Juneau Independent

The government shutdown became the second longest in U.S. history Wednesday, though the mounting repercussions for dozens of federal programs, including food aid for some of the country’s most vulnerable residents, failed to spur any momentum in Congress.

Demolition crews on Monday began tearing down part of the White House to build President Donald Trump’s long-desired ballroom despite his pledge that construction of the $250 million addition wouldn’t “interfere” with the existing building.

On Thursday, a study from S&P Global revealed that companies were expected to pay at least $1.2tn more in 2025 expenses than was previously anticipated. But the burden, according to the researchers, is now shifting to US consumers. They calculated that two-thirds of the “expense shock”, more than $900bn, will be absorbed by Americans. Last month, the Yale Budget Lab estimated tariffs would cost households almost $2,400 more a year…( Read full story )

President Donald Trump was noncommittal when asked about the idea by a reporter during a lunch Friday at the White House with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Ahead of thousands of anti-authoritarian “No Kings” protests planned for Saturday across the United States, Republicans are trying to brand the demonstrations as “hate America” rallies, ramping up their rhetoric about the millions of people expected to peacefully protest President Donald Trump and his administration’s policies as they did in June…( Read full story )

President Trump has said he wants to eventually shift the burden of disaster relief and recovery onto states. It’s already happening.

A year after the 2024 presidential election, technologists and election experts are wrestling with their new reality; tech-aided misinformation and disinformation campaigns are and will continue to be a part of the United States’ democratic process.

Last week, Alaska’s two senators split on whether to bring the issue to a vote of the full U.S. Senate.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is infusing $300 million into a key federal nutrition program to keep it running through October, while a government shutdown continues without an apparent end point. 

A Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program letter is directing states not to begin the process of distributing benefits to SNAP...

The federal government shutdown is forcing a reckoning for two remote health care programs because they automatically expired Oct. 1.

The Trump administration announced Friday it had begun mass layoffs of federal employees, a step not taken during previous government shutdowns and one that could significantly reshape the size and scope of the government.