Oct 1, 2025; Washington, DC, USA; House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) hold a press conference with House and Senate leadership on the first day of the federal government shutdown on October 1, 2025, after President Donald Trump and congressional leaders failed to reach a funding compromise. Mandatory Credit: Jack Gruber-USA TODAY via Imagn Images
(New York, NY) – Mourning continues for those who knew the teen victims killed in an intentional hit and run in New Jersey. This as prosecutors say they want to charge the accused teen driver as an adult. Nationally, it’s day four of a partial government shutdown. Also happening, another deadly strike on an alleged drug vessel off the coast of Venezuela. These are the headlines to know this weekend:
Services Held for Hit and Run Victims
Grieving continues in New Jersey after two 17 year old girls were mowed down while riding an e-bike together on Monday. The suspect in the case is a 17 year old driver, who neighbors claim stalked one of the victims for months leading up to the attack. Prosecutors are looking into charging the driver, who was going 70 mph in a 25 mph zone when he hit the girls, as an adult. No court date has been set.
Government Shutdown Day 4
The government shutdown is showing no signs of ending anytime soon. It’s day four of a partial shutdown, and GOP leaders and the White House are putting pressure on Democrats to vote in favor of a House-passed funding bill. There are no votes set for the weekend to resolve the shutdown and next Tuesday, the House will not be returning to session as the week was re-designated by House Speaker Mike Johnson. The next House session is scheduled for October 14th.
More Strikes on Drug Boats
The Pentagon is confirming a strike on an alleged drug vessel off the coast of Venezuela. It happened Friday afternoon, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth posted a video to social media of the strike. Hegseth says the boat was trafficking narcotics, this comes as President Trump told officials the United States is in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels. This is the fourth strike in the region in the past month.
Earlier this morning, on President Trump’s orders, I directed a lethal, kinetic strike on a narco-trafficking vessel affiliated with Designated Terrorist Organizations in the USSOUTHCOM area of responsibility. Four male narco-terrorists aboard the vessel were killed in the… pic.twitter.com/QpNPljFcGn
— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) October 3, 2025
Taylor Swift Takes Back Charts
Taylor Swift is back with her 12th studio album, “The Life of a Showgirl”. It was released on Friday to a frenzy of crazed fans already lined up at stores before dawn. The album was also released in theaters, giving Swifties a place to congregate and worship their pop idol and the new songs. The album features fellow pop star, Sabrina Carpenter, and songs about giants of Hollywood like Elizabeth Taylor. Swift will hit the local late-night press junket with two slated appearances this coming week: Monday she’s on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, and Wednesday night’s Late Night with Seth Meyers.
If you want to hear more about these stories and other headlines, listen to today’s News Hour Weekend Edition with Liz Rattoballi. You can download the audio as a podcast and listen anytime:
