Trump set to meet Putin for peace talks in Budapest; Trump’s call with Putin dashed Zelensky’s hopes of US Tomahawks; John Bolton indicted on 18 counts; Trump unveils IVF expansion plan, sparking concerns from pro-lifers; Hillary Clinton urges supporters to join No Kings ‘peaceful’ protests; Nigeria rejects allegations of Christian genocide from US lawmakers; Militia of the Immaculata, founded by St. Maximilian Kolbe, appeals for new members on its anniversary; and more —
Trump Holds ‘Productive’ Call With Putin, Plans Summit in Budapest – ‘aims to end inglorious war’
U.S. President Donald Trump said he spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Oct. 16 and agreed to meet with him in Budapest, Hungary, with the aim of ending what he called the “inglorious” war between Russia and Ukraine.
Trump said in a Truth Social post that he had concluded “a very productive” call with Putin.
“At the conclusion of the call, we agreed that there will be a meeting of our High Level Advisors, next week,” Trump said, noting that the initial meetings will be led by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other officials to be named.
Read more at The Epoch Times
EU elites not happy about Trump-Putin summit – or its location
See @MarioNawfal; see also Magyar Nemzet (translation available)
Viktor Orbán posts Hungary’s readiness for the summit
See @PMViktorOrban; see more at The Straits Times
Trump-Putin call dash[ed] Zelensky’s hopes of Tomahawks from the US
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hoped to press President Donald Trump during their meeting on Friday at the White House on helping Ukraine take the war to Russia.
But Zelensky’s chances of convincing Trump to provide Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles that can reach 1,000 miles into Russia appear to have dissipated on Thursday after Trump’s phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump’s two-hour call with Putin on Thursday concluded with Trump announcing a possible second meeting between him and his Russian counterpart in Budapest, Hungary, in the next two weeks to explore whether the pair “can bring this ‘inglorious’ War” to an end.
Read more at the Washington Examiner
No End In Sight To The Government Shutdown
For the 10th time, senate Democrats blocked Republicans’ efforts to reopen the government and have made sure that the shutdown prolongs until next week.
The reason is because after one final vote series later on Thursday, lawmakers will depart Washington, D.C., for another long weekend after just three short days on the Hill.
But no one is showing any signs of giving in. Neither Republicans nor Democrats are likely to flinch in their profoundly ingrained positions, and talks between both sides, though mostly unofficial exercises, have started to wither.
Nevertheless, not all seems lost. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., is unwavering in his quest to continue on the same course of action to keep bringing the House-passed continuing resolution (CR), which would reopen the government until Nov. 21, up for a vote again and again.
Read more at Catholics for Catholics
Trump unveils IVF expansion plan, sparking criticism and ethical concerns among pro-life leaders
President Donald Trump announced two new initiatives aimed at expanding access to in vitro fertilization (IVF), saying the measures will make fertility treatments more affordable and widely available.
Speaking from the Oval Office Oct. 16, Trump unveiled a partnership with pharmaceutical company EMD Serono, the maker of the fertility drug Gonal-F. He said the company has agreed to provide “massive discounts” on the fertility drugs through a new government website, TrumpRx.gov, set to launch in 2026.
According to a White House fact sheet, the deal will reduce fertility drug prices to match the lowest paid among developed nations, known as the “most-favored-nation” price.
Read more at Catholic Vote; see also LifeNews.com
White House post regarding IVF
See @WhiteHouse
John Bolton Indicted On 18 Counts For Mishandling Classified Information
President Donald Trump’s former National Security Advisor John Bolton was indicted Thursday on 18 charges related to his alleged leaking of national secrets while he wrote a book about his work in the White House.
The charges include eight counts of transmission of national defense information and ten counts of retention of national defense information.
Read more at The Federalist
Hillary Clinton Encourages Followers to Join Radical Nationwide ‘No Kings’ Protests Against Trump This Weekend
Failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has encouraged her followers to join the “No Kings” protests against President Donald Trump and his administration that are taking place this weekend.
In her post, Clinton called on Americans to participate in what she described as “the largest peaceful protest in modern American history,” linking to the organizing website and declaring, “push back on Trump’s power grabs and make it clear—we don’t do monarchs here.”
“In two days, be a part of the largest peaceful protest in modern American history,” she wrote. “Join No Kings this Saturday at an event near you to push back on Trump’s power grabs and make it clear—we don’t do monarchs here.”
Read more at the Gateway Pundit
Hillary Clinton’s X post
See @HillaryClinton
Texas Governor Deploys DPS, National Guard to Deter Antifa Violence at ‘No Kings Day’ Protests
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has ordered National Guard and DPS [Department of Public Safety] tactical units to secure the Capitol in Austin, citing credible concerns over antifa-linked groups and potential unrest during a planned “No Kings Day” protest. The protests, part of a nationwide campaign against President Trump’s policies, have drawn scrutiny for their ties to far-left organizations and their timing amid a prolonged government shutdown.
News reports across the Lone Star State indicate there are planned protests in nearly 100 cities. The demonstrations, allegedly organized by the 50501 Movement, are expected to take place in 2,500 cities across the nation. Previous demonstrations of this nature have been infiltrated by Antifa antagonists, prompting the deployment order from Governor Abbott.
Read more at Breitbart
An Arc de Trump? President unveils plans for grand entrance to DC
President Donald Trump on Thursday unveiled plans for a grand arch near the Lincoln Memorial to mark the entrance to Washington, D.C.
The planned arch would run along the Arlington Memorial Bridge, between the Lincoln Memorial and the iconic Virginia cemetery, The Hill reported.
“It’s going to be really beautiful. I think it’s going to be fantastic. There’s a rendering of what it will look like. You have three sizes,” Trump said. “Whichever one would look good. I happen to think the large one.”
Read more at Just the News
Nigeria rejects allegations of Christian genocide from US lawmakers
Senator Ted Cruz introduced a bill outlining enforcement measures to address the persecution of Christians, including restrictions on access to US visas for implicated Nigerian officials.
Nigerian officials objected to allegations that Christians face genocide in the country, made by US lawmakers urging the government to designate it a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC).
Texas Senator Ted Cruz and four members of the House of Representatives alleged that the US could identify those responsible for the alleged genocide, and that a CPC designation under the International Religious Freedom Act could allow it to hold them accountable.
Read more at The Tablet
Church burned down, children kidnapped as Islamist violence intensifies in Mozambique
Discussing the Islamist insurgency in Mozambique, a local bishop warned that “the situation continues to deteriorate and violence.”
Bishop Osório Citora Afonso, IMC, told the Fides news agency that jihadists recently burned down a church and kidnapped children.
“More than one million people have been displaced and 6,000 killed,” but “not much has been said about this” in the international media in recent years, the prelate added.
Read more at Catholic Culture; see also Fides News Agency
‘One Battle after Another‘: Compelling Communist Agitprop Meant to Spark a Civil War – Movie review
One Battle after Another is a 2025 film written, produced and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, loosely based on Thomas Pynchon’s novel, Vineland. It’s a fusion of action thriller, psychological drama and dark comedy, featuring major stars such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, along with Regina Hall. It’s also an endorsement of violent leftist revolution in the U.S., right here and now.
The film begins with a violent flashback to the early 2000s: “Ghetto” Pat Calhoun (di Caprio) and Perfidia Beverly Hills, members of Marxist terrorist group “the French 75,” bomb an immigration center to free detained illegals. The revolutionaries are painted as freedom fighters who fight a wicked System, and the government and cops as the enemy.
Read more at The Stream
Christian influencer endorses film about ‘Young Washington’ to be released on America’s 250th birthday
See @BehizyTweets
Comedian converts to Catholicism after vision of the Blessed Mother
See @ChrisStephanick; see also reallifecatholic
Militia of the Immaculata, founded by Maximilian Kolbe, is seeking members
See @MilitiaImmacul3
Jimmy Lai’s wife, daughter meet Pope Leo XIV in Rome ahead of trial verdict
The wife and daughter of imprisoned democracy activist and Catholic Jimmy Lai met Pope Leo XIV in Rome on Oct. 15, greeting the Holy Father ahead of the expected verdict in Lai’s yearslong trial in Hong Kong. …
The 77-year-old Lai has been imprisoned in Hong Kong for years on what advocates have argued are political charges including fraud and participation in unauthorized protests.
Lai’s imprisonment has drawn criticism and rebuke from advocates around the world, including U.S. President Donald Trump, who earlier this year vowed to do “everything [he] can” to “save” the activist.
Read more at the Catholic News Agency
Pope Leo on upcoming trip to Lebanon
See @CatholicArena
Today Catholics celebrate the Memorial of St. Ignatius of Antioch, great bishop of the Early Church and martyr
Read more @father_rmv
