Democrats decline a new GOP proposal to fund DHS, keeping partial shutdown in effect

A congressional impasse over DHS funding ground on Wednesday, as Democrats declined to take Republicans up on a new offer to separate immigration enforcement and removal operations from the other budget needs of the Department of Homeland Security.

The proposal would have funded most other operations under DHS while negotiations continue over ICE policies.

Democrats said the deal did not meet enough of the core demands they have outlined since the funding fight began, such as requiring agents to carry identification, and prohibiting enforcement raids on certain locations like schools and churches.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who had brokered the deal with the White House and with Democrats on Capitol Hill , expressed frustration to reporters.

"What [Democrats] just did is they pulled out of a deal they negotiated. This needs to end. The country is at high risk," Sen. Graham said. "I don't know what's driving this train. I don't know who's driving this train, but they're driving the country off a cliff here. I try to work across party lines when it makes sense. I have never been more worried about the consequences of this continuing, not only for the inconvenience to the public, which is real and enormous, but for those who are working without pay who have got to be dead tired."

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"The terrorists have to be right once," Sen. Graham said, referring to the risk of malicious actors slipping through airport security. "We have to be right all the time."

RELATED NEWS |White House, Democrats trade offers as DHS shutdown drags on and hits airports

Other Republican senators echoed that concern over terror risks, saying this was the highest-risk moment for the country since the September 11 attacks in 2001.

Still, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said there was a possibility that if Democrats put a "more realistic offer on the table, we'll be back in business."

It's not clear if lawmakers will be any closer to reaching a funding deal before the week ends or before next week, when Congress is scheduled to go on a two-week recess.

byAdministrator

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18:34

Democrats decline a new GOP proposal to fund DHS, keeping partial shutdown in effect

A congressional impasse over DHS funding ground on Wednesday, as Democrats declined to take Republicans up on a new offer...

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Clones of Stumpy, Washington D.C.'s beloved cherry blossom tree, have flowered for the first time

Stumpy lives again.

Clones of the scraggly, beloved cherry blossom tree felled two years agoin the nation's capital have flowered for the first time this spring, reaching what federal officials described Wednesday as a "pinnacle achievement."

The U.S. National Arboretum said in a statement that the plant material used to propagate the Yoshino cherry clones was collected in the summer of 2024. It was one of thousands that line the banks of the Tidal Basin reservoir between the Thomas Jefferson and Franklin Delano Roosevelt memorials.

The new trees are healthy and have put on substantial growth since forming their own root systems, according to the statement. They will remain at a non-public research area until the National Park Service can replant them, perhaps as soon as next spring, the arboretum said.

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"It is our hope that the story and spirit of these trees will inspire future generations of cherry tree enthusiasts around the world — deepening cultural connections for years to come," Richard Olsen, the arboretum's director, said in a statement included in the release.

Stumpy sat on the banks of the Tidal Basin, near the National Mall. The tree rose to fame in 2020, with a viral Reddit post saying the tree was as dead as the user's love life — but he still loved it.

With a hollow interior trunk, Stumpy was among 158 trees felled in 2024 as part of a project aimed at shoring up a sea wall near the National Mall.

Speaking to NBC News on the eve of Stumpy's passing, a tourist compared the tree to the ugly duckling.

"It's by itself, and it just stands out," she said.

byAdministrator

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18:34

Clones of Stumpy, Washington D.C.'s beloved cherry blossom tree, have flowered for the first time

Stumpy lives again. Clones of the scraggly, beloved cherry blossom tree felled two years agoin the nation'...

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Strike on alleged drug boat kills 4 in the Caribbean Sea, US military says

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military said it carried out a strike Wednesday on a boat accused of smuggling drugs in the Caribbean Sea, killing four people, as the Trump administration pushes forward witha monthslong campaignagainst alleged traffickers in Latin America whilewaging a war against Iran.

Pentagon US Iran

The latest attack brings the number of people who have been killed in boat strikes by the U.S. military to at least 163 since the Trump administration began targeting those it calls "narcoterrorists" in early September.

As with most of the military's statements on the dozens of strikes in the eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, U.S. Southern Command said it targeted the alleged drug traffickers along known smuggling routes. The military did not provide evidence that the vessel was ferrying drugs. A video posted on X showed a boat moving across the water before it was engulfed in a bright explosion.

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President Donald Trump has said the U.S. is in "armed conflict" with cartels in Latin America and hasjustified the attacksas a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States and fatal overdoses claiming American lives. But his administration has offered little evidence to support its claims of killing "narcoterrorists."

Criticshave questioned the overall legalityof the boat strikes as well as their effectiveness, in part because the fentanyl behind many fatal overdoses is typically trafficked to the U.S.over land from Mexico, where it is produced with chemicals imported from China and India.

The boat strikes have continued in Latin America even as the U.S. military has focused on operations in the Middle East, where American warships and planes have been pounding Iran with strikes and additional Marines plussoldiers from the 82nd Airborne Divisionare either preparing to deploy or on their way to the region.

byAdministrator

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Strike on alleged drug boat kills 4 in the Caribbean Sea, US military says

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military said it carried out a strike Wednesday on a boat accused of smuggling drugs in the Ca...

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Ultimate 2026 World Cup betting preview: Odds, best bets for every group, Golden Boot and winner

The2026 World Cupwill be the biggest sporting event held in the United States since sports betting was widely legalized in 2018, meaning a huge amount of American eyeballs and money will be on these games.

We're still several months out from first kick on June 11, but there are plenty of betting options available for casual and sophisticated punters alike.

Below is a bet I like in every group, along with my value bets for the Golden Boot and 2026 World Cup title winner.

Odds courtesy ofBetMGM.

Group stage

A reminder about the format for this newly-expanded tournament. The 48 teams were drawn into 12 groups of four. After round-robin group play, the top two teams in each group advance to the round of 32, as do the eight best third-place teams.

From a betting perspective, this means odds to advance will be less enticing, since most groups will have only one team with plus-odds to go through.

Draft your Yahoo Fantasy Baseball team for the 2026 MLB Season

Also remember that six groups include a team yet to be determined, as those spots will be filled in March by playoff winners. That may affect the odds drastically. In Group B for example, the playoff winner could be four-time champion Italy or a Northern Ireland side that hasn't made the World Cup in 40 years.

Here are my current best bets for every group. I'll update this file as more teams are determined via the playoff winners.

Group A

• Mexico +130

• TBD +150

• South Korea +350

• South Africa 12-1

Group A may have the most question marks of any group. Host Mexico's squad is rife with injuries, including defensive linchpin Edson Alvarez, who had ankle surgery last month.El Trialso haven't yet replaced Guillermo Ochoa in goal, leading to speculation that Ochoa could return for a sixth World Cup. All of those issues scare me away from taking Mexico to win Group A (+130). Plus, the quality of the to-be-determined team could range from a group favorite in Denmark to another relative minnow in North Macedonia.

I don't love any Group A play at the moment, thoughSouth Korea (+350)would be my choice for group winner if I had to make one now.

Best bet: South Korea to win Group A (+350)

Group B

• TBD +110

• Switzerland +125

• Canada +450

• Qatar 33-1

Classic Swiss consistency is a strength and a weakness for a side that has always been steady but rarely spectacular in recent tournaments. They've reached three straight World Cup knockout stages but gone out in the Round of 16 each time. However, they may have turned a corner at Euro 2024, where Murat Yakin's side trounced Italy in the Round of 16 and outplayed England in the quarterfinals before going out on penalties.

Even if Italy qualifies from the playoff, Switzerland will be the most reliable team in the group, and host Canada doesn't have the depth or ceiling to keep up.I'll take the Swiss to win the group, with Breel Embolo (still only 29!) to at least match his two goals from the 2022 World Cup.

Best bet: Switzerland to win Group B (+125)

Group C

• Brazil -550

• Morocco +450

• Scotland 12-1

• Haiti 66-1

Five-time winner Brazil and 2022 semifinalist Morocco are understandably clear-cut favorites to be the top two teams in Group C. I don't understand why Haiti is such a heavy favorite to finish last in the group (-575), soI love Scotland's price to finish bottom (+500).

Haiti and Scotland face off in the opener, where the Haiti double chance is only +185. With a point or more there, Haiti will be in good position to double down on their defend-and-counter strategy that has frustrated Concacaf giants. Head coach Sébastien Migné was a Cameroon assistant at the 2022 World Cup, and his experience should help Haiti maintain a decent goal difference against the group favorites, and perhaps even sneak through to their first World Cup knockout stage behind Brazil and Morocco.

Best bet: Scotland to finish last in Group C (+500)

Group D

• United States +100

• Paraguay +260

• TBD +320

• Australia +800

The United States got a great draw in that Group D doesn't feature any team definitively better than the Americans, with the possible exception of Turkiye should it qualify via the playoff. On the other hand, the U.S. is not head-and-shoulders above any of its opponents either, with the possible exception of a rugged yet limited Australia.

Unless Kosovo qualifies, the Aussies will have the lowest ceiling in the group, soI'll take them to finish last (+145). They did get out of their group in 2022, but only by scraping 1-0 wins against Tunisia and Denmark. I'll bet against their potentially stout defense holding up that well again, and Tim Cahill isn't walking through the door to spearhead the attack.

On home soil and assuming enough key players are healthy, the U.S.shouldwin this group, but I'm definitely not betting them at +100. Theyshouldthen have a winnable Round of 32 game against a third-place team before potentially meeting Belgium or Egypt in the following game, so I don't mind playing the U.S. to get eliminated in that round (+240) or in the quarterfinals (+500) if you're more optimistic.

Best bet: Australia to finish last in Group D (+145)

Group E

• Germany -325

• Ecuador +350

• Ivory Coast +750

• Curacao 66-1

The biggest shock at the previous two World Cups was Germany going out in the group stage atbothtournaments, ending a mind-boggling streak of reaching at least the quarterfinals at 16 straight World Cups. Germany still doesn't have the usual cupboard of world-class talent, but with the forgiving format, I don't see the four-time champs missing out on a third straight knockout stage.

2026 World Cup countdown: 100 days of facts, stats and stories

I do likeEcuador to win Group E (+350). In 18 qualifiers, Ecuador posted 13 shutouts and conceded a total of five goals, tying the CONMEBOL record low for a qualifying campaign. Chelsea's Moises Caicedo may be Ecuador's best-ever player, and he fronts a rock-solid back line that includes Willian Pacho (PSG), Piero Hincapie (Arsenal) and Pervis Estupiñán (Milan). The seemingly ageless Enner Valencia will have to keep scoring, but with six goals in qualifying, the 36-year-old appears to have the legs for one more run.

Best bet: Ecuador to win Group E (+350)

Group F

• Netherlands -140

• Japan +300

• TBD +400

• Tunisia +900

Four years ago, Japan finished atop a group that included Spain and Germany, so winning this group should be easy, right? It's not that simple of course, given the talented and justifiably favored Dutch side, but I don't see value in Netherlands at -140.

I'd rather takeJapan to win the group again (+300). Hajime Moriyasu remains the head coach, and his deep squad is filled with players scattered across Europe's top leagues, including Real Sociedad winger Takefusa Kubo and Eintracht's Ritsu Doan. This team can do the things expected from a Japanese team, stylistically stringing passes together, and it can also be fast and physical in attacking and pressing. They have better odds than +300 at topping Group F.

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Best bet: Japan to win Group F (+300)

Group G

*Sportsbooks have pulled Group G odds due to the uncertainly surrounding if Iran remains in the World Cup, something that is up in the air amidst current world events. We'll update this group when odds are re-posted.

Group H

• Spain -500

• Uruguay +350

• Saudi Arabia 22-1

• Cape Verde 50-1

Spain and Uruguay are understandably massive favorites in Group H, leaving Saudi Arabia and debutant Cape Verde dueling to avoid finishing bottom.

Cape Verde's Blue Sharks have little pedigree on the world stage or in top leagues, but they've been on the rise in Africa recently, making three Cup of Nations knockout stages since 2013 and nearly qualifying for the 2014 World Cup. With a flexible attacking system, they also have more upside than Herve Renard's conservative Saudi side. I'll bank on Cape Verde's energy being the difference and betSaudi Arabia to finish last (+125).

Also, I haven't yet seen a price on Spain to win all three group games, but I'm planning to play that. Spain was the clear-cut best team at EURO 2024, and they've only gotten better since then.

Best bet: Saudi Arabia to finish last (+125)

Group I

• France -220

• Norway +275

• Senegal +700

• TBD 25-1

France may be the deepest team in the tournament, with an entire second squad that might be favored to win this group. Their price isn't terrible (-220), but I'd rather look past second favorite Norway to reigning African champion Senegal, loaded with experience at top club and international levels.

The 34-year-old Sadio Mané leads a dangerous and fluid front line alongside Nicolas Jackson (Bayern) and Iliman Ndiaye (Everton), with Pape Sarr (Tottenham) and Idrissa Gueye (Everton) sitting behind them. Two former Chelsea men lead a strong defense, with Kalidou Koulibaly (Al-Hilal) at center back in front of standout keeper Edouard Mendy (Al-Ahli). They won't be intimidated by France or Norway's Erling Haaland, and the ceiling is there for Senegal to replicate its 2002 shock win over France and better its group runner-up finish from four years ago,especially at the long-shot price (+700).

Best bet: Senegal to win Group I (+700)

Group J

• Argentina -300

• Austria +450

• Algeria +550

• Jordan 33-1

Defending champion Argentina is the obvious big favorite to top Group J (-300), with Austria the joint-longest second favorite in any group (+450).

Regardless of Lionel Messi's contributions, Argentina should still win Group J with ease, and I don't see much difference between Algeria and Austria for second. Algeria features strong wingers including 34-year-old Riyad Mahrez (Al Ahli), Rayan Ait-Nouri (Man City) and Mohammed Amoura (Wolfsburg), and they should be able to find space behind Austria's Red Bull-style press. That would put the Desert Warriors in fine position to finish ahead of Austria, so give me theexacta of Argentina winning Group J and Algeria coming in second (+190).

Jordan also looks completely outclassed at its first World Cup, so taking Jordan to finish last is appealing — even at -200 odds.

Best bet: Argentina wins Group J, Algeria second (+190)

Group K

• Portugal -220

• Colombia +185

• TBD 18-1

• Uzbekistan 33-1

After reaching the quarterfinals four years ago and winning Nations League last June, Portugal enters the World Cup as the sixth favorite (+1100). Roberto Martinez's side has as much top-end talent and versatility as any nation, giving him plenty of tactical options, for better and worse. YetI'd rather play Colombia to win the group at +225(be sure to shop around) than pay the juice on Portugal at -220.

As mentioned above, Colombia has veteran big guns including Bayern'sLuis Diaz, Palmeiras' Jhon Arias and Benfica's Richard Rios, with Minnesota United'sJames Rodríguezstill pulling the strings. Debutant Uzbekistan and the playoff winner (DR Congo, Jamaica or New Caledonia) shouldn't pose much of a challenge, so the Colombia-Portugal group finale will likely decide which team wins the group.

With the game in Miami, I see a heavily pro-Colombia crowd cheering their team to the top of Group K.

Best bet: Colombia to win Group K (+185)

Group L

• England -325

• Croatia +350

• Ghana +900

• Panama 33-1

England is the second tournament favorite (+550) and reasonably so given the talent on the field and new manager Thomas Tuchel, who wants to play a more aggressive style than England's often ponderous play under Gareth Southgate. He has the players to do so, and it's hard for me to see any other team topping this group, though I'm not rushing to play England at -325.

Croatia is the second group favorite (+350), but surely this is the tournament the fountain of youth expires for 40-year-old Luka Modric & Co., right?! Croatia may end up relying on five or more 30-somethings, and that's a bridge too far for me to take them.

Instead, I'll takePanama to advance (+220), trusting head coach Thomas Christiansen, who has led the team since 2020. Panama played like Concacaf favorites in qualifying, controlling games against inferior opposition, and they've also shown a cohesive ability to play against favored teams like the U.S. and Mexico. Powered by Coco Carrasquilla in midfield, Panama can pull an upset and get to the Round of 32.

Best bet: Panama to advance (+220)

World Cup winner

The last World Cup champion to open the tournament with title odds longer than 10-1 wasItaly in 1982, so that leaves us with five real contenders, maybe two or three more if we stretch the number a bit to include Portugal (11-1), Germany (12-1) and Netherlands (16-1).

No country has successfully defended its World Cup title since 1962 Brazil, and Argentina (+800) won't join that list. Brazil (+800) obviously has the talent but looked average in finishing fifth in CONMEBOL qualifying. Perhaps Carlo Ancelotti can work his magic, but I won't believe that until I see it. There's a strong case for England, but I'm not touching Thomas Tuchel at his first international tournament, especially at +550 odds.

That leaves favorite Spain (+400) and France (+700). Spain is the best team, and France has the most high-end talent, though Didier Deschamps is often too pragmatic in major tournaments. He knows how to navigate a group and a bracket though, and the price gap between these two teams shouldn't be this large.I'll make France my official pre-tournament title pick (+700).

If I had to go off the board, the long shot I like most is Colombia (33-1), which has as much upside as any team outside the favorites.Los Cafeterosare tournament-tested after reaching the Copa América 2024 final riding a team-record 28-game unbeaten streak, and they have multiple players who can carry a team, all poised to make a leap to stardom or superstardom. Playing in their hemisphere in a climate to which they're more accustomed, I don't mind a sprinkle on Colombia or even Ecuador (66-1) if you want to get nuts.

Best bet: France to win 2026 World Cup (+700)

Golden Boot

Let's start with a few intuitive ground rules to determine worthy wagers for the Golden Boot market. The winner will likely:

• Play for a top team. Five of the last six winners have come from traditional powers, and the exception (Colombia's James Rodriguez in 2014) was from a second-tier contender playing on its home continent.

• Go deep in the tournament. Related to the first point, the team of every winner since 1998 has made at least the quarterfinals, and with the additional knockout round this tournament, reaching the Round of 16 and playing five games is the baseline for picking a Golden Boot winner.

• Take penalties. For Golden Boot purposes, penalties count the same as any other goal, and the last three winners have all converted at least one penalty.

The two players who best check those boxes are understandably the two favorites: France's Kylian Mbappe (+600) and England's Harry Kane (+700). Mbappe won the Golden Boot in 2022, and Kane did so in 2018. They play for two of the three favorites, and either is a reasonable choice again, though the odds are too short for me. A 38-year-old Lionel Messi (12-1), the 2022 Golden Boot runner-up, would be tempting if significant playing time were guaranteed, as would his teammate Lautauro Martinez (20-1) if Messi's status were known.

I'm looking farther down the list at a couple long shots, though. Spain is justifiably the tournament favorite (+400), and Mikel Oyarzabal is the leading candidate to start at center forward. He shared the team lead with six goals in qualifying, taking two of Spain's three penalties. A33-1 price on the top scorer for the best teamis too good to pass up, especially with group matchups versus the relatively weak Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde. I also likeBrazil's Raphina (33-1), as the most likely penalty taker for a Brazil side that gets Scotland and Haiti in the group stage. Neither player's starting spot is completely certain, though few are at this point in the calendar.

Best bets: Spain's Mikel Oyarzabal (33-1), Brazil's Raphina (33-1)

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Ultimate 2026 World Cup betting preview: Odds, best bets for every group, Golden Boot and winner

The2026 World Cupwill be the biggest sporting event held in the United States since sports betting was widely legalized i...

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Patrick Mahomes injury update: Chiefs' star QB posts video of recovery

All good things come to an end. For theKansas City Chiefs, 2025 saw their reign in the AFC West end with a 6-11 campaign.

TheChiefsstruggled in close games but were still in playoff contention when two-time MVP quarterbackPatrick Mahomessuffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 15 against the Los Angeles Chargers. A post-game MRI showed Mahomes tore the ACL and LCL in his left knee.

Three months later, the Chiefs' franchise quarterback is already on the field throwing.

Mahomes posted a video of himself to his Instagram story today with the caption "Day by Day! Felt Great being able to throw the ball around today!"

Mahomes wore a sleeve on his left leg in the video. That's likely part of his recovery process to rehabilitate after surgery.

Chiefs vice president of sports medicine and performance, Rick Burkholder, gave a positive outlook on his recovery post-surgery back in December.

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"Everything that he had in this injury was fixable, correctable and it was fixed," Burkholder said. "He had no artery damage, no nerve damage, no joint surface damage, no meniscal damage. … As you know in the past with Patrick and his injuries, he attacks them and does very well and he's in that mode right now."

Mahomes said in Januarythat his goal is to be ready for Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season. That would be less than 10 months removed from his surgery date.

"Obviously, I think the long term, I mean I want to be ready for Week 1," he said. "The doctor said that I could be, but I can't predict what's gonna happen throughout the process. But that's my goal, and so I'll try to prepare myself to be ready to play in that Week 1 and have no restrictions – you know, you want to be out there healthy and giving us the best chance to win."

Chiefs owner Clark Hunt acknowledged that timetable as well.

"He certainly has a goal to be back for the beginning of the season,"Hunt said on "Good Morning Football" on Jan. 27. "I wouldn't put it past him. He's somebody in the past who has healed very quickly and, again, his work ethic, I think, gives him a huge advantage in getting back and being ready to play in 2026."

Hunt and Burkholder's words show the team is hoping Mahomes will be good to go in Week 1 but their actions show they're prepared for another possibility. Kansas Citytraded a 2027 sixth-round pick to the New York Jetsfor former first-round quarterbackJustin Fields. That's a small price to pay for a contending team to have some good insurance for their star quarterback.

OT Tytus Howard: Traded to Cleveland Browns (previous team: Houston Texans)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> CB Trent McDuffie: Traded to Los Angeles Rams (previous team: Kansas City Chiefs)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> RB David Montgomery: Traded to Houston Texans (previous team: Detroit Lions)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> WR DJ Moore: Traded to Buffalo Bills (previous team: Chicago Bears)

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2026 NFL offseason tracker: Player signings, trades

OT Tytus Howard:Traded to Cleveland Browns(previous team: Houston Texans)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Patrick Mahomes throwing football in latest injury recovery update

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Patrick Mahomes injury update: Chiefs' star QB posts video of recovery

All good things come to an end. For theKansas City Chiefs, 2025 saw their reign in the AFC West end with a 6-11 campaign....

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