13 h. ago Chuck Schumer should quit – but would his imaginary friends agree? | Arwa Mahdawi

The US government was shut down for weeks – and then Democrats shrugged their shoulders and gave upChuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, has a pair of very sweet imaginary friends. They’re a middle-class couple called Joe and Eileen Bailey and they live on Long Island. At one point the imaginary couple, who feature in Schumer’s 2007 book, Positively American, were called the O’Reillys. According to the Hill, one Schumer aide said the name then was changed because the publisher thought O’Reilly was “too ethnic” for mass consumption. Another aide said that claim was false, and Schumer just wanted a name that “sounded more national”. Naming strategy aside, the key point here is that Schumer has said he runs all his policy decisions by this completely fictional couple. He’s referred to them hundreds of times throughout his political career.Arwa Mahdawi is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...

Politics

29 h. ago FAA plans to roll back flight restrictions at major airports imposed during shutdown

The agency says the current mandatory 6 percent flight cuts are being downgraded to 3 percent

Events

29 h. ago Government will release September jobs report next week, ending data drought from federal shutdown

The Labor Department will release its numbers on September hiring and unemployment next Thursday, a month and a half late, marking the beginning of the end of a data drought caused by the 43-day federal government shutdown

Politics

39 h. ago US catholic bishops issues rare condemnation of Trump administration’s immigration enforcement – live

US Conference of Catholic Bishops calls for ‘meaningful immigration reform’ in first message of its kind in 12 years Donald Trump has cranked up his intense pressure campaign on congressional Republicans to oppose the full release of the justice department’s files related to Jeffrey Epstein, before a crucial and long-awaited House vote on the matter next week that scores of Republicans are slated to support.The belated swearing-in on Wednesday of the Democratic representative Adelita Grijalva – which the House speaker, Mike Johnson, had refused for almost two months during the government shutdown – brought the number of signatures on Republican Thomas Massie and Democrat Ro Khanna’s discharge petition to the 218 needed to force a floor vote on legislation demanding the Department of Justice release all of its investigative files on Epstein within 30 days. Continue reading...

Politics

40 h. ago Republicans are regimented. Democrats are undisciplined. Just look at the shutdown | Robert Reich

Democrats finally had bargaining power and they caved. It’s nothing new – but it’s proof voters must make our demands clearChuck Schumer couldn’t hold his senators together at a time when their unity and toughness were essential. And at a time when they were winning: most of the public was blaming Republicans for the shutdown, and pressure was growing to reopen the government (flight delays were mounting).Does this mean Schumer should go? Yes.Robert Reich, a former US secretary of labor, is a professor of public policy emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley. He is a Guardian US columnist and his newsletter is at robertreich.substack.com. His new book, Coming Up Short: A Memoir of My America, is out now Continue reading...

Politics

52 h. ago You can end a shutdown overnight — but you can’t reopen a government that fast

The longest government shutdown in U.S. history may be officially over, but getting everything back up and running won't happen all at once

Politics

52 h. ago The Latest: Federal offices reopen as the government shutdown ends

President Donald Trump has signed a government funding bill, ending a record 43-day shutdown that caused financial stress for federal workers who went without paychecks, stranded scores of travelers at airports and generated long lines at some food banks

Politics

55 h. ago Trump administration suing Gavin Newsom over California’s voter

Trump’s justice department is attempting to block the state’s new congressional maps , which voters overwhelmingly approved through Proposition 50.Democrats appear more enthusiastic than Republicans about voting in next year’s congressional elections following the party’s victories in recent state and local contests, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll, which showed Republican President Donald Trump’s approval steady at 40%.The six-day poll, which closed on Wednesday, showed 44% of registered voters who called themselves Democrats said they were “very enthusiastic” about voting in the November 3, 2026, elections, compared with 26% of Republicans who said the same. Some 79% of Democrats said they would regret it if they didn’t vote in the election, compared to 68% of Republicans. Continue reading...

Politics

58 h. ago The unprecedented government shutdown will weigh on a US economy already under stress

The six-week government shutdown that came to an end late Wednesday will be another drag on an economy already facing many challenges, though the full impact will take months to measure

Politics

58 h. ago States scramble to send full SNAP food benefits to millions of people after government shutdown ends

State officials are working to restore full SNAP benefits to millions of people after the long U.S. government shutdown has finally ended

Politics

62 h. ago LIVE: Wall Street and FTSE tumble as traders digest end of longest US government shutdown and weak UK growth

LIVE: Wall Street and FTSE tumble as traders digest end of longest US government shutdown and weak UK growth  Yahoo Finance UK

Politics

68 h. ago Bulletin briefing: US shutdown ends, terror incident in India and new malaria drug

Longest government shutdown in US history ends as Trump signs bill. Read more here.

Events

68 h. ago Trump doesn't field questions after Epstein files release as he signs deal to end US government shutdown

US President does not field questions from media as questions swirl around him following the release of Epstein files

Politics

2 d. ago Trump refuses to answer questions on bombshell Epstein email release as he signs to end government shutdown: Live

Trump dodged questions about the newly released emails from Epstein’s estate, which mention the president

Politics

3 d. ago Ready for takeoff? Flight disruptions ease as shutdown ends but will still take days to resolve

Over 950 flights were canceled and almost 900 delayed within, into, or out of the US on Wednesday

Events

3 d. ago Trump signs funding bill to end longest US government shutdown

President signs legislation to restart federal operations after House passes measure in 222-209 voteThe longest US government shutdown in history ended on Wednesday after more than 42 days, following the House of Representative’s passage of a bill negotiated by Republicans and a splinter group of Democrat-aligned senators.The compromise sets the stage for government operations to return to normal through January, while leaving unresolved the issue of expiring tax credits for Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare health plans, which most Democrats demanded be extended in any deal to reopen the government. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Trump signs bill ending longest government shutdown in history which disrupted air travel and food benefits for millions

The signing comes after the government was shut down for almost 43 days and the president urged senators to end the filibuster if the gridlocked negotiations didn’t move forward

Politics

3 d. ago Longest US government shutdown in history set to end after House passes bill

Measure to restart federal operations passes narrowly, but excludes healthcare funding demanded by DemocratsUS politics – follow liveThe longest US government shutdown in history is set to end on Wednesday after more than 42 days, following the House of Representative’s passage of a bill negotiated by Republicans and a splinter group of Democrat-aligned senators. The legislation restarts federal operations but does not include the healthcare funding the minority party demanded.The compromise sets the stage for government operations to return to normal through January, while leaving unresolved the issue of expiring tax credits for Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare health plans, which most Democrats demanded be extended in any deal to reopen the government. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago US government shutdown nears end as House approves funding deal

White House says President Trump will sign the bill on Wednesday night

Economics

3 d. ago US government shutdown finally ends after 43 days as House of Representatives passes bill

The spending bill vote was split 222-209

Politics