Trump testifies: On Monday, Trump began testifying in a civil fraud trial that alleges he "dramatically inflated his net worth." Trump is expected to speak on the stand for hours. He'll likely be asked about his "role in his company’s decision making, in its valuing of his properties, and in preparing his annual financial statements," according to the Associated Press. Prosecutors will likely also ask him about loans and other deals made using the false financial statements, and "what intent, if any, he had in portraying his wealth to banks and insurers the way the documents did." I bet he won't answer any of those questions directly and will instead turn everything into a soundbite for his presidential campaign. 

So far from the stand: Shockingly, Trump is delivering long, rambling answers. Judge Arthur Engoron is over these speeches, saying "this is not a political rally" and asking Trump's lawyer to control his client—if he can't, Engoron will excuse Trump and "draw negative inferences." In an actual answer to something pertinent to the trial, Trump said "the annual financial statements that underpin this case simply weren’t very important," according to a New York Times liveblog.

The latest 2024 polls show President Joe Biden losing a re-election campaign to Trump, who has been indicted on criminal charges four times and who is literally on trial. 

Block the boat in Tacoma: More than 100 pro-Palestinian demonstrators flocked to the Port of Tacoma early Monday morning to block a boat suspected of picking up weapons and military equipment en route to Israel. The boat, according to protesters, came from Oakland, California, where protesters attempted to block its departure. They were successful at delaying the boat's departure. In Tacoma, the crowd continues to grow. Currently, they have used cars to block the entrance to the Port. 

Why are these protesters doing this? Well, the United States has given Israel more military aid than any other country since World War II. That number is somewhere around $124 billion. Under a 10-year plan started in 2016, the US gives Israel $3.8 billion annually. Last week, the House of Representatives passed a bill that would cut domestic spending in favor of giving Israel an extra $14.5 billion in military aid. [Eds note: Israel's half-a-trillion dollar economy means the country has plenty of money to wage the war without US funds, so any money from the US serves largely as symbolic show of support.]

Meanwhile, Israel has killed over 10,000 Gazans since the conflict started early last month. Most of those deaths are civilians. On Monday, Israel reported it had encircled Gaza City, effectively cutting it off from the rest of the enclave and splitting the Gaza Strip in half. This move was the result of a "large attack" of around 450 targets, according to Israel.

Israel asked for assault rifles: Israel wants 24,000 assault rifles valued at $34 million. Where's the best place to get these huge murder machines? The US, of course. Some State Department officials are worried Israel will use these guns to force Palestinians from the West Bank—violence in that region is surging while global attention focuses on the atrocities in Gaza. 

On Thursday afternoon, after weeks of protest in downtown Seattle and a couple weeks after police arrested Jewish Voice for Peace protesters who held a sit-in at her office as they called for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, Sen. Patty Murray called for a "humanitarian pause." (Eds note: This brief originally stated Murray called for a humanitarian pause on Friday, but she called for it on Thursday.) 

Welcome to the Big Dark: The clocks turned back yesterday. The sky turned ink-black before dinnertime. The rain is here. Try to soak up whatever vitamin D you can. 

Seattle, have you voted yet? Election day is Tuesday. Local elections have some of the most direct impacts on your daily life. What kind of city do you want to live in? Well, you can decide if you vote. Don't know how to vote? Stricken with performance anxiety? The Stranger is here to help. 

 
 
 
 
 
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Car crashes in to bus, bus crashes into building: Saturday afternoon in Belltown, a car crashed into a bus. The collision forced the bus off the road where it then hit and killed a woman on the sidewalk and crashed into a building at the intersection of 5th Avenue and Battery Street. The eleven bus passengers were mostly okay, though eight were treated at Harborview Medical Center for their injuries. The driver of the car also survived, but is in critical condition. 

OL Reign makes the finals: After defeating the San Diego Wave 1-0, the team will play against Gotham FC in the finals, which will take place Saturday, Nov 11 at 5 pm. Check out the winning goal: 

Dino nuggets pack an extra punch: Nope, that crunch you felt while eating your Tyson dinosaur-shaped chicken nugget wasn't a fossil. It was metal. Tyson, American's favorite anti-labor meat peddler, recalled 30,000 dino nuggets because of this whole metal-in-the-nug situation. I hope my ex-boyfriend, who loved those dino nuggets, is okay.

Oh, and the fruit pouches also have an extra punch: Federal health officials are investigating apple cinnamon puree pouches from Schnucks Markets which may contain lead.

Florida police stop the "Booty Patrol": Someone in a white pick-up truck was driving around Florida with red-and-blue sirens on. Except, this wasn't a police truck. On the side of the truck read the words, "BOOTY PATROL." Florida cops put a stop to this and gave the driver a citation for impersonating law enforcement. 

Nearly blinded by NFTs: Ape Fest, an NFT-focused weekend-long event concerning the Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT collection, may have almost blinded its attendees. People who attended the Hong Kong event reported severe burning on their face and in their eyes. Some reported they were diagnosed with Photokeratitis, "aka, “welder’s eye,” a condition caused by unprotected exposure to ultraviolet radiation," according to The Verge. The current theory is ApeFest organizers used improper lighting, and high UV-levels from the light actually burned skin and eyeballs. 

Did you read my new column? In the newest "Play Date," I became a powerlifter.