As federal funding for key US nutrition and welfare programs teeters amid the ongoing government shutdown, policy hawks warn that service gaps may trigger civil unrest, looting, and broader social disorder. Among the most acute risks are the nearly 42 million Americans who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. With federal appropriations stalled in Congress, payments for November are threatened—leaving households dependent on food assistance braced for disruption.

Even though courts this week ordered the government to tap contingency funds to keep SNAP flowing, the shortfall runs into the billions. White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett, during an interview Friday afternoon with NBC News, would not say whether the Trump administration would comply with the court rulings.

At the same time, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children—also known as WIC—is also under strain, with providers warning that its funds could deplete, threatening services for mothers and babies.

Security experts say the risk of unrest rises when basic assistance suddenly disappears. Communities with high reliance on welfare safety-net programs are already operating at the edge of economic fragility—so a missed payment or closed clinic can become the tipping point. Analysts link this to a “broken contract” dynamic: when citizens believe the government cannot deliver on its promise of support, willingness to abide by order erodes. Some local officials are already seeing increased food-bank demand and the potential for spontaneous civil disturbances.

While outright looting is not an imminent certainty, the conditions are textbook: large numbers of people facing “hungry desperation,” public visibility of service failure, and urban concentrations of vulnerable populations. Holding the line becomes not just social policy but a security imperative. Municipalities are reviewing plans for surge food distribution, reinforcing transit security at feeding-site clusters, and coordinating with law enforcement for crowd-control contingencies.

A key question: will the federal government act quickly to keep benefits flowing, or will it tacitly permit a freeze? A delayed response could create thousands of micro-crises that aggregate into visible unrest. In these volatile months, the presence or absence of timely welfare delivery may mark the difference between stability and street-level disorder.

Can the US Immediately Return to Nuclear Testing?

Hours prior to his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, U.S. President Donald Trump posted on social media, “Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis. That process will begin immediately.” The President's post raises technical questions about how and if the United States could “immediately” return to nuclear testing, the political considerations, and who would benefit most.

~ READ MORE HERE (CSIS) ~

China: An Emerging Software Power

China is the world's manufacturing powerhouse, yet its $384 billion in services exports in 2024 ranked eighth globally, about one-tenth the value of its goods exports. The biggest shortfall for China lies in software and IT services, which make up just 18 percent of its total services exports. That compares with 30 percent for the United States and 44 percent for Germany.

That inequality may be about to change because of AI, although it is still over the horizon. Historically, new hardware—whether personal computers or smartphones—has triggered industry cycles by introducing new capabilities, while software has determined how effectively those capabilities are used. Software innovation ultimately drives the industry.

~ READ MORE HERE (RAND) ~

Death-Dealing Fentanyl

Legal pundits are continuing to debate whether U.S. military strikes on sea-going drug smugglers are within international law. But consider a different question: If those trying to bring death-dealing fentanyl to our communities were walking our streets and distributing their lethal doses to the unsuspecting, would you not call them hired killers? Would you not, in a trial, seek the death penalty for the carnage, mayhem, grief and misery they have caused?

Then why would you not use deadly force to confront similarly lethal forces before they completed their deadly mission inside our nation's borders?

~ READ MORE HERE (Gatestone) ~

These are the approximate positions of the US Navy’s deployed carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups based on US Navy briefings, public data provided by the US Naval Institute, and open source reporting.

PUBLIC HEALTH

mRNA vaccine slayer Dr. Steven Hatfill FIRED from HHS
Listeria outbreak linked to prepared pasta meals
RFK Jr. says officials exploring feasibility of breaking up MMR vaccine
WHO: Mpox now in more countries, with 17 deaths in Africa over six weeks

AMERICAS

National Guard to establish “quick reaction forces” for civil unrest
Top Trump officials are moving onto military bases
CBO: Federal shutdown could cost the U.S. economy up to $14B
3 Mexican banks close after US money laundering claims
British commentator Sami Hamdi detained by U.S. authorities at SFO
Trial begins over Trump’s National Guard deployment in Portland
Two get 25 years for plot to assassinate Iranian-American journalist
Mexico's Sheinbaum says she and Trump agreed to extend trade deadline
Shootings shake Sinaloa state capital after capture of 10 cartel operators
Chilean police raid Codelco mining offices in probe into fatal accident
Huge Brazilian raid on Rio gang leaves at least 64 people dead

EUROPE

Russia testing nuclear weapons due to security concerns—Kremlin
Trump administration's Europe troop drawdown fuels concern
Europe lacks coordination as Russia ‘prepares for war with NATO
Russia says it is ready to enshrine pledge not to attack NATO
France: Arson attack disrupts train traffic
How long can the Russian economy continue to fund the frontline?
Russia’s plan to destabilize France goes on trial
Italy follows U.S. warning, advises its citizens to evacuate Mali
Lithuania suspends air traffic over capital due to balloons
Europe's secret weapon against Russian 'disposable agents'

MIDDLE EAST / AFRICA

Egypt becomes central to Middle East peace and security
Israel launches renewed strikes in Gaza less than 3 weeks into ceasefire
Persian Gulf fully secure under Iran’s watch, says IRGC Navy chief
Here are the questions Palestinians must confront today
Netanyahu stresses Trump does not 'control him' or Israel's security
Plane crashes while flying tourists to Kenya’s Maasai Mara
Tanzania post-election unrest spills into Kenya
Ivory Coast president Alassane Ouattara reelected to fourth term
RSF’s takeover of Sudan’s el-Fasher a ‘terrible escalation’
US Embassy urges Americans to leave Mali immediately
Mumbai hostage crisis: Over 20 children rescued in Powai studio incident

ASIA / OCEANIA

Pentagon chief seeks to boost US ties with flurry of talks in Asia
Loong: Most Asian countries don’t see China as a security threat
Trump's Asia tour: Will his trade and security push succeed?
Inside a high-security Chinese factory pumping out fentanyl
Malaysia warns ASEAN neutrality eroding as global powers compete
Pakistan says peace talks with Taliban government failed after 4 days
Tajik guards clash with Taliban fighters along Afghan border
Israeli planes strike Gaza in test of US-brokered ceasefire
Deadly floods batter central Vietnam, killing at least 10
Myanmar rebels sign ceasefire with military after China-mediated talks
Landslide kills at least 21 people in the Papua New Guinea