🔗 Share this article

Widespread terminations of government workers have begun, as GOP legislators apply influence on Democratic officials to resolve a federal closure. The White House budget office characterized the layoffs as “significant,” with unions for government employees bringing the matter to litigation. The president remarked that the job losses “are going to be a lot” and suggested that affected jobs would be in regions that were “Democrat oriented.”

Administration Declares Government Employee Reductions

The White House announced layoffs of government employees on Friday, fulfilling a threat it had issued in response to the US government shutdown, which now seems probable to extend into a consecutive third week. The director of the administration's office of management and budget wrote on online platforms that “reduction-in-force procedures have begun,” referring to the government’s procedure to terminate staff.

Chief Executive Warns 100% Chinese Duties

The US president has threatened to impose additional US import taxes of 100% on China from the coming month, charging Beijing of “extremely aggressive” moves to limit shipments of rare earths needed for US manufacturing. Financial markets fell sharply after the US president reignited open disputes with the Beijing administration, and elevated the prospect of a further contentious commercial conflict between the planet's biggest economies.

National Guard Forces Seen on Memphis Roads

Reserve soldiers were seen monitoring in the Tennessee city for the first time on the weekend's eve, as part of the administration's controversial federal taskforce, amid intense court battles as he was blocked from deploying forces to Chicago and a judicial decision was awaited in Portland, Oregon.

MIT Rejects White House Plan to Overhaul Policies

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has emerged as the initial American university to officially reject a executive proposal that would restructure academic policies in exchange for preferential entry to federal funding.

Administration Criticizes Perceived Peace Award Omission

The executive office has denounced the Norwegian Nobel committee's choice to award the prestigious award to someone other than the US leader. “The Nobel committee demonstrated they prioritize political motives over peace,” wrote a presidential advisor and director of public relations.

Other Happened Today:

• The chief executive underwent what he has described as a “biannual health exam” at the military national military medical center.
• Up to 40 US professors have been dismissed or penalized after rightwing efforts focused on their comments on an assassination, creating a “climate of fear” on campuses.
• Prominent New York Democrats have rallied behind a state official a 24 hours after she was indicted on mortgage fraud allegations by a government lawyer appointed by the president.