US Government Shutdown Averted as Senate Nears Deal; UK Bans Misleading Crypto Ads; German Farm Gives Away Surplus Potatoes
Washington, D.C. – A partial government shutdown in the United States was narrowly avoided as the Senate appeared to be nearing a deal on a spending package, while in the UK, cryptocurrency advertisements implying crypto could ease cost of living concerns were banned. Meanwhile, in Germany, a farm was giving away millions of potatoes due to a bumper harvest.
In the United States, tensions were high as the deadline for government funding approached. A likely emerging deal in the Senate aimed at averting a prolonged government shutdown could face significant headwinds in the House of Representatives, according to Fox News. Senate Democrats were demanding that funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) be removed from a larger package of six spending bills needed to finish funding the government for fiscal year 2026. A growing number of senators on both sides appeared to be warming to do so, while passing a short-term extension of current funding levels for DHS called a "continuing resolution," Fox News reported. Talks to avert a US government shutdown intensified in Washington DC, with officials reportedly moving towards an agreement in negotiations over the Trump administration's immigration enforcement operation, according to the BBC. Democrats had been pushing to remove funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from a 1.2tn (870bn) government spending package following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti in Minneapolis on Saturday, the BBC reported.
Across the Atlantic, the UK's Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) banned adverts from Coinbase, one of the world's biggest cryptocurrency firms, which it said implied crypto could ease people's cost of living concerns, according to BBC Technology. People complained to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) after a series of Coinbase ads in August depicted the UK in various states of disrepair alongside a satirical slogan and the exchange's logo. The ASA upheld the complaints and banned the adverts, finding they "trivialised the risks of cryptocurrency", which is largely unregulated in the UK. Coinbase said it disagreed with the watchdog's decision. "While we respect the ASA's decision, we fundamentally disagree with the cha," Coinbase stated, according to BBC Technology.
In Germany, a farm in Saxony was giving away millions of potatoes after a bumper harvest, the BBC reported. Thousands of potatoes had been rolling into Berlin since mid-January, with residents risking icy streets to bag their share. Dubbed "the great potato rescue," the initiative aimed to prevent about 4 million kg (8.8 million lb) of surplus potatoes from going to waste. Food banks, schools, and churches were among the beneficiaries, according to organizers. However, the Brandenburg Farmers' Association labeled the enterprise a "disgusting PR stunt," lamenting the impact on local markets, the BBC reported.
Discussion
Join the conversation
Be the first to comment