Hurricane Melissa Threatens Jamaica, SNAP Benefits Halted, U.S. Deploys Warship Near Venezuela, California License Clash, LAX Shutdown Delays, Newsom and Harris Eye 2028 Presidential Bid, El Segundo Surf Park, Rivian Layoffs

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🗓️ 28 October 2025

⏱️ 10 minutes

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Summary

Hurricane Melissa intensifies into a Category 5 storm as Jamaica braces for catastrophic flooding and evacuations. The ongoing U.S. government shutdown halts SNAP benefits, leaving millions without food assistance. A U.S. missile destroyer arrives in the Caribbean amid escalating tensions with Venezuela. Washington threatens to pull funding from California over noncitizen commercial licenses, while LAX experiences major delays as unpaid air traffic controllers protest. Governor Gavin Newsom and former Vice President Kamala Harris both signal possible 2028 presidential runs. In business, El Segundo moves forward with plans for a $175 million surf park, and EV maker Rivian announces more than 600 layoffs amid slowing electric vehicle demand.

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0:00.0	This is an L.A. Times Studios podcast.
0:09.8	Hi, I'm Faith Pino, and you're listening to Headlines from L.A. Times Studios.
0:14.7	Here's some of today's top stories from the Los Angeles Times.
0:19.2	Hurricane Melissa exploded into a category five storm as Jamaica prepares for the life-threatening
0:25.0	system to make landfall by Tuesday.
0:28.5	The National Hurricane Center says the storm is packing 160 mile-per-hour winds and could
0:34.8	dump up to 30 inches of rain, bringing catastrophic flooding, landslides,
0:39.7	and a 13-foot storm surge along the island's southern coast.
0:44.5	Mandatory evacuations are underway across seven flood-prone communities, with officials
0:49.3	telling residents to stay inside and take the warnings seriously.
0:53.7	Melissa is forecast to make landfall in Jamaica Tuesday before moving over Cuba and the Bahamas Wednesday.
1:00.0	At least four people are already dead across Haiti and the Dominican Republic, where torrential rains have destroyed homes and crops, leaving thousands displaced.
1:10.0	Forecasters say Melissa could be the strongest hurricane to hit Jamaica in decades, and that
1:15.6	recovery could take weeks once it passes.
1:19.6	And just weeks before Thanksgiving, the U.S. government shutdown is threatening food assistance
1:24.6	programs for millions of Americans. The Department of Agriculture
1:29.3	announced SNAP benefits will not go out on November 1st as scheduled, leaving about one
1:35.4	and eight Americans at risk of missing critical grocery assistance. The Trump administration
1:40.9	says it can't tap into the $5 billion of emergency funds in order to keep the program running.
1:48.0	Abby Toe, who works for the Great Plains Food Bank in Bismarck, North Dakota, says thousands of families in her community rely on the benefits.
1:56.8	The shutdown now in its fourth week is the second longest ever, and it's at a standstill as lawmakers try to negotiate a new spending bill.
2:04.6	Democrats want protections for expiring Obamacare subsidies, but Republicans insist the government must reopen first.
	...

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