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Babydog Justice makes Agriculture Committee debut: ‘She humanizes all of us’

It was supposed to be a routine Senate Agriculture Committee hearing to consider nominees for top USDA posts, but one visitor turned the event into a tail-wagging affair.
Babydog Justice, the beloved English bulldog of Sen. Jim Justice, R-W.Va., made a surprise and highly photogenic appearance Tuesday as the committee met to review the nominations of Judge Stephen Vaden for Deputy Secretary of Agriculture and Tyler Clarkson for USDA General Counsel.
The hearing may have been serious business, but Babydog’s presence brought smiles, laughter, and even a little bipartisan levity.
Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., couldn’t resist the moment, joking, «Babydog is the key to the West Virginia Senator’s success,» as Justice and his pup settled in.
BABYDOG BRIDGES ‘PAWTISAN’ DIVIDE IN THE SENATE ON SOCIAL MEDIA: ‘SHE KNOWS NO POLITICAL BIAS’
The English bulldog’s X account playfully captioned this photo, «Is this thing on?» after stealing the show at Tuesday’s Agriculture Committee hearing. (@BabydogJustice via X)
Justice, who recently joined the Senate after serving as West Virginia’s governor, shared an exclusive comment with Fox News Digital about his pup’s Capitol Hill cameo.
«I am so pleased to see the warm reception of Babydog from folks in Congress. Today she came along with me to the Agriculture Committee hearing and knew if she participated, there would be a treat as a reward. Senator Boozman took the time to introduce her to the committee, and contrary to what Senator Hoeven said in the hearing, she is not livestock or up for auction — even though she may resemble a little brown cow!» Justice told Fox News Digital.
At one point during the hearing, a comment by Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., sparked laughter when he joked about Babydog possibly being livestock — a suggestion Justice playfully refuted.
After holding up the pooch to the microphone and sharing how Babydog «humanizes all of us,» Justice requested a staffer remove the dog from his lap, adding, «She’s heavy!»
The social media response was swift. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, who was confirmed earlier this year, reposted footage of Babydog in action, writing: «We love you Babydog! Senate Ag is never the same when you’re around.»
SENATOR-ELECT JIM JUSTICE’S TEAM CLARIFIES REPORT CLAIMING FAMOUS POOCH BABYDOG BANNED FROM SENATE FLOOR
Even the Senate Agriculture Committee’s own social media accounts joined the fun, posting behind-the-scenes content of the pup’s visit and noting she was «making new friends and monitoring policy.»
Following her eventful day on Capitol Hill, Babydog Justice took to her own social media account. Posting a photo from the Senate Agriculture Committee hearing, she humorously captioned it, «Is this thing on?» in reference to the microphone.
Babydog’s charm extended beyond the committee room, capturing the attention of senators in the halls of Congress. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., shared a photo with Babydog, tweeting, «All in favor of making @babydogjustice our 101st senator, say AYE!»
Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., also joined in, posting a picture of himself petting Babydog with the caption, «@BabydogJustice is America’s favorite dog.»
Babydog is no stranger to the spotlight.
Born in 2019, the 60-pound English bulldog has been a fixture in Justice’s political life since she was gifted to him by his children. She gained national attention during the COVID-19 pandemic when Justice launched the «Do It for Babydog» vaccine lottery to encourage West Virginians to get vaccinated.

Babydog, dog of West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, appears on stage on the second day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 16, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)
Babydog’s most famous public appearance was at the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where she charmed attendees and the media alike from a bulldog-sized chair on the main stage.
While Babydog may have captured the spotlight, Justice is focused on the work ahead as a newly appointed member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. The West Virginia Republican has long emphasized the importance of supporting rural communities and strengthening the agricultural economy — key concerns in his home state.
Justice, a former two-term governor and lifelong farmer and businessman, has frequently spoken about the need for practical, common-sense solutions to issues like food security, rural development, and infrastructure investment. His role on the Agriculture Committee positions him to advocate for policies aligned with West Virginia’s agricultural and economic interests.
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As Babydog continues to turn heads on Capitol Hill, Justice is expected to use his platform to advance those priorities with his four-legged sidekick never too far behind.
Politics,Senate,Senate Hearings,Congress
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Escándalo en Italia por un posteo de Trump que dice que Meloni busca negociar un acuerdo secreto con EE.UU.

Un video que reposteó el presidente de Estados Unidos, Donald Trump, desató una tormenta política en Italia. El material asegura que la primera ministra Giorgia Meloni decidió romper con la Unión Europa y busca negociar un acuerdo comercial directo con Washington y sugirió además un recorte en el apoyo italiano a Ucrania.
“Giorgia Meloni desafía la UE y trata de obtener un acuerdo comercial directo con Trump. Bien hecho Meloni. Es una movida brillante”, comentó la activista ultraconservadora, Lynne Patton, autora del video que compartió Trump.
Leé también: Así fue el ingreso de Sarkozy a la cárcel: la despedida de Carla Bruni y el deseo de llevar dos libros El posteo que Trump publicó en sus redes y generó una fuerte polémica en Italia. (Foto: captura de X).
La oposición exige una respuesta urgente
Desde el primer momento, la oposición italiana salió al cruce y pidió una desmentida oficial. Francesco Boccia, presidente de los senadores del Partido Democrático (PD), y Piero De Luca calificaron la situación de “gravedad inaudita” y reclamaron que Meloni aclare su postura.
En la misma línea, Luana Zanella de Alianza Verde y Sinistra (Avs) expresó: “Esperamos que el miércoles la premier dé explicaciones en el Parlamento”. Por su parte, el vicepresidente de Italia Viva, Enrico Borghi, fue tajante: “Mientras en Italia se denuncia un video falso hecho con inteligencia artificial contra Donzelli, Trump publica un informe periodístico con supuestas declaraciones falsas de Meloni. La premier debe desmentir de inmediato al presidente de Estados Unidos. Si no lo hace, debemos asumir que el Gobierno quiere recortar la ayuda a Kiev y negociar unilateralmente los aranceles, pasando por encima de la UE. Sería gravísimo”.
Borghi fue más allá y advirtió: “Cada vez está más claro que Washington está usando a Palacio de Chigi como palanca para romper la unidad europea”.
El Gobierno italiano salió a desmentir
Ante la presión, el gobierno de Meloni emitió un comunicado para desactivar la crisis: «Las negociaciones comerciales, como es sabido, son competencia exclusiva de la Unión Europea y están lideradas por la Comisión Europea“.
Sin embargo, reconocieron que “desde hace tiempo existe un diálogo bilateral que acompaña la acción de la Comisión sobre los aranceles antidumping propuestos por el Departamento de Comercio de Estados Unidos contra algunos productores italianos de pasta”, indicó el Corriere della Sera.
Leé también: El video del robo en el Louvre: un turista filmó a uno de los ladrones cuando rompía una vitrina con las joyas
El vínculo Meloni-Trump y la aclaración oficialista
El diputado de Fratelli d’Italia y presidente de la Comisión de Finanzas de la Cámara, Marco Osnato, también se refirió al tema en una entrevista radial: «La relación entre Giorgia Meloni y Donald Trump es de colaboración muy estrecha. Por las palabras de Trump se entiende que considera a Meloni una socia confiable e importante, pero quiero aclarar que la misma buena relación se dio también con Biden. Nadie en Italia se casó con Trump ni es trumpista de la primera o la segunda hora».

Trump elogió la belleza de Meloni en la cumbre de Gaza. (Foto: REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett).
El polémico piropo de Trump a Meloni
La semana pasada, Trump elogió la belleza de la primera ministra italiana, única mujer entre los dirigentes presentes en la cumbre de Gaza en Egipto.
“No tengo derecho a decirlo, porque habitualmente puede significar el fin de la carrera política si uno lo dice, pero ella es una mujer bella”, dijo en su discurso el mandatario estadounidense que copresidió la conferencia cuyo objetivo era garantizar el acuerdo entre Israel y Hamas para poner fin a la guerra en Gaza.
Trump dudó y luego dijo: “Me arriesgo”, buscando la mirada de Meloni.
“¿Dónde está? ¿No le molesta si digo que es bella? Porque es cierto”, afirmó el mandatario de 79 años, que se casó tres veces.
“Ella es muy respetada en Italia. Es una política muy exitosa”, añadió Trump. De pie justo detrás de él, la jefa de Gobierno se limitó a sonreír.
Donald Trump, Giorgia Meloni
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American missionary kidnapped in Niger by suspected Islamist militants, sources say

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The U.S. government is aware of the kidnapping of an American Christian missionary in the West African nation of Niger, U.S. official sources told Fox News.
The sources told Fox News that they suspect that the missionary has been taken north to Islamic State-controlled areas where an offshoot of ISIS operates.
«We are aware of reports of the kidnapping of a U.S. citizen in Niamey, Niger,» a State Department spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News. «Since we were alerted of the situation, our Embassy officials have been working with local authorities. It is a top priority for the Trump Administration to look after the safety of every American, and we are seeing efforts from across the U.S. Government to support the recovery and safe return of this U.S. citizen.»
MINNESOTA MISSIONARY, A FATHER OF 5, KILLED IN ‘ACT OF VIOLENCE’ IN ANGOLA
Niger’s presidential palace in Niamey in 2023. The abduction reportedly took place only about 100 yards from the presidential palace. (AFP via Getty Images)
The missionary is a pilot for the evangelical missionary agency Serving in Mission, according to Reuters.

A general view of a crowded street market in Niamey, Niger, on May 17, 2023. The capital city has faced rising instability since the 2023 military coup that toppled President Mohamed Bazoum. (Michele Cattani / AFP via Getty Images)
TENNESSEE PASTOR KIDNAPPED AT GUNPOINT IN SOUTH AFRICA RECALLS ‘MIRACLE’ THAT SAVED HIS LIFE
The abduction took place only about 100 yards from the presidential palace in Niamey, where ousted President Mohamed Bazoum has been held since he was toppled by a coup more than two years ago, according to CBS News.
Following the kidnapping, the U.S. Embassy in Niger said it now requires all personnel to travel only in armored vehicles and announced that all restaurants and open-air markets are «off-limits».
Kidnappings appear to have intensified this year in areas of West Africa where militants operate. An Austrian woman was abducted in January in Niger, and a Swiss citizen was abducted in April in the same country, Reuters reported.

Niger’s junta leader, Gen. Abdourahamane Tchiani, salutes during an official ceremony in Niamey, Niger, on Aug. 26, 2023. Tchiani seized power in a July 2023 coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum and has ruled the West African nation since. (AFP via Getty Images)
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In addition, five Indian citizens working for a company providing services to Niger’s Kandadji dam project were kidnapped during an attack by armed men in April that also killed a dozen soldiers, according to the outlet.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report.
state department,terrorism,africa,world,crime,religion,india
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Schumer blocks 12th GOP bid to reopen government as Trump says Democrats ‘lost the negotiation’

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The government shutdown meandered into its 22nd day with no end in sight after a 12th GOP attempt to reopen the government was stalled and then blocked by Senate Democrats on Wednesday evening.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and his caucus kneecapped Republicans’ bid to reopen the government for the 12th time. The latest failed vote comes as Schumer has demanded another meeting with President Donald Trump and on the heels of an almost 24-hour filibuster by Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore, that pushed the vote late into Wednesday.
During his marathon floor speech, which began at 6:23 pm on Tuesday, Merkley spoke on authoritarianism — what he called the Trump Administration’s overreach on immigration, separation of powers, and more.
«Republicans have shut down the government to continue the strategy of slashing Americans’ healthcare,» Merkley said, referring to the healthcare-centered debate holding up consideration of the government’s funding.
He concluded his remarks at 5:00 p.m. on Wed.
Little has changed in the upper chamber since the shutdown began. Schumer and the Senate Democratic caucus demand that there be a real, ironclad deal to extend expiring Obamacare subsidies, while Senate Republicans remain adamant that there is no path forward available on the matter until the government is reopened.
SCHUMER REQUESTS MEETING WITH TRUMP ‘ANY TIME, ANY PLACE’ AS DEMOCRAT STALEMATE DRAGS ON
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., steps away from reporters following a Democratic policy luncheon at the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, Oct. 15, 2025. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
But what is old is new in a repeating cycle, and Schumer wants to meet with Trump again.
Schumer, speaking on behalf of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., requested another meeting with Trump ahead of the vote in a bid to go around Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and congressional Republicans to secure a deal.
There have been informal talks — more casual conversation than true negotiation — between Republicans and Democrats, but nothing has materialized that puts lawmakers any closer to solving the ongoing stalemate.
«Hakeem and I reached out to the president today and urged him to sit down and negotiate with us to resolve the healthcare crisis, address it and end the Trump shutdown,» Schumer said. «He should sit — the things get worse every day for the American people. He should sit down with us, negotiate in a serious way before he goes away.»
The last time the top congressional Democrats met with Trump came just a day before the climactic vote to avert a shutdown. Neither side walked away with a compromise, or agreement, to keep the lights on.
SENATE DEMS EMBOLDENED BY WEEKEND RALLIES BLOCK GOP PLAN TO END SHUTDOWN FOR 11TH TIME

President Donald Trump listens as Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., speaks during a lunch with Republican senators on the Rose Garden patio at the White House in Washington, Oct. 21, 2025. (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP)
Fast-forward to the shutdown’s fourth week, and Trump signaled he’d speak with Schumer and Jeffries — only after the government is reopened.
«The government has to be open,» he said. «You know how long it will take for them to do that? Just say, ‘OK, government is open.’ That’s it. There is nothing — They’re not negotiating.»
«What they’re doing is saying they lost the negotiation,» Trump continued. «And when we got the great ‘big beautiful [bill]’ done, they lost the negotiation. Now they’re saying, ‘Well, we want to get some of the things we lost.’ But the problem is the things they lost are very bad for our country.»
Congressional Democrats’ initial demands, made in a counter-proposal to the House-passed continuing resolution (CR), called for a permanent extension to the enhanced Obamacare premium tax credits and guardrails on Trump’s ability to claw back congressionally approved funding, among other things.
SCHUMER’S SHUTDOWN SCHEME EXPLAINED: DEMS DOUBLE DOWN ON OBAMACARE CREDITS AS STANDOFF DRAGS ON

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., left, and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., pictured at the US Capitol in Washington. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
A White House official doubled down on Trump’s position and told Fox News Digital, «We will not have policy conversations while the Democrats are holding the American people hostage. Reopen the government.»
While Democrats desire more than just an extension to the COVID-19-era subsidy, they’ve made their primary argument all about the tax credits.
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Thune offered Senate Democrats a vote on the subsidies, but so far they have declined to take the leap and instead are holding out for a guaranteed outcome in the shutdown fight. However, that is unlikely to come as Republicans and the White House, so far, are equally dug in against Schumer’s demands.
«I think [Trump] wants the Democrats to take ‘yes’ for an answer,» Thune said. «We’ve offered them a lot of the things they were asking for — a normal appropriations process, an opportunity to get a vote on some of the things that they want to see voted on, with respect to the expiring Obamacare enhanced subsidies. But that can’t happen until we open up the government.»
senate,government shutdown,chuck schumer,donald trump,health care healthy living,politics
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