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Trump forced to shut down federal government

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Donald Trump

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The US under President Donald Trump has gone into crisis as it was forced to shut down federal government at midnight Friday as senators continued to scramble to reach a deal to fund the government. In a late night vote, Democrats joined to block a bill that could have kept the government running for another four weeks.

This has come on the day when Trump was about to celebrate completion of one year in office. He was inaugurated on January 20, 2017.

However, White House has blamed Democrats for the shutdown. Trump’s  press secretary Sarah Sanders said few minutes before Friday midnight that “Tonight, they put politics above our national security, military families, vulnerable children, and our country’s ability to serve all Americans. We will not negotiate the status of unlawful immigrants while Democrats hold our lawful citizens hostage over their reckless demands. This is the behavior of obstructionist losers, not legislators.”

India is 10.30 hours ahead of Washington time (known as Eastern Time). Friday midnight in Washington occurred at 10.30 am on Saturday in India. United States is divided into four time zones. Time at US west coast was 9 pm Friday while Washington was entering into Saturday.

According to CNN, 60 votes were required to advance the bill to keep the government going for four weeks. Republicans only control 51 seats, so they needed Democratic votes to cross that threshold. As of midnight in Washington the vote was still technically ongoing but enough senators had voted against the plan to prevent government open. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ended the vote at 12:16 a.m. ET (12.46 Indian time).

Just before midnight Republican John Yarmuth, a Kentucky Democrat, told reporters that the House Democratic leadership team concluded at their meeting Friday night that there would be a government shutdown and the group expected it to last through early next week.

Yarmuth, the top Democrat on the House Budget Committee said,”I think it is almost 100% likely that the government will shut down for some period of time — now my guess is it won’t go past the first of the week — in which the disruption won’t be particularly severe.”

Yarmuth expected the House, which would be out of session next week, would likely come back just for a day to approve some type of stopgap bill.

“There are all sorts of things being discussed apparently, from one day to three days, to five days, to three weeks to four weeks. Four weeks being the president’s position.” He said Democrats would be fine with backing some type of short term continuing resolution.

However, later reports say that Congressional leaders — including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer — are working to come up with a deal on the floor of the chamber. The source said to CNN that the talks on the floor are, indeed, real and “potentially productive” but the gap is too big to bridge right now.

The development seems to be shocking and unexpected for the President Trump. His tweet on Friday evening, at 5.30 pm, was quite positive.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]But situation took worst turn within hours. Trump sensed the defeat on floor at 9.30 pm, some two and half hours before midnight. Here is his tweet;[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Friday that government shutdown would impact military operations including some training and intelligence operations.

He was quoted saying, “Our maintenance activities will probably pretty much shut down … Over 50 percent, altogether of my civilian workforce will be furloughed … We do a lot of intelligence operations around the world and they cost money, those obviously would stop,”

In a separate statement, the Defence Department said that the shutdown would not impact the US military’s war in Afghanistan or its operations in Iraq and Syria, where it claims of fighting against Daesh (IS) and other terror groups.

Reports says that essential government offices and services including military, the border patrol, air traffic controllers and Federal Bureau Investigation (FBI) will remain functioning until there is agreement in the senate.

Patty Culhane, working for Aljazeera in Washington says, “It’s not as if the public is going to see a massive impact right now. But it is politically damaging and that is what we are seeing from the statement of White House press secretary.

In US politics a government shutdown occurs when Congress and the President fall to pass appropriations legislation funding government operations and agencies.

During Ronald Reagan administration, there were three funding gaps leading to shutdowns lasting one day or less. A funding gap in 1990 during George H.W. Bush administration caused a weekend shutdown. Bill Clinton administration also faced two full government shutdowns during 1995 and 1996 lasting five and twenty days. During Barack Obama presidency, government shutdown occurred during October 1-16, 2013.

London based The Independent reported in December that Donald Trump has the lowest approval rating at any post-war US President at the end of their first calendar year in office. The Republican’s favourability sank as low as 32 percent in mid to late December.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Kremlin denies US media reports on Donald Trump’s phone call with Vladimir Putin

Donald Trump said on the campaign trail that he could end the fighting within hours and has indicated he would talk directly with Russian President Putin.

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Kremlin denies US media reports on Donald Trump’s phone call with Vladimir Putin

The Kremlin today denied a US media report that Russian President Vladimir Putin and US president-elect Donald Trump had spoken on the phone last week about the Ukraine conflict.

Earlier on Sunday, The Washington Post reported that Donald Trump spoke to Vladimir Pution on call, urging him not to inflame the conflict. Speaking on the matter, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the media that the report was completely false information, and denied any phone call took place.

It was reported that US President-elect Donald Trump has spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin and urged him not to escalate the war in Ukraine. It said that Donald Trump held the call from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on Thursday, just days after his stunning election victory over Democratic rival Kamala Harris. The report also mentioned that both the leaders expressed an interest in further conversations to discuss the resolution of Ukraine’s war soon.

Notably, Donald Trump said on the campaign trail that he could end the fighting within hours and has indicated he would talk directly with Russian President Putin. However, the US President elect has not said how he intends to strike a peace deal or what terms he is proposing.

Donald Trump’s election is seen as carrying the potential to upend the almost three-year Ukraine conflict, as he insists on a quick end to the fighting and casts doubt on Washington’s multi-billion dollar support for Kyiv.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke with Trump on Wednesday, with the Republican’s billionaire backer Elon Musk also notably joining them on the call. Volodymyr Zelensky described the call as excellent, adding that he and Trump had agreed to maintain close dialogue and advance our cooperation.

Additionally, the outgoing Democratic administration of President Joe Biden has confirmed that it will send as much aid as possible to Ukraine before Trump’s inauguration on January 20.

Joe Biden’s National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said the White House aims to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position on the battlefield so that it is ultimately in the strongest possible position at the negotiating table.

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India News

India calls out Canada’s move to ban Australia Today for airing S Jaishankar’s press conference

The MEA said that these actions yet again highlight the hypocrisy of Canada towards freedom of speech.

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India calls out Canada’s move to ban Australia Today for airing S Jaishankar's press conference

A few hours after Australia Today aired External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s press conference in Australia, Canada banned the outlet. The External Affairs Minister gave remarks on the India-Canada diplomatic standoff. 

Reacting to this, India on Thursday said it was surprised by Canada’s move to ban the outlet and emphasized that it highlighted Ottawa’s hypocrisy towards freedom of speech. Australia Today, which is an important outlet for the Indian community in the country, had aired the joint press conference of S Jaishankar and his Australian counterpart Penny Wong in Canberra.

In a weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that they understand that the social media handles, pages of this particular outlet, which is an important diaspora outlet, have been blocked and are not available for viewers in Canada. He continued that this happened just an hour or a few hours after this particular handle carried the press conference of S Jaishankar with Penny Wong. He called out the incident, mentioning that they are surprised, and the matter looks strange to them.

He further underlined that these are the actions which yet again highlight the hypocrisy of Canada towards freedom of speech. He noted that the External Affairs Minister spoke about three things: Canada making allegations and a pattern had developed without any specific evidence, surveillance of Indian diplomats in Canada, which he termed as unacceptable, and  the political space which has been given in Canada to anti-India elements. 

With this one can draw conclusions, why Australia Today channel was blocked by Canada, the spokesperson said. Australia Today focuses on news and analytical pieces related to the Indian community in Australia and elsewhere across the world.

This incident follows days after devotees were attacked by pro-Khalistani at a Hindu temple in Canada’s Brampton, with S Jaishankar calling it deeply concerning. Furthermore, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condemned the attack and said that there were cowardly attempts to intimidate Indian diplomats.

The diplomatic standoff between India and Canada began in September last year when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged that Indian government agents might have been involved in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a claim outrightly rejected by New Delhi.

Later in October 2024, ties between both the countries nosedived when Canada termed the Indian High Commissioner a person of interest in its investigation into Nijjar’s murder. Issuing a strongly worded statement, India dismissed the fresh charge and recalled the envoy and some diplomats, while expelling six Canadian officials, including Canada’s acting High Commissioner.

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PM Modi congratulates Donald Trump on winning US President election

The Prime Minister urged Trump to work for the betterment of the people and to promote global peace, stability and prosperity.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday congratulated Donald Trump on winning the 2024 US Presidential election and said he is looking forward to renewing their collaboration to further strengthen the India-US partnership.

The Prime Minister urged Trump to work for the betterment of the people and to promote global peace, stability and prosperity.

“Heartiest congratulations my friend @realDonaldTrump on your historic election victory. As you build on the successes of your previous term, I look forward to renewing our collaboration to further strengthen the India-US Comprehensive Global and Strategic Partnership. Together, let’s work for the betterment of our people and to promote global peace, stability and prosperity,” PM Modi posted on his X handle.

With the results being announced for the 2024 US election on November 6, Trump became the 47th President of the United States.

Former US President Trump appeared to be on track for a remarkable political comeback in the White House race. Projections suggested that he was poised to secure the necessary 270 electoral college votes, effectively blocking Democratic candidate Kamala Harris from winning the election.

The relationship between Trump and Modi has been characterised by robust diplomatic ties, strategic collaboration, and a noticeable personal rapport. Their friendship was prominently displayed during major events such as “Howdy, Modi” in Houston in 2019 and “Namaste Trump” in Ahmedabad in 2020, where they addressed large audiences and expressed their mutual respect.

On a strategic level, Trump and Modi found common ground in matters of defense and security, both adopting a strong stance against terrorism, which reinforced their alliance, particularly concerning threats from Pakistan.

As he approaches a notable victory in the US election, Republican Presidential candidate Trump expressed gratitude to his supporters today, calling it a magnificent victory for the American people. He also referenced the assassination attempt on July 13, stating, “God spared my life for a reason.”

The 78-year-old candidate is currently projected to secure 267 electoral college votes, just three shy of the decisive 270, while his opponent, incumbent Vice President Kamala Harris, holds 224 electoral votes.

Trump described the Republican campaign as the greatest political movement of all time, asserting, “We are going to help our country heal, secure our borders, and we made history for a reason tonight. This is an incredible political victory. I want to thank the American people. I will fight for you and your family with every breath I have.”

He noted that Democrats are now looking at a projected total of 315 electoral votes.

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