JQJO — General news · Page 6

On day 33 of the US government shutdown, Republicans say Donald Trump is eager to end the standoff, yet Congress remains deadlocked over a spending plan. With 53 Senate seats, Republicans need seven Democrats to reopen agencies; only three have backed funding in repeated votes since the 1 October closure. Two federal judges ordered the administration to tap $5bn in contingency funds to resume SNAP benefits for up to 42 million people, after payments stopped Saturday. Trump says he is waiting for judicial clarification, as the shutdown inches toward the 35-day record.

A federal judge late Sunday barred the Trump administration from deploying National Guard troops to Portland for at least five more days, signaling she may block them for good. U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut issued a preliminary injunction extending her earlier order preventing Guard protection of a local ICE facility amid months of protests. Citing voluminous evidence, she said the government hadn’t shown an imminent rebellion or that ICE lacked resources, and the plan likely violated the Tenth Amendment. A final ruling is due by Friday; if she upholds it, federal lawyers are expected to appeal.

Before dawn on Halloween, FBI agents raided a Dearborn, Michigan home with smoke bombs and loud commands, later touting on X that a terrorist plot was foiled. Yet as of Sunday, no charges have been filed, and details remain scarce. Attorneys and neighbors dispute the allegations, citing lawful firearms and possibly misread online chatter about pumpkin day. Law enforcement sources referenced ISIS-inspired talk and range practice; the FBI has not elaborated. Community leaders decried Islamophobic backlash and urged patience, while an expert questioned the maturity of any plot.

Long-term melatonin use may be a red flag for the heart, researchers report. Reviewing five years of records from 130,828 adults (average age 56), regular users for at least a year had higher rates of heart failure (4.6% vs 2.7%), hospitalization (19% vs 6.6%), and death. The team says melatonin isn’t proven to cause harm; instead, persistent insomnia may signal cardiac strain. Outside experts urged caution, noting over-the-counter use often isn’t captured in records. The findings, led by SUNY Downstate researcher Dr. Ekenedilichukwu Nnadi, will be presented at an American Heart Association meeting and have not been peer reviewed.

More than half the states vote Tuesday in the first general election of Donald Trump’s second term, offering an early verdict on his agenda. Voters will choose governors in New Jersey and Virginia, decide New York City’s mayor, and weigh California’s Proposition 50 to redraw congressional maps. Pennsylvania will vote on retaining three justices on its Supreme Court, with control potentially shifting. Other contests include Virginia’s attorney general race, a crowded Texas congressional seat, fights for legislative control, and statewide ballot measures in Maine, Texas, Colorado and Washington.

In a 60 Minutes interview aired Sunday night, President Donald Trump said he didn’t know Binance founder Changpeng Zhao—despite having issued a pardon last month for the crypto billionaire who pleaded guilty to violating anti-money laundering laws. He also addressed the ongoing shutdown, on track to become the longest ever, saying Republicans are voting almost unanimously to end it while Democrats keep blocking a resolution. Trump offered no plan and predicted Democrats would eventually relent: 'And if they don't vote, that's their problem.' He said the conversation also touched on immigration raids and China.

Gold hovered near $4,000 an ounce after a shaky Monday open, recovering 0.2% following an early drop of up to 1%. The move came after Beijing ended a long-standing policy allowing some retailers to fully offset value-added tax on gold bought from the Shanghai Gold Exchange and Shanghai Futures Exchange, a change that could weigh on demand in one of the world’s largest precious-metals markets. Chinese gold jewelry stocks tumbled on the news.

El Fasher, a major city in Sudan’s Darfur region, fell to a paramilitary force last week, and verified images and witnesses point to an unfolding massacre. Residents were shot as they fled; videos show fighters casually executing civilians. Survivors who reached a town 65 kilometers away describe terror, starvation, and death. Echoing the atrocities of two decades ago, the violence is driven by familiar ethnic rivalries and forces descended from the Janjaweed. They are backed by the United Arab Emirates, which denies backing either side. Attention from abroad is scant, and impunity is rife.

Scientists captured striking drone footage in the Gulf of California of orcas killing juvenile great white sharks by flipping them into tonic immobility and consuming their livers, a behavior detailed Monday in Frontiers in Marine Science. Lead author Erick Higuera, who first filmed it in August 2020 with Marco Villegas, initially misidentified the prey. Researchers say this pod’s focus on young great whites—rather than larger adults—may reflect easier kills and naive sharks, as shifting ocean conditions appear to be bringing more juveniles to the area. The repeated attacks raise fresh questions about predator dynamics.

Sam Darnold carved up the Commanders on Sunday Night Football, opening 17-for-17 and tossing four first-half touchdowns as the Seahawks cruised 38-14. He finished 21-of-24 for 330 yards with four TDs and a pick before Drew Lock finished. Rookie Tory Horton caught two early scores; Elijah Arroyo struck after a kickoff fumble, and Cody White hauled in a 60-yarder. Darnold tied a franchise mark with 17 straight completions. Jaxon Smith-Njigba had eight catches for 129 yards, tying Steve Largent's franchise record with six 100-yard games this season. Washington’s Jayden Daniels left late with left arm in an air cast.