World
US Government shutdown begins, Putting 750,000 workers at risk
The deadlock followed weeks of bitter negotiations, with Democrats demanding restored funding for health care programs, while Republicans pushed through a short-term funding plan that collapsed in the Senate.
The US government officially shut down early Wednesday after President Donald Trump and Congress failed to reach a budget agreement, forcing hundreds of thousands of federal employees off the job without pay.
The deadlock followed weeks of bitter negotiations, with Democrats demanding restored funding for health care programs, while Republicans pushed through a short-term funding plan that collapsed in the Senate just before the midnight deadline.
As of 12:01 a.m., multiple federal departments and agencies began halting operations, although essential services such as the military, the Postal Service, Social Security, and food assistance programs remain in place. According to the Congressional Budget Office, as many as 750,000 workers could be sent home each day until the shutdown ends.
Both parties swiftly blamed one another. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer accused Republicans of “shutting down the government to take away health care,” while House Speaker Mike Johnson said Democrats were prolonging the crisis for “selfish reasons,” warning that veterans, mothers, and children would be among those hit hardest.
Trump, for his part, downplayed the disruption, calling shutdowns an opportunity to “get rid of things we didn’t want” and suggesting Democrats would bear the brunt of the consequences.
The shutdown is the first since the record-breaking 35-day closure during Trump’s previous term in 2018–2019. How long this one will last remains uncertain, with Congress still deeply divided over funding priorities and no compromise in sight.
Since 1976, the federal government has closed 21 times due to budget disputes.
World
Three killed, two injured in shooting at Idaho shopping center
Authorities said at least two other people were wounded and transported for medical treatment. Their conditions were not immediately released.
Three people, including the suspected gunman, were killed and at least two others were injured after a shooting at a busy shopping area in Twin Falls, Idaho, on Saturday, local authorities said.
The incident occurred at around 2:30 p.m. local time near an In-N-Out Burger restaurant in a high-traffic commercial district, according to Josh Palmer, the city’s public information coordinator.
Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks said the suspected shooter was among the dead and confirmed that the threat to the community had been eliminated.
“At this point, the shooter is no longer a threat,” Hicks told reporters, adding that investigators are working to identify the suspect and determine a motive for the attack.
Authorities said at least two other people were wounded and transported for medical treatment. Their conditions were not immediately released.
Following the shooting, the Twin Falls Police Department temporarily closed roads surrounding the scene, including a nearby bridge, as officers secured the area and launched an investigation.
Twin Falls, with a population of about 47,400, is located in Idaho’s Magic Valley region.
Police have not yet released additional details about the victims or the circumstances surrounding the shooting, and the investigation remains ongoing.
World
Saar: Trade shifts from Pakistan to Central Asia and Iran discussed
World
US to make visa bond program permanent for people from dozens of countries
The U.S. State Department will make permanent a visa bond program that could require applicants from 50 countries, mostly from Africa, to post bonds of up to $20,000 when seeking U.S. visas, according to a federal noticeposted online on Friday.
The Federal Register notice applies to B1 and B2 visas, which are issued for business and tourism travel.
“Consular officers may require covered nonimmigrant visa applicants to post a bond of up to $20,000 as a condition of visa issuance, as determined by the consular officers,” the notice said.
“The 2025 visa bond pilot, which provided a framework for the Department of State, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of the Treasury to assess the feasibility of administering a visa bond program, has provided sufficient data to suggest that a visa bond program is an effective tool for enforcing compliance among bonded visa holders.”
In the pilot program, consular officers could require bonds of $5,000, $10,000 or up to $15,000. The final rule eliminates the $5,000 option and raises the maximum bond to $20,000.
The final rule goes into effect on August 3 when it is scheduled for publication in the Federal Register. In the list of 50 countries for whose citizens this program applies, 30 are from Africa.
U.S. officials say the policy is intended to reduce visa overstays. Immigration advocates argue it will deter legitimate travel to the United States.
Rights advocates say President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration crackdown violates free speech and due process, while creating an unsafe environment for ethnic minorities and encouraging racial profiling. Trump has defended the measures as necessary to bolster national security.
While Trump says he wants to curb illegal immigration, his administration has made legal immigration more difficult, for example, by imposing new and expensive fees for applicants of certain visas and by enforcing social media vetting for applicants and immigrants already in the country.
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