Congress Shutdown Looms
The U.S. Congress is heading for a shutdown on March 14, unless a substantial budget plan is agreed upon.Republicans, who are concerned about the $36 trillion national debt, are pushing spending restraints, while Democrats are still pushing more Biden-era priorities like social infrastructure and welfare, which would bring in more debt.
Two emergency fund deals have already been passed since the fiscal year began in September, but if the government doesn’t agree on either a permanent spending bill or a third “continuing resolution” by March 14, the government will shut down.
Spending disagreements have become the norm in the U.S. Congress, and have often resulted in shutdowns. The longest was in 2018, during President Donald Trump’s first term, when the government shut down for 35 days.
Trump Set to Target EU With 25 Percent Tariffs
President Donald Trump has hinted at a 25 percent import tax on the European Union, particularly on cars coming into the United States.He announced this during his first Cabinet meeting on Feb. 28.
Trump has previously blamed the European Union for its unfair advantage over the United States, particularly VAT, and has talked about levelling the playing field.
The EU currently adds a 10 percent tariff on all cars coming into the United States, four times the 2.5 percent U.S. equivalent for cars going out.
EU has said that it will respond accordingly.
Actor Gene Hackman and Wife Found Dead
Gene Hackman, the Oscar-winning actor with a career spanning 60 years, was found dead in his home along with his wife and one of their dogs in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on Feb. 26.Hackman, 95, and pianist Betsy Arakawa, 65, were found in separate rooms. No cause of death has been announced and an autopsy has found “no external trauma.”
The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office initially said that foul play was not suspected, but later described the deaths as “suspicious enough in nature” to require further investigation.
A prescription bottle was found open with pills scattered by Arakawa along with a knocked-over space heater suggesting a sudden fall. An Alsatian was found dead a few feet away, in a closet, and two other healthy dogs were found, one inside the house and one outside.
Hackman, who was found in a small room, also appeared to have fallen suddenly, with a cane and sunglasses nearby.
Both were showing signs of decomposition that suggested they had been dead for some time.
Bondi Accuses FBI of Withholding Epstein Documents
The United States’ top legal officer is accusing federal prosecutors of withholding thousands of documents related to billionaire sex offender Jeffrey Epstein ahead of a public release.After receiving only 200 pages of documents from the FBI, she later discovered from a source that thousands of documents were missing.
An investigation is now underway.
Epstein had been convicted for sexually abusing more than 250 underage girls.
