The US Congress passed a funding bill to restart Department of Homeland Security operations and end a partial government shutdown that had left many federal workers without pay for weeks. The House approved the measure, sending it forward to resolve the funding gap that had stalled DHS operations. The bill notably excludes Immigration and Customs Enforcement from its funding provisions, a detail that signals the political compromises made to get the legislation through. Federal workers affected by the shutdown will now be able to receive pay, and DHS agencies covered by the bill can resume normal operations. The ICE carve-out is worth watching: it leaves that agency's funding unresolved, which could trigger a fresh standoff in the near term. Congress will likely need to return to the ICE funding question separately, keeping immigration enforcement budgets an open political flashpoint.
Venezuela's earthquake death toll has reached 1,430 with the US Geological Survey warning fatalities could top 10,000, placing it among Latin America's deadliest in a century. US military planes are landing in Caracas, Washington is mobilising $150 million in aid, and rescue teams from 17 countries are on the ground.
Iranian armed forces attacked a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, briefly halting traffic through the waterway. The strike threatens a fragile US-Iran arrangement and could push shipping insurance costs and oil prices higher.
The US has struck Iran, with President Trump citing an Iranian attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz as justification. The action raises immediate risks for global oil flows through one of the world's most critical shipping chokepoints.
The US struck ten Iranian targets on the second consecutive day of military action, putting a fragile ceasefire under serious pressure. The escalation raises immediate risks for Gulf shipping, global oil supply, and regional stability.
