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House Democrats to hold ‘Day of Action’ to push back against GOP-backed spending bill

House Democrats to hold ‘Day of Action’ to push back against GOP-backed spending bill

House Democrats will hold a “Day of Action” across the country on Tuesday to “aggressively” push back against the “diabolical Republican scheme to enact the largest Medicaid cut in our nation’s history” after Congress passed a spending bill to avert a government shutdown. The Senate voted 54-46 on Friday to pass the stopgap spending bill, with Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., as the only Republican to oppose the measure. Nearly all Democrat senators opposed it, but Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and Independent Sen. Angus King of Maine, who caucuses with the Democrats, voted to pass the bill. Earlier in the week, the GOP-controlled House passed the short-term bill, otherwise known as a continuing resolution, which will keep spending levels the same as fiscal year 2024 until Oct. 1. SHUTDOWN AVERTED AFTER SCHUMER CAVES AND BACKS TRUMP SPENDING BILL If a spending bill was not passed by the Friday deadline, the government would have entered into a partial shutdown. President Donald Trump backed the bill and urged lawmakers to pass it. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said that the bill “is an attack on veterans, families, seniors and everyday Americans.” “The ongoing Republican assault on the economy, healthcare, the social safety net and veterans benefits requires all of us working together in the weeks and months to come,” he said in a statement. “Donald Trump’s disingenuous and nakedly superficial effort to divide us will not succeed.” CHUCK SCHUMER WILL VOTE TO KEEP GOVERNMENT OPEN: ‘FOR DONALD TRUMP, A SHUTDOWN WOULD BE A GIFT’ Jeffries said House Democrats will hold a “Day of Action” throughout America on Tuesday to “aggressively push back against the diabolical Republican scheme to enact the largest Medicaid cut in our nation’s history,” adding: “We will partner with our colleagues at every level of government to protect the American people.” Democrats in the House and the Senate, as well as governors, local elected officials, unions, civil rights organizations, democracy reform groups and concerned citizens all have an important role to play, Jeffries said. “Our party is not a cult, we are a coalition,” he said. “On occasion, we may strongly disagree about a particular course of action. At all times, Democrats throughout the nation remain determined to make life better for everyday Americans and stop the damage being done by Donald Trump, Elon Musk and House Republicans.” The Senate’s vote on Friday to pass the six-month continuing resolution came after a procedural vote earlier in the day in which enough Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., helped Republicans overcome the filibuster and move forward with the stopgap spending bill. Jeffries has refused to answer questions about whether he had confidence in Schumer after the senator helped advance the Republican-backed legislation. Fox News’ Julia Johnson contributed to this report.

Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,115

Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,115

These are the key developments on day 1,115 of Russia’s war on Ukraine. Here is the situation on Saturday, March 15: Fighting Russian President Vladimir Putin called for beleaguered Ukrainian troops in the Russian region of Kursk to “surrender”, saying that “if they lay down their arms and surrender, they will be guaranteed life and dignified treatment”. Putin’s remarks were broadcast on Russian television hours after United States President Donald Trump said that “thousands” of Ukrainian troops were surrounded by the Russian military in Kursk, adding that he has “strongly requested” Putin to spare their lives. Ukraine’s General Staff denied again that its forces in Kursk were encircled by Moscow’s troops and said that any reports to that effect were “fabricated by the Russians for political manipulation and to exert pressure on Ukraine and its partners”. A Russian missile struck a residential area in the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih, injuring 11 people, including two children, the regional governor said. Kryvyi Rih is Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s hometown and has been the target of repeated attacks in Russia’s three-year full-scale invasion of its neighbour. Advertisement Russian guided bombs struck a series of targets in Ukraine, including a residential area in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, killing one person, the regional governor said on Telegram. Near Ukraine’s Black Sea city of Odesa, Russian drones attacked the port of Chornomorsk, cutting power completely to the area’s residents, the regional governor said. Russian air defences downed four Ukrainian drones attacking the Russian capital, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said. One drone damaged the roof of an apartment building a few kilometres from the Kremlin. Several other buildings were lightly damaged by drone fragments, but there were no injuries, according to emergency officials. A far-right anti-Russian activist was shot dead on a street in Odesa and a suspect has been arrested,  Zelenskyy said on Telegram. The suspect, a 46-year-old man, was described as a “deserter” from the Ukrainian army. Police said, “We cannot rule out the possibility that this crime was committed on behalf of Russian secret services”. Ceasefire Putin met with US envoy Steve Witkoff to discuss details of the US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in Moscow’s war on Ukraine, asking him to convey Moscow’s thoughts to Washington, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. Trump said he was “being a little bit sarcastic” when he repeatedly claimed as a presidential candidate that he would have the Russia-Ukraine war solved within 24 hours – and even before he even took office. “Well, I was being a little bit sarcastic when I said that,” Trump said in a clip released in advance of a television interview to be broadcast on Sunday. In a speech at the US Department of Justice, Trump said that ceasefire negotiations with Russia were ongoing and praised his relationship with Putin, saying that the Russian leader “has respect for this country”. He again suggested that Ukraine was to blame for Russia’s 2022 invasion, saying, “You don’t want to pick on somebody that’s a lot larger than you.” Advertisement United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer accused Putin of not taking US-led attempts to secure a ceasefire in Ukraine seriously. French President Emmanuel Macron in a post on X, also called on Moscow to stop its “acts of violence” in Ukraine. G7 foreign ministers warned Russia of new sanctions unless it accepted a ceasefire “on equal terms”, saying sanctions could include “caps on oil prices, as well as additional support for Ukraine, and other means”. Politics and diplomacy European support for Ukraine will be discussed in a video conference with about 25 European Union and other world leaders, as well as Zelenskyy, on Saturday. Diplomatic sources said EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas is to propose that the 27-country bloc supply up to 40 billion euros ($43.5bn) in new military aid to Ukraine. The UK’s Starmer will urge leaders from the so-called “coalition of the willing”, which includes Europe, Australia, Canada and New Zealand, to make concrete commitments to support Ukraine and increase pressure on Russia to accept a ceasefire during the video conference. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko is visiting North Korea, North Korean state media report. Russia and Venezuela announced plans to increase energy cooperation after Washington ordered US oil giant Chevron to pull out of the Caribbean country. Adblock test (Why?)

Injunction lifted on Trump executive orders slashing federal DEI support

Injunction lifted on Trump executive orders slashing federal DEI support

An appeals court on Friday lifted a block on President Donald Trump‘s executive orders ending federal support for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. A panel of three judges ruled the orders can be enforced during a pending lawsuit, reversing a nationwide injunction from U.S. District Judge Adam Abelson in Baltimore, the Associated Press reported. Two of the judges on the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the orders “could raise concerns” about First Amendment rights, but found Abelson’s “sweeping block went too far,” according to the report. FEDERAL JUDGE TEMPORARILY STOPS TRUMP ADMIN FROM FIRING 11 INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS ASSIGNED TO DEI PROGRAMS Abelson, a Biden nominee, previously ruled the orders violated the First Amendment right to free speech and were unconstitutionally “vague,” as they did not define DEI. The ruling followed a lawsuit filed by the City of Baltimore, the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, the American Association of University Professors and the Restaurant Opportunities Centers United, which alleged the executive orders were presidential overreach and anti-free speech.  They argued the president’s power “is not limitless.” TRUMP SCORES BIG LEGAL WIN AGAINST PULITZER PRIZE BOARD MEMBERS AS LAWSUIT MOVES TO DISCOVERY Trump’s orders directed federal agencies to terminate all “equity-related” grants or contracts, and required federal contractors to certify that they don’t promote DEI.  The administration argued in court that the ban only affected DEI programs violating federal civil rights laws.  “What’s happening is an overcorrection and pulling back on DEI statements,” attorney Aleshadye Getachew said in a hearing.  While the president secured a win with the latest injunction, a similar federal lawsuit was filed in D.C. U.S. District Court on Wednesday challenging DEI executive orders including: “Ending Radical and Wasteful DEI Programs and Preferencing;” “Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government;” and “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity.”  CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The second complaint was filed by NAACP Legal Defense Fund and Lambda Legal on behalf of nonprofit advocacy organizations.  White House spokesman Harrison Fields told the New York Times that “the radical leftists can either choose to swim against the tide and reject the overwhelming will of the people, or they can get on board and work with President Trump to advance his wildly popular agenda.” Fox News Digital’s Brie Stimson, Danielle Wallace, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Trump, Kathy Hochul had ‘productive’ White House meeting after governor said she would lead Dem ‘resistance’

Trump, Kathy Hochul had ‘productive’ White House meeting after governor said she would lead Dem ‘resistance’

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office said Friday she and President Trump had a “productive” meeting at the White House while discussing several topics, such as tariffs and energy.  “Gov. Hochul and President Trump covered a broad range of topics in today’s meeting, including the redevelopment of Penn Station, congestion pricing, tariffs and energy policy,” a spokesperson for her office shared with Fox News Digital.  “While no formal agreements or decisions were reached, it was a productive conversation, and we look forward to continuing the dialogue in the coming weeks.” The White House also confirmed the meeting to Fox News Digital but said it was off the record and there would be no readout.  NY GOV HOCHUL NOW SAYS SHE WILL LEAD ‘RESISTANCE’ AGAINST TRUMP AFTER SAYING OPPOSITE WEEKS AGO  Trump told reporters Thursday, “Kathy Hochul, very nice woman; she’s coming in tomorrow morning at 9 o’clock to meet me.” He added they would be discussing reviving the Constitution natural gas pipeline from Pennsylvania to New York, among other topics.  They met amid tensions between the two, including over congestion pricing. The Trump administration has ordered the termination of congestion pricing by next Friday.  In February, Trump posted from the White House X account, “CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!” HOCHUL SLAMS TRUMP’S ‘KING’ REMARK AFTER PRESIDENT’S MOVE TO BLOCK CONGESTION PRICING TOLL IN NYC Hochul responded by saying in a press conference, “I’m here to say New York hasn’t labored under a king in over 250 years. We sure as hell are not gonna start now,” FOX 5 reported.  “There is a huge disconnect between the reality we know that New Yorkers are facing and the perception of reality out of the White House,” she added at a New York Department of Transportation board meeting this week. “I guarantee that the president has never had to endure missing a child’s sporting event because he was stuck on a delayed train.”  Earlier this month, the Democratic governor said she will be “leading the resistance” against Trump.  Hochul said she would “fight back hard” during an interview with NPR’s “Morning Edition” Monday when asked about New York City’s congestion pricing toll that the Trump administration moved to block last month. “We offered up an olive branch. [We said] ‘We’ll work with you on infrastructure. Let’s redo Penn Station’,” Hochul said. “Those areas were common ground. But once you draw first blood on us, we’re coming back hard. And I will be leading the resistance on policies like these where you’re hurting New Yorkers directly. This is our decision, not yours.” Two weeks before that, however, Hochul said she didn’t plan to lead the resistance. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “I’m governing the great state of New York,” she told reporters.