The Political Markup for Thursday, October 30, 2025
Ongoing worries trade instability, attacks on European politicians, growing antimicrobial resistance.
Politics
The net worth of Ken Paxton, who became a millionaire during a career in public service, was analyzed by The Wall Street Journal.
Several airports across the U.S. are refusing to play Kristi Noem’s propaganda video, where she blames the government shutdown and airport delays on Democrats.
Justin Pearson is challenging Steve Cohen for the Memphis congressional seat. Pearson is known for being expelled from the Tennessee General Assembly, along with two other state legislators, in 2023 for a gun control protest in the legislative body’s chamber.
Legislators in Peru ousted the country’s president due to rising crime and accusations of corruption.
Pope Leo’s public statements and official documents are receiving political interpretations by members of the church.
Elon Musk is paying for Tommy Robinson’s legal defense during his case in London.
The Wall Street Journal assesses the state of the Conservative Party in Britain, which has been languishing in recent years and faces competition from the new, far-right Reform UK political party.
Economy & Trade
Ahead of recent G20 meetings, the Financial Stability Board wrote that markets are susceptible to crashing due to the various current economic and geopolitical issues. It also stressed that cooperation among nations is needed at this time.
The data firm OpenBrand said prices for consumer and personal goods increased 0.58 percent in September, a higher rate than the August increase of 0.45 percent.
The UN says small- and mid-size businesses may face challenges due to Trump’s tariffs and global trade uncertainty.
International
Vladimir Putin admitted that Russian missiles were the cause of an Azerbaijani commercial airline crash last year.
King Charles is hosting a state visit for Germany’s president in December. This follows the one recently held for President Trump.
Cindy McCain temporarily steps away from her position leading the UN World Food Program following a mild stroke. She’ll return to the U.S. and recover in her home state of Arizona.
National Security
MI5 warned members of parliament in Britain that they are being targeted by Chinese, Russian, and Iranian spies.
Law enforcement in Belgium made arrests of jihadi terrorists who planned to attack Belgian politicians, including the prime minister. This follows an assassination attempt on the president of Ecuador, as his car was hit by bullets and rocks while driving through a community. And in Germany, a newly-elected mayor was stabbed outside her home.
Legislation has been introduced in Congress that would have U.S. border officials work closer with their Canadian counterparts, an effort to help secure American’s northern border.
Business
Rishi Sunak is joining Microsoft and Anthropic as a macroeconomic and geopolitical advisor.
Agriculture
Manitoba’s premier says that Canada’s trade actions against China are impacting Canadian canola and pork producers.
Health
“Antimicrobial resistance is outpacing advances in modern medicine, threatening the health of families worldwide,” says the WHO in a new report on the matter.