Editorial independence is core to our work. Some links may earn us a commission, without influencing our opinions.Which 1.5 ton 5 star split AC should you buy in 2026? 5 models to consider for lower electricity billsThese ACs come with air filtration systems
Shelby Campbell Michigan campaign in focus as Democrat's ‘twerking’ video goes viral; ‘not sending their best’Shelby Campbell, Democrat, is running for election to represent Michigan's 13th Congressional district, and an alleged video of her 'twerking' has gone viral. Published on: May 17
Bulgarian pop star Dara has won the Eurovision Song Contest with her pneumatic dance anthem Bangaranga. The 27-year-old topped both the public and the jury vote in a nail-biting conclusion, soaring ahead of Israel in second and Romania in third to score a massive 516 points
‘Entire NTA panel under scanner’: CBI widens NEET leak probe after 2nd insider arrestNTA expert Manisha Mandhare was arrested in the NEET-UG leak case, a day after alleged kingpin PV Kulkarni was held. Updated on: May 17, 2026 8:03 AM IST By Anita Goswami | Reported by Neeraj Chauhan Share via
As India’s AI startup ecosystem grows increasingly competitive, recognition is becoming a key driver of visibility, credibility, and business growth. The ET Most Innovative AI Product Awards 2026 aims to spotlight startups building scalable, high-impact AI solutions across industries
‘Dead scared to take a loan’: Hyderabad techie says IT jobs no longer feel secure amid layoffsA Hyderabad-based software engineer claims he is “dead scared” to take a loan right now due to lack of job security. Updated on: May 17, 2026 6:44 AM IST By Sanya Jain Share via Copy link A
Tamil Nadu CM Vijay keeps home, police and women welfare portfolios in first TVK governmentTN Governor Rajendra Arlekar approved the allocation of portfolios to the nine ministers, along with Vijay, who were sworn in last week. Updated on: May 17
Meta employees took free snacks, chargers during layoffs: ‘Almost like doomsday’A former Meta employee has revealed that workers at the tech giant stuffed their bags with free goodies on the eve of the company’s first major layoff Updated on: May 17
What makes this US shutdown different (and more difficult)
What makes this US shutdown different (and more difficult)
Shutdowns are a repeat feature of US politics - but this one feels particularly bitter due to political dynamics and bad blood between the two parties.
Some government services are temporarily suspended, and about 750,000 people are expected to be put on unpaid leave as Republicans and Democrats can't agree a way forward on a spending bill.
Votes aimed at ending the impasse have repeatedly failed, and it is hard to see an off-ramp this time because both parties - as well as President Donald Trump - can see some merit in digging in.
These are the four ways in which things feel different in 2025.
The Democratic base has been demanding for months that their party more forcefully fights the Trump administration. Well, now the party leadership has a chance to show they have listened.
In March, Senate leader Chuck Schumer was fiercely criticised for helping pass a Republican spending bill to avert a shutdown. This time he's digging in.
This is a chance for Democrats to show they can take back some control from an administration that has moved aggressively on its agenda.
Refusing to back the Republican spending plan this time comes with political risk that the wider public will grow frustrated as the dispute drags on and consequences begin to mount.
The main Democratic demand is to renew expiring health insurance subsidies which they say will hit American families. Republicans say they will discuss the subsidies when the government reopens.
But a secondary demand from Democrats is very much focused on Trump and his use of executive powers to rescind or withhold money approved by Congress, which he has done with foreign aid and other programmes.
Trump and one of his key officials, Russell Vought, have made little secret of the fact that they smell a chance to make more of the cutbacks to the federal workforce that have featured in the Republican's second presidency so far.
Trump himself said last week that the shutdown had afforded him an "unprecedented opportunity", and that he would look to cut "Democrat agencies".
The White House said it would be left with the "unenviable task" of mass lay-offs to keep essential government services operating if the shutdown continued. They say they need to save taxpayers' money being spent on waste and fraud. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said this was just "fiscal sanity".
The scope of the potential lay-offs remains unclear, but the White House has been in discussions with the Office of Management and Budget, or OMB, which is headed by Vought.
Vought has already announced the suspension of federal funding for Democratic-run parts of the country, including New York City and Chicago.
While previous shutdowns have been characterised by late-night talks between the two parties in an effort to get government services running again, there appears to be little of the same spirit of collaboration this time.
Instead, there is rancour. The bad blood continued over the weekend, with Republicans and Democrats blaming each other for causing the impasse.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, accused Democrats of not being serious about negotiating, and holding out over a deal "to get political cover".
Meanwhile, Schumer levelled the same accusation at the other side, saying that a Republican promise to discuss healthcare subsidies once the government reopens can not be taken seriously.
Trump himself has inflamed the situation by posting a controversial AI-generated image of Schumer and the top Democrat in the House, Hakeem Jeffries, in which Jeffries is depicted with a large Mexican-style sombrero and a moustache.
Jeffries and other Democrats called this racist, which was denied by Vice-President JD Vance.
Analysts expect about 40% of the federal workforce - more than 800,000 people - to be put on unpaid leave as a result of the shutdown.
That will depress spending - and also have wider ramifications, as environmental permitting, patent approvals, payments to contractors and other kinds of government activity tied to business comes to a halt.
A shutdown also injects new uncertainty into an economy already being roiled by changes ranging from tariffs, earlier cuts to government spending, immigration raids and artificial intelligence.
Analysts estimate that it could shave as much as 0.2 percentage points off US economic growth for each week it lasts.
But the economy typically recoups most of that lost activity after a shutdown ends, as it would after disruption caused by a natural disaster.
That could be one reason why the stock market has appeared largely unfazed by the current stand-off.
On the other hand, analysts say that if Trump carries out his threat of mass firings, the damage could be more long-lasting.
Source: BBC
Related Posts: Did Trump say government shutdowns 58,821 displaced, shutdowns grip state since 2003 Shutdowns began as a way to enforce federal law Did Trump say govt shutdowns happen due to weak presidents Won't repeat mistakes we made with China Devastation on repeat No more ‘Can you repeat that History Could Repeat Itself… Study Shows AI Chatbots Can Blindly Repeat Incorrect Medical Details 5 Refreshing Summer Recipes You’ll Want To Make On Repeat
Pati Patni Aur Woh Do box office collection day 2: Ayushmann Khurrana film shows spike; collects over ₹9 crorePati Patni Aur Woh Do box office collection day 2: How Mudassar Aziz's Ayushmann Khurrana, Wamiqa Gabbi, Sara Ali Khan and Rakul Preet Singh-starrer is faring. May 17, 2026
1 hours ago
The Union government on Saturday imposed restrictions on silver imports, moving several categories of the metal from the “free” to the “restricted” category. This means that the imports will now require authorisation from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under the Ministry of
1 hours ago
Gujarat Titans skipper Shubman Gill pointed to dropped catches as the reason for their 29-run defeat against Kolkata Knight Riders. The team's fielding faltered, allowing KKR to post a massive 247. Finn Allen capitalized with a blistering 93
1 hours ago
The star's directorial debut Propeller One-Way Night Coach has premiered at Cannes - and one critic dubbed it a 'disaster'. It's the latest example of an A-lister heading behind the camera with baffling results. At the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday night, the festival's dapper organiser
56 minutes ago
Trinamool Congress’ Rajganj candidate Swapna Barman on Friday alleged that unknown miscreants set fire to her house in Jalpaiguri. The fire, which broke out at about 8 pm, was doused and no one was inside the house during the incident, The Indian Express Bengali quoted the police as saying
1 days ago
After a heavy West Bengal poll defeat, Mamata Banerjee tells TMC candidates to rebuild the party, says members are free to leave. After the Trinamool Congress (TMC) suffered a massive defeat in the West Bengal assembly elections, party supremo Mamata Banerjee appealed to the candidates who fought
1 days ago
A video showing a man allegedly cutting part of a structural column from the balcony of a high-rise apartment has sparked shock and concern online. The clip, filmed from another building nearby, shows workers standing on the sixth floor of a tall residential tower while carrying out the risky task
1 days ago
What is Captagon and why is it called ‘Jihadi drug’? ExplainedCaptagon is the common street name historically associated with Fenethylline, a synthetic stimulant drug originally developed in the 1960s. Updated on: May 16, 2026 1:58 PM IST By Prawesh Lama | Edited by Shivam Pratap Singh Share
1 days ago
Chief Justice Surya Kant on Friday described some unemployed youngsters as “cockroaches”, saying that they go on to become social media or Right to Information Act activists and start attacking the “system”, PTI reported. The remarks were made when a bench of Kant and Justice Joymalya
1 days ago
Indian naval ship arrives in Sri Lanka for operational deploymentIndian naval ship arrives in Sri Lanka for operational deployment Published on: May 16, 2026 12:53 PM IST PTI Share via Copy link Colombo, Indian Naval Ship Sunayna has arrived at the port of Colombo for a three-day visit as part of
1 days ago
A dual-income techie has gone viral online after opening up about their fears of buying a Rs 1.7 crore flat at a time when layoffs and hiring slowdowns continue to haunt the IT sector. The discussion began after a software developer shared a detailed post on Reddit
1 days ago
JioHotstar has officially unveiled the OTT release date of Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge, confirming the arrival of its ‘Raw and Undekha’ version in India with a grand digital premiere on June 4 at 7 PM. The film, starring Ranveer Singh, will begin streaming on JioHotstar from June 5, 2026
1 days ago
Chennai, May 16 (PTI) Aryaveer Dewan will spearhead India’s challenge at the Asian Junior Individual Squash Championships to be held in Panzhihua, China later this month. Dewan, who clinched the U-17 boys’ title last year, will move up to the U-19 category this time and enter the tournament
1 days ago
HR calls out colleague, management in resignation email over employee treatmentAn HR professional’s instant resignation email slamming toxic management and a colleague has sparked a massive discussion online. Updated on: May 16, 2026 1:13 PM IST By Trisha Sengupta Share via Copy link A LinkedIn
1 days ago
If you thought kheer could only be made with milk and sugar, this viral desi twist is here to surprise you. A unique version of India’s beloved dessert—Sugarcane Juice Kheer—is making waves online, with food lovers calling it the perfect blend of tradition and innovation
1 days ago
'Bindaas aaram karo': Manager offers 2-day period leave to female employee, internet dividedA WhatsApp chat between a manager and a newly joined female employee about period leave has divided the internet. Updated on: May 16, 2026 1:41 PM IST By Bhavya Sukheja Share via Copy link A manager’s
1 days ago
How well do you know your Indian single malts? In 2024, they surpassed imported malt sales for the first time, while distillers picked up major international awards and expanded a category once dismissed as a tropical novelty. In March 2026, John Distilleries’ Master Distiller Michael D’Souza
1 days ago
Buenos Aires (Argentina), May 16 (AP) At 6 a.m., in the Mataderos neighbourhood of Buenos Aires, workers unload sides of beef from a truck outside a butcher shop as customers line up for wholesale purchases. Inside, 73-year-old owner Jorge García and his staff prepare meat orders before dawn
1 days ago
Is Iran hacking US fuel systems? Cyber breaches hit gas station tank monitors across states, says reportHackers reportedly compromised automatic tank gauge (ATG) systems that were connected to the internet without password protection. Updated on: May 16
1 days ago
Indian hockey has been rocked by yet another safeguarding controversy, with a member of the India U-18 men’s coaching staff removed from camp following allegations of sexual misconduct. According to multiple reports, support staff member Sudhir Golla was asked to leave the Indian setup in Bhopal
1 days ago
Step inside Rajeev Khandelwal’s stunning triplex Mumbai home with earthy interiors and cosy cornersHere’s a sneak peek into Rajeev Khandelwal’s Mumbai triplex featuring chic interiors, warm lighting and stylish décor. Published on: May 16, 2026 1:56 PM IST By Anukriti Srivastava Share via
1 days ago
Climate Change crisis: IMD to change parameters to declare heatwavesClimate Change crisis: IMD to change parameters to declare heatwaves Updated on: May 16, 2026 1:37 PM IST PTI Share via Copy link Thiruvananthapuram, The IMD, along with its technical partners
1 days ago
, the state cybercrime department, has initiated action against the alleged illegal operations of across the state and issued notices to to remove applications facilitating unauthorised bike taxi operations, according to a report by The on Friday
1 days ago
Booked for the screen: Upcoming movies and web series adapted from bestsellersRanveer Singh might not be seen as Lord Shiva in the film adaptation of The Immortals of Meluha. But these stories from books are headed to your screen Published on: May 16
1 days ago
Social media CEOs once again are being called to testify before the Senate in light of mounting legal and public pressure to protect young users on their platforms. The leaders of Meta, Alphabet, TikTok and Snap were invited to testify next month before the Senate Judiciary Committee
1 days ago
The Election Commission has ordered a probe into allegations of foreign nationals voting in the Tamil Nadu Assembly election. Police arrested ten foreign nationals attempting to fly out after noticing indelible ink on their fingers. These individuals, from Sri Lanka, the UK, and Canada
1 days ago
Don't miss out on muskmelon this summer: Fortis Delhi gastroenterologist shares its health benefitsMuskmelon is an underrated fruit that provides multiple health benefits in summer, explains Dr Shubham Vatsya. Updated on: May 16, 2026 1:46 PM IST By Debapriya Bhattacharya Share via Copy link Summer
1 days ago
