Lawmakers on Capitol Hill unveiled a $174 billion spending package on Monday, a critical step in a race against the clock to avoid a government shutdown — as the current funding expires on January 30, 2026. Following a 43-day shutdown that ended in November 2025, lawmakers are aiming to pass funding bills in smaller packages rather than a single omnibus measure ahead of the deadline to avoid another shutdown. The $174 billion bipartisan spending package would fund the Departments of Commerce, Energy, Interior, and Justice, as well as water programs, the EPA, and federal science initiatives, through the September 30th end of the…
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OAKLAND, Calif. — On Jan. 17, 2025, federal prosecutors unsealed their indictment. The indictment charged the former mayor, Sheng Thao, her boyfriend, Andre Jones and recycling executives David and Andy Duong. There were eight counts. They included conspiracy, bribery, and fraud. Prosecutors said campaign mailers were sent to voters. They said a no-show job was arranged for the boyfriend. The indictment alleged the mayor promised city contracts in return. The FBI raid made the investigation public. Six days after the recall-the-mayor petition qualified for the ballot, agents raided the mayor’s home. Media were present. The recall was backed by a hedge fund…
A Chinese intelligence official owns twin golf courses flanking the U.S. Air Force headquarters that controls two legs of the U.S. nuclear triad, a Daily Caller News Foundation investigation has discovered. Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC), which is responsible for all of America’s intercontinental ballistic missiles and nuclear bombers, is hosted by Barksdale Air Force Base near Shreveport, Louisiana. Approximately two miles to the north and south, the base is effectively bordered by The Golf Club At StoneBridge and its 27-hole, 340-acre sister, Olde Oaks Golf Club. Since 2013, both courses have been owned by Eugene Ji, a Chinese-American businessman, who has held multiple Chinese government positions including serving as an official for…
Oakland, California, is as woke and blue as can be. In this world, businessman David Duong became the recycling king of the San Francisco Bay Area. As he flourished, he learned to navigate the political realities of California, and became a Democrat Party donor. That is, until the last election cycle, when Duong had a change of heart and started donating to the Donald J. Trump campaign. And we are talking meaningful donations, too, amounting to more than $450,000 to PACS supporting Trump. From within the blue universe he inhabited, he sent out six-figure checks to support Trump in the…
By AC Powell Former One-Term Congressman Looking to Run in Third District in 4 Years Former Congressman Marc Molinaro is reportedly exploring yet another run for Congress, this time in New York’s 21st Congressional District. If he follows through, it would mark Molinaro’s third attempt to secure a House seat across multiple districts in just a few election cycles, a political journey that increasingly raises questions about durability, direction, and authenticity. Molinaro’s recent congressional history is not a straight line. Before winning a seat in Washington, he ran in the 2022 special election in New York’s 18th District and lost.…
The United States and Switzerland announced a framework trade agreement on Friday that includes Washington slashing its tariffs on imported Swiss products to 15% from 39% and a pledge by Swiss companies to invest $200 billion in the U.S. by the end of 2028. The United States and Switzerland, joined by Liechtenstein, aim to conclude negotiations to finalize their trade deal by the first quarter of 2026, the White House said in a statement. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the agreement tears down longstanding trade barriers and opens new markets for American goods. He welcomed “massive Swiss investment to…
Congress rallied to pass a spending bill that ended the record-long government shutdown, but it came with a price: much of the legal cannabis industry. The big picture: A last-minute provision in the spending bill criminalized many hemp-derived products, despite the objection of businesses, lobbying groups, and lawmakers with stakes in the $28 billion industry. Driving the news: The provision reversed the legal sale of hemp products outlined by the 2018 Farm Bill, which included many THC-infused products. The other side: Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) authored the 2018 Farm Bill but has been a leading proponent of closing the THC loophole, arguing that companies have exploited it to…
Sylvia Bongo Ondimba and Noureddin Bongo Valentin, the wife and son of former Gabonese, president Ali Bongo, are being tried in absentia on corruption charges. The trial opened on Monday before a special criminal court and will continue throughout the week. Sylvia Bongo Ondimba and Noureddin Bongo Valentin are among 13 people accused of having misused the resources of the Gabonese presidency for their own gain. Overall, the defendants face 12 charges including embezzlement of public funds, money laundering, active corruption and forging official documents. The former first lady and her son were arrested in August 2023, after the coup that…
The Senate’s first weekend session since the beginning of the shutdown yielded few signs of progress Saturday as Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s wish for a quick vote never materialized. The impasse that has lasted 39 days is taking an increasing toll on the country as federal workers go unpaid, airlines cancel flights and SNAP benefits have been delayed for millions of Americans. Saturday’s session got off to a rough start when President Donald Trump made clear he is unlikely to compromise any time soon with Democrats who are seeking a one-year extension of Affordable Care Act tax credits. He…
Millionaires are increasingly dissatisfied with their wealth managers and accountants, but they prize their personal trainers and therapists, according to a new survey. Only a third of millionaires use a wealth advisor for their financial planning and 1 in 5 plan to fire their advisor due to high costs and poor service, according to a new survey from Long Angle, the professional network for startup founders and CEOs. Among those who do use an advisor, 26% are considering switching and 18% may stop using an advisor altogether. By contrast, millionaires are highly satisfied with their personal trainers, therapists and other professionals who help with…