INTERNACIONAL
Hitchhiker’s Guide to what to expect tonight on the government shutdown
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The Senate is moving toward a test vote tonight to break a filibuster on a new GOP spending plan. This test vote is not to be underestimated. If the Senate breaks a filibuster on the test vote tonight, it’s likely the government shutdown is just a few days from ending.
Here’s what we expect:
Sometime between 8 and 10 pm EST, the Senate will take the test vote to break the filibuster on the revised GOP spending package. The revamped bill re-opens the government through at least January 30. That buys lawmakers time to work on individual spending bills. However, the package includes full spending bills until next fall for the Department of Agriculture, veterans and military construction programs plus Congress.
It’s about the math. Sixty yeas are needed to break a filibuster Republicans believe they can get a group of Democrats to side with them to at least break the filibuster.
SENATE COULD TAKE TEST VOTE ON NEW SPENDING BILL AS EARLY AS SUNDAY AFTERNOON
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) attends a news conference following a weekly Democratic policy luncheon on Capitol Hill on October 7, 2025 in Washington, DC. The government remains shut down after Congress failed to reach a funding deal. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
FOX is told to keep an eye on these senators who caucus with the Democrats: Sens. Tim Kaine, D-Va., Mark Warner, D-Va., Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., John Fetterman, D-Pa., Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., Angus King, I-Maine, and Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H. Also keep an eye on Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., has expressed interest in opening the government.
THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO WHERE WE STAND WITH A POTENTIAL BREAK IN THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
In addition, it is unclear if Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., could vote yes. Paul previously voted to block the old GOP funding plan. A potential yea or nay vote by Paul could determine how many Democrats are needed to break the filibuster. After all, it’s about the math.
Voting to break the filibuster does not necessarily mean that these senators would eventually vote for the underlying bill. However, Republicans can haul the freight on their own with a simple majority and won’t need any Democrats for final passage.
What happens if the Senate scores 60 yeas? By the book, it would take until NEXT weekend to get to a final vote on the bill. But that probably doesn’t happen.
There are two schools of thought:
One school says that Democrats are frustrated with one another and just want to get out of the Capitol. So it’s possible they could forge a time agreement and vote on final passage of the bill overnight tonight or maybe during the daylight hours on Monday.
The US Capitol in Washington, DC, on Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. (Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The other school says Democrats are so mad over the health care capitulation that they require the Senate to burn significant time over the next few days and pass the bill mid-week.
Some Democrats are outraged that their colleagues may help out the GOP and re-open the government – without an ironclad agreement to re-up expiring Obamacare subsidies. This chasm will spark a Democratic civil war. House Democrats fumed at Senate Democrats for helping the GOP avoid a shutdown in March. This battle will only intensify between those who support the test vote tonight and those who were dug in on Obamacare.
REPUBLICANS UNVEIL KEY PIECE OF SHUTDOWN PUZZLE IN BID TO REOPEN GOVERNMENT
Moreover, it’s entirely possible that Democrats blocked government funding for 40 days – and their own party threw them under the bus without a solution to the Obamacare problem.
However, Democrats pushing for the Obamacare assistance may have lost the battle – but could yet win the war. They have successfully put the health care affordability issue on the radar and could force Republicans and President Trump to address it. If they don’t Democrats may have secured a crucial issue ahead of next year’s midterms.
Here’s another factor:
Some rank-and-file Democrats are fuming at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. Liberals raged at Schumer when he sided with the GOP in the spring. Now some think Schumer overcorrected and went too far this time. This could have consequences for leadership elections down the road.
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So what changed for some Democrats?
The pressure of the shutdown was beginning to mount. It was a toxic combination of aviation delays (with the holidays looming), air traffic controllers off their jobs, federal workers missing paychecks, no distribution of SNAP benefits, Capitol Police officers and Congressional aides working without pay… you name it. Plus, some Democrats scored spending priorities important to them in the appropriations bills tacked on to the package. That’s what makes this measure different from the one which Democrats have blocked since late September. And, a new funding deadline of January 30 gives lawmakers the chance to finish the other spending bills and get their big asks into those bills. So, it was a combination of things which altered the equation.
politics,us,government shutdown,budget senate
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The Senate confirmed Colin McDonald on a 52–47 vote to serve as the Justice Department’s first assistant attorney general for national fraud enforcement on Tuesday, as the Trump administration ramps up efforts to crack down on abuse of taxpayer-funded programs.
The confirmation comes as federal officials continue investigating large-scale fraud schemes, including a Minnesota daycare fraud probe involving millions in taxpayer-funded federal dollars, while House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer has alleged whistleblowers warned state leaders about the issue for years.
President Donald Trump created the new National Fraud Enforcement Division to target systemic fraud across federal programs, pointing to cases such as Minnesota, which officials say have both exposed widespread abuse and helped shape the federal government’s response.
«My Administration has uncovered fraud schemes in states like Minnesota and California, where these thieves have stolen hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars,» Trump said. «Together, we will end the fraud and restore integrity to our federal programs.»
EXCLUSIVE: SENATE BILL TARGETS MINNESOTA-STYLE ‘RUNAWAY FRAUD’ TO FORCE SCAMMERS REPAY TAXPAYERS
Colin McDonald, U.S. assistant attorney general for national fraud enforcement nominee, speaks during a Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing Feb. 25, 2026. (Graeme Sloan/Getty Images)
The new role is intended to centralize enforcement efforts and expand the Justice Department’s ability to investigate and prosecute complex fraud schemes tied to public assistance programs.
During his confirmation hearing, McDonald said the work in Minnesota had been «pivotal» spotlighting fraud in taxpayer-funded programs and that the new division would seek to «scale» similar efforts nationwide.
Attorney General Pam Bondi called McDonald an «experienced, skilled, and tough prosecutor» who will «continue doing incredible work to root out fraud across America.»
FEDERAL FRAUD FACES SENATE SHOWDOWN AS THUNE TAPS ERNST TO LEAD REFORMS AFTER MINNESOTA SCANDAL
Quality Learning Center in Minnesota was found at the center of an alleged childcare fraud scandal in the state. (Madelin Fuerste / Fox News Channel)
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche described McDonald as «one of the most effective attorneys» he has worked with and said the American people should have confidence in his leadership of the new division.
Vice President JD Vance said McDonald has an «exceptional prosecutorial track record» and is well positioned to take on the role.
McDonald currently serves as an associate deputy attorney general at the Justice Department, where he has worked on major enforcement initiatives under Blanche.
GOP SENATOR PUSHES TO CREATE ANTI-FRAUD SPECIAL INSPECTOR GENERAL AFTER MINNESOTA FRAUD REVELATIONS
Senator Chuck Grassley, a Republican from Iowa and chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, left, and Senator Dick Durbin, a Democrat from Illinois and ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, during a confirmation hearing. (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
During his testimony, McDonald emphasized the scale of the problem, citing estimates that hundreds of billions of dollars are lost to fraud annually, and said the Justice Department would work with federal, state and local partners to investigate and prosecute cases, adding that «no fraud is too big» and «no fraud is too small» for enforcement.
The Minnesota daycare fraud investigation has drawn particular scrutiny as part of the broader crackdown, with federal investigators and lawmakers examining allegations that funds intended for childcare and meals for children were diverted or misused.
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A recent state audit found Minnesota officials failed for years to properly investigate fraud-related allegations, concluding the Department of Human Services had the authority to pursue cases but did not act, according to the report.
Fox News Digital’s Landon Mion, Andrew Mark Miller, Emma Colton and Max Bacall contributed to this reporting.
minnesota fraud exposed, justice department, senate, pam bondi
INTERNACIONAL
Canal de Panamá no limitará participación en nuevo embalse: empresas europeas y chinas podrán competir
La Autoridad del Canal de Panamá (ACP) avanza en la estructuración del proceso de licitación para el proyecto del embalse de río Indio, una obra clave que busca reforzar la disponibilidad de agua para la vía interoceánica, con un modelo que contempla un solo contrato integral para su ejecución.
El vicepresidente de Proyectos Hídricos del Canal, John Langman, explicó que la ACP optará por un esquema de diseño y construcción, similar al utilizado en el contrato de esclusas durante la ampliación, pero con un nivel de desarrollo conceptual más avanzado.
Este modelo permitirá acelerar los tiempos del proyecto y aprovechar la experiencia global en la construcción de represas y túneles. A diferencia del programa de ampliación del Canal, donde se dividieron los contratos en varias fases, en esta ocasión se ha decidido consolidar todas las obras en un solo contrato que incluirá la construcción de la represa, el túnel y el propio embalse.
La decisión responde a la necesidad de evitar interferencias entre distintos contratistas y garantizar una ejecución más coordinada del proyecto.
Langman indicó que uno de los elementos centrales del proceso será la precalificación de empresas, que funcionará como un filtro riguroso para asegurar que solo participen compañías con experiencia comprobada, capacidad financiera y personal técnico especializado en este tipo de obras. Este proceso se realizará antes de la publicación del pliego de cargos, prevista para finales de este año.
El Canal trabaja actualmente en la contratación de un asesor especializado en administración de proyectos, cuyo proceso se espera publicar en mayo. Este equipo será clave para validar el diseño final del pliego y estructurar tanto la licitación principal como el mecanismo de precalificación de las empresas interesadas.
En cuanto a la participación internacional, Langman confirmó que empresas de Europa, Asia y otras regiones podrán participar en el proceso, siempre que cumplan con los requisitos establecidos.
Aunque el Gobierno panameño ha planteado restricciones para compañías de países incluidos en listas fiscales de la Unión Europea, el directivo del Canal señaló que, hasta ahora, esa condición no sería vinculante para la ACP, aunque aclaró que el tema sigue bajo revisión legal.
El vicepresidente de Proyectos Hídricos del Canal de Panamá señaló que la participación en la licitación será abierta a empresas internacionales, siempre que cumplan con los requisitos técnicos, financieros y legales establecidos por la ACP.
También se indicó que empresas chinas podrían participar si cumplen con los criterios técnicos y financieros exigidos, mientras que aquellas compañías que hayan sido sancionadas por el Canal o mantengan incumplimientos contractuales previos quedarían automáticamente excluidas del proceso de licitación.
El proceso contempla además reuniones preliminares con empresas interesadas, una práctica que permite a la ACP conocer las capacidades del mercado y a los potenciales contratistas entender mejor el alcance del proyecto. Estas reuniones se mantendrán hasta la publicación oficial del pliego, momento en el cual se restringen los contactos directos por reglas de transparencia.
De hecho, compañías de Francia, España y otros países ya han mostrado interés en la construcción del embalse, en reuniones previas sostenidas con la ACP para conocer detalles del proyecto.
Otro punto clave es que la precalificación se realizará meses antes de la licitación formal, con el objetivo de evitar que empresas sin los requisitos mínimos inviertan tiempo y recursos en preparar propuestas. Este mecanismo busca incentivar la participación de actores calificados y elevar el nivel de competencia en el proceso.
El proyecto del embalse de río Indio representa una inversión estimada de 1,500 millones de dólares y forma parte de la estrategia del Canal para garantizar el suministro de agua en los próximos 50 años.
A diferencia de la ampliación, este proyecto incorpora un componente social significativo, debido a la necesidad de reasentar comunidades dentro de la cuenca.
Langman subrayó que, aunque existen similitudes técnicas con obras ejecutadas durante la ampliación, el enfoque del nuevo proyecto es distinto, especialmente por el impacto en comunidades y la necesidad de integrar procesos sociales y ambientales desde las primeras etapas.
Se espera que, tras la publicación del pliego a finales de este año, las propuestas de las empresas se reciban a mediados del próximo año, dando paso a la adjudicación del contrato y al inicio de una de las obras de infraestructura más relevantes para el futuro del Canal de Panamá.
En el plano técnico, Langman explicó que el embalse permitirá generar un volumen de agua equivalente a entre 11 y 15 tránsitos diarios de buques tipo Panamax.
Cada tránsito requiere aproximadamente 55 millones de galones de agua, lo que equivale a unos 208 mil metros cúbicos, cifras que reflejan la magnitud del proyecto.
aumento aranceles,barcos,canal de panamá,cargueros,esclusas,exterior
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An Iranian military spokesman defiantly vowed Tuesday that Tehran’s armed forces will fight «until complete victory,» despite suffering heavy losses from the joint U.S. and Israeli campaign.
The remark from Maj. Gen. Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi of the Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters, which is Iran’s top military command, comes after President Donald Trump paused planned U.S. strikes on Iran on Monday, citing diplomatic progress.
«Iran’s powerful armed forces are proud, victorious and steadfast in defending Iran’s integrity, and this path will continue until complete victory,» Iranian state television quoted Aliabadi as saying, according to The Associated Press. It added that Aliabadi did not say what «complete victory» would look like.
Operation Epic Fury, which started Feb. 28, has resulted in the destruction of or damage to more than 140 Iranian naval vessels, U.S. Central Command said Monday. In total, more than 9,000 combat flights have been conducted as part of the campaign.
TRUMP’S IRAN STRATEGY SHOWCASES ‘DOCTRINE OF UNPREDICTABILITY’ AMID STRIKE THREATS AND SUDDEN PAUSE
U.S. forces struck 16 mine-laying Iranian ships on March 10, according to CENTCOM. (U.S. Central Command/X)
«CENTCOM forces are striking targets to dismantle the Iranian regime’s security apparatus, prioritizing locations that pose an imminent threat,» CENTCOM said.
Targeted assets include Iranian navy ships and submarines, air defense systems, anti-ship missile sites, military communication infrastructure and facilities involved in ballistic missile and drone manufacturing.
On Friday, Trump, speaking about Iran, said, «Their Navy’s gone, their Air Force is gone, their anti-aircraft is all gone.»
JET FUEL PRICES SOAR AS AIRLINES WARN SUPPLIES COULD RUN DRY WITHIN WEEKS
Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed at the beginning of Operation Epic Fury. (Office of the Supreme Leader of Iran via Getty Images)
«Their leaders are all gone. The next set of leaders are all gone. And the next set of leaders are mostly gone,» Trump continued. «And now, nobody wants to be a leader over there anymore. We’re having a hard time. We want to talk to them and there’s nobody to talk to.»
Trump also said, «Over the past few weeks, the world has seen the true strength and might of our sailors and aviators as they fought in one of the most complex and successful military operations of all time against the Iranian regime.»
A U.S. sailor signals the launch of an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter aboard the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford while supporting Operation Epic Fury at sea on Feb. 28. (U.S. Navy via Getty Images)
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«And it’s amazing… I don’t want to get too crazy here, not a contest. It’s not even a contest. They do whatever they want,» Trump said.
Fox News Digital’s Emma Bussey, Morgan Phillips and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
war with iran, iran, conflicts, middle east, military, donald trump, world
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