U.S. government has shut down
The U.S. government has officially shut down for the first time in six years after a deadlocked Congress failed to pass a funding measure before the midnight deadline. Hundreds of thousands of federal employees will be furloughed, while many others deemed essential will continue working but will not receive pay until the impasse ends. As tensions escalate on Capitol Hill, Republicans insist that Democrats must agree to extend current funding for an additional seven weeks. Democrats refuse to do so without major concessions that will ensure millions of people don’t lose their health care. The Senate will vote again today on the GOP funding plan, which Republicans vow to keep trying to force through.
Trump tells generals and admirals he’ll use military against Americans
When Defense Secretary Hegseth addressed a gathering of top admirals and generals in Virginia on Tuesday, he detailed new directives slamming diversity and bashing what he called “stupid rules of engagement.” Rules of engagement are directives governing how and when force can be used by the military. The defense chief also said combat troops will have to meet the “highest male standard.” Hegseth was followed by President Trump, who was greeted with silence from the audience when he walked on stage. Trump told the generals and admirals that he would be deploying the U.S. military against Americans by staging military exercises in U.S. cities. Trump’s speech was rambling, rehashed his political grievances and was marked by Trump seeming to forget words and not completing sentences.
Trump posts second racist fake video
For the second time in two days, Donald Trump has posted a racist fake video on social media. The second video posted late yesterday featured House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries with a sombrero and mustache superimposed over his image. It was made using a clip from a cable TV interview Jeffries had given to which the fake elements were subsequently added. A fake video Trump posted on Monday showed Jeffries and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer giving a briefing to reporters on the Oval Office meeting they had just attended. It also put a fake sombrero and mustache on Jeffries and had a fake soundtrack with Schumer using vile language.
ICE agents attack journalists
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were seen on video grabbing and shoving journalists at a New York court on Tuesday, sparking swift condemnation from immigrant rights groups and Democratic lawmakers. The incident came as tensions are escalating nationally over ICE tactics and freedom of speech and freedom of the press. The journalists were documenting an arrest when they were shoved, according to the New York Immigration Coalition. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security told a different story, saying the ICE agents were “swarmed by agitators and members of the press” while arresting an immigrant from Peru. The video did not support Homeland Security’s version of what happened.
Hurricanes churn up waves
Twin hurricanes Imelda and Humberto are churning up powerful waves along the U.S. East Coast as the storms head toward Bermuda. The island is facing a rare one-two punch from the hurricanes, with Humberto passing nearby Tuesday and Imelda potentially making a direct hit today. In North Carolina’s Outer Banks, at least five homes collapsed into the ocean, the National Park Service said. Dramatic video shows the homes breaking apart and being swept away by waves as the surf battered the shoreline. Notably, the US has avoided a hurricane landfall so far this year. If this streak holds, it would be the first season without a storm coming ashore at hurricane strength in a decade.
At least 60 dead in Philippines earthquake
A 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck the central Philippines on Tuesday, killing at least 60 people and injuring more than 150 others. Several buildings collapsed, littering streets with debris after the shallow quake struck around 10 p.m. local time, just west of Palompon. Emergency services were scrambling to find survivors today, with military troops, police and civilian volunteers carrying out door-by-door searches. More than half a million people felt strong shaking across the Visayan Islands, which include Cebu, Biliran and Leyte, according to estimates from the U.S. Geological Survey.
