Trump administration creates registry for immigrants who are in the US illegally – The Associated Press
Trump administration creates registry for immigrants who are in the US illegally – The Associated Press
Trump administration creates registry for immigrants who are in the US illegally The Associated PressTrump admin to create undocumented immigrants registry that includes fingerprints AxiosTrump administration says undocumented immigrants must register The Washington PostNoem announces DHS registry for ******** aliens in US that will require them to be fingerprinted Fox News
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Teacher 'victim of vigilante pedophile hunters'
Teacher 'victim of vigilante pedophile hunters'
A teacher went to police after being bashed and robbed at his home, only to be charged with attempting to procure a child for sex, a court has been told.
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House GOP pushes budget resolution to passage
House GOP pushes budget resolution to passage
With a push from President Donald Trump, House Republicans sent a GOP budget blueprint to passage Tuesday, a step toward delivering his “big, beautiful bill” with $4.5 trillion in tax breaks and $2 trillion in spending cuts despite a wall of opposition from Democrats and discomfort among Republicans.
Here’s the latest:
Passage of the budget package is just one step in a longer process
Trump wants the Republicans who control Congress to approve a massive bill that would extend tax breaks, which he secured during his first term but are expiring later this year, while also cutting spending across federal programs and services.
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The next steps are long and cumbersome before anything can become law — weeks of committee hearings to draft the details and send the House version to the Senate, where Republicans passed their own scaled-back version. And more big votes are ahead, including an unrelated deal to prevent a government shutdown when federal funding expires March 14. Those talks are also underway.
Read more about the budget package
House GOP pushes ‘big’ budget resolution to passage, a crucial step toward delivering Trump’s agenda
With a push from Trump, House Republicans sent a GOP budget blueprint to passage Tuesday, a step toward delivering his “big, beautiful bill” with $4.5 trillion in tax breaks and $2 trillion in spending cuts despite a wall of opposition from Democrats and discomfort among Republicans.
House Speaker Mike Johnson had almost no votes to spare in his bare-bones GOP majority and was fighting on all fronts — against Democrats, uneasy rank-and-file Republicans and skeptical GOP senators — to advance the party’s signature legislative package. Trump was making calls to wayward GOP lawmakers and had invited Republicans to the White House.
The vote was 217-215, with all Democrats opposed, and the outcome was in jeopardy until the gavel.
“On a vote like this, you’re always going to have people you’re talking to all the way through the close of the vote,” Majority Leader Steve Scalise said before the roll call. “It’s that tight.”
Democrats highlight the impact of DOGE’s job cuts on veterans working in the federal government
Nearly 6,000 veterans have been fired across the federal government, according to data from House Democrats. The analysis found that the Department of Government Efficiency has fired about 38,000 federal employees since the start of Trump’s term.
Democratic lawmakers have spoken out in speeches and taken to social media raising alarm about fired veterans in the workplace. Republicans frequently retort that the job cuts are a necessary part of the Trump administration’s push for efficiency. Veterans comprise about 30% of the federal workforce.
Trump to suspend the security clearances of lawyers who aided in his investigation
Trump has directed federal agencies to suspend the security clearances that belong to employees of the law firm Covington & Burling who provided pro bono services to Jack Smith, the U.S. attorney who as special counsel oversaw his criminal investigations.
“Deranged Jack Smith,” Trump said before the document signing in the Oval Office.
Trump asked if this could be done to other law firms as well. Will Scharf, the White House staff secretary, responded: “We’re looking at sort of the whole panoply of options.”
As a result of Smith’s investigation, Trump was indicted for the mishandling of classified documents and his role in the events leading to the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. Both cases were dismissed. The insurrection case was dismissed after Trump won the 2024 election.
Trump reinstates rule requiring cost transparency in health care
The order requires hospitals to post online the rates for some of their most common services, from MRI scans to caesarean section deliveries. Trump has long sought to address the secrecy that often surprises patients with treatment invoices.
The president calls the transparency requirement “one of the biggest things that can happen to reducing costs in health care.”
Trump issued a similar rule during the last year of his first term in office, but President Joe Biden did little to enforce it.
Hospitals and insurers had strongly opposed the rule, and many had not complied.
“It’s been unpopular in some circles because people make less money,” Trump said during a signing event in the Oval Office. “But it’s great for the patient. It’s great for the people in our country.”
___ Correction: Trump signed an executive order reiterating a previous rule from his first administration. A previous version of this post incorrectly called the newly signed requirement a rule, not an executive order and said that Biden had rescinded the original requirement during his term.
Trump wants to offer wealthy immigrants ‘gold cards’ for $5 million
Trump wants to offer wealthy immigrants “gold cards,” offering to sell them the possibility of citizenship for $5 million.
“We’re going to be selling a gold card,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “You have a green card. This is a gold card. We’re going to be putting a price on that card of about $5 million, and that’s going to give you green card privileges, plus it’s going to be a route to citizenship.”
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick suggested the program would begin in two weeks and replace the existing EB-5 immigrant investor program. He said the immigrants would be vetted and help to reduce the budget deficit.
Trump said he expects companies will pay to get educated workers into the U.S. with gold cards and that the country could sell one million cards. The president said the card would be a path to citizenship, but people would not be buying access to citizenship.
USAID gives staffers 15 minutes to retrieve belongings — no dynamite allowed
Administration officials are giving U.S. Agency for International Development staffers 15 minutes apiece later this week to retrieve belongings from their now-closed headquarters, under guard.
The Associated Press viewed the notices sent Tuesday advising of the arrangements.
Many staffers in the agency’s Washington main building have been barred from entering for about three weeks as the administration dismantles the building. Many have asked permission to retrieve family photos, work shoes stashed in drawers and other belongings.
The notice stipulates the aid workers must pass through security screening. It lists multiple paragraphs of prohibited weapons for the trip back to the office, including firearms, dynamite, spear guns or ice picks.
Trump administration to cut federal housing agency’s frontline staff
The cuts target the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s employees who help officials and citizens navigate government housing programs, according to a document obtained by The Associated Press, and are some of the first in the Trump administration’s plan to slash the department’s workforce in half.
The affected office, Field Policy and Management, is slated to lose at least 145 — roughly 40% — of its employees by May 18, said Antonio Gaines, president of a labor union representing HUD workers. A memo from HUD Secretary Scott Turner dated Monday stated that all of the office’s positions at a certain paygrade and below “are being abolished.
The office’s employees include those handling communication at the department’s offices across the country, fielding calls from people facing eviction to mayors and congresspeople seeking help navigating grant applications. They also are in charge of communicating the administration’s agenda to local officials.
“These cuts could actually create the inverse, creating more of a bureaucracy, creating a greater delay of services and responding to inquiries,” Gaines said. HUD did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Congressional DOGE Caucus suggests fired veterans can find new jobs
Members of the Congressional DOGE Caucus spoke at a press conference outside the Capitol about how they are working in Congress to enshrine the changes spearheaded by Trump and Elon Musk.
When asked about federal employees who had been fired, Rep. Ralph Norman said, “Why are they not pleading their case?”
The South Carolina Republican said the fired employees needed to justify why they deserve a job with an average salary that tops $100,000.
And veterans? “Our heart aches,” for anyone who loses their job, said Rep. Aaron Bean, R-Fla., the caucus co-chair.
“There are other opportunities, and if anybody can overcome obstacles getting another job, it’s veterans,” Bean said.
As the lawmakers took turns at the podium, a small group of protesters and passersby interrupted, yelling insults about DOGE and Musk.
Senate Republican leader defends Musk’s efforts as a ‘scrub’ of federal government
Senate Majority Leader John Thune is defending the Trump administration’s slashing of federal workers and programs as a long-needed “scrub” of the federal government, even as he acknowledged that it was impacting GOP senators’ home states.
“I think we all understand that this government, the federal government, is long in need of the kind of scrub that is being done to figure out how we can do things better,” the Republican from South Dakota said at the Capitol, adding that senators would make the Trump administration aware if programs, such as those that impact health and safety, are at risk.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer criticized the Trump administration’s moves as haphazard.
“They’re just using a meat axe and cutting everything, including many things American families need, want and approve of,” the senator from New York said.
Social Security Administration dissolves its Office of Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity
The Social Security Administration announced that it dissolved its Office of Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity, and its employees will be put on administrative leave as of Tuesday, according to an agency statement.
Lee Dudek, Social Security’s acting commissioner, said terminating the civil rights office “advances the President’s goal to make all of government more efficient in serving the American public.”
The agency’s Office of Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity is responsible for planning and implementing programs designed to ensure equal opportunity in employment for all employees regardless of race, color, national origin, etc., according to its webpage.
SSA says it will transfer responsibility for processing civil rights complaints and reasonable accommodation requests to other agency offices “to ensure compliance with existing legal authorities.”
Democratic leader Jeffries vows to bury House GOP budget
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries declared that House Democrats would “not provide a single vote to this reckless Republican budget.”
Surrounded by colleagues on the steps of the Capitol, Jeffries said that by voting against Republicans’ agenda, Democrats were standing with the American people and would push back on the Republican budget “until it is buried deep in the ground, never to rise again.”
Decrying potential cuts to Medicaid, veterans benefits, and nutritional assistance, Jeffries called the legislation a “matter of life and death.”
White House press secreta ry shares ‘5 tasks that I completed last week’
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management shared the list of five things accomplished last week by Karoline Leavitt, who argued the task was so easy “that even the busy White House @PressSec found time to do it!”
A shared screenshot of the email lists a press briefing, a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Friday, accompanying Trump to his Saturday speech at the same conservative gathering and giving interviews on Fox News and other news outlets.
Leavitt’s email says the list of everything she completed “is much longer,” and that it took two minutes to draft.
“I am so grateful to have a job and work hard on behalf of the American taxpayers, who fund my salary,” the email reads.
Leavitt is one of three administration officials who face a lawsuit from The Associated Press on first- and fifth-amendment grounds. The AP says the three are punishing the news agency for editorial decisions they oppose. The White House says the AP is not following an executive order to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.
Department of Veterans Affairs announced another 1,400 dismissals
The firings were in what the department called “non-mission critical positions.”
The dismissals, announced Monday evening and part of the White House cost-cutting efforts, follow a first round of 1,000 VA layoffs announced Feb.13.
Those let go are probationary employees who’ve served less than two years and could include “DEI-related positions,” according to the VA announcement.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, the ranking member of the Senate VA committee, said Tuesday the dismissals will damage the VA’s ability to recruit and retain doctors and nurses.
Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, called on Republicans to help push back against the cuts.
Federal judge blocks Trump’s effort to halt the refugee admissions system
A federal judge in Seattle blocked President Donald Trump’s effort to halt the nation’s refugee admissions system Tuesday.
The ruling came in a lawsuit brought by major refugee aid groups, who argued that Trump’s executive order suspending the federal refugee resettlement program ran afoul of the system Congress created for moving refugees into the U.S.
Lawyers for the administration argued that Trump’s order was well within his authority to deny entry to foreigners whose admission to the U.S. “would be detrimental to the interests of the United States.”
The aid groups said their ability to provide critical services to refugees — including those already in the U.S. — has been severely inhibited by Trump’s order.
Some refugees who had been approved to come to the U.S. had their travel canceled on short notice, and families who have waited years to reunite have had to remain apart, the lawsuit said.
Trump’s recent order said the refugee program — a form of legal migration to the U.S. — would be suspended because cities and communities had been taxed by “record levels of migration” and didn’t have the ability to “absorb large numbers of migrants, and in particular, refugees.”
The federal refugee program has been in place for decades and helps people who have escaped war, natural disaster or persecution.
Judge gives the White House less than two days to release billions in foreign aid
U.S. District Judge Amir H. Ali said Tuesday that the administration had given no sign of complying with his nearly two-week-old order to ease its funding freeze.
Ali ruled in a federal lawsuit filed by nonprofit organizations over the cutoff of foreign assistance through the U.S. Agency for International Development and State Department.
The cutoff followed a Jan. 20 executive order by Trump targeting what he portrayed as wasteful programs that do not correspond to his foreign policy goals.
Nonprofit groups who receive federal grant money for work abroad said the freeze breaks federal law and has shut down funding for even the most urgent life-saving programs abroad. USAID and State partners say the administration has stiffed them on billions of dollars in money already owed.
It’s the second time a judge has found the Trump administration did not follow a court order. A federal judge in Rhode Island ruled this month that the administration had not fully unfrozen federal grants and loans within the U.S., even after he blocked sweeping plans for a pause on trillions of dollars in government spending.
How many workers have responded to Musk’s call to list their accomplishments?
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday that more than 1 million federal workers had responded to Elon Musk’s request for a list of five things they accomplished the previous week.
That’s less than half of the total government workforce.
Musk had originally said employees would be fired if they didn’t comply, although the Office of Personnel Management later said it was voluntary.
White House abandons the way news organizations have long covered the presidency
“Moving forward, the White House press pool will be determined by the White House press team,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said during a briefing from the press room Tuesday. For decades, that responsibility had been held by the White House Correspondents’ Association.
The action stems from developments in a lawsuit filed by The Associated Press last week, a challenge to the White House’s banning of the news organization from Oval Office briefings and from the wire-service seat on Air Force One.
“We will add outlets to the print pool rotation who have long been denied,” Leavitt said, and continue to rotate a radio pool reporter and local hosts “who serve as the heartbeat of the country.” Leavitt promised reporters would be able to “ask substantive questions of the president of the United States.”
“This administration is shaking up Washington in more ways than one,” she added. “A select group of DC-based journalists should no longer have a monopoly of press access at the White House.”
Senate confirms Dan Driscoll as Army secretary, putting an Iraq War vet at the helm
Driscoll, 38, of North Carolina, had served as an adviser to Vice President JD Vance, whom he met when both were attending Yale Law School. He served in the Army for less than four years and left at the rank of first lieutenant.
During his Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing, Driscoll noted that his father and grandfather served in the Army and he vowed to be a secretary focused on the needs of soldiers.
“We are a family that is grateful to have had the privilege of wearing the uniform of the United States Army,” he said during the hearing. “We are a family that understands the gravity of leading soldiers in and out of combat.”
Driscoll, who was confirmed in a 66-28 vote Tuesday, takes over an Army that has been moving steadily to overcome recruiting shortfalls through a sweeping overhaul of its programs and staffing, while also revamping and modernizing its weapons systems.
Read more about the new Army secretary
Fired VA cybersecurity leader warns of potential for compromised data
Actions taken by the Department of Government Efficiency could cause sensitive Veterans Affairs financial and health data to be compromised, warned Jonathan Kamens, who used to lead cybersecurity for the VA’s flagship website
“Given how the government has been functioning for the last month, I don’t think the people at VA … are going to be able to replace me,” Kamens told The Associated Press. “The security posture of the site is going to degrade. And eventually I think there will be a security incident resulting from the lack of adequate security oversight.”
Kamens oversaw cybersecurity for VA.gov and was fired this month. He said he’s concerned DOGE could start “digging around inside private VA databases that contain people’s private information.”
“I don’t think they should have access,” Kamens said. “These are people who have never been background-checked.”
Johnson isn’t sure he has enough votes to pass what Trump calls a ‘big, beautiful’ budget bill
“There may be a vote tonight, there may not be,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said at the Capitol.
With an extremely slim House majority, the speaker can only afford to lose about a single vote in the face of stiff Democratic opposition.
Votes are set for the evening, but at a morning meeting Johnson was hearing it from all sides – uneasy GOP lawmakers worried about steep cuts and budget hawks who want even more reductions to reduce the nation’s debt load.
“We’re working right now to get everybody on board,” Johnson said. “Everybody wants to be on this train, and not in front of it.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt is dismissive of the mass DOGE resignations
“Anyone who thinks protests, lawsuits, and lawfare will deter President Trump must have been sleeping under a rock for the past several years,” Leavitt said in a statement. “President Trump will not be deterred from delivering on the promises he made to make our federal government more efficient and more accountable to the hardworking American taxpayers.”
The head of the IRS is resigning
IRS Acting Commissioner Douglas O’Donnell will retire from the agency after roughly 40 years of service, according to a person familiar with his plans, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to lack to authorization. His last day is Friday.
O’Donnell will be replaced by Melanie Krause — who has worked at the IRS since 2021, having come from the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, according to her LinkedIn account.
In January, former IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel stepped down from his position, though his term was not scheduled to end until 2027.
The turnover of officials at the IRS comes as the agency has laid off roughly 7,000 probationary employees with one year or less of service at the agency and largely includes workers in the compliance department. The cuts are one of the largest purges of probationary workers this year across the government.
O’Donnell’s resignation also comes as furor spread last week over Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency was said to gain access to IRS taxpayer data, though the person said Treasury and the White House have agreed to restrict DOGE access to sensitive data at the IRS.
— By Fatima Hussein
Trump greets the first official White House tour of the year
The president stood behind a roped-off area in a White House hallway Tuesday, saying, “I heard you were here and I said, ‘Let’s stop by and say hello.’”
He also called the visitors “a very smart-looking group of people.”
“Maybe you’ll be here some day as president,” Trump said. “Somebody in this group has a chance.”
The crowd chanted, “USA, USA,” as Trump turned to depart.
Johnson tries to push Trump’s ‘big’ agenda forward, but GOP votes are in jeopardy
The House speaker will try against the odds to muscle a Republican budget blueprint to passage this week, a step toward delivering Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” with $4.5 trillion in tax breaks and $2 trillion in spending cuts over stiff opposition from Democrats — and even some Republicans.
With almost no votes to spare in Johnson’s bare-bones GOP majority, the speaker is fighting on all fronts — against Democrats, uneasy rank-and-file Republicans and skeptical GOP senators — as he works to keep the package on track. Votes set for Tuesday evening are in jeopardy, and the outcome is uncertain.
The package, if approved, would be a crucial part of the budget process as Trump pushes the Republicans who control Congress to approve a massive bill that would extend tax breaks, which he secured during his first term but are expiring later this year, while also cutting spending across federal programs and services.
Read more about Johnson’s efforts to pass the spending bill
Apple shareholders reject a proposal to scrap the company’s diversity programs
The shareholder vote rebuffed an attempt to pressure the technology trendsetter into joining President Trump’s push to scrub corporate programs designed to diversify its workforce.
The proposal drafted by the National Center for Public Policy Research — a self-described conservative think tank — urged Apple to follow a litany of high-profile companies that have retreated from diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives currently in the Trump administration’s crosshairs.
After a brief presentation about the anti-DEI proposal, Apple announced shareholders had rejected it without disclosing the vote tally. The preliminary results will be outlined in a regulatory later Tuesday.
Read more about Apple’s shareholder vote on DEI
Speaker Mike Johnson doubles down on DOGE cuts to government
House Speaker Mike Johnson dismissed the town hall attacks against GOP lawmakers this past week as coordinated complaints by those opposed to President Donald Trump’s agenda.
The Republican says he’s excited that Musk is able to step in for Congress to slash government.
“You ought to be standing up and applauding,” Johnson said at his weekly press conference, “and we all do.”
21 federal technology staffers resign rather than help Musk slash government
More than 20 civil service employees resigned Tuesday from billionaire Trump adviser Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, saying they were refusing to use their technical expertise to “dismantle critical public services.”
“We swore to serve the American people and uphold our oath to the Constitution across presidential administrations,” the 21 staffers wrote in a joint resignation letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press. “However, it has become clear that we can no longer honor those commitments.”
The employees also warned that many of those enlisted by Musk to help him slash the size of the federal government under President Donald Trump’s administration were political ideologues who did not have the necessary skills or experience for the task ahead of them.
The mass resignation of engineers, data scientists and product managers is a temporary setback for Musk and the Republican president’s tech-driven purge of the federal workforce. It comes amid a flurry of court challenges that have sought to stall, stop or unwind their efforts to fire or coerce thousands of government workers out of jobs.
The staffers who resigned worked for what was once known as the United States Digital Service, an office established during President Barack Obama’s administration after the botched rollout of Healthcare.gov, the web portal that millions of Americans use to sign up for insurance plans through the Democrat’s signature health care law.
New York’s governor wants to hire federal workers fired by DOGE
Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday welcomed recently laid-off federal workers to apply for state jobs using an online portal.
“The federal government might say, ‘You’re fired,’ but here in New York, we say, ‘You’re hired.’ In fact, we love federal workers,” Hochul said in a videotaped statement.
Job cuts in the federal government have been coordinated by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency under the stated goal of slashing government bureaucracy. There’s no official tally of the total number of firings.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is heading to the US base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
He’s making the trip Tuesday to get a first-hand look at the new migrant center.
The base is being used as a temporary detention facility for immigrants who’ve illegally entered the U.S. and are waiting to return to their home country or other destination.
Hegseth, who was assigned to Guantanamo Bay when he was on active duty, has called it a “perfect place” to house them.
He’s expected to meet with U.S. troops deployed to the base to help with preparations and security at the center. And he also plans to see sailors on the USS Thomas Hudner, a Navy destroyer that’s docked there.
The Navy base is known for holding a number of suspects captured after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. The U.S. has been flying immigrants to Guantanamo since early February, where they’re kept in low-security tent facilities.
Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan defends the company’s efforts to diversity its workforce
Though he avoided the “DEI” label Tuesday that’s come under attack from President Trump and many of his appointees.
“We have a very diverse company in terms of representation from all economic stratas, all races, all ethnicities,” Moynihan said during an interview at the Economic Club of Washington with David Rubenstein, a co-founder of the private equity firm Carlyle Group. “Once they get in, the opportunity is there of a lifetime.”
Bank of America has hired 30,000 people from low- and moderate-income communities in the past decade, Moynihan said.
Many large companies have come under pressure to dismantle their diversity, equity and inclusion programs, with Apple being the latest example as a conservative think tank has pressured it to drop its DEI efforts. Apple shareholders are expected, however, on Tuesday to vote in favor of keeping the programs.
Trump’s pick for budget office deputy director has anti-abortion history
Dan Bishop, Trump’s pick for deputy director of the office of management and budget and whose confirmation hearing is Tuesday, would help the office’s director make funding decisions related to federal reproductive health programs.
This includes funding for the family planning program Title X, the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program, the United Nations’ ******* and reproductive health agency and for typically religiously affiliated anti-abortion centers often referred to as crisis pregnancy centers.
Bishop has long been a vocal opponent of abortion rights and, as a member of the North Carolina General Assembly, has supported legislation banning nearly all abortions with no exceptions in the case of ***** or *******. During his time as a U.S. representative from North Carolina from 2019 to 2025, he consistently voted in favor of abortion restrictions, including cosponsoring a bill that would have granted constitutional protection to embryos nationwide.
*** to raise defense spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, Starmer says two days before Trump meeting
In making the pledge Tuesday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Europe is in a new era of insecurity that requires a “generational response.”
The announcement comes two days before Starmer is due at the White House to try to persuade U.S. President Donald Trump to maintain American support for Ukraine and the NATO alliance.
“We must stand by Ukraine, because if we do not achieve a lasting peace, then the economic instability and threats to our security, they will only grow,” Starmer told lawmakers in the House of Commons.
Read more about Britain’s defense spending
The FBI’s new deputy director is a popular podcaster — who has had plenty to say about the agency
The popular right-wing podcaster Dan Bongino has built a career of unleashing sometimes inflammatory rants against the media, Democrats and the federal government.
Now, the 50-year-old former New York police officer and U.S. Secret Service agent will return to the government he has so often criticized as Trump’s selection for deputy FBI director. He said Monday he’ll soon leave his daily show to take on the new role.
Bongino, who will serve under FBI Director Kash Patel, does not have any experience at the premier federal law enforcement agency. Nonetheless, he has strong opinions about how it should be run.
A sampling of Bongino’s podcast commentary from the past year reveals he’s a loyalist to Patel and wants to see sweeping changes, from clearing the bureau of anyone he views as inappropriately political to redirecting investigations away from domestic extremism.
Read more about how Bongino views the FBI, in his own words
Nearly 40% of contracts canceled by Musk’s DOGE are expected to produce no savings
That’s according to the Trump administration’s own data.
The Department of Government Efficiency, run by Trump adviser Elon Musk, last week published an initial list of 1,125 contracts it terminated in recent weeks across the federal government. Data published on DOGE’s “Wall of Receipts” shows more than one-third of the contract cancellations, 417 in all, are expected to yield no savings.
That’s usually because the total value of the contracts has already been fully obligated, which means the government has a legal requirement to spend the funds for the goods or services it purchased and in many cases has already done so.
“It’s like confiscating used ammunition after it’s been shot when there’s nothing left in it. It doesn’t accomplish any policy objective,” said Charles Tiefer, a retired University of Baltimore law professor and expert on government contracting law. “Their terminating so many contracts pointlessly obviously doesn’t accomplish anything for saving money.”
Read more about contracts canceled by DOGE
FDA moves to rehire medical device, food safety and other staffers fired days earlier
Barely a week after mass firings at the Food and Drug Administration, some probationary staffers received unexpected news over the weekend: The government wants them back.
The reversal is the latest example of Trump and Musk’s chaotic approach to cost-cutting, which has resulted in several agencies firing, and then scrambling to rehire, employees responsible for nuclear weapons, national parks and other government services.
The FDA reinstatements followed pushback by lobbyists for the medical device industry, which pays the agency hundreds of millions of dollars annually to hire extra scientists to review products. The industry’s leading trade group said Monday “a sizable number” of device reviewers appear to be returning to FDA.
Read more about the rehiring of employees at the FDA
Federal workers return to offices
Federal employees across the country, many of whom have worked from home since the COVID-19 pandemic, were back at agency offices Monday under President Donald Trump’s return-to-office mandate.
Musk, meanwhile, who is scouring government agencies for suspected waste, delivered a warning Monday to workers on his platform X.
“Starting this week, those who still fail to return to office will be placed on administrative leave,” Musk wrote.
However, it appears at least some federal agencies are not prepared for all remote workers to return to the office.
In an email to U.S. Department of Education Federal Student Aid employees on Friday obtained by The Associated Press, agency officials noted that some regional offices in Boston, Chicago, New York and San Francisco were not ready for workers to return. The message also noted that employees who live more than 50 miles from regional offices in some major cities would not be required to return to the office Monday.
The email also noted that while some workers would begin reporting to offices Monday, others would begin relocating back to offices in phases through April and beyond.
Read more about the federal worker return to office mandate
Trump backs Musk as he roils the federal workforce with demands and threats
Trump is backing Elon Musk’s demand that federal employees explain their recent accomplishments by the end of Monday or risk getting fired, even as government agency officials were told that compliance with Musk’s edict was voluntary.
The Republican president said Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency has found “hundreds of billions of dollars in fraud” as he suggested that federal paychecks are going to nonexistent employees. He did not present evidence for his claims.
Even as Trump and Musk pressed their case, the Office of Personnel Management informed agency leaders that their workers were not required to respond by the deadline of 11:59 p.m. EST Monday, according to a person with knowledge of the conversation who requested anonymity to discuss internal matters.
The conflicting directives led to varying advice for federal employees, depending on where they work. Some were told to answer the request for a list of five things that they did last week, others were informed it was optional, and others were directed not to answer at all.
Read more about Musk’s demand for federal employees
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Alternative meat startups in Singapore target resurgence
Alternative meat startups in Singapore target resurgence
This photograph on April 21, 2021 shows staff members preparing plant-based food samples during the launch of ADM’s Plant-based Innovation Lab in Singapore. – From faux-chicken satay to imitation beef rendang, a high-tech Singapore laboratory is replicating popular Asian dishes with plant-based meat alternatives to feed the region’s growing appetite for sustainable food. (Photo by Roslan RAHMAN / AFP) (Photo by ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Roslan Rahman | Afp | Getty Images
After a spike in popularity during the pandemic era, hype — and funding — for startups developing meat alternatives has waned. But some Singaporean food-tech ventures are hoping innovations in cell culturing and microbial fermentation could be about to turn things around.
Factory-made proteins using animal, fungi or plant extracts trended during the Covid-19 years as a new way to eat sustainably. Meat and dairy currently account for around one-seventh of global greenhouse gas output, the United Nations estimates.
Singapore, which imports most of its produce due to land scarcity, went big on the sector with generous funding for research and commercialization as it looked to boost food security.
“There are very few places in the world … with such a fusion of cultures, for real market testing with a range of consumers of different backgrounds,” said Mihir Pershad, chief executive of Umami Bioworks, a local startup for cultivated seafood. Unlike plant-based proteins, cultivated products are lab-grown from animal cells.
The firm, founded in 2020, has expanded its operations, launching offshoots in the U.S. and Japan. It entered the United Kingdom last year and announced a new caviar product using sturgeon cells and plant ingredients in January.
Singapore consumers are still likely to be the first to taste an Umami Bioworks dish, however, as the firm seeks regulatory approval in Singapore. Umami Bioworks is looking to sell cultivated unagi – freshwater eel commonly grilled – this year, pending such regulatory checks and “if all goes well,” Pershad said.
Singapore was the first country to permit the ***** of lab-grown meat products in 2020, with Israel and the United States following later. The United Kingdom has approved such products for use in **** food.
Alternative protein research in Singapore has also been expanding. A Jeff Bezos-funded center opened at the National University of Singapore in September, and last year state investor Temasek, via subsidiary Nurasa, unveiled new lab and test kitchen facilities to support growing startups.
A battered ecosystem
Recent progress cannot mask the troubles that weigh on the alternative proteins industry, however. Despite the fanfare, sales have lagged expectations due to high prices and few repeat buyers.
The sector raised $1.1 billion globally in 2024, down from 2023’s $1.5 billion, according to industry group Good Food Institute.
American firm Eat Just’s plans for a cultivated meat plant in Singapore are on hold, with the firm’s plans for a separate plant-based egg factory being canned. An upscale concept store by Hong Kong plant-based retailer Green Monday, meanwhile, closed in 2023. Few new players have emerged since then, while some existing startups downscaling or merging with others.
The challenges have spurred soul-searching within the industry. For Anli Geng, co-founder of Singapore venture Mycosortia, driving down production costs is key.
Mycosortia uses microbial fermentation to transform okara – a byproduct from making tofu – into a protein and fiber-rich powder. The firm is also aiming to develop a solid fermentation process that bypasses the need for advanced and expensive bioreactors.
“Although research on okara is a very crowded area, there are always opportunities for innovation,” Geng said, adding that the industry is now looking to share facilities to further cut costs.
The firm, based at Singapore Polytechnic, has used its product FibProt to make fish, mayonnaise and cheese analogs. Geng also reported high interest from food companies in its latest attempt to create a cocoa powder substitute.
Elsewhere, alternative protein firms seeking market breakthroughs have been diversifying their offerings to include pharmaceuticals, dyes and **** food that can be made with the same ingredients.
Some believe in a return to simpler plant-based foods. Relative newbie to the scene Jungle Kitchen, launched in Singapore in 2023, uses Sri Lankan jackfruit as a vegan ****** substitute, while the seeds go into a masala stew. Another Jungle Kitchen product using Indonesian tempeh – traditional fermented soy cakes – will be available soon.
“We’ve seen a lot more engagement from customers looking for minimally processed, clean-label alternatives to conventional meat substitute,” said co-founder Surekha Yadav, adding that the firm was launched “almost as an intentional response” to the *****-bust experience of the alternative proteins industry. Jungle Kitchen products are available in Singapore, the United States and Saudi Arabia.
“In terms of alternative proteins, we believe that the future needs to look a lot like the past,” Yadav added.
Recovery in sight?
The latest fundraising figures offer some hope. Venture capitalist AgFunder reported that Asia-Pacific investments for innovative foods – including plant-based proteins and cultured meat – rose 85% to $204 million in 2024.
But raising cash remains a challenge for some, with investors anxious about startups courting enough customers for healthy returns, Pershad said. He added that Singapore fares well as a testbed but lags as a final market with under six million residents.
He believes working with larger food companies can boost market access, but regulations for cultivated meat present another roadblock.
“There has been hope that you would have three, four or five countries with frameworks and approvals by now, but we still don’t,” Pershad said.
Both governments and private investors will need to massively step up financing to help alternative proteins scale, according to Mirte Gosker, managing director of the Good Food Institute Asia Pacific.
“Unlike renewables and other climate technologies, alternative proteins are not yet benefitting from the kind of massive government investments and green-financing schemes that have enabled clean-energy startups to bridge the Valley of Death and migrate from the lab bench to industrial-scale manufacturing,” Gosker said.
Singapore’s success in the space will continue to hinge on its role as innovation partner and matchmaker, Gosker said, noting that nearby countries have referenced the city state’s work on regulations for their own efforts.
A standardized regional rulebook, she said, will help startups launch products in multiple markets at once – a feat few have been able to achieve.
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Trump blocked from imposing sweeping federal funding freeze – Reuters
Trump blocked from imposing sweeping federal funding freeze – Reuters
Trump blocked from imposing sweeping federal funding freeze ReutersFor Trump, 3 court losses in 90 minutes CNNTrump administration, DOGE hit roadblocks in three court cases CNBCJudge bars Trump administration from reinstating government-wide funding freeze WUSA9.comTrump loses in court three times – on USAID, refugees and frozen funds – within 90 minutes The Independent
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‘Dearly missed’: Michael Hill boss Daniel Bracken dies suddenly
‘Dearly missed’: Michael Hill boss Daniel Bracken dies suddenly
Jewellery retailer Michael Hill has announced the sudden death of its chief executive, Daniel Bracken.
In a brief statement issued to the *********** Securities Exchange on Wednesday, the company said Mr Bracken died as a result of an adverse reaction to medical treatment for an underlying condition.
“The board, executive and all of the Michael Hill team express their deepest and sincerest condolences to his family and friends,” it said.
“On behalf of the board, we thank Daniel for his outstanding leadership and dedication to the Michael Hill Group and our people over the past 7 years. He will be dearly missed.
“Daniel was a passionate retailer, an innovative and strategic thinker and an inspiring leader, who transformed the Michael Hill group into the company that it is today.”
More to come
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After trade dispute, Mexico officially bans the planting of GM corn
After trade dispute, Mexico officially bans the planting of GM corn
By Adriana Barrera
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexico’s lower house of Congress on Tuesday approved a constitutional reform to ban the planting of genetically modified (GM) corn, a move that could lead to more tension with the United States after the resolution of a trade dispute, analysts said.
The initiative by President Claudia Sheinbaum comes after a trade-dispute panel ruled in December that Mexico’s restrictions on GM corn, mostly imported from the United States, violate the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
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As a result of the USMCA panel ruling, Mexico repealed its import restrictions on GM corn for human, livestock and industrial uses.
Mexico, the birthplace of modern corn, had already prohibited the commercial planting of GM corn strains, arguing they will contaminate native strains of the grain, but Sheinbaum pledged to officially prohibit the planting of GM corn within its territory via the Constitution.
With Sheinbaum’s reform approved with 409 votes in favor and 69 against, native corn is branded as an “element of national identity” and GM corn is officially banned from being planted in Mexico.
“Any other use of genetically modified corn must be evaluated … to be free of threats to the biosecurity, health and biocultural heritage of Mexico and its population,” the text of the reform states.
The reform will now go to the Senate for final approval.
Mexico buys about $5 billion of U.S. GM corn each year, mostly for livestock feed.
Some analysts said the reform could spark a new controversy with the U.S. because it also refers to the use of GM corn, and not just the planting of the grain.
The Agricultural Markets Consulting Group (GCMA), a major consultancy in Mexico said the government’s decision to strengthen its position against GM corn generates “uncertainty” in the relationship with the United States, its primary source of yellow corn imports, which are mainly dedicated to livestock feed.
“Following the adverse ruling by the USMCA dispute panel, the insistence on these restrictions is likely to trigger retaliatory measures by the US government,” GCMA said in a recent report.
(Reporting by Adriana Barrera; Writing by Cassandra Garrison; Editing by Sandra Maler)
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Sean McVay: The Rams want Matthew Stafford to continue as their quarterback – NBC Sports
Sean McVay: The Rams want Matthew Stafford to continue as their quarterback – NBC Sports
Sean McVay: The Rams want Matthew Stafford to continue as their quarterback NBC SportsReason for Rams to Trade Matthew Stafford Revealed Yahoo SportsGiants Won’t Move No. 3 Pick For Matthew Stafford; Rams Unwilling To Meet $50MM Asking Price? profootballrumors.comSmokescreen or Real Hype: Latest NFL Rumors Heading into 2025 Scouting Combine Week Bleacher ReportMatthew Stafford’s L.A. Future, the $40M Backup Plan, and a “Tush Push” Ban?! The Ringer
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Labor’s decision not to deliver infrastructure fund leaves future of racing in the air according to Alan Smith
Labor’s decision not to deliver infrastructure fund leaves future of racing in the air according to Alan Smith
Albany Racing Club has lashed a decision by Labor to not deliver a critical infrastructure fund, worth up to $30 million, that is essential in shoring up the long-term future of clubs around WA.
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What’s Next for Bitcoin After Cryptocurrency Falls Below $90K? Key Levels to Watch
What’s Next for Bitcoin After Cryptocurrency Falls Below $90K? Key Levels to Watch
Source: TradingView.com
Bitcoin plunged below $90,000 to a three-month low on Tuesday, continuing a slide from its record high set last month, as economic uncertainty weighs on investor sentiment.
The cryptocurrency broke down below the neckline of a double top pattern on above-average volume in Tuesday’s trading session to confirm the formation.
Investors should watch crucial support levels on bitcoin’s chart around $80,400 and $74,000, while also monitoring key resistance levels near $98,500 and $106,000.
Bitcoin (BTCUSD) plunged below $90,000 today, continuing a slide from its record high set last month, as economic uncertainty weighs on investor sentiment.
Bitcoin’s price, which fell below $86,000 earlier in the day before recovering back around $89,000 recently, came under pressure from news that the Trump administration’s tariffs on Mexico and Canada will go ahead as planned. Investors typically view tariffs as inflationary, which could scuttle possible interest rate cuts this year, a move that would weigh on non-yielding risk-on assets like bitcoin.
Looking ahead, March is historically a mixed month for Bitcoin, with the cryptocurrency having logged an even amount of positive and negative returns for the month between 2013 and last year, according to data from crypto analytics site Coinglass. Bitcoin has slipped 5% since the start of the year, but is still up about 25% since the U.S. presidential election, amid hopes that the Trump White House and a crypto-supportive Congress will adopt policies that support the asset class.
Below, we take a closer look at bitcoin’s chart and use technical analysis to identify crucial price levels worth watching out for.
Since forming two distinct peaks between December and January, bitcoin’s price has continued to trend lower, creating a textbook double top pattern in the process. Moreover, a decisive breakdown below the neckline on above-average volume in Tuesday’s trading session confirms the formation.
It’s also worth pointing out that as the cryptocurrency made a slightly higher high last month, the relative strength index (RSI) forged a comparatively shallower peak to signal a bearish divergence, a technical occurrence indicating weakening price momentum.
However, recent selling has also pushed the RSI indicator into oversold territory, raising the possibility of near-term upswings.
Let’s identify several crucial support and resistance levels on bitcoin’s chart that investors may be watching.
Further selling below the double top’s neckline could initially see a move down to the $80,400 level. This area on the chart may provide support near the 200-day moving average (MA) and the closing and opening prices of two key bars that formed during an impulsive move higher in mid-November.
Story Continues
The next crucial support level to watch sits around $74,000. Investors could view this region as a buying opportunity, given its proximity to a horizontal line that links multiple prominent peaks on the chart between March and October last year.
A recovery above the double top’s neckline could see the cryptocurrency’s price climb to the $98,500 level, a location that may provide overhead resistance near the respected 50-day MA, which currently aligns with a series of similar trading levels on the chart stretching back to late November.
Finally, a close above this area could lead to a retest of the $106,000 level. Investors who have averaged down may look to take profits here near the double top pattern’s two peaks.
The comments, opinions, and analyses expressed on Investopedia are for informational purposes only. Read our warranty and liability disclaimer for more info.
As of the date this article was written, the author does not own any of the above securities.
Read the original article on Investopedia
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Trump says US will sell $5 million ‘gold card’ to wealthy foreigners – CNN
Trump says US will sell $5 million ‘gold card’ to wealthy foreigners – CNN
Trump says US will sell $5 million ‘gold card’ to wealthy foreigners CNNDonald Trump announces ‘gold card’ US visas to replace EB-5 visa: What it means for India? MintTrump Plans ‘Gold Card’ Alternative to Green Cards for ‘High Level People’ The New York TimesTrump: Russian oligarchs eligible for $5 million residency ‘gold cards’ FRANCE 24 English
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Five takeaways from Canada’s Liberal leadership debates
Five takeaways from Canada’s Liberal leadership debates
Nadine Yousif
BBC News, Toronto
Getty Images
Candidates from left to right: Karina Gould, Frank Baylis, Chrystia Freeland and Mark Carney
After back-to-back debates in both English and French, the candidates to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as leader of the Liberal Party in Canada have made their case to voters.
Card-holding Liberals will now choose between former governor of the banks of Canada and England Mark Carney, former finance minister Chrystia Freeland, House government leader Karina Gould and businessman and former MP Frank Baylis.
Whoever wins the vote on 9 March will become Canada’s next prime minister and will lead the Liberals in the forthcoming general election, which must be held on or before 20 October of this year.
A big focus of the debates has been how Canada should respond to US President Donald Trump, who has threatened steep tariffs on America’s northern neighbour and has suggested that Canada become the “51st state.”
Here are five big takeaways from the two Liberal leadership debates.
The Trump Factor
How Canada should respond to what many have dubbed an “existential threat” from US President Donald Trump has unsurprisingly dominated the agenda at both debates.
Trump has said he plans to impose a 25% tariff on all ********* exports, with the exception of energy that would be tariffed at a lower 10% – a move that economists say would be devastating for Canada while increasing prices for Americans.
He has also repeatedly proposed that the US should annex Canada, which has been met with alarm and anger from large swathes of the ********* population.
Freeland, a former top minister who served during Trump’s first term, positioned herself as an experienced negotiator who has fought – and won – against the US president and his previous tariffs.
But Carney warned that the Trump of today was not the Trump of the past. “He is more isolationist. He is more aggressive,” Carney said. “In the past he wanted our markets. Now he wants our country.”
Gould, the youngest candidate, suggested that Canada should “put everything on the table” to protect its sovereignty, and that the federal government should help businesses diversify their portfolios to depend less on the US.
Baylis, meanwhile, said Canada needed to forge closer economic ties with the ***, New Zealand and Australia, saying all four were like-minded countries with shared values, culture, and government systems.
Watch: ‘I’d be ******* if I was *********’ – Trump supporters on 51st state jibe
How Canada can fix its economy
Trump’s threats are made more alarming by Canada’s current economic situation.
The country’s GDP has shrunk in the past year, along with the value of the ********* dollar, and Canadians have voiced frustrations over the stubborn high cost of living.
Carney – an economist by trade – focused much of his messaging on this issue. He promised a plan that would balance Canada’s operational budget in three years and proposed that Canada rethink the way it spends its money.
But he has also noted his support for key Liberal programmes, like affordable childcare and dental care.
As the former finance minister, Freeland defended her track record, saying the country’s finances were still “very strong”. She added that Canada should capitalise on the surge of patriotism in the face of Trump’s threats, using that momentum to support ********* industries and promote job growth.
Baylis drew on his expertise as a businessman to say that Canada should work on building its productivity.
Gould, on the other hand, said the Liberal Party should be “realistic with Canadians” and that balancing the budget in three years was not possible without significant cuts, which she did not support. She said Canada should instead focus on “modernising its social safety net” to help those who are struggling.
“We are facing extreme threats from the US, so we have to be able to invest in our people and in our businesses to protect them,” Gould said.
Defeating Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre
The four candidates were debating with each other but they often presented a united front against their shared opponent, Conservative party leader Pierre Poilievre, whose party is favoured in the polls as the most likely to form Canada’s next government.
Liberal leadership hopefuls threw several jabs at Poilievre throughout the debate. Gould called him “our little version of Trump here at home” while Freeland said Poilievre was looking to “imitate” Trump.
Carney criticised Poilievre as “irresponsible” and added that Canada could “not afford” to have him as prime minister.
Poilievre, who has enjoyed a sizable lead in the polls ahead of an unpopular Trudeau, has had to pivot his pitch to Canadians since Trudeau’s resignation.
His message changed from criticising the sitting prime minister for leading a “broken” Canada to putting “Canada First” in the face of threats from the US. He has also shifted his focus to attacking Carney, who is favoured to win the Liberal leadership race.
Poilievre is still polling ahead nationally, but some polls suggest that the lead between him and the Liberals has shrunk since Trudeau’s exit.
Getty Images
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has been leading in the national polls
Supporting Ukraine and Nato
Responding to shifting US policy on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, all four candidates affirmed their commitment to continuing Canada’s support for Ukraine.
All of them also backed the need for Canada to hit its 2% military spending target as set out in its commitments to the Nato alliance, though they disagreed on the timeline and how to get there.
Freeland said Canada should hit the target by 2027, and should do so by investing in the “next generation of warfare”. Baylis and Carney have said their plan would be for Canada to reach that target by 2030.
Both Freeland and Carney said Canada needed to invest that money into ********* military ventures instead of into the US.
Freeland noted that Canada should reduce its reliance on the US, and should look to work with the EU and other Nato partners on security assurances.
A rethink of the consumer tax on carbon
A tax on carbon for consumers and businesses has been the cornerstone of the Trudeau government’s policy on climate change.
But that tax has proven to be unpopular with Canadians, forcing Carney and Freeland to promise that they would ditch the policy.
Carney, a former UN special envoy on climate action and finance, has long been a proponent of the carbon tax. In the debates, however, he acknowledged the tax on consumers had become divisive, and said he would instead focus on taxing big polluters and growing clean energy projects in Canada.
Freeland, who resigned from Trudeau’s government because of disagreements with the prime minister on spending, said that history would judge his climate action favourably despite his policies’ unpopularity. But she, too, vowed to scrap the carbon tax.
“Democracy is about listening to people, and Canadians were very clear with us that they did not think that policy worked for them,” she said.
Gould and Baylis, on the other hand, said they would keep some version of the consumer tax on carbon in place, saying that fighting climate change comes with a price.
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Matildas focused on beating Colombia rather than ‘very disappointing’ comments from radio presenter
Matildas focused on beating Colombia rather than ‘very disappointing’ comments from radio presenter
The Matildas aren’t being distracted from their task of beating Colombia despite “over the edge” comments made by a leading radio presenter.
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Man falls to his death after being confronted by ‘paedophile hunters’
Man falls to his death after being confronted by ‘paedophile hunters’
A man who fell to his death on a motorway had been confronted by so-called “paedophile hunters” the day before.
Adrian Smith, who was in his 40s, was found dead on the M4 hours after being released without charge by police.
An “online child protection team” sting operation confronted Smith on Friday evening, live-streaming the interaction.
Somerset and Avon Police officers later arrived at the scene and arrested him.
On Saturday, having been released without being charged, he was seen falling from a height onto the M4 at about 6.40pm.
His death is being treated as non-suspicious.
The force has made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC), as the death occurred following police contact.
Police ask public not to speculate
A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police said: “We are grateful to members of the public who have come forward with information following the death of a man on the M4 motorway on Saturday…
“We understand this incident may be distressing for some people and we urge you to seek support should you need it.”
They added: “We would ask people not to speculate during this time and to respect the family’s privacy.”
In posts on Facebook, the groups involved in the sting asked for people to “allow his family to grieve in a respectful manner”.
An IOPC spokesman said: “We can confirm we have received a referral from Avon and Somerset Police in connection with a man’s death on Saturday evening.
“We will be assessing the referral to decide whether any investigation by the IOPC is required.”
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State of emergency declared after blackout plunges most of Chile into darkness – CNN
State of emergency declared after blackout plunges most of Chile into darkness – CNN
State of emergency declared after blackout plunges most of Chile into darkness CNNChile power outage plunges capital into darkness, hits major copper mines Reuters CanadaChile Declares Curfew as Power Outage Sweeps Across Country The New York TimesChile power outage leaves millions without electricity BBC.comChile Emerging From Huge Blackout That Left Millions in the Dark Bloomberg
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US House narrowly passes Trump-backed spending bill
US House narrowly passes Trump-backed spending bill
Republicans in the US House of Representatives narrowly passed a multi-trillion dollar government spending bill on Tuesday, a major boost for President Donald Trump that advances his 2025 agenda.
The 217-215 vote was seen as a key early test for Republican House speaker Mike Johnson, who cancelled an earlier vote as it appeared he did not have enough support.
Several Republicans wanted more fiscal discipline from a budget that includes $4.5 trillion in tax cuts, funded partially by spending cuts but also by potentially increasing the US government’s substantial debt pile.
But the bill eventually passed along party lines, with all Democrats voting against and just one Republican opposing it.
That Republican was Thomas Massie of Kentucky, a prominent fiscal hawk who wanted deeper spending cuts. One Democrat did not vote.
The House budget seeks $2 trillion in spending cuts over the next 10 years to pay for President Trump’s agenda. It includes more than $100bn in new spending on immigration enforcement and the military.
It would also extend tax breaks passed during his first term in office, which are due to expire at the end of the year.
However there are still a number of steps the spending plan must go through in order to become law.
The budget will have to be merged with a separate budget which is under consideration by the US Senate, in a process called reconciliation.
And even if both chambers ultimately agree on a spending plan, many finer details will need to be negotiated before it can be sent to President Trump’s desk to be signed.
House Republican leaders initially delayed Tuesday’s vote when it was unclear whether they would have enough support to pass the measure.
Speaker Johnson and the second most senior House Republican, Steve Scalise, spent hours working to convince wavering party members to back the plan which, as well as tax cuts, would fund border security measures, deportations and military spending.
Trump personally called some of the holdouts to encourage them to pass the bill, the two Republican leaders said.
“Trump helped us with a number of members,” Scalise told reporters. “Talking to anybody that we asked that really needed to clarify things.”
Three of the four party holdouts who had been initially seen as firm no votes – Representatives Tim Burchett, Victoria Spartz and Warren Davidson – ultimately voted in favour.
“We have a lot of hard work ahead of us, but we are going to deliver the American First agenda,” House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters after the vote.
“We’re going to celebrate tonight, and we’ll roll up our sleeves and get right back in the morning.”
Democrats lined up to criticise the budget as a tax cut mostly for the wealthy, which they said would hurt low-income families who rely on the government-funded health care programme Medicaid.
The party worked to get as many members in the chamber for the crucial vote, with Representative Brittany Petterson arriving with her son while on maternity leave.
The Senate will be under pressure to take up the House’s spending framework because President Trump has endorsed it, despite their separate bill which was introduced last week.
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Peter Dutton defends his record as property developer with reported $6 million profit
Peter Dutton defends his record as property developer with reported $6 million profit
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has stridently defended his decades of multimillion-dollar property dealings while accusing the Prime Minister of slinging mud.
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Boeing No. 2 executive’s role narrowed to focus on fixing commercial plane unit
Boeing No. 2 executive’s role narrowed to focus on fixing commercial plane unit
By Dan Catchpole
SEATTLE (Reuters) – Boeing commercial airplanes head Stephanie Pope will focus on the recovery of the company’s crucial and challenged plane-making unit under a reorganization that ends her role as the company’s chief operating officer but leaves her as the No. 2 executive.
The move narrows the focus and responsibility of Pope. She already headed the unit making planes for airlines around the world and was the executive tasked with improving safety and raising airplane production following a series of accidents.
Pope’s role as chief operating officer ended as of Feb. 19, the company said on Tuesday.
Boeing does not plan to fill the chief operating officer position, according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to comment publicly.
Boeing shares were barely changed in after-hours trade.
Pope was appointed to the newly created role of chief operating officer in December 2023, after then-CEO David Calhoun named her as his choice to succeed him.
After the mid-air blowout of a panel on a nearly new 737 MAX jet in January 2024, she was tapped to also run Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
The accident put renewed focus on production quality problems in the division and contributed to Calhoun’s exit from the company. In August, Kelly Ortberg became Boeing’s new chief executive.
Boeing’s commercial airplane production has struggled through a series of crises beginning in 2019, after two fatal 737 MAX crashes revealed serious safety concerns. Historically, it has been the biggest of the company’s three divisions in terms of revenue and employees.
Deliveries to customers, however, have begun to pick up. Boeing delivered 45 airplanes in January, up from 30 the previous month and the most in a month for the U.S. planemaker since 2023.
Avolon CEO Andy Cronin said this month the aircraft lessor, a major Boeing customer, was “really encouraged by what we are seeing” at the company after touring production facilities in Seattle in January.
(Reporting by Dan Catchpole in Seattle and Utkarsh Shetti in Bengaluru; Writing by Peter Henderson; Editing by Jamie Freed)
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House GOP pushes 'big' budget resolution to passage, a crucial step toward delivering Trump's agenda – The Associated Press
House GOP pushes 'big' budget resolution to passage, a crucial step toward delivering Trump's agenda – The Associated Press
House GOP pushes ‘big’ budget resolution to passage, a crucial step toward delivering Trump’s agenda The Associated PressTrump budget bill with $4.5 trillion in tax cuts survives House vote Fox NewsTrump’s agenda passed its first hurdle. Now comes the hard part The Independent
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Horizon pours first gold from second cash cow project in WA
Horizon pours first gold from second cash cow project in WA
Horizon Minerals has poured its first gold bar from ore mined at the company’s Phillips Find project amid a strong gold price environment, which has seen the precious yellow metal rise by more than 11 per cent this year to touch a stellar US$2925 (A$4605) per ounce.
The Phillips Find ore was hauled to the nearby Greenfields mill from the project that sits 45 kilometres west of Coolgardie, near the famous gold mining town of Kalgoorlie.
Horizon entered a toll milling agreement with mill owner FMR Investments to process 200,000 tonnes of ore across the next four months. The Greenfields mill is about 50km east of Phillips Find.
Processing of the first stockpile of ore estimated at 40,000t began on February 19. The ore is expected to be processed across the next two weeks.
The company’s mining and processing campaign is anticipated to produce almost 15,000 ounces of gold.
Horizon approved the development of Phillips Find last August and executed a joint venture agreement with specialist private mining firm BML Ventures to develop and mine two open pits.
Management says the cutbacks at its Newhaven and Newminster pits are tracking well and that Horizon is building a further stockpile scheduled for processing in April. Under the milling agreement, BML is covering all the project’s upfront costs and managing all its operational, technical and maintenance aspects.
The joint venture partners are aiming for a cost-efficient mining campaign timed to cash in on the sky-high gold price, particularly when converted to Aussie dollars. Net cash flow, after cost recovery, is to be split equally between the two partners.
Management will be eagerly awaiting the first payment from the initial processing campaign, which should amount to a substantial cash injection to Horizon’s coffers in the coming months.
When the processing is completed and reconciled, the company will provide details on the tonnes milled and the accompanying grade, the gold ounces produced, and the average gold price achieved for the first campaign.
The first gold pour from Phillips Find marks another significant milestone for our team and stakeholders. This follows pouring our first gold bars and receiving revenue from our Boorara gold project last month. We are excited to build on this success as we continue ramping up production at Phillips Find and Boorara to generate value in a very high gold price environment.
Horizon’s first gold bars from ore at its Boorara project were generated under an ore ***** agreement revealed last year with Norton Gold Fields’ Paddington mill.
The company entered into the ore ***** agreement with Norton for 1.24 million tonnes of material from Boorara to be processed across 18 months, after revealing details of a tie-in with Kalgoorlie firm Hamptons Transport.
The contract with Hamptons is expected to comprise mining of four open pits at Boorara, containing 1.24mt of ore grading 1.24 grams per tonne (g/t) gold for 49,500 ounces.
When the news of the link-up with Hamptons was revealed, the project was expected to generate $30 million in expected free cash flow at $3600 per ounce gold. However, with today’s local gold price exceeding $4600 per ounce, the project is set for a significant increase in returns.
Management struck an impressive deal on the mining services and load-and-haul contracts with no payments to Hamptons required until the first gold pour has been sold and the ***** proceeds are in the bank.
Boorara sits adjacent to Northern Star’s mammoth Super Pit mine at Kalgoorlie, which has produced more than 60m ounces of gold.
Horizon cleverly got the jump on most of its competitors with its toll milling agreement and there is now a groundswell of support for this cash-generation approach by junior goldies that lack their own infrastructure.
Last week it implemented a merger with Poseidon Nickel, which provides Horizon with access to Poseidon’s mothballed mining plant. This may present the company with a future opportunity to scale up and commercialise its collection of gold deposits scattered around the Goldfields region.
Horizon has recently joined the nation’s gold-producing club at a time when the price of the precious yellow metal is booming. Added to that, it has an opportunity to replicate a similar toll-treating arrangement at its other deposits after Phillips Find and Boorara bring home the bacon.
Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: *****@*****.tld
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Pelican News
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Over 50 deaths linked to ‘unknown disease’ in Congo
Over 50 deaths linked to ‘unknown disease’ in Congo
The World Health Organization has reported that there is a deadly “unknown disease” spreading in one region within the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Local health officials in Congo are partnering with the World Health Organization to investigate.
PHOTO: General Views Of The World Health Organization (Harold Cunningham/Getty Images)
The phrase “unknown disease” primarily means that the disease has not yet been identified.
In previous cases, the cases are linked to a known disease, but a lack of available testing leads to lack of certainty.
For example, there was a separate report of an “unknown disease” in December of last year in Congo that was later attributed to illnesses from malaria and respiratory illnesses.
MORE: Undiagnosed disease in Congo may be linked to malaria: Africa CDC
The latest numbers from the WHO’s Africa Region show that there are 431 cases linked to the outbreak and 53 deaths since January.
PHOTO: In this stock photo an aerial view of Artisanal Gold Miner, near Mongbwalu, Democratic Republic of the Congo is seen. (STOCK PHOTO/Getty Images)
Early investigations traced the outbreak’s origin to three kids, all under 5 years old, who developed symptoms after eating a bat carcass.
Symptoms included fever, headache, diarrhea and fatigue – which later progressed to signs associated with hemorrhagic fevers and death.
MORE: Texas measles outbreak grows to 124 cases, mostly among unvaccinated
Ebola and Marburg have already been ruled out, officials say. Nearly half of deaths occurred within 48 hours after symptoms start.
“The remote location and weak healthcare infrastructure increase the risk of further spread,” the WHO notes in its report.
Over 50 deaths linked to ‘unknown disease’ in Congo originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
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#deaths #linked #unknown #disease #Congo
Pelican News
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I, ****** lets you build a slimy town filled with slimy heroes in an idle RPG, plus with ultra-cute costumes
I, ****** lets you build a slimy town filled with slimy heroes in an idle RPG, plus with ultra-cute costumes
Defend the ****** clan with everything you’ve got
Build a town and create your slimy legacy
Pre-register for special goodies at launch
In case you missed it, Games Hub Hong Kong Limited has opened pre-registration sign-ups for I, ******, the studio’s upcoming idle RPG where you take on the role of a literally slimy hero on a quest for greatness. There are different classes to choose from, but it seems they’re all very much in theme with the ****** clan in that they’re all adorable and squishy.
In I, ******, you’ll build your team of ****** heroes and customise their looks with cool outfits and legendary gear. You can switch classes in a tap and reset whenever you feel like it, with three main paths and 28 classes in total.
Clear dungeons, loot treasures, and take on epic bosses – you can even manage a town and raise animals to expand your territories across the sim-esque content. I don’t know about you, but the idea of a ****** tribe raising cattle and running a restaurant is very, very appealing to me. Did I mention the cute costumes too? There’s a priest that looks like Mr Pringles, by the way.
If you’re looking for something else for now, why not take a look at our list of the best idle RPGs on Android to get your fill?
In the meantime, if you’re eager to join in on all the fun, you can do so by checking out I, ****** on Google Play and on the App Store, where it has an expected launch date of March 27th. Do take that with a grain of salt though, as these things often change without prior notice.
You can also join the community of followers on the official Facebook page to stay updated on all the latest developments, or take a little peek at the embedded clip above to get a feel of the vibes and visuals.
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Pelican News
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Who Will Run ‘Star Wars’ After Kathleen Kennedy Leaves? One of Hollywood’s Hottest — and Hardest — Jobs Opens Up – Variety
Who Will Run ‘Star Wars’ After Kathleen Kennedy Leaves? One of Hollywood’s Hottest — and Hardest — Jobs Opens Up – Variety
Who Will Run ‘Star Wars’ After Kathleen Kennedy Leaves? One of Hollywood’s Hottest — and Hardest — Jobs Opens Up VarietyKathleen Kennedy to Step Down at Lucasfilm PuckKathleen Kennedy’s Lucasfilm Run: Ambitious Expansion Clashing With Corporate Necessity | Analysis Yahoo EntertainmentThe ‘Star Wars’ chief is staying on at Disney, despite a report that she’s leaving. At least for now CNNDisney’s Star Wars Succession Problem: Who Will Replace Kathleen Kennedy? Hollywood Reporter
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#Run #Star #Wars #Kathleen #Kennedy #Leaves #Hollywoods #Hottest #Hardest #Jobs #Opens #Variety
Pelican News
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Asia shares up, US dollar slumps as growth fears weigh
Asia shares up, US dollar slumps as growth fears weigh
The US dollar has taken a hit after Treasury yields slid amid concerns about the direction of America’s economy, while Asian shares remained strong.
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#Asia #shares #dollar #slumps #growth #fears #weigh
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
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