Tensions rose across multiple fronts as the United States faced a potential government shutdown amid congressional disagreements over spending and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) oversight. The looming shutdown coincided with debates on immigration policy, a car ramming incident investigated as a possible hate crime, and a new protest song by Bruce Springsteen criticizing the Trump administration's actions in Minneapolis.
Springsteen released "Streets of Minneapolis," a song decrying President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown in the Minnesota city, according to a Wednesday Instagram post. The 20-time Grammy winner dedicated the song to "the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, who were fatally shot by federal agents less than three weeks apart," Time reported. Springsteen sings in the song, "King Trump's private army from the DHS / Guns belted to their coats / Came to Minneapolis to enforce the law / Or so their story goes... And there were bloody footprints / Where mercy should have stood / And two dead, left to die on snow-filled streets / Alex Pretti and Renee Good." Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent.
The Trump administration also faced scrutiny for allegedly pressuring universities to align their policies with its agenda, NPR News reported. The administration reportedly withheld billions in funding and launched investigations into alleged antisemitism. Some universities settled with the government, agreeing to policy changes and sometimes paying fines, while others, like Harvard, challenged these actions in court, arguing the government illegally froze funds. The administration is appealing the decision.
Meanwhile, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham accused unnamed Labour party figures of lying about the circumstances surrounding his blocked candidacy in the Gorton and Denton byelection, The Guardian reported. Burnham claimed these figures, likely advisors, misrepresented events to the media, including briefings to ITV's Robert Peston, to damage his reputation and integrity. He believes this incident exposes a problematic culture of dishonesty within political circles, though he does not blame Labour's leadership directly.
In the business world, Walmart was undergoing a C-suite shuffle, prioritizing technology and AI expertise with the appointment of David Guggina as U.S. CEO, Fortune reported. This signals a shift towards becoming a tech-forward company to compete with Amazon. Microsoft and Meta exceeded expectations with a focus on AI spending, and U.S. markets were poised to climb after the S&P 500 briefly surpassed 7,000.
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