President Donald Trump signed a bipartisan funding bill late Wednesday, ending the longest U.S. government shutdown in history and reopening federal agencies on Thursday. The bill, funding operations through January 2026, passed the House 222-209 after Senate approval, with six moderate Democrats joining Republicans amid partisan clashes over spending priorities. The shutdown inflicted $11 billion in economic losses, affecting over 1 million federal workers, air travel, national parks, and food assistance programs.
Chinese Scientist Pleads Guilty In US Smuggling Case And Will Be Quickly Deported
A Chinese scientist charged in Michigan with smuggling biological materials pleaded guilty Wednesday but was given no additional time in jail beyond the five months she already spent in custody. Yunqing Jian, who was a temporary researcher at a University of Michigan lab, will be released and quickly deported. A judge called it a “very strange” case involving an “incredibly accomplished researcher.” Jian, 33, was arrested in June and accused of conspiring with a boyfriend to study and nurse a toxic fungus at a campus lab. A pathogen known as Fusarium graminearum can attack wheat, barley, maize and rice. Zunyong Liu was caught carrying...
Ex-Aide To California Governor Indicted For Alleged Theft Of Campaign Funds From Ex-Health Secretary
A former top aide to California Gov. Gavin Newsom has been indicted on federal charges alleging her involvement in a scheme to steal campaign money from former federal Health Secretary Xavier Becerra. Dana Williamson was arrested and appeared in court Wednesday in Sacramento. She pleaded not guilty to all charges, and a judge ordered her released from custody. The federal indictment lists four other co-conspirators. It alleges that Williamson developed a plan with Sean McCluskie, a longtime Becerra aide, to siphon money from one of Becerra’s dormant state campaign accounts to give to McCluskie to pad his salary after he...
Powerful Philippine Politicians Will Be In Jail By Christmas For Corruption Scandal, President Says
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Thursday that many of at least 37 powerful senators, members of Congress and wealthy businesspeople implicated in a massive corruption scandal involving flood control projects would be locked up in jail by Christmas, as he tried to quell public outrage and street protests. Marcos said an independent fact-finding commission he created has filed criminal complaints for graft and corruption and plunder, a non-bailable offense, against the 37 suspects. Criminal complaints have also been filed against 86 construction company executives and nine government officials for allegedly evading taxes totaling nearly 9 billion pesos ($152 million). Corruption has been...
Singer Akon Arrested Near Atlanta For Missing Court Over Suspended License
Hip-hop artist Akon was arrested last week in suburban Atlanta after he didn’t show up in court to face a ticket for driving with a suspended license. Police records show Akon, whose legal name is Aliaune Thiam, was arrested Friday by police in Chamblee, just northeast of Atlanta. Akon was taken to the DeKalb County jail, where he was handed over to the Roswell police. They in turn booked Thiam into another jail, after which he posted bail and was released the same day. Akon, who was born in the United States to Senegalese parents, rose to R&B fame after...
Apple Removes Two Gay Dating Apps In China To Comply With Government Order
Apple said it has removed two popular gay dating apps from its app store in China, in compliance with an order from the country’s cyberspace regulator, stoking fears within the country’s LGBTQ community. The same-sex dating and social apps Blued and Finka suddenly became unavailable to download on iOS devices over the weekend, while users of Android devices can still download them from their official websites. Apple said the removal was “based on an order” from the Cyberspace Administration of China but didn’t elaborate on what the order was about. “We follow the laws in the countries where we operate,” an Apple spokesperson said...
President Of El Salvador Nayib Bukele Shows Two Weeks’ Worth Of Aid And Assistance Render To Jamaica After Hurricane Melissa.
President El Salvador: “After two weeks of hard work, we have completed our mission in Jamaica, following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa. “Thank you for giving us the opportunity to help. “God willing, you’ll be back on your feet soon” he prayed
Indian Government Calls Deadly Car Blast A Terror Attack By ‘Anti-National Forces’
India’s Cabinet on Wednesday called this week’s deadly car explosion in the capital a terror attack carried out by “anti-national forces,” though it did not release any new evidence linked to the blast. Earlier Wednesday, authorities said several suspects had been arrested in the disputed Kashmir region as part of the investigation into the blast Monday near the historic Red Fort monument that killed eight people and injured several others. Authorities on Tuesday announced that they were investigating it as possible terrorism — a step that gives investigating authorities broader powers to arrest or detain people. But they have not publicly detailed their evidence....
Top Ukrainian Ministers Submit Their Resignations As The Country Is Rocked By A Corruption Scandal
As Russia’s renewed attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure cause rolling blackouts ahead of winter, a major embezzlement and kickbacks scandal involving the state-owned nuclear power company has put top officials under scrutiny. It’s fast becoming one of the most significant government crises since Moscow’s full-scale invasion, with media reports implicating a close associate of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Responding to a public backlash, Zelenskyy called for the dismissal of his justice and energy ministers amid the investigation. They later submitted their resignations, the prime minister said. Anti-corruption watchdogs — the same agencies Zelenskyy sought to weaken earlier this year— revealed the findings of...