Steve Herman

I sat down with Nina Jankowicz on her podcast, Disarmed, to discuss the history of the Voice of America and the ongoing legal battle surrounding its future. My Substack post details our conversation, the broader dismantling of American soft power, and the current state of U.S. public diplomacy.
https://newsguy.substack.com/p/a-disarming-conversation?r=1g77q&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

A US cruise ship on an around-the-world voyage that touted its cabins as floating homes has suspended its three-year voyage in Cambodia due to fuel costs, forcing hundreds of passengers to disembark. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-cruise-ship-suspends-3-year-around-the-world-voyage-cambodia-fuel-costs/

NYT - Operatives aligned with Mary Peltola, the Democratic nominee for US Senate in Alaska, spent months recruiting candidates to peel votes from Senator Dan Sullivan, the Republican. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/28/us/politics/alaska-dan-sullivan-conspiracy-peltola.html?unlocked_article_code=1.MFE.CGHp.nEbmtLDF6tZu&smid=url-share

Flávio Bolsonaro has landed in Miami this morning with his wife and two daughters after losing Brazil's presidential election. https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/flavio-bolsonaro-reportedly-in-florida-after-leaving-brazil-following-election-defeat/

Wired - ICE HSI is engaged in far-reaching spying against left-wing activists that rivals the FBI and CIA crackdowns on the 1960s Civil Rights and anti-war movements. https://www.wired.com/story/ice-is-running-one-of-the-largest-anti-left-surveillance-operations-in-us-history/

US federal civilian agencies have until tomorrow to address two critical PHP vulnerabilities that CISA warns are being exploited by hackers, escalating the government’s response to flaws in software used to operate websites worldwide. https://www.nextgov.com/cybersecurity/2026/10/cisa-gives-federal-agencies-until-thursday-address-exploited-php-flaws/416838/

Update: Death toll rises to 64 from the collision of two passenger trains in Spain, with officials saying more fatalities are likely. https://www.rtve.es/noticias/20261028/interrumpen-circulacion-linea-alta-velocidad-madrid-andalucia-por-alcance-entre-dos-trenes/17286647.shtml

At least 30 dead in collision of two high-speed passenger trains near Toledo, Spain. https://elpais.com/espana/2026-10-28/ultima-hora-del-choque-entre-dos-trenes-en-los-yebenes-toledo-en-directo.html

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's bloc projected to win some 50 seats, compared to the opposition's 52 with Arab parties predicted to reach combined seat total of about 17, complicating both blocs' efforts to form a coalition. https://www.jpost.com/israel-election-2026/article-913053

A federal grand jury in DC rejects DoJ’s attempt to indict former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson for the account she gave lawmakers of President Trump’s actions during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol. https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/10/27/grand-jury-declines-indict-cassidy-hutchinson-over-jan-6-testimony/

“Can confirm that Flavio fleeing to US.” - Reuters reporter Gram Slattery

Debris from two intercepted Houthi ballistic missiles fell in the Saudi capital today, damaging a building, a construction site and a vehicle. https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2026/10/27/debris-from-two-intercepted-houthi-ballistic-missiles-causes-damage-in-riyadh

(AP) — Federal law enforcement agents searched a Beverly Hills home early Tuesday as part of an investigation into Eric Swalwell, who resigned from Congress amid a wave of sexual misconduct allegations.

Security personnel lifted off the ground a prominent Egyptian journalist and carried her out of a Cairo courtroom after a judge convicted the Mada Masr editor-in-chief of running an unlicensed website and ordered the independent outlet closed.
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/egypts-mada-masr-editor-lina-attalah-jailed-court-orders-outlet-shut

There’s significant international media interest in the U.S. midterms. Over the past couple of days I’ve been interviewed by news outlets in the UK, Korea and Japan.
The gist: Based on feedback from voters, pollsters and pundits I have no hesitation stating all but the most diehard in the MAGA base, President Trump’s previous voters are exasperated by his lack of leadership on the challenges confronting the country and the world, with the U.S. economy at the top of the list. Meanwhile, Democratic Party leadership shouldn’t be deluded into believing that the traditionally non-party affiliated electorate suddenly likes them. It does not. Rather as is typical of a midterm election, most will be casting a referendum vote protesting Republican performance (or lack thereof). End result: Republicans soundly lose their majority in the House. Maybe they lose control of the Senate, but unlikely the Democrats run the deck and pick up all the red-state seats where polls show the challengers slightly ahead.
My on air analysis Monday for Times Radio (UK): https://youtu.be/0YB1E1Pz-10?si=5QyaU4uzNBVaQgbd

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu scare tactic amid balloting accuses Arab voters of “trying to steal the election.” (Arab citizens compose ~17% of the eligible Israeli electorate.)

Dutch reverse course and decide to again boycott the Eurovision Song Contest due to Israel’s participation. https://www.eurovision.com/newsroom/release/statement-npo-not-participating-eurovision-2027/

Sea surface temperatures are at record-high levels off the California coast. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-10-27/la-me-heat-california-coast-water

WaPo - Trump’s proposed arch would cast a shadow over 75,000+ graves at Arlington National Cemetery. https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/interactive/2026/10/27/trumps-arch-would-cast-shadow-arlington-cemetery/

Two men have been charged with national security offenses following an incident at RAF Fairford in the UK last month. https://news.sky.com/story/men-charged-over-raf-fairford-incident-13604275