On CNN’s “State of the Union,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said President Donald Trump is refusing to negotiate, making a government shutdown all but certain and laying responsibility firmly at his feet. Schumer argued that the Republican bill being advanced lacks any input from Democrats and is entirely partisan, claiming that Trump's leadership has blocked the kind of negotiation that used to avert shutdowns in past administrations.
President Donald Trump signed a proclamation introducing a major overhaul of the H‑1B visa program on Friday. Under the new policy, new applicants for H‑1B visas will be required to pay an annual fee of $100,000. At the same time, he unveiled a “gold card” visa option with a pathway to U.S. citizenship for individuals willing to pay $1 million, and a “platinum card” visa costing $5 million that allows extensive stays in the U.S. without taxation on foreign income.
A 23‑year‑old man, Trevon Haynes, was arrested after assaulting a woman at gunpoint in her northeast side Indianapolis home and being shot by his victim as he left. The woman told investigators that Haynes barged into her house uninvited, held a gun to her head, forced sexual assault, and captured the attack on video.
Sinclair Broadcast Group, the largest owner of ABC affiliate television stations, originally pledged to air a tribute to Charlie Kirk in Jimmy Kimmel’s usual time slot on Friday evening. The plan was for a “special in remembrance” of Kirk following Kimmel’s suspension. But when it came time to air it, Sinclair backed out of running the tribute on its ABC stations. Instead, they posted a link for viewers to watch the special on YouTube.
A 64‑year‑old man named Anibal Hernandez Santana was arrested Saturday after allegedly firing multiple shots into the lobby window of Sacramento’s ABC affiliate ABC10. The shooting came one day after protests at the station over its indefinite suspension of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” due to controversial remarks connected to Charlie Kirk’s death. Thankfully, no one inside was hurt despite the building being occupied.
The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on whether President Donald Trump exceeded his authority by imposing sweeping tariffs under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). Lower courts have ruled that IEEPA does not authorize such broad trade actions without clear congressional approval. Trump’s administration argues otherwise, saying the statute empowers the president to “regulate importation” during declared emergencies, which they interpret to include the power to impose tariffs.
Illinois will defend its 2023 law banning certain semi‑automatic firearms and high‑capacity magazines before the Seventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals this Monday. The law, signed by Governor J.B. Pritzker, was declared unconstitutional last year by a federal district court, which found that banning commonly owned firearms violates the Second Amendment. The state and its supporters contend the law targets “dangerous and unusual” weapons amid growing concerns over mass shootings.
OpenAI has announced it will build an automated system to estimate whether a user is under or over 18, following a lawsuit filed by the parents of a 16‑year‑old who died by suicide after extensive interaction with the company’s AI chatbot. The plan aims to protect minors by restricting certain kinds of content and experience in conversations with ChatGPT.
Russian MiG‑31 fighter jets entered Estonian airspace near Vaindloo Island in the Baltic Sea and remained inside for about 12 minutes, Estonian officials report. Although NATO‑deployed Italian F‑35s signaled the Russian aircraft to leave, radar and visual monitoring suggest the Russian pilots ignored the signals. The aircraft were flying without flight plans or active transponders at the time.
