LOADING ERROR LOADINGHouse Democrats blasted Republicans this week as members returned from an extended recess imposed by Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.). Where were you for the last eight weeks?”Johnson has argued that House members did their job by passing a short-term funding bill before Republicans skipped town in September. AdvertisementDemocrats, however, argued that Republicans were forsaking their responsibilities by abstaining from regular business for so long. Republicans also made little effort to try to negotiate and reopen the government, Democrats said. Multiple Republicans, including Reps. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) and Michelle Fischbach (R-Minn.) pushed back on Democrats’ critiques and argued that they were working in their districts throughout the shutdown.

President Donald Trump displays the signed funding bill to reopen the government in the Oval Office of the White House on Wednesday. AP Photo/Jacquelyn MartinThe shutdown started last month after Senate Democrats refused to vote for a basic funding bill, demanding Republicans agree to address expiring health insurance subsidies. Republicans said no, offering only the promise of a Senate vote that will almost certainly fail. The blatant self-dealing by Senate Republicans caused bipartisan disgust among House members and prompted House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) “It’s absolutely absurd that they put that in there.”There’s no promise the Senate will take up the separate House bill.

LOADING ERROR LOADINGTransportation Secretary Sean Duffy threatened penalties for air traffic controllers who failed to show up for work for during the government shutdown. Noting that the Trump administration hasn’t “made a decision” about specific penalties, Duffy allowed that he was “trying to bring more air traffic controllers in,” but warned, “if we have controllers who systemically weren’t doing their job, we will take action.”AdvertisementTransportation Secretary Sean Duffy previously praised the air traffic controllers who have worked throughout the shutdown. via Associated PressOn Monday, Trump scolded air traffic controllers in a Truth Social post, telling them that he was “NOT HAPPY” about those who missed work and warned that they “will be quickly replaced by true Patriots.”“All Air Traffic Controllers must get back to work, NOW!!! You will have a negative mark, at least in my mind, against your record.”Last month, Duffy threatened to fire air traffic controllers who missed work, citing chaotic air disruptions. “I can’t have people not showing up for work.”AdvertisementDuring the ongoing government shutdown, air traffic controllers have faced financial stress while being required to work without pay.

LOADING ERROR LOADINGPresident Donald Trump took aim at both Democrats and “stupid” Republicans on Wednesday after newly obtained documents from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate suggested the president knew about the late sex offender’s criminal activity. Advertisement“I AM SO SICK OF THE FAKE NEWS FOCUSING ON TRUMP AND NOT EPSTEIN VICTIMS!” she wrote in all-caps on X. “Everyone knows Trump kicked Epstein out of Mar A Lago and Epstein victims have exonerated the President! AdvertisementThe files released Wednesday, obtained via a subpoena to the Epstein estate, raise questions about whether Trump knew Epstein was sex-trafficking minors. Trump “knew about the girls,” Epstein wrote in a 2019 email, months before he died in prison awaiting trial.

LOADING ERROR LOADINGWASHINGTON – An email written by Donald Trump’s once-close friend Jeffrey Epstein suggests the two men maintained contact after Trump became president, contradicting Trump’s oft-repeated claim that he cut ties with the now-dead child sex trafficker two decades ago. AdvertisementKates asks where Epstein is spending Thanksgiving, and Epstein responds: “eva.”Kates replies that “Glenn” will be there, but that he is “such a snooze,” and then asks, “who else is down there?”Epstein responds: “david fizel, hanson, trump.”To which Kates responds: “Have fun!! When HuffPost asked him why it took seven years to break with Epstein, Trump said: “I don’t understand your question.”So, What Now? Your Support Fuels Our Mission Your Support Fuels Our Mission Join HuffPost The shutdown may be ending, but the story isn’t. Support HuffPost Already a member?

“i want you to realize that that dog that hasn’t barked is trump,” Epstein wrote. On Tuesday, Leavitt’s colleague Abigail Jackson blamed Democrats and HuffPost for not doing more to help Epstein’s victims. Blanche, prior to taking that job after Trump’s return to the White House, worked as one of Trump’s defense lawyers in his various criminal cases. Support HuffPost Already a member? When HuffPost asked him why it took seven years to break with Epstein, Trump said: “I don’t understand your question.”

Pennies remain legal tender, but new ones will no longer be made. President Donald Trump ordered the penny’s demise as costs climbed to nearly 4 cents per penny and the 1-cent valuation became somewhat obsolete. Billions of pennies remain in circulation, but they are rarely essential for financial transactions in the 21st century economy. And some retailers voiced concerns in recent weeks as supplies ran low and the end of production drew near. The diminutive dime, by comparison, costs less than 6 cents to produce, and the quarter nearly 15 cents.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday shared a meme on his Truth Social platform that revived the long-debunked “birther” conspiracy theory about his first predecessor in the White House, President Barack Obama. Trump slammed the “re-Truth” button on an image of Obama taking the oath of office, alongside the caption: “A man using a different name. And betrayed a country he wasn’t born in.”See the post here. Advertisement AdvertisementAdvertisement AdvertisementThe post echoed the false claim that Obama was not born in the United States, a baseless allegation that Trump pushed for years and used to propel himself into politics. Trump finally conceded shortly before his surprise 2016 presidential election victory that Obama had, in fact, been born in Hawaii.

On social media, TikTokers have gone viral after sharing that they didn’t know that thawing frozen fish in its vacuum-sealed packaging can be bad for you. AdvertisementA Safer Way To Thaw Frozen FishThe best way to prep frozen fish is to simply take it out of its packaging to thaw. Schaffner said that if he bought a frozen fish, he would immediately remove it from its plastic packaging. I would let the fish thaw overnight in the refrigerator.” If his fish was still too frozen the next day, then he would put it on the thaw setting in the microwave. Your packaged frozen fish is not going to become toxic right away if you leave it out at room temperature.

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer leaves 10 Downing Street for PMQs. Sources close to Keir Starmer briefed journalists that the prime minister was aware of rumours about a challenge to his leadership, but would fight anyone who tried to remove him from No.10. Why did Downing Street believe it was a good idea to openly admit that Starmer’s leadership is under threat, they wondered. Starmer “has lost control of his government, he’s lost the confidence of his party and lost the trust of the British people”, she said. After the PM said the attacks on Streeting were not done with his approval, Badenoch said: “That means he’s lost control of Number 10, because that’s where they’re coming from.

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Miller’s husband, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, is the head cheerleader for President Donald Trump’s deportation program, and she’s a former Trump administration spokesperson. AdvertisementMiller brought up MAGA hot-button issues multiple times in the podcast interview that she shared Tuesday, and Jones subtly pushed back. “What are your thoughts on Bad Bunny performing at this year’s Super Bowl?” Miller asked. And to get the premier entertainer to want to be a part of our game, I think is amazing.”Advertisement“We have a mixed culture,” she added. Jones ― whose father, Jerry Jones, is the owner and general manager of the franchise ― appeared to actively avoid casting social consciousness as a divisive issue.

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump attended a Veterans Day event at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, and appeared to only know a handful of lyrics to “God Bless America,” according to footage shot by C-SPAN. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance salute during a ceremony at Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery to mark Veterans Day on Nov. 11, 2025, in Arlington, Virginia. Later on, he managed to sing “God Bless America, my home sweet home.”Vance seemed much more familiar with the lyrics in footage from the event, below. Trump also seemed to struggle with the lyrics to “God Bless America” during an event at the White House in June 2018. Trump touts the crowd size, then awkwardly bobs his head while people sing "God Bless America."

LOADING ERROR LOADINGPopular podcaster Joe Rogan said “hardcore ideological conflict” has ratcheted up the possibility of civil war in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s death. On the “Joe Rogan Experience” episode posted Tuesday, Rogan noted that some people celebrated the death of Kirk, the conservative activist who was fatally shot at a rally in September. “Like, where are we right now on the scale of one to civil war? “Is the United States Head Toward a Civil War?” the headline asked. “The greatest risk on the horizon is not a civil war, but social media-induced tit-for-tat cycles of sporadic violence by lone gunmen.”

Cecelia stood behind me on the Pilates reformer and pressed her legs into my back, her hands into my shoulders. Charles then confronted me with the biggest question of my life: “Are you gay?”“I don’t know,” I told Charles as I began crying. I’ve learned how lucky I am that I get to live my life the best way I know how. I’ve learned there are so many we don’t know yet who will end up loving us. Katrina Anne Willis is an author, proud mother of four, special needs dog rescuer, pickleball fanatic, LGBTQ+ community member, and full-time RVer.