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    Limited government shutdown likely to linger for at least 10 days as Congress takes break

    13% of federal civilian workforce is affected, although DHS – which spurred budget standoff – remains fundedA limited US government shutdown came into effect on Saturday – the third of Donald Trump’s second term – after negotiations between the White House and Democrats in Congress failed to agree on new restrictions for federal immigration agents.The shutdown affects about 13% of the federal civilian workforce and is confined to agencies under the umbrella of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which screens airline passengers. Continue reading… More

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    Who are the six men named in the unredacted Epstein files?

    In a floor speech, Ro Khanna, a Democratic representative, revealed identities of six men after seeing unredacted filesRo Khanna, the US congressman, publicly revealed the names of six men whose identities were redacted from the Jeffrey Epstein files, including Leslie Wexner, a billionaire retail magnate, whom the FBI appeared to have labeled as a co-conspirator.Four of the six men had no connection to Epstein whatsoever and were simply part of a photo lineup assembled by law enforcement, according to reporting from the Guardian. Two of the men who spoke to the Guardian strongly denied knowing Epstein and said they had been arrested by NYPD for unrelated crimes in the past, which likely explains how their photos ended up in the array. Continue reading… More

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    House passes Save America Act, Trump-backed bill to impose new voting rules

    Bill that requires proof of citizenship and would limit mail-in voting passes 218-213 but faces uphill battle in SenateThe House on Wednesday passed the Save America Act, which would dramatically change voting regulations by requiring proof of citizenship at voter registration and significantly curtail mail-in voting.The legislation, which passed 218 to 213, faces an uphill battle in the Senate, close observers say. Continue reading… More

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    Pam Bondi defends DOJ handling of Epstein files in heated House hearing – video

    The US attorney general, Pam Bondi, appeared before a House judiciary committee hearing on Wednesday to defend the justice department’s handling of files involving the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. During the hearing, there were several heated exchanges between Bondi and Democrat lawmakers who questioned her about the DOJ’s handling of the release of the Epstein files.  Pam Bondi hurls insults at Democrats during Epstein hearing: ‘You’re a washed-up loser lawyer’ Continue reading… More

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    Democrats will stop Trump from trying to nationalize midterms, Jeffries says

    Top House Democrat says president’s suggestion for Republicans to ‘take over’ elections really means ‘steal it’ Democrats will stop Donald Trump from trying to steal this year’s midterm elections, Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic leader in the US House of Representatives said on Sunday.Jeffries’ comments come amid widespread concern after Trump said Republicans should “take over the voting”. The US constitution gives states the power to set election rules and says Congress can pass laws to set requirements for federal elections. The constitution gives the president no authority over how elections are run. Continue reading… More

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    Clintons call for their Epstein testimony to be held publicly

    Bill Clinton says closed-door depositions would be akin to ‘kangaroo court’ as Hillary Clinton says they have already told House committee what they knowFormer US president Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary are calling for their congressional testimony on ties to convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein to be held publicly, to prevent Republicans from politicising the issue.Both Clintons had been ordered to give closed-door depositions before the House of Representatives’ oversight committee, which is investigating the deceased financier’s connections to powerful figures and how information about his crimes was handled. Continue reading… More

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    Tulsi Gabbard reportedly oversaw probe of Puerto Rico voting machines last year – as it happened

    This live blog is now closed.Trump news at a glance: president hints at ‘softer touch’ on immigration as federal drawdown planned in MinnesotaTom Homan, the president’s so-called “border czar” is set to speak to reporters in Minneapolis shortly.A reminder that Homan took over the immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota from senior border official Gregory Bovino, just days after the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti and the mounting backlash in the Twin Cities. Continue reading… More

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    Nancy Pelosi warns press freedom is ‘under siege’ after arrest of journalist

    Ex-House speaker says at dinner ‘facts are challenged, truth is distorted and press is treated as enemy’ by those in powerThe Democratic former speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, said on Wednesday that press freedom is “under siege” in the United States after the Trump administration arrested a prominent journalist and searched the home of another.The warning from Pelosi comes on the same day that the Washington Post, which is owned by Jeff Bezos, the Amazon billionaire who has recently sought to curry favor with Donald Trump, conducted mass layoffs of its reporters and editors worldwide. Continue reading… More