Murray in a statement shared with the Post condemned the incident as an unwarranted attack on a member of the free press.
“This morning, a Washington Post photographer, Heidi Levine, was attacked by Israeli settlers while reporting in the West Bank,” Murray said. “She was wearing visible markings clearly identifying her as a journalist. While we are relieved that Heidi has received medical care and is safe, we are outraged by this unwarranted attack on a journalist doing her job and urge a thorough investigation and follow-through from authorities.”
Witnesses said that when soldiers with the Israeli military arrived at the scene, they fired tear gas at Palestinians who had dodged the jeeps that the soldiers had driven through the attack.
The Israeli military said in a statement Friday that “the forces acted to disperse the confrontation using riot dispersal means.”
“IDF soldiers initially fired warning shots into the air and then fired toward a suspect who ran toward them, carrying a sharp object and posed a threat to them,” the statement said, adding the incident is under investigation.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose far-right government has facilitated a significant expansion of Israeli settlements and outposts across the West Bank, said the circumstances of Levine’s attack “remain unclear and are under investigation.”
Israel “unequivocally condemns violence against anyone,” the statement said. “But serious questions remain.”
It added: “Reports indicate some 200 Arabs and far-left activists confronted approximately 40 Israeli youths. Footage shows masked individuals on both sides hurling objects, amid reports of fireworks fired at Jewish youths. Other footage appears to show Levine knocked down and immediately helped to her feet by the same unidentified individual.”
Belgium plans to deliver 10 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine by the end of 2026, Prime Minister Bart De Wever announced on 16 October, raising the expected number from three amid delays in transferring the aircraft.
The expanded commitment comes as Ukraine faces sustained Russian drone and missile attacks and needs additional combat aircraft to strengthen its air defenses.
De Wever made the announcement at a press conference in Brussels alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Anadolu Agency reported. He said Belgium’s deliveries had fallen behind schedule because its new US-made F-35 fighter jets arrived later than expected.
Belgium also discussed supplying more ammunition for Ukraine’s F-16s.
F-16 deliveries delayed by F-35 schedule
“We will deliver 10 this year,” De Wever said, explaining that delays in receiving Belgium’s F-35s had held up the transfer of its F-16s. The new aircraft are now beginning to arrive, allowing Belgium to move forward with deliveries to Ukraine.
Zelenskyy confirmed that Kyiv expects additional F-16s from Belgium by the end of the year and thanked Brussels for the agreement.
The announcement marks an increase from Belgium’s previously reported plan to send three F-16s to Ukraine by the end of 2026. The new figure would more than triple the number expected under that earlier commitment.
F-16s to help counter Russian jet-powered drones
De Wever said Ukraine urgently needs operational fighter jets and described the F-16 as one of the few weapons capable of effectively countering Russian jet-powered drones.
The aircraft can also intercept cruise missiles and other aerial targets, while carrying out electronic warfare and combat missions. Ukraine received its first F-16s in 2024 after allies agreed to supply the aircraft and train Ukrainian pilots.
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Belgium rushes three F-16s to Ukraine as Russia expands its drone and missile assault
Belgium discusses ammunition and financial support
Zelenskyy and De Wever also discussed supplying additional ammunition for Ukraine’s F-16s, including 20 mm rounds produced by Belgian defense company FN Herstal.
The leaders also reportedly discussed Ukraine’s financial needs, though neither provided details on potential next steps. Belgium remains at the center of discussions over frozen Russian assets, as Brussels hosts Euroclear, which holds a large share of the immobilized funds.
President Donald Trump said he told Katie Zacharia to reconsider the White House press secretary job.
Shortly after, a White House official said she is "transitioning out" of the role.
She lasted five days in the role after mounting scrutiny over her legal credentials.
Embattled White House press secretary Katie Zacharia is out of the job after just five days, making her the shortest-tenured person to hold the role in history.
President Donald Trump said on Friday that he told Zacharia to reconsider taking on the high-profile job.
Shortly after his statements, The New York Times and CNN reported that Zacharia had been fired after less than a week in the role. A White House official told Business Insider that she is "transitioning out" of the role.
"I said to Katie just two minutes ago, I said, 'Katie, you know, you don't have to do this if you don't want,'" Trump told reporters at the White House, adding that Zacharia responded that the job is "a lot tougher" than she thought.
"I said to her, 'Honestly, if I were you, I'd reconsider. You think about it, but I would reconsider,'" Trump said.
A conservative commentator who has repeatedly described herself as a lawyer, Zacharia made her White House press briefing debut on Tuesday and quickly came under intense scrutiny over her legal credentials.
She was widely panned after the roughly 14-minute briefing, most of which was spent on reading from prepared remarks. After the briefing, while alongside Trump, Zacharia was asked which state she passed the bar exam in and replied, "When I moved to China," raising eyebrows.
National headlines soon followed reports that Zacharia had not been licensed to practice law in any US jurisdiction.
On Thursday, Zacharia said she took the bar exam but failed, and never retook it.
Trump told reporters on Friday that Zacharia had been treated "very badly" and "very unfairly" by the media.
"She's been treated very rough, and she's a nice person, very nice person," the president said. "I've watched her for years on television, but I said, 'Is this for you, Katie? Because, honestly, you don't need this.'"
"She's been treated, I would say, very nastily," he said.
A rocky start
Following her first briefing, CNN reported that "several White House officials" were questioning how long she could remain in the role.
The news of Zacharia's ouster means Trump will be searching for a top spokesperson again after Karoline Leavitt left the role in August.
Previously, Jonathan Daniels held the record for shortest tenure. Daniels served as White House press secretary for just 19 days before President Franklin D. Roosevelt died in office. (He briefly served in an interim capacity for President Harry Truman.)
In the modern era, press secretaries have historically served roughly a year in the role, a fact that CNN noted when Trump's first-ever White House press secretary, Sean Spicer, departed after 182 days in August 2017.
During the first Trump administration, Anthony Scaramucci famously spent just 11 days as the White House communications director before he was booted from the position.
Scaramucci, known as "The Mooch," weighed in on Zacharia's departure in an X post, writing, "Records are made to be broken. But I take no pleasure in other people's pain."
Before becoming press secretary, Zacharia worked for Trump Media, the parent company of Truth Social, and served a brief stint at the Department of Homeland Security.
Compared to her predecessors, her résumé was void of the campaign and Capitol Hill experience that previous White House press secretaries brought to the challenging role.
Beijing warns against ‘discriminatory’ step after France drops opposition to British role in Made in Europe package
No 10 has left the door open to imposing tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles as part of the Made in Europe package, prompting a warning from Beijing that such a move would be “discriminatory”.
Beijing warns against ‘discriminatory’ step after France drops opposition to British role in Made in Europe package
No 10 has left the door open to imposing tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles as part of the Made in Europe package, prompting a warning from Beijing that such a move would be “discriminatory”.
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