US government shuts down for second time
Washington: The US federal government officially shut down on Friday for the second time in three weeks after a single senator, Rand Paul of Kentucky, held up a vote on a far-reaching budget deal that would have staved it off.
Senators are still expected to vote in favor of the deal in a series of votes that will most likely begin around 1 a.m., reports The New York Times.
If the House approves the deal, the government would have reopened before the workday begins.
Angered at the huge spending increases at the centre of the deal, Paul, a Republican, delayed passage for hours with a demand to vote on an amendment that would keep in place strict caps on spending that the deal would rise.
"The reason I'm here tonight is to put people on the spot," Paul said.
"I want people to feel uncomfortable. I want them to have to answer people at home who said, ‘How come you were against President Obama's deficits and then how come you're for Republican deficits?'"
The shutdown comes on the heels of a three-day closure brought about by Senate Democrats last month, The New York Times reported.
As midnight approached, Paul did not relent, bemoaning from the Senate floor what he saw as out-of-control government spending and repeatedly rebuffing attempts by his fellow senators to move ahead with a vote.
The text of the deal, stretching more than 600 pages, was released late Wednesday night, revealing provisions large and small that would go far beyond the basic budget numbers.
The accord would raise strict spending caps on domestic and military spending in this fiscal year and the next one by about $300 billion in total. It would also lift the federal debt limit until March 2019 and includes almost $90 billion in disaster relief in response to last year's hurricanes and wildfires.
The deal had been expected to sail through the Senate, and the House had planned to vote on it later Thursday, until Paul took his stand.
In last month's closure, the vast majority of Senate Democrats voted to block a bill that would have kept the government open, only to retreat a few days later and agree to end the closure.
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Bengaluru: Six held for cheating job aspirants of lakhs by promising court jobs
Bengaluru (PTI): Six people were arrested for allegedly cheating hundreds of job aspirants of lakhs of rupees by falsely promising them employment in district courts in the state, police said on Tuesday.
Among those arrested are accused -- Jason D'souza (39) and his wife Lavina (36), alleged to be the key conspirators of the scam, they said.
The accused allegedly cheated job aspirants by falsely promising them employment in various district courts across the state in posts such as Process Server, Peon, SDA (Second Division Assistants), FDA (First Division Assistants) and driver, they said.
Although the exact amount swindled through this fraud scheme by the accused is still being ascertained, police have recovered a total of Rs 38 lakh in cash from their possession so far.
The accused duo, along with others, allegedly lured over 450 job aspirants by claiming vacancies in district courts and appointing agents to approach candidates.
According to police, through these agents, they collected lakhs of rupees from the aspirants in phases, mostly in cash and partly through online transactions. Operating from offices in Sahakar Nagar here in Bengaluru, eight individuals and others allegedly filled out application forms for various court posts, collected documents from candidates, and obtained their signatures.
They also collected candidates’ mobile numbers, left thumb impressions and signatures on a format termed as “Green Sheet”, a senior police officer said.
Subsequently, the accused allegedly issued fake court order copies to candidates, falsely indicating their selection for posts in various district courts. They further provided forged selection lists bearing fake signatures and seals of courts, thereby cheating more than 450 candidates, he said.
Two separate cases have been registered in this regard at the Central Crime Branch (CCB) Police Station and Kodigehalli Police Station, police said.
"During the investigation, police pursued multiple angles and secured six accused persons involved in the case. On interrogation, they confessed to committing the offence along with other associates with the intention of making unlawful financial gains. A total of Rs 38 lakh in cash has been seized from their possession," the officer said.
Other associates involved in the case are absconding, and efforts are on to trace them, police said, adding that further investigation is in progress.
