Trump Issues

US president issues executive order as longest partial government shutdown in US history enters 49th dayDonald Trump issued an executive order Friday that declares all Department of Homeland Security employees will receive pay and benefits during the agency’s partial shutdown.The “Liberating the Department of Homeland Security From the Democrat-Caused Shutdown” memo is similar to Trump’s executive order from last week which called for issuing pay to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents during the shutdown.In the order, Trump directed the homeland security secretary, Markwayne Mullin, to “use funds that have a reasonable and logical nexus to the functions of DHS” to pay “each and every employee of DHS”. Continue reading...

Pressing tasks for new director general also include an expiring royal charter, and finding a new top teamMatt Brittin may have only just been announced as the new BBC director general, but his inbox is already overflowing. Here are his immediate challenges: Continue reading...

• President Donald Trump issued a 48-hour ultimatum demanding Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face U.S. "obliteration" of key energy infrastructure, escalating the ongoing conflict into its fourth consecutive week. • U.S. stock index futures fell sharply Sunday evening: S&P 500 futures declined 0.3% to 6,542.25 points, Nasdaq 100 futures fell 0.4% to 24,008.0 points, and Dow Jones futures dropped 0.16% to 45,821.0 points, reflecting market anxiety over potential military escalation. • Major indexes have posted cumulative losses of 4-7% over the past 30 days as concerns mount over the long-term economic impact of prolonged conflict, compounded by stronger-than-expected inflation data reducing expectations for Federal Reserve rate cuts this year.