Hamas can’t access all hostage remains; Trump authorizes CIA in Venezuela
The ceasefire in Gaza is already facing difficulties, with the return of dead Israelis increasingly becoming a grim tally.
Plus, could the U.S. initiate attacks on Venezuela? What President Donald Trump mentioned regarding the possibility of taking more aggressive actions than just sinking boats.
And a final report explains why searching for the Titanic wreckage led to a catastrophic and deadly implosion. It details how flawed engineering caused the failure of the Titan submersible.
These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025.
Hamas says it has returned all accessible hostage remains; 19 still missing
In an announcement that threatens the tentative peace between Israel and Hamas, Hamas now says it has handed over all the hostage remains it can recover.
On Wednesday, the terror group released the remains of two more deceased hostages, bringing the total returned to ten.
But a key term of the ceasefire agreement was that Hamas would return all remaining hostages, both living and dead.
Eighteen still remain unaccounted for.
On top of that, one of the bodies returned to Israel was not a hostage.
Hamas says it has not been able to access the rest of the remains because “significant efforts and special equipment” are needed to recover them.
The Israeli military has threatened to restrict humanitarian aid to Gaza if Hamas does not uphold its end of the ceasefire deal and return all the remains.
President Donald Trump said Wednesday he believes Hamas is trying.
“It’s a gruesome process. I almost hate to talk about it, but they’re digging. They’re actually digging. There are areas where they’re digging, and they’re finding a lot of bodies,” Trump said. “Then they have to separate the bodies. You wouldn’t believe this. This is, and some of those bodies have been in there a long time. And some of them are under rubble. They have to remove rubble.”
A senior U.S. adviser told reporters on a call Wednesday, “Nobody is getting left behind,” saying the U.S. is sharing Israeli intelligence with Hamas to assist in finding hostage remains.
President Trump also told CNN on Wednesday that Israel is ready to resume fighting in Gaza if Hamas does not uphold its end of the peace deal. He just has to say the word.
Trump also said he does not believe the U.S. will need to get involved in disarming Hamas.
Israel and the U.S. have insisted Hamas must disarm in order for there to be lasting peace in Gaza.
Trump claims CIA is conducting operations in Venezuela
President Trump has confirmed that he’s authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations in Venezuela.
He made the comment while being questioned by reporters during an unrelated press conference with FBI Director Kash Patel.
While Trump did not give any specific details, the acknowledgment is unprecedented as the CIA usually operates in secrecy.
The president said there were two reasons behind his decision: Venezuela has “emptied their prisons” into the U.S. and “a lot of drugs” are coming into the U.S. from there.
And while his administration has been focused on missile strikes on suspected drug boats in the caribbean, the president is not ruling out strikes on Venezuelan land.
“Well I don’t want to tell you exactly, but we are certainly looking at land now because we’ve got the sea very well under control. We’ve had a couple of days where there isn’t a boat to be found,” Trump said.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Wednesday said the operations are part of a U.S. policy of aggression, threats and harassment. He called on Trump to stop the CIA from carrying out a “coup.”
Trump admin looking to double $20B in aid to Argentina with private funding
The Trump administration’s so-called bailout of Argentina’s economy is raising some eyebrows and has plenty of second-guessers Thursday morning.
The administration looking to provide an additional $20 billion in financing for Argentina through a mix of sovereign funds and the private sector.
The news comes after President Trump and Argentina’s President Javier Milei met at the White House Tuesday, with Milei shoring-up a $20 billion commitment the U.S. had already made.
The $20 billion assistance is a currency swap in which the U.S. treasury will trade dollars for pesos in what amounts to a loan with Argentina, who is expected to eventually pay the money back.
However, many American farmers are not happy.
Meanwhile, in a huge blow to farmers, China currently is not buying any soybeans from the U.S. as a trade battle plays out between the two countries.
Instead, China has turned its attention to buying soybeans from Argentina and Brazil.
One midwest farmer told ABC News that America sending billions to argentina seems counterintuitive to Trump’s America first ideology.
Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley had similar sentiments. He wrote on X, “why would the USA help bail out Argentina while they take the American soybean producers biggest market.”
Government shutdown continues as layoffs are ruled illegal
The federal government shutdown enters its 16th day after the Senate failed again Wednesday to pass a House Republican bill to fund the government.
The Senate is now 0-9 in advancing that bill. And the issues remain the same.
Republicans want a so-called clean, continuing resolution with no add-ons. Democrats are calling for the extension of Obamacare tax credits and the repeal of Medicaid changes.
Meanwhile, a federal judge on Wednesday blocked the Trump administration from laying off federal workers during the shutdown.
Approximately 4,000 layoffs started last Friday. Two unions then filed a lawsuit. U.S. District Judge Susan Illston, from the Northern District of California and a Clinton appointee, stated that the layoffs were politically motivated. Illston said, “The activities that are being undertaken here are contrary to the laws. You can’t do this in a nation of laws.”
Also, on Wednesday, White House budget director Russell Vought said that the Trump administration aims to aggressively cut bureaucracy and could eliminate more than 10,000 federal jobs during this shutdown.
Faulty engineering doomed the Titan submersible: NTSB report
The final report is in, and federal investigators have concluded that faulty engineering caused the implosion of the Titan submersible, which killed five people who were looking for wreckage from the Titanic in the Atlantic Ocean.
The National Transportation Safety Board reported that the faulty engineering caused the pressure vessel to contain multiple anomalies and failed to meet necessary strength and durability requirements.
The NTSB also found that Oceangate, which owned the submersible, failed to properly test it, resulting in a lack of knowledge about the Titan’s durability.
All five people aboard died when the vessel exploded and sank to the ocean floor in June 2023.
Angel Reese, Suni Lee make history modeling in Victoria’s Secret fashion show
This year’s Victoria’s Secret fashion show featured two models making history on the catwalk.
WNBA star Angel Reese and two-time Olympic gold medalist gymnast Suni Lee showcased their talents during Wednesday night’s show.
It was Reese’s modeling debut, and she said the opportunity was a dream come true. The Chicago Sky forward was the first professional athlete to participate in the show.
It was also Suni Lee’s debut moment. While the Olympic gymnast has attended fashion weeks in the past, this is the first time she has walked the runway herself.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
