A dizzying ride on the Hill: Lawmakers debate in circles as shutdown enters week two
It must be something about October and two-year intervals in Congress. Congress was paralyzed for more than three weeks without a leader two years ago this October as the House unceremoniously ousted former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. And Congress is paralyzed again this October – unable to find the votes to re-open the government. “There’s nothing for us to negotiate,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. “We did the job to keep the government open. And now it’s on the Senate Democrats.” OMINOUS RED AND ORANGE SKIES HAD CAPITOL HILL TAKE NOTICE AS SHUTDOWN LOOMED But Democrats say that’s the problem. There haven’t been negotiations. Save for a brief White House meeting last week between President Trump and the top four bipartisan, bicameral Congressional leaders a day before the shutdown. “The Majority Leader in the Senate, John Thune, R-S.D., talks about, ‘we’ll have conversations.’ We need more than conversations. We need a real negotiation,” said Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., on Fox. So there are no talks. And the sides are seemingly talking past each other. So, they’ve turned to handicapping. Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., gamed out that the shutdown would run another week. “It won’t end until everybody in the Senate takes their ego out back and shoots it. And then it’ll end,” predicted Kennedy. It always is, and always will be about the math. Senate Republicans can conjure up the votes of 55 senators to break a filibuster on the House-passed bill to fund the government. But they need 60 yeas. And Republicans are determined to stick to their playbook. “I can tell you there’s more than five Democrats in the Senate who know that (Senate Minority Leader) Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. has led them into a box canyon with this Schumer shutdown,” said Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., on Fox. “But the consequences will start to pile up.” REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: SENATE REVOTES TODAY ON ENDING GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt wouldn’t directly answer a question about what would trigger federal firings. But Leavitt made clear that jobs hung in the balance. “We don’t want to see people laid off. But unfortunately, if this shutdown continues, layoffs are going to be an unfortunate consequence of that,” said Leavitt. Democrats excoriated the Trump Administration for hinting it would cut programs and jobs in agencies important to Democrats. “Americans really hate bullies. And this kind of bullying from the White House is going to backlash because they understand that an authoritarian president uses grants to New York for infrastructure, laying off workers, deliberately inflicting pain,” predicted Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. “Don’t inflict unnecessary pain and then boast about it.” Some Republicans practically reveled in the White House approach. “All’s fair in love and war. I think that there’s a price to pay for the Democrats shutting this down,” said Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan. “These will be part of the consequences.” But one Democrat argued that the Trump administration’s gambit would also undercut Republicans and voters who supported the president. Even in blue states. “There’s a lot of folks in Vermont, there’s lot of folk in Illinois who voted for President Trump. So this sort of collective punishment,” said Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., on Fox. “I think it’s a really bad idea.” But the president is coy about when the shutdown could trigger federal layoffs. “It could,” said the president. “At some point it will.” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy noted that his department saw “a slight uptick” in aviation safety employees who were calling out sick during the shutdown – since they weren’t being paid. “They’re thinking about how am I going to get a paycheck? How do I make a car payment,” said Duffy. WHITE HOUSE ESCALATES SHUTDOWN CONSEQUENCES AS DEMOCRATS SHOW NO SIGNS OF BUDGING: ‘KAMIKAZE ATTACK’ But if you squint, you can see a few signs of bipartisanship. Johnson is discussing Obamacare subsidies with one prominent Democrat. “I had I think a fruitful discussion, with Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., about two days ago, a day or so ago,” said Johnson on efforts to address looming Obamacare premium spikes. “Whatever the conference committee comes up with, I will put on the floor. I’m ready to go.” But Schumer is skeptical about the Speaker’s promises. “Delay has always been Speaker Johnson’s MO. Speaker Johnson has survived by kicking the can down the road,” said Schumer. “When Johnson says later, they know he means never.” Tension is building as the shutdown barrels into its second week as lawmakers spin in circles. “I realize that my Democrat colleagues are facing pressure from members of their far left base. But they’re playing a losing game here,” said Thune. But each side is now engaged in a game of parliamentary chicken. Republicans won’t budge from their demand that Senate Democrats approve their funding plan. And Democrats won’t relent from their insistence that the sides shore up Obamacare subsidies. “I’m not going to vote to reopen the government until I see a way that we can do that,” said Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del. Even some Republicans worry about Obamacare price spikes. “There are some folks in what is the new part of the Republican Party, which is blue-collar workers,” said Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., on Fox Business. “We have to be careful how we do this. We just shouldn’t cut it. We should make sure we use a scalpel and not a sledgehammer.” SHUTDOWN IGNITES STRATEGIST DEBATE: WILL TRUMP AND GOP PAY THE POLITICAL PRICE IN 2026? But even if bipartisan senators were to forge a deal, the plan may slam into a brick wall in the House. “Republicans have spent most of their careers being against Obamacare. Why would they expand it and add a subsidy on top of a subsidy?” asked House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla. A debate is now raging over which side will cave. Or which party faces political consequences. Naturally, Republicans believe Democrats will pay a price. “Their radical base just wants to see them up here
Mask mandates return in wealthy blue state county, leaders cite ‘risk of COVID’ and up vaccine recommendations
A county in California wine country is beefing up its vaccine recommendations and instituting a mask mandate, citing “greater risk” of contracting COVID-19 amid the start of the annual flu season. The Sonoma County Department of Public Health’s Interim Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith issued an order Monday requiring anyone entering certain healthcare facilities in the county to wear a mask. Facilities subject to the order include skilled nursing facilities, portions of long-term care facilities where nursing care is provided, acute and non-acute rehabilitation facilities, infusion centers, and dialysis centers, according to the order. “The rationale behind this order is to protect the most vulnerable populations (such as the elderly and cancer patients) and to try to prevent medical staff from getting sick and creating staffing problems for facilities,” a spokesperson for the Sonoma County Department of Health told Fox News Digital. NEW VIRUS STRAIN SPIKES IN 9 US STATES WITH SYMPTOMS FROM BRAIN FOG TO PERSISTENT COUGH The mask mandate will run from Nov. 1 until March 31, 2026, and the order states that Smith can expand the type of facilities subject to it on an as-needed basis. Additionally, the requirement will be put in place annually unless otherwise rescinded. The order does provide some exemptions, including anyone “with a diagnosed medical condition, mental health condition, or disability that prevents the individual from wearing a face mask.” Hearing impaired folks who must see the mouth to communicate are also exempt, as well as anyone else for whom local, state or federal regulators deem could be harmed from wearing one. The order also dictates what masks must be worn. A surgical mask, KN95, KF94, or N95 respirator are acceptable, but more informal masks, such as a scarf, ski mask, balaclava, bandana, turtleneck, collar, cloth mask, or “any mask that has an unfiltered, one-way exhaust valve,” will not satisfy the order’s requirements. BIDEN ADMIN PUT SOME AMERICANS WHO RESISTED MASK MANDATES OR WERE INVOLVED IN JAN 6 ON SEVERE NO-FLY LIST: TSA Coinciding with the mask mandate in Sonoma County, Smith also issued stronger guidance pertaining to COVID-19 and flu vaccines, telling the public it is strongly recommended for everyone 6-months of age and older. She also recommended that both vaccinated and unvaccinated people wear masks in indoor public spaces when the COVID influenza risk is high. Smith’s COVID-19 vaccine recommendations, and even her mask mandate aimed at protecting older populations, contradict guidance coming from Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention signed off on a new recommendation from HHS that removes the recommendation that adults 65 and older get vaccinated for COVID-19. The CDC also signed off on recommending that people ages 6-months to 64-years discuss with their doctors before they decide whether, or not, to get a COVID-19 vaccination. Meanwhile, Kennedy and HHS have also narrowed the approval scope for new COVID-19 vaccines, in addition to a series of other measures committed to “science, safety, and common sense.”
Resurfaced social media post comes back to haunt disgraced Dem AG nominee: ‘Delete your account’
A resurfaced social media post is adding fuel to the fire of a viral scandal that rocked the Virginia attorney general race last week after an explosive report exposed the violent 2022 text messages that were sent by the Democratic attorney general nominee to a colleague. “@ForHahns you should drop out of the race,” Jay Jones posted on X in 2021, calling on Hahns Copeland, then-Republican candidate for the Virginia House of Delegates, to drop out of the race over a controversial social media post where Copeland criticized the appearance of Virginia’s Democrat house speaker that was deemed by some as antisemitic. “Hate has no place in this Commonwealth, my guy,” Jones added. It was recently revealed that Jones fantasized in 2022 text messages about shooting now-former Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert in the head while also suggesting that harm should come to that Republican’s young “fascist” children. DEM SENATOR’S HEFTY DONATION TO DISGRACED AG CANDIDATE’S CAMPAIGN COMES BACK TO HAUNT HIM Jones apologized for the comment, but is facing widespread calls to drop out of the race along with criticism on social media from those saying he should follow the advice he gave to Copeland. “How about that,” Daily Signal national correspondent Tony Kinnett posted on X. “Update?” Virginia Republican state Sen. Glen Sturtevant posted on X. “Care to revisit this one Mr. Jones?” Townhall writer Amy Curtis posted on X. DEMOCRATS STAND BY VIRGINIA AG HOPEFUL WHO FANTASIZED ABOUT KILLING GOP LAWMAKER “@JonesJay you should drop out of the race,” the Republican Attorneys General Association posted on X. “And delete your account. Hate has no place in this Commonwealth, my guy.” Adam Piper, RAGA’s executive director, also posted on X saying, “Jay Jones should listen to himself.” Fox News Digital reached out to Jones’ campaign for comment. Democrats in Virginia who have endorsed Jones are standing by him despite the calls for him to exit the race for endorsing political violence in a climate where President Trump faced two attempts on his life and conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was murdered during a speaking engagement. “I’ve known Jay Jones for 25 years,” Kaine added. “I think those statements were not in character, and he has apologized — I wish other people in public life would sincerely apologize for stuff.” In addition to the statements about harming his Republican colleague, Jones is also alleged to have suggested that more police officers should be killed in order to stop them from harming others. Jones has denied making those comments. Fox News Digital’s Charles Creitz contributed to this report.
IRS workforce slashed in half as government shutdown showdown stretches into second week
Nearly half of the IRS workforce — nearly 34,000 employees — faces furloughs as the government shutdown enters its second week, with the agency rolling out a contingency plan to keep key tax enforcement, data security, and filing-season operations running despite the lapse in congressional funding. In a letter to staff Wednesday, the agency said most operations would shut down. The contingency plan, which takes effect Wednesday and runs through April 30, 2026, details how the IRS will operate without new congressional funding. As of July 24, 2025, the IRS employed 74,299 people. During the shutdown, only 39,870 — about 54% — will stay on duty, though it’s unclear which positions will be retained. Key operations that will continue to include tax processing to safeguard government revenue, IT and data-protection systems, criminal investigations, case work involving bankruptcies and liens, and disaster-relief support. However, taxpayer services — including call centers and most administrative functions not tied to life or property protection — will be suspended. ICE VOWS ‘NO CHANGE’ TO IMMIGRATION, BORDER POLICY AMID GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN The IRS’s Lapse Appropriations Contingency Plan outlined operations for the first five business days of the shutdown and said the agency would continue limited operations using Inflation Reduction Act funding. The furloughs stem from a funding impasse between President Donald Trump and Congress that has forced a government shutdown with no clear resolution. HERE’S WHAT TRUMP WANTS TO DO TO RESHAPE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DURING THE SHUTDOWN National Treasury Employees Union President Doreen Greenwald said the shutdown has cut off Americans from vital IRS services. “Expect increased wait times, backlogs and delays implementing tax law changes as the shutdown continues,” she said. “Taxpayers around the country will now have a much harder time getting the assistance they need, just as they get ready to file their extension returns due next week. Every day these employees are locked out of work is another day of frustration for taxpayers and a growing backlog of work that sits and waits for the shutdown to end. SEN RICK SCOTT, REP BYRON DONALDS: TRUMP AND BESSENT’S IRS REFORM: LET’S END JOB-KILLING POLICIES “For frontline employees, the complete lack of planning left them in the dark about their work status until their supervisor informed them today,” Greenwald added. “This is not the way our government should treat its dedicated, nonpartisan public servants. We urge the administration and Congress to reach an agreement that reopens government and restores the services that Americans need and deserve.” According to The Associated Press, the IRS told employees they would receive back pay once the shutdown ends. The Trump administration warned Tuesday that back pay for furloughed federal employees is not guaranteed. Earlier this year, the IRS began a series of workforce reductions that brought total employment down from about 100,000 at the end of 2024 to roughly 75,000 before the shutdown. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump calls Chicago mayor and Illinois governor ‘grossly incompetent’ in new White House video
The White House ramped up its feud with Democratic leaders in Illinois Wednesday, releasing a video blasting Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker. In the video, which appears to show police and immigration authorities, President Donald Trump described Chicago as “a mess.” “You have an incompetent mayor, grossly incompetent,” Trump said. “We have a governor that refuses to admit he has problems. Everybody knows how bad it is. This open borders nightmare flooded our country with fentanyl and with people that shouldn’t be here, some of the worst people on earth and illicit drugs decimated American communities and left us with the largest law enforcement challenge in our country’s history.” JB PRITZKER SAYS ICE ‘HARASSING PEOPLE FOR NOT BEING WHITE’ The White House then skipped to an audio clip of Pastor Corey Brooks speaking on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends” in August, where he noted violent crime wasn’t improving in Chicago and urged the president to send in the National Guard. “We need to invite President Trump in,” Brooks said in the clip. “We invite the National Guard in. … We’ve had 254 deaths in 233 days, and for anyone in our community to say people are safe, that is an outright lie.” TRUMP ESCALATES FIGHT WITH PRITZKER AS BLOODY CHICAGO WEEKEND SPARKS TROOP WARNING The focus shifted back to Trump, as he added Chicago “needs help.” “They need help, badly,” the president said. “Chicago desperately needs help. We don’t want to lose Chicago. We’re going to lose Chicago. We want to save these folks. We’re going to lose them. We’re not going to allow this kind of savagery to destroy our society anymore. We’re stopping it. One by one.” The video was posted hours after Trump called for Johnson and Pritzker’s arrests on Truth Social. “Chicago Mayor should be in jail for failing to protect Ice Officers! Governor Pritzker also!” Trump wrote in a post. Pritzker fired back on X, saying “what else is left on the path to full-blown authoritarianism,” and noting he would not “back down.” The two Illinois leaders have clashed with the president over immigration enforcement and Trump’s decision to send National Guard troops to the state to protect federal personnel and property amid escalating anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protests in Broadview. Texas National Guard troops arrived in Illinois this week and were mobilized for an initial 60-day period. TRUMP SLAMS PRITZKER ON CHICAGO CRIME; GOVERNOR’S REPORTED WEIGHT LOSS FUELS 2028 SPECULATION Pritzker on Tuesday accused Trump of being a “man who’s suffering dementia,” alleging the president “doesn’t read,” according to The Chicago Tribune. “This is a man who has something stuck in his head. He can’t get it out of his head,” Pritzker said. “He doesn’t read. He doesn’t know anything that’s up to date. It’s just something in the recesses of his brain that is effectuating to have him call out these cities.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “And then, unfortunately, he has the power of the military, the power of the federal government to do his bidding, and that’s what he’s doing,” he added.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Liberal media darling under fire after viral interview
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics coverage. Here’s what’s happening… – Behind the scenes of Trump’s anticipated Antifa roundtable with Cabinet members – Comey pleads not guilty to indictment alleging false statements, obstruction – Supreme Court skeptical of ‘conversion therapy’ law banning treatment of minors with gender identity issues Conservatives on social media blasted California Democrat Katie Porter, widely seen by Democrats as a frontrunner in the state’s gubernatorial race, after she cut short a contentious interview over follow-up questions from a reporter. The viral moment happened in a clip posted Tuesday night where Porter took issue with the line of questioning from CBS investigative journalist Julie Watts, who was pushing Porter on whether she can and needs to appeal to the millions of Trump voters in the state to become the next governor. “I feel like this is unnecessarily argumentative,” Porter said, adding, “I don’t want to keep doing this, I’m going to call it.”…READ MORE. ‘SUFFERING DEMENTIA’: Pritzker hurls ‘dementia’ claim at Trump amid National Guard feud despite defending Biden’s mental fitness ‘SHOULD BE IN JAIL’: Trump says Chicago mayor, Illinois governor ‘should be in jail for failing to protect’ ICE officers ‘MOST SECURE’: Trump admin announces fewest border apprehensions since 1970 HEATED REMARKS: Kamala Harris takes apparent shot at Trump admin in bizarre outburst: ‘These mother—– are crazy’ ‘SERIOUS FIREPOWER’: Kushner joins Witkoff for Gaza ceasefire talks as Trump pushes 20-point peace plan DECOUPLING DEBATE: Think tank founder faces scrutiny over China corporate ties despite decoupling advocacy BROKEN PEACE: Houthi rebels test US ceasefire with deadly strike on cargo ship ILL HEALTH: Moderate Dem undercuts Jeffries on Obamacare compromise as government shutdown wears on DEMS DIG IN: Senate Democrats defy White House warnings, again block GOP bid to restart government SERVING THE COUNTRY: Johnson rejects push for military pay fix as shutdown fight intensifies SPENDING STANDOFF: Reporter’s Notebook: Senate revotes today on ending government shutdown PICKING UP THE TAB: Vulnerable Harris-district Republican brings in more than $1M as Dems scramble to flip seat HISTORIC HOLDUP: Government shutdown 101: We’ve been here before, here’s what happens next TAXPAYERS PAY UP: Obamacare subsidies at center of Dem shutdown fight ‘fuel’ healthcare cost inflation, conservatives say ‘WEREN’T SURVEILLED’: Dem rep defends DOJ obtaining GOP senator call records in 2023: ‘You weren’t surveilled’ UPHILL CLIMB: Democrat Aftyn Behn advances to special election in battle for vacant congressional seat in deep-red district COST OF IDEALS: Cuomo rips Mamdani’s freebie ‘fantasy,’ says AOC proved socialism fails after killing NYC Amazon deal FOLLOW THE MONEY: Who is Elizabeth Simons? Meet the largest individual donor to Virginia’s disgraced Dem AG nominee CAMPUS CHAOS: Protesters attempt to justify Hamas attack on Israel with ‘Columbia Intifada’ newspaper on Oct. 7 anniversary FUNDING THREAT: State rep’s bill would punish colleges financially if they don’t rename roads after Charlie Kirk END OF CAMELOT: Joan Kennedy, wife of Sen. Ted Kennedy for 22 years, dead at 89 ‘I DON’T CARE’: Controversial Dem abruptly ends bonkers interview after repeatedly berating reporter: ‘I don’t care’ LEGACY LIVES ON: Turning Point Montana State event featuring Ramaswamy, Gianforte draws thousands ‘NAUSEATING’: Republican labels Mamdani as ‘little more than a Muslim terrorist,’ advocates yanking citizenship, deportation Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Kamala Harris takes apparent shot at Trump admin in bizarre outburst: ‘These mother—– are crazy’
Former Vice President Kamala Harris took an apparent shot at the Trump administration during her latest public appearance while promoting her new book, remarking from a stage in Los Angeles that “these mother—-ers are crazy.” “There’s so much about this moment that is making people feel like they’ve lost their minds. When, in fact, these mother—-ers are crazy,” Harris said Monday during an event in Los Angeles called “A Day of Unreasonable Conversation.” The comment, which did not identify the Trump administration directly, earned applause from attendees, according to footage of the clip. “I call this, ‘The Freedom Tour,’” she added, according to the Hollywood Reporter. KAMALA HARRIS OFFICE SILENT WHEN QUESTIONED IF FACT-CHECKER REVIEWED NEW BOOK BEFORE PUBLICATION Harris remarks came as she explained she wrote her most recent memoir, “107 Days,” so history would directly hear her retelling of the unprecedented 2024 election, according to clips of the event spreading like wildfire on social media. “One of the other reasons I wrote it is history is going to write about this. And it was important to me that that be told with my voice being present,” she said. “And I would say that that everyone, we are living history right now. And you all as storytellers are living this. You’re not passive observers. You know that. You’re living it.” “And I’m gonna ask you that all the emotions that we are feeling, give those emotions, give that experience to those people that you are writing about and writing for. It gets back to my point about helping people just put a label on it, even if it doesn’t change the circumstance,” she continued before dropping the line that leaders of the current political climate are “crazy.” “A Day of Unreasonable Conversation” is a one-day invitation-only event hosted in Los Angeles that previously featured speakers such as former first lady Jill Biden and singer Kesha, according to its website. The series aims to “equip creators of culture — television writers, artists, producers, executives, and digital storytellers — for the year ahead,” according to its website. When asked about Harris’ remarks, White House spokesman Kush Desai took aim at the former vice president’s laugh. “Kamala Harris should listen to an audio recording of her cackle of a laugh before calling anyone crazy,” Desai said. KAMALA HARRIS PLAYS UP COZY RELATIONSHIP WITH HILLARY CLINTON AS WEDGE WITH BIDEN WIDENS Harris’ appearance, which was not listed on her official book tour agenda, also included lamenting election night 2024, when she reported she felt levels of grief that could only be compared to how she felt following her mother’s death. “I couldn’t articulate anything else — I kept saying over and over again, ‘My God, my God,’ she said, according to the Hollywood Reporter. “I had never felt that level of pain and grief except that when my mother died, and it was grieving for the country. I knew what was going to happen.” Harris is on a public event blitz since the release of “107 Days” in September, kicking off her book tour in New York City before making stops across the nation to promote the new political memoir that walks readers from former President Joe Biden’s attempted 2024 run through her picking up the mantle in an effort to defeat President Donald Trump at the ballot boxes. The former vice president’s book tour has included repeated claims that the most recent presidential election was the “closest” this century, claiming at a book tour stop in Houston Saturday that Trump doesn’t have a “mandate.” KAMALA HARRIS BREAKS SILENCE ON BIDEN DROPOUT, ADMITS SHE HAS REGRETS ABOUT HER HANDLING OF SITUATION “Here’s the other thing that is quite unprecedented — and, it was the tightest, closest presidential election in the 21st Century. He does not have a mandate! That is not a mandate! That is not a mandate!’” she said during that event. Harris lost both the Electoral College and popular vote to Trump during the 2024 election in a defeat that also included each of the seven battleground states voting in favor of Trump. Harris ended the campaign with 75,019,617 total votes to Trump’s 77,304,184 votes, and 226 electoral votes to Trump’s 312. The data, however, has not stopped Harris from repeatedly claiming it was the “closest” election in the 21st century. “By the way, what is also historic about that, in many ways — it was the closest election for president of the United States in the 21st Century,” she said in September 2024 from Howard University’s campus in Washington. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “Period. Period,” she added. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House and Harris’ office for comment on her remarks in Los Angeles but did not immediately receive replies.
Houthi rebels test US ceasefire with deadly strike on cargo ship
A crew member has died from injuries sustained during a Houthi attack on a Dutch cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden, as the Iran-backed rebels escalate their campaign against international targets and detain United Nations workers in Yemen. The Philippines’ Department of Migrant Workers confirmed that the victim was a Filipino national aboard the Minervagracht, a vessel operated by Amsterdam-based Spliethoff. The ship was struck by an explosive device while sailing in international waters, igniting a fire that forced the evacuation of 19 crew members of Russian, Ukrainian, Filipino and Sri Lankan nationalities. They were rescued by helicopter and transported to safety, the company said. Iran-backed Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack, alleging the vessel had “violated the entry ban to the ports of occupied Palestine.” The group has repeatedly targeted commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, claiming its attacks are acts of solidarity with Palestinians amid Israel’s war in Gaza. But the strike on the Minervagracht was the first major assault in the Gulf of Aden, which links the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, since July 2024. HEGSETH ISSUES STARK WARNING TO DRUG TRAFFICKERS FOLLOWING US MILITARY STRIKE ON VENEZUELAN VESSEL And the strike on the Minervagracht marked the Houthis’ first assault on a commercial ship since the Sept. 1 attack on the Israeli-owned tanker Scarlet Ray near the Saudi port city of Yanbu. Meanwhile, the United Nations said that 10 of its staff members — all Yemeni nationals — were detained this week in areas controlled by the Houthis. They were working to deliver humanitarian aid in one of the world’s poorest and most war-torn countries. According to the U.N., a total of 54 staff members have been detained by the Houthis since 2021 as the rebels intensify their crackdown on international aid organizations. The Houthis have previously accused detained aid workers of being part of a “spy network,” a claim the U.N. and human rights groups have strongly denied. ISRAEL CONFIRMS STRIKE ON HOUTHIS IN YEMEN, MARKS SECOND TIME THIS WEEK The detentions come as Yemen’s civil war, now in its 10th year, continues to fragment the country and complicate aid delivery, with more than two-thirds of the population reliant on humanitarian assistance. The attacks come after Washington agreed to a ceasefire with the Houthis in May — raising questions about whether it will hold. The Houthis “say they will not be blowing up ships anymore,” President Donald Trump said on May 6 when he announced the ceasefire. In July, the Houthis attacked Greek-owned commercial vessel Magic Seas and the Liberia-flagged bulk carrier Eternity C. Between December 2023 and February 2024, Houthi attacks caused a 90% drop in global container shipping through the Red Sea, according to the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency. The Houthis have not violated the ceasefire provision banning attacks on U.S. ships but have breached the agreement’s clause requiring “the smooth flow of international commercial shipping.”
Joan Kennedy, wife of Sen Ted Kennedy for 22 years, dead at 89
Joan Kennedy, the former wife of Sen. Edward “Ted” Kennedy, died at the age of 89 on Wednesday. Her son, Patrick Kennedy, and his wife, Amy, confirmed Joan’s death in a statement. Joan’s marriage to the Lion of the Senate was fraught with scandal and public scrutiny thanks to her husband’s infidelity and lifestyle. She divorced Kennedy in 1983. “Mrs. Kennedy was a classically trained pianist, an advocate for mental health and addiction recovery, and a quiet pioneer in publicly addressing challenges with alcoholism and depression at a time when few others would,” the couple said. “Her courage and candor helped break stigma and inspired others to seek help and healing. Her impact on the arts, mental health advocacy, her beloved Boston community, and the nation will be remembered by many,” the statement added. KENNEDY FAMILY MEMBERS DENOUNCE RFK JR.’S DECISION TO ENDORSE TRUMP AS A ‘BETRAYAL OF VALUES’ Joan Kennedy had three children with her husband, and she stood by him through arguably the most severe scandal of his career, the Chappaquiddick accident. In 1969, he plunged his car off a bridge on Chappaquiddick Island, killing his young female passenger, Mary Jo Kopechne. TRUMP THANKS RFK JR FOR ENDORSEMENT AFTER THIRD-PARTY CANDIDATE SUSPENDS HIS CAMPAIGN: ‘THAT’S BIG’ Kennedy was able to swim to safety, however, and waited hours before contacting police. He later pleaded guilty to charges of fleeing the scene of a crash. Joan’s estrangement from her husband was nearly impossible to hide by the time of his unsuccessful effort to defeat President Jimmy Carter in the 1980 Democratic primaries. They had been separated by then, and would divorce three years later. One bumper sticker from the campaign read “Vote for Jimmy Carter, Free Joan Kennedy.” KENNEDY FAMILY CHOOSES POLITICS OVER FAMILY WITH ENDORSEMENT IN 2024 PRESIDENTIAL RACE Health and Human Services Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Joan’s nephew, has yet to release a statement on her passing. The Associated Press contributed to this report. This is a developing story. Check back soon for updates.
Controversial Dem abruptly ends bonkers interview after repeatedly berating reporter: ‘I don’t care’
California Democratic gubernatorial candidate Katie Porter went viral Tuesday evening after a clip from a recent interview spread across social media showing her repeatedly lashing out at a reporter and trying to end the interview. “What do you say to the 40% of CA voters who you’ll need in order to win, who voted for Trump?” Porter was asked by CBS California’s Julie Watts during a segment on the controversial redistricting effort launched by Democrats in the state. “How would I need them in order to win, ma’am?” Porter, considered by many to be the frontrunner in the race, responded. “Well, unless you think you’re going to get 60% of the vote,” the reporter, asking about the voter breakdown of Democrats and Republicans in the state, said before Porter started laughing. KATIE PORTER BLAMES BILLIONAIRES, CAMPAIGN ‘LIES’ IN CONCESSION SPEECH EVEN THOUGH BIG DONORS BACKED HER Porter then went back and forth with the reporter, arguing about whether she needs to court and win over Trump voters, particularly if she’s running head-to-head against another Democrat. “So you don’t need them to win,” Watts asked Porter. “I feel like this is unnecessarily argumentative,” Porter said, prompting the reporter to point out that she had asked the same question to the other candidates in the race and they answered it. NEWSOM JUST MADE A CATASTROPHIC MISTAKE ON CALIFORNIA’S HOMELESSNESS DISASTER “I don’t want to keep doing this, I’m going to call it,” Porter said. “You’re not going to do the interview?” Watts said as Porter tried to remove her microphone. “Nope, not like this I’m not, not with seven follow-ups to every single question you ask,” Porter responded. When Watts reminded Porter that every candidate had answered the question, Porter said, “I don’t care.” Porter told Watts after being pressed even more that she doesn’t “want to have an unhappy experience with you” and that she doesn’t “want this all on camera.” The clip quickly went viral on social media, with conservatives blasting Porter for struggling with follow-up questions. “This Katie Porter crashout is INCREDIBLE,” Republican communicator Matt Whitlock posted on X. “What a mean, spoiled brat Katie Porter is to a journalist asking a very normal/straight forward question,” conservative commentator Meghan McCain posted on X. “The rumors in DC were always she’s an absolute nightmare – and as usual, people always reveal themselves.” “Democrats in California aren’t challenged by the media very often,” Trump administration special envoy Richard Grenell posted on X. “@katieporteroc implodes when asked a follow up question. She isn’t ready to be Governor. She’s downright embarrassing.” Fox News Digital reached out to Porter’s campaign for comment. Watts addressed the heated moment in a post on X saying, “Since this 3min excerpt of 30min segment went viral, we decided to post it ourselves. But I’d encourage you to watch the full segment.”