U.S. and world news for Sept. 25

Charges against James Comey

The Trump administration hopes to get a federal grand jury to indict former FBI Director James Comey before Sept. 30 regarding testimony he gave to Congress almost five years ago. The statute of limitations expires Sept. 30 and a case could not be brought after that date. Donald Trump frequently has named Comey as one of his political enemies he wants to prosecute. Trump recently replaced the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia after the U.S. Attorney he had previously appointed said there is not enough evidence to bring a case against Comey. It is expected that Erik Siebert’s replacement, Lindsay Halligan, will try to get an indictment of Comey. There have been reports that Halligan’s staff has given her a memo recommending that charges against Comey should not be brought.

White House plans mass firings if government shuts down

The federal government could shut down next week if Congress fails to pass a spending bill by the end of the month. While essential services would remain in operation, many government agencies would come to a halt on Oct. 1, and hundreds of thousands of federal employees would go without pay until the deadlock is resolved. The White House budget office is instructing federal agencies to prepare plans for mass firings in the event of a government shutdown, with instructions to target programs they are not legally required to continue. The threat of mass job losses is likely to escalate the partisan funding showdown over the next several days, with Democrats demanding key concessions — most notably, an extension of Obamacare enhanced subsidies set to expire at the end of the year.

Statue of Trump with Epstein removed from National Mall

The National Park Service before dawn on Wednesday removed a statue titled “Best Friends Forever” of President Donald Trump and Jeffery Epstein holding hands – only a day after it was erected on the National Mall. A group named “The Secret Handshake” had obtained a permit from the Park Service to display the statue that was valid through Sunday. The Department of the Interior, which oversees the Park Service, said that the statue violated its permit but didn’t specify how. A plaque with the statue said: “We celebrate the long-lasting bond between President Donald J. Trump and his ‘closest friend,’ Jeffrey Epstein.” CNN has reviewed a permit that says the purpose of the display is “to demonstrate freedom of speech and artistic expression using political imagery.”

ICE facility shooting

A shooting at an immigration facility in Dallas has left one detainee dead and at least two others in critical condition. The FBI is investigating the shooting as an “act of targeted violence,” after a “sniper” on a nearby rooftop fired “indiscriminately” at the ICE building. One of the injured detainees is a Mexican national, according to the Mexican government. The shooter was identified as a 29-year-old Dallas resident who died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told CNN that the shooter was “very much against” ICE agents based on the evidence that has been gathered. The secretary’s comments come as President Donald Trump is blaming the shooting on rhetoric from “radical left Democrats.”

Storms form in the Atlantic

Tropical Storm Humberto has formed in the Atlantic, and another system near the Bahamas could develop soon, putting the East Coast on alert heading into the weekend. Humberto — the eighth named storm of the season — is currently about 500 miles away from the Leeward Islands and is expected to strengthen into a Category 2 or 3 hurricane in the coming days. While it’s forecast to curve out to sea, it’s still too early to rule out potential impacts on Bermuda or elsewhere. Meanwhile, forecasters are closely monitoring a disorganized cluster of storms over the northeastern Caribbean, which is intensifying as it moves toward the Bahamas.

Drones again force airport closing

An airport in northern Denmark was forced to close today due to unauthorized drones in its airspace — the second such incident this week. The drone sightings come amid a surge in cyberattacks and suspected Russian airspace violations across Europe. Just days ago, sightings of two or three large drones halted all takeoffs and landings for hours at the airport in Copenhagen, in what Denmark’s prime minister called a “serious attack on Danish critical infrastructure.” It’s unclear if the incidents are linked, but the pattern was similar, police said. This also follows a major cyberattack over the weekend that disrupted automatic check-in systems at several of Europe’s busiest airports, including London’s Heathrow.