Australia Tightens Student Visa Rules, Targets Migration Cut by 2028 
South Korea’s Lee Rules Out Military Role in Middle East War 
FAA Allows Boeing to Sell 35 More 777F Freighters Beyond 2028 
Synthetic data could ease people’s concerns about privacy breaches. But who gets to create it? 
Australia Plans New Rules Giving Users Control Over Social Media Feeds 
US Bans Canadian Alcohol, Motorcycles as Trade War Escalates 
ICE Agent Arrested in Minneapolis Over Venezuelan Man Shooting 
U.S. Probes Apex Logistics Over Nvidia AI Chip Shipments to China 
Guterres Urges Stronger Global AI Safeguards Ahead of UN Assembly 
Pentagon Restarts Testosterone Testing for US Troops 
US Allies Fear Trump Could Soften Taiwan Stance in Xi Talks 
Kim Yo Jong Warns of Stronger Response to US-Led Military Drills 
France Targets Shein, Temu With Fast-Fashion Fees 
Trump Says US Army Base in Poland Talks Make Progress 
Saudi Arabia Shuts East-West Oil Pipeline After Drone Attack 
France Urges Faster AI Push Despite Safety Risks 
Add as a preferred source on Google
The U.S. government has frozen $2.1 billion in funding for major Chicago infrastructure projects, Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought announced Friday. The move comes during the ongoing partial government shutdown and marks another blow to Democratic-led cities.
The projects impacted include the Chicago Transit Authority’s (CTA) Red Line Extension and the Red and Purple Modernization Project, critical initiatives aimed at modernizing one of the nation’s largest transit systems. According to Vought, funding was halted to ensure compliance with a new rule prohibiting race-based contracting, part of a broader review by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT).
This decision follows similar actions earlier in the week, when $18 billion in transit projects in New York, such as the Hudson Tunnel and Second Avenue Subway, were also put on hold. Additionally, the Department of Energy canceled nearly $8 billion for hundreds of energy initiatives across 16 Democratic-led states, including California and New York.
In the final days of the Biden administration, nearly $2 billion had been allocated to extend Chicago’s Red Line by 5.5 miles, connecting the Far South Side to the city’s rail system. Supporters emphasized that the project would reduce transit inequities in predominantly Black and underserved neighborhoods.
Despite the setback, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and the CTA, which serves more than 300 million riders annually and ranks as the third-largest U.S. transit agency, have not yet commented. The USDOT also announced it would delay a $300 million reimbursement for the subway project due to the shutdown.
The Trump administration has long targeted transit funding for cities like New York, Boston, and Chicago, framing it as part of a campaign against “Democrat Agencies.” President Trump has also vowed to deploy the National Guard to Chicago, further escalating tensions as federal immigration enforcement clashes with local officials.
Meanwhile, the Hudson River tunnel project—a $17.2 billion plan crucial for Amtrak and New Jersey commuters—faces delays that could threaten the economic stability of a region generating 10% of U.S. output.
