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D.C. Appears Likely to Avoid a $1.1 Billion Budget Cut

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D.C. Appears Likely to Avoid a .1 Billion Budget Cut

All week, residents of Washington, D.C., watched the shutdown debate in Congress with anxiety and anger, as one section of the continuing resolution keeping the government open would force on the city an immediate $1.1 billion budget cut.

But on Friday afternoon, shortly after the resolution was passed, the crisis for the District of Columbia seemed to have been averted, as the Senate overwhelmingly approved a separate bill that would allow the city to continue operating under its current budget without interruption. Senator Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, cosponsored the legislation, describing it in remarks on the floor as a fix to a “mistake” in the continuing resolution.

The bill has to pass the House and be signed into law by President Trump. Ms. Collins also said that it had been endorsed by Mr. Trump and by Representative Tom Cole, Republican chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, suggesting the bill’s passage in the Republican-controlled House was likely.

“Phil Mendelson, the chairman of the D.C. City Council, said in a statement that his office was working with the district’s mayor, Muriel Bowser, “to garner House support,” adding, “I am confident that we will find a solution to this problem that has been handed to us by Congress.”

In a departure from years of practice, the House resolution, written by Republicans, included the district’s budget in a spending freeze across federal agencies that would keep it at last year’s fiscal levels. D.C. officials repeatedly pointed out in news conferences and meetings with lawmakers that federal payments make up only a tiny fraction of the city’s budget, which relies mostly on locally raised taxes, fees and fines. They also emphasized that this fiscal year’s budget, which the city has been operating on for six months, was approved by Congress in previous resolutions.

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To account for the freeze, the city would have been forced to make broad cuts and would most likely have had to lay off many city employees, including teachers and police officers.

The turmoil prompted by that prospect only reinforced the district’s essential vulnerability.

With more than 700,000 residents, the city is more populous than both Vermont and Wyoming, but has no voting representation in Congress, holds little control over its criminal justice system and must submit all local legislation for congressional approval.

This year, some Republican lawmakers and even Mr. Trump threatened to strip the city of what limited self-government it currently has by repealing the 52-year-old Home Rule Act, which allows residents to elect a mayor and a City Council. Such a move would put the district entirely under federal control.

Isabelle Taft contributed reporting from Washington, D.C.

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BBC Verify Live: Fact-checking Trump’s unusual new White House presidential plaques

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BBC Verify Live: Fact-checking Trump’s unusual new White House presidential plaques

Videos show rebels on the move in eastern DRC city Uvirapublished at 12:49 GMT

Peter Mwai
BBC Verify senior journalist

We have verified video showing fighters belonging to the Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group on the move in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), after M23 announced a withdrawal from the city of Uvira in South Kivu province which it seized a week ago.

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The M23 had taken contorl of Uvira despite a ceasefire deal agreed between the governments of Rwanda and DRC and had come under increasing diplomatic pressure to withdraw its forces from the city.

The DRC government has reacted with scepticism, with a spokesperson asking on XL “Where are they going? How many were there? What are they leaving behind in the city? Mass graves? Soldiers disguised as civilians?”

We can’t tell where they are heading, but in the footage we have verified the fighters, together with vehicles, move north past the Uvira police headquarters.

We confirmed where the clips were filmed by matching the distinctively painted road kerbs, buildings and trees to satellite imagery.

The leader of the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), a coalition of rebel groups which includes the M23 group, had announced on Monday that the group would withdraw from the city as a “trust-building measure”.

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It followed a request from the US which has been mediating between the governments of Rwanda and DRC.

The rebels remained present in the city after the announcement but on Wednesday M23 spokesperson Willy Ngoma announced the group had begun withdrawing troops. The group said it intends to complete the withdrawal today, but has warned against militarisation.

Image source, X
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FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino says he will step down in January

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FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino says he will step down in January

FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino speaks during a news conference on an arrest of a suspect in the January 6th pipe bomb case at the Department of Justice on Dec. 4, 2025.

Andrew Harnik/Getty Images


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Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

FBI deputy director Dan Bongino said Wednesday he plans to step down from the bureau in January.

In a statement posted on X, Bongino thanked President Trump, Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel “for the opportunity to serve with purpose.”

Bongino was an unusual pick for the No. 2 post at the FBI, a critical job overseeing the bureau’s day-to-day affairs traditionally held by a career agent. Neither Bongino nor his boss, Patel, had any previous experience at the FBI.

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Bongino did have previous law enforcement experience, as a police officer and later as a Secret Service agent, as well as a long history of vocal support for Trump.

Bongino made his name over the past decade as a pro-Trump, far-right podcaster who pushed conspiracy theories, including some involving the FBI. He had been critical of the bureau, embracing the narrative that it had been “weaponized” against conservatives and even calling its agents “thugs.”

His tenure at the bureau was at times tumultuous, including a clash with Justice Department leadership over the administration’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files.

But it also involved the arrest earlier this month of the man authorities say is responsible for placing two pipe bombs near the Democratic and Republican committee headquarters, hours before the assault on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

In an unusual arrangement, Bongino has had a co-deputy director since this summer when the Trump administration tapped Andrew Bailey, a former attorney general of Missouri, to serve alongside Bongino in the No. 2 job.

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President Trump praised Bongino in brief remarks to reporters before he announced he was stepping down.”Dan did a great job,” Trump said. “I think he wants to go back to his show.”

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Video: Man on Roof Faces Off with ICE Agents for Hours in Minnesota

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Video: Man on Roof Faces Off with ICE Agents for Hours in Minnesota

new video loaded: Man on Roof Faces Off with ICE Agents for Hours in Minnesota

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Man on Roof Faces Off with ICE Agents for Hours in Minnesota

A man clung to a partially built roof for hours in frigid temperatures during a standoff with immigration agents in Chanhassen, Minn., a suburb of Minneapolis. The confrontation was part of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in the state to remove what it calls “vicious criminals.”

“What a [expletive] embarrassment.” “Look at this guy.” “What’s with all the fascists?” “The Lord is with you.” “Where’s the bad hombre? What did this guy do?” “He’s out here working to support his [expletive] family.” “Gestapo agents.” “Oh yeah, shake your head, tough guy.” “This is where you get the worst of the worst right here, hard-working builders.” “Crossing the border is not a crime. Coming illegally to the United States is not a crime, according to you.” “C’mon, get out of here.” “Take him to a different hospital.”

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A man clung to a partially built roof for hours in frigid temperatures during a standoff with immigration agents in Chanhassen, Minn., a suburb of Minneapolis. The confrontation was part of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in the state to remove what it calls “vicious criminals.”

By Ernesto Londoño, Jackeline Luna and Daniel Fetherston

December 17, 2025

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