Web Desk/AP

<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">GAZA:&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Egypt will host an international summit in the Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday to finalize an agreement aimed at ending the war in Gaza, Egyptian presidential spokesperson Ahmed Fahmy said on Saturday. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">More than 20 world leaders, including US President Donald Trump, are expected to attend the meeting. The summit seeks to build consensus on a plan that would halt hostilities and lay the groundwork for Gaza&rsquo;s postwar governance. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Trump&rsquo;s 20-point proposal envisions Israel maintaining a long-term security presence along its border with Gaza, while an international force, primarily composed of troops from Arab and Muslim countries, would oversee security within the enclave.&nbsp; <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has called for the force to be authorized by the UN Security Council. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">According to the Israeli military, its troops will continue operating defensively in the roughly 50 percent of Gaza still under its control after recent withdrawals to designated lines.&nbsp; <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The United States, meanwhile, plans to set up a coordination center in Israel to manage Gaza-related issues until a permanent administration is established, an official familiar with the discussions said. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" id="isPasted">More than <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">67,000 Palestinian casualties&nbsp; <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Israel&rsquo;s military campaign after <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" id="isPasted">Oct. 7, 2023 has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza&rsquo;s Health Ministry, which reports that roughly half of the dead are women and children.&nbsp; <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The ministry&rsquo;s figures are widely regarded by the United Nations and independent experts as the most reliable available. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The conflict has fueled broader instability across the Middle East, triggered global protests and prompted international calls for accountability over alleged human rights violations. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Sharm el-Sheikh summit is expected to focus on securing a lasting cease-fire, coordinating humanitarian aid delivery, and outlining a framework for Gaza&rsquo;s reconstruction and governance once the fighting stops.

Americas

Middle East

Egypt will host an international summit in the Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday to finalize an agreement aimed at ending the war in Gaza, Egyptian presidential spokesperson Ahmed Fahmy said on Saturday.

Donald Trump and El-Sisi to co-chair Gaza peace summit on Monday

Reuters

The Trump administration has laid off dozens of employees at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in its latest round of cuts, including &quot;disease detectives,&quot; high-ranking scientists and the entire Washington office, the New York Times reported on Saturday. The White House and the CDC did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. Affected workers were sent layoff notices via email shortly before 9 pm ET (0100 GMT) on Friday, informing them that their duties were now deemed unnecessary or &quot;virtually identical&quot; to those being performed elsewhere in the agency, the newspaper said. US government shutdownThe exact number of affected CDC workers is yet to be confirmed, it said. The ongoing US government shutdown has sent hundreds of thousands of federal workers home, with staff at the Department of Health and Human Services, which includes the CDC, affected.

The latest round of cuts, includes "disease detectives," high-ranking scientists and the entire Washington office, the New York Times reported on Saturday.

Trump administration lays off dozens of CDC officials, NYT reports

WASHINGTON: Donald Trump is in &quot;excellent overall health,&quot; his physician said on Friday after the 79-year-old &mdash; the oldest elected president in US history &mdash; underwent his second medical checkup of the year. Trump saw physicians at Walter Reed military hospital on the outskirts of the capital Washington earlier in the day. He gave reporters the thumbs-up on his return to the White House when they asked how the checkup had gone. &quot;President Trump continues to demonstrate excellent overall health,&quot; his doctor, Navy Captain Sean Barbabella, wrote in a letter released by the White House. &quot;His cardiac age &mdash; a validated measure of cardiovascular vitality via ECG &mdash; was found to be approximately 14 years younger than his chronological age. He continues to maintain a demanding daily schedule without restriction.&quot; A battery of routine tests was conducted, and Trump received an updated Covid booster shot and his annual flu shot, Barbabella said. The checkup comes three months after the White House announced that Trump had been diagnosed with a vein condition following speculation about frequent bruising on his hand and his swollen legs. The White House had said earlier this week that Friday&#39;s checkup would be an &quot;annual&quot; one &mdash; despite the fact that Trump had already undergone one of those in April. Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday that he was &quot;going to do a sort of semi-annual physical.&quot; &quot;I&#39;m in great shape, but I&#39;ll let you know. But no, I have no difficulty thus far ... Physically, I feel very good. Mentally, I feel very good.&quot; The Republican billionaire then embarked on one of his trademark tirades comparing his health with that of former presidents, particularly his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden. Trump said that during his last checkup, &quot;I also did a cognitive exam which is always very risky, because if I didn&#39;t do well, you&#39;d be the first to be blaring it, and I had a perfect score.&quot; Trump then added: &quot;Did Obama do it? No. Did Bush do it? No. Did Biden do it? I definitely did. Biden wouldn&#39;t have gotten the first three questions right.&quot; Bruised hand&nbsp;Trump has repeatedly been accused of a lack of transparency about his health despite huge interest in the well-being of the US commander-in-chief. In September, he dismissed social media rumors swirling about his health &mdash; including false posts that he had died. In July, the White House said Trump was diagnosed with a chronic but benign vein condition &mdash; chronic venous insufficiency &mdash; following speculation about his bruised hand and swollen legs. The hand issue, it said, was linked to the aspirin he takes as part of a &quot;standard&quot; cardiovascular health program. Trump is regularly seen at public events with heavy makeup on the back of his right hand to conceal the bruising. At his last checkup, the White House said Trump was in good health, saying he had a &quot;normal cardiac structure and function, no signs of heart failure, renal impairment or systemic illness.&quot;

Checkup comes three months after White House announced Trump had been diagnosed with vein condition following speculation about frequent bruising on his hand, swollen legs.



Trump, oldest elected US president, in 'excellent' health: doctor

Web Desk

US president says all hostages will be released very soon, Israel will withdraw their troops to an agreed-upon line; adds that all parties will be treated fairly.

Israel and Hamas have agreed to first phase of peace plan: Trump 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has hailed US President Donald Trump for the agreement&nbsp;that took place between Israel and Hamas on Thursday&nbsp;on a pause in fighting and prisoners&rsquo; exchange. The US president announced Wednesday that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the &ldquo;first phase&rdquo; of his peace plan to pause fighting and release at least some hostages and prisoners, in a major breakthrough in the two-year-old war, AP reported. The Pakistani prime minister, in a post shared on X, stated that the announcement of the agreement that will bring an end to the genocide in Gaza is &ldquo;a historic opportunity&rdquo; to secure lasting peace in the Middle East. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1976139811372126566&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=c46136357c6d53ddd2e07518be38f10515abb71c&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 368px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Appreciating the US president&rsquo;s role in the peace effort, the Pakistani prime minister said that President Trump&rsquo;s leadership throughout the dialogue and negotiation process reflects his unwavering commitment to world peace. Arab, Muslim leaders lauded&nbsp;Sharif also lauded the efforts of Arab and Muslim leaders for their role in the negotiations towards bringing an end to the conflict that has claimed thousands of lives. &nbsp; He said, &ldquo;The resolute and wise leaders of Qatar, Egypt, and Turkiye are also to be applauded for their untiring efforts to negotiate a deal.&rdquo; The Pakistani prime minister, stressing the need for a permanent end to the conflict, said that &ldquo;we must all pay tribute to the Palestinian people, who have suffered in an unprecedented manner, one that should never, ever be repeated.&rdquo; Provocations at Al Aqsa condemned&nbsp;On Wednesday, Israel&#39;s far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, visited the Al-Aqsa compound in occupied East Jerusalem, which is home to Islam&#39;s third-holiest site. The Pakistani premier, while condemning the visit, said, &ldquo;I also note with grave concern, and strongly condemn, the recent provocations at Masjid Al Aqsa.&rdquo; &ldquo;The world must hold the occupiers and illegal settlers to account and prevent any further actions that undermine the enormous efforts made by President Trump to reduce tensions and pave the way for lasting peace,&rdquo; he stressed. &nbsp; Partner in peace &nbsp;Sharif further said that Pakistan would continue to work with partners, friends, and the leaders of brotherly nations to ensure that peace, security, and dignity for the Palestinian people were established in accordance with their wishes and UN resolutions. Foreign minister lauds TrumpPakistan&rsquo;s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in his post on X welcome the agreement on the first phase of the plan.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1976157925421858922&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=c46136357c6d53ddd2e07518be38f10515abb71c&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 368px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>He said that &ldquo;Pakistan welcomes the agreement on the first phase of the Plan, including an immediate ceasefire, release of hostages and prisoners, and unhindered humanitarian aid to Gaza.&rdquo; Principled support reaffirmed&nbsp; The foreign minister, while appreciating the efforts of the US president, and Arab and Muslim leaders, said: &ldquo;We commend President Trump, and Qatar, Egypt, and T&uuml;rkiye for their efforts.&rdquo; Dar said, &ldquo;We hope this will lead to a permanent ceasefire and lasting peace.&rdquo; He said, &ldquo;Pakistan reaffirms its principled support for an independent State of Palestine, based on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.&rdquo;

Foreign Affairs

The Pakistani premier praises President Trump and Arab leaders for brokering a fighting pause and prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas, calling it 'a historic step' toward peace; condemns provocations at Al-Aqsa compound.

Shehbaz hails Trump for agreement on fighting pause, prisoners' exchange

WASHINGTON: Tours at the Capitol have come to a standstill. The House is keeping its doors closed, while the Senate is stuck in a loop of failed votes on a rejected plan to reopen the government. President Donald Trump is threatening to mass fire federal workers and refuse back pay for the rest. As the government shutdown enters a second week, there&#39;s no discernible endgame in sight. &ldquo;You have to negotiate,&rdquo; Sen. Bernie Sanders, the independent from Vermont, argued late into the evening on the Senate floor. &ldquo;That&#39;s the way it works.&rdquo; But no negotiations, at least publicly, are underway. Shutdown grinds on, but signs of quiet talksThe Republicans, who hold a majority in Congress, believe they have the upper hand politically, as they fend off Democratic demands to quickly fund health insurance subsidies as part of any plan to end the shutdown. But so have Democrats dug in, convinced that Americans are on their side in the fight to prevent the looming health care price spikes and blaming Trump for the shutdown. Behind the scenes, though, signs of discomfort are apparent. A loosely formed group of senators, comprising both Republicans and Democrats, has debated options for addressing the health insurance issue. One, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, has offered her own plans. Two prominent Republicans, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, have stated that action must be taken to halt the health insurance rate hikes. And Trump himself signaled he was open to negotiating with Democrats over their demands to save health care subsidies. Earlier this week, the president said that talks were already underway as he wants &ldquo;great health care&rdquo; for the people, only to shift his tone hours later to say the government must reopen first. Trump wants to make a health care deal&ldquo;I spoke to the president at length yesterday about that very thing,&rdquo; House Speaker Mike Johnson said about his Monday conversation with Trump. &ldquo;And yes, he wants to solve problems.&rdquo; At its core, the debate centers on the healthcare issue that has entangled Congress for years, particularly the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, which Trump attempted, but failed, to repeal and replace during his first term in the White House. Congress increased the federal subsidies that help people purchase private insurance policies on the Affordable Care Act exchanges during the COVID-19 pandemic. The federal aid was popular, and it boosted ACA enrollment to a record 24 million people. Those enhanced subsidies are set to expire at the end of the year. Republicans say Congress can deal with the health insurance issue in the months ahead. Democrats are working to resolve the problem now, as people are receiving notices of higher policy rates for the upcoming year. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, the Republican from South Dakota, has said there may be a path forward &mdash; once the government reopens. &ldquo;We were always planning to have those discussions,&rdquo; said Johnson, R-La. Doubts are high, and trust is lowBut Democrats argue that Republicans failed to address the expiring health care subsidies this summer when they approved Trump&#39;s signature bill into law, commonly referred to as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Democrats doubt that with Johnson keeping the House out of legislative session and sending lawmakers home to work in their districts, the Republicans will quickly return to work on resolving the healthcare problem. &ldquo;Tens of millions of people are about to experience dramatically increased health insurance costs &mdash; how is that acceptable in the wealthiest country in the history of the world?&rdquo; said House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York. &ldquo;A health care crisis is unfolding before the eyes of the American people because of the actions taken by the GOP &mdash; they&rsquo;re on vacation,&quot; he said. Missed paychecks for workers, and more failed votesWhile federal employees have often missed paychecks during shutdowns, and the first pay period is due in the next week, Trump is now threatening to eliminate guaranteed back pay. It would be a stark departure from the norm. The White House budget office, under Russ Vought, argues that the law states back pay is not automatic and that Congress would need to approve it. At the same time, Thune&#39;s strategy of trying to peel off more Democratic senators to join Republicans in advancing the House-passed bill, which would fund the government without a healthcare fix, has not worked. In fact, the parties are pulling further apart. Sen. Angus King, the independent from Maine who has voted several times with Republicans to fund the government, has said he may change his vote, joining most Democratic senators who are holding out for a better deal. The Senate is expected to try again on Wednesday to advance the House GOP&rsquo;s bill, but it is expected to fail again. Each side has dug in, convinced they&rsquo;re on the right side of the shutdown fight, in part because that&rsquo;s what their internal data shows. Over the weekend, Senate Democrats were briefed on information suggesting their health care messaging was resonating with voters. The memo from Senate Majority PAC was circulated to House Democrats and campaigns nationwide on Tuesday, with a clear directive: hold the line. &ldquo;It would be a mistake to take the pressure off Republicans,&rdquo; the memo says. Republicans, meanwhile, are sticking to their own playbook. A memo from the House GOP&rsquo;s campaign arm urged candidates to focus on the shutdown&rsquo;s economic impact, including a district-level breakdown of who would be affected by a government shutdown. Each side has framed the shutdown fight as a precursor to the 2026 midterm elections.

The shutdown enters its second week with Congress deadlocked over expiring health care subsidies. Quiet talks are emerging, but mistrust remains high as Trump threatens no back pay and both parties blame each other.

US Federal government shutdown grinds into its second week, but quiet talks emerging

STRASBOURG: The European Union will take a page out of US President Donald Trump&#39;s tariff playbook on Tuesday with a plan to hike levies and slash quotas for imported steel -- to protect the bloc&#39;s struggling industry from cheap Chinese competition. Urged to act fast to rescue European steel from decline, the EU executive will propose doubling levies on steel imports to 50%, and almost halving the volumes allowed in before tariffs apply. &quot;The European steel industry was on the verge of collapse -- we are protecting it so that it can invest, decarbonize, and become competitive again,&quot; said the bloc&#39;s industry chief, Stephane Sejourne. &lsquo;Trump-style politics&rsquo;&nbsp;&quot;We&#39;re not doing Trump-style politics,&quot; he told reporters ahead of presenting the plan at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France. But the EU strategy mirrors the one embraced by Trump, who likewise imposed 50% tariffs to keep out cheap metals from China, producer of more than half the world&#39;s steel.&nbsp; Canada&nbsp;has taken similar steps. Subject to approval by the EU&#39;s member states and parliament, the proposal would permanently replace the current safeguard scheme, which imposes 25% duties beyond set import quotas, but ends next year. Sejourne, who will present the measures alongside the bloc&#39;s trade commissioner, Maros Sefcovic, said Europe&#39;s sovereignty was at stake, as the only major market still so open to steel imports. The EU&#39;s trade chief is hoping, meanwhile, to team up with Washington to tackle Chinese overcapacity and has been in talks with his US counterparts to agree on steel import quotas. <h2 style="line-height: 2;">Millions of jobs at risk&nbsp;</h2>After the US-EU tariff deal agreed in July, Sefcovic said the European and American steel and aluminium sectors suffered from the same problem. Alongside the proposal being presented on Tuesday, the EU is seeking a &quot;metals alliance&quot; with the United States to ring-fence their respective economies from over-capacity. As the 27-nation EU pushes ahead with decarbonizing industry, steel is critical for renewable energy equipment, from solar panels to wind turbines, and for electric cars. &lsquo;EU needs to act now&rsquo;&nbsp;&quot;The European Union needs to act now, and decisively, before all lights go out in large parts of the EU steel industry and its value chains,&quot; said industry group Eurofer&#39;s president Henrik Adam. Even before the formal announcement, one Belgian trade union welcomed the &quot;ambitious and necessary plan&quot;, while the world&#39;s second-largest steelmaker, ArcelorMittal, saw its shares rise by nine percent in the past week. The steel sector employs around 300,000 people in Europe, and nearly 100,000 jobs have been lost in the past 15 years, the industry says. The current crisis puts those workers at risk as well as 2.3 million indirect jobs, according to Eurofer.

Business

The bloc plans to double steel import tariffs to 50% and cut quotas, mirroring Trump-era policies, to protect its struggling steel industry from cheap Chinese imports and prevent massive job losses across the European Union.

EU channels Trump with tariffs to shield steel sector

WASHINGTON:&nbsp;The bitter tribalism that drove the United States into a government shutdown is putting compromise out of reach, analysts say -- and threatening to turn a staring contest between the Democrats and Donald Trump&#39;s Republicans into a protracted crisis. As the nation enters its second week with federal agencies paralyzed, multiple strategists with vivid memories of previous standoffs told AFP the president and his foes could be in it for the long haul. &lsquo;For weeks&rsquo;&nbsp;&quot;It&#39;s possible this shutdown drags on for weeks, not just days,&quot; said Andrew Koneschusky, a former press secretary for Senator Chuck Schumer, the Democratic leader at the center of the latest deadlock. &quot;Right now, both sides are dug in and there&#39;s very little talk of compromise.&quot; At the heart of the showdown is a Democratic demand for an extension of health care subsidies that are set to expire, meaning sharply increased costs for millions of low-income Americans. On Sunday, Trump blamed minority Democrats for blocking his funding resolution, which needs a handful of their votes.&nbsp; &lsquo;Ready to go back&rsquo;&nbsp;&quot;They&#39;re causing it. We&#39;re ready to go back,&quot; Trump told reporters at the White House, sounding resigned to a shutdown dragging on. Trump also told reporters Sunday his administration has already started to permanently fire -- not merely furlough -- federal workers, again blaming his rivals for &quot;causing the loss of a lot of jobs.&quot; In March, when the threat of a shutdown last loomed, Democrats blinked first, voting for a six-month Republican resolution to keep the coffers stacked despite policy misgivings. But Schumer -- the top Senate Democrat -- was lambasted by the party&#39;s base, and will be reluctant to cave this time around as he faces potential primary challenges from the left. <h2 style="line-height: 2;">&#39;Maximum pain&#39;&nbsp;</h2>For now, Senate Republicans are banking on their Democratic opponents giving in as they repeatedly force votes. &quot;I could see a temporary agreement coming from both parties by the&nbsp;end of October,&quot; said Jeff Le, a former senior official in California state politics who negotiated with the first Trump administration. &quot;Anything beyond two months would halt government operations seriously and potentially impact national and homeland security considerations,&nbsp;casting blame on both parties.&quot; A shift in strategy would likely depend on either side noticing that public sentiment is turning against them, analysts told AFP. Polling so far has been mixed, although Republicans have been taking more flak than Democrats overall. Trump presided over the longest shutdown in US history in 2018 and 2019, when federal agencies were shut down for 35 days. This time around, the president has been ratcheting up pressure by threatening liberal policy priorities and mass layoffs of public sector workers. <h2 style="line-height: 2;">The Trump factor&nbsp;</h2>James Druckman, a political science professor at the University of Rochester, views Trump&#39;s intransigence as a reason to believe this standoff could rival the 2019 record. &quot;The Trump administration views itself as having an unchecked mandate and thus generally does not compromise,&quot; he told AFP. &quot;Democrats have been critiqued for not standing strongly enough, and the last compromise did not result in any positive outcome for Democrats. Thus, politically, they are inclined to stand firm.&quot; The 2018‑2019 shutdown cost the economy $11 billion in the short term, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office -- and $3 billion was never recovered. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has warned that the latest shutdown could wreak havoc on GDP growth. 12 days at mostFor California-based financial analyst Michael Ashley Schulman, the economic realities of the shutdown may ultimately force a compromise. &quot;If Wall Street gets spooked and Treasury yields spike, even the most ideologically caffeinated will suddenly discover a deep commitment to bipartisan solutions,&quot; he said. Not all analysts are gloomy about the prospects for a quick resolution. Aaron Cutler, head of the congressional oversight and investigations practice at global law firm Hogan Lovells and a former staffer in the House, predicts the shutdown will last 12 days at most. &quot;Senate Democrats will blink first... While the shutdown continues, there will be no congressional hearings and a lot of work at the agencies will be paused,&quot; he said. &quot;That&#39;s a win for many Democrats in Congress, but they don&#39;t want the blame for it.&quot;

Analysts warn the US government shutdown could last weeks, as deep partisan divisions stall compromise. Trump blames Democrats, while both parties brace for political fallout, economic damage, and public pressure to resolve the crisis.

US government shutdown may last weeks, analysts warn

ISLAMABAD: Hamas says it is ready to free Gaza hostages under US President Donald Trump ceasefire proposal, AFP reported on Saturday. &quot;The movement announces its approval for the release of all hostages -- living and remains -- according to the exchange formula included in President Trump&rsquo;s proposal,&quot; Hamas said in a statement, adding it was ready to enter negotiations &quot;to discuss the details&quot;. US President Donald Trump said Friday he believed Hamas was ready for peace and told Israel to stop bombing Gaza, after the Palestinian group declared it was ready to free hostages under his ceasefire plan.&nbsp; &quot;Based on the Statement just issued by Hamas, I believe they are ready for a lasting PEACE. Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the Hostages out safely and quickly!&quot; Trump posted on Truth Social.<div class="fr-embed responsive-video"><div class="video-wrapper aspect-video" style="line-height: 2;"><iframe src="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/115312298602997974/embed" class="truthsocial-embed" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" style="width: 100%; height: 100%; min-height: 0px;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>The US president also shared Hamas&#39; response to his peace proposal on Truth Social.&nbsp;<div class="fr-embed responsive-video"><div class="video-wrapper aspect-video" style="line-height: 2;"><iframe src="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/115312181572421839/embed" class="truthsocial-embed" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" style="width: 100%; height: 100%; min-height: 0px;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>&nbsp;Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu&#39;s office said on Saturday that Israel was seeking the &quot;immediate implementation&quot; of US President Donald Trump&#39;s plan to free Israeli hostages in Gaza, after Hamas said it was ready for peace talks, according to AFP. Closest to ceasefire, gratitude due to Trump: PM Sharif Separately, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that a ceasefire was closer &quot;than we have been since this genocide&quot; started against the Palestinian people.&nbsp; In a post on X, PM Sharif said Pakistan has always stood by the Palestinian people and shall always do so.&nbsp; &quot;Gratitude is due to President Trump, as well as to leaderships of Qatar, Saudia Arabia, UAE, Turkiye, Jordan, Egypt, and Indonesia who, met with President Trump on the sidelines of UNGA80 [United Nations General Assembly] for the resolution of the Palestinian issue,&quot; PM Sharif said.&nbsp; &quot;The statement issued by Hamas creates a window for a ceasefire and ensuring peace that we must not allow to close again,&quot; he said. He added that Pakistan would continue to work with all its partners and friendly nations to everlasting peace in Palestine. &#39;Immediate implementation&#39;&nbsp; &quot;In light of Hamas&#39;s response, Israel is preparing for the immediate implementation of the first stage of the Trump plan for the release of all the hostages,&quot; Netanyahu&#39;s office said in a statement. &quot;We will continue to work in full cooperation with the President and his team to end the war in accordance with the principles set out by Israel, which align with President Trump&#39;s vision.&quot; Israel&#39;s political echelon instructed the military to reduce offensive activity in Gaza after it said it was preparing for an &quot;immediate implementation&quot; of the first stage of US President Donald Trump&#39;s Gaza plan following Hamas&#39; response on the plan, according to Reuters. A statement issued by St&eacute;phane Dujarric, spokesman for the Secretary-General of the United Nations stated: &ldquo;The Secretary-General welcomes and is encouraged by the statement issued by Hamas announcing its readiness to release hostages and to engage on the basis of the recent proposal by US President Donald J Trump.&rdquo; &ldquo;He urges all parties to seize the opportunity to bring the tragic conflict in Gaza to an end. The Secretary-General also thanks Qatar and Egypt for their invaluable mediation work. The Secretary-General reiterates his consistent call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, and unfettered humanitarian access,&rdquo; the statement said. &ldquo;The United Nations will support all efforts toward these objectives to prevent even more suffering,&rdquo; it added.

Israel says ready to implement first stage of Trump's plan for release of all hostages; Hamas also seeks administration of Gaza to a Palestinian body; PM Sharif says closest to ceasefire, gratitude due to Trump.


Trump urges Israel to 'stop bombing Gaza' as Hamas agrees to freeing hostages

WASHINGTON: The United States (US) government shutdown is set to stretch into next week after senators voted Friday for a fourth time to reject a funding fix proposed by President Donald Trump&#39;s Republicans. Federal agencies have been out of money since Wednesday -- with a wide range of public services crippled -- as a result of deadlocked talks in Congress on how to keep the lights on. Tourist sites such as the Washington Monument have closed, key data on employment has been delayed and some official websites have ground to a halt, although other areas of government have yet to be affected. 750,000 employeesSome 750,000 employees are likely to be put on furlough -- a kind of enforced leave with backpay after the shutdown -- as the funding crisis deepens. Senate leaders have no plans to keep the upper chamber of Congress in session over the weekend, meaning Friday&#39;s vote on a short-term fix was the last chance of the week to end the crisis. At the center of the standoff is a Democratic demand for an extension of health care subsidies that are due to expire -- meaning sharply increased costs for millions of low-income Americans. Republicans -- who control the legislature and the White House but need Democratic votes on government funding bills -- have announced no plans to address the issue. The Democrats are trying to force Republicans&#39; hand by blocking a Trump-backed funding resolution that needs a handful of their votes. &lsquo;This madness must end&rsquo;The White House said the Democratic posture amounted to &quot;an intentional sabotage of our country.&quot; &quot;This madness must end,&quot; Trump&#39;s press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters. &quot;President Trump and Republicans are calling on Democrats to reopen the government immediately on behalf of the American public.&quot; Amid widespread pessimism over the possibility of a quick solution, Republicans voiced in Congress hopes that the latest failure might push some moderates in the opposition to cross the aisle. <h2 style="line-height: 2;">Permanent redundancies&nbsp;</h2>&quot;Hopefully over the weekend, they&#39;ll have a chance to think about it,&quot; Republican Senate leader John Thune told reporters at the US Capitol. &quot;Maybe some of these conversations start to result in something to where we can start moving some votes and actually get this thing passed.&quot; Complicating efforts to strike a deal is the threat from Trump to turn thousands of the planned furloughs into permanent redundancies, strip funding and slash benefits as he ramps up pressure on the Democrats. The administration has also been accused of allowing government officials to use partisan language in messaging about the shutdown after the Department of Housing and Urban Development on Tuesday posted a notice on its website blaming the shutdown on the &quot;Radical Left.&quot; Altered email messages&nbsp;The New York Times reported Friday that some furloughed Education Department staff had noticed their out-of-office email messages being altered without their knowledge to point the finger at Democrats. &quot;Unfortunately, Democrat Senators are blocking passage of H.R. 5371 in the Senate which has led to a lapse in appropriations,&quot; the emails said, according to the Times. With an announcement on layoffs expected any day, Trump&#39;s budget chief Russ Vought is planning to brief Republican senators next week. The House of Representatives has been in recess and Republican Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters he has been meeting the president ahead of its return to discuss plans for layoffs. &lsquo;Terrified&rsquo;Johnson accused Senate Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of pushing the shutdown because the veteran New Yorker is &quot;terrified&quot; of left-wing activists grabbing his seat in 2028 elections. &quot;Chuck Schumer is a far-left, progressive politician but he&#39;s not far enough left for this base and so he&#39;s got to show a fight against the president,&quot; Johnson said.

The US government shutdown will continue into next week after Senate Republicans' funding proposal failed again. Democrats demand healthcare subsidy extensions, while both sides trade blame amid growing furloughs, service disruptions, and partisan tensions.

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