U.S.-Japan Sign Rare Earths Deal; Hurricane Melissa to Make Landfall | NTD Good Morning (Oct. 28)

Senators are expected to meet on Friday for a 15th vote on reopening the government. Republicans made an offer to fully fund parts of the government while patching funds for the rest until January, plus a promised Obamacare vote. Until Thursday evening, the deal looked promising to secure the votes needed from Democrats. Now, however, key negotiators are casting doubts that a breakthrough is possible before the weekend. If Senators don't see any hope of a deal coming to fruition, they could leave Washington for the next week.A Rhode Island judge has ordered the Trump administration to fully fund food stamps for November. The ruling affects about 42 million Americans in the SNAP program. Judge John McConnell said people have “gone without for too long.” Vice President JD Vance called the decision “absurd.” The Trump administration is appealing the ruling.Following Supreme Court arguments on President Donald Trump’s sweeping global tariffs, the president is describing the case as the most important in U.S. history. Trump said his 100 percent tariff threat against Beijing was key in getting Chinese regime leader Xi Jinping to ease rare earth export controls. He said if the Supreme Court does not rule in his favor, he will need to come up with a new plan regarding his tariffs. Trump said such a ruling would be “devastating” and a life-or-death scenario for the United States.

The Federal Aviation Administration is preparing to cut 10 percent of flights at 40 major airports as early as Friday if the government shutdown continues. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the move will ease pressure on air traffic controllers, who haven’t been paid in weeks. The cancellations are expected to disrupt many Americans' travel plans, but Duffy said safety remains the top priority.Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he's very optimistic about the Supreme Court case that is weighing the legality of President Donald Trump's global tariff case. Bessent attended oral arguments at the high court on Wednesday. He said that the Solicitor General presented strong and persuasive arguments, while, in his opinion, the plaintiff had fundamentally misunderstood and misrepresented Trump's tariff goals. The president has repeatedly emphasized that without the tariffs, the United States would have no national security.Seven New York City firefighters are recovering after a car explosion in the Bronx sent a massive fireball into the sky. Officials say the blast happened on Wednesday night after a trash fire spread to several vehicles. Fire Chief John Esposito says five firefighters suffered burns to their hands and faces. Three remain hospitalized with serious injuries.

Democrats have swept the ballot box, winning several key races across the nation. Zohran Mamdani is projected to become the next mayor of New York City, beating out independent candidate Andrew Cuomo and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa. In the New Jersey governor’s race, Democrat Mikie Sherrill is set to beat out Republican Jack Ciattarelli. In Virginia, Democrat Abigail Spanberger is projected to win the governor’s seat over Republican Winsome Earle-Sears.A cargo plane crash at Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport has killed at least seven people. The UPS jet went down moments after take-off near an industrial area just outside the airport. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear called the crash catastrophic. UPS has paused operations at its Worldport hub in Louisville as the investigation continues.Wednesday marks the 36th day of the government shutdown, making it the longest in U.S. history. President Donald Trump is again calling on Republicans to end the filibuster in order to work around the Democrat votes needed to reopen the government. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is also warning of the possibility of having to close sections of U.S. airspace. Bipartisan talks are said to be underway with some predicting the shutdown could come to an end this week, although it's still uncertain if the talks will make a difference.

Former Vice President Dick Cheney has died at the age of 84, according to his family. The statement said his passing was “due to complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease.” Cheney served alongside Republican President George W. Bush for two terms, from 2001 to 2009. He is considered one of America's most powerful modern vice presidents, and the primary architect of America’s ‘War on Terror.’Voters are heading to the polls as President Donald Trump urges voters to back independent candidate Andrew Cuomo for New York City mayor over Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, who he called a “communist.” A new poll shows the race tightening, with Mamdani’s lead shrinking as Cuomo gains late momentum. Meanwhile, Trump also made a last-minute push for GOP candidates in New Jersey and Virginia ahead of today’s gubernatorial races, holding tele-rallies.The Trump administration will partially fund food stamps for November as the shutdown enters its second month. The USDA says about half the usual benefits will be paid using limited contingency funds. Meanwhile, Head Start programs are closing nationwide, leaving thousands of families without child care as the shutdown ties the record for the longest in U.S. history.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said SNAP food benefits could be back by Wednesday, after a court ordered the Trump administration to continue the payments and pointed to the “irreparable harm” that could result if the benefits were stopped. Bessent also called on Democratic senators to join Republicans in passing a continuing resolution and, thus, in reopening the government. All Republicans and eight Democrats would need to vote in favor for the resolution to pass.Tuesday will see the first major elections of President Donald Trump's second term, testing voter sentiment regarding Republican control on Capitol Hill. A tight race is shaping up in New Jersey, with the Republican and Democratic candidates for governor currently neck and neck. In Virginia, the Republican gubernatorial candidate faces an uphill battle in a state that historically votes against the party of the sitting president. New York City's mayoral race will be one of the most closely watched, with former Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo running as an independent candidate. He's facing Republican Curtis Sliwa and Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani—a candidate many mainstream Democrats have been hesitant to support.Trump says the United States will hold up to 50 percent of the global computer chip market within two years, helping maintain its lead in artificial intelligence. Trump also vowed that Nvidia will not sell advanced chips to China. He told CBS’s “60 Minutes” that the new China trade deal eliminates rare earth threats. Treasury Secretary Bessent says the United States plans to “de-risk” from China rather than decouple, calling Beijing an unreliable partner.

A JetBlue flight made an emergency landing in Tampa, Florida, on Thursday after suffering a flight control issue en route from Cancun, Mexico, to New Jersey. Jet Blue and the FAA said the plane experienced a sudden drop in altitude, resulting in injuries to some passengers. The airline did not disclose the number of injured parties or the severity of their injuries. Local media quoted Tampa Fire Rescue as saying that around 15 to 20 people were taken to hospitals with injuries that were not life-threatening.To celebrate Halloween, the White House opened its gates on Thursday to younger guests. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump greeted trick-or-treaters on the South Lawn. Children, parents, and families got to meet the first couple and collect full-sized candy bars. The guest list included military, law enforcement, foster, and adoptive families, as well as administration staffers with children.Lawmakers in Washington are out of session amid the stalemate surrounding the month-long government shutdown. New York has declared a state of emergency to dip into local money to provide for $40 million in meals statewide for those who rely on SNAP benefits. Trump is also calling for Republicans to use the so-called "nuclear option" to slash the Senate's 60-vote threshold to a simple majority.

President Donald Trump ended his historic Asia trip with a high-stakes meeting with Chinese communist leader Xi Jinping, calling the talks “a twelve out of ten.” Trump said the two sides struck major deals, cutting tariffs on Chinese goods, resuming U.S. soybean sales, and pledging action on fentanyl. In another development, the president ordered the Pentagon to restart nuclear weapons testing after a 30-year pause, citing rival nations’ testing programs.The government shutdown has stretched into day 30, with tensions rising on Capitol Hill over funding for food aid. Lawmakers clashed as SNAP benefits are just days away from expiring. Republicans rejected Democrats’ attempt to pass standalone funding, as Democrats demand continued support while health care talks stall.Hurricane Melissa has been downgraded to a Category 1 storm and is now passing over the Bahamas, bringing heavy rain and damaging winds to the islands. Although winds have decreased, officials say dangerous storm surges and rainfall remain a threat. Meanwhile, Jamaica is starting recovery and restoration efforts. At least 36 deaths have been reported across Jamaica, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. According to initial projections from AccuWeather experts, total damages and economic losses could reach as high as $22 billion.

Hurricane Melissa has now made landfall in southeastern Cuba, bringing destructive winds and heavy rain. Officials say more than 735,000 people have been evacuated across the country. Authorities are warning of flash flooding, mudslides, and up to twelve feet of storm surge from the now Category 3 storm. In Jamaica, at least 7 people are reported dead and more than half a million Jamaicans remain without power, with critical infrastructure across the country suffering significant damage.President Donald Trump is in South Korea on Wednesday, where he received the nation’s highest honor and a symbolic gold crown from President Lee Jae Myung. The visit featured a red-carpet welcome set to the song ‘YMCA’ and talks focused on peace and trade in the region. Trump said he’s open to renewed dialogue with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and will meet Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping at the APEC summit on Thursday.The Senate failed in another vote to advance a stopgap funding bill, extending the government shutdown into day 29. The vote was 54-45—still 6 votes short of the 60 needed to end the debate. The Republican-backed bill passed the House with bipartisan support but fell short in the Senate, where Democrats are holding out for a deal on health care. The vote was held after the largest union of federal workers urged Democrats to pass the GOP resolution.

President Donald Trump is in Japan as part of his Asia tour, where he signed major deals on critical and rare earths minerals and economic security with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Trump also met with Japanese families whose loved ones were abducted by North Korea decades ago, and spoke to U.S. Navy personnel near Tokyo. Trump will head to South Korea next, where he’ll meet Chinese communist regime leader Xi Jinping for high-stakes talks on trade, rare-earth exports, fentanyl, Russian oil, and more.Jamaica is bracing for what could be its most powerful storm on record. Hurricane Melissa, now a Category 5 system packing winds of up to 175 miles per hour, is due to make landfall on Tuesday. Officials have already blamed the storm for seven deaths across the Caribbean. Melissa is expected to hit Cuba next, where more than half a million people have been evacuated from coastal and mountain areas.The U.S. government shutdown is now entering Day 28. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Republicans have a plan to fix health care but need bipartisan cooperation to move forward. He’s also warning that contingency funds can’t be used to keep food assistance running past Nov. 1. In a major break, a top federal workers’ union is urging Democrats to back a GOP bill to reopen the government.

The Department of Agriculture said more than 41 million Americans could lose their SNAP food benefits on Nov. 1 if Congress doesn’t act soon. Meanwhile, flights were delayed nationwide on Sunday as a shortage of air traffic controllers slowed travel from Los Angeles to Newark. The shutdown is forcing controllers to work without pay, and officials warn more disruptions could follow.The United States and China have agreed on a framework for a new trade deal as President Donald Trump continues his Asia trip. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said upcoming talks between Trump and China's Xi Jinping will also touch on global issues, from fentanyl to the Russia–Ukraine war. Meanwhile, Chinese bombers flew near Taiwan in what Beijing called “confrontation drills”—just days ahead of Trump’s scheduled meeting with the Chinese leader in Korea.French police arrested two men on Saturday night in connection with the theft of royal jewels from the Louvre in Paris. Police identified the two suspects last week and followed them in hopes of finding the stolen jewels. The two were arrested when officers realized they were about to flee the country. Police are now searching for the two remaining suspects. The stolen collection includes a diamond tiara and a necklace once worn by Empress Eugénie, the wife of Napoleon III.