News from the note…

A round up of the day’s news that might be of interest to you.

This is an OPEN THREAD,  folks. Chat about any of the stories listed, share links to stories that caught your eye today, and generally have a good time discussing whatever you want.

Detention of Migrant Children Has Skyrocketed to Highest Levels Ever

Even though hundreds of children separated from their families after crossing the border have been released under court order, the overall number of detained migrant children has exploded to the highest ever recorded — a significant counternarrative to the Trump administration’s efforts to reduce the number of undocumented families coming to the United States.

Population levels at federally contracted shelters for migrant children have quietly shot up more than fivefold since last summer, according to data obtained by The New York Times, reaching a total of 12,800 this month. There were 2,400 such children in custody in May 2017.

The huge increases, which have placed the federal shelter system near capacity, are due not to an influx of children entering the country, but a reduction in the number being released to live with families and other sponsors, the data collected by the Department of Health and Human Services suggests. Some of those who work in the migrant shelter network say the bottleneck is straining both the children and the system that cares for them.

New York Times

US F-22 fighter jets intercept Russian bombers near Alaska

“The Russian aircraft remained in international airspace and at no time did the aircraft enter United States or Canadian airspace,” the statement said. It added that the intercept took place while the Russian bombers were in the US Air Defense Identification Zone, which extends about 200 miles off Alaska’s western coast.

The incident marks the second time US F-22s have intercepted Russian bombers off the coast of Alaska this month. The previous intercept occurred on Sept. 1. However, during that earlier intercept, the Russian Tu-95s were not escorted by Russian fighter jets.

CNN

FOX NEWS HOST SEAN HANNITY SAYS DONALD TRUMP WILL FIRE ROBERT MUELLER AFTER HURRICANE FLORENCE

Fox News and talk radio show host Sean Hannity is a known ally and supporter of President Donald Trump, often using his various media platforms to offer praise or even policy advice for the president.

When talking to a listener who called into his radio show Tuesday afternoon, Hannity said he expects the president to fire special counsel Robert Mueller and end the investigation into Russian election interference “sooner rather than later,” potentially after Hurricane Florence passes. Given Hannity and Trump reportedly talk so regularly that some White House staffers, according to The Washington Post, have dubbed the conservative media personality the president’s unofficial chief of staff, it remains to be seen whether Hannity is offering the president his personal advice or if he’s simply expressing wishful thinking.

Newsweek

Stormy Daniels writes tell-all book: “Full Disclosure”

Stormy Daniels, the porn star who sued President Donald Trump over a hush agreement to keep her silent about their alleged sexual encounter has written a book about her life which she says will include details of her tryst with Donald Trump.

Daniels said there will be new details in the book, titled “Full Disclosure,” that the public hasn’t heard.

“Everybody knows that a lot of the ’60 Minutes’ [interview] was cut down for time and there are things that I said in my interview that I really wanted people to know that are very important to me that I didn’t get to say,” Daniels said Wednesday on ABC’s “The View.”

CNN

Republicans block Democratic bid to subpoena Kavanaugh documents

Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday blocked multiple efforts by Democrats to subpoena documents from Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s White House tenure.

The Democratic efforts were defeated in party-line votes by the panel, where Republicans hold the majority.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), the No. 2 Senate Republican, warned that nominations could be held up for years if the committee started issuing subpoenas.

“I believe it would be a mistake for the committee to issue a subpoena, thus setting up a court case which could go on literally for years,” Cornyn said.

The Hill

Feinstein asks feds to investigate Kavanaugh claims in letter

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) referred a sensitive letter on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh to the Justice Department on Thursday, following pressure from fellow Senate Democrats about the unreleased letter in a private meeting on Wednesday.

Feinstein, the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, released a statement Thursday afternoon announcing the referral and saying she was complying with a request from the person who gave her the letter to not release it publicly.

The “individual strongly requested confidentiality, declined to come forward or press the matter further, and I have honored that decision. I have, however, referred the matter to federal investigative authorities,” Feinstein said in a statement.

Politico

Limbaugh: Hurricane Florence forecasts meant to ‘heighten the belief in climate change’

Rush Limbaugh said Tuesday that predictions of vast “doom and gloom” from Hurricane Florence are meant “to heighten the belief in climate change.”

While discussing on his talk radio show the latest news about Hurricane Florence as the category 4 storm works its way towards the East Coast, the conservative political commentator told his listeners to be wary of forecasts that are “made-to-order for the climate change/global warming crowd.” 

“This is, they tell us, one of the most powerful hurricanes this far north, ever. And, of course, why is that? Well, that would be sea surface temperature. And why is that warmer …? There you go! Climate change,” Limbaugh said, according to a show transcript. “It’s being accepted as a non-argumentative fact. I don’t care what meteorologist you watch or read, website or what have you. All of this seems to be acknowledged fact. So, we’re keeping an eye on that.” 

The Hill

Serious shade being thrown by Mirriam-Webster today…