French markets edged higher as the country’s caretaker prime minister struck a note of optimism on the budget before starting a final day of talks to form a government https://t.co/qPjDYlrZ1P ...

We're joined on Bloomberg TV and radio by Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky. Senator, it's great to have you back on Bloomberg. Welcome.Thanks, Robert. Absolutely. I'm going to start with the government shutdown, which is, of course, driving so much of the conversation here in Washington, D.C. And you're in a unique situation. You're standing alone among Republicans in the Senate.Are you. The last debt and deficit hawk among Republicans in the upper chamber. Feels that way sometimes.Yeah. You know, t ...

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni says banks will once again have to contribute to Italy’s budget https://t.co/oV50HHfoDR ...

Trump Will Meet Budget Chief ‘To Determine Which Of The Many Democrat Agendas’ He’ll Cut During Shutdownhttps://t.co/fZg3CbREPZ https://t.co/YdmMZrbQTR ...

Government Shutdown & Political Blame - The government shutdown is ongoing, with Republicans and Democrats blaming each other [1] - A poll indicates Republicans receive more blame for the shutdown than Democrats, though a significant portion are unsure or blame both parties [5] - Congressional Republicans have a 10% higher approval rating (35%) than congressional Democrats (25%) [6] Healthcare & Budget Concerns - The shutdown is attributed to Donald Trump's focus on tax breaks for billionaires, neglecting healthcare challenges [4] - Healthcare premiums are expected to increase significantly for individuals on the Affordable Care Act [4][11] - The Republican budget is criticized for cutting healthcare, potentially leading to skyrocketing premiums [7] - Democrats are urged to resist Trump's budget to prevent healthcare costs from rising [16] Economic Impact & Affordability - Rising costs of housing and groceries are compounded by potential increases in healthcare costs [7][8][12][14] - The American public is demanding that Donald Trump fulfill his campaign promises to lower costs for Americans [14]

Government Shutdown & Budget Negotiations - The White House Budget Office is instructing federal agencies to prepare for potential mass layoffs due to a possible government shutdown [1] - The Republican side views Democratic demands as "blackmail," particularly regarding a "trillion dollars esque" proposal from Chuck Schumer [2] - Republicans claim Democrats are blocking Senate proceedings and nominees, hindering the appropriations process [2] - A key point of contention is healthcare for illegal immigrants, estimated to cost hundreds of billions of dollars [13][14] - There is discussion around ACA health credits, with some Republicans potentially open to negotiation, but not within the current bill [7][15][16] Political Theater & Blame Game - The potential shutdown is seen by some as political theater, with both parties attempting to assign blame [4][18][19] - Senator Schumer is reportedly under pressure from his party not to acquiesce to Republican demands, potentially mirroring the situation with former Speaker McCarthy [19][20] Foreign Relations & National Security - There are growing concerns about Russian incursions into NATO airspace, viewed as intentional testing of NATO's response [21][23] - The US has also experienced similar incursions, including a Chinese spy balloon and unidentified drones [22] - NATO's general has suggested shooting down violating drones, raising the question of whether similar action should be taken against fighter pilots [23][24]

Running a national economy is never easy, but the budgetary task facing UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves this November is truly forbidding https://t.co/K2qk4cqSYW ...

Government Shutdown & Budget Concerns - The US government faces a potential shutdown due to disagreements on the spending bill [1] - The White House is considering mass firings across government agencies if a deal isn't reached [1] - Democrats and Republicans are in disagreement on budget priorities, particularly regarding healthcare [1] Healthcare Debate - Democrats accuse Republicans of cutting healthcare to fund tax breaks for the wealthy [1] - Republicans are allegedly undermining the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and rural healthcare funding [1] - Proposed cuts could severely impact rural hospitals, with potential closures already occurring [1] - Medicaid is crucial for many families, especially those with disabled members, and cuts would cause significant hardship [8] Political Standoff - Democrats claim Republicans are unwilling to negotiate or even meet to discuss the budget [2][3][7] - The administration's actions are perceived as punishing the American people [4][5] - There is internal frustration within the Democratic party regarding Senate leadership [9] - House Democrats claim to be unified in their fight against healthcare cuts [10]

The White House’s budget office sent a memo telling federal agencies to prepare for mass firings of workers if a government shutdown occurs next week, according to multiple reports. https://t.co/eGnKlGTrWU ...

RT Henry Curr (@currhenry)The Labour government is led by technocrats with a working majority of 157 in Parliament. It has forgiving budget rules and as long as four years until the next election. If it cannot put the budget on a sound footing, then who will?https://t.co/nEu872r2HM ...