US authorities layoffs ‘more likely to be within the 1000’s’, says White Home
US authorities layoffs could possibly be within the 1000’s, White Home spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt has mentioned, because the federal authorities entered the second day of the shutdown. She didn’t present particulars.
Look, it’s seemingly going to be within the 1000’s. And that’s one thing that the Workplace of Administration and Funds and your entire crew on the White Home right here, once more, is sadly having to work on as we speak.
Talking to reporters outdoors the White Home and because the bipartisan blame sport rages on, she added:
These discussions and these conversations, these conferences wouldn’t be occurring if the Democrats had voted to maintain the federal government open.
Requested particularly which businesses can be focused, Leavitt mentioned, “We’re businesses that don’t align with the president’s values” and “that we really feel are a waste of the taxpayer greenback”.
White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks to reporters outdoors the West Wing. {Photograph}: Kevin Lamarque/ReutersShare
Up to date at 11.24 EDT
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WIC, the federal program that gives free, wholesome meals to low-income pregnant girls, new moms and kids below 5, might run out of funds if the federal government shutdown persists, NBC Information reviews.
This system serves some 6.8 million individuals. In line with the Nationwide WIC Affiliation, “devastating disruptions” could deny thousands and thousands of mothers and kids entry to nutritious meals if the federal government stays closed for longer than every week or two, as contingency funds from the USDA can have dried up by then.
“Traditionally, when there was a shutdown, WIC has remained open for enterprise, however as a result of this one falls in the beginning of the fiscal 12 months, there are some dangers,” Georgia Machell, president of the Nationwide WIC Affiliation, informed NBC. She known as on Congress to cross a funding invoice that protects this system and retains it operating with out interruption.
A USDA spokesperson informed the outlet that WIC’s continued operation will rely upon “state selection and the size of a shutdown”.
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In the meantime, some administration officers are privately warning businesses in opposition to mass firings throughout the shutdown, the Washington Put up (paywall) reviews.
Senior federal officers are telling businesses to not hearth staff en masse, warning that it could violate appropriations regulation and be susceptible to challenges from labor unions, the Put up reviews citing two nameless sources.
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Senate majority chief John Thune informed Politico final night time that Democrats folding is the one means he sees the shutdown ending.
His feedback have been echoed Home speaker Mike Johnson, who earlier informed reporters this morning, “I’ve fairly actually nothing to barter,” and insisted that Democrats ought to help the “clear” persevering with decision.
Per Politico’s report, Thune “insisted he wouldn’t negotiate on the substance of an extension [to Obamacare subsidies] whereas the federal government is closed. However pressed on whether or not he was open to discussions with Democrats about how the well being care negotiations would possibly work post-shutdown or the best way to advance full-year appropriations payments, he mentioned, ‘We’re.’”
A few of these conversations are occurring. With our members and their members there’s loads of back-and-forth occurring proper now about a few of the issues they wish to see occur.
Thune additionally mentioned it’s “unlikely” that there can be Senate votes this weekend, which means the shutdown is more likely to final for at the least six days. He informed Semafor this morning:
They’ll have a fourth likelihood tomorrow to open up the federal government. If that fails, we’ll give them the weekend to consider it. We’ll come again vote once more Monday.
John Thune speaks to reporters on the Capitol on the second day of the shutdown. {Photograph}: Jonathan Ernst/ReutersShare
Up to date at 14.51 EDT
Venezuela’s protection minister Basic Vladimir Padrino mentioned on Thursday that 5 fight planes had been detected close to nation’s coast, in what he characterised as a menace by america.
“They’re imperialist fight planes which have dared to come back near the Venezuelan coast” Padrino mentioned at an air base, in feedback broadcast on state tv, saying details about the planes had been reported to a management tower by an airline. “The presence of those planes flying near our Caribbean Sea is a vulgarity, a provocation, a menace to the safety of the nation.”
The US has deployed a fleet of warships by the Caribbean, which Washington says is to fight drug trafficking, and has additionally struck a number of boats it claims have been carrying medicine from Venezuela, killing these aboard. Specialists have questioned the legality of the strikes.
Earlier, we reported that Trump has declared drug cartels working within the Caribbean are illegal combatants and mentioned the US is now in a “non-international armed battle”, in accordance with a memo obtained by the Related Press.
The US navy final month carried out three lethal strikes in opposition to alleged drug smuggling boats within the Caribbean. At the very least two of these operations have been carried out on vessels that originated from Venezuela.
On Monday, Venezuela’s vice-president mentioned Nicolás Maduro was able to declare a state of emergency within the occasion of a US navy assault on the nation, and warned of “catastrophic” penalties if such an onslaught materializes.
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Up to date at 14.31 EDT
Hamas to demand key revisions to Trump Gaza plan earlier than accepting, sources say
Jason Burke
Hamas will demand key revisions to Donald Trump’s Gaza ceasefire proposal however is more likely to settle for the plan in coming days as a foundation for renewed negotiations, analysts and sources near the group have informed my colleague and Guardian worldwide safety correspondent Jason Burke.
Trump imposed a deadline of “three or 4 days” from Tuesday for Hamas to present its response to his 20-point plan, which goals to convey the two-year warfare in Gaza to a detailed and permit an apparently indefinite worldwide administration of the devastated territory, or “pay in hell”.
Mkhaimar Abusada, a political scientist from Gaza based mostly in Cairo, mentioned Hamas now needed to “select between the unhealthy and the worst”. “If they are saying ‘no’, as Trump has made clear, that won’t be good and can permit Israel to do no matter it takes to complete this. They’ll say “sure, however we’d like this and that”, Abusada mentioned.
Hamas leaders are divided between Istanbul, Doha and Gaza, which complicates discussions on the group’s response. Turkey and Qatar are placing strain on Hamas to make concessions.
One sticking level is the plan’s demand that Hamas disarm, a supply near the organisation mentioned. The give up of all weapons can be very tough for Hamas to simply accept, particularly with none political course of or substantial progress in the direction of a two-state resolution.
One other concern for Hamas is the imprecise promise of Israeli withdrawals, although the clear assertion that there can be no annexation or occupation of Gaza by Israel was welcomed by one supply near Hamas.
Hugh Lovatt, a senior fellow on the European Council on Overseas Relations, mentioned it will be very tough for Hamas to simply accept the phrases unconditionally. “That’s comprehensible. The textual content lacks particulars. However then something apart from complete and remaining acceptance can be used in opposition to Hamas by Israel, the Trump administration and presumably the Europeans,” he mentioned.
You possibly can learn Jason’s full piece right here:
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Trump’s declaration that drug cartels within the Caribbean are illegal combatants additionally comes amid a report that the US justice division is closing a process drive that took on drug cartels and an workplace that aimed to ease racial tensions, in a reorganization that drops a plan to merge the nation’s high drug and gun regulation enforcement businesses, reviews Reuters.
Probably the most sweeping reorganization of the DOJ in twenty years, which lawyer normal Pam Bondi permitted in September, will lower about 275 positions, resulting in the elimination of or involuntary re-assignment of about 140 staff.
“Discount in drive” letters to staff whose roles can be affected within the items which can be to be closed have been resulting from be despatched out earlier this week, different authorities paperwork seen by Reuters confirmed.
The DOJ mentioned the modifications are designed to “promote efficiencies and efficient governance,” in accordance with the paperwork. The plan has drawn criticism from congressional Democrats and from former division staff, who say it might damage important work.
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Donald Trump declares that US is in ‘non-international armed battle’ with drug cartels working within the Caribbean
Trump has declared drug cartels working within the Caribbean are illegal combatants and says the US is now in a “non-international armed battle,” in accordance with a Trump administration memo obtained by the Related Press on Thursday.
A US official conversant in the matter who was not licensed to remark publicly informed the AP that Congress was notified concerning the designation by Pentagon officers on Wednesday.
The transfer comes after the US navy final month carried out three lethal strikes in opposition to alleged drug smuggling boats within the Caribbean. At the very least two of these operations have been carried out on vessels that originated from Venezuela.
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Up to date at 13.47 EDT
Speaker Mike Johnson downplayed using AI-generated movies by Trump that mocked senator Chuck Schumer and consultant Hakeem Jeffries. Talking to reporters, Johnson mentioned the Democrats have been “overreacting to a joke” and argued that the main focus ought to stay on ending the shutdown on Republican phrases.
The movies, posted by Trump on his social media platform on Monday and have since performed on a loop within the White Home briefing room for hours on Wednesday, use fabricated audio to make it appear as if the Senate minority chief, Chuck Schumer, known as Democrats “woke items of shit”, and confirmed the Home minority chief, Hakeem Jeffries, with a faux mustache and sombrero.
JD Vance additionally made mild of the movies, saying earlier: “I believe it’s humorous. The president’s joking and we’re having a superb time. You possibly can negotiate in good religion whereas additionally making a little bit little bit of enjoyable at a few of the absurdities of the Democrats’ positions, and even poking some enjoyable on the absurdity of themselves.”
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Senate to vote once more on Friday on reopening authorities, says majority chief John Thune
Senate majority chief John Thune says that the Senate will come again on Friday to vote as soon as once more on reopening the federal government, however provides that weekend votes to reopen the federal government are unlikely.
“If that fails, then we’ll give them the weekend to consider it. We’ll come again and we’ll go once more on Monday,” the South Dakota Republican mentioned.
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Up to date at 13.33 EDT
Choose denies Kilmar Ábrego García’s bid for asylum within the US
An immigration choose in Baltimore has denied Kilmar Ábrego García’s bid for asylum, however he has 30 days to attraction.
Ábrego’s case has drawn nationwide consideration for the reason that 30-year-old was wrongfully deported by the Trump administration to El Salvador in March. The Salvadorian nationwide has an American spouse and kids and has lived in Maryland for years, however he initially immigrated to the US illegally as a young person. In line with courtroom paperwork, he was fleeing gang violence.
Following widespread strain, the Trump administration returned him to the US in June. Upon his return, nevertheless, he instantly confronted prison costs associated to human smuggling, allegations that his attorneys have rejected.
Ábrego was launched from prison custody in Tennessee on Friday whereas awaiting trial. However the Trump administration introduced new plans to deport him to Uganda after which Eswatini.
Then Ábrego was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) throughout a scheduled immigration check-in in Baltimore, which was one of many circumstances of his launch.
Trump administration officers have waged a relentless public relations marketing campaign in opposition to Ábrego, repeatedly referring to him as a member of the MS-13 gang, amongst different issues, even supposing he has not been convicted of any crimes.
Kilmar Ábrego Garcia attends a protest rally in his help on the Ice area workplace in Baltimore on 25 August. {Photograph}: Stephanie Scarbrough/APShare
Up to date at 12.49 EDT
Right here is my colleague Chris Stein’s report detailing the US authorities shutdown stretching into its second day and Donald Trump hailing the funding lapse as an “unprecedented alternative” to additional his marketing campaign of firing federal staff and downsizing departments.
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‘It may get an increasing number of painful,’ says Mike Johnson, as he claims Trump and Vought making cuts ‘reluctantly’
Talking to reporters this morning, Home speaker Mike Johnson has indicated that lawmakers are no nearer to a deal on authorities funding and, standing at a podium emblazoned with the phrases, “The Democrat shutdown”, continued to put blame for the shutdown squarely on the opposition.
He continued to insist that the Republicans had nothing to barter over as a result of they’re pushing for a “clear” persevering with decision, which doesn’t embrace any new GOP provisions and would simply preserve authorities funding on the present ranges.
Johnson reiterated his level yesterday that Chuck Schumer had “handed the keys to the dominion” to the manager. The White Home mentioned as we speak that federal layoffs will most likely be “within the 1000’s”. Johnson mentioned:
The president takes no pleasure on this … When Congress turns off the funding and the funding runs out, it’s as much as the commander in chief, the president of america, to find out how these assets can be spent … He doesn’t need to do it.
Johnson additionally claimed the White Home’s funds director, Russell Vought, is making cuts to the federal authorities “reluctantly”. (A reminder that Trump mentioned earlier this morning that he couldn’t consider the Democrats had given him ‘this unprecedented alternative’ to – with Vought – lower ‘many Democrat businesses’ maybe completely). Again to Johnson, who mentioned:
Russ does this reluctantly … He takes no pleasure on this, as a result of he has to take a seat down and resolve, as a result of he’s answerable for that workplace, which insurance policies, personnel, and which packages are important and which aren’t. That’s not a enjoyable process and he’s not having fun with that accountability.
He added this warning relating to the longer the federal government stays shut down:
It’s going to get an increasing number of painful. As a result of the assets run out and an increasing number of issues need to be diminished and eradicated.
Home speaker Mike Johnson, with Republican convention chair Lisa McClean, Home majority Chief Steve Scalise and Home majority whip Tom Emmer, delivers remarks on the US Capitol. {Photograph}: Shawn Thew/EPAShare
Up to date at 12.17 EDT
‘A tactic to punish’: Trump revives household separations amid drive to deport thousands and thousands
Maanvi Singh
The Trump administration has revived the follow of separating households with the intention to coerce immigrants and asylum seekers to depart the US, attorneys and former immigration officers allege.
In a number of instances, officers have retaliated in opposition to immigrants who challenged deportation orders by forcibly separating them from their kids, a Guardian investigation discovered. The officers misclassified the kids as “unaccompanied minors” earlier than putting them in government-run shelters or foster care.
The brand new follow has taken impact because the administration has additionally issued stringent new limits on who can take custody of unaccompanied minors – which advocates say maintain 1000’s of kids away from their family members.
“It is a tactic to punish individuals for not acquiescing,” mentioned Faisal Al-Juburi, head of exterior affairs on the authorized support group Raíces.
It’s a tactic to get immigrants to relent, to comply with self-deport.
The latest separations echo the “zero tolerance” coverage of the primary Trump administration, when the US systematically separated greater than 5,600 kids from their dad and mom and caregivers on the US-Mexico border. Pictures of brokers pulling kids from their dad and mom’ arms and putting them in overcrowded steel cages sparked home and worldwide outrage, and Donald Trump ended the coverage.
However seven years later, tons of of oldsters have nonetheless been unable to reunify with their kids; the administration misplaced observe of lots of the households it tore aside. Although the brand new separations to date seem much less pervasive than the unique coverage, specialists and attorneys mentioned that it might lead to one other disaster of extended, everlasting separations.
“I might say that the primary distinction is simply that the separations at the moment are occurring all around the nation, versus on the border, concentrated in areas the place you possibly can visibly go see it,” mentioned Michelle Brané, a former Division of Homeland Safety (DHS) official who served below the Biden administration. “However the remainder of it’s not that totally different. The target remains to be to be merciless and ship a message that folks mustn’t come to the US – that they need to go away.”
You possibly can learn Maanvi’s full, harrowing piece right here:
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White Home asks universities to decide to Trump’s priorities in trade for preferential entry to funding
The White Home has requested 9 high universities to signal a 10-point settlement, aligning with the administration’s priorities, to achieve preferential entry to federal funds, the Wall Road Journal reviews.
Key measures outlined within the memo, dubbed the “Compact for Tutorial Excellence in Larger Training”, embrace commitments to make create a “extra welcoming surroundings for conservatives” on campus, cap worldwide enrollment, settle for the federal government’s definition of gender and apply it to campus loos, locker rooms and girls’s sports activities groups, and to finish “using race or intercourse in hiring and admissions”.
Signing on would give universities precedence entry to some federal grants, however authorities cash wouldn’t be restricted solely to these colleges, a White Home official informed the Related Press. Faculties that agree would even have precedence entry to White Home occasions and discussions with officers.
The ten-page proposed settlement was despatched yesterday to a few of the nation’s most selective private and non-private universities: Vanderbilt, the College of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth Faculty, the College of Southern California, the Massachusetts Institute of Expertise, the College of Texas, the College of Arizona, Brown College and the College of Virginia. It was not clear how these colleges have been chosen or why, and whether or not related presents would possibly exit to different faculties.
The administration has used its management of federal funding as leverage at a number of different faculties, chopping off analysis cash at colleges together with Harvard and Columbia because it has sought modifications to the colleges’ governance and insurance policies.
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Up to date at 11.20 EDT
Russell Vought, who additionally headed the workplace of administration and funds throughout Trump’s first time period, has labored alongside the “division of presidency effectivity” to dramatically slash by federal businesses and purge staff since Trump took workplace once more in January.
A key architect of Undertaking 2025, the controversial conservative manifesto to information a second Trump time period, has a Christian nationalist world view and a deep distaste for civil servants, looking for to reshape the federal authorities consistent with his ideological imaginative and prescient – to dismantle the federal workforce, appoint Trump loyalists who won’t block his agenda, and consolidate energy for the president.
You possibly can learn extra about him right here:
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