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They are men and women, students and retirees.By the thousands, Venezuelans from different walks of life have responded to President Nicolas Maduro’s call to join militia training to “defend the homeland” against a feared US invasion.Over the weekend, they swarmed to training camps, where they learned to handle and shoot guns to the backdrop of anti-American rhetoric and as US warships loomed off the coast.If the Americans “come with their war machines … we will greet them with lead,” Pedro Arias, a 62-year-old volunteer in Caracas, told AFP on Saturday.Maduro, whose last two re-elections Washington does not recognize, and who it accuses of being a drug lord, has warned of a US “threat” amid the biggest American naval buildup in the Caribbean in years.US forces blew up an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean earlier this month, killing 11 people, and on Saturday, Caracas said US forces had detained a fishing boat for eight hours in its exclusive economic zone.As tensions build, Maduro has massed troops along the Caribbean coast and the Colombian border.He has also urged Venezuelans to join the militia, a civilian outfit linked to the armed forces.At the Fuerte Tiuna military complex in Caracas, volunteers were dropped off in cars and buses over the weekend for training.Some wore sports clothes, others replica military dress. Many of the recruits displayed logos of groups they belong to: the national electricity company, “socialist bikers,” and public television. An elderly man in camouflage gear supported himself with a walker.”To defend ourselves against the gringos,” 16-year-old Victoria, a member of the pro-government political movement “Futuro,” told AFP about her decision to join training with a group of friends.”With our fists if necessary,” her companion Maikel, 20, added. Neither wanted to give their full names.- ‘We are ready!’ -At the shooting range, a tank inscribed with “Independence or Nothing” greeted the volunteer fighters, and an officer sought to pump up the recruits.”I need committed people ready to take up the rifle and face our enemies,” he shouted.”You are here to receive military training. This won’t be a war like the ‘guarimbas’ (street protests). It won’t be stones and pistols” but “weapons of war!” The officer was referring to the street blockades and demonstrations that followed Maduro’s disputed reelection to a third term last year, and left about 30 people dead in clashes with the security forces and militia members.Across town, at the Cuartel de la Montana 4F — a military site that houses the mausoleum of late President Hugo Chavez — dozens more Venezuelans turned up for courses.Besides learning to handle AK-47 assault rifles and pistols, they were also schooled on the US invasion of Panama in 1989/90.”I have come to receive training. To learn about weapons, about tactics to defend my country,” said Jenny Rojas, a 54-year-old lawyer who works for a pro-government foundation.”If they (the United States) try to attack the homeland, the entire population will defend it!” she added.According to specialized military publications, Venezuela’s militia numbers about 212,000, in addition to some 123,000 professional soldiers.”Any person is capable of using a weapon,” instructor Oviedo Godoy told AFP at the 4F barracks.”If the Americans come, the people will be ready. We are ready! We are trained!” he added.

DNA found at the scene of the murder of US conservative influencer Charlie Kirk has been matched to suspect Tyler Robinson, FBI Director Kash Patel said Monday.Robinson, 22, was arrested Thursday after a 33-hour manhunt and is expected to be formally charged in the murder later this week.Kirk, a close ally of US President Donald Trump, was shot Wednesday during a speaking event on a Utah university campus. He was the founder of the hugely influential conservative youth political group Turning Point USA.Authorities said the suspect used a sniper rifle to shoot Kirk with a single bullet to the neck from a rooftop.”I can report today that the DNA hits from the towel that was wrapped around the firearm and the DNA on the screwdriver are positively processed for the suspect in custody,” Patel said on Fox News Monday morning, referring to a screwdriver recovered from the scene.Patel also discussed a note that Robinson is believed to have written before the crime.The note is “basically saying… ‘I have the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I’m going to take it.’ That note was written before the shooting,” Patel said.He added that note was left at the suspect’s family home.”Even though it has been destroyed, we have found forensic evidence of the note,” the FBI director said.Kirk, a father of two, used his audiences on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube to build support for conservative talking points, including strong criticism of the transgender rights movement. He often posted carefully edited clips of his interactions during debates at his many college events.US President Trump will attend a memorial service on Sunday at a stadium in Arizona. His vice president, JD Vance, hosted Kirk’s podcast on Monday.The alleged murderer was a brilliant high school student raised in the Mormon faith by Republican parents and is expected to be charged on Tuesday by Utah authorities.Utah Governor Spencer Cox said Robinson was romantically involved with a transgender roommate and had “leftist ideology.”FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino — also a prominent right-wing podcast host, appointed to the FBI under the Trump administration — said the suspect had shown “intent” before the attack.”There appear to have been multiple warning signs,” he told Fox News on Monday.Bongino cited friends and family members who said the suspect had become “more political.”FBI Director Patel has been heavily criticized for his actions in the immediate aftermath of the shooting, including having announced the arrest of a suspect a few hours after the shooting.Two hours later, he confirmed that that person had been released.On Monday, Patel defended his actions.”Could I have worded it a little better in the heat of the moment? Sure. But do I regret putting it out? Absolutely not,” he told Fox News.Patel is expected at Congress on Tuesday to answer questions from lawmakers.

President Donald Trump will get the red carpet treatment this week on an unprecedented second UK state visit, as Britain counts on royal pomp and circumstance to woo the unpredictable US leader.From a flyby and carriage ride with King Charles III to a grand state banquet at historic Windsor Castle, Britain is pulling out all the stops to flatter Trump, who has long been fascinated with the monarchy.The aim is to keep Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Trump’s good side when they meet at the British leader’s country residence for talks centered on trade, tariffs and the Ukraine war.Starmer has unapologetically courted Trump since his return to power, even hand-delivering a letter from the king in the Oval Office in February, inviting him to be the first US president to receive two state visits.”President Trump is looking forward to his historic second state visit to the United Kingdom,” a senior US official told reporters including AFP on Monday.The official added that when Starmer visited, “the prime minister called this visit truly historic and unprecedented — which it is.”US officials said Trump and Starmer would also sign deals on tech worth at least $10 billion, while Trump’s delegation will feature tech leaders reportedly including the CEOs of Nvidia and Open AI.Trump will be kept far away from crowds and protesters, with all the action taking place outside London, where a large demonstration against the 79-year-old Republican is set to take place.- Royal glitz -The opulent state visit was designed to play into Trump’s well-documented love of the British royals — his mother was Scottish — as well as his fondness for pageantry.Trump has often raved about his previous state visit during his first term in 2019, when he met Queen Elizabeth II.But with Trump upending the world and US alliances as never before, this time around is even more crucial for Britain, which has long cherished its so-called special relationship with Washington.Heir to the throne Prince William and Princess Catherine will start the visit on a glitzy high, welcoming Trump and his wife Melania to Windsor on Wednesday.King Charles — who is undergoing treatment for cancer — and Queen Camilla will then treat the Trumps to a royal carriage procession, a Beating Retreat ceremony and a military jet flyover during the day, capped by a state banquet in the evening.Trump will also make a private visit to the grave of the late queen, who died in September 2022.Politics takes over on Thursday as Starmer hosts Trump at his Chequers country house and seeks to capitalize on Britain being one of the first countries to secure a US trade deal and avoid the worst of Trump’s tariffs.While tech and trade will be key topics, so will Ukraine. Trump is likely to stress his call for Britain and other NATO nations to slap up to 100 percent tariffs on China to get it to end its support for Russia’s war, US officials said.- Melania and Catherine -First Lady Melania Trump, who is making a rare public appearance, will meanwhile have her own program on Thursday. She will tour the Queen Mary Dolls’ House at Windsor with Camilla and take part in a scouting event with Catherine, who has returned to the spotlight in recent months after a battle with cancer. Despite the pomp, tensions will be lurking in the background.The White House said Trump would raise “how important it is for the Prime Minister to protect free speech in the UK” — a core topic which Trump’s former ally Elon Musk raised in a speech to a far-right rally in Britain over the weekend. Another awkward point is the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, which is dogging Trump at home. Starmer was forced last week to fire Peter Mandelson, the British ambassador to Washington, over his friendship with the disgraced sex offender.

Donald Trump criticized New York’s Democratic governor Monday for endorsing New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, whom he branded a “Liddle’ communist” in a social media post.Mamdani, a 33-year-old New York state assemblyman and self-declared socialist, rocked American politics and the Democratic Party establishment in June by winning the party’s mayoral primary.He remains the front-runner in polls ahead of the November 4 election to decide who will be the next mayor of America’s most populous city.”Governor Kathy Hochul of New York has Endorsed the ‘Liddle’ Communist,” the US president wrote.”This is a rather shocking development, and a very bad one for New York City. How can such a thing happen? Washington will be watching this situation very closely.”Mamdani has campaigned on a platform of narrowing the wealth gap between rich and poor New Yorkers and providing affordable housing to low-income residents.On Sunday, Hochul gave her backing to Mamdani over Andrew Cuomo, the longtime former governor and member of one of New York’s most politically influential families. Mayor Eric Adams, the incumbent, is running as an independent.         “Affordability has long been my top priority as governor, and it is the No. 1 concern I share with Mr. Mamdani,” Hochul said in issuing her endorsement.”As governor, I’ve taken actions to realize this goal, including lowering middle-class income taxes and making school meals free for all students. But there is more work ahead of us.”She also took a shot at the president.”And in light of the abhorrent and destructive policies coming out of Washington every day, I needed to know the next mayor will not be someone who would surrender one inch to President Trump,” she said.

Searing teen murder saga “Adolescence” was the big winner at Sunday’s Emmy Awards, claiming eight prizes including best limited series, while “The Pitt” prevailed in a tight race for best drama at television’s equivalent of the Oscars.Seth Rogen’s Hollywood satire “The Studio” dominated the comedy categories, earning best series honors and an overall total of 13 Emmys — a record for comedies.”Adolescence” was arguably 2025’s most talked-about TV hit. The British series for Netflix is the grim cautionary tale of a fictional 13-year-old schoolboy arrested on suspicion of murdering a female classmate with a knife.Its examination of toxic masculinity among young boys, and the horrific messages they are exposed to via smartphones and social media, prompted debate around the world. “We never expected our little program to have such a big impact,” said co-creator Stephen Graham, who plays the teen suspect’s father.The series earned a whopping 140 million views in its first three months on Netflix. Each of its four episodes is shot in a single take.”Adolescence” won a total of eight Emmys including best limited series — awarded to shows that end after one season — as well as prizes for writing, directing, lead actor, supporting actress and supporting actor.The latter went to 15-year-old Owen Cooper, who became the youngest male actor to win an Emmy.”Honestly, when I started these drama classes a couple years back, I didn’t expect to be even in the United States, never mind here,” he said.- ‘The Pitt’ triumphs – “The Pitt” won best drama series — the night’s final prize, and arguably its most surprising moment.It is a medical drama reminiscent of “ER,” with the twist that all 15 episodes are set consecutively during the same unbearably stressful shift at an inner-city Pittsburgh hospital.Tackling everything from abortion rights to mass shootings, “The Pitt” received little fanfare on its initial release but became a word-of-mouth sensation.”ER” veteran Noah Wyle won best drama actor for his performance as the emergency room’s haunted leader.”Anybody who is going on shift tonight or coming off shift tonight, thank you for being in that job — this is for you,” he said.Katherine LaNasa also won best supporting actress.Pundits had considered the race too close to call, with sci-fi office thriller “Severance” considered difficult to beat.A psychological drama set largely in the near-future offices of a shadowy corporation, it had the most nominations of any show this year with 27.The premise: the “innie” employees of Lumon Industries quite literally leave their outside lives, memories and personalities at the door, thanks to a dystopian new mind-splitting technology.Its star Britt Lower won best actress and Tramell Tillman won for best supporting actor.- ‘I am paying’ -“The Studio” — both a love letter to the industry and a searing send-up of its many hypocrisies, insecurities and moral failings — was named best comedy series.Rogen, its co-creator, won best actor for his role as a floundering movie executive. The show also claimed writing and directing prizes Sunday.It had earned nine statuettes last weekend at a separate ceremony for the more technical Emmy categories.The best comedy actress Emmy again went to Jean Smart — her fourth for “Hacks.” Hannah Einbinder finally won best supporting actress as the long-suffering assistant to Smart’s late-night comedian.Einbinder used her speech to describe the agency behind most of US President Donald Trump’s recent immigration raids with an expletive — muted by broadcasting network CBS — before adding “Free Palestine.” Television’s equivalent of the Oscars had promised to steer clear of politics. In one of the night’s loudest moments, “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” finally won best variety talk series. A staple of late-night US television, the show will end in 2026.CBS has denied the cancellation is related to parent company Paramount’s $16 million settlement with Trump. Colbert — a regular critic of the US president — had dubbed the payment “a big fat bribe.”Emmys host Nate Bargatze spent much of the evening focused on his novel initiative to keep winners’ speeches short.The comedian pledged to donate $100,000 of his own money to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.The catch? He deducted $1,000 for every second that a winner’s acceptance speech exceeded the allotted 45 seconds — and added money back on for speeches that ran short.”Don’t go crazy, because I am paying for this,” quipped Bargatze.A money counter ran on-screen for much of the gala, but was quietly removed as the evening wore on. The show ended with Bargatze and others pledging large donations that more than covered any deductions.

Television’s best and brightest gathered in Los Angeles on Sunday for the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards, the industry’s premier awards gala.Here is a look at some of the more notable moments from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles:- Think of the children – Host Nate Bargatze thought he had found a way to keep a lid on the interminable “thank you” speeches that routinely make awards shows run long — and which viewers complain about.At the start of the evening, the comedian announced he would be donating $100,000 to The Boys and Girls Club of America, but would dock $1,000 for every second winners went over their allotted 45.”I know that’s tough. It’s hard,” he deadpanned.”What are you going to do? I can’t change it. This is a game I made up, and these are the rules.”He said, however, he would add $1,000 back into the pot for every second a speaker did not use.An on-screen counter kept track and mercilessly wound down as actors and directors indulged themselves with thanking long lists of colleagues, family members, agents and the like.While some winners kept broadly within their time — and John Oliver managed such a short speech that the total rose significantly — by the end of the night, the donation was well in the red.Fortunately for the non-profit, which organizes after-school programs for young people, Bargatze said he and CBS would donate a total of $350,000.- King Colbert -Late night funnyman Stephen Colbert was one of the heroes of the night, walking out to a standing ovation at the start of the show when he took the stage.CBS said in July it was cancelling “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” days after the comedian blasted parent company Paramount’s $16 million settlement with President Donald Trump as “a big fat bribe.”Trump celebrated the cancellation, but the entertainment industry rallied around Colbert, with fellow late night hosts vowing to support his nomination for best talk show, an award he won to wild applause.Colbert told the audience he has realized his topical show, which frequently skewers Trump and what the comedian claims is a vanishing civil space, is about loss.”Sometimes you only truly know how much you love something when you get a sense that you might be losing it,” he said.”In September of 2025, my friends, I have never loved my country more desperately. God bless America.”- Five women and one man – When “Hunger Games” actress Elizabeth Banks proudly announced the gender split among nominees for director of a limited series, the audience cheered appreciatively.”When was the last time a directing category had five women and one man?” she asked.”I did not bother to look that up, but I think we all agree it was never,” she said.Then she opened the envelope and announced the only man nominated — Philip Barantini — had won for dark word-of-mouth smash “Adolescence.” – ICE and Gaza – At a time of heightened political tensions in the United States, and just days after right-wing activist Charlie Kirk was shot dead, politics occasionally poked through the glitz and glamour of the evening.Best supporting actress Hannah Einbinder from “Hacks” used her victory speech to deliver a brief, but very much no-holds barred statement that addressed the war in Gaza, immigration raids and her support for the Philadelphia Eagles.”Go Birds, Fuck ICE and free Palestine,” she said.Javier Bardem, meanwhile, wore a keffiyeh scarf in what he said was a show of support for Palestinians.Speaking to AFP on the red carpet, he said he was boycotting industry players he believed were supporting Israel in its war in Gaza.”We target film companies and film institutions that are complicit and are related to whitewashing or justifying the genocide in Gaza and for Israel, of Israel, and its apartheid regime,” he said.Writer Daniel O’Brien, who accepted the award for best scripted variety series on behalf of “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,” spoke of a growing feeling in Hollywood that speaking out against the present US government is increasingly hard.He said he and the team were honored to share the prize “with all writers of late night political comedy, while that is still a type of show that’s allowed to exist.”

Here is a list of the winners in key categories for the 77th Emmy Awards, which were handed out in Los Angeles on Sunday.”Adolescence” won for best limited series, while “The Pitt” and “The Studio” won for best drama and best comedy, respectively.OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES: “The Pitt”OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES: “The Studio”OUTSTANDING LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES: “Adolescence”LEAD ACTOR, DRAMA: Noah Wyle, “The Pitt”LEAD ACTRESS, DRAMA: Britt Lower, “Severance”SUPPORTING ACTOR, DRAMA: Tramell Tillman, “Severance”SUPPORTING ACTRESS, DRAMA: Katherine LaNasa, “The Pitt”LEAD ACTOR, COMEDY: Seth Rogen, “The Studio”LEAD ACTRESS, COMEDY: Jean Smart, “Hacks”SUPPORTING ACTOR, COMEDY: Jeff Hiller, “Somebody Somewhere”SUPPORTING ACTRESS, COMEDY: Hannah Einbinder, “Hacks”LEAD ACTOR, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE: Stephen Graham, “Adolescence”LEAD ACTRESS, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE: Cristin Milioti, “The Penguin”SUPPORTING ACTOR, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE: Owen Cooper, “Adolescence”SUPPORTING ACTRESS, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE: Erin Doherty, “Adolescence”

Television’s biggest stars hit the red carpet Sunday under a bright September sun for the Emmys, the first of many awards shows that will offer style trends on the road to the Oscars.Jenna Ortega, the star of Netflix’s Addams family revamp “Wednesday,” turned heads in her striking Givenchy black skirt — and only chunky jewels draped over her torso.Here are some of the other top looks seen at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles:- Regal in red – Selena Gomez, who stars in Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building,” arrived on the arm of her fiance, music producer Benny Blanco, wearing a floor-length red sleeveless Louis Vuitton column gown with a slit and a sweeping train. Sydney Sweeney, the “Euphoria” star who presented an award on Sunday, also got the memo, wearing a stunning strapless red satin Oscar de la Renta gown with a plunging draped bow neckline — and plenty of diamonds.And Cristin Milioti, who won the Emmy for best actress in a limited series for gritty Batman spin-off “The Penguin,” oozed glamour in a crimson Danielle Frankel gown with a dramatic structured bodice.- Perfect white suits -Most fashion pundits say people should not wear white after Labor Day — but the rule only applies to regular humans, not A-listers.Pedro Pascal — a nominee for best drama actor in “The Last of Us” — exuded cool in a double-breasted cream Celine suit, sunglasses and just the right amount of stubble.Gwendoline Christie, a nominee for sci-fi office thriller “Severance” who also stars in “Wednesday,” stunned in a fitted pale Tom Ford suit, her hair slicked back for maximum drama.And Tramell Tillman, who won the Emmy for best supporting actor in a drama for “Severance,” also looked dapper in white, with a glittering brooch to complete the look.- Fall hues – Unlike most of Hollywood’s awards shows, the Emmys are not a winter affair, but instead take place as fall is about to begin — and that showed in the color palette on display on the red carpet.Oscar winner Kathy Bates — a nominee for best actress in a drama for CBS’s reboot of legal drama “Matlock” — looked regal in a floor-length brown gown with long sleeves and a draped bodice.Seth Rogen — who won Emmys for best comedy actor, director and series for his manic industry satire “The Studio,” which he co-created — sported a brown Ermenegildo Zegna tux with a velvet jacket.- Barbiecore: still happening – Blackpink singer Lisa, who made her acting debut in “The White Lotus,” stunned in a sculptural off-the-shoulder pink Lever Couture gown that revealed lots of leg and trailed off in a long swirling skirt of tulle ribbons.Her co-star Aimee Lee Wood also looked pretty in pink wearing a strapless Alexander McQueen pink gown with a bodice that revealed a hint of red.And Jeff Hiller, a surprise winner for best supporting actor in a comedy for “Somebody Somewhere,” sparked joy in his Chanel-coded pink tweed suit with pearl embellishments.- Accessorize, but make it political -The war in Gaza was certainly on the minds of some Emmys attendees. Megan Stalter, one of the breakout stars of comedy powerhouse “Hacks,” showed up casual in a white t-shirt and jeans, but her handbag did all the talking.The black purse had white tape on it with a simple message: “Ceasefire!”And Javier Bardem, a nominee for best supporting actor in a limited series for “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story,” wore a black and white keffiyeh around his neck.”A lot of people are giving me their support in whispers, and I go, ‘Don’t whisper, say it out loud’,” Bardem told AFP on the red carpet.”We target film companies and film institutions that are complicit and are related to whitewashing or justifying the genocide in Gaza.”

Roughly 100 days after Elon Musk’s dramatic departure from the Trump White House, federal workers are still grappling with the lasting damage from his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The consequences of this unprecedented assault on the federal bureaucracy are expected to reverberate for years.From his modest office in the executive building adjacent to the White House, Musk orchestrated an aggressive takeover of major government branches. His strategy was surgical yet devastating: deploy small teams of tech experts to systematically dismantle and disrupt the nation’s more than 2 million-strong civil service.The shock-and-awe campaign succeeded beyond expectations. According to the Partnership for Public Service, a nonpartisan Washington-based NGO, nearly 200,000 civil servants have left the federal workforce so far. For many of these workers — including numerous military veterans — the experience proved profoundly traumatic, with decades-long careers abruptly terminated and their life’s work dismissed as meaningless waste.Following Musk’s very public falling-out with President Trump this spring, DOGE has been largely dismantled. “Not much” remains of the original operation, explained Max Stier, president and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service.”It’s a little bit like Godzilla having flattened the city and left,” Stier told AFP. “Godzilla is gone, but there’s still a flattened city.”- ‘Unfixable’ -Musk himself now declares the US government “basically unfixable,” having concluded that lawmakers from both parties will resist spending cuts that could alienate voters and donors.Most of DOGE’s leadership followed Musk’s exit, including Steve Davis, Musk’s trusted lieutenant who led the teams that infiltrated government offices and computer systems to implement budget cuts. However, some operatives remain embedded throughout the federal government, working as regular employees while continuing to exert influence: making their activities harder to monitor.”Don’t misunderstand the lack of the loud face that was Elon Musk to think they have disappeared,” warned one Pentagon worker, speaking anonymously to avoid retaliation. “DOGE is still alive and causing a ruckus.”Several prominent Musk allies maintain significant positions.Joe Gebbia, Airbnb co-founder and Tesla board member, now oversees the redesign of government websites.Aram Moghaddassi serves as chief information officer at the Social Security Administration, though a whistleblower has accused his team of uploading a critical database to a vulnerable cloud server, potentially exposing hundreds of millions of Americans’ personal information to hackers.Brad Smith, a health startup investor, initially left DOGE after implementing sweeping cuts at the Department of Health and Human Services (now led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.), but has returned to oversee global health initiatives at the State Department.Scott Kupor, former managing partner at venture capital giant Andreessen Horowitz, now heads the US Office of Personnel Management — the federal government’s massive human resources operation. His former boss, Marc Andreessen, remains highly influential within the White House.Other Musk loyalists occupy more junior positions throughout the government. In a bizarre development, Edward Coristine — who gained media attention under the nickname “Big Balls” — took a regular government job and helped trigger Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard to patrol Washington’s streets after Coristine was assaulted in the capital.- Who is DOGE? -These changes have complicated DOGE’s very definition. “The question of, how do you define DOGE? Who is DOGE? has gotten a lot more complicated,” observed Faith Williams, director of the effective and accountable government program at the Project on Government Oversight.Officially, Amy Gleeson, a health tech sector veteran, now leads the department as acting chief, but her White House influence is minimal. Federal workers report that DOGE’s mission has effectively been transferred to Russell Vought, a fierce opponent of government who now controls the powerful Office of Management and Budget.For civil liberties advocate Cindy Cohn, executive director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, these developments are “extremely worrisome” because DOGE’s work now operates “behind a curtain” and away from public scrutiny.This hidden operation includes acts of incompetence and questionable decision-making, as reported by whistleblowers and disillusioned employees who have left government to expose wrongdoing.”My bet is that for every whistleblower you see, there’s some very large multiple of bad things that have happened, which we don’t know about,” Stier warned.The federal workforce meanwhile must continue to navigate this transformed landscape, dealing with skeleton crews and knowledge gaps while what is left of DOGE operates largely out of public view.

A white light flashes above the studio door as Bonnie Ralston takes to the air waves of Allegheny Mountain Radio, one of the many stations across the United States imperiled by President Donald Trump’s funding cuts. The station, which relies on volunteers like Ralston, is one of the only to broadcast in the area, delivering news, sports and music to the small mountain towns along the border of Virginia and West Virginia.”We don’t know what is going to happen to us,” Ralston, 59, told AFP.At Trump’s request, Republicans in Congress voted to cut federal money for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the key funding source for National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), both of which conservatives have long accused of liberal bias.But those funds also backed many smaller radio and TV stations around the nation.Allegheny Mountain Radio, for instance, is expected to lose funding that accounted for 60-65 percent of its budget.The small station, which employs 10 people, has enough reserves to survive for at least a year, said general manager Scott Smith.”We cannot continue operating in the red and pulling from reserves forever. We know we’re going to run out of money at some time if we don’t find more income.””Ultimately, the consequences are our very existence when it comes down to it,” said Smith, 58.- ‘We need it’ -Nestled in the heart of the Allegheny Mountains in the Appalachia region of the eastern United States, the radio station is one of the only local media outlets in the rural area.Few outside radio signals reach this remote region, about 60 miles from the nearest shopping center, where the telephone network is unreliable.In Monterey, a small town of around 120 residents, Allegheny Mountain Radio is a lifeline.”It’s very vital for local information,” said Jay Garber, the mayor of Monterey, noting that most of the town’s inhabitants are elderly and rely on traditional forms of media.Local resident Polly Turner, 74, told AFP she does not own a computer and depends on the radio station to stay informed.”We need it. We’ll be lost without it,” she said.Chris Wayne, another Monterey local, warned that the loss of Allegheny Mountain Radio could have serious consequences.”As soon as you get out of town a little bit, the cellphone signal goes away. So if you don’t have that, the radio station is the only way you’re gonna find out if there’s, like, flood water coming,” the 42-year-old explained, adding that the town is located below the Jackson River, a major waterway.- Community support -Allegheny Mountain Radio’s rural listeners, who overwhelmingly supported Trump during last year’s presidential election, have not always welcomed the radio station despite its vital role. “Some people say we’re too leftist because we utilize NPR newscast,” Smith, the station’s manager, said. “I think the majority of people here understand the value that we provide, no matter what political orientation they might ascribe to,” he continued. Since Congress finalized the funding cuts, messages of support have poured in from the community, and more than 200 people have donated to keep Allegheny Mountain Radio running. The communal rallying has left Smith feeling “optimistic.” “When you’ve got that level of support and validation coming to you, it only hardens your resolve,” he said.”We’re not going to roll over and die. We’re going to keep kicking and fighting and finding ways to make this work.”