US Government Shutdown
On October 1, 2025, the federal government officially shut down after Congress failed to pass the funding bill for the next fiscal year (October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026), a key bill that determines budgets for all government agencies for the forthcoming fiscal year. The shutdown stems from a legislative deadlock, meaning Republicans and Democrats could not reach a consensus. The disagreement is part of a larger debate on whether to continue subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that provide health coverage to 24 million Americans. Through the duration of the shutdown, Congress can attempt to pass a short-term funding bill to reopen the government. While Republicans control both chambers, they lack the 60 votes needed in the Senate to pass their proposed spending plan. Democrats have withheld support, demanding continued ACA tax credits and the restoration of healthcare funding cuts from the Big Beautiful Bill. A proposed seven-week stopgap bill from Republicans, a temporary spending measure to keep the government funded when congress fails to pass a bill, also failed to gain Democratic approval. Non-essential government agencies have been put on pause and most federal employees aren’t being paid, congresspeople being one of the few exceptions. Essential employees, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, border protection staff, medical workers, and air traffic controllers, must continue working, though their paychecks will be delayed. Social Security and Medicare benefits will continue, but some roles within these programs will operate at reduced capacity. The continuity of the shutdown remains uncertain, leaving millions of government workers and citizens sitting idle as Congress reaches a deal.
Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam
On September 9, Ethiopia inaugurated the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), on the Blue Nile River, a major achievement in the country’s energy development. Construction began in 2011 and was fully funded domestically due to international disputes on usage of the Blue Nile River. The dam is set to produce 5,100 MW of electricity, doubling Ethiopia’s current output and helping the 55% of the population living without electricity. Over 67 million Ethiopians, mostly in rural areas, currently live without reliable power. To combat that, Ethiopia’s Minister of Water and Energy, Habtamu, aims to provide 90% of the population with electricity by 2030. The dam has also sparked regional controversy. Neighboring countries, namely Sudan and Egypt, have raised concerns about water flow from the Blue Nile, leading to initial hesitation from international lenders and a later withdrawal of financial support by the United States. The coming years will show how Ethiopia and its neighbors manage the shared resource of the Blue Nile River.
Afghanistan Back On The Grid
Internet and mobile services have been restored to Afghans after an unprecedented 2-day blackout attributed to the Taliban. On Monday, September 29, the Taliban initiated a complete internet blackout, cutting Afghans off from the rest of the world. Flights, banking, and cell services began shutting down as Afghans nationwide scrambled to adjust to daily life without the internet. While the blackout was sudden and concerning, it didn’t come without warning. Two weeks earlier, some Northern regions of Afghanistan faced a partial internet shutdown that left phone services and other types of internet functional, unlike the most recent shutdown that left citizens completely in the dark. The Taliban cited immorality concerns as justification for the partial shutdown, but they have yet to provide reasoning for this most recent blackout. These blackouts exacerbate problems that many Afghans already face. Afghan women already cannot go to school past sixth grade, in losing internet access women are deprived of online resources. According to The Guardian, “tens of thousands of girls and women have turned to online education,” and the blackout has interfered with their ability to do so. Additionally, the blackouts limited humanitarian aid from being deployed to remote villages that were destroyed by a deadly earthquake in August. Fereshta Abbasi, Afghanistan researcher at Human Rights Watch, says, “The Taliban’s moves to cut internet access harms the livelihoods of millions of Afghans and deprives them of their basic rights to education, health care, and access to information.”
International Pressure to end war on Gaza
During the September UN General Assembly, delegates from the UK, France, Australia, Canada, and 6 other countries coordinated an official recognition of Palestine as a sovereign state. At the Assembly, delegates organized a walkout as Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, took the podium, where he condemned the nations that recognized Palestinian statehood to the mostly empty room. In parallel, the United States has increased public pressure on Israel to move towards another peaceful solution. Indirect talks between Hamas and Israel discussing a peace deal proposed by US President Donald Trump were held in Egypt on October 7th. On the 8th, a consensus on an initial peace plan was reached. The Israeli Cabinet had agreed to the exchange of hostages, aid being sent into the Gaza Strip and an immediate end to the war on Gaza. However, the plan does not mention Palestinian sovereignty. Hamas had agreed to certain parts of Trump’s full plan, however, had not explicitly committed to some points, such as disarmament, giving up all future involvement in Gaza, and United States and other foreign involvement in the “redevelopment of Gaza.” Palestinian allies have expressed support of Trump’s Peace Proposal, and Hamas has shown signs of facing external pressure to consider these demands and come to a compromise. Many aspects of this agreement have yet to be negotiated, and the future of Palestine remains unclear.
