r/PlanetNewsPulse

Senators will now go without pay during future shutdowns in a bid to instill the same pain on lawmakers that federal workers have felt several times in recent months. 

The upper chamber unanimously passed a resolution to prevent senators from being paid in the event of a shutdown in a move that could thwart future closures by making the consequences real for lawmakers. 

China will use its influence on Iran to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC in an interview Thursday.

“It’s very much in their interest to get the strait reopened,” Bessent told CNBC’s Joe Kernen. “I think they will be working behind the scenes to the extent anyone has any say over the Iranian leadership.”

Political organizer Denise Powell has defeated State Sen. John Cavanaugh to win the Democratic primary in the race for Nebraska's second congressional district, according to a race call by the Associated Press on Wednesday.

With the race too close to call as polls closed Tuesday night, Powell ultimately defeated Cavanaugh by about 2 percentage points with 89 percent of votes counted so far, according to estimates from the AP Wednesday evening. That margin could change as the remaining ballots in the race are counted.

Researchers analyzed data from 480,000 participants, providing one of the most comprehensive looks at how physical activity supports long-term brain health. The findings suggest that cycling boosts oxygen delivery to the brain, enhances blood flow to critical thinking regions, and improves support for brain cells.

These combined effects help protect neural pathways and maintain cognitive function over time. Overall, the study highlights biking as a simple, accessible activity with powerful benefits for reducing dementia risk.

A few weeks ago, The New York Times published a striking report on Donald Trump awarding a no-bid contract to the same construction company he chose to work on the White House ballroom project, except this time, it would repair two ornamental fountains in Lafayette Park, which is across the street from the White House.

The Biden administration in 2022 estimated the repairs would cost roughly $3.3 million. Trump and his team, however, approved a no-bid contract originally worth $11.9 million, and after the Republican administration added some additional tasks, the price tag climbed to $17.4 million.

A divided U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday indefinitely extended a freeze on strict new restrictions for dispensing the widely used abortion pill mifepristone while an underlying legal fight over the drug plays out.

Why it matters: The widely expected order provides legal certainty for pharmacies, telehealth companies and clinicians caught up in the latest battle over accessing the pill.

• Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented.
• Teleprescribing and mailing of abortion drugs now account for more than 60% of all abortions in the health system.

• Trump says Iran has to 'make a deal'
• White House says Trump, Xi agree on need to open strait and prevent Iran gaining nuclear weapons
• China says war should never have happened