

(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

WASHINGTON (AP) — With only hours to spare, President Joe Biden on Thursday evening signed legislation to avoid a partial federal shutdown and keep the government funded through Dec. 3. Congress had passed the bill earlier Thursday.

Vote delayed, Democrats struggle to save Biden $3.5T bill
Despite a long night of frantic negotiations, Democrats remain unable to reach an immediate deal to salvage President Joe Biden’s $3.5 trillion government overhaul, forcing leaders to call off promised votes on a related public works bill.


Court allows U.S. border officials to continue expelling migrant families
The Biden administration has maintained a pandemic-era policy enacted under former President Donald Trump to rapidly expel some migrants from the U.S.-Mexico border.


No deal: House delays infrastructure vote
House Democratic leaders late Thursday postponed a vote yet again on the bipartisan infrastructure bill amid threats from progressives to tank it as leverage for a separate, larger package to expan…


'We are not there yet': Vote on infrastructure bill delayed as Biden budget negotiations drag
White House officials and top Democrats negotiated into the evening to try to strike a compromise on Biden's budget bill but put off a vote for later.
www.usatoday.com

A 'dangerous cabal'? Alito says high court is no such thing
Justice Samuel Alito is pushing back against criticism that recent Supreme Court actions in major cases have been done hastily and in the shadows.


Senate approves Biden land-agency pick over GOP opposition
A bitterly divided Senate has approved President Joe Biden’s choice to oversee vast government-owned lands in the West, despite Republican objections that she is an "eco-terrorist.''


Appeals court allows Title 42 expulsions to resume
A federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., ruled Thursday that the Biden administration can resume use of Title 42, a Trump-era public health provision that allows federal officials to rapidly expel migrants who illegally cross the border due to concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Congressional members share own abortion stories at hearing
Three Democratic members of Congress have offered deeply personal testimony about their own abortions as a congressional committee looks at how to respond to conservative states that are passing laws limiting abortion access.


Democrats pour cold water on Manchin’s $1.5T price tag
His fellow Democrats quickly poured cold water Thursday on Sen. Joe Manchin’s (W.Va.) suggested maximum of a $1.5 trillion social spending bill, underscoring the rocky path facing leadership and Pr…

House delays vote on infrastructure bill amid fractious negotiations
Speaker Nancy Pelosi cancels planned vote on President Biden's infrastructure plan as Democratic negotiations continue.

Democratic Party headquarters in Texas county attacked by man with Molotov cocktail
A man tried to use a Molotov cocktail to damage the Travis County Democratic Party headquarters in Austin, Texas, on Wednesday morning, officials said.Katie Naranjo, chair of the county’s Democrati…


Identity of ‘Tech Executive’ in Durham indictment over Alfa Bank claims revealed - Washington Examiner
The unnamed technology executive from special counsel John Durham’s most recent indictment, who allegedly hired now-indicted lawyer Michael Sussmann and helped push claims of a secret backchannel between the Trump Organization and Russia’s Alfa Bank, has been revealed. Rodney Joffe, senior vice...

In congressional talks, Vice President Harris stays largely out of the fray
In choosing Kamala Harris as his running mate, Joe Biden was implicitly making her the face of the Democratic Party’s future. But the present requires intense negotiations over the president’s ambitious domestic agenda — the kinds of negotiations with which Harris has little experience.

Progressives AOC, Bush unload on moderate Manchin over infrastructure bills
Progressives Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Cori Bush AOC unloaded on moderate Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin Thursday.

Shutdown: Congress votes to keep US government open
But a vote on President Biden's massive $1tn (£750bn) infrastructure bill was postponed.


Democratic civil war hits new heights
Democrats engaged in a verbal war on Thursday, with progressives and centrists accusing one another of essentially sabotaging President Biden’s agenda and putting the party’s majorities in jeopardy…

Critics point to Kyrsten Sinema post calling for corporations to 'pay their fair share' of taxes
The Democratic senator from Arizona has angered liberals by opposing President Joe Biden's $3.5 trillion spending package for unclear reasons.

Democrats, White House scramble to cut deal to unlock infrastructure stalemate
Democrats and the White House are scrambling to reach a deal that would allow them to move forward with an infrastructure bill that has been stuck in limbo for much of Thursday. …


Biden and House Democrats unite behind his agenda, but they say more time is needed
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., wrote in a letter to colleagues that "more time is needed to complete the task" of forging an agreement among Democrats on their larger spending measure.


Manchin says $1.5 trillion is his limit on Biden economic agenda amid battle with progressives | CNN Politics
Moderate Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia made clear Thursday that $1.5 trillion was the price tag he was willing to settle on for his party’s plan to expand the social safety net, putting him $2 trillion away from the lowest number progressive Democrats have said they would accept.


Yellen calls for ‘very destructive’ debt limit to be abolished
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Thursday she supports abolishing the federal debt limit, calling it a “very destructive” threat to the full faith and credit of the U.S.In congressional te…

Trump Server Mystery Produces Fresh Conflict
WASHINGTON — The charge was narrow: John Durham, the special counsel appointed by the Trump administration to scour the Russia investigation, indicted a cybersecurity lawyer this month on a single count of lying to the FBI. But Durham used a 27-page indictment to lay out a far more expansive...

‘We did it together’: Blinken rejects Pentagon blame for Afghanistan chaos - Washington Examiner
Secretary of State Antony Blinken rejected the Pentagon's suggestion that the State Department was solely responsible for delaying the Afghanistan withdrawal as the simmering blame game for the Kabul chaos bursts into the public eye.“I don't think anyone can say that we took any of the decisions...

Activists Take Vaccine Demands to Home of Biden's Chief of Staff
A small band of longtime AIDS activists, fed up with what they regard as President Joe Biden’s failure to scale up coronavirus vaccine manufacturing for global use, deposited a fake mountain of bones outside the home of Ron Klain, his chief of staff, Wednesday to represent the lives they say...

U.S. trade chief: Biden will build from Trump-era tariffs to confront China
In an interview, the U.S. trade representative says her office is nearly done with a review of the administration’s approach to China as it prepares to chart a new course on the trade relationship.


Pelosi delays vote on trillion-dollar infrastructure bill | CNN Politics
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ruled against putting a $1 trillion infrastructure bill on the floor Thursday night, according to a leadership aide, after progressives rebelled, potentially delaying consideration until Democrats strike an agreement on separate, much larger social safety net and...


Lawmakers give intimate testimony about their own abortions
Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., testified that after she was raped and became pregnant in the summer of 1994, she had an abortion when she was 18.

Durham issues fresh round of subpoenas in his continuing probe of FBI investigation into Trump, Russia | CNN Politics
Special Counsel John Durham has issued a new set of subpoenas, including to a law firm with close ties to Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign, an indication that Durham could be trying to build a broader criminal case, according to people briefed on the matter. So far, Durham’s two-year probe into...


Prisons, border wall: How GOP is looking to use COVID money
Republicans are using money from the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package for projects on conservatives' wish lists.


Biden signs bill to avert shutdown ahead of midnight deadline | CNN Politics
President Joe Biden on Thursday night signed Congress’ stopgap funding bill to avert a shutdown and extend government funding through December 3, according to the White House.


Kyrsten Sinema soars in Arizona even as she rankles Democrats in Washington - Washington Examiner
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema is bolstering her standing with rank-and-file voters in Arizona even as she infuriates local liberal activists and fellow Democrats in Congress.Sinema this week emerged as a key Democratic obstacle to passage of a $3.5 trillion spending package that includes crucial elements...


Democratic factions dig in, threatening fate of infrastructure vote
The warring factions of the Democratic Party are digging in on their competing positions surrounding President Biden’s domestic agenda, raising the prospect that a bipartisan infrastructure bi…


Harris’ office forced into damage control mode after student accuses Israel of 'ethnic genocide'
Harris' office is scrambling to reassure pro-Israel Democrats about her commitment to Israel

Ban on 'surprise' medical bills on track for Jan. 1 rollout
The Biden administration is putting final touches on long-sought consumer protections against so-called “surprise” medical bills.


Maine, Nebraska remain Electoral College battlegrounds after redistricting
The only two states that award electoral votes by congressional district redrew their maps this week, mostly leaving the battleground seats intact.


Fires in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest fell by half in September
Fires in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest fell by half in September compared to September 2020, according to government data released in Brazil on Thursday. The preliminary satellite data from Inpe,…


Could McAuliffe's run for Virginia governor be tanked by sinking Biden approval, Dems' infrastructure fight?
President Biden's flagging approval ratings and intra-party squabbles among Democrats in D.C. are key factors in a close Virginia gubernatorial race that has less than five weeks to go until Election Day.

China’s Xi ascendant as attention turns to every facet of life
China celebrates National Day as its government embarks on a massive social engineering project.

Internet goes down for millions, tech companies scramble as key encryption service expires - Washington Examiner
The expiration of a key digital encryption service on Thursday sent major tech companies nationwide scrambling to deal with internet outages that affected millions of online users.Tech giants — such as Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Cisco, as well as many smaller tech companies — were still...


Nazi Stutthof camp secretary flees as German trial starts
Irmgard Furchner - accused of complicity in more than 11,000 murders - tried to flee on Thursday.


McAuliffe up by 7 points in Virginia governor’s race: poll
Former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) has a 7-point lead over Republican Glenn Youngkin in the commonwealth’s gubernatorial race, according to a Roanoke College poll released Wednesday.The surve…


Cotton demands to know where Blinken was during Afghanistan planning meeting
Sen. Tom Cotton is calling on Secretary of State Antony Blinken to explain why he was not present at a meeting regarding the planning of the Afghanistan withdrawal in May.

Refugee groups race to find housing for 53,000 Afghan evacuees | CNN Politics
Refugee resettlement agencies are racing to find housing for the approximately 53,000 Afghans on military bases in the United States who will eventually be resettled in the country, but the groups are facing a strained – and expensive – housing market.


Facebook whistleblower isn't protected from possible company retaliation, experts say
The person who shared damning documents about the company is expected to reveal her identity on Sunday. Legal experts say Facebook may target her with legal action.


San José apologizes for 100-year-old arson that destroyed its Chinatown
The city of San José in California on Wednesday apologized for a more than 100-year-old arson attack that destroyed its Chinatown.


Gavin Newsom signs sweeping police reforms to increase accountability and bar ‘harmful techniques’ - Washington Examiner
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a sweeping package of police reform laws on Thursday aimed at increasing accountability and removing "harmful techniques." In total, Newsom signed eight separate bills regarding law enforcement reform. The legislation creates harsher consequences for officer...


Lobbyists’ frustration with BIF uncertainty spills out into the open
“If this vote today was occurring on the merits of the bill, the outcome wouldn’t be in doubt,” said Neil Bradley, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s top lobbyist.


Homeland Security issues new guidelines for arresting, deporting immigrants
The Department of Homeland Security issued new immigration enforcement guidelines in an effort to reform the way federal authorities make deportation decisions.

"We felt in danger": Afghan evacuees relocated to Wisconsin describe fleeing the Taliban
Many families have arrived at Fort McCoy — one of eight U.S. bases helping to resettle more than 60,000 Afghan evacuees — with nothing but the clothes on their backs.


House lawmakers recount traumatic personal stories at hearing on anti-abortion laws
The lawmakers testified Thursday at a hearing examining mounting challenges to abortion rights across the nation.


Nearly 50 million seniors could face Social Security payment delays if debt ceiling isn’t raised | CNN Politics
Nearly 50 million senior citizens could face delays in their Social Security payments if Congress does not suspend or raise the debt ceiling in the coming weeks, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told lawmakers Thursday.


EXCLUSIVE U.S. lawmakers push for new controls on ex-spies working overseas
The U.S. intelligence community's budget bill could place new controls and reporting requirements on former U.S. spies, according to the author of the legislation, making it harder for them to work as contractors for foreign governments following a 2019 Reuters investigation into American...


Senate confirms Biden consumer watchdog, unleashing industry crackdown
The confirmation is the latest victory for progressives who have so far succeeded in putting their stamp on the Biden administration’s recruitment of top financial regulators.


Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm discusses Congress and the fate of Biden's agenda - "The Takeout"
On "The Takeout" podcast this week, Granholm said it's "really important" to pass both bills containing Biden's domestic priorities, "especially since we don't know what's going to happen politically in 2022."


Senate confirms Biden public lands nominee accused of affiliation with ‘ecoterrorist’ group - Washington Examiner
The Senate narrowly confirmed President Joe Biden's pick to lead the Bureau of Land Management over fierce Republican opposition spurring from accusations of past affiliation with an "ecoterrorist" organization. Tracy Stone-Manning was confirmed 50-45 on Thursday, with all Democrats voting to...


N Korea says it fired anti-aircraft missile, 4th recent test
North Korea says it has test-fired a new anti-aircraft missile. It is its fourth weapons launch in recent weeks, which experts say is part of a strategy to win sanctions relief and other concessions.


More Afghan evacuees will begin arriving in US next week
The U.S. military expects to begin receiving new Afghanistan evacuees in the United States next week, as thousands begin to wrap up a three-week pause in Europe and the Middle East to get measles shots.


Biden faces a reckoning on his agenda as top aides start to temper expectations | CNN Politics
President Joe Biden faced a reckoning Thursday after House Democratic leaders, facing a shortfall of support, put off plans to vote on a trillion-dollar infrastructure plan amid sour disagreements over the size and scope of his sweeping domestic agenda.


AOC's Civilian Climate Corps, drug price controls, tobacco taxes in Dems' $3.5T 'infrastructure' bill
The massive $3.5 trillion spending bill being floated by Democrats in Congress contains tens of millions of dollars in spending that advances progressive ideology and liberal causes.

Ban on 'surprise' medical bills on track for Jan. 1 rollout
The Biden administration is putting final touches on long-sought consumer protections against so-called “surprise” medical bills.


Opinion | Biden’s Justice Department Should Not Be Pursuing Trump’s Political Vendetta
It’s time to wrap up the Durham investigation.


Democrats divided: Progressives, centrists say trust is gone
Congressional Democrats are fighting over trillions of dollars, their paramount policy goals and perhaps their political fate.


AOC laughs at Manchin's $1.5 trillion spending bill top line
AOC blasted Manchin's maximum price tag of $1.5 trillion, $2 trillion less than the proposed $3.5 trillion bill

House approves legislation to protect K-12 schools against cyberattacks
The House on Wednesday unanimously passed legislation intended to help strengthen K-12 institutions against cyber threats, which have ticked up as classes have moved online during the COVID-19 pand…


New Immigration Enforcement Guidelines Focus On Threats To Public Safety
Under the new guidance to ICE and other agencies, simply being present in the U.S. without legal authorization "should not alone be the basis" for immigration authorities to arrest or deport someone.


Ethiopia orders expulsion of top UN officials for ‘meddling’
UN ‘shocked’ after gov’t declares seven officials ‘persona non grata’ and gives them 72 hours to leave Ethiopia.

School boards are asking for federal help as they face threats and violence
School board meetings, usually one of the most mundane examples of local democracy in action, have exploded with vitriol across the country in recent months, and many school leaders are scared.


The Great Lakes see the impact of climate change: "The highs are getting higher and the lows are getting lower"
It's not just the coasts experiencing climate change. The coastline along the Great Lakes is changing too.


School board group asks US for help policing threats
The nation's school boards are asking President Joe Biden for federal assistance to investigate and stop a growing number of threats made against their members

DOJ watchdog Horowitz reveals over 200 errors in FBI FISA applications
A report from Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz released Thursday details “widespread” shortcomings in how the FBI applies for surveillance warrants.

House Democrats delay vote on infrastructure bill after late-night negotiations
Centrist Democrats want to pass the $550 billion bill, but progressives want to delay a vote to gain leverage for a larger safety net package.


Fox News Poll: Tight race for Virginia governor
Virginia voters give Democrat Terry McAuliffe the advantage over Republican Glenn Youngkin by 48-44 percent in the race for governor, according to a new Fox News Poll.

Cohen on progressives: ‘My car is older than quite a few’ of them
Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) criticized progressives in his party for displaying what he said is a lack of experience and willingness to compromise as House Democrats negotiate a massive spendin…


New Biden rules would limit arrest, deportation of migrants
The Biden administration on Thursday announced new rules that require authorities to only pursue migrants who recently crossed into the country without permission or are deemed to pose a threat to public safety.


POLITICO Playbook PM: Manchin draws a line
And Janet Yellen endorses eliminating the debt ceiling.


DEA sounds alarm over 'extremely dangerous' fake Oxycontin, Adderall, Xanax
The Drug Enforcement Administration on Thursday sounded an alarm over counterfeit pills, including fake Adderall and Xanax, often laced with deadly amounts of fentanyl.

Tear gas fired at thousands rallying for civilian rule in Sudan
Security forces fired tear gas to break up a demonstration in the capital attended by an estimated 20,000 people.

Pelosi aims to hold House infrastructure vote Friday as progressives and moderates continue to negotiate
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi began the day Friday with an emboldened progressive caucus and lots of uncertainty about the infrastructure bill.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal's office created an Instagram account posing as 13-year-old girl to study how the app affects teens
Blumenthal revealed news of the fake account during a hearing at which senators grilled a Facebook official on Instagram's impact on teen mental health.


House delays infrastructure vote as negotiations among Democrats stall
House progressives continue to threaten to sink the bill unless there's an agreement on the other, much larger package that expands the social safety net.


Gov. Noem cuts ties with former Trump adviser Lewandowski
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem is cutting ties with political adviser Corey Lewandowski after the longtime confidant to former President Donald Trump was accused of making unwanted sexual advances toward a GOP donor.


Pentagon report shows 41% increase in suicides among active-duty troops from 2015 - 2020
The report found that service members who died by suicide are primarily enlisted, male and under 30 years of age.


Cardona fears effort to reimagine public education is slipping away
“We can't take one minute for granted,” the education secretary says of the push for free community college.


Al Qaeda’s murky future in Afghanistan


Senators push Facebook exec on Instagram policies for youth
Senators have fired a barrage of criticism at a Facebook executive over the social-networking giant’s handling of internal research on how its Instagram photo-sharing platform can harm teens.


Confusion reigns after China slams door on crypto
For firms that invested heavily in cryptocurrencies and mining gear, the options for cashing in may be limited.

13-year-old boy shot at Memphis school, suspect to be charged with attempted murder: Police
The boy allegedly responsible for shooting a fellow student at a Memphis school Thursday morning will be charged with attempted murder, police said.
Biden's top team skips Africa, prioritizes Asia in early trips
Data: U.S. government press releases; Chart: Kavya Beheraj/AxiosThe travel itineraries of the Biden administration’s top foreign policy officials show a clear pattern.The big picture: Early engagement with long-standing partners in Europe, the Middle East and East Asia; An effort to deepen...

Bodycam video shows moments before Chicago police officer attempted to tackle Black woman
Newly released police body cam footage shows the moments before a white police officer attempted to tackle a Black woman walking her dog in a closed park in Chicago.

Facebook executive says company doesn't profit off underage users
Head of "safety" at the social media company told senators that internal research on mental health impact was misinterpreted.


Rome mayor election: Can Rome be rescued from the rubbish?
The picture-postcard capital is beloved by tourists but plagued by problems beneath the façade.


Smith & Wesson to move headquarters from Massachusetts to Tennessee
Gun-maker cited state's "unwavering support of the Second Amendment" in saying it would relocate in 2023.


Black Widow: Disney and Scarlett Johansson settle lawsuit
Johansson argued she was deprived of earnings when the movie was offered on Disney+.


Supreme Court to hear case over Boston's refusal to fly Christian flag
The case could provide an opportunity for the court's six-justice conservative majority to expand the rights of religious groups.


Qatar calls Taliban moves on girls education ‘very disappointing’
Speaking alongside the EU’s Josep Borrell, Sheikh Mohammed called on the Taliban to maintain ‘gains’ made in past years.

Ecuador jail riot: Anxiety, fear and little information
Families in Ecuador are in a desperate search for loved ones after the deadly fight in a jail.


China’s crypto ban fuels new U.S. wedge issue


Government shutdown crisis averted after Congress passes funding bill
The House and Senate passed a bill to fund the government through December, hours ahead of a midnight deadline. Now the focus is on a deepening divide among Democrats over passing President Biden’s signature spending plans.


Spending scramble and an inscrutable infrastructure vote


Facebook research shows company knew of Instagram harm to teens, senators say
U.S. senators on Thursday grilled Facebook Inc on its plans to better protect young users on its apps, drawing on leaked internal research that showed the social media giant was aware of how its Instagram app harmed the mental health of teens.
House delays infrastructure vote while leaders hash out deal
A vote on the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill was delayed late Thursday night as leaders on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue continue to hash out a deal on President Biden's larger reconciliation package.Why it matters: Pelosi had promised centrist Democrats she would bring the...


COVID-19 updates: American Airlines to require employee vaccinations
The United States has been facing a COVID-19 surge as the more contagious delta variant continues to spread.

Woman who survived 1918 flu, world war succumbs to COVID
Primetta Giacopini's life began and ended with pandemics

CDC "strongly recommends" COVID-19 vaccine for pregnant people
More than 22,000 pregnant Americans have been hospitalized with COVID-19, and data suggests 97% of them were unvaccinated.


New York teachers ask Supreme Court to block vaccination mandate
A group of teachers is challenging the city order, saying thousands of public school employees will be forced out of work if it remains in effect.


U.S. Judge upholds COVID-19 vaccine requirement for those with 'natural immunity'
A U.S. judge upheld the University of California's COVID-19 vaccine requirement against a challenge by a professor who alleged he had immunity due to a prior coronavirus infection, in what appears to be the first ruling on the issue.


Ohio health care workers warn of 'astronomical' COVID-19 pediatric surge
Ohio currently has the country's second highest total of pediatric COVID-19 hospitalizations.

Rep. Chip Roy introduces legislation to block fines for Biden's vaccine mandate
Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, introduced a bill Thursday which would prevent agencies from imposing fines on individuals or businesses that do not comply with Biden's vaccine mandate.

Court sides with Biden administration, preserves Covid limits on asylum-seekers for now
Hearings on Title 42, a health law being used to turn away migrants at the border, are scheduled for January.


House votes to create office for medical intelligence to get earlier pandemic warnings
A provision inserted into a bill approved by the House Intelligence Committee would create authorities to counter foreign biological threats.


Vaccine passports not everyone’s ticket

Activists Take Vaccine Demands to Home of Biden's Chief of Staff
A small band of longtime AIDS activists, fed up with what they regard as President Joe Biden’s failure to scale up coronavirus vaccine manufacturing for global use, deposited a fake mountain of bones outside the home of Ron Klain, his chief of staff, Wednesday to represent the lives they say...