Trump administration furloughs nuclear weapons agency staff due to shutdown

Due to the US government’s ongoing government shutdown, the administration of US President Donald Trump has announced that it will start hiring about 1,400 employees at the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) starting next week.

Nearly 400 employees will remain at the Department of Energy, which is in charge of managing the US nuclear weapons stockpile, according to a spokesman at the agency, which is a semi-autonomous branch.

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Chris Wright, the energy secretary for president Trump, made the announcement of the planned furlough for NNSA employees in a post on X on Friday.

Due to Chuck Schumer’s disastrous Shutdown, Wright wrote in his post, “We’re going to have to furlough thousands of workers who are critical to modernizing our nuclear arsenal,” referring to the head of the Democratic party in the US Senate.

Democrats in the Senate voted against continuing the government shutdown that has now lasted for 17 days on Thursday, opposing a Republican bill that would allow federal agencies to receive funding for a tenth time.

Democrats continue to stifle funding legislation that would force Republicans to negotiate regarding healthcare subsidies, which is blamed on them for the impasse.

Federal employees who are “essential” continue to be paid until their pay is paid off during government shutdowns.

There have been furloughs for 750, 000 federal employees, along with tens of thousands of federal contractors, for the US government’s more than 2 million federal employees.

The federal staff of the NNSA oversees about 60 000 contractors, who maintain and test nukes at US national laboratories and other locations.

The UN reports that the agency also works to secure dangerous nuclear materials in other countries, including Ukraine, where the risk of a nuclear disaster is rising as a result of Russia’s invasion.

Daryl Kimball, a nonpartisan organization that promotes arms control and is the executive director of the Arms Control Association, criticized the potential NNSA staffing cuts next week.

I’m sure they can find the funds to keep the workers on the job, Kimball said, if the Trump administration truly believes the NNSA’s functions are significant because many of them are crucial to nuclear facility safety and security.

They might also want to reconsider their position regarding the government shutdown, he continued.

Energy Secretary Wright warned that the shutdown will slow down the US’s nuclear weapons program when he spoke to the Bloomberg news organization on Friday.

It will not help that we’re just getting momentum there, he said, not to mention the fact that everyone is unpaid and not coming to work.

Wright will meet with Wright at the Nevada National Nuclear Security Site on Monday to discuss the shutdown’s effects, according to the Energy Department.

As part of Elon Musk’s short-lived efforts to reduce government spending through his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), hundreds of NNSA employees were among the hundreds of Energy Department employees who received termination letters earlier this year.

Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,332

On Saturday, October 18, 2025, how things are going:

Fighting

  • Vladimir Saldo, the region’s elected governor, wrote in a post on Telegram that two adults and a 10-year-old child were killed by Ukrainian shelling in Kherson.
  • A 38-year-old man was killed and four others were hurt in the Sumy region of Ukraine, according to a post on Telegram from the regional administration.
  • According to local authorities, at least eight people were also hurt by Russian attacks in the Ukrainian regions of Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv.
  • An oil depot and a gas treatment plant were destroyed on Friday night in Russian-occupied Crimea, according to Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces.
  • According to Russia’s state-run TASS news agency, Sergey Aksyonov, the newly elected Russian-appointed governor of Crimea, said a Ukrainian drone attack had damaged several electrical substations in the Russian-occupied region.
  • According to Regional Governor Vyacheslav Chaus, Russian forces shelled the Chernihiv region of Ukraine 68 times in a 24-hour period, causing fires at a logging company and harming residential areas.
  • Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, a representative for UNICEF, to condemn the Thursday attack by Ukraine that seriously injured Russian correspondent for foreign affairs Ivan Zuyev and injured his colleague in the Zaporizhia region of southern Ukraine.

diplomacy and politics

    On Friday, Donald Trump met with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of the United States, and expressed optimism for the resolution of the conflict. Trump told reporters, “I believe we have a chance of ending the war quickly if flexibility is shown.”

  • Zelenskyy praised Trump for his “successful ceasefire” in the Middle East, saying that despite the fact that “Putin is not ready,” he is confident that with his “help, we can stop this war, and we really need it.”
  • Trump objected to Zelenskyy’s request for Tomahawk missiles, which are precise, long-range projectiles intended to strike directly into Russia, citing the possibility of a “big escalation” in the process.
  • Trump also stated to reporters that Zelenskyy would “be in touch” with Trump during upcoming meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Hungary.
  • Despite the Russian leader being detained by the International Criminal Court (ICC), which Hungary is currently leaving, foreign minister Peter Szijjarto said his country would permit Putin to attend the scheduled summit with Trump in Budapest.
  • In a post on X, Putin’s investment envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, suggested constructing a “US-Russia link via the Bering Strait,” along with billionaire Elon Musk’s The Boring Company.
  • Trump responded on Friday, saying the tunnel proposal was “interesting,” while Zelenskyy responded, “I’m not happy with this idea.”
  • Following his White House meeting, United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Zelenskyy “reiterated their unwavering commitment to Ukraine in the face of ongoing Russian aggression,” according to a summary of the call that Downing Street published.

Regional security

Trump commutes sentence of former Republican lawmaker George Santos

Former Republican representative George Santos’ sentence has been commuted by US President Donald Trump, who is currently serving time in prison for fraud and identity theft.

Trump acknowledged Santos had made mistakes in a social media post on Friday. However, he noted that Santos’ family and friends had expressed concern about the former lawmaker’s conditions in prison and noted that he had endorsed the Republican Party.

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In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote that “George Santos was a little bit of a “rogue,” but there are still many “rogues” in our country who aren’t required to spend seven years in prison.

“At least Santos had the intelligence to always vote Republican”!

Santos has been “horribly mistreated,” according to Trump, citing his years of incarceration for “George has been solitary confinement for long stretches of time.”

After winning the Democratic-controlled Third Congressional District in 2022, Santos rose to prominence as a well-known political figure.

One of the first openly gay Republican seats in the House of Representatives was won, according to election observers.

However, it was soon apparent that Santos had fabricated significant details of his life story, and that investigation had already begun in December 2022.

The House of Representatives voted to remove Santos after a congressional committee discovered proof that he had broken federal law, including by tricking donors and stealing money from his own campaign. Less than a year into his term, Santos was in office.

Santos and the prosecution had reached a plea deal by 2024 to prevent the allegations from being brought before a jury. In April, he was found guilty of defrauding donors and tricking 11 people into giving money to his campaign, including members of his own family.

Santos, a vocal Trump supporter, quickly launched a demand that the president’s sentence be commuted, alleging that it was politically motivated.

Trump has also portrayed himself as a victim of unfair oppression by his political adversaries. He is known to support his supporters by using the presidential pardon, or bsp.

For instance, at the start of his current administration, Trump controversially pardoned nearly all those accused of being involved in the 2021 attack at the US Capitol. In an effort to violently overturn the results of Trump’s loss to the 2020 presidential election, that attack was carried out.

Santos and his allies have also gotten attention for his solitary confinement. Given their association with mental health issues and higher risk of suicide, critics claim cells in US prisons are “cruel and unusual punishment” and serve to maximize isolation.

On July 25, Santos entered the Fairton, New Jersey, Federal Correctional Facility. Since then, he has written several columns in which he has recited his appeal for mercy to Trump.

“I don’t want special treatment,” I said. In an opinion column, he wrote, “I want to be treated like a person with the respect that every person deserves when in distress.”

US sanctions ex-police officer, gang leader in Haiti over criminal ties

Two Haitians have been sanctioned by the US Treasury for their membership in the Viv Ansanm criminal alliance, one of whom is a former police officer and the other an alleged gang leader.

In a news release released on Friday, a Treasury official claimed that Kempes Sanon and Dimitri Herard had colluded with Viv Ansanm, contributing to Haiti’s upheaval.

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In the US, no one can access any asset or property because of the sanctions. Additionally, they forbid entities with US addresses from collaborating with the two men.

The director of the US Office of Foreign Assets Control, Bradley T. Smith, said in a statement that “Today’s action highlights the crucial role of gang leaders and facilitators like Herard and Sanon, whose support enables Viv Ansanm’s campaign of violence, extortion, and terrorism in Haiti.

US President Donald Trump has attempted to take a hard line stance against criminal organizations in Latin America since taking office for a second term, blaming them for illegal immigration and drug trafficking on American soil.

Trump has referred to their actions as a criminal “invasion,” using nativist language to defend military action in international waters.

Trump’s crackdown included Viv Ansanm. On January 20, Trump signed an executive order establishing the definition of “foreign terrorist organizations” for his administration.

Several weeks later, that process started. In May, Viv Ansanm and Gran Grif, a different Haitian criminal organization, were added to the growing list of international criminal organizations that received the “foreign terrorist” designation.

A power vacuum has developed in Haiti since Jovenel Moise’s assassination in 2021. The last democratically elected officials to win a seat in the country held in 2016 were in 2023, and they were the last ones to win.

That has led to a public confidence crisis that gangs and other criminal networks have abused to increase their influence. One of the most powerful organizations is Viv Ansanm, a coalition of gangs with a focus in Port-au-Prince, the capital.

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime’s executive director, Ghada Waly, warned in July that the gangs now have “near-total control of the capital,” with 90% of its territory under their control.

The country’s gang violence has caused 1.4 million people to flee, up 36% over the previous year. More than 5, 600 people died and 2, 212 were injured last year.

Herard, a former police officer, was accused of colluding with the Viv Ansanm alliance through training and the distribution of weapons in the US Treasury’s sanctions on Friday.

Herard was detained by Haitian authorities for his involvement in the Moise murder, according to the article. In 2024, he later escaped.

Sanon is credited with being the leader of the Viv Ansanm alliance’s Bel Air gang. He was cited by the Treasury as having “a significant role” in establishing Viv Ansanm’s authority and being responsible for kidnappings, killings, and extortion.

On Friday, the UN Security Council designated both Sanon and Herard in a similar fashion to the US’s sanctions. Additionally, it agreed to extend the arms embargo that Haiti’s arms embargo started in 2022.

A “gang suppression force” with a 12-month mandate to work with Haitian police and military was approved by the UNSC in September. 5, 550 people are expected to make up the force, which will be led by Kenyan-led operations to strengthen Haiti’s security forces.

The Trump administration, however, claimed on Friday that the UN’s efforts to combat gangs in Haiti were insufficient. More suspect designations were demanded, in addition.

The list is incomplete, despite our admiration for the Council’s decision to design these individuals. According to US Ambassador Jennifer Locetta, there are more enticers of Haiti’s insecurity who are avoiding accountability.

Better is what Haiti deserves. Please continue to lobby the Security Council and its affiliate organizations to make sure the sanctions lists are accurate.

Unwin & Holl win GB’s third gold on day two in Rio

SW Pix

On day two of the Para-Cycling World Championships, Britain won a third gold medal in the women’s B individual pursuit led by Jenny Holl and Sophie Unwin.

The British team’s new world record was broken by the duo’s remarkable effort to overcome a two-second deficit and defeat New Zealand’s Emma Foy and Jessie Hodges, rounding off a successful day in Rio de Janeiro.

Jody Cundy won the inaugural men’s C4 sprint title earlier in the evening, while James Ball and Steffan Lloyd won the men’s B 1km time trial.

Cundy, 47, won his 23rd world track gold medal against Belgium’s Jarno Thierens and Australia’s Michael Shipley in a stand-out performance.

The finish was also impressive for Ball and his pilot, who finished ahead of Australia’s Kane Perris and Luke Zaccaria, with Stefano Meroni and Francesco Ceci coming in third.

After failing to maintain her blistering start, Kadeena Cox, who finished behind Australia’s Tara Neyland, won the women’s C4 kilo.

Fin Graham won the men’s C3 1km time trial gold, and Lizzi Jordan and Dannielle Khan captured the bronze medals of Poland’s Karolina Karasiewicz and Dominika Putrya in the women’s B individual pursuit.

Blaine Hunt, who lost in the men’s C5 elimination race, was disappointed, though.

related subjects

  • Sport for people with disabilities
  • Cycling

Unwin & Holl win GB’s third gold on day two in Rio

SW Pix

Sophie Unwin and Jenny Holl triumphed in the women’s B individual pursuit to claim a third gold for Britain on day two of the Para-Cycling World Championships.

The duo, who set a new world record in qualifying, paced their effort superbly to overcome a two-second deficit and beat New Zealand’s Emma Foy and Jessie Hodges, rounding off a fine day for the British team in Rio de Janeiro.

Earlier in the evening Jody Cundy claimed his second gold in as many days by winning the inaugural men’s C4 sprint title, while James Ball and Steffan Lloyd claimed gold in the men’s B 1km time trial.

Cundy, 47, led from start to finish as he held off Belgium’s Jarno Thierens and Australia’s Michael Shipley to win his 23rd world track gold medal.

Ball and his pilot Lloyd were equally as impressive as they finished over a second clear of Australia’s Kane Perris and Luke Zaccaria, with Italy’s Stefano Meroni and Francesco Ceci in third.

Kadeena Cox collected a silver in the women’s C4 kilo behind Australia’s Tara Neyland after being unable to maintain her blistering start.

Fin Graham secured his second medal of the week with a bronze in the men’s C3 1km time trial and Lizzi Jordan and pilot Dannielle Khan caught Poland’s Karolina Karasiewicz and Dominika Putrya to earn a bronze in the women’s B individual pursuit.

However, there was disappointment for Blaine Hunt, who crashed out in the men’s C5 elimination race.

Related topics

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  • Cycling